Categoriesinfo for buyers, info for home owners, referrals, Seattle

What does your house say about you?

Part of helping our clients in a changing market is to be creative and resourceful about how we prepare and market properties.  We have been exploring the use of Feng Shui in our staging over the last few months and thought we would introduce the woman who has been helping us.  Danielle Varanda, owner of International Feng Shui Design,  has been practicing Feng Shui principals for many years and is offering our clients a special rate for consultations.  If you have interest in improving your space, and your lives, give her a call!

We asked Danielle to give us insight into how Feng Shui principals work in our homes:

“Just as we are all unique individuals, so are the spaces we live in. We tend to gravitate to places that resonate with us and our lives.  Individuals will find some styles of homes more appealing to them then others, and different locations will appeal to different people. For instance, extroverted people tend to live on a more dynamic street and people who are a bit more reserved will often prefer a quiet, calm neighborhood.

 Not only do our homes reflect us in our taste and lifestyle, we can say that our homes nourish us and we nourish our homes. Our space either enhances us or may in some cases hinder us.  Our homes reflect, or could even be the cause of, what is going on in certain aspects of our lives.  For example, how well are things going in our financial affairs?  Do we have enough money coming into our lives?  If so, are we able to hang on to it or does it tend to slip away?  In the area of our health, how well do the people in the house sleep?  Are there health issues with the people who live there? How is the overall energy of the people living in the home?  Are the relationships within the home harmonious or is there often conflict? Did these changes occur after moving or remodeling?”

These and many other things are seen through Feng Shui principals.  When we keep these principals in mind we can literally see why these things are occurring, understand the source of the issues and ultimately offer solutions to improve the situation.”

Danielle recently consulted for one of our listings and we believe her guidance contributed to the successful sale of that home.  If you would like to hear more, or have any questions, just give us a call!

 
 
 
Warm Regards,

Domenica
Windermere Real Estate

Categoriesevents, Seattle

I-90 Seafair and Blue Angels Closures

Happy Seafair!
I know there are many folks who love this time and many folks who dread it.  I have to admit I’m in the love it camp.  I know it’s a little weird, but I just love airplanes!  So this morning I stopped on Airport Way to watch the Angels take off for about the 100th time in my life.  I got to enjoy a few moments of thrill and reminisce about all the years and times I’ve spent watching them in and around Georgetown and even traveling to see them fly from time to time.

Of course there is also a logistical aspect to living in a city with such a summer festival.  Desiree shared this funny (now) story about getting caught in the middle of bridge closures unexpectedly:

“It was 2 years ago that I had an unfortunate oversight and missed the fact that I-90 was closing for the Blue Angels practice.  I had just made it to Bellevue to drop a friend off at a doctor’s appointment and needed to get right back to West Seattle for an inspection with a buyer client.  I was stuck in the worst traffic I’ve ever experienced and was re-directed through Renton to drive around Lake Washington back to Seattle.  To top it off, my client was also stuck on the Eastside, meaning that we were both 1 1/2 hours late for the inspection and arrived just as the inspector was finishing.  Now I make sure I know when the Blue Angels are flying.”

The annual Seafair festival begins when the Seafair Pirates land on Alki the first week of July and ends with the Blue Angels flying over Lake Washington in a spectacular display of aeronautics.  The first practice flight (and closure) is today from 9:45 a.m. – noon and then again from 1:15 – 2:30 p.m. and there are several more closures throughout the weekend.  For more information check out the WSDOT website at: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/northwest/king/seafair/
So we just wanted to say happy Seafair and make sure no one gets stuck in traffic this year!

Here’s a snapshot of the closure dates and times:
Thursday, Aug. 5:  9:45 a.m. – noon & 1:15 – 2:30 p.m., (Practice)
Friday, Aug. 6:  12:45 p.m. – 2:40 p.m., (Practice)
Saturday, Aug. 7:  12:45 p.m. – 2:40 p.m., (Full show)
Sunday, Aug. 8:  12:45 p.m. – 2:40 p.m., (Full show)
We hope you are able to catch a glimpse of the Blue Angels this weekend!
 
 
 
Warm Regards,

Domenica
Windermere Real Estate

Categoriesinfo for buyers, Seattle

Market Pulse

We are almost halfway through 2010 and the summer is nearly upon us-time to take a “pulse” of the current real estate market.  Seattle home sales in 2010 are up 22% over last year at this time, though there is still a lot of recovery to be realized.  Some price ranges are seeing a return to multiple offers (many in the $600K+ price ranges), other price ranges are seeing a dramatic rise in inventory as sales slow down after the end of the government tax credits for home buyers.

We’ve noticed a real shift in the way buyers approach the process because they hold most of the cards, and seller’s often feel pretty battered and bruised when they get to the end of a sale.  This New York Times article from last week summarizes the challenges seller’s are experiencing and we are working harder than ever to help our buyers and sellers navigate their transactions successfully.

The chart below shows the current supply of inventory and pending sales.  There has been a steep increase in inventory over the last few months and a decrease in pending transactions in May after the April 30 (tax credit deadline).  The normal seasonal shift (summer slowdown) is more pronounced this year, though we are noticing a new wave of buyers entering the market due to low interest rates (under 4.5%).  We will be very interested to see how the Fall market compares.

On a positive note, Seattle’s long-term projections are encouraging.  According to the Kiplingers Report Seattle is among the “Top 10 best cities for the next decade” which means we have plenty of time to get back on track.

Warm Regards,

Domenica
Windermere Real Estate

CategoriesSeattle, Seattle schools

Seattle’s New School Assignment Plan

On June 17, 2009 the Seattle School Board approved a new student assignment plan.  Then on November 18, 2009 the School Board adopted new boundaries and a transition plan for the 2010-11 school year.  The change came about, in large part, because of huge budget shortfalls in the Seattle School district but also (according to the school district website) this plan is hoped to “provide greater predictability for families while still offering opportunities for school choice.”  Those in favor of this shift like returning to the idea of neighborhood schools and minimizing the need for mass transit to get kids to school.  Those who oppose fear that the disparity between schools will increase and quality education for all children will be further jeopardized.

Since the new student assignment plan was approved and the school boundaries were drawn, a new layer has been added to the real estate market.  More than ever, we are seeing “micro-markets” in certain school boundaries, both to the advantage and disadvantage of our clients selling their homes.  We are also working with many clients who are feeling the need to move before they are ready in order to keep siblings together in the same school, and some are opting to stay put longer for this same reason.  There are clearly immediate challenges that we are working through and still wonder, every day, how this change effects the long term real estate picture as well as the health of our public schools.

For those of you who don’t know, click here to find out what school boundary your home falls into:

We think it’s worth mentioning one positive opportunity that is available when students live close to their school: The Walking School Bus.  This was created as an alternative to busing, and is starting to gain traction around the country.

If you would like to discuss this topic in more detail, feel free to call us anytime!

Warm Regards,

Domenica
Windermere Real Estate

CategoriesSeattle, Seattle neigborhoods

Do you know about High Point?

In April our office enjoyed a guided tour through the Neighborhood House – High Point Center in West Seattle’s newest neighborhood, built from the ground up starting in 2006.  It was both impressive and totally inspiring.  Besides being a beautifully designed building, it is LEED certified and an environmental learning center.   This center was built to be the “heart” of the neighborhood with support services and gathering spaces for members of the community and the home base for the neighborhood association.

In Phase 1 of High Point development, five builders were chosen to develop over 200 homes that were all kept to a high standard of green building.  The roads, parks and infrastructure addressed the community aspect of “neighborhood” and the environment in their planning and creation.  The result has been a huge success.  The High Point neighborhood has won many awards since the project began and now the community is really flourishing and growing.  High Point, like all neighborhoods, is not without its problems but the residents are coming together to make a community and support one another.

High Point is one of the highest points in all of Seattle so the downtown City views are impressive. There are many parks, trails, a community pea patch, and a man-made lake-that attracts a large number of water fowl as well as the award winning community center and senior residence. 

The development continues in Phase 2, and we look forward to the completion of more quality homes.  Homes in the High Point neighborhood range from $200,000-$550,000.  If you want more information about the neighborhood, or our new listing, just give us a call.
 
 
 
Warm Regards,

Domenica
Windermere Real Estate

Categoriesevents, Seattle, Windermere

Windermere Cup and Opening Day of Boating Season – May 1st

This weekend is the opening day of boating season and the Windermere Cup crew races.  We are proud of Windermere’s sponsorship of this event and thought we’d share with you a bit about it.

Windermere Cup

The Opening Day regatta has been a part of the opening day of boating season since 1970. In 1987, the race’s sponsorship by Windermere Real Estate, Inc. started the Windermere Cup Regatta. Since 1987, teams from China, Australia, Russia, South Africa, and the Czech Republic, among others, have come to race against the men’s and women’s rowing teams from the University of Washington on the Montlake Cut  (excerpt from UW site).

For more information about many of the events surrounding the Opening day of boating season, check out this Seattle Times article.
One day we’d love to be out on a boat during opening day festivities, so let us know if you need additional crew members-we’ll bring yummy food and drink!

If you happen to be down at the lake on Saturday be sure to cheer for our very own Windermere Dragon Boat team as they paddle by!

Warm Regards,

Domenica
Windermere Real Estate

Categorieshome values, Seattle, Washington real estate

5 Stats You Won’t Hear On The News…

We know that many of our clients are still concerned about whether buying or selling in this market is a good idea. As always, there are individual factors that affect each person’s situation, and making a move is a big decision in any market.

This being said, it’s important to keep the housing market in perspective and not be alarmed with the media’s need for a catchy “story” saying real estate is either booming or it’s busting. Here are some interesting statistics that give a slightly broader view of the housing market and the economy:

Fact #1:
Approximately 30% of all U.S. homes are free and clear and do not have a mortgage

FACT #2:
Of the 70% of households that have a mortgage, 96.15% are current in their payments, NOT in foreclosure.

FACT #3:
The U.S. Gross Domestic Product is more than the GDP of the next three countries combined.

FACT #4:
When mortgage rates fall to a record low, housing affordability surges to a record high.

FACT #5:
The Housing Affordability Index is at the highest level of affordability in history.

This article from August in the Seattle Times talks more about our local affordability index rating.

Local HIA

There is still time to take advantage of lower home prices and historically low interest rates. Please feel free to call us anytime if you’d like to talk about this information and how it might relate to your situation.

Warm regards,
Domenica
Windermere Real Estate

CategoriesSeattle, Windermere

Real Estate Pioneer

Anne Bentrott is a long time agent in our office. In fact she has been with Windermere in West Seattle for over 25 years and a full-time Real Estate Agent in West Seattle for over 50 years. Wow!

Recently, as she is traveling (and scuba diving) more and more, she is winding down from an amazing career. Windermere has created an “Ambassador” status for her so that she can still, occasionally, represent her long time clients (some families covering 5 generations). We are proud to work for a company that recognizes and celebrates women like Anne.

Anne’s Story…

When Anne got her real estate license in 1957, she was turned away from the first office she approached (Norman DeMeyer) because the broker felt that if he hired a woman all the male agents would quit. So she went to Turner Real Estate, because “they would hire anyone.” She said they paid so little that it didn’t matter who was hired… Apparently, when she started, one of the “old guys” that worked there said, “Hey, did you know they hired a refugee from the dishpan?”

Back in 1957, there were only about 4 or 5 other female real estate agents in West Seattle, more in neighborhoods (like Broadmoor). “Women always wore suits and most wore hats back then.” She jumped in and built her career by really taking
care of her clients. Anne said that one of the hardest things for her was overcoming the stigma of being a real estate agent, because they had a bad reputation for not being trustworthy. She says she always put her clients first and lived by the motto: Your clients don’t care how much you know, they just want to know how much you care. This has been her guiding principle and it’s clear her clients know how much she cares.

We are so amazed by Anne’s long and successful career, in a field where women were able to break through the glass ceiling and become as successful as they wanted to be. Today there are at least as many women realtors as men, if not more. It has been enlightening for us to hear about how much has changed since the days when houses were sold with a one page contract and rarely with third party bank financing. To todays reality of computers and extremely detailed, ever changing, laws & addendums to protect the public, both buyers and sellers.

Our hats are off to Anne, and we wish her continued enjoyment and success in her coming years!

Warm regards,
Domenica
Windermere Real Estate

CategoriesSeattle, Washington real estate

By The Numbers

This has been an interesting year in Seattle Real Estate.  And it’s sure to continue in the year to come.  As we approach the end of the 2nd Quarter of 2009 we can get perspective on how the year is shaping up.

The charts below are a good visual representation of activity in the Seattle Metropolitan area.
This chart represents active listings (light green), listings in contract with a buyer (Pended, red line) and closed transactions (blue).

We have seen a steady increase in sales closed and pending sales this spring with a relatively stable inventory base.

This chart shows average days on market for listings and overlays the list/sales price ratio over the top.

The rise in the number of short sales& bank owned listings has increased days on market significantly this year.  You can see how that in turn affects the list price/sales price ratio.  People pay less for homes that are on the market longer.

This last chart illustrates the months of inventory on the market.

We saw a startling five year peak of 11 months of inventory in January of this year and have seen a steady and dramatic decrease since then.

The trend so far this spring has been positive and we are hoping to continue to see improvement in activity and stability over the next half of the year.  It is always our intention to provide sound information whether it’s good news or bad and we welcome your feedback!  As always please don’t hesitate to give us a call if you’d like to discuss the Seattle real estate market in more detail.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Domenica
Windermere Real Estate