Date Archives: December 2021

Working from home has become increasingly common, particularly over the last year and a half. Will you be working remotely in 2022? Whether you work full-time, or only a couple of days a week, it's important to minimize distractions and maximize productivity. And sometimes it's difficult to do that in your house.

What you need is a coworking space in your neighborhood. Thankfully, you'll find many of these spaces throughout the Pacific Northwest. Here's what to look for when considering a coworking space for your 2022 remote work.

Benefits of a Coworking Space

A coworking space is an office environment where independent workers, such as freelancers, startups, and anyone else who doesn't work in a fixed location, can come to get things done. Workers typically pay an hourly fee, bringing their laptops and working surrounded by others in similar situations.

Coworking spaces provide many benefits that working from home doesn't. For instance, it offers a better work/life balance. When you work and live in the same location, it can feel like you're always on the clock, even when you're not working. Likewise, when you are working, you can be plagued by household chores that need to be done.

By working in a different location, you can keep your personal and professional business separate. It also helps eliminate the distractions that your home brings with it. In a coworking space, you won't be tempted to sneak off to watch TV in the middle of the day, answer personal e-mails, scroll through social media, or do chores, while you're supposed to be working.

By eliminating those distractions and putting you in a "work" frame of mind, coworking spaces tend to make people more productive than they would be simply working from home. However, it only works if you're able to find the right space for your needs.

What to Look for in a Coworking Space

First, look at what the space provides. A reliable Internet connection is a must, as well as outlets for charging your phone, laptop, or other devices. You may also need access to a printer or a scanner. Most spaces also have computers you can use on-site, in lieu of your own device. There may be other amenities that are important to you as well. Is there a kitchen, with snacks and a coffee pot? Private conference rooms for meetings and presentations?

Next, consider the environment. Does the space have enough lighting? Is the temperature comfortable, or is it too hot, cold, humid, etc.? The decor and general aesthetic of the space are important too. Find a place that looks friendly and inviting.

And one of the most important aspects of coworking is the community. Who else works there regularly? Even if you're not working with them directly, you're spending a large chunk of your day with them, so it's important to be sure you feel comfortable around them and will get along well with them. Coworking can also often lead to networking opportunities, connecting with like-minded people, and helping one another. So find a community you feel comfortable in.

Other Factors

A good coworking space provides variety for different working styles. It also gives people the freedom to switch environments throughout the day, depending on their mood and their current needs. This flexibility has been shown to increase productivity.

It's also important to look at the location. Portland and Seattle have many coworking space options to choose from. Ultimately, you want to find a space that's near your house, that you can get to and from easily. The stress of a long or difficult commute can make working difficult, negatively impacting your productivity before the day even begins.

Finally, look at your budget. Look at what different coworking spaces in your area charge, whether it's per hour, per week, or per month, and compare it to how much you're willing or able to spend. How much does the cost of being in that space cut into the amount you'll earn while working there?

What they offer for the price is also important. Maybe you're willing to spend a bit more on a place that has a coffeemaker, or comfy couches. Make a list of your needs, and the amount you're willing to spend. Then, compare spaces to see which one is the best fit.

If you're looking for a home near a coworking space or a home with an office for your remote working lifestyle, our brokers can help you find the perfect option. Contact us to learn more!

If you've been thinking about selling your home, there's never been a better time to do it. Home prices have been surging to unprecedented highs all year. 

Many experts believe this trend will continue into 2022, so there is still plenty of time to capitalize on it. The good news is that selling your home is easy with the right professionals to guide you. Our helpful guide will walk you through the process one step at a time.  

• Find a Broker 
  Finding a qualified real estate broker should be the first thing on your to-do list when preparing your home for the market. There are ways to sell your home independently these days, so some people decide to skip this step. This may sound like a good idea at first, but many of them come to regret that decision later on.  
  
  A real estate broker will take care of pricing, listing, and marketing your home – all of which you would otherwise have to do on your own. Their help will save you a lot of time and stress, and their expertise ensures that you get as much money as possible from the sale of your home.
   
• Prepare Your Home for Sale 
  To get the best results when selling your home, you have to treat it like a product in a store: presentation is key. Here are a few things to do before your agent creates an official listing for your home.  
  • Declutter your space.
    Whether it's piles of half-read books, drinkware, or an impressive collection of chargers for your electronics, we all have some degree of clutter around our homes. When trying to sell your home, these things will only get in the way. Put them away and out of sight to keep the space clean, impersonal, and easy to navigate.
  • Switch to a neutral decor.
    Your home decor may match your tastes exactly, but it probably won't appeal to buyers. Do what you can to make the space look as neutral as possible. Remove posters and personal photos, store away any eclectic bits of furniture, and consider painting any rooms with bright or unconventional wall colors.
  • Get up to date on your maintenance tasks.
    Make sure that everything around the house is in good working order and looks presentable. Creating a maintenance schedule can help you stay on top of tasks if you think your home might be on the market for a while.  
    
    
• Get Ready for Showings 
  Once you've drummed up some interest in your home, it's time to start showing it off to prospective buyers. Your broker will handle all the arrangements and scheduling considerations, so there's no need to worry about that. Instead, focus on getting your home and family ready.  
  
  Make sure you keep on top of your cleaning and have a place to go during showings. This can be difficult with kids, but it helps if you have a friend or family member living nearby who you can visit on short notice. 
  
  
• Review Offers 
  After your home has been on the market for a while, you can move on to the fun part: reviewing your offers. The current market is extremely competitive for buyers, so you might have multiple offers to choose from. You might think it makes sense to just choose the highest one, and that may end up being true. However, there are a few other factors you should think about when weighing all of your offers.  
  • Are your buyers pre-approved by their bank? If they are, you can cut the closing process down by several days.
  • Have they asked for any concessions? 
  • Have they asked for a buyer's contingency?
  • What is the timeline on their offer? 
    
    
• Close the Sale 
  Once you've decided which offer you will accept, it's time to let the buyers know and start working to finalize the deal. You'll have to take the home off the market, but you won't receive your funds right away. You will need to give the buyer time to inspect the property and decide if they really do want to go ahead with the purchase.  
  
  After financing matters are sorted out, you'll need to sign the title and escrow documents to finalize the sale. Once the buyers have been recognized as the official new owners and your money has been transferred to you, the process will be complete.  
  
  
• Get Ready to Move 
  Remember, there is more to selling your home than completing the transaction: you also have to find a new place to live.  
  
  Whether you have another property ready to move into or plan to stay with friends or family for a while as you scout out a new place, you'll need to have all of your belongings cleared out before the new owners take possession of your home. If you need to go house-hunting yourself, with the right agent to help you, you're sure to find the right home for you.  

Selling your home could be your next big adventure in life - are you ready to get started? Our brokers can help you sell your current home and find a new one that suits your needs. Contact us today. 

The season of giving is nearly upon us, so what could be better than giving the gift of knowledge and exciting experiences? Our brokers know that there are so many outstanding museums around Seattle, and gifting a membership is a great way to support local museums while giving a fun, unique gift that someone on your shopping list can enjoy all year long. Find some inspiration for your holiday shopping, with these 6 excellent museum memberships near Seattle that you can gift this holiday season.

• Seattle Art Museum – 1300 1st Ave., Seattle, WA 98101
  For the art lover on your list, it's hard to top a membership to one of the most popular museums near Seattle homes for sale. A membership to the Seattle Art Museum provides 12 months of benefits, including unlimited admission to SAM and access to a variety of special exhibitions throughout the year. They'll also enjoy savings at the SAM gift shop, early access to select new exhibitions, and special member-only programming. That programming includes popular lecture series from art experts and deep dives behind the scenes that will show how some of the amazing art on display was created.
  
  
• Museum of Pop Culture – 325 5th Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109
  The Museum of Pop Culture is a great choice for creators, artists, educators, and anyone who just loves to learn more about the pop culture that has shaped our history. There are a ton of gift membership options available, from single memberships to memberships fit for an entire family including kids. All memberships include unlimited access to the museum, discounts for museum events, expedited entry to events, and discounts at the gift shop. Higher-level membership perks can include free gifts, invitations to exclusive happy hours at the museum, parking passes, and even private tours of the museum.
  
  
• Burke Museum – 4300 15th Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98105
  Searching for the perfect gift for a family that loves learning? A membership to the Burke Museum at the University of Washington could be just the thing. The museum's three floors cover contemporary culture, biology, archaeology, and paleontology, with fascinating exhibits for all ages. You can build a customized gift membership package for an individual or a whole family, adding additional members as needed. In addition to unlimited museum access, members get access to fun member-only events like behind-the-scenes tours, along with discounts at the gift shop and cafe. 
  
  
• Seattle Children's Museum – 305 Harrison St., Seattle, WA 98109
  For families with younger kids, a membership to the Seattle Children's Museum provides a full year of family fun. You can choose a base membership that provides year-long access to the museum for one named adult and child, or a flex membership that allows your favorite family to bring an additional guest each time that they visit. No matter which membership you choose to gift, the member will have 12 months of access to the museum, invitations to special events for members, the chance to attend exhibit openings, and discounted prices for scheduling their own special events like birthday parties at the museum.
  
  
• The Museum of Flight – 9404 E Marginal Way S, Seattle, WA 98108
  Anyone with a love of aviation is sure to enjoy a membership to The Museum of Flight, one of the best places in the world to learn about both the history and future of aviation. There are a variety of benefits depending on the membership level that you choose, but even the most affordable memberships offer great perks. Every membership includes unlimited admission for two adults, a subscription to the museum's quarterly magazine, discounts on nearly all purchases at the museum, access to exclusive events, and free admission to a variety of other local attractions through the Partners of the West Museum Program.
  
  
• Cascade Bicycle Club – 7787 62nd Ave. NE, Seattle, WA 98115
  Do you have someone on your list who loves to explore Seattle on their bicycle? While it's not a museum, like others on our list, there's still plenty to learn and do with this membership! The Cascade Bicycle Club has been around since it was founded by a small group of bicycle enthusiasts in the 1970s and offers some excellent perks for members. Gifting a membership grants access to special discounts on all of the rides, classes, and camps that the club offers. Members also gain access to the Cascade Bicycle Club community space, and discounts at nearly 20 partners around Seattle.

Are you searching for a home that makes it easy to enjoy all of the amazing museums and attractions around Seattle? Let our team help you find the perfect match. Contact us to buy and sell homes in the Seattle, WA area.