A  ParentMap special supplement, Nest helps you settle in, whether you are moving to the area, a first-home buyer or just looking to re-do the nursery.

For this issue, we check in with industry experts for a run-down of the Seattle-area housing market. Karen Dawson deconstructs the house-buying process -- and provides Web-only real estate resources. Read how one architect and family of four managed to downsize into a smaller house -- and how you can too, including advice from noted small-home architect and author Sarah Susanka. Find tips from local interior designers for decorating kids' rooms with color and pizazz and suggestions for how to stay stylish and keep your home dinner-party ready even with kids underfoot.