The National Association of Realtors (NAR) recently announced a $418 million proposed class-action settlement. Since then, sensational headlines and rampant misinformation have been churning in news reports daily. As your trusted professionals, it is important that we share our thoughts and truths with you. We are honored and passionate about helping people create wealth through real estate! That will not change.

Chances are you've heard of multiple offers regarding real estate. Especially if you live in Washington State and have had a slight pulse on the market for the past five years. Real estate markets are strongly propelled by supply and demand. Supply is active inventory, aka homes for sale, and the demand is shown by the pending sales- when a buyer and seller get under contract. Overall, there has been a significant shortage of homes compared to people looking to purchase, which has given a strong seller advantage. This, combined with interest rates in the 2% range, which we saw in 2020, resulted in a frenzy for buyers shopping for homes. With interest rates in the 6-7% range, now fewer people can afford the rates and purchase some, which has leveled out with the lack of homes for sale.

It's safe to say that these are some of the top questions that we're asked by our friends and clients: What type of remodel should we do? We don't want to overspend on updates. Where do we find a fixer home as an investment? What easy fixes can make us more money when selling our home? And yes, we have experience and answers to all of these questions. Chances are you've had these thoughts, too! And we are here to help.

A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Clients & Encouragement for the Future

One of our most used services that sellers repeatedly rave about is our listing concierge program. We've taken some of the most stressful parts about selling a home and streamlined it to make it easy for our clients. The listing preparation can be daunting and almost paralyzing for some people when they start to think about selling their home or moving. In most situations, our suggested list greatly differs from the lists that our sellers have in their minds. Before you reel about what you "have to do to sell" read this!

Blaming my lack of awareness, I took it upon myself to explore further, uncovering the harsh reality of how systemic racism had entrenched itself, limiting opportunities for communities of color. The seeds of change were planted for all who attended that event. Over the years, our industry has witnessed efforts to undo the damage. Realtor organizations, including those we associate with, are now actively engaged in education and candid conversations addressing implicit biases, microaggressions, aging CCR’s and much more.

Welcome to a new year in Pierce County, where the real estate landscape is poised for dynamic shifts. Drawing from our extensive experience in the Tacoma area, we're excited to share our exclusive predictions for 2024. Let our foresight guide you through the opportunities ahead of you.

Tacoma spoils us with plenty of options for dining out, grabbing coffee, or picking up lunch. As a Realtor and fellow foodie, it's my duty to support local commerce and test out options so I can confidently recommend. In 2020 alone, we helped 6 buyers move to the Tacoma area from out of state. And we love to share our go-to's in each neighborhood. This blog features two spots we recently stumbled across that were new to us, located near Central Tacoma.

I was a little late this year taking down holiday decorations. One of my favorite things about the season is receiving greeting cards and warm wishes from our friends, family, and clients. It is such a joy to get a bunch of mail sharing photos and life updates---what a special tradition! I have kept cards over the years and I take the time to reminisce each year when we take down the decorations.