Sweet Traditions: W+M’s Holiday Cookie Favorites

Celebrate the season with the cookies we love most! Our W+M agents share their cherished holiday recipes to sweeten your celebrations.

Brown Butter Sugar Cookies

Rich with caramel notes and a hint of nutty brown butter, these soft, chewy cookies are sure to become a favorite!

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Kaitlyn Ward

Cozy Chai Cookies

Chai vibes all the way! These chai spice cookies are infused with the delightful spices of your favorite milky chai tea latte, including cinnamon, ginger, and allspice.

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Jenny Roope

Photo courtesy of @dessertfortwo

Pistachio Pudding Cookies

Bright, nutty, and oh-so-easy to make—these pistachio pudding cookies, topped with a maraschino cherry, are a festive treat everyone will love!

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Emily Johnson

Russian Tea Cakes

These buttery, melt-in-your-mouth Russian Tea Cakes, also known as Snowballs, are a holiday classic with a nutty twist and a dusting of powdered sugar. A beloved holiday classic and a must-have on any cookie tray! Here are two of our fave recipes!

Get Lara’s fave recipe here

Get Diane’s fave recipe here

Submitted by Lara Burchfield and Diane LeBlanc

Walnut Squares

Walnut squares are a nostalgic holiday treat, with a rich, buttery flavor and the perfect crunch from walnuts—always a favorite to bake with loved ones!

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Amy Ascencio

Dark Chocolate Chunk Pistachio Cookies

These dark chocolate pistachio chunk cookies are rich, elegant, and packed with festive flavor—perfect for the holiday season!

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Michelle Schwinghammer

Photo courtesy of @pineapple_and_coconut

Hawaiian Snowballs

These sweet, buttery cookies with macadamia nuts offer the perfect balance of texture and flavor for the season.

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Angela Spangler

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Infused with rich brown butter, these chocolate chip cookies feature a perfect contrast of crispy edges and chewy centers, offering an elevated twist on a beloved classic.

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Claudia Ramirez

Photo courtesy of Becky Elhardt

Almond Cardamom Holiday Cookie

These vegan and flourless almond cookies are a fragrant blend of cardamom, orange zest, and pistachios, offering a deliciously unique flavor profile with the added richness of dark chocolate drizzle—a delightful choice for making occasions sweeter!

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Becky Elhardt

Sugar Cookies

From classic to creative, these sugar cookie recipes prove that the simplest treats can be the most fun—perfectly sweet, endlessly customizable, and always a holiday favorite!

Get Kathleen’s fave sugar cookie tree recipe here

Get Emily’s fave classic recipe here

Get Kendra’s fave classic recipe here

Submitted by Kathleen Male, Emily Lawless, and Kendra Clark

Buckeyes

Buckeyes combine the smoothness of peanut butter with rich chocolate, creating a sweet, indulgent treat that’s always a hit with everyone.

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Elizabeth Fischer

Date-Nut Pinwheels

Date-nut pinwheels are a delightful combination of sweet dates, crunchy nuts, and buttery dough, making them a unique and irresistible holiday treat that’s both flavorful and fun to make!

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Emily Hayduk

Pecan Tassies

A buttery cream cheese pastry filled with sweet, toasted pecans makes for a decadent bite-sized treat that's impossible to resist!

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Alicia Duncan Coulter

Photo courtesy of @halfbakedharvest

Vanilla Hot Chocolate Molten Cookies

Warm and gooey, these vanilla hot chocolate molten cookies are a cozy blend of rich cocoa, melty dark chocolate, and a hint of sea salt—perfect for sharing the magic of the season!

Get the recipe here

Submitted by Michelle Schwinghammer

Make Your House the Top Thing on Every Buyer’s Wish List This Season

With the holidays right around the corner, homeowners planning to move have a decision to make: sell now or wait?

Some may even consider taking their house off the market until next spring. But is that the best choice? Because at this time of year, your home can really stand out.

Here’s the thing: there are plenty of buyers out there who want to be in a new home by the holidays, and your house might be just what they’re looking for. As an article from Redfin says: 

“. . . there is typically less inventory in the housing market this time of year, allowing your home to easily stand out among the available inventory. And though there are technically fewer buyers overall, the homebuyers that are looking are far more serious about finding a home within a specific timeframe. . . selling your home during the holidays might be your best present this year.”

Here are four key reasons you may not want to wait to sell your house.

1. Serious Buyers Are Looking Right Now 

The holiday season doesn’t put a pause on the desire to own a home. Sure, some buyers might delay their search until next year, but others have a reason they need to move now. These buyers are highly motivated and ready to make a serious offer. As Investopedia says:

“Anyone shopping for a new home between Thanksgiving and New Year’s is likely going to be a serious buyer. Putting your home on the market at this time of year and attracting a serious buyer can often result in a quicker sale.”

2. You Have an Inventory Edge

While there are more homes coming to the market right now, overall, the number of houses available to buy is still low. 

So, what does that mean for you? If you work with a trusted agent to price your house right, it could still sell pretty quickly. That’s because today’s buyers are on the hunt for quality options – and your home may be exactly what they’re searching for.

3. You Have Control Over Your Showings 

Selling during the holidays doesn’t mean constantly disrupting your schedule. You have the flexibility to set up showings at times that work best for you. This is especially helpful during a busy season, and many buyers are likely to be more flexible with their schedules since they often have extra time off around the holidays.

Now, it’s always better to offer more flexible access to your house. But the reality is, you don’t have to stop the process entirely – especially when you have a great agent to help you navigate each step along the way.

4. Holiday Décor Can Make Your House Shine

For many buyers, a tastefully decorated home can create a warm, inviting atmosphere. It’s easy for them to imagine holiday gatherings and cozy nights in a space that feels just right. Keep your choices simple to let your home’s charm shine through. An article on holiday home-selling advises:

“If you’re selling around a holiday and have decorations up, make sure they accent—not overpower—a room. Less is more.”

Bottom Line

There are plenty of good reasons to put (or keep) your house on the market during the holidays. Reach out to a local real estate agent and see if this is your moving season.

Read more like this at Keeping Current Matters

Related Links

• Difficulties of Renovating Your Homes Exterior During The Winter

• These 3 Old-School Home Feature Are Making a Comeback, According to Pros

• Don’t Let These Two Concerns Hold You Back from Selling Your House

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Search Homes in Colorado

Search Homes in North Carolina

Search Homes in Oklahoma

Search Homes in Minnesota

These 3 Old-School Home Features Are Making a Comeback, According to Pros

Some home designs are cool forever, like basically anything touched by Frank Lloyd Wright.

But even so, trends are cyclical — it’s not uncommon to see what’s old become new again. Home features also go through their fair share of deaths and revivals. Jessica Feuerstein and Elina Edelman, two real estate agents based out of Armonk, New York, tell me the old trends that they’re seeing buyers ask for right now as they search for houses.

Butler’s Pantries

Named for the area where a home’s staff (ha!) might store fine china and polish silverware, the butler’s pantry was a popular feature in high-end homes during the 19th century. They also acted as a transitional space between the kitchen and the formal dining room. While a regular pantry serves more as a dry food storage area, the butler’s pantry features cabinetry and countertop space, making it more suited for food prep. Eventually they fell out of fashion due to space restrictions and societal changes — but they’re making a comeback.

“Butler’s pantries are returning as functional spaces hidden away from the main kitchen,” Feuerstein explains. “The return of the butler’s pantry reflects a desire for organization and functionality, especially in open-concept homes where clutter can be more noticeable.” 

While the butler’s pantry originated in historic homes as a space for storage and food prep — and they’re often used for the same purposes today — many modern homeowners convert their butler’s pantry to suit their needs, such as a coffee station or even wine storage. 

Freestanding Bathtubs 

“Freestanding bathtubs are making a comeback because of their luxurious and calming appeal, catering to people’s desire for relaxation and wellness at home,” Edelman says. “They add a spa-like element to the bathroom that feels indulgent yet functional.” 

Most homes today have showers as standard features, and some may not even have tubs at all. But freestanding tubs were commonplace until well after the advent of modern plumbing, due to their ability to hold water in a home that may not have had running water. It wasn’t until the 1960s that running water became completely ubiquitous across the United States, even in rural areas, thus the popularity of the shower or shower bathtub combination grew. 

Today, people want the bathtub to be a place to relax and unwind, rather than simply wash the day off. 

“Freestanding bathtubs are being reimagined as luxurious spa-like centerpieces in modern bathrooms,” Edelman says.

Wallpaper

For a long time, wallpaper had kind of a bad rap in interior design. Just uttering the word reminded people of a stuffy, outdated home. But with its intricate designs and statement-making appeal, wallpaper has been making a comeback. 

“Today’s homeowners are looking to inject personality and creativity into their spaces,” Feuerstein says. “And wallpaper offers an easy way to make a bold statement.”

Wallpaper can easily be added to any room, whether a homeowner is trying to evoke an updated callback to the history of their home or to create a modern statement wall in their bedroom. 

Read more like this at Apartment Therapy.

Related Links

• 11 Illuminating Kitchen Lighting Ideas Homeowners Need to Try

• Home sales surged in October, just before mortgage rates jumped

• Don’t Let These Two Concerns Hold You Back from Selling Your House

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Search Homes in Colorado

Search Homes in North Carolina

Search Homes in Oklahoma

Search Homes in Minnesota

11 Illuminating Kitchen Lighting Ideas Homeowners Need to Try

How your kitchen is lit can affect how well your spaghetti squash is sautéed or whether your guests feel welcome when you’re sharing cocktails at the kitchen island.

The kitchen is a home’s most multifunctional space – and how this gathering area is lit can affect how well your spaghetti squash is sauteed or whether your guests feel welcome when you’re sharing cocktails at the kitchen island.

How does a homeowner accomplish both at the same time? Designer Paul de Andrade, owner of Studio Kestrel in New York City, says the best kitchen lighting designs require multiple light sources in varying types, all of which are tunable.

For example, de Andrade recommends using high-quality LED strip lights under cabinets, which illuminate the entire countertop area. He suggests lighting with a color-rendering index, or CRI, of 90+ so strawberries look bright red and salads look crisp green.

“Lower quality lighting can make your countertop look washed out and sepia colored, which makes food seem dull and unappealing,” de Andrade says.

Here are 11 similarly bright techniques interior designers and kitchen experts propose that will make any kitchen feel warm and welcoming.

Layer Those Lights

Kitchens have a lot of activity: cooking, hanging out or entertaining. That means lots of lighting in various spaces, says Jessie Brinkley, an architectural designer with Melichar Architects in Lake Forest, Illinois.

“Kitchens require a lot of functionality in addition to beauty. Since there are so many affordable options available today, we are seeing layers of lighting that offer up lots of operational flexibility," Brinkley says. "Function task lighting and decorative lighting – small recessed, under-cabinet, in-cabinet, pendant lighting – work in combination.”

Consider a Chandelier

If you want to make a style statement, add a bit of fanciness to the kitchen, says Courtney Cole, an Australian interior designer with TileCloud.

“Chandeliers are returning to kitchens, especially in more traditional or farmhouse-style spaces. If you want to give the room a luxurious touch, these will give you just that – especially when used over a dining area or kitchen island,” Cole says.

Mix Up Your Finishes

Not every light in your kitchen needs to be made from glass, says Alan Berman, president at Archetype Architecture in New York City.

“Think brass, leather, marble and artisan glass fixtures that tell a story. Mixing textures and styles creates a vibrant visual experience, making spaces feel alive and expressive with lighting as a key narrative element,” Berman says.

Try a Trend

Kitchen trends that are popular and will continue to evolve in the years ahead include biophilic or nature-inspired design as well as sustainability, says Riki Lent, senior vice president of Kalco Lighting and Allegri Crystal in New Windsor, New York. This translates to kitchens that have warmer tones, softer shapes and an increased use of renewable materials.

“There’s also a strong desire to infuse personality into interiors, so handcrafted elements that artfully infuse unique materials are becoming more important,” Lent says.

Move Past Pedestrian Pendant Lights

Pendant lighting is a homeowner’s chance to make a statement, de Andrade says. “Nowadays there are so many beautiful options, so try something sculptural or alabaster or rattan," he says. "It’s a great way to break away from the often boring and utilitarian design of a kitchen and create a space that blends seamlessly with the rest of your home.”

Don’t Be Down on Downlights

The kitchen is the heart of the home, so its lighting needs to reflect that and be bright, warm and welcoming, says Antonia Caicedo, the interior architect and design director at Jimeco Interiors in Miami Shores, Florida.

"Overly bright lighting that works well in a garage or office space may not be the best for a kitchen space. Opt for a mix of downlights and pendants to achieve the perfect combination of functional and decorative,” Caicedo says.

Dimmer May Be Better

Dimmer switches can be a kitchen’s best assets, says Ashley Macuga, principal designer at Collected Interiors in San Francisco.

“Bedtime doesn’t necessarily mean a kitchen’s work is done. The middle of the night glass of water or midnight snack is better enjoyed under the soft glow of a sink pendant light," Macuga says. "Kept on a warm dim, it mimics the natural glow of sunset, helping you see without signaling to your brain that it’s time to wake up and start the day.”

Use Lights to Show Off Your Stuff

If you have a special piece you love to serve on or maybe a great family collectible, light it up, says Gabrielle Bove, owner of Opaline Interiors Studio in Boston.

“I love to hide LED tape lighting in specialty display cabinets to highlight my clients’ dinnerware and glassware collections. These types of lights are perfect to turn on when you have company over for a dinner party and provide an element of interest,” Bove says.

Take Tech to the Next Level

Bryce Crowley is co-owner of Kitchen Solvers of La Crosse in Wisconsin, working with clients on new custom cabinetry designs. He says homeowners need to add technology to their kitchen-lighting schemes.

“The integration of smart-lighting technology allows homeowners to control brightness and color temperature via smartphone apps or voice commands, enhancing the kitchen’s versatility for different tasks and moods,” says Crowley.

Add Smaller Shelf Lamps

Many homeowners have small or open shelving on either side of their sinks, and these areas can become landing zones for junk or miscellany. Instead, add pretty pendants on either side or bring in a decorative lamp to that otherwise dead space, says Tracy Metro, a Los Angeles-based interior designer and host of interior design show "House Doctor" on Netflix. “If you have opening shelving in your kitchen, putting a small table lamp on the shelf with a special shade adds so much style to the kitchen,” Metro says.

Don’t Forget the Small Details

Everyone always thinks about what’s above our heads – what about those spaces at our feet? That’s where a homeowner with a great designer can have some fun, says Leslie Dapper, lead designer at Rumor Designs in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.

“Under-cabinet lighting and toe-kick lighting for kitchens are both great ideas and easy to do yourself with things like LED light strips and rechargeable lights,” Dapper says.

Read more at USNews.com

Related Links

• How Many Square Feet Is My House? How to Calculate Square Feet of a House

• Home sales surged in October, just before mortgage rates jumped

• Don’t Let These Two Concerns Hold You Back from Selling Your House

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Search Homes in Colorado

Search Homes in North Carolina

Search Homes in Oklahoma

Search Homes in Minnesota

Don’t Let These Two Concerns Hold You Back from Selling Your House

If you’re debating whether or not you want to sell right now, it might be because you’ve got some unanswered questions, like if moving really makes sense in today’s market.

Maybe you’re wondering if it’s even a good idea to move right now. Or you’re stressed because you think you won’t find a house you like.

To put your mind at ease, here’s how to tackle these two concerns head-on.

Is It Even a Good Idea To Move Right Now?

If you own a home already, you may have been holding off because you don’t want to sell and take on a higher mortgage rate on your next house. But your move may be a lot more feasible than you think, and that’s because of your equity.

Equity is the current market value of your home minus what you still owe on your loan. And thanks to the rapid appreciation we saw over the past few years, your equity has gotten a big boost. Just how much are we talking about? See for yourself. As Dr. Selma Hepp, Chief Economist at CoreLogic, explains:

“Persistent home price growth has continued to fuel home equity gains for existing homeowners who now average about $315,000 in equity and almost $129,000 more than at the onset of the pandemic.”

Here’s why this can be such a game-changer when you sell. You can use that equity to put down a larger amount on your next home, which means financing less at today’s mortgage rate. And in some cases, you may even be able to buy your next home in cash, avoiding mortgage rates altogether.

The bottom line? Your equity could be the key to making your next move possible.

Will I Be Able To Find a Home I Like?

If this is on your mind, it’s probably because you remember just how low the supply of homes for sale got over the past few years. It felt nearly impossible to find a home to buy because there were so few available.

But finding a home in today’s market isn’t as challenging. That’s because the number of homes for sale is growing, giving you more options to choose from. Data from Realtor.com shows just how much inventory has increased – it’s up almost 30% year-over-year (see graph below):

And even though inventory is still below pre-pandemic levels, this is the highest it’s been in quite a while. That means you have more options for your move, but your house should still stand out to buyers at the same time. That’s a sweet spot for you.

It’s important to note, though, that this balance varies by local market. Some places may have more homes for sale than others, so working with a local real estate agent is the best way to see what inventory trends look like in your area. 

Bottom Line

If you’re thinking about selling, hopefully these concerns haven’t kept you up at night. With this information, you should realize you don’t have to let the what-if’s delay your move anymore.

Connect with a local agent so you have the data and the local perspective you need to move forward.

Read more at CNBC.com

Related Links

• How Many Square Feet Is My House? How to Calculate Square Feet of a House

• Home sales surged in October, just before mortgage rates jumped

• Pre-holiday checklist: 27 things to do to prepare your home before you go away

If there is a home that you would like more information about, if you are considering selling a property, or if you have questions about the housing market in your neighborhood, please reach out. We’re here to help.

Search Homes in Colorado

Search Homes in North Carolina

Search Homes in Oklahoma

Search Homes in Minnesota