Victoria, B.C. What a Spot for a Quick Getaway!

One of the many benefits of living in the Seattle area is the incredible ease with which you can enjoy international getaways without the hassle of long flights or complicated travel plans. A prime example is Canada’s gem of the West coast, Victoria, British Columbia. This charming city offers an enchanting mix of history, culture, and natural beauty, making it the perfect weekend escape—Susie and I recently did just that. Please take a look at the “highlight reel” we put together here. Victoria is renowned for its British heritage, a reflection of its founding in 1843 as a Hudson’s Bay Company trading post. The city’s “British feel” is evident in its architecture, customs, and even the quaint shopping district where you can find everything from unique boutiques to traditional English tea shops (there’s tea EVERYWHERE). Walking through Victoria feels like stepping into a different world—one that’s rich with history and culture. Staying at The Empress Hotel is a highlight of any visit. This iconic hotel, with its grand Edwardian architecture, has been a fixture of Victoria’s skyline since 1908. Designed by Francis Rattenbury, who also designed the Parliament Buildings, The Empress is a marvel of turn-of-the-century elegance. Susie and I partook in the famous High Tea at The Empress, where we indulged in an afternoon of refined leisure, a very unique tea menu, and surroundings that have hosted royalty, celebrities, and dignitaries for over a century. The Parliament Buildings, another Rattenbury masterpiece, are equally impressive. Completed in 1898, these buildings feature a blend of Baroque and Renaissance architectural styles, topped with a grand central dome. At night, the buildings are illuminated by thousands of lights, creating a magical scene against the harbor. Victoria’s public transportation makes it easy to explore the city’s many attractions. The cute little “pickle boats” that serve as inner harbor water taxis are not to be missed. These tiny green boats offer a fun and convenient way to get around, whether you’re visiting Fisherman’s Wharf, exploring the Inner Harbour, or just taking in the views. For a deeper connection with the region’s history, explore Victoria’s rich First Nations heritage. The Royal BC Museum is an excellent place to start, with exhibits that showcase the art, culture, and history of the Indigenous peoples of the area. The city itself is filled with reminders of this heritage, from totem poles to public art installations. No trip to Victoria is complete without visiting Butchart Gardens, a short drive from downtown. These 55 acres of meticulously maintained gardens are a feast for the eyes, with vibrant displays that change with the seasons. Whether you're wandering through the tranquil Japanese Garden or admiring the floral splendor of the Sunken Garden, Butchart Gardens is a place where you can lose yourself in nature’s beauty. We ate dinner at the dining room there for Susie’s birthday—what a meal! Absolutely top notch. Living in Seattle means having easy access to these kinds of international experiences. The Victoria Clipper ferry makes the journey simple and enjoyable, whisking you from downtown Seattle to Victoria’s Inner Harbour in just a few hours. It’s a quick trip that transports you to a place where history, culture, and natural beauty converge, offering a perfect weekend getaway right at your doorstep. So why not take advantage of this unique benefit of living in the Pacific Northwest? If you aren’t here already, we’re waiting to welcome you with open arms and a warm cup of tea.

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The Great Moving Day Hide and Seek: Did You Forget These?

  Ah, moving day! The time has come to pack up your life, shove it into boxes, and cart it off to a new adventure. But before you lock the door one last time, let’s embark on the great moving day treasure hunt to ensure nothing (and no one) gets left behind. Remember Home Alone:). This may seem like a funny or silly blog post, but I can tell you in our experience as real estate agents and also property management agents, there is always something left behind. Sometimes it is intended and sometimes it was just missed in all of the craziness of the day.   First stop: The Laundry Room.Remember those clothes you threw in the washer and dryer last minute? Well, they’re still there. Imagine the new owners’ surprise when they find your favorite T-shirt spinning away. And let’s not forget the mysterious lone sock that’s taken up permanent residence in the dryer. The one that went missing months ago, leaving its mate to a life of loneliness in your dresser. Reunite those socks and make sure your drawers are empty. Your future self will thank you when you don’t have to buy more socks in a week.   Next up: The Kitchen Cabinets.Ah, the forgotten realm of kitchen cabinets. It’s like a time capsule of snacks and spices you bought during a cooking craze last year. Reach way back into the depths and you might find that rogue Tupperware lid that’s been missing its partner for years. And don't overlook the drawer with the random assortment of takeout menus and plastic utensils. Future archaeologists will thank you for clearing that out.  Look Up High and Low: When packing up, make sure to look up and under cabinets so you don’t miss anything. You'd be surprised how often things hide on high shelves or lurk in the back of lower cabinets, just waiting to be forgotten.Don't forget to check the attic where you've been storing your Christmas ornaments. Climb up there and take a peek to ensure all your holiday cheer makes it to the new house—no ornaments left behind! The Bedroom/Bathroom.You might think you’ve packed everything, but have you checked up above the hang rods in the closet, or the bathroom caddy? The Garage.This is where things get interesting. You might think the new owners will appreciate the old paint cans you’ve left behind. Spoiler alert: they won’t. If it’s been more than six months since you painted any of your walls, take the paint with you. It won’t match anymore anyway. And don’t leave ladders, gas cans, or brooms. A tip: Sherwin-Williams paint stores take old paint, so there’s no excuse to leave it behind. The Property Take a stroll around your property to make sure you've grabbed everything you want, like that quirky windmill you bring to every house or those special plants you can't live without or the firepit you forgot to load on the last trip. And don't forget to check that one side of the house you always avoid—you know the one. That's usually where we find a pile of stuff, including ladders or hoses you didn't even know you had! And there you have it! The ultimate moving day treasure hunt. Double-check every nook and cranny, and you’ll avoid the embarrassment of the new owners calling to say they found your high school yearbook in the attic. Happy moving, and may your new home be just as full of hidden treasures as the one you’re leaving behind! P.S. We have a fantastic checklist to help you catch those easy-to-miss items! Just send us an email, and we’ll send it your way. By the way, if you're preparing to sell your home, list with Rethinking Real Estate. We'll handle the final walk-through for you, taking one more stress off your list!

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Bottom Line Thinking

In life, patience is a virtue – but in the world of homebuying, waiting too long in hopes of finding the perfect home actually isn’t wise. That’s because the pursuit of perfection comes at a cost, and in this case, that cost may be delaying your dream of homeownership. As Bankrate explains: “One of the most common first-time homebuyer mistakes is looking for a home that checks each of your boxes. Looking for perfection can narrow your choices and lead you to pass over good, suitable options for starter homes in the hopes that something better will come along.” The Cost of Holding Out for Perfection Nothing in life is ever perfect – and that’s true when you search for a home too. Unless you’re building a brand-new home from the ground up, chances are there are going to be some features or finishes you wouldn’t have picked yourself. It may be as simple as paint colors, a light fixture, the green carpet in the great room, or even that the backyard isn’t fenced in. It could also be that the home itself is great, but it’s not the ideal location you were hoping for. But here’s the trade-off you’d be making without even realizing it. In all that time you’d spend searching for the perfect place, you’d overlook a lot of homes that would’ve worked for you. U.S. News explains: “. . . you may miss opportunities if you enter the process with blinders on and aren’t open-minded . . . Countless potential buyers never buy because of this, and thus miss great investments or never move on to the next chapter of their lives.” The Financial Impact of Waiting Let me do the math for you. If you had bought a home last year, such as the one located at 17604 107th St Ct E, Bonney Lake, which sold on July 24, 2023, for $530,000, your monthly payment with 20% down ($106,000) at last year's rate of 6.78% would have been $2,758. BTW we have no connection to this house we are just using it as example. Fast forward to today, and the same house would cost you $552,100 according to Zillow.com, a 4% increase. With a 20% down payment ($110,400) at today's interest rate of 6.89%, your monthly payment would be $2,905. That's a difference of $147 a month.  However, you'd need an additional $4,400 for the down payment, and you’d miss out on $22,100 in equity building that occured from last year to this year. Now, let's jump forward one more year. If the home's value increases by 4% again, its new list price would be $574,184. You would need $114,837 for your down payment, which is $8,837 more than if you had purchased the home in 2023. We averaged the interest rate between the two years and it came to 6.84%. With these numbers in mind, your new monthly payment would be $3,006. This past year,  I have been hearing  from my buyers who say that they are wait for interest rates to drop. At the start of 2024, it was expected that the Fed would reduce rates 4-5 times this year. However, as of this blog post, they have not lowered rates even once. Relying on the Fed's decisions is risky. While you wait for these promises, home prices are continuing to rise. All of this highlights the cost of waiting for the perfect home and interest rates to drop. Want to know what all of this math means for YOU? If you wait one more year, the house will cost you $248 a month more and you will need to bring an additional $8,837 more for the down payment. You also will miss out potentially on $44,184 in increased vale. Now I realize I am forecasting the next year, but even if rates drop down and the house does not increase 4%, you can still see what just one year mean't to your bottom line. How We Help You Explore Your Options Help You With The Numbers: First we can help you with the numbers and make sense of them based on the areas you are looking in. Elbow Grease: If you’re open to a home that needs a little elbow grease or is a bit further out, let us know. We’ll be happy to show you how this can really open up your pool of homes to pick from.  Prioritizing Your Must-Haves: We will revisit your wish list and separate your non-negotiables from your nice-to-haves. From there, we’ll focus on what’s really most important to you and provide you with an updated list of options for you to choose from. Coaching You To See the Potential: As you tour homes, we will help you look beyond cosmetic flaws and imagine what the home could be lke with a little work. Simple updates like a fresh coat of paint or new flooring can make a big difference. Connecting You with Local Pros: And our support goes one step further. Depending on the level of repairs we can connect you with a lender that can do 203K loan so you can have the repairs done for you. If the repairs are smaller, we can connect you with local pros who can get the job done. That way it’s less work for you, and you don’t have to worry about tracking down contractors. Providing a higher level of service even after you close is what Rethinking Real Estate is all about.Remember, there is no perfect first home. But with the expert help from our team and an open mind, we can find you the right home – even in today’s market. Connect with Rethinking Real Estate to see what’s out there for you and get starteted building equity, and personal wealth that could become generational.

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