Dave Leonti has worked in the real estate industry for over 20 years. He is a licensed real estate broker who also serves as a property manager and equity owner in Casa Dolce Homes, a professional house-flipping company based in Sammamish, Washington. In both capacities, Dave Leonti’s success requires a thorough understanding of the trends and prospects of the Washington State housing market. Currently, Washington State is experiencing record home prices, particularly in the Seattle area. Seattle leads the nation as the hottest housing market, with home prices increasing by more than $100,000 over the past year. On average, home prices across the state increased by over 12 percent in the first quarter of 2017, when compared with the same period in 2016. The latest data indicates that the median price for a home in Washington State is between $320,000 and $330,000, with Seattle single-family homes averaging around $700,000. The condition of Washington’s real estate market can be attributed to a number of factors. As job opportunities and income in the state rise, so do the population and demand for houses. Sellers often perpetuate the problem. With increases in demand, some confident sellers decide to hold on to their homes, in anticipation of the value increasing even more. Others who would otherwise sell are reluctant to do so because buying another home is no longer affordable. These factors have attributed to a dearth of inventory in a market where demand shows no signs of slowing down.
For more than two decades, Dave Leonti has worked in the real estate and construction industry. Dave Leonti divides his time between flipping homes and managing construction budgets as a project manager for Casa Dolce Homes and selling properties as a broker for Keller Williams Realty in Kirkland, Washington.According to Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS), a service that aggregates home listings for most of Washington State, buyers may have better luck finding a home during summer. In June 2017, NWMLS reports that 13,658 new listings were added. This is the highest number of new listings added in one month since May 2008, which had 14,176 listings added. However, total inventory for June 2017 is still lagging behind June 2016. Total active listings for condos and single-family homes reached 14,482 in June 2017. While this number seems significant, it is 14 percent lower than the total June inventory last year. Still, real estate professionals feel positive about the real estate market in the state due to the fact that total inventory increased by 16 percent between April and June this year.On top of June’s increase in total and new inventory, brokers also reported a 3.4 percent increase in pending sales when compared to one year ago. However, this number does vary between counties. While King, Snohomish, Kitsap, and Pierce Counties experienced record-setting pending sale numbers, nine other counties in Washington saw year-over-year decreases in their number of pending sales.
A real estate broker with more than two decades of experience in the construction industry, Dave Leonti serves clients seeking homes in the areas surrounding Kirkland, Washington. Dave Leonti enjoys engaging in outdoor activities in his spare time and maintains a particular interest in water and snow sports. Participation in outdoor winter activities requires special attention to safety precautions specific to snow and low temperatures. Proper clothing is the imperative first step in winter safety, as it protects the body from the elements and helps it maintain heat. Clothing suitable for cold weather exposure includes water-repellent and windproof items that allow moisture to evaporate from the body and cover vital areas such as the extremities. Wool offers the best singular protection, although layering clothing is preferable when exposed to fluctuating temperatures. An understanding of the hazards involved with winter weather can also increase safety as it provides the opportunity to develop precautionary measures. For instance, hypothermia and frostbite are preventable conditions that can lead to considerable physical damage. Individuals who embark into the cold should learn to recognize early signs of hypothermia and the proper response, while also taking the steps to prevent it.
