Hello Sunday evening. And, hello from my desk as I prep for a fresh new week. Before jumping into this week, I want to name last week as trying. Whether last week’s election results brought anger, anxiousness, confusion, or a sense of relief – a broader emotional atmosphere ensued. I want to acknowledge the emotional complexity and intensity of the moment.

I have leaned heavily into being patient with myself and honoring where others are in each moment. I have stayed true to my routines. I have focused on where I see good happening around me. I have appreciated the sunshine that kissed our city here and there. I have taken the days slow and intentional. I helped neighbors with odds and ends with more joy. I smiled when I noticed humans connecting with humans in slower conversation.

I remained confident in the agency I know I have in focus & habits and I kept curiosity and understanding at the forefront of all interactions. I did not downplay the strong emotions of last week and I stayed focused.

On that note, I have 5 things that helped me stay focused last week in real estate & our industry. My hope is that this content will help with focus this week…

#1. Windermere broker, Tyler Anderson shared with me a very good YouTube on the One Seattle Plan – Updating Seattle’s Neighborhood Residential Zones. Very informative! Link here.

#2. I perused WindermereStats.com along with local Seattle Times graphics with NWMLS data – and, shared @windermereco.seattle *if you need the October password: text me 206.227.7133

#3. Windermere HUB & LaunchPad posted the beginnings of a new video series from Windermere Economist, Jeff Tucker: “Local Look: Western Washington Housing Update” – link here. *video under 4 minutes

#4. I appreciated this video on property reviews – simplified. Link here. *note: adding in specificity in area reports from WindermereStats is an excellent idea. Need help in doing that? Just ask. Happy to help.

#5. And, note from Adam Zylstra // Penrith on the Federal Reserve cutting rates 0.25% – as expected:

“As expected, the Federal Reserve has just cut rates by 0.25% in an unanimous decision. While mortgage interest rates are slightly lower at the moment, it’s too early to tell exactly where they’ll head as the market digests this news. The Fed’s commentary was intentionally ‘aggressively noncommittal,’ signaling that they will closely monitor economic data to guide future rate decisions. Inflation is nearing their target, but there’s no firm indication of whether additional cuts are likely or if rates will hold steady. Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference will begin in about 30 minutes, and any new insights could be market movers. I’ll be following closely and will update you with any important shifts. No big surprises here, but if you’d like to chat more about rates, the Fed’s outlook, or have questions on specific clients, I’m here to help.” – Adam Zylstra // Penrith 425.879.0766

Tomorrow, Monday – 11.11.2024 – Veterans Day is a legal holiday for computation of time. From all of us, thank you to all that have served.

This week I will be traveling & meeting with fellow Windermere Owners across the network to look ahead in planning for 2025. This will be a nice focus for me. Back soon. Until then, be well – Laura