Archive for September, 2007
September 30, 2007
Sophisticated without being at all pretentious, Galaxie is a busy coffee and sandwich shop on Beacon Hill. Located on Beacon Avenue South between South Hanford and South Horton, the cafe is tucked into a small row of businesses that appear to have been there awhile.
I don’t know how long Galaxie has been around, since I don’t live on (or near) Beacon Hill. But I’ve visited a couple of times this year, after I found it on Caffeinated and Unstrung, my favorite place to look for free WiFi. Galaxie, with its simultaneously space-age and retro name, is right at home in present day Beacon Hill, but also seems to promise a new Beacon Hill only nanoseconds away. You could beam up Galaxie and plop it down on Ballard Avenue or 15th Avenue East, and it would blend right in.
The owners actively encourage community and neighborhood pride. Friday morning the counter was crowded with multiple advertisements for a meeting concerning a new neighborhood park. Galaxie is hosting the meeting, after café hours. And you can’t miss the giant map of Beacon Hill painted on the wall, facing you as you enter. Customers submit their addresses, and silver thumbtacks appear, indicating the two-dimensional representation of each customer’s home.
I won’t spoil the rest of the great artwork on the walls – directly on the walls, that is – with my feeble descriptions. Just go check it out yourself.
Maybe the people who recently bought these homes within a few blocks of the café have become silver thumbtacks on the walls of Galaxie.
3017 19th Ave S
Sold: 8/13/07; Price: $540,000
3 br/1.75 ba; 1,410 sq ft
3036 20th Ave S
Sold: 7/11/07; Price: $396,950
4 br/1 ba; 1,140 sq ft
3038 Beacon Ave S
Sold: 6/15/07; Price: $519,800
1 br/1 ba; 760 sq ft
September 29, 2007
Inventory is up and sales are down. It doesn’t take an economist to figure out that this means houses are lingering longer on the market (see last week’s post, Long Time on Market Makes Moody Sellers?, for details on how long). But are they selling for the same prices, or are sellers getting antsy and reducing prices to sell faster?
I’m waiting to see September’s numbers for Northeast Seattle and South Seattle. In August, price changes from one year ago were highest in areas 385, 710, and 380, at roughly 27%, 15%, and 13% increases, respectively.
But if nothing much is selling, then what are the numbers telling us? The number of active listings was way up from last year in all three areas: 71% in area 385, 28% in area 710, and 54% in area 380. And the number of pending sales was down, 38%, 9%, and 20% from August of 2006. (Read more about it by downloading the Current King County Breakouts from the NWMLS marketing and statistics page.)
My analysis? Sellers are crossing their arms and saying, “This is what my house is worth. And I’ll wait for the right buyer, thank you.” And even more sellers are putting their houses on the market, too.
Or at least it seems they were in August. Stay tuned for more number madness (and interpretive hypotheses) next month. Got a theory of your own? Leave it in the comments. Maybe you want to place a bet on September?
September 29, 2007
402 Eakin Avenue
4 br, 2.5 ba
2,635 sq. ft.
Asking Price: 889,000
Sale Price: 900,000 on 7/16/07
423 Eakin Avenue
5 br, 3 ba
2,940 sq. ft.
Asking Price: 839,500
Sale Price: About $905,000 on 8/30/07
9442 NE Coral Court
4 br, 3 ba
3,192 sq. ft.
Initial Asking Price: $715,000
Reduced to: $690,000
Sale Price $665,000 on 7/6/07
*all information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
September 29, 2007
Open Condos:
Vineyard Lane
896 NE Vineyard Lane
Built Green community near Ferry off Hwy 305
Priced from $439,000
Sized from 2 Bedroom, 1.75 bath up
Sunday 1-4
Harbor Square
Presentation Center: 134 Harbor Square Loop NE
Sunday 12-5
Madrone Village
298 Winslow Way West
Sunday 1-4
*information from sources deemd reliable but not guaranteed.
September 29, 2007
13540 Phelps Road NE
3 br, 2.75 ba
2,076 sq. ft.
nwmls# 27075365
$645,000
Sunday 1-4
13965 Hidden Heights Lane NE
3 br, 2.5 ba
2,884 sq. ft.
nwmls# 27073672
$659,000
Sunday 1-3
543 Pierce Court NW
3 br, 2.5 ba
2,424 sq. ft.
nwmls# 27138490
$785,000
Sunday 1-4
7475 Madrona Drive
3 br, 2.5 ba
2,124 sq. ft.
nwmls#27100381
Open Sunday 1-5
*all information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
September 29, 2007
Bainbridge Island homeowners wrangling remodeling projects can get some fresh ideas at the upcoming home remodeling show sponsored by the Kitsap Home Builders Association.
Show happens October 12, 13 and 14 at the Kitsap County Fairgrounds.
*all information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
September 29, 2007
16140 Agate Pass Road
3 br, 2.5 ba
nwmls# 27119215
Was $850,000
Now $799,000
6746Crystal Springs Drive NE
4 br, 2.5 ba
nwmls#27024941
Was $639,000
Now 619,000
14138 Farmview Lane NE
3 br, 2.5 ba
nwmls#27125153
Was $877,000 in July
Then $865,000
Now $845,000
6498 Justin Ct NE
4 br, 2.5 ba
nwmls#27094774
Was $899,000
Now $879,000
9467 NE North Town Loop
4 br, 2.5 ba
nwmls#27168869
Was $649,000
Now $624,900
14085 Sunrise Drive NE
4 br, 2.5 ba
nwmls#27024941
Was $639,000
Now $619,000
*all information from sources deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
September 28, 2007
–Carolyn Burnham, American Beauty
While the movie didn’t exactly portray realtors in a positive light, Annette Bening’s stripped-down cleaning frenzy in American Beauty is perhaps one of the most memorable moments in real estate fiction.
Most listing agents won’t go to the lengths Carolyn did to sell a house, but I’ve heard of agents cleaning, painting, offering snacks, and even bringing their own ideal residents.
Seattleites tend to favor a more low-key sales approach. But with inventory up, you never know what you might find at one of these Northeast Seattle open houses this weekend.
All open houses are Sunday September 30 from 1-4, unless otherwise specified.
Price: $2,300,000
7312 56th Ave NE
5 br/4.5 ba; 6,041 sq ft
MLS#: 27158013
Price: $999,950
3812 45th Ave NE
4 br/2.5 ba; 3,340 sq ft
MLS#: 27161933
Price: $845,000
4611 NE 75th St
3 br/1.75 ba; 1,630 sq ft
MLS#: 27162737
Open Sunday, 10-2
Price: $839,900
3215 NE 89th St
4 br/2.75 ba; 2,810 sq ft
MLS#: 27166289
Price: $649,950
6016 39th Ave NE
4 br/2.25 ba; sq footage not listed
MLS#: 27149171
Price: $585,000
5000 30th Ave NE #201
2 br/1.75 ba; 1,133 sq ft
MLS#: 27139361
Price: $549,950
6300 Sand Point Way NE #313
2 br/1.75 ba; 2,000 sq ft
MLS#: 27129677
Price: $495,000
6856 18th Ave NE
3 br/1.75 ba; sq footage not listed
MLS#: 27174856
Price: $469,500
1703 NE 91st St
3 br/1 ba; 2,080 sq ft
MLS#: 27170154
Price: $425,000
1016 NE 100th St
3 br/1 ba; 2,390 sq ft
MLS#: 27161962
Open Saturday and Sunday 1-4
Price: $399,000
12330 8th Ave NE
5 br/2.5 ba; 2,035 sq ft
MLS#: 27175353
Price: $239,500
4624 41st Ave NE
1 br/1 ba; 805 sq ft
MLS#: 27169499
September 28, 2007
Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a “condominium” and a “townhome”? Here’s the nutshell distinction:
- If you own a condomiumum, you own the individual unit. You are taxed on the individual unit, and sometimes on a percentage of the surrounding property.
- If you own a townhome, you own both the structure and the land upon which the structure sits. Townhomes are typically not freestanding.
Both condos and townhomes have organized associations, which collect fees from owners to use in maintaining common properties and areas.
See if you can figure out which is which! The following Eastside condos and townhomes will be open from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, September 30th. 
BELLEVUE
5713 SE 122nd Ave.
3 br/1.5 ba, 1,038 sq. ft.
Price $299,950
MLS 27146672
16200 NE 12th Ct., Unit D-57
2 br/1 ba. 923 sq. ft.
Price $247,900
MLS 27160927
15206 NE 8th St., # E-3
3 br/2 ba, 1,177 sq. ft.
Price: $349,950
MLS 27147645
KIRKLAND
9902 NE 124th St., #B-122
2 br/2 ba, 982 sq. ft.
Price: $234,950
MLS 27159962
10024 NE 124th Pl.
2 br/1.5 ba, 1,266 sq. ft
Price $319,500
MLS 27170324
REDMOND
22669 Aldercrest Dr., #203
3 br/2 ba
FSBO
Price: $395,000
15917 NE 4th Way, 3C
3 br/1.5 ba, 1,117 sq.ft.
Price $349,950
MLS 27168506
September 28, 2007
Open house this weekend:
Saturday, Sept. 29, 10:30-2:30pm & Sunday, Sept. 30, 12-4pm
1534 Cherrylane Pl S #201
Seattle, WA 98144
Recent posts on Sweet Digs Seattle:
Open House: A Nice House in Des Moines for Under $300,000
Open House: Grand House, Grand Remodel in Leschi
Open House: Spacious Condo in Kirkland for $539,500
Extreme Makeover in Kirkland
From the curb, it appeals to no one. It has a face only a mother could love. An unkempt mess amongst the cute and cared for. It’s the most hideous house on the street and the smart buyer should run toward it not away. One strategy used by many successful real estate investors is to buy the dumpiest house on the block, give it some love, then sell and make a killing. If you have the vision, patience and time, you can turn that ugly duckling into a swan by spring. Here are some tips on buying the ugliest home on the street from EDGE Boston:
Don’t judge a book by its cover
Many houses that don’t look good on the surface only need a simple makeover in order to make them sparkle
Use building inspectors and contractors to help evaluate properties
Sometimes the house listed as a “handyman special” is the best value on the street, and contractors can help you crunch the numbers to make sure.
Study the data, tour lots of homes, and be patient
When shopping for bargains it helps to shop ’til you drop - the more houses you look at, the more chances you have of finding what you want.
Buy in the off season
Winter is an ideal time to make an offer on those houses that look drab and dreary but have underlying beauty. Sellers will be more willing to negotiate and there will be less competition from other buyers.
And now for the fun - which house is the ugliest in Seattle and currently on the market? Or should I say, which house is the diamond in the rough? The best deal? The overlooked and unadored? Here are a few nominations, add your own in the comments section…
1529 Sturgus Ave S
Seattle, WA 98144
On Redfin: 85 days
2258 15th Ave W
Seattle, WA 98119
On Redfin: 182 days
6059 4th Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98115
On Redfin: 52 days
