What Mom really wants.

Happy Mother's Day

What does Mom really want on Mother's Day?  Flowers are nice and chocolate is always welcome but there are some things that I know would make Mom really smile.  

A clean car! Yes that's right, I said a clean car.  Take your Mom's car to get detailed.  Cleaning the car is one of those tasks that Mom hates to do but loves when it's done.  Most Moms spend hours in the car taking kids to school, commuting, car pooling; the list goes on and on.  It's so nice to get into a clean car you didn't have to break your back to get that way.

Plant the Flowers she really wants in the front of the house!  How many times have you heard your Mom say, "I would like to plant gardenias this year" but she never seems to have the time.  Well do it for her. Give her the curb appeal she wants without the back ache she doesn't want.

   

Clean out the Garage!  You know what Mom would really love, to not have to bring in the groceries in the rain because her car won't fit in the garage any more. 

Clean the House!  Its great to let Mom sleep in and make her breakfast in bed, but it kind of defeats the whole idea when Mom has to get up and do all her regular chores (to include the dishes she just ate off )  Vacuum, swept, and yes clean the toilets so Mom doesn't have to.  Oh and its free.

Take her someplace fun!  Sunday brunch is very nice but mini-golf and ice cream is FUN!  Whatever your Mom's thing is, take her to do that.   Not what you want to do, but what you know she wants to do.  It's just a few hours out of your life and it will make her so happy to be able to share her stuff with you.

Now go clean, plant and plan something fun for your Mom, she deserves it.

Cynthia Schmier, Broker/Owner 
CRS, CDPE, CNE, CIAS, MDI, 5-STAR, SRS
RE/MAX Country
Cynthia@Cynthia-Online.com
(360) 400-3475
www.cynthia-online.com

Fun in the Sun

Thurston County Fun

The Sun is shining, the Mountain is visible, the birds are chirping and everyone is happy again.  I thought this would be a great week to write about some of the really cool things going on in and around Thurston County.  We have some amazing hiking trails from beginner to advanced and some even including rock climbing - if that’s your thing.  Check out co.thurston.wa.us/parks/trails.htm and go explore.

If botanical gardens are more your thing, Thurston County offers many such as the Japanese gardens in Olympia to the rose gardens in Lacey.  Go to http://www.olympialiving.com/attractions/botanical-gardens-in-olympia.htm and enjoy the blooming spring.

Thurston County is a haven for family friendly actives.  There is too too much to list it here but go to http://www.soundsfunmom.com/100-places-to-take-kids-in-south-puget-sound/ for cool stuff to do on a sunny day.  If you're working within a budget, and lets face it most of us parents are, go to http://www.thurstontalk.com>activities for free stuff to do with kids in Thurston county. 

As you can see you don’t have to go far from home to have fun around here.  I am listing a few more links below so check them out and then go have fun in your community.

visitthurstoncounty.com

thurstontalk.com

blogs.evergreen.edu

thurstonchamber.com

Cynthia Schmier, Broker/Owner
CRS, CDPE, CNE, CIAS, MDI, 5-STAR, SRS
RE/MAX Country
Cynthia@Cynthia-Online.com
(360) 400-3475
www.cynthia-online.com

Millennials In the Market 2

Millennials part 2

Right now millennials are the biggest group of home buyers in the country, but they have some serious competition the baby boomers.  The real estate market has become a generational war zone and baby boomers aren’t fighting fair, at least according to the millennials their not.  With Baby boomers retiring in great numbers most are looking to down size from larger more suburban homes to small homes closer to or in the city.  They are looking for convince and amenities within walking distance.  Now that the economy is head upward millennials are now making enough to move out of mom and dads basement or trade in the four roommates they have for none and buy their own home.  Great news except guess what they are looking for?  You guessed it smaller homes near or in the city with in walking distance of most amenities.    

Millennials being the socially connected, environmentally conscious group they are want to buy existing homes.  They love the history, location or architectural detail and they are usually close to downtown.  Guess who else loves all those things?  You guessed it baby boomers.  Baby boomers love history and being that most of them are retiring they are looking for something with a few projects they can work on to fill their days.

Why is any of this unfair you ask.  Well it comes down to two things that baby boomers have that millennial don’t experience and money.  Baby boomer Know how to negotiate to get what they want and being that according to NAR survey, only 3 percent of agents are under 30,and 81 percent were older than 45 Baby boomers are able to relate to and work with their agents a lot better.  Millennials who do business very differently now don’t really have the tools to negotiate.  And of course there is the money issue.  “Boomers will pay a premium if you can give them exactly what they want,” said Matt Robinson, principal at MRP Realty.  “Something closer to what was in their house, and that pushes up the price; they’re happy to pay for it.”  Many millennials are not well suited to compete being that most of them entered the market in the middle of the recession and during the lackluster recovery few have had time to build any real wealth.

This War of generations is driving up prices on not only starter homes and condos but rental prices too.  It is also cause a shortage of properties which is starting to concern most real estate agents.  Real estate agents have to start learning how to better work with millennials in order to stop the War but that’s a subject for another blog.

Cynthia Schmier, Broker/Owner
CRS, CDPE, CNE, CIAS, MDI, 5-STAR, SRS
RE/MAX Country
Cynthia@Cynthia-Online.com
(360) 400-3475
www.cynthia-online.com

Millennials in the Market.

Millennials

For quite awhile now Baby boomers have dominated or shaped the cultural and economic landscape in which we live.  With baby boomers beginning to retire in large numbers, and shrinking numbers as they age, there is a new economic driver at play – Millennials. 

Millennials are a socially connected, environmentally conscious group.  They value individuality within the larger society but also want their choices in life to positively impact the world around them.  Members of this socially active generation want to live close to where they work and play.  This is pushing some new trends in real estate and how agents deal with their clients.

Projects incorporating retail, office and residential options into one compact area or building will continue to trend upward as developers cater to millennials lifestyles and demands for high end amenities.  More and more developments are offering ground floor retail combined with apartments or lofts above that also offer amazing amenities such as rooftop pools and cabanas with coffee and wine bars, or gated dog parks and outdoor kitchens. 

Another trend is the 18 hour city.  This trend focuses on the increased development of urban centers, rather than their surrounding suburbs.  This is often described as the shrinking donut, and is closely connected to the changing lifestyles generated by millennials.  This trend also reflects the retiring baby boomers who are downsizing putting them in direct competition with millennials for real estate, but that is a topic for another blog.  These 18 hour cities are rewarding developers for focusing on preexisting infrastructure.  Often, the history, location, or architectural details of a downtown building provide the amenities and sense of place millennials seek.  

The last trend is the flood of investment capital into the U.S. as well as an uptick in crowd funding.  Most foreign investment has been concentrated in major US metro markets, but it is quickly starting to flow to small metro areas to develop smaller more historic cities.  Crowd funding is also playing a big role in this trend by allowing millennials themselves to invest in the area they want to live with out having to be a millionaire in order to invest.  

These are just a few of the ways millennials are affecting real estate.  They are having profound effects on the market.  Weather you like or dislike the trends with, over 80 million millennials its not going anywhere anytime soon.

Cynthia Schmier, Broker/Owner
CRS, CDPE, CNE, CIAS, MDI, 5-STAR, SRS
RE/MAX Country
Cynthia@Cynthia-Online.com
(360) 400-3475
www.cynthia-online.com