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The Largest Community Garden in Washington is in Snohomish County

The Largest Community Garden in Washington is in Snohomish County

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The Largest Community Garden in Washington is in Snohomish County

Down to Earth Community Gardens began as an adventure in Terry Myer’s backyard in the town of Marysville. Today the organization runs the largest community garden in the state from a piece of a park on Soper Hill Road in Lake Stevens.

Terry is an avid gardener that was raised in the Foster Care system for several years and many a meal came from the local food bank growing up. Today Terry uses her passion to grow food and teach others to do the same. She calls her backyard garden the Living Lab where she tests out new growing techniques.

The large community garden is known as Eagle Ridge Community Garden, a small portion of the larger 30-acre Eagle Ridge Park, dedicating about an acre to garden space for community members to grow their own food as well as donate and gift extra produce.The Largest Community Garden in Washington is in Snohomish County

Terry partners with the city of Lake Stevens and about 300 volunteers to keep the community garden going. Each year the Down to Earth Community Garden program gives more and more organic produce to those in need around the community including through the local food bank, free Farmer’s Market, and delivery to seniors in need.

What Down to Earth Does

Down to Earth gives free garden beds, free seeds, and free education to further the impact of growing organic healthy foods and enabling many in the community to become more food stable. If you are able to pay for a bed to help out with the costs of items that this non-profit helps to provide for those in need, a raised bed at Eagle Ridge is just forty dollars a year. You can grow organic produce in your raised bed and harvest only what you grow or leave a sign for any ripe produce you will not be harvesting to be picked by community garden volunteers to be donated to the local food bank.

People from all walks of life and all ages have come to really enjoy this large community garden in Lake Stevens, including an 11 year old girl that was given a few plots to tend so that she could learn a new skill while she generously gives food to those in need. 20 percent of the garden at Eagle Ridge is reserved for growing food that will be donated to the community through the food bank.

The Down to Earth Community Gardens program has done so well that there is a plan to continue expanding on helping people all over Snohomish, King, and Skagit Counties to grow sustainable organic healthy foods. Beyond the largest community garden in the state there are gardeners all over the area that have learned to grow food in their own back yard and are helping to give back to the community around them as they have received free instruction and advice in growing their own food. Upcoming projects for founder Terry include community, school, and food bank gardens in locations including Darrington, Arlington, Granite Falls, Everett, Lynnwood, and Monroe.

For more information about this community gardening program in Snohomish County, you can go to the website downtoearthcommuntygardens.com or visit them on their Facebook page.

For more information on commercial or residential real estate in Snohomish County please contact us any time.

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Some Buyers are Purchasing Vacation Homes Before Primary Homes

Some Buyers are Purchasing Vacation Homes Before Primary Homes

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More and more potential buyers that are currently renting the home in which they live most of their hours and days are looking into purchasing vacation homes before they purchase a full-time primary home. Renters in metro areas are interested in purchasing homes where they can spread out and have a small getaway home for vacations while being able to benefit from homeownership on some level.

Some Buyers are Purchasing Vacation Homes Before Primary Homes

These types of second-home buyers are being drawn to country cottages and mountain cabins to enjoy any time they want while they continue to rent a property in the center of the city. In some cases, their search for a second home ends up being in a less competitive market than that of the market where they would consider purchasing a primary residence, or full-time home.Some Buyers are Purchasing Vacation Homes Before Primary Homes

Some renters who have been considering renting for some time that are living in the center of the country’s largest metro areas are finding that the current market is hot and may still be a little too competitive for them right now to move into a primary residence, but they still want to take advantage of the perks of homeownership and the current very low mortgage interest rates.

This has led them to purchase a home in a locale that is a bit off the beaten path where they can get away and vacation, especially with the ability to work remotely in many job markets. Purchasing a home in a remote location for less money and less competition allows them to enjoy a vacation home while still building their wealth portfolio.

A “second” home, or vacation home can offer buyers that may be edged out of purchasing a full-time home where they want to live full time the opportunity and benefits of homeownership. Many financial analysts are seeing this thinking increase among those renting in big cities and think it can be a great way for renters to break into homeownership right now if they can afford to do so while still renting their current full-time residence.

Homeowners that are renting their first home/ primary home/ full-time home, but own a secondary or vacation home can still write off mortgage interest on a vacation home when it comes time to pay taxes very similar to the same way you would with a full-time home. Some buyers could also make use of the secondary home as a vacation rental while they are not using it.

The market for VRBO properties is very lucrative right now as more and more vacationers look to rent vacation homes instead of staying in a hotel.

Bottom Line, purchasing a second home before investing in a first one could be a creative and smart means for some renters to break into the financial benefits of homeownership.

For more information on buying homes in Snohomish County homes or real estate, start here by contacting me today.

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Do Election Years Have an Effect on October Mortgage Rates?

Do Election Years Have an Effect on October Mortgage Rates?

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Do Election Years Have an Effect on October Mortgage Rates? Mortgage rates have been highly predictable in the October month of prior presidential election years. Typically rates always took a stand-still where they were at while the industry sort of paused until the results of voting came in. It has been a recurring theme leading up to the last two elections.

What’s going on in October Mortgage Rates?

In the year 2016 the traditional 30-year fixed mortgage showed little interest rate movement only changing from 3.42% to 3.52% according to a weekly survey done by Freddie Mac. Shortly after the election results came through the rate climbed significantly to an average of 4.32% in the last week of December 2016.

Going back to the election year of 2012, a traditional 30-year mortgage hovered from 3.36% to 3.41% says the Freddie Mac survey. After the re-election of the current president, rates abruptly dropped and then came back up to just under what they were in October at 3.35% in the last week of December.

This year, October began with negative news of the current president becoming ill and the immediate aftermath brought a dip in the stock market. This all caused bond yields to fall and then rise again, and yet mortgage rates were still largely unchanged. Similar things occurred in October of 2016, with big financial market news that did little to impact the mortgage market.

Elections before the last two previous ones showed less defined trends. October of the election year 2008 is in a category of its own because the year had a huge financial crisis that was shown through huge changes in mortgage rates. In October of 2004, a 30-year fixed rate went in an up and down pattern measuring at a high of 5.82% and a low of 5.64%.

Way back in the year 2000 that rate hardly budged in the first three weeks of October and fell in the last week then saw a plummet while Florida ballots were being recounted. Freddie Mac showed the 30-year fixed average rate at 7.68% on October 27th while the year ended at just 7.13%.

Even though October mortgage rates do not typically move much in election years, prior to October mortgage rates were historically low and steadily getting lower. September of 2020 saw rates as low as 2.98% which was a significant drop of over 1% from the year prior. The average rate of September 2019 came in at 4.04%.

Though October election rates do not typically budge they are at great numbers and many home buyers as well as homeowners looking to refinance can greatly benefit from them.

For buying and selling in Snohomish County or King County, contact my office anytime. I specialize in Snohomish County real estate and Seattle real estate, commercial properties, and specific neighborhoods around the Puget Sound.

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5 Things to Ignore on a Virtual Home Tour

5 Things to Ignore on a Virtual Home Tour

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There have been hundreds of articles about things to look for in a virtual home tour. You’re not going to see or notice everything through a video screen so it’s important to look for items that might not be as obvious unless you’re in person. But, are there things you should also ignore? Do you really need to know everything about a home to make an offer? To some degree yes, but here are five things to ignore on a virtual home tour.

#1. Staging and Decor

Of course, beautifully staged homes are likely to sell more quickly than those that are unfurnished and outdated. Staging can absolutely have a positive effect on how quickly you can sell. But most people realize that they are not buying the furnishings. Try not to get distracted by the window coverings, beautiful couch, or accent pieces. They won’t convey with the property so it’s best not to get sidetracked by the decor and pay more attention to the bones and structure of the home. These are things to ask about in a virtual home tour.

#2. Paint color and cosmetics.

Similar to staging, paint color and cosmetics can really make or break a sale but they can be easily changed so it’s important to try to look past that bright red kitchen or baby blue nursery. Pay closer attention to the condition of the walls, cabinets, floors, and millwork. Make sure that they are in decent shape or something that can be simply and affordably updated.

A little trick is to go to the corner and see if there’s any space between the baseboard and the wood. If there is, typically means the floor has been refinished and may not be able to withstand another sanding job.

#3. The kitchen.

Okay, okay, I know that the kitchen is a big selling point but buyers are often attracted to a brand-new kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, granite countertops, and new cabinetry. While this definitely is a good selling point, is the property functional and practical for what you want? Are you a cook and will you need more space? The kitchen may be beautiful but it also could be a postage stamp size as well. Will you be able to add additional appliances that you might need? Will you need more electrical capacity? How big is the oven on the inside? Are the drawers deep enough to handle your pots and pans and are the counters at a good height. Is the sink in a good position relative to the stove?

#4. Pricey upgrades.

A lot of sellers feel that if they put in high-priced upgrades they should be able to get that money back but that’s not always the case. Real estate brokers spend a lot of time curating property descriptions with specific details and that might mean name dropping for certain brands and details. However, many of these high-end details can detract buyers from what were really looking at. It’s important to know the age and quality of the homes major systems such as the roof, foundation, HVAC systems, and appliances rather than how much someone might’ve spent on an air conditioning unit.

#5. Sound systems.

How well does the sound carry through the house? Smart home systems may have certain upgrades, entertainment options, and built-in speakers but the noise you should be more concerned about is what’s coming from outside the home. Are the windows double pained? Is the home on a quiet residential street or a busy intersection? Are the doors and walls fairly thin? These should be more of a concern than the sound system or smart home technology within the home. While it may be hard to determine in a virtual home tour, you can ask your agent about the sound.

As a buyers agent and a listing agent, I make sure to really focus on what matters. Yes, staging definitely sells the home from the first impression either online, in person, or in a flyer, but my buyers really need to know the guts of the home and the integrity of the property. Whether you’re buying or selling a home in Snohomish County, give me a call. With decades of experience and seasoned knowledge under my belt, I can help you buy or sell the right home.

CONTACT ME TODAY

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