Three things in wrapping this week up in digestible bites. And, when you make your way down to the stats portion, I ask you – what is your goal in “sides” in 2025? Despite the data showing leaner years in “sides” – I’ll suggest the “sides” are in the market for you. They will not be handed to anyone. This is where we win – with intentionality in working “on” and “in” the business with remarkable professionalism. It’s what makes us, us.

In partnership with you, let’s go find the opportunities. There is always a market – get super clear on your goal and double down on your focus there. – Laura

On January 28th, the Escalation Addendum (NWMLSL Form 35E) and related notices will be updated to include tools for calculating the escalated purchase price.

The revisions will clarify the escalation formula and will include a calculator in the notice forms to compute the new purchase price. The Financial Tools site on NWMLS.com will add a Form 35E Escalation Calculator to allow listing brokers to compute and compare multiple escalated offers before completing the Notice of New Purchase Price (Form 35EC).

Watch the training video now available located upon logging onto NWMLS – click on the tile named “Revisions to the Escalation Addendum (Form 35E)” and scroll down to the video (15 minutes). Offices will naturally be focused on these changes, yet together we can begin to get ahead of these pivots.

Sample copies of these revised forms are available for review purposes only.

As an overview, the three escalation forms will function as follows:

• Form 35E (Escalation Addendum) – Buyer specifies the escalation amount and the maximum purchase price, and buyer agrees to the escalation calculation formula described at the end of Form 35E. 
• Form 35EC (Notice of New Purchase Price) – This is a new form. To accept a buyer’s offer with its escalated price, Seller delivers (1) seller’s countersigned PSA docs, including buyer’s Form 35E, (2) Form 35EC with the new purchase price, and (3) a copy of the Competing Offer.
• Form 35EN (Escalation Addendum Notice) – If buyer disputes whether the new purchase price was properly escalated, buyer sends notice using Form 35EN. Form 35EN contains the same notice options that are in the current version of the form. Form 35EN now also includes a calculator for buyer to recalculate the new purchase price, if applicable.

Interested in learning more about the Seattle Chamber of Connection (we are the pilot city) – here is a link to dive in. I am volunteering my time this year to see if we can help melt the “Seattle freeze” for newcomers and assist in mapping out their first year(s) in their new city!

Have a wonderful weekend in work & play! If you see two crazy paddling sisters out on Lake Washington tomorrow – yes, that will be my sister and me. Just keep paddling! – Laura

I think I have “purple cows” (aka, a book on being remarkable, by Seth Godin) on my mind a lot lately, and what comes to mind for this week’s post is a subject I’ve been wanting to amplify for a while now: our Windermere Standards of Practice. As an Owner & Designated Broker of Seattle offices, this is one (of many) spaces I am focused on in 2025. And with that, I’ll be sharing & celebrating when we see SOP in action – the good news type reporting. Often we get caught up in when things go wrong or are hard. What about when things go right, even very right – might I even say, remarkable?

Let’s begin with a reminder of our Standards of Practice(s). Here is a video (rumor has it is being updated soon – yet still does a remarkable job in the inner workings of SOP).

In written form, here is the mission:

The Windermere Standards of Practice embody our commitment to the highest standard of service to our clients while providing a framework for our professional agents. Standards of Practice are not laws, rules, or mandates. Rather, they are guidelines and expectations for making good decisions. They are about personal responsibility, respect, trust, and clarity, and that’s what makes them wise and timeless. They have been a guiding light for Windermere since our earliest days as a company. They make us, us.

And as we navigate the year ahead, I have a favor to ask each of you. When you witness a broker, a manager, or a designated broker in alignment & in action with our SOP – a dynamic example – a remarkable story, please share it with me. I will ask this favor often throughout the year as we navigate the 2025 market together. I am certain there is plenty of “good news” to report that does not get seen or amplified at the level it deserves.

How do I share a remarkable SOP story?

Please send stories of good, remarkable, exemplary in our Standards of Practice to high5@windermere.com.

And, while it would be dreamy to report only good news – I would be remiss not to include our collective efforts towards the devastation in California. It is unimaginable devastation and certainly has had me pondering “home”…

Donate (&/or share efforts) to LA Fire Relief

The devastating LA fires have left countless individuals in need, leaving communities surrounding the area facing unimaginable challenges. Please join us in raising funds to benefit the American Red Cross Southern California and World Central Kitchen. Every donation helps provide shelter, meals, and support for those affected. (HUB post)

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/southerncawildfirerelief/

📷 Note: The photo used in this post was taken by Windermere Director of Education Todd Steinberg‘s son, Michael, a wildland fire photographer currently in LA, photographing the devastation caused by the fires. A special thank you to Todd and Michael for allowing us to use this photo. Follow Michael’s work on IG @norcalstormchasing

Coming together in moments like this is also what makes us, us. Windermere’s FB, Instagram, and LinkedIn have posted their Qgiv efforts for ease of reshare – that too is a way of giving.

To collective generosity, “Remarkable” Standards (of Practice) & a favor (throughout the year) from me to all of you today…

Thank you, Laura

Quickly approaching 2025 I have three things on my mind in preparation & focus: clarity, alignment and purple cows.

Let’s begin with purple cows. Let’s say you and I are out on a road trip; let’s pick a long drive in Montana under the big sky and wide-open spaces. As we drive, we pass cows. I’ve always enjoyed a good gander at rolling hills and cows roaming. At first, this might be interesting. We keep driving and the scene becomes less interesting as far as cows go; eventually, maybe even boring. Now, we are many hours into this road trip together, and we come across a purple cow. What would we do? We’d probably pull over, take pictures, post on social media, talk about it, tell the story to others, and be astonished by this extraordinary sight…

Consider joining me in my late December / January book of the month recommendation – yup, you guessed it: Purple Cow: Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable, by Seth Godin.

I’m looking for purple cows in our businesses next year. I’m looking to be extraordinary. I’m looking to take risks. I’m thinking both differently and planning for back to basics. A lot has been asked of our industry this year to enhance our abilities towards transparency and leveling up the profession. That has been asked across the industry. Purple cows in 2025 – the extraordinary – these will get noticed. As you refine your planning, your focus, your clarity consider the purple cow story – what will have people pulling over on the side of the road, taking pictures, posting, telling stories…about you?

A few more odds and ends to put a wrap on this week…

Thank you Shavic Jones on sharing a December 10th article, Seattle area leads nation in economic growth.

Can we agree our business and relationship depend on our abilities to be extraordinary (purple cow element!) in having good conversations? If you haven’t seen the Tedx Talk, How to Have a Good Conversation, Celeste Headlee – I highly recommend! Tis’ the season be gather & connect. What a good time of year to up our skill in good conversations. As Celeste remarks, a good conversation is a “balance of talking and listening and somewhere we lost that balance.”

On the CLOZE front, I played around with the “library” and was happy to see and experience how easy it was to take Jeff Tucker’s “Housing Predictions for 2025,” briefly add my voice to it, and send it via email. This is such a good example of templates/campaigns sitting in there waiting for you! I was able to send it via my desktop access and mobile. This makes me happy. With all things launching from Windermere, we are in the learning and optimization stage. Give yourself grace to know there is a lot there and a lot coming, yet it starts with each of us getting inside the tools and playing with them.

And, to round out FWL, a very quick 1 minute and 46 second video that will sharpen all of our useful pencils – 4 Important Lessons For A Successful Life.

Happy Friday, all. To purple cows and useful pencils. Here to help; the ultimate goal.

– Laura

Putting a bow on this week and raising a glass this morning (ok, actually sipping coffee) while thinking about last night. Seattle Windermere offices gathered at The Shop to ring in the holiday season together. While the night was an even mix of really cool people, really cool cars, and really cool conversations, I had a toast to the group on my mind. And in my thoughts, that toast ended up being built upon my trip to our event (story to follow) and conversations during the event. It’s never too late to send up a “cheers” to you all! 🥂

To all, we see you. We see the learning, the unlearning, and the learning again our industry has encountered in 2024. We see the collective wisdom in the room in navigating what both feels like uncertainty with a new year and a humble confidence that together we are ok. Gathering across offices as one brand serves us well to remind us of one of John Jacobi’s original core pillars – hire the best people.

And, for a quick story to put a cap on this toast. Last night I was picked up by one of our as she was totally down to “go early” as I wanted to be there to greet everyone. That didn’t happen. Why? Answer is: real estate! The story…

_Text from the broker & her husband: we are on our way! Picked me up: on the phone and now in the middle of a multiple offer scenario. 18 offers (not to throw anyone off here – underpriced). Me listening in on the phone conversation with the listing broker. “We” are in the running if abc can be adjusted quickly. We head back to her home to grab the laptop so she can make adjustments, obtain signatures from her buyers, and efficiently get back to the listing broker. Laptop obtained. Husband is now driving the car. Hotspot on my phone used for connectivity. Adjustments made. Resubmitted. Seattle traffic gave us plenty of time to get that done – ha! We park. Before entering The Shop, fresh air is now very much required as said broker is now car sick from the multitask, the potholes (ok, possibly her husband’s driving). Fast forward, we leave to head back home, and as we open our car doors to do so, she says, “we are in mutual!“

I was grateful to experience those moments last night. A day in the life! Whether you are writing contracts, taking listings, and/or supporting those that do – we see you. Laptops, hotspots, potholes, traffic, and all!

I’m a big fan of who I surround myself with. It is a choice, and I am grateful you chose us.

Whether you were able to join us or not, cheers to the best people! 🥂 – Laura

Ps, how does one come up with “holiday casual” attire for said event? I pulled out two options – a red dress & the below classic…guess what won the night? I did wear heels though! 👠