Become The Go-To Person At Work

After a 2-month lull, home prices take off
After stalling for two months, home prices in King and Snohomish counties perked up last month, disappointing potential buyers who thought slowing price appreciation had presented an opportunity.
Brian and Jennifer Rutherford are experiencing King County's strengthening real-estate market firsthand as they shop for a Bellevue home in the $500,000 range.
They initially planned to take their time to find the right house, said Brian, who does business development for a software company. Brian and Jennifer, a nurse, own a condominium in West Seattle.
"We were just hoping things would cool off. It might have cooled off from its highest point, but not too far," he said. "Now we're making more of an effort to step up our looking."
Home-sales data released Thursday by the Northwest Multiple List Service for March prove his point.
King County's median single-family home price rose 6 percent to a record $454,950 last month. Snohomish County's single-family home price, which also hesitated, moved up 7.4 percent, reaching a median $382,500 in March.
In Kitsap County, the median single-family house price was up 2.2 percent to $291,250.
Only Pierce County bucked the trend, with the median single-family house price declining 2.4 percent to $280,000 last month.
Median means half the properties sell for more, half for less.
Thursday's news that Microsoft is leasing 1.3 million square feet of Bellevue office space, enough to house 4,000 employees, is a near guarantee that Brian Rutherford is correct about home-buying prospects.
More workers in Bellevue may create more competition from other buyers in the Rutherfords' target neighborhoods.
Mortgage rates also have remained near historic lows, making it possible for more people to buy a home.
Still, Rutherford remains philosophic.
"It is what it is. That's the region we live in," he said.
If the Rutherfords decide to sell their West Seattle condo, they will enjoy the upside of a healthy market.
"I've been here for 41 years, so I've seen slow markets, and this is not a slow market," said Rich Bianchi, owner/broker of the Keller Williams Realty office in West Seattle.
Rather, he senses "the market is active, but not quite as active as last year," and that has confused buyers who thought prices would fall. They haven't.
"I think some people thought they'd wait until after the first of the year to get a bargain," Bianchi said.
"That didn't happen."
Indeed, West Seattle homes priced at less than $500,000 are drawing multiple offers — the same dynamic the Rutherfords have found in Bellevue.
They already have lost a bidding war on a $480,000 Bellevue house. Seven offers pushed the price to $535,000.
Builders are adding to the mix.
Windermere agent Daniel Toth's West Seattle listing for a 1928 brick Tudor — original period detailing plus a new kitchen for $499,950 — recently was snapped up by a builder. He plans to construct two additional homes in its back yard.
Lennox Scott, chairman of John L. Scott Real Estate, said a shortage of affordably priced homes will keep the local market strong.
He defines affordable as a house priced below the median for its area.
In Auburn, for example, that means less than $325,000. In Seattle's Queen Anne and Magnolia neighborhoods, it's less than $682,000.
"We still have job growth, population growth and low interest rates," Scott said, mentioning three factors that propel housing demand.
"People want to live closer to job centers because of traffic," he said. "That's dictating where inventories are lower."
Seattle-area interest rates stand at 6.22 percent for a 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage, according to HSH, a mortgage-information provider.
While agents and brokers talk about the lack of lower-priced homes, MLS statistics show that the total number of properties for sale has increased significantly over a year ago.
For example, King County buyers had 5,100 homes to choose from in March 2006. They had 6,762 last month, a 32.6 percent increase.
Year-over-year inventory increased 44 percent to 49 percent in Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties.
At the same time, the number of house and condominium sales transacted last month was down 8 percent in King County and almost 18 percent in Snohomish County, compared with a year earlier, the MLS reported.
King County's detached houses have appreciated 12.3 percent in the past year, on a par with the county's condominium appreciation. King County's median condo price was $281,000 last month.
Snohomish County's house prices in the past year were up 16 percent.
But the county's condo appreciation was even stronger: 25.7 percent; and the median is now $238,796.
House prices were up 7.6 percent in Pierce County and 8.7 percent in Kitsap County for the past year. Those two counties have relatively few condominiums.


Become The Go-To Person At Work
Walk around for 15 minutes a dayOffices are like small families. You spend up to 10 hours a day in close proximity with your coworkers, sharing the same office space, facilities, break rooms, refrigerators, and coffee pots. Everyone shares the responsibility of making the company run smoothly and helping it stay profitable.Put aside about 15 minutes a day to walk around, greet your coworkers and exchange pleasantries. A smile and a warm handshake can help relieve their stress and add to your desirability factor at work. However, make sure that you don't become the office nuisance by interrupting people when they’re busy. If one of your coworkers is rushing to meet a deadline, save the pleasantries for someone else.
Compliment your colleaguesEvery so often, tell a senior management executive how much you appreciate a certain colleague or subordinate. Be as specific as you can, such as: "Ross, I want you to know what a great job Victor did at the presentation yesterday. We are all lucky to have him on the team."If a veteran employee is retiring, organize a goodbye party; if someone is being promoted, set up happy hour with your coworkers to celebrate. Take initiative and others will take an instant liking to you. A word of warning, however: Make sure that your compliments are sincere and don’t overdo it -- unless you want to be labeled the office brownnoser.Joining a committee and being aware of market trends can also increase your workplace exposure
Contribute to a publicationHave you thought of contributing to your organization’s internal newsletter, website or journal? Since company publications are frequently read by top executives, you’ll increase your visibility and establish yourself as an expert in your area. This is a great way to toot your own horn in a discreet fashion.
Join a committeeWhile interacting with the same group of colleagues every day won’t increase your exposure, working on a company committee will allow you to make new contacts and show off your skills to people who matter within the organization. If you behave like a leader, you could find yourself moving into a leadership position sooner than you imagined.
Offer a helping handIf you've used the last piece of paper in the copier or printer, fill it up. Take on extra tasks like mentoring a new recruit or training a colleague in your area of expertise. Share a trade secret that will help a coworker impress the boss. These small gestures help you build relationships and spread a good word about you in the workplace. Remember that what goes around comes around, and the people you help will likely remember it when it matters the most.
Stay informedRead industry publications, reports and magazines, and be aware of market trends. Your knowledge will be obvious to your colleagues, and they‘ll look up to you for advice and information. They might also talk positively about you with other members of the team and higher-ups; there is nothing better than third-party publicity.