Pantone’s Color of the Year 2012: Tangerine Tango

Posted on January 20, 2012 by Mike and Sandi

This year, Pantone announced their 2012 Color of the Year is Tangerine Tango. An excerpt from an article in the LA Times reads:

Known as Pantone 17-463 among members of the interior and fashion design community (and simply “Tangie” to family and friends),tangerine tango is described by the color-matching company as “a vivacious, enticing hue,” “a provocative go-getter” that’s “a bit exotic, but in a very friendly, non-threatening way” and “a spirited reddish orange … [s]ophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive.”

Below we’ve compiled some great ways that you can incorporate this beautiful color into your home.

You can either use paint or wallpaper for a very permanent color addition to your home. If the hue is far to bright for you to paint all your walls, then try painting just one wall instead.

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If painting walls or adding wall paper seems a little too permanent for your home, then there are other ways to incorporate this beautiful shade. Furniture or appliances in Tangerine Tango could be the way to brighten up the rooms of your home.

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Of course, the simplest and least permanent way to incorporate a bold and bright color into your home is through accents. An area rug, curtains, a blanket, and throw pillows can brighten up your room without the permanency of furniture or newly painted walls.

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We’d love to know if you’re planning to use this hue to spice up your decor, or if you plan to sit this one out? Do you love it enough to make it permanent in paint or furniture or will you be using it as an accent?

Why Your House Isn’t Selling

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Mike and Sandi

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Your home has been on the market several months (or more) and you can’t figure out why it isn’t selling. Either you’re not getting showings, or you are and no one has placed an offer on your property. Do you want to know what the reasons for this might be? We’ve got a couple…

Bad Curb Appeal

Nowadays buyers look up everything on the internet–including your home. Oftentimes buyers will look up your address and do a drive-by before they contact the realtor to see the inside of your home. It’s become even more important that your home looks polished from the outside as well as the inside.

Look at Market Value

Compare your home to other homes in a similar price range. How does your house compare? Buyers today want to get as much home for as little money as possible, and in this market they can afford to shop around for the perfect home. Make sure your home is the best value for their money.

No Marketing Plan

If you have a realtor, how did you choose them? Did you decide on them because they had a great marketing plan or because they were less expensive than the other options? What you should do is base your choice of realtor on their marketing plan. Discover how they plan to market your home in this economy. Find out what your realtor can do for you and your home to make sure it gets sold.

Beauty Contest

Your home isn’t the only home on the market. Remember that you are competing with other homes in the area. Don’t forget your home is still listed just because you haven’t had many buyers come through recently. Laundry on the couch, dishes in the sink, trash in the yard, and children’s toys on the floor all reflect on your home and influence a buyer to look elsewhere for their home purchase.

Absorption Rate

Learn about the market’s absorption rate. Has your realtor told you about it? Learn how long the market will take to absorb all the current listed inventory.

During the summer, we had a client who was frustrated because his home wasn’t selling. We pulled stats and talked to him about the current absorption rate. Where his home was prices had a 2.5 year absorption rate. This means that in order to get his home sold before the other houses, he had to be the best value at the current market conditions.

Plans for NYE?

Posted on December 31, 2011 by Mike and Sandi

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If you still don’t have any plans for New Year’s Eve (that’s tonight, by the way), then here are couple in town you might be able to hit!

In Port Gamble, the Port Gamble Theater Co is holding a Rock the Timbers New Year’s Eve Bash from 8PM – 1AM. If you love the 80′s, this is where you want to be! It will be a huge retro 80′s dance, with party favors and a cash bar. Tickets are $20. You can learn more about the event here.

Head to Bainbridge Island, for the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Ball held at the Bainbridge Performing Arts. This event goes from 9AM – 1AM. Big Band and swing music play at 9PM, and club hits start at 10. Tickets are $50. Learn more about the event here.

If your music style is more in the funk, soul and motown area, then the Treehouse Cafe on Bainbridge Island should be the place you plan to head. This event starts at 9PM and tickets are $30. Learn more about the event here.

The Suquamish Clearwater Casino could be the place you’d love to be at for New Year’s! In addition to the Casino wide countdown, they’ve got cash giveaways, delicious food, and some great music! Learn more here.

With all these great events, get out there and enjoy the evening!

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 25, 2011 by Mike and Sandi

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“Santa Claus has the right idea – visit people only once a year.” – Victor Borge

“I once bought my kids a set of batteries for Christmas with a note on it saying, toys not included.” – Bernard Manning

What do you truly know about Christmas? Here are some facts about today’s holiday…

The first state to recognize the Christmas holiday was Alabama.
“Jingle Bells” was first written for Thanksgiving and then became one of the most popular Christmas songs.
More diamonds are sold around Christmas than any other time of the year.
“It’s a Wonderful Life” appears on TV more often than any other holiday movie.
The average American household will mail out 28 Christmas cards each year.
In Mexico, wearing red underwear on New Year’s Eve is said to bring new love in the upcoming year.

“Handmade presents are scary because they reveal that you have too much free time.” – Doug Coupland

Remember the adage “laughter is the best medicine”? Here is some great medicine for you and your family. We can definitely relate to this one!

Two young boys were spending the night at their grandparents. At bedtime, the two boys knelt beside their beds to say their prayers when the youngest one began praying at the top of his lungs.

“I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE…

I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE…

I PRAY FOR A NEW BICYCLE…”

His older brother leaned over and nudged the younger brother and said, “Why are you shouting your prayers? God isn’t deaf.” To which the little brother replied, “No, but Gramma is!”

Jerry Lampert from Republic Mortgage sent us these facts, jokes, and seasonal quotes in a great holiday e-mail, and we thought we’d share some of it with you!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!

Inspiring Shelves

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Mike and Sandi

Decorating and staging your home can feel sometimes like a chore, especially when you just want to stop living out of moving boxes! Oftentimes, something as little as a picture can inspire and take you in a completely different direction.

If you read every New York Times best seller, devour novel after novel, or just have a collection of favorite books, then these inspiring home decor pictures are for you. Whether you’re just moving in to a new place or planning on redecorating, there’s a bookshelf in this post for everyone.

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Books shelves organized by color are a beautiful decoration. They have a great effect in a room, and no one can fail to notice the stunning rainbow of colors.

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Shelves like these add a touch of whimsy, making them perfect for a children’s room.

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A bookshelf staircase is certainly an innovative practicality. It’s a useful way to save space and cut clutter.

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If you prefer a bookshelf as wall decor, these are a step up from the typical bookcase.

Let us know which one was your favorite!

Dangerous Short Sale Myths: There Is Not Enough Time

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Mike and Sandi

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This is easily the most dangerous myth, and it is likely the one that hurts homeowners the most. Many homeowners don’t realize that foreclosures are process, and therefore a foreclosure takes time. This means the homeowner almost always has time before the foreclosure happens to short sale the property instead.

It’s important to know that the foreclosing party (in most cases, a lender) can stall a foreclosure up to the final day of the process. Let the lender know that you are trying to sell! Many lenders will stall a foreclosure with as little as phone call from homeowners explaining they are trying to sell the property. Many lenders understand the situations that homeowners are in, and almost all lenders will stall a foreclosure with a legitimate contract.

Remember: there is almost always time until the foreclosure process is complete. It’s not too late to short sale, instead of letting the property foreclose.

Dangerous Short Sale Myths: The Banks Would Rather Foreclose

Posted on December 13, 2011 by Mike and Sandi

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This is the sixth part of our seven part series on short sales and the dangerous myths that surround them. You can read the other parts here: one, two, three, four, five.

“Banks would much rather foreclose than bother with the difficulty of a short sale.” You may have heard this (or something similar) from overzealous collections agents, discouraged sellers, or any number of people. We’re here to tell you: this is false.

Although a very popular misconception, the reality is that banks do not want to foreclose on your property. Banks, investors, and the federal government have all publicly stated that if a person is qualified for a short sale, then the deal needs to be considered.

Short sales make financial sense to lenders. This is because short sales, on average, are selling for only 15% below the average market price. REOs, on the other hand, are selling for 32% below the average market price. Banks know these facts, and would much rather get more money for a short sale than less money for a foreclosure.

Dangerous Short Sale Myths: Listing As A Short Sale Is An Embarrassment To The Seller

Posted on September 21, 2011 by Mike and Sandi

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Many sellers are worried about letting others know that they are putting their home on the market as a short sale. However, a short sale just means that the seller owes more on their home than it is worth. That is all the community will know–you are short selling due to owing more on the home than the market will bear.

And, according to recent estimates, these sellers are not alone. One out of seven home owners in the United States are in the same situation. Listing a home as short sale is not a badge of shame. It takes a strong person to admit that they need help, and even stronger one to take action as they find a professional who can work with them towards a solution. Just remember, 40% to 60% of the sales in the United States are predicted to be short sales or foreclosures. If you list your home as a short sale, you’re not alone!

Dangerous Short Sale Myths: Buyers Avoid Short Sales

Posted on September 19, 2011 by Mike and Sandi

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We’ve all heard it: “Buyers don’t want to look at short sales! They avoid them!” This is a myth. Many agents and sellers hear this all the time, even though it is completely untrue. As realtors, we can assure you that we have seen many buyers who are extremely interested in short sales and foreclosures. In fact, many agents are getting calls from buyers who only want to look at short sales and foreclosures. Specifically, international buyers are interested in these properties.

You may wonder why this is, but the simple fact is that for many people a short sale or foreclosure is synonymous with a good deal. The buyers who are looking at a short sale or foreclosure are simply seeing themselves as smart buyers, people who are getting the most bang for their buck.

Dangerous Short Sale Myths: You Must Be Behind On Your Mortgage In Order To Negotiate A Short Sale

Posted on September 16, 2011 by Mike and Sandi

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This is the third installment of our seven part series on short sales and the dangerous myths that surround them. You can see part one here and part two here.

Many home sellers believe that selling their home as a short sale means they must already be behind on their mortgage. This is not true. However, it is true that some lenders will want you to have missed a payment (be in default) before they will consider a short sale. While this is common in today’s market, it is not as prevalent as it once was. Today, many lenders are just looking for evidence of a verifiable hardship. They just want to see that your monthly cash flow falls short of your expenses or that you have a pending shortfall and insolvency. For instance, a job change or salary change would strong evidence on your side.

If you meet these requirements (financial hardship, monthly income shortfall, and insolvency) and are in a position where you will soon be unable to afford your mortgage payments, act now! Waiting until you are closer to foreclosure or foreclosure is imminent only means you will have less time left to save yourself and your family. List your home right away with a realtor, and they’re a good chance you’ll end up being a lot better off then if you wait until the last minute.