"Hour of Power:" Get your kids to clean like "Jane and Michael Banks!" - 02/25/09 02:53 AM
As a busy real estate agent and homeschooling mom with six kids, people always ask me how I "do it all."  Of course I don't "do it all."  I don't even try.  My husband and I work together and we focus on our family, our clients, and our business and not a lot of other stuff.  

Even at that, there is a lot to do, so we work hard to train our kids to work as a team, helping each other and helping us.  Our kids get real self-esteem from what they can accomplish, but they often need inspiration to … (8 comments)

Popcorn Ceilings: Work of the Devil? - 02/19/09 08:56 PM
 
There ought to be special place in hell for whoever invented popcorn ceilings. They're ugly, they're impossible to clean, they may contain asbestos, and they are a big turn-off to potential home-buyers.  My personal favorite is when it has glitter in it!  If you are trying to sell your home, I recommend getting rid of them.  Popcorn ceilings distract potential buyers from the true value of your home.  So what can you do?


The first thing you should do is test your popcorn for asbestos! Asbestos was added to many popcorn ceilings because of its strength and fire-proofing … (16 comments)

Staging Tip #2 - Light the Way! - 02/16/09 02:51 AM

When I was in college, I spent my Spring Break working at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show (www.gardenshow.com/)  During the set up for the show, I had a blast driving fork-lifts, Bobcats, and man-lifts. Each day, I watched the designers create amazing indoor gardens with flowers, trees, bushes, grasses, water features, outdoor living areas, cottages, and bridges.  They were beautiful!

Then, the day before the grand opening, when all the gardens were built, I spent the evening 30 feet up in the man-lift helping the lighting designer "set the lights."  He used colored gels, created focal points, and … (3 comments)

Kingsgate: Small Town Feel; Cosmopolitan Convenience - 02/14/09 07:41 PM
The charming Kingsgate Neighborhood (http://www.kingsgate.org/) of Kirkland/Woodinville is only a 10-minute drive away from Bellevue Square Mall and 20-minutes from downtown Seattle, yet it is a place where people get to know each other and neighborhood events are commonplace.
What makes this neighborhood so wonderful and unique?  Well, perhaps the number one reason is the community pools.  These fully-staffed pools with adjacent parks and playgrounds create place for neighbors to gather and kids to play together.  From Easter Egg Hunts, complete with giant Easter Bunnies, to Annual Barbeques with free food and lots of games, tradition and friendship are integral to the character of … (4 comments)

Staging Tip #1 - Follow Your Nose - 02/13/09 05:44 PM
How does your home smell?  Inviting?  Repelling?  Nuetral?  This is so much more important than you realize!  Scent is powerfully linked to memory and mood.  You want people to be in a good mood when they tour your house, and you want them to remember it!
Last weekend, I showed many, many houses, but one in particular stands out for HOW BAD IT SMELLED! It was so bad my clients and I didn't even go through the whole house!  The musty smell wasn't just annoying, it was a sign that the house might have a serious problem.
On the other hand, I previewed a … (9 comments)

The Power of Staging: Unveiling True Potential - 02/12/09 05:42 PM
House hunting with my grandmother was always interesting.  Before I was an agent, I used to pick up my Grandma  on Sunday afternoons and take her to look at open houses.  (We wanted her to move closer to us, but she didn't want to commit to an agent.) 
My grandmother is a brilliant woman when is comes to business and numbers, but her ability to visualize is non-existent.  This became very clear to me when we visited a great house that had a grand piano in the living room. 
She surveyed the room and said, "There's just not much room with that piano in here." 
… (8 comments)

The glass is half-full: The upside of a down market. - 02/11/09 04:35 PM
With all of the bad news in the economy, and gloom and doom surrounding the real estate market, it's important to point out the great news.  Here are some examples of the silver-lining:
The Seatle Area has been one of the toughest markets for first-time home-buyers for a long time. But with prices low, interest rates low, and and so many houses and condos to choose from, market newbies are finding that they are well-positioned to jump into the market.
Additionally, investor clients have a golden opportunity to make income-producing real estate investments.  High-end homes are selling at bargain prices.  So, those with equity … (2 comments)

 
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Corey & Erika Kahler

Kirkland, WA

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The Cascade Team

Address: 22525 SE 64th Place, Suite 223, Issaquah, WA, 98027

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Corey & Erika Kahler talk about life and real estate.


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