Moving Day at Kirkland Highlands Real Estate Buzz

I am moving from the eblogger platform to wordpress over the next couple of days. Wordpress gives me the option to categorize my blog posts so you can search for the information that interests to you. You will be able to find all of the statistics, school information, etc. all under separate tag headings in the sidebar.

If you are accessing this blog via http://www.kirklandhighlandsrealestatebuzz.com/, then your access should switch over automatically when we switch the domain name to the new blog. If your RSS feeds don't pickup the new blog site in a few days, you may need to resubscribe with the URL above.

Stay tuned!

The Friday Kirkland Highlands Real Estate Buzz, August 31, 2007

Remarks in red show last week's activity

New listings: 0 (1)

Active Listings: 18 (20)

Sold subject to inspection: 0 (0)

Pending: 0 (1 at $579,000)

Closed Sales: 1 at $750,000 (1 at $759,000)

Number of Price Reductions: 1 (0)
-----------------------------------
Number of homes available: 18 (20)

0-$349,999: 0 (0)

$350,000-$499,999: 2 (1)

$500,000-$749,999: 7 (9)

$750,000-$999,999: 6 (6)

$1,000,000- $1,499,999: 2 (3)

$1,500,000- $2,999,999: 1 (1)
-----------------------------------
Average Price: $717,808 ($792,087)

Median Price: $639,990 ($750,000)

Average Days on Market: 62 (67)

Highest Priced Listing: $1,895,000 (same)

Lowest Priced Listing: $419,000 (same)

(data from NWMLS)

My analysis of this week's real estate buzz: There's been little change in the activity since last week. There are two less listings on the market now. One listing expired and is has been rented. The expired listing was priced at $570,000 and was on the market for 250 days, which is an usually long time in any market. The rental had been priced at $1,149,000. In the last two weeks there has been one sale in the Highlands. A home sale did close last week at $750,000. The home was a newer style two story that had been on the market for two months.

Ler me know if you would like other information or if you have any comments.

Meet and Greet the Teacher Today at Peter Kirk Elementary

At 11 AM this morning stop by Peter Kirk to get your child's classroom assignment as the new classroom lists will be posted. At the same time, you can meet your child's teacher. From 11 AM to 12 noon, parents and children can meet the new teachers at Peter Kirk Elementary.



***Don't forget to provide a family email address to the teacher on the first day of school.


To find out more about Peter Kirk Elementary, check out this link.

Peter Kirk Elementary
1312 6th St.
425-822-7449

The Friday Kirkland Highlands Real Estate Buzz, August 24, 2007

The Highlands weekly real estate buzz for the week of August 17-24

New listings: 1

Active Listings: 20

Sold subject to inspection: none

Pending: 1 at $579,000

Closed Sales: 1 sold at $759,000, asking price was $765,000

Price Reductions: none
-----------------------------------
Number of homes available: 20

$350,000-$499,999: 1

$500,000-$749.999: 9

$750,000-$999,999: 6

$1,000,000- $1,499,999: 3

$1,500,000- $2,999,999: 1
-----------------------------------
Average Price: $792,087

Median Price: $694,995

Average Days on Market: 67

Highest Priced Listing: $1,895,000

Lowest Priced Listing: $419,000

The number of homes on the market remained the same as last week's total with 20 homes for sale. There was one new listing and one home that went pending, keeping the total of active listings to 20. This week's new listing is the least expensive property in the neighborhood priced at $419,000. Although there is a home on the property, the price is based on the value of the land, not the home. (This report is based on inventory at 10:30 AM, August 24th,2007)

Let me know if you have any questions or comments about the market performance. I am happy to answer them,

What were the chances of a home selling in Kirkland in July, 2007?

Sellers had a 22% chance of selling a home, DOWN slightly from 23% last month and DOWN slightly from 25% last year.
(Information obtained from MLS and Windermere data and are for pending, not closed sales.)

Median price climbed by 15.8% to $757,475 from $654,250. Inventory is up by about 21%.


Kirkland started the year off with 278 homes for sale in January and in July there 366 homes on the market.

January, 278 homes listed
February, 275 homes listed
March 290 homes listed
April, 305 homes listed
May, 341 homes listed
June, 383 homes listed
July, 366 homes listed

Month with most homes on the market? June.

The peak of sales activity, the best month to sell, so far this year? The month of May, when 31% of the homes sold. With the increase in inventory brought on in June, the percentage of sales dropped by 10% to 21% in June and to 22% in July. Competition to get sold increased dramatically with the increase in inventory.

The peak of the inventory, thus far, was in June. Will this be the peak of the inventory for single family homes this year? Stayed tuned!

Lunch By Lake Washington in Kirkland

It's never supposed to rain between July 4th and October 15th in the Seattle area, but today is a dark and rainy day, something we rarely see this time of year. Here is a reminder of how wonderful Kirkland is on our beautiful summer days. These photos are from Kirkland on Tuesday, August 14th. We had a glorious day here. Luckily, I was able to take advantage of it and meet a client for lunch at The Yarrow Bay Cafe in Carillon Point, right on Lake Washington. The weather was perfect, the company divine, and the food was not bad either!

Carillon Point is one of the true gems of Kirkland and Lake Washington. It is a true piece of Kirkland history. Here one can find a 4 Star hotel, The Woodmark. The only hotel on Lake Washington comes with a great restaurant and a relaxing bar. Waters, the hotel restaurant, is usually not crowded and has wonderful food. It's tucked away on the lower level of the hotel and has a nice view of the lake. Two secrets about Waters: it's rarely crowded, so if you want a nice, quiet meal with a view you can get it here. Secondly, if you have a Passport Unlimited Card, you can get two entrees for one. The hotel bar feels as if you're having drinks in a private home. They have a great happy hour with some tasty food. The hotel has a spa with a wide variety of services. Check out their monthly special treatments.

Other hot spots in Carillon Point? Try The Yarrow Bay Grill, a long time Kirkland institution, a great gourmet restaurant with fabulous views of the lake, mountains, and city. In the fall you can take advantage of their football shuttles via boat to Husky Stadium for Husky football games. There is no better way to travel!

BluWater Bistro is a Seattle eatery that has been open less than a year. It's a nice, casual setting with good salads, sandwiches, and pastas. It took the Cucina, Cucina spot.

Do you need moorage? There is a fabulous Marina at Carillon Point, one of the few moorage spots on Lake Washington. It is a premier location with slips for 200 boats and top of the line services.

Want to try kayaking?

Summer time brings special events to the Point. Outdoor movies on Saturday evenings and The Concours d'Elegance car show are some of the events.

But what about the history of Carillon Point? It was not always known as Carillon Point and has gone through several renditions over the years mirroring the changes that have occurred on the Eastside. First developed in the late 1800's, the area, known then as Pleasant Bay was developed by the Curtiss family. Over the years, the area has been a shipyard for boat building, a winter docking area for a salmon fleet, and a tie-up area for ships from The Alaska Steamship Authority. During World War II, the shipyard boomed, employing about 9000 people, making a major contribution to the war effort. Lastly, we must not forget before the area was developed as Carillon Point, it was the home of the Seattle Seahawks!

Carillon Point is now a place of relaxation and fun, a centerpiece for Kirkland. With 6 restaurants from Starbucks to The Yarrow Bay Grill, a marina, shops, and offices, it is a gem of Kirkland.

Introducing: The Friday Kirkland Highlands Real Estate Buzz

Everyone wants to know the latest real estate happenings in the neighborhood. Here is the answer. If you follow the numbers listed here each week, it will be easier to understand the market trends specific to The Highlands. There are overall trends in real estate, but not all neighborhoods perform in exactly the same way at the same time. Here is your chance to see only the Highlands activity on a weekly basis.

If you look at the articles every Friday you will find:

total number of homes for sale
Number of homes available in each price range
Most expensive home for sale
Least expensive home for sale
if inventory is up or down from the previous week
Number of homes receiving offers that week (pending or sold subject to inspection, STI)
Number of closed sales

Average days on the market
Number of price reductions
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Highlands weekly real estate buzz for the week of August 10-17th ( 8:30 AM)

Active: 20 homes

0-$499,999: none

$500,000 - $749,999: 10

$750,000 - $999,999: 6

$1,000,000 - $1,499,999: 3

$1,500,000 and above: 1

Least expensive home: $500,000

Most expensive home: $1,895,000

Pending sales: 1- $889,000

Closed sales: 0



Average days on the market: 67

Price reductions this week: 2
one reduction of $2,000 and one of $10,000


My general impressions: For sale signs have sprouted all over the Highlands and market time has increased dramatically since the first quarter. O the 20 homes listed, 11 have had price reductions since being listed, including the above 2 homes. Two homes have been on the market for a few months with no price reduction, 1 home is a new listing. The Highlands "bread and butter" price range is between $500-$1,000,000, but competition amongst homes in this price range is much stiffer than during the first quarter.

The Kirkland Highlands-Are We Getting Rails or Trails or Both?

In last week's Seattle Times, Larry Phillips, Jane Hague, and John Creighton all weighed in with an opinion and an update for the eastside rail corridor, the BNSF tracks. Jane Hague and Larry Phillips are King County Council members. John Creighton is a member of the Seattle Port Commission.

How quickly things have changed in a few weeks. Earlier in July, I reported that the railroad was dealing exclusively with the county and the Port of Seattle to do a three way deal which would give the tracks to the county for a trail. The railroad is still working with the county, but it appears that King County Council's plan has changed. Ron Sims has signed a "Principle of Dual Use" agreement which is looking to both rails and trails. Kirkland is considered part of the Sound Transit region for review. This agreement was signed on June 13th of this year. I never heard any press about it and I am wondering if anyone did. The newspapers were still talking about the trails only and the fact that the railroad was going to deal only with the county. I talked about this in my previous post just about a month ago.

The Roads and Transit package, which is to be voted on this fall, includes funding not only for Sound Transit, but also for a study of the joint rail and trail operation on the BNSF line that goes by The Highlands. Issues being looked at for this line are whether it works as a trail, for high capacity transit or freight mobility.

Ironically, I noticed several freight trains coming by the last few days with Boeing fuselages. The fuselages are probably going down to Renton from Everett. The freight trains are moving at a reasonable pace and are not very long. They always blow the whistle when they cross over the intersection that is near my home.

Issues to consider:

The intersection behind Peter Kirk Elementary is key because many children cross the tracks on the way to school.

Can you imagine room for a trail and a train along the same line? It does not appear to be that big of an area.

Where would commuters park? Where would there be train stops?

Eastside development will focus first on a commuter rail line along highway 520 between Seattle and Redmond. This has been on the books for evaluation for quite sometime. However, this change in BNSF railroad is something that appears to be very new.

I mentioned this issue to several Highlands people. One person felt there would be quite a bit of development needed to create safe passage for people and cars. I met with another Highlands resident who works on environmental issues. She thought it would take 20 years just to do an environmental study alone, never mind building the rails and trails! Her thought was the combined rails and trails theme was very far off, if it ever happened.

What are your thoughts?

What is the walkability of your home in The Kirkland Highlands?

One of the best things about living in the Highlands is its accessibility to everything, particularly to downtown Kirkland. Kirkland's Parkplace is in easy walking distance to many of The Highland's homes. It's great to be so close to so many things here and this is one of the top selling points of the neighborhood.

How walkable is your home? There's a new website, Walk Score, which will tell you. Here is how it works: plug in your address including city and zip code and a map showing the location of your home will appear. The site will then calculate how close you are to entertainment and services. My home is located .48 miles from 24 hour fitness, the west side of Parkplace,

and .52 miles from the movie theater. However, walking around the corner of Parkplace to go to QFC or Starbucks is .57 miles away.

My home in The Highlands came out with a total score of 49. What does that score mean? According to Walk Score:

90-100 is walking nirvana, with everything really accessible. I would imagine the Tera Apartments across from Parkplace would fall in this category.

70-90 very walkable

50-70 some walkability with the need for a car for some basic services

25-50 a more limited walkability

0-25 Get in your car now!

I still think being 1/2 mile from Parkplace is pretty terrific and I believe many home buyers who want convenience will agree that the location of The Highlands is a strong selling point to living here. So check out the walkability of your home, print out your walk score, and use that data as a marketing tool when selling your home.

Farewell to The Dinner Train

We bid a fond farewell to The Spirit of Washington Dinner Train. It has been a Highlands neighborhood fixture since 1992. I have lived in the neighborhood since 1994 and seen many a train go right by. The train is a bit of history, a bit of the past.

When the train goes by, I could always count on a few people hanging out and waving to me. I cannot tell you how many evenings we have sat on our deck and commented on whether the train was full that night.

Here is to a neighborhood pleasure and an icon. I am sorry to see you go. All the best in Tacoma....

Is the 3 Way Swap To Turn Our BNSF Rail Line Into A Trail Dead?

On Friday, The Seattle Times reported a possible change to the three way swap/cash deal for the airport and BNSF railroad between King County and The Port of Seattle. The deal has been in the works for quite sometime, in fact, in an earlier article I wrote this month, I talked about the BNSF dealing with only the county at this point.

A little history here...last fall King County Executive, Ron Sims, and the then Port of Seattle Commissioner, Mic Dinsmore, announced plans for the 3 way swap. The rail line, BNSF, would sell the 33 mile rail line from Renton to Woodinville to the county with the help of some cash from The Port. The County, in turn, would give Boeing Field to the Port of Seattle. The Port would also gain some waterfront land on which rail lines could be built to help The Port grow Seattle's shipping industry to compete with other west coast cities.

It sounded like a terrific deal. For those of us in The Highlands, having a walking/biking trail next to The Highlands would be a great asset to the neighborhood.

The latest wrinkle in the plan appeared last week when the new commissioner, Tay Yoshitani, mentioned in a speech that The Port was not interested in purchasing Boeing Field. There is concern that Boeing Field would take on commercial flights and compete with SeaTac Airport. According to the new commissioner, The Port may be interested in managing Boeing Field, but not purchasing it. Mr. Yoshitani still thought it was a good idea for the rail line to be sold to the county, the public. Of course, new negotiations will ensue.

What are your thoughts about this new wrinkle? Has anyone talked with the county or have any other information about the rail line. Oops, gotta go, here comes The Dinner Train on one of its last Eastside runs.

Cars, cars, and more cars in downtown Kirkland's Classic Car Show

In the Northwest there is a law that it cannot rain from July 5th to Labor Day. Apparently, that law was broken this past week since we had lousy weather. It felt more like early spring than summer. This was a problem, because July is a great month to attend festivals and shows around the area.

Fortunately, the clouds did not open up on Sunday afternoon and we were able to attend the car show in downtown Kirkland. The downtown streets were blocked off for all kinds of cars.

There were cars that conjured up images of Dillinger riding around Chicago, to Model T's and the pink Mustang from the 60's, to the Cadillac's with wings.

There were even a couple of custom built cars that looked like they came straight out a movie like The Great Gatsby.

This was a great show and a lot of Kirkland summer fun. This town really goes out of its way to have some fabulous outdoor events. Did you have a favorite car?

What sells in Peoria May Not Sell on Seattle's Eastside

I just had a past client call me to get my advice about making some changes to her home before she put it on the market. We have known each other since 1999, when she and her husband were referred to me to help them find a home on the Eastside. They purchased a home that they remodeled and sold after living in it for several years. At that time, they decided to move closer to family in the Midwest. Now, she and her family are heading back to the Northwest.

The home in the Midwest has a very 60's retro flavor. The light fixtures in the home are true period pieces. She emailed me photos of her home and asked what I thought about changing the light fixtures. I questioned her about the type of buyer who might be buying her home, the performance of the real estate market in the area, and if her home had competition from other listings. Finding the answers to these questions helped her to decide whether or not to change out the light fixtures. Her Realtor in Illinois was a fan of removing the fixtures, since she didn't think buyers would appreciate them. Her thought was to update the fixtures as this would appeal to more buyers.

Ironically, I know people in the Seattle area would kill for retro light fixtures, and this is my point. Different markets demand different styles and features. If this home was selling in the Seattle area, I would not recommend removal of the light fixtures. Here, retro fixtures would be an added plus.

It is important for both buyers and sellers to know what works in a particular market. What sells in Peoria does not always sell in Seattle. Your Realtor should be able to help you determine what "sells" in your area. Making choices that appeal to the local market when updating your home is critical for making the most money when you sell your home. It is a great way to make more money, and, also, not lose money because of a costly remodeling mistake.

But remember, ask a Realtor "what plays" in Seattle so you can make the most money out of any remodeling.

Dodging a Speeding Bullet, Literally Dodging the Railroad...for a while

I expect to hear the familiar whistle of The Dinner Train in about an hour. We know the Dinner Train's days are numbered, 14 days to be exact, and it will be sad to see it go. It has become part of our neighborhood's unique feel. I know it is 7:10 PM when I hear the whistle blow as the train approaches!

It's been common knowledge for some time that the county has been negotiating to buy the tracks and put in a trail. Since I live right on the tracks, I see people already using some of the area alongside the tracks for walking or biking. It will be wonderful to see people out walking dogs or riding bikes along the trail on a regular basis. I think a trail that circles part of the neighborhood will be a true asset to us all and add to the quality of life in the neighborhood.

Today, The Seattle Times reported a private group called All Aboard Washington has been trying to buy the rail line and keep the rail line active. The BNSF responded by stating the railroad will first work with the county to conclude the elaborate three way deal that has been in the works for a long time. The proposed deal involves The Port of Seattle buying the rail line for $103 million dollars and then trading it to King County for Boeing Field. Boeing Field is currently owned by the county. As part of this deal, the county would pay $66 million to build a trail along the 42 mile rail route.

If the county, the Port of Seattle, and BNSF are not able to come to agreement, this organization, All Aboard Washington, could come back into negotiations with BNSF. The group is determined to put a commuter and freight line on the tracks by upgrading the tracks.

In my opinion, whether you live right on the tracks or a few blocks away, the quality of life in The Highlands would be greatly and negatively impacted.

What are your thoughts? Does anyone else know anything more than what is published in the newspaper?

Great Kirkland Spot for Dinner- Good Food, Great Prices, and Godzilla

Monday seemed like a long day, so at 6:45 when my husband and I glanced at each other we both knew that grabbing a bite for dinner was going to be far better than cooking. We ended up at Rikki-Rikki, which is a great Japanese restaurant at Kirkland's Parkplace. I was amazed at how busy the restaurant was for a Monday night until I noticed that Happy Hour is all night on Monday evenings. Not only were some drinks at Happy Hour prices, but so were some of the sushi rolls. Rikki-Rikki has some great specials that are always flavorful and healthy to eat. This Monday they had a chicken dish with a Thai sauce that was just terrific.

The restaurant was expanded a couple of years ago and the bar area was really well done. Where else could you watch a Godzilla movie from the 60's while you eat dinner?

What are some of your favorite restaurants? Do you also know of some special deals? Feel free to comment.

What were the chances of a home selling in Kirkland in June, 2007?

Sellers had a 23% chance of selling a home in June of 2007.

June 2007 383 homes for sale, 90 sales, 23% chance of selling a home.
May 2007 341 homes for sale, 107 sales, 31% chance of selling a home.
June 2006 290 homes for sale, 89 sales, 30% chance of selling a home.

For a complete picture of the sales activity you can go to my statistics page on my website. You will find a chart which shows the activity for Kirkland.

Things are slowing down a bit. Competition is a stronger as the inventory is increasing. Summer is obviously here and people who do not need to buy a home may be out on the water or up in the mountains. The buyers who are out now are serious buyers who want or need to make a move. Realistically, this is a great time for buyers to be making a move. There is increased inventory and less competition for homes. All is not lost for sellers at this point because prices are still up by about 15% in Kirkland over last year. The median price was $600,000 last year and is now just under $700,000.

To find out about the real estate activity on the entire Eastside, go to Eastside Real Estate Buzz.

Kirkland UnCorked

Come down to Marina Park and have some fun this weekend! There is great food, a grill cook off, wine tasting, lifestyle exhibits and artists demonstrations. It sounds like a lot of fun. It even looks like the weather will cooperate with us! We no longer are experiencing the 100 degree days we had mid week, we had a thunderstorm on Friday morning, so the weather gods should be with us by now. Head down to downtown and Marina Park on Friday, the 13th (your lucky day) from 5 PM to 10 PM. Saturday and Sunday the festivities run from 11 Am to 10 PM and to 6 PM respectively.

Visit the website, Kirkland UnCorked to get all the information.

Have a great time!

The Fabulous Sunny Fourth Of July in Seattle

The sun shines in Seattle on the 4th of July!

Ok, so our big secret is out! It does not rain all the time in Seattle, even though I had mentioned in a previous post that it was more of a tradition here that the 4th brought rain. This year we had a fabulous fourth. We could not have had more perfect weather. The skies were blue, the sun was shining and the air was dry.

However, I am still boatless in Seattle, on such a day that begs to be out on a boat! My husband and I had the good fortune of being invited on my friends’ boat. They were able to moor the boat in my vacant boat slip in downtown Kirkland and pick us up.

Mt Rainier was out in its glory. I am afraid my photo with a digital camera will not do it justice. It was pretty spectacular. We did cruise over to the Montlake Cut, boats were streaming in that direction as they headed for the fireworks by Gasworks Park.

Here is a photo of Husky Stadium with the sun behind it. I don't think there are many colleges in the nation with such a setting for a football stadium. You have great views of the lake and from some of the stands you can see Mt. Rainier.

The fireworks show was spectacular. Down on the lake you could see several shows going on at once. The Washington Mutual Fireworks show at Lake Union/Gas Works park started the show. From my vantage point on the dock, I could see that show and also the show from the town of Yarrow Point, some from Bellevue and, of course, Kirkland. This sure beat standing out on my street to watch the fireworks. Most years I have gone to the top of my hill, which overlooks downtown Kirkland.

Celebrate the Fourth Of July All Around the Seattle/Eastside Area

The Fourth Of July holiday heralds summer! The Fourth of July is often cool and rainy, what many people think happens here all year round. But the surprise, we usually have a gorgeous spring and a fabulous summer. It is our big Seattle secret.

Tradition dictates, however, that our true summer begins on the 5th of July. I know this to be true because I am beginning my 22nd year in Seattle this July 4th and I can count on one hand how many times it has warm and sunny. The Seattle Times reported in the newspaper today that the Fourth of July is usually the soggiest day of July.

This year promises to be one of those great Fourths with the weather predicted to be in the high 80's to the 90's. Of course, this happens only because the holiday falls on a Wednesday, the middle of the week, when most people are not taking off a few days for a long weekend! (The gods can be cruel sometimes!)

People certainly have their favorite places to see fireworks all over the Sound. Two big shows happen in the city.

Washington Mutual sponsors a day long funfest and fireworks show at Gasworks Park.


Join Ivar's at Myrtle Edwards Park overlooking Elliot Bay for a 10 PM fireworks show.


Over on the Eastside, there are great events in Kirkland on the Fourth. There is a parade at noon, a picnic at 1 PM at Juanita Park, and a fireworks show at 10 PM over the lake.

(I may park myself by my empty boat slip down in the Kirkland marina to get a close look. I mentioned I was boatless in my previous post on my Kirkland Highlands blog)

Bellevue also has a day of fun with a full day of events.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/outdoors/2003091721_nwwfourthlist29.html

Sunday at the Lake in Kirkland, Washington aka "Tour of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous"

For all you boat lovers without a boat...
There is hope for you!

(This would be me, a boat lover without a boat. However, I do lease a 42 foot boat slip and just need to have the time to find a boat to put there. Anyone selling a boat, do let me know.)

On a beautiful Sunday, if you do not have your own boat, get out and enjoy the lake and take the Argosy Cruise ship from the dock in Kirkland. It is a beautiful cruise around the lake. My out of town friend refers to it as a "Tour of the Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous". The most important sites to see on Lake Washington are the homes of Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, Starbucks' founder Howard Schultz, Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon , and various Nordstrom family members amongst other important Seattleites. The boat goes by the ultra-contemporary home of Martha Stewart's friend, Charles Simonyi, the newest space tourist who just returned from a spin around the earth with the Russians. When you realize all of the people who own or have owned homes around the lake, you understand the importance of Seattle to our national economy.

On some days you can see the more natural beauty of Mt Rainier, sitting out above Mercer Island and the lake. But as we know in Seattle, you cannot always view the mountain and it was not out today.

For all of you that think it rains in Seattle all the time, the truth is we have fabulous weather here in the summer. There is no place I would rather be.

HOT TIP: you can get a season's pass which allows you unlimited trips for a whole year on any of the regularly scheduled Argosy ships. It is a deal. Pay for your tickets for your first trip and buy the season's pass when you are on board. Your trip will be deducted from the total pass expense.

Three homes recently sold near Microsoft.


(This is home #3, my listing, pictured)


Home #1 - a beautiful home that was offered online by the sellers without a Realtor. The home sold for $710,000. It was a 2900 square foot two story, built in the 1990’s, with a big backyard backing to greenbelt. The house was not listed and, therefore, not exposed to the full range of buyers. According to the comparables and the sale of home #3, this was not the highest price the sellers could have obtained. Homes built after 1985 close to Microsoft are hot commodities and often sell for more than listed price.

Home # 2 – the owners were unrepresented sellers and sold their home directly to a buyer. When I talked with the owner after the sale closed, he was very vocal about his experience. He ended up not speaking to the buyers. Negotiations over the price were very tough and subsequently were tougher over the inspection. The seller negotiated the sales price far below market value and also had to give up more in a building inspection. The asking price for the home was $680,000 and sold $630,000, $50,000 below asking price! (It can be hard to be the tough guy in negotiation when its your own home).

Home # 3- was a home I listed for $725,000 and sold for $736,000. The home was approximately 2800 square feet and on about an 8000 sq ft lot. I met with the sellers several weeks before they hoped to go on the market. When we first met, we discussed a price range in the low 700’s, higher than any other home had been priced in the neighborhood. We did not establish the list price until the day before going on the market. By doing this, we knew what the actual, up to the minute, competition was for their home.

Because I knew we had no competition at the time, we dictated when showings could begin, held an open house, which was advertised only on the internet and to neighbors, not in the newspaper. (I was looking for truly interested buyers) We set a time to look at offers after being on the market for only 5 days. During the five days the home was available to all the buyers. The activity and interest created for this home was just fabulous. We had back to back showings throughout the weekend the home was on the market. We had about 25 showings and about 20 qualified buyers to the open house, all in five days time. The seller received three wonderful offers. I helped the sellers evaluate the three offers so they could choose the one that was best for them.

The real beauty of the offer for the seller #3?

The buyers had pre-inspected the home and made their offer without an inspection. How fabulous for the sellers! Upon acceptance of the offer, there was no more negotiation. Think about it. When buyers are put in a position to give away their “first born” to be the offer that gets the house, they will negotiate harder when it comes to an inspection. It’s human nature. When buyers pay more than full price for a home and beat out other offers, they usually want more repairs done based on the building inspection. The seller avoided this completely. Not only did the sellers get a higher price for their home, there was no second round of negotiation on an inspection. This saved the seller even more money and stress with the sale of their home.

Could seller #1 above have made more money that the sale price of $710,000? The home is larger and had a much bigger yard than the home I sold for $736,000. I think the price for this home could have been $750,000, selling with multiple offers and for a higher price. Too often I see sellers sell their home by deducting the real estate commission.


Who benefits from this, the seller or the buyer?


The buyer! The buyer gets the home for less than market value. The seller makes no more money by selling direct, is unrepresented, and has not opened up the sale of their home to all of the potential buyers. Without the synergy of lots buyers, there is little chance of multiple offers resulting in a higher price. When a buyer knows they are not competing with any other buyers for a home, the home will not sell for more than the full price.

Seller #2 could have had a positive, stress-free experience and made more money. It can be tough to be the “bad” guy and be a strong advocate for your own self in negotiations. It is that old human nature again. Most of us want people to like us and do not know how to handle negative confrontations.

Can you make more money and have less stress if you use the services of a Realtor?


You decide....

Garage Sale - Forbes Creek PUD Homeowners in the Kirkland Highlands

Big Garage Sale at Forbes Creek

a neighborhood of 32 homes located off the end of 116th Ave NE just east of the tennis courts.

Friday and Saturday, June 29th and 30th

10 AM to 4 PM

Come find the latest treasures!

Small appliances, clothing, furniture, etc.

Talk About "Green" Homes-How About Solar and Spinach Powered Homes?

Talk about building green! This website tracks all kinds of information regarding building green homes. The link below talks about a home designed with solar and spinach power! Check it out, it is pretty interesting.

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/06/21/spinach-powered-house/

How Much Have Homes Appreciated in the Seattle/Eastside Neighborhoods Since 1990?

We are lucky to be in Seattle! Our area continues to defy the national real estate market trends.

Here is a bit about what has happened since 1990:

Homes appreciated every year, except two:

1992 – prices stayed the same.
2001 – prices declined a bit ( remember 9/11) – 2%

Top five years with the highest appreciation:

1998 - 21%
1997 – 18%
2005 – 17%
1999 – 14%
2006 – 13%

Inventory was much higher in the 1990’s than in the 2000’s.

It was not uncommon for much of the early 90’s to have 7000-9000+ properties for sale.

August, 1991 – 9546 homes were available

May, 2007 – 3584 homes are available, 2/3 less homes are available today

Even though we are at the highest amount of properties on the market since 2004 with 3500 properties available, our inventory levels are nothing like the 1990’s!

Hang on through the rest of this decade. We still have a lot of growth to come. The job market is still very strong and available land for new construction is limited. Expect appreciation to continue throughout the rest of the decade.

What were the chances of selling a home in Kirkland in May, 2007?

Kirkland real estate activity is performing very much like the majority of the Eastside. Most home sellers on the Eastside had a 30% chance of getting their homes sold. In May, Kirkland sellers, much like the rest of the Eastside, had a 31% chance of selling a home. The chances of selling were up just a hair by 1% from April's chances of selling a home. However, the chances of selling were down from last year, when 41% of the sellers received offers for their homes during the month of May.

Both inventory and sales have shot up. It is amazing to see the number of "For Sale" signs in The Highlands now when there was only a handful on the market in February. Fortunately, the number of sales has increased proportionately, so sellers chances of getting a home sold in The Highlands has been pretty constant this year.

If you look at my blog, http://www.eastsiderealestate.com/, you can see how all of the Seattle/Eastside real estate market is performing.

(NEW DATA) check out the chart which shows all the activity in Kirkland:

http://debrasinick.com/docs/560%20Graph%20for%20May%202007.pdf

Built Green is the New Buzzword in Seattle/Eastside Real Estate

At my monthly networking meeting, Forum XXII, we heard from the Seattle Master Builder's Association about the Built Green program.


http://www.builtgreen.net/index.html


The website had a lot of terrific information about sources for "built green" materials, architects, builders, remodelers, and building standards. "Built green" is our new real estate buzzword. There is a growing emphasis on environmentally friendly building and the use of sustainable materials.



Our listings in the Multiple Listing Service will soon be able to reflect the "built green" status of a home. If a home is listed as "built green", the builders will have had to follow certain standards to achieve this status. "Built green" homes can range from a 2 star to a 5 star level. If a home is built to the 4 or 5 star standard, which has stringent requirements, all of the construction and materials must be independently verified. Certificates are issued to homes that meet these standards. In the future, home buyers will be able to search on line for "built green" homes.


Of the 10,000 new construction homes built in King County last year, only 15-18 were certified as the star 5 "built green" homes, the most stringent level of "built green" homes. Most of these homes were built by a builder in Seattle, Michele Rose.


Most homes categorized as "built green" are built to the 3 star level. Quite a few homes in Issaquah Highlands meet this standard. The Dwelling Company built a number of "built green" homes in the Highlands.


Some of the other builders mentioned who have built some "green" homes were Bennett Homes, www.bennetthomes.com. Bennett Homes is known for "built green" homes in Suncadia, on the other side of the Cascades. Other local builders range from some of the larger builders, such as Camwest, www.camwest.com and Chaffey Homes, www.chaffeyhomes.com, to high end custom builders such as Bender Chaffey, www.benderchaffey.com.


Some thoughts about building green:


Materials can be somewhat more expensive for "built green" homes, however, the cost savings for energy efficiency usually more than compensates for the initial building cost. Check out this website on federal tax credits for energy conservation:


http://www.dsire.org/

Other thoughts:


If you start from the get-go when building a home, it is far cheaper to build green than to start doing some add-ons.


Hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, such as tile. stay cleaner than carpet. It was recommended that main living area be finished with hard surfaces because many people wear shoes throughout their home. Shoes bring in all kinds of contaminents.


Ventilation has become so tight the air in homes can become stale and is not fresh.


The gasses from glues used during standard construction can be emitted for up to 30 years after construction.


These thoughts sure make one want to think of a healthy "built green" home!

Kirkland Highlands Real Estate Update-Second Quarter, 2007

What happened with real estate in the Highlands from March 1- May 31, 2007?


Highest priced sale: $1,134,000

Lowest price sale: $420,000

Total of 16 sales

$500,000 and under- 1

$500-750,000 - 5

$750,000-1,000,000 - 8

$1,000,000 and above - 2


----------------------------------------------------------------
Highest priced pending sale (not closed yet): $1,385,000

Lowest priced pending sale (not closed yet): $575,000

Number of pending sales: 6

$500,000 and below - none

$500-750,000 - 3

$750,000-1,000,000 - 2

$1,000,000 and above - 1


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highest priced home on the market: $1,895,000

Lowest priced home on the market: $529,000

13 active listings

$500,000 and below - none

$500-750,000 - 6

$750,000- 1,000,000 - 4

$1,000,000 and above - 3



There are a number of properties that came up on the market after June 1st, so you will see more signs out in the neighborhood. There were about 6 new listings once June came on the horizon.

The Casady Construction home on 112th is the most expensive home ever in the neighborhood, priced at $1,895,000. It is a gorgeous home with a gorgeous view. Today as I drove by, I noticed the builder was planting trees to create privacy for the first floor. There is a deck off the master bedroom that has to have one of the best views in the Highlands.



Most of the real estate activity in the Highlands falls between the $500-1,000,000 price range. Clearly, there is far more for sale now than there had been during the first quarter. Again, a reminder for those of you who are thinking of selling in the future, there is usually less competition the first quarter of the year. Right now, the competition to sell is far greater than earlier this year, as there are so many more homes available in the Highlands.

What does the future hold for Kirkland's Parkplace?

Progress? What do you think about the proposed changes for Kirkland's Parkplace?



Doug Howe of Touchstone Development made a presentation at the last Highlands meeting on May 17th. The May 25-31st issue of the Puget Sound Business Journal also highlighted the proposed changes to Parkplace as one of its front page stories. Touchstone Development has an option to purchase Parkplace for a massive redevelopment project. Their plans include over 1 million square feet of office space, two hotels, increased retail, and open plazas for walking and sitting outside. Their hope is to extend 4th street south under the existing tennis courts as the new vehicle entry to Parkplace and to bring the parking underground. Eliminating above ground parking would add a huge amount of space for the proposed pedestrian friendly plazas and office/hotel/retail buildings. The proposal also includes building townhomes above the retail shops. Currrently, the zoning only allows for buildings to be 5 stories high. Touchstone Development is proposing the height limits be increased to 8 stories on the eastern perimeter of Parkplace. The buildings would step down in height from east to west. These changes would have to be reviewed by the City of Kirkland, as the development does not fit in with the city's current comprehensive development plan. (Look for meetings regarding Parkplace development and the comprehensive plan later this year.)




http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2007/05/28/story3.html. To read the full article, you must be a subscriber to the Puget Sound Business Journal.



At the Highland's meeting several concerns were raised about the propsed development. One neighbor was concerned about the impact of traffic on Central Way and Kirkland in general. Another resident voiced concerns about the current smaller independent retail outlets in Parkplace and how these retail stores were going to they fit with this new model. I was pleased the Business Journal spoke with Rebecca Willow of Kirkland's Parkplace Books. She was quoted as saying the redevelopment project would bring in office workers and more people to shop and dine.



On paper this sounds like a positive project for Kirkland. It would increase our class "A" office space, which is in great demand on the Eastside. More office workers would translate to more jobs in the central core of Kirkland and more people to to purchase goods from local retailers. A pedestrian plaza and underground parking would be a fabulous addition to the area.




On the negative side, would the local retailers be shut out? Would traffic become more of a nightmare downtown?



What are your thoughts?

The Latest Kitchen Trends

Planning a kitchen remodel or just updating appliances?

The attached article will give you some great information about the newest kitchen trends for 2007. Some of the ideas really hit home with me.

When I show prospective buyers new homes, I constantly hear how everyone congregates in the kitchen. People want different spaces right in the kitchen. Home owners want places to read and store mail, plus sitting areas for entertaining guests and for relaxation. These spaces are not just in the family room anymore, but now are more incorporated into the kitchen.

Kitchen design is now looking at separate work stations throughout the kitchen, rather than the simple triangle work pattern with a path between the stove, refrigerator, and sink as points of a triangle.

I have some clients who are avid cooks and were way ahead in kitchen design with their kitchen remodel. They have a large U-shaped prep area with the stove, a work sink, refrigerator and abundant counter and storage space. The clean up area is on the other side of the kitchen and it has its own sink, the dishwasher, and cabinets for storing the dinnerware. The cabinetry for each area is even different. The prep area has light cabinets, while the clean up area had dark stained cabinetry. When I saw their kitchen about 6 months ago, it made an impression on me because it was so functional.

Storage is becoming more elaborate. Cabinet interiors are designed to store specific items such as pans and trays. Storage is also sleeker.

I saw a great example of sleek cabinetry at the Bellevue Towers condominiums being built in downtown Bellevue. Clients of mine purchased a new home in the complex, so I got to see the finish work first hand. The kitchen designs were just fabulous. So fabulous that I could not find the dishwasher or refrigerator easily, which is exactly the point! Both appliances were behind beautifully crafted cabinet doors that were flush with the rest of the cabinetry. The design was quite elegant and seamless. The kitchen designs had more to offer in smaller, sleeker spaces, and with a less cluttered look. (These kitchens made me want to go home and rip my kitchen out!)

http://www.bellevuetowers.com/

Sustainability is also more of a consideration. People are using more "green" materials, such as bamboo flooring. Not to tout Bellevue Towers again, but the condos are being "built green".

I was excited to see the concept of universal design, design for everyone of any age and any ability, mentioned in this article. With our aging population, everyone needs to rethink design and livability. Accessible cabinets and counters and levers instead of door knobs are all issues to be considered when designing a kitchen that works for everyone, regardless of age.
http://www.realtor.org/RMOArch.nsf/pages/ArchCoach200706?OpenDocument

The Highlands Needs You!

Do you know whom to call in a disaster?


Do you know who needs help in the neighborhood in the event of a disaster?



Would you know where your neighbor's gas shutoff was if they were not home?


These are all important questions that Kirkland as a city, and the Highlands as a neighborhood, is hoping you can answer.


At the last Highlands Association meeting, several important issues were discussed, particularly about disaster preparedness. (In an earlier post, I mentioned I would be talking about disaster preparedness a lot in this blog.) There is a lot happening to increase individual training and preparedness for a possible disaster.






Here is what was discussed at the meeting:


Brian and Patty Henry, Highlands residents, talked about their CERT training experiences. They are now equipped to help in a major disaster. They have extensive first aid training, learned how to be support.



The city is continually sponsoring CERT classes and is working hard to have CERT trained citizens all through Kirkland. If you are interested, please contact Robin Paster at the City of Kirkland. Her telephone number is 587-3659.



MYN Program. Map Your Neighborhood Program, sponsored by the Greater Kirkland Citizen Corps.


In a disaster, plan to be on your own. Police and fire departments will be overwhelmed with larger problems. Mapping the neighborhood will give all of us the knowledge to help ourselves and each other. The goal of the program is for 15-20 homes in a neighborhood to work together during a disaster. The neighborhood group will be aware of those who may need additional help: the elderly, children, and the disabled, so people can all respond effectively.



This is a critical program for all of us. Sign up for the training program, you will be so much better equipped personally and for your neighbors. We do all need to help each other.



A training session is on June 13th from 7 Pm-9 Pm at the Peter Kirk room at the base of City Hall. Please confirm the date of the class with Nancy Smersh at 587-3663 or at the email below.

www.kirklandcitizencorps.org



Also, you can contact nsmersh@ci.kirkland.wa.us.



I spoke about the MYN program because of my involvement with the Senior Council. We are hoping to identify at-risk seniors who live in neighborhoods all around Kirkland. Our goal fits with the MYN program and is a great opportunity to determine who may need help.



If you have any questions about disaster programs, materials, training, please contact me. I will be spending a lot of time during this year learning about what the Senior Council and our neighborhood needs.

Thanks For Helping to End Summer Hunger

The Food Drive for Hopelink's End Summer Hunger was a success! Thanks to all of you who helped donate food and money at QFC last Saturday. The Kirkland Group of Windermere Yarrow Bay was able to collect 805 pounds of food and $885 in cash, $600 at the drive and $285 on line.

If you were not able to make it that day to donate, you can still donate on line to www.firstgiving.com/windermere.

We did not make our goal of $1100 in cash and we would love to be able to provide lots of lunches to Eastside children this summer. You can still help.

Thanks so much!

Traffic, traffic everywhere!

One of our favorite topics, traffic!

With the good, there is the bad. A previous posting talks about the "Gold of Seattle Real Estate". The good: our great job market and great real estate appreciation. Our bad: the traffic!

Everywhere you go on the Eastside right now roads are being torn up. It’s all for a good cause and will improve our commuting over the long run.

Quite a bit is being done to mitigate our woeful traffic issues.

Here is some of what is going to be new, exciting, and different. Some of this is ongoing and some is planned for the future.


For all you plateau home owners relief is in sight!

Highway 520 from 202, Redmond-Fall City Road, flyover is being built by Fred Meyer to take traffic from 202 over to 520. Traffic will no longer have to stop at the lights and wait to get onto 520.

Highway 202 will be widened from East Lake Sammamish Parkway to Sahalee Way with a new lane in each direction.

Both changes should help cut commute time by 15-20 minutes from the plateau.


For the downtown Bellevue crunch:

Trying to get from 405 North in Bellevue to 520?

The off ramp from 405 to 520 is going to be widened to make the transition faster and smoother.

There will be new overpass on NE 10th over 405. Group Health will have a new facility on one side of the street and Overlake Hospital will be on the other side.

Beginning now: New lanes will be added to 405 between SE 8th and 112th Ave.

SEhttp://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=glance17e&date=20070517.

Ground breaking ceremonies happened last week and the 405 expansion north will be open in 2008.


Light Rail:
For all you Microsofties, the train should be by to pick you up around 2026.

Seattle Gold

Less new construction + job growth=higher real estate appreciation.


Seattle is still one of the hottest real estate markets in the country. This is no big surprise to me as I see this on a daily basis. In my monthly market update postings, you can see which areas on the Eastside are hotter than hot. Of course, we still have months or areas that perform better or worse. But the overall message of the article from Inman News attached below is we are still on a real estate rise in values. When we end 2007, homes will be worth more than now. This article mirrors what I have seen and predict for this year in Seattle/Eastside real estate. Furthermore, when you look at other parts of the country as described in this article, you can see the strength of our real estate market.


The attached article mentions the all important reasons for our booming market: the economy and the growth management policies in the area. Thanks to Microsoft (the gift that keeps on giving) and all the other companies that are growing and hiring in the area, our job market is one of the best in the country.


The growth management act, which has some very good points, has placed lots of controls on development. It is harder and harder for developers to build in this area. The Eastside runs into water and mountains, so our supply of good land is very limited. Wetlands, native growth protection, salmon streams, traffic flow, etc all contribute to the cost of development and translate to higher mitigation fees for builders. Ever wonder why building lots have become smaller and smaller? The cost of construction has much to do with the diminishing lot sizes.


The good news for current home owners: we do not have the runaway development found in places like Las Vegas or Phoenix.


Read the attached article to find out more about the gold and the cold areas in real estate. It will be no surprise that some of the areas with the greatest declines are those that recently had huge spikes in appreciation, such as Sarasota, Florida.


http://www.inman.com/hstory.aspx?ID=63271

What were the chances of selling a home in Kirkland in April, 2007?

A seller had a 30% chance of selling a home in April of 2007, similar to March’s chance of 29%. In Kirkland, the absorption rate has stayed fairly constant for the last few months. Sellers still did a lot better than the start of the year when only 17% of the listings sold.

We saw sales of 93 properties in April. Eighty-seven sold in April of 2006 and 82 sold in March, 2007. The amount of sales has changed slightly. However, the inventory has increased this year, so the percentage of homes selling is slightly lower.

Last year at this time, the market was a bit stronger. There was a 34% chance of selling a home or condo in Kirkland. In the previous statistics blog, I mentioned March is traditionally one of our best times to sell. In fact, spring is usually more of a seller’s market. In Kirkland, the number of sales has remained fairly constant, but this April there is more competition for sellers because of the higher inventory.

Bottom line for April: Inventory continues to increase. Inventory is at the high so far for the year, with 305 homes on the market. The number of sales is similar to last year having only increased by 6 sales, but there was a 4% less chance of selling a home because of increased competition.


http://debrasinick.com/docs/2007_Year_to_Date.pdf

Hot Happenings in the Highlands This Week

Help End Summer Hunger Campaign for Hopelink

11,000 children need us to help with summer lunches.

$1100 for 11,000 children. We need your help!

You can donate food or money.

May 19th from 10-4 PM at the QFC, Kirkland Parkplace

Sponsored by The Kirkland Group of Windermere Real Estate East, Inc, the Yarrow Bay office.

Not able to come by that day?

You can donate online at www.firstgiving.com/windermere

Thanks!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Highlands Neighborhood Meeting at the Kirkland Maintenance Center

Thursday, May 17th at 7 PM, 915 8th St.

Do you know about the CERT program, neighborhood mapping, what three things you need nearby in a disaster?

Come learn about Kirkland's plans for disaster preparedness.

http://www.kirklandhighlands.org

www.citizencorps.org

www.3days3ways.org

You will hear from me about disaster preparedness quite a lot this year. I think my new part time career is in disaster preparedness! I have attended a Greater Kirkland Citizen Corps meeting and the Zone1 Disaster Preparedness meeting held at Evergreen Hospital last week? Don't know what Zone 1 is? Neither did I until last week. I will fill you in on it in a later posting.

Also, as a member of the Kirkland Senior Council, I am in charge of "The Good Neighbor" project which we are working on to help identify and assist seniors who are isolated in their homes. Disaster preparedness is a big part of our concerns.
http://kirkland.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=9&clip_id=195

Garage sale May 12th, 2007

Multi-Family Garage Sale

Saturday May 12, 2007

ONE DAY ONLY 9am-5pm

11212 NE 95th St.

Furniture, Appliances, Clothes, Hardware, Toys
Come and find your treasure!

Multigenerational Living, a New Way for the Future?

I have some clients right now that have a need that is hard to fill on the Eastside. I'm looking for a home for them which would accommodate 2 adults with 3 young children, plus grandma. Their hope is to find a home with 4 bedrooms for themselves with a separate 2 bedroom mother -in- law suite.

This is very difficult to find on the Eastside. But it should not be. With our aging population and a desire for many to maintain independence with some family ties, it's a style of living that will become more and more important in the future. So many boomers are taking care of aging parents or having to change their living arrangements to include parents. Our homes need to offer options to accommodate these different generational and family needs.

If you check on this link below, you will find that many architects see the multigenerational style of living as an important change for the future. The demand will be for housing with multiple master suites and more flexible floor plans.

I have been involved with these issues myself over the last couple of years, both personally and professionally. There is a whole host of information which speaks to some of the above issues. As time goes on, I will comment on some of these issues in this blog. My goal is to keep you informed with some of the changes and trends we may see in housing in the future.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/realestate/2003684239_generations29.html

Wednesday Market and other good things for May

The Wednesday market is back! Think fresh flowers, fresh raspberries, strawberries, and those wonderful veggies.

The market brings fresh food and thoughts of all the wonderful bounty the Northwest brings in the summer.

Other great events coming this month:

May 5th- Opening Day for the Boating Season. This is particularly meaningful for me as I have never gone before and I am going to be on the Windermere boat. ( I will let you know how it goes!)

May 12-13 (Mother's Day weekend) Kirkland Studio Tour

May 13- Kirkland 1/2 marathon Walk-Run

May 17- Kirkland Highlands Association meeting. Let's talk about Disaster Preparedness, the CERT program and neighborhood mapping. Not sure what neighborhood mapping is? Come and find out!

May 19th- Food Drive to End Summer Hunger at QFC Kirkland/Parkplace

sponsored by the Kirkland Group at Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc.

Donate to feed 11,000 school children this summer.

Not able to come by and donate?

Give to Hopelink on line to End Summer Hunger
http://www.firstgiving.com/windermere

May 28th- Seven Hills of Kirkland

For other happenings in Kirkland this month, click on

http://www.ci.kirkland.wa.us/dynamic/Page273.aspx?PageMode=Hybrid

The Hottest Trends in Outdoor Spaces

Gorgeous stuff! Dream a little with these choices:

Outdoor TV's to watch all your favorite things

Outdoor kitchens

Meditation spaces

Privacy benches

Perennial borders

Outdoor showers (this one could be interesting in the Northwest!)



http://www.realtor.org/rmo/landscape_slideshow/landscape_slideshow_may07.html

Now is the time to take photos of your yard

If you were a buyer......





....which yard would you rather have?


The pink flowers of the plum trees are already gone. Some tulips are still here. The rhodies are about to pop. Don't miss out on the rest of the spring flowers. Take photos of your yard and garden as the season progresses. These great photos can be used whenever you sell your home, even if it is during our darkest and dreariest months.

Buyers will be buying a home and a lifestyle, not just a house. You should use the best photos of your home when selling and include great spring photos. Emotional selling, marketing the benefits and beauty of your home, is so important. With great spring photos you can let potential buyers know how great your home looks, even if you decide to sell in November!

"Our" Rails to Trails?

Did you happen to see the article in Friday's Seattle Times about Sound Transit looking into "our" rail line? I just received an email from a Highlands resident who asked what my thoughts were regarding "our' rails, so I thought I would add my thoughts to this post.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/eastsidenews/2003683431_lightrail27e.html


If King County does go through with their exchange/purchase, obviously the best thing for us as home owners, then the tracks would be ripped up. If they are ripped up, the likelihood of light rail coming through at a later date is diminished, although not completely eliminated. It is my understanding the existing tracks could not accommodate light rail and there is only one line out there.

So the question would be if King County does not go through with the purchase, would it make sense for Sound Transit to purchase the line and develop it? It seems Sound Transit's main interest is in the east-west line to the Overlake area. It would be hugely expensive for them to develop the BNSF line by us and the payback does not look to be that great as the payback would be for an east-west line. It seems the discussion is happening now about "our" tracks because Sound Transit is covering all the bases and is reluctant to see "our" rail line go, in case they should want it in the future.

I am hoping we do get the line ripped out and the trail is more established. (I saw some bikers zoom by on the trail this morning!) The trail will add to our property values and the amenities of our neighborhood. It will be a great feature for the enjoyment of Highlands residents and a wonderful selling point.

We still are not completely out of the woods yet with regard to any future light rail and that will be an issue for discussion. So far, the existing rail line has not negatively impacted values along its route. In fact, there are many high end properties abutting the line as you go along the water in Renton, to South Bellevue, and on up into Kirkland. Within the last few years there have been several view properties in Kirkland near the tracks that have sold in the $2,000,000. There is one listed in Houghton right now that is at 2.3 million dollars.

If the county moves forward with their plan, I think we will be in great shape. It will help lessen the chances of light rail in the future. It does feel this is the way things will play out and it does feel as if "our" rail corridor is not as desirable as other areas for transit development. I am going to be positive along these lines as it looks to be the direction we are headed.

Will there be people who object to the specter of rail hanging over the area? Possibly. If, of course, there is light rail, it would impact the homes' values if they are close to the tracks. My home would be one of these homes.

The flip side is it is hard to completely escape things like traffic, noise, etc., if you live in any close-in neighborhood on the Eastside.

Below is an article from the King County website about the proposed BNSF line purchase.



http://www.metrokc.gov/exec/news/2007/0226connections.aspx


Anyone have any thoughts or information to share about "our" rails?

Oops, gotta go and wave to train as it is going by for its brunch run!

Let's All Lose a Little Weight and Celebrate Earth Day!

As everyone knows, tomorrow, the 22nd of April, is Earth Day. It seems as if for a lot of years people ignored Earth Day. I remember it being quite a big deal when Earth Day began in the 1970's. Now there is a renewed interest and awareness which seems to have begun with Al Gore's Inconvenient Truth. The awarenenss level with global warming, pollution, etc. has increased dramatically.

I came across this website called www.41pounds.org. Apparently, the average junk mail we each receive every year comes out to 41 pounds. Imagine the amount of waste that is created! Even if the junk mail is recycled, there is energy used to create the paper, print the mailings, send the mail, and to recycle this junk.

So if 100 of us contact this website and asked to be removed from "junk" mail lists, we could potentially save 4100 lbs of mail! Over two tons of junk!


Anyone up for the challenge?

What were the chances of a Kirkland home selling in March, 2007?

A seller had a 28% chance of selling a home in March of 2007, similar to February’s chance of 29%. Sellers still did a lot better than the start of the year when only 17% of the listings sold.

So how did March do this year compared to last year and last month?

Did you notice all the for sale signs that popped up the past month? I saw a spike in homes available for sale in the Highlands. In Kirkland there were 290 homes and condos for sale, an increase from the 275 properties on the market in February of this year.

So how many homes sold?

We saw sales of 82 properties in Kirkland in March. Eighty-nine sold in March of 2006 and 82 sold in February, 2007. As you can see, the amount of sales are very much the same. The inventory has just increased this year, so the percentage of sales is less this year than last.

Last year at this time, the market was really going great guns. There was a 36% chance of selling a home or condo in Kirkland. In the previous statistics blog, I mentioned March is traditionally one of our best times to sell. In fact, spring is usually more of a seller’s market. In Kirkland, the number of sales has remained fairly constant, but this March sellers have more competition because of the higher
inventory.

Take a look at the monthly statistics charts:


http://debrasinick.com/docs/2007_Year_to_Date.pdf