Author: Carl Setzer

A YouTube Video Featuring Me

Carl Setzer

So, my Real Estate team made a video a little while ago and I got some good coverage. I really like the video, crafted by a top quality company. Those are always fun! I love this sort of stuff.

In this video, my team discusses our philosophy around listing, marketing and selling homes, for both sides of the transaction. I think we’re a pretty awesome group!

So, if  you’re thinking about buying, selling or investing in real estate, give us a call. Our team phone number is 360-474-5128, or send us an email. I’m proud of this group and know we’ll treat you the best.

 

Tonight and Ken Burns’ The War

Carl Setzer

Saw that it was on Netflix and, as I love Burns’ work, thought I’d watch it. Well, as it came up to Bataan, and bedtime, I opted to bail. Facing the worst humanity offers us not something to delve into before bed. For me, at least, my anxieties will go gangbusters and my sleep will be poor, at best.

This raised several memories. When a boy, living in San Miguel and later Subic Bay in the Philippines, I met several Bataan survivors. The horrors they faced aren’t academic. I saw the scars, the missing toes, the wounds. I see faces pained, decades later, when recollecting their stories. Perhaps these tales reach deeper into me than they do for others. Perhaps I’ve done well with absorbing the tao of the Buddha; compassion living deeply within me. Either way, I prefer to face the worst if humanity earlier in the day.

I do not mind ads / Just make them work on mobile / Do not break the website

Carl Setzer

First, a quick note about the subject line. A friend challenged me to post on Twitter only in haiku for a day. I thought these subject lines would be fun, too.

Anyway, ads. As I’ve focused the past few years on marketing, I have no issue with web ads. Currently, they’re the way many web personalities and other sites pay their bills. Family feeding is a fun, fantastic feeling.

However, web designers need to build advertising around mobile. Too often advertising either destroys the user experience, or critically hampers it. Pop ups that can’t be cleared are big issues. Several times this week I’ve struggled with sites where the “close” button was off the screen, AND clicking on the ad took you to a new website. (Sidenote: web devs and designers, use the target attribute on anchor tags. Don’t build ads that push your readers away from your site!)

These things make your site unusable on mobile. And, let me reiterate what’s been stated myriad times: the web’s future is mobile. If your mobile experience sucks, you’re are already behind. Perhaps you’re ahead of the curve on being an anachronism. It’s hardly ideal.

Last year’s whole Google mobile-gedon thing should have pivoted sites over, but, well, nope. But then folks still build auto-play videos on their sites. Thought that went out with MySpace. Since I’m simply griping now, let me add popups asking me to subscribe upon page load. Let them learn what you’re about first. I’ve neverr subscribed to a site BEFORE I’VE READ ANYTHING! NEVER!!!! Build the pop-up to launch towards the end, if you must use them at all. I’d put the ask in the post body, personally.

Developers, build sites for positive experiences. Delight your readers, inspire them to come back again. Don’t give in to greed or desperation. They’re ugly.

If you’ve liked what you’ve read, please share, read more and subscribe.

This week’s thoughts about real estate

Carl Setzer

I wanted to share a few articles today to keep you up-to-date with the changing real estate market.

  1. Higher Home Prices Pressing Buyers
    1. It’s been all over the news, and we’ve mentioned this quite a bit. Rising prices and a lack of inventory are making it harder for buyers right now. However, don’t give up hope. We’ve put several families in homes in 2016, and we can help you buy a home, too. As the article above says, “you have to tackle it like a project manager”.
  2. 4 Housing Predictions for the Rest of 2016
    1. We have several key economic indicators that point to the rest of 2016 maintaining it’s energy, even though the first quarter was “gloomier” that predicted. Employment’s staying strong, mortgage originations are up, mortgage rates are still low, and housing prices are still rising.

Ultimately, this means that:

  1. If you have any interest in selling, this is an amazing market. All kinds of things are pulling prices up. Find out what your home is worth by filling out this form or calling my rock star team at 360-474-5128.
  2. For those looking to buy, it’s a challenging time. However, homes are being sold and we’re helping people buy right now. Check out the latest listings, then call us today and let us help you, or your friends, find your dream home.

Traffic Fun on 196th and 64th in Lynnwood

Carl Setzer1 Comment

I live really close by and am <sarcasm>delighted at the added fun. </sarcasm> Oh well….be advised and forewarned.

Water Main Break on 64th Ave W Causes Extended Road Closure
Lynnwood Utility Crews will begin repair work Friday morning

LYNNWOOD, WA (April 28, 2016) – Early This morning, a private contractor inadvertently hit a water main on 64th Ave W, just south of 196th St SW. The water main break caused several blocks of 64th Ave W to flood. Lynnwood Utility Crews responded and were able to successfully repair the pipe, however there was damage done to the road surface. 64th Ave W between 196th St SW to the 19800 block will remained closed until 7:30am on Friday, April 29th. Local and emergency access is available.

On Friday, April 29th beginning at 7:30am, Lynnwood crews will remove the damaged pavement and begin repair work. During this time one lane of southbound traffic on 64th Ave W will be open to accommodate business access. Please make plans to avoid 64th Ave W at this location if possible.

Thinking about Boeing

Carl Setzer

Having spent most of my life in Lynnwood, I’ve long been in the shadow of Boeing. Interestingly, though I’ve worked for many Seattle stalwarts such as Starbucks, Microsoft, and Amazon. But never Boeing. I’ve had a few opportunities, but for each one, by the time they extended an offer to me, I’d accepted one somewhere else. And their slow hiring process is something they’re known for.

I’ve heard from many folks about the giant B is soul sucking and fraught with petty factions and frictions. Yet I have many friends and family who’ve worked there for decades. It seems, from one view, that many (most?) folks end up there for the long-haul. Now, I guess I can understand that if you have a rather non-transferable skill, say aerospace engineer or aircraft machinist. For those folks, I could see hating the place but being rather trapped by circumstances. But then there are those folks like me who have very transferable skills. Why would they stay if Boeing is so very miserable? Well, they won’t. Which tells me there’s something more at stake here.

Every workplace has their challenges. And the larger an institution, the easier it is to feel caught up in something soul-less. Yet at the team level, where you talk and interact with people everyday, that space is much more pleasant. Perhaps this disconnect between the local and macro sums this up.

What do you think? Do you work at Boeing, hate it and yet have been there two decades? Do you love Boeing? I’m deeply interested in your thoughts.

Please comment and let’s “talk”.

Sunday Review

Carl Setzer

It was a great, if fast, weekend. Didn’t get down to the kexp kick off (for their new space) Saturday, which I’d really hoped to get to. But meeting with friends was much too important.

Saturday evening, we hung out with one set of friends. Jus a BBQ, low key and lovely. Also got me down to Edmonds which alwasy pleases me.

Today was a friend’s daughter 5th birthday. My teen aged son was a good sport and helped out with the little kids. He really has a talent with young kids. Which makes me super proud.

Met some good friends of friends. And these folks were the kind of folks that you click with instantly and want to spend more time with. Left the party already Facebook friends. Funny world, no?

Sun in Seattle is always delightful. Got outside a bit, which was wondrous. And got a good amount of rest in. Very important for the full recharge. Which I need….desperately.

Muslim American engineer, others respond to aerospace exec’s anti-mosque campaign – The Seattle Globalist

Carl Setzer

If you didn’t know, a postcard was mailed to the citizenry of Mukilteo protesting the opening of a mosque. I can expound my standard liberal rhetoric about the value inclusiveness brings. Instead, let me simply allow one of our neighbors to speak to the matter (from Seattle Globalist) 

Muslim American engineer, others respond to aerospace exec’s anti-mosque campaign

Reflecting upon the day

Carl Setzer

Watching 180 South this evening. My son found this years ago on Netflix, and we find it a nice, calming film.  It’s also thought provoking.

Part of that: it’s core focus on sustainable living.  Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins built their businesses with that long-term view. These were men we talked about when I worked at Starbucks in Corporate Social Responsibility. North Face and Patagonia were, and are, leaders of socially responsible business practices.

Then there’s the travelogue element. These guys are seeking wisdom on their quest. Facing challenges, seeking to understand, to learn about the world. That’s compelling for me, who spent my childhood drifting over the planet.

After watching tonight, I thought some about the quest. About the wisdom gained from the journey. I see that some gain great insight from travels. Others from staying put, deepening their connection to place, a single place. Both paths are valid, both lead to wisdom, both are necessary for the world.

I’ve been on both paths. Now my path is focused on this place. And I find it joyous.