The Saturday Sit-Down #31: Typically Jane

Hello hello! Welcome to another edition of “The Saturday Sit-Down”. 🙂 Thanks for joining us!

Today’s featured blogger is Jane from Typically Jane. Coming up with questions for this interview was so easy. She writes about so many neat topics and has experience in several things I know nothing about! I hope you enjoy getting to know her and then pop her to her site to say hello. Have a great weekend! xo

Q: In three sentences or less, tell us a little bit about who you are.
A: I’m Jane, a lifestyle blogger in my late 20’s over at Typically Jane. I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with my boyfriend, where I write about our life’s adventures, fashion, home, recipes and some real estate tips thrown in.

Q: I’ve never visited Washington but have always wanted to! What brought you out that way? What do you love about living in the Pacific Northwest?
A: Originally, my family moved to Washington when I was in school. After high school, I went to college in Las Vegas, before taking a job in Hawaii and eventually decided to come back to Washington and join the family business of real estate. Now I live in a sweet home, tucked in the woods, on a bubbling creek, with my wonderful boyfriend, Tom. Tom’s Navy career has him stationed here so we will call it home for as long as we can! It’s such a fun place to live! The summers are absolute perfection, sunny and 75 with a slight ocean breeze. There are endless festivals all year long. The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is one of my favorites, and of course, the annual wine festival!

Q: What are your favorite things to get out and do on the weekend?
A: Washington is beautiful! It’s such a treat to live somewhere so breathtaking and so easily have an active lifestyle. I love to go on hikes, boating or camping (where I am this weekend!) to enjoy the outdoors. I’m a big believer in date nights, so we go out of our way to try new fun places to eat/drink. I’m located on a small island a couple hours north of Seattle. Island hopping is one of my favorite summer activities.

Q: I know you’re passionate about real estate! Is this your full-time job? Where did this passion begin?
A: I’m a Real Estate Broker and Realtor for my 9-5, although it real estate it can often be a 24/7! I’m lucky enough to have two wonderful mentors in the field, my parents! It’s a family business, which creates a lot of passion for it. Plus, I just love that I get to work with people to make their dreams come true. How many people are lucky enough to say that? It’s an incredible career, and one that I truly feel has blessed me in so many ways.

Q: What advice can you offer first-time home buyers?
A: There is a lot that goes on when buying a home, and for first timers it can be overwhelming! I always suggest people start with budget. Talk to a lender, your Real Estate Broker can recommend someone local if you’re new to an area. Know how much you qualify for, what that monthly mortgage would look like, and then you can tailor the houses you look at from there. It’s heartbreaking for someone to fall in love with a house and then later find out they can’t afford it.

Another tip is to not knock a house off a list without looking at it in person first. If the house ticks all the boxes but the pictures don’t amaze, go check it out in person anyways. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people end up falling in love and buying houses that weren’t what they originally thought they wanted. And, if you need a realtor, let me know! Part of my job is connecting people with amazing Real Estate Brokers/Agents in their area, anywhere in the world!

Q: When did you start blogging, and what are your favorite types of posts to create and share?
A: I had a blog years ago, and somewhere along the line stopped blogging but I always missed it. For 2 years I hemmed and hawed about starting one up again. Then I finally went for it this January and started up Typically Jane. And, I’m so glad I did! It’s been such a rewarding experience. Of course, I love to sharing real estate tips, like upping your curb appeal, along with fashion, recipes, and life in the Pacific Northwest!

Q: Your fashion posts are so fun to read! Where do you enjoy shopping?
A: I’m a sucker for a great deal! Some of my favorite places to snag a deal are Nordstrom Rack, where I buy almost all of my shoes, and TJ Maxx. Some people don’t like to hunt through racks for the perfect dress, but I get a total thrill from it! I also love small online and local boutiques. I’ve found amazing pieces at The Navy Knot, Jane and Re-Feather Your Nest. Cabi is one of my favorite places to get statement pieces from. Their clothes are beautiful and so fun, but you have to find a consultant to buy through! I’m a big believer in not buying things that are ehh, and only purchasing things that make you feel like a million bucks, no matter what that is. I love fashion, but to me, it’s not about what’s trending at the moment. It’s about what makes you feel great, and what you feel beautiful in.

Q: What would you say the most fun and most challenging parts of blogging are?
A: There are so many fun parts. I love writing. English was always one of my favorite classes in school because I simply loved to write. As an adult, we don’t generally get that opportunity. Being able to have an outlet for that has been wonderful. You connect with so many incredible people that you would never otherwise get to know! I have so many bloggers that I admire as strong women, and getting to know them from thousands of miles away is an incredible experience. I’m also a huge photography nerd, and it’s really fun for me to get to use all the equipment and software.

As far as challenges, pretty much like everything in life that is worth doing, it takes time to do well. I have a truly #blessed (yeah I’m one of those people!) life. I have a fulfilling career, a handsome and supportive partner, amazing friends, and a life I love living. It’s packed with fun, and adventure. So, finding the time to do it all, and write, can sometimes be a challenge. To help alleviate that I gave myself some grace and took myself off a blogging schedule and let the posts come naturally.

Q: Where should new readers start on your site?
As a lover of all things home I often write posts related to real estate like tips on how to get your home ready to sell. And, I love sharing our adventures living in the Pacific Northwest or from our travels. A couple weeks ago we went to an awesome cidery that looks like something out of a Pinterest page and spent hours in the sun, enjoying a couple drinks while playing lawn games and eating delicious food. Fashion is a fun hobby for me that I love sharing, like my tips on building a professional wardrobe.

Q: Where can we find you on social media? 
I’m an Instagram fanatic, definitely come say hi! I’m always looking for new bloggers to follow and interact with!
Instagram
Twitter
Pinterest

And just for fun…
1. Mountains or beach? I am a total beach girl. Almost my entire life I’ve lived right next to the beach. Living in Hawaii I would go almost every day to the beach. Now, living on an island, it’s a rare day I don’t get down to the water.
2. Dogs or cats? Dogs. I’m an animal lover in general, I’ve had both and love them both. Right now I have dogs, so by default, at the moment, I’m a dog person.
3. Coffee or tea? I’m an herbal tea drinker. Which my family, who is full of real tea drinkers, will remind me, is not even tea. The fruitier with the less caffeine the better! That’s a fairly blasphemous statement living outside of Seattle, the coffee lover’s headquarters!
4. Early bird or night owl? Early bird! My grandmother goes to sleep later than I do. I turn into a pumpkin around 10 pm. A girl’s got to get her beauty sleep!

Thank you so much, Jane!

Want to be featured in this series?

I have openings starting in early 2018 and would love to feature you! Please fill out the form below and I’ll be in touch with you.

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