At-homish

Wil welcomes two North Everett “neighbors” to the studio: Ashley Bolden (Keller Williams Realty, Everett) and Cami Anthony (Motto Mortgage Collective). What starts as a conversation about homeownership quickly turns into a bigger, more honest discussion about belonging, community, and the values underneath the housing market.

Ashley shares how her community involvement (including the Greater Everett Chamber of Commerce, Everett Recovery Café, and Everett Rotary Club) shapes how she thinks about housing as more than an investment. Cami brings the lender perspective—what it actually takes to qualify, why timing the market is a trap, and why the bigger barrier often isn’t the down payment anymore… it’s the monthly payment.

Together, they unpack the tension a lot of people feel: wanting your home value to rise, while also wanting housing to stay attainable for others. They explore how renters and homeowners can experience community differently, why “money” can feel strangely abstract, and why housing affordability ultimately requires more than policy tweaks—it may require a cultural values shift.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear About
  • Why community involvement matters in real estate and lending
  • The role of the Everett Chamber, Rotary, and Everett Recovery Café
  • Renting vs. owning: the mindset shift and how it affects belonging
  • Why trying to “wait for rates to drop” can backfire
  • What lenders are seeing: debt-to-income realities and qualification limits
  • Supply vs. demand, private equity, and why housing prices keep climbing
  • The tension between equity, inclusion, and the realities of homeownership
  • Why values (not just dollars) drive the systems we live in
Walk-Up / Theme Songs
  • Cami’s pick: “It’s Oh So Quiet” by Björk (quiet entrance… until it gets loud)
  • Ashley’s picks: “X” (Black Panther soundtrack) and “Handlebars” by Flobots
Closing Thought
This episode is for anyone who’s trying to make sense of the housing market without losing the bigger picture: a home isn’t just a financial asset—it’s safety, stability, and a place to belong.


Creators and Guests

Host
Wil Johnson
Host of At-homish podcast that is focusing on how we all can belong in our communities.
Producer
Red Trux
Red Trux is a small business that focuses on telling the stories in the small town of Snohomish. Services including complete podcast production and brand development.

What is At-homish?

Join Wil Johnson, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for Snohomish County, as he helps make you feel At-homish. Whether you are in your home town or discovering a new one, there are ways we can help everyone belong and feel at-home. Wil breaks down the different perspectives and strategies on how to make everyone in your community feel like they belong. Come on in and make yourself At-homish.