Blog - Windermere Orcas

Lifestyle, San Juan Islands

Why I Love Living On Orcas Island

On Orcas Island, we LOVE parades. Any excuse, we are going to have a parade. The entire community comes out and supports them. Yesterday was Homecoming, which is a big deal just about anywhere, but for a small community like ours, it’s huge. The parade started at the high school down Prune Alley, right on […]
Financial, Home Improvement, Selling

7 Renovations That Reduce Your Home's Value

Most people think home-renovation projects will always add value to a home, but this isn’t necessarily true. According to Scott McGillivray, host of the HGTV series Income Property and author of How to Add Value to Your Home, these 7 renovations should never be done… 1. DO NOT expand your master bedroom if that means […]
Buying, Lifestyle

Do you welcome a new home with any of these traditions or superstitions?

Written by Anne Reagan for Porch.com October 20, 2015 It can be very stressful to find a new home, pack up belongings and coordinate a move to a new location. Despite the stress of a move, many of us take the time to ensure that our new home is ready for our family. Maybe you’ve […]
Buying, Selling

What You Need to Know about Real Estate Appraisals

Posted in Selling and Buying by Tara Sharp Appraised value vs. market value Appraisals are designed to protect buyers, sellers, and lending institutions. They provide a reliable, independent valuation of a tract of land and the structure on it, whether it’s a house or a skyscraper. Below, you will find information about the appraisal process, […]

Lifestyle Why I Love Living On Orcas Island On Orcas Island, we LOVE parades. Any excuse, we are going to have a parade. The entire community comes out and supports them. Yesterday was Homecoming, which is a big deal just about anywhere, but for a small community like ours, it’s huge. The parade started at the high school down Prune Alley, right on […]

Financial 7 Renovations That Reduce Your Home's Value Most people think home-renovation projects will always add value to a home, but this isn’t necessarily true. According to Scott McGillivray, host of the HGTV series Income Property and author of How to Add Value to Your Home, these 7 renovations should never be done… 1. DO NOT expand your master bedroom if that means […]

Buying Do you welcome a new home with any of these traditions or superstitions? Written by Anne Reagan for Porch.com October 20, 2015 It can be very stressful to find a new home, pack up belongings and coordinate a move to a new location. Despite the stress of a move, many of us take the time to ensure that our new home is ready for our family. Maybe you’ve […]

Buying What You Need to Know about Real Estate Appraisals Posted in Selling and Buying by Tara Sharp Appraised value vs. market value Appraisals are designed to protect buyers, sellers, and lending institutions. They provide a reliable, independent valuation of a tract of land and the structure on it, whether it’s a house or a skyscraper. Below, you will find information about the appraisal process, […]

Environmental Is the Solar Industry’s Crazy Growth Going to Come to a Crashing Halt? A Report From the Trenches This is from Porch.com Posted by Jon Meyer on 10/10/15 The Solar Industry is at an inflection point. We explore whether the growth can continue by talking to Markus Virta, a sales tech in the middle of it all. Although Porch doesn’t have more than a gaggle of solar panel installers on our network, it’s […]

Selling Getting Your Home Ready to Sell Are you ready to move on to your next stage in life? Getting your home ready to sell can be a big task, from getting the physical space ready and preparing for the emotional aspects of selling your home. We recommend you work with a listing agent through this process to make sure you are […]

Home Improvement 3 Quick Maintenance Tips to Make Your Roof Last Posted in Porch.com by Porch.com Written by Peter Kim A brand-new roof is a massive investment, but no other element of your home is quite as valuable. While the average lifespan of a roof is about 15 years, careful homeowners have a few ways to extend the life of their homes without enduring too many […]

Vacation Rentals How to Decorate a Rental Posted in Living by Tiana Baur Abiding by rental rules is important, but so is style and making a house feel more like a home. Thus, we’ve put together a little list for you to help personalize your home, while still insuring you get your security deposit back by the end of it. Storage Let’s […]

Buying Buying a Second Home First By MICHELLE HIGGINSSEPT. 11, 2015 Some New York City renters are skipping the typical first rung on the urban homeownership ladder: Instead of investing in an apartment, they are buying a country house. Disappointed by what their budget will buy in the city, they are still living the American dream of having a place of […]

Selling Questions to Ask Yourself When You're Thinking About Selling When you make the decision to sell your home, the end goal is to get the best price and most favorable terms in a time-frame that meets your needs. But before the sign goes up in your front yard, there’s a lot to be done to get you and your home in prime selling condition.

Buying Should You Buy or Rent? Do you dream of owning your own home? Or are you happy to rent a place where a landlord takes care of all your home issues? There are pros and cons of both renting and owning your home. Here are some issues to consider if you are on the fence:

Lifestyle 7 Helpful Back to School Organization Ideas Posted in Porch.com by Porch.com This article originally appeared on Porch.com Written by Mady Dahlstrom Skip the stress of staying organized this school year with these helpful DIYs! The new school year is almost here! Worried about your home staying in tip-top shape during busy school days? Make the back to school transition a breeze by keeping your family and your home […]

Housing Market Selling Your Home? Price It Right From the Start! In today’s market, where demand is outpacing supply in many regions of the country, pricing a house is one of the biggest challenges real estate professionals face. Sellers often want to price their home higher than recommended, and many agents go along with the idea to keep their clients happy. However, the best agents realize […]

Home Improvement How Long Should They Last? How long should they last? Posted in Living by Tara Sharp Nothing in life lasts forever – and the same can be said for your home. From the roof to the furnace, every component of your home has a life span, so it’s a good idea to know approximately how many years of service you […]

Buying Now Just May Be The Right Time To Buy That Second Home Tax Breaks For Second-Home Owners By Jean Folger | Updated May 06, 2015 AAA | Many homeowners look forward to purchasing a second home that can be used for vacations, rental income, investment purposes or as a primary residence during retirement. Current tax laws offer several tax breaks that can help make second-home ownership more […]

Buying Are we on the verge of another housing "Bubble" bursting? Posted August 10 2015, 9:05 AM PDT by Matthew Gardner August Perspectives Posted in Perspective by Matthew Gardner Every year there’s some aspect of the real estate market that becomes a focal point for the media. A few years ago it was whether or not housing would ever recover from the Great Recession. Then it was historically […]

Lifestyle Home Offices This Room is Becoming a Must-Have Home Feature It’s easy to work in any room of a house with today’s mobile technology. But according to designers and home builders, the home office is becoming one of a home’s must-have features, states Amy Hoak, personal finance editor for marketwatch.com. The home office is growing in importance […]

Maintenance Posted on Porch.com Posted July 31 2015, 2:45 PM PDT by Porch.com August Maintenance Guide Posted in Porch.com by Porch.com This article originally appeared on Porch.com Written by Anne Reagan August is a great month to enjoy the last part of summer. Days are hot, flowers are in bloom, and many people choose August as the perfect month to leave on one last […]

Buying Mortgage Financing CURBED UNIVERSITY 2013 Mortgage Financing – How Much Can I Afford? Thursday, March 7, 2013, by Sean Keeley [Illustration by Eric Lebofsky] Curbed University delivers insider tips and non-boring advice on how to buy, sell, or rent a house or apartment. Additional questions welcomed toseattle@curbed.com. Today, Residential Mortgage Advisor Dan Keller walks us through the process of determining […]