Blog - Doug McKiernan

To Sell or to Rent? The Perks and Pitfalls of Being a Landlord Analyzing whether to sell or rent your home is a BIG deal…and it deserves careful consideration. Ultimately, the right choice for you depends on your financial situation, goals, and personal preferences. Here is a quick run-down to help you decide: Renting Out Your Home Might Make Sense If… You don’t need the funds from […]

On-Trend Fall Refresh in 5 Simple Steps Labor Day has come and gone, mornings are growing chilly, and thoughts are naturally turning back to our indoor spaces. Before you hibernate this fall, there are a few quick and simple tricks that will make your home instantly cozy and inviting. This is especially important if you’re planning to sell your home this fall. […]

5 Home Improvements That Will Boost Your Property Value A home is the largest investment most people will make in their lifetime, so when it comes time to sell, homeowners often wonder what they can do to get the most return on their investment. Many have the misconception that remodeling is the way to go, but that isn’t always the case. Rather than going […]

2023 Football & Hockey Schedules, Recipes & Tips… Football is BACK and hockey is coming in hot! Scroll down for printable schedules, tailgating hacks (including how to pack the perfect cooler!), and favorite gameday recipes. Fans of all ages will also love our printable bingo sheets. Need to brush up on your sports lingo? Check out Wikipedia’s handy football and hockey glossaries. You […]

Extended! Kicks for Kids Shoe Drive August 1-21 Help us give kids the confidence they need to start the school year right! My Windermere team and I invite you to participate in our Kicks for Kids back-to-school sneaker drive. It connects low-income youth in our local communities with new shoes for the upcoming school year. Through August 21st, we’ll be accepting donations 3 […]

How’s the Market? Q2 2023 Review of Seattle Area Real Estate While median sales prices rose in Q2 compared to Q1, they were still down about 10% from last summer’s peak. Most areas saw fewer new listings and sales this year than we saw last year. Supply levels are still low enough to keep us technically in a seller’s market — our Windermere Chief Economist, Matthew […]

2023 Seattle & Eastside Farmers Markets: Locations, Times & More Summer is finally here, and so are these farmers markets! Spend an evening or weekend finding your new favorites among the tents. Think it’s all about kale? Think again. Most offer live entertainment along with a mouth-watering variety of local brews, cheese, bread, meat/seafood, honey, hand roasted coffee, and other hidden gems (in addition to […]

Favorite Summer Festivals The sun is here and the whole PNW is celebrating! Whether it’s a fair close to home or an excuse to pack up the fam for a destination festival, I hope you get out and make the most of these fun events… JUNE Fremont Fair (6/17-6/18) Seattle PrideFest (6/24-6/25) JULY Seafair Summer 4th (7/4) […]

7 Simple Ways to Boost Your Curb Appeal When it comes time to sell your home, first impressions are crucial. Improving your curb appeal will catch buyers’ attention and go a long way toward selling quickly and for the best price. Here are seven affordable changes you can make that have a big impact… 1. Lush Up Your Lawn A healthy, well-tended lawn […]

Buying a Home: A Start-to-Finish Guide You want to buy a home. Where do you begin? When you’re ready to buy—or maybe just ready to start seriously thinking about it—there’s a lot you can do to prepare. Here is a checklist to help you get started… 1. Determine a Price Range Step one is finding out your budget for […]

Your Guide to Going Solar To reduce your carbon footprint, increase your household’s sustainability, and add value to your property, solar power may be right for you. Understanding how solar works and how to maximize its benefits are key first steps in your journey to becoming a solar energy-producing household. How does solar power work? The technology that turns your […]

How’s the Market? Q1 2023 Review of Seattle Area Real Estate The first quarter of 2023 saw a price correction compared to last year’s spike, with year-over-year median prices down by 9% in Seattle and 14% on the Eastside. That being said, prices are already beginning to climb again with steady growth since the beginning of the year. Buyer demand remains strong despite higher interest rates—competitively […]

7 Ways to Make Life Easier When Selling Your Home When it’s time to sell a home, we all dream of a flawlessly executed transaction where everything goes smoothly and ends with a win-win for you and the buyer. Here are seven tips to help make that happen—and avoid surprise expenses along the way… 1. Repair Your Home First Making repairs to your home before […]

Which Documents Should You Shred, and When? As the spring cleaning bug hits, many of us will finally be tackling those stacks of paperwork that have been piling up throughout the year. It’s tempting to chuck it all in the recycle bin and be done with it. However, did you know that it’s actually legal for someone to dig through your trash/recycling […]

Preparing to Sell Your Home: A Complete Checklist Getting your home ready to sell can feel like a circus act. Without the right organization, juggling the countless moving parts involved in this stage of the selling process can take its toll. This is the perfect opportunity to create a checklist to keep yourself on track and within your budget. The following information will […]

Property Tax Relief Programs in King County More than 26,000 low-income seniors and disabled people in King County who qualify for a tax exemption haven’t claimed it…are you or your family member one of them? If you are homeowner, make $58k or less per year, and are either age 61+ or retired due to disability, there is a good chance you qualify. […]

How’s the Market? Annual Review of Seattle Area Real Estate While 2022 began on the heels of an extreme seller’s market we saw in the wake of the COVID pandemic, the second half of the year showed a marked shift back toward normalcy. Rising interest rates and tech layoffs significantly slowed down the number of home sales. The good news for buyers is that we […]

Matthew Gardner’s Top 10 Predictions for 2023 This video shows Windermere Chief Economist Matthew Gardner’s Top 10 Predictions for 2023. Each month, he analyzes the most up-to-date U.S. housing data to keep you well-informed about what’s going on in the real estate market. 1. There Is No Housing Bubble Mortgage rates rose steeply in 2022 which, when coupled with the massive run-up […]

What is an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM)? Securing the most advantageous financing for your situation is an integral part of the success formula of buying a home. After getting pre-approved but once you’ve found the home you’d like to pursue, one of your primary tasks is exploring different loan products to see which best fits your situation. This is the fork in […]

2022 Holiday Happenings Around the Sound As the days grow darker and rain settles in, a little holiday cheer couldn’t be better timed! Grab your umbrella and brighten your spirits with these Seattle-area favorites—whether it’s meandering through a dazzling light show, watching the “snow” fall at Bellevue’s Snowflake Lane, or taking a holiday-themed cruise. Here’s the skinny on dates, times, food, […]