Hot and Dry, or Cold and Wet

With all this rain and snow and rain and rain and rain, the weather reminds me of the warm, sunny July afternoon when we first walked through our current home. It was lust at first sight, I tell you–a completely  physical attraction, based totally on looks! I was completely turned on by the abundance of big, picture windows, sky-high ceilings, and the open, airy floorplan. Hey, I saw what I wanted and I wanted it bad. 

Soon enough, we moved in and life was glorious. I was in love. I had found my dream home. That was, until the temperature dropped, the wind began to make frequent visits, and the rain just kept on coming. Interestingly enough, the things I loved most about my home, I began to hate the most! The huge windows made us vulnerable to the cold temperatures outside, and the open, airy floorplan with high ceilings made it virtually impossible to keep the house warm (at least without a heating bill the size of many people’s mortgage payments)! Even the gentle, charismatic slope of the backyard seemed to do nothing but bring the storm runoff closer to the house!  Anyhow, the story ends well, and seversal years later, I’m still deeply and passionately in love with my home, but not without a lot of stress, effort, and unplanned big buck expenses (just like any other relationship).  

So, what’s the point? Well, if you’re shopping for a home right now, try to look beyond today and think about tomorrow. (Although this is really an impressively deep statement on it’s own, I’m going to stick to the weather aspect of a home here.) Right now, it’s easy to keep the cold and wet weather in mind. In fact, since our Seattle rainy season pretty much lasts for the majority of the year, any home you look at right now is at it’s worse (not unlike your first glimpse of your date “the morning after”). In fact, the water, drainage, roof, and crawlspace issues should be glaringly obvious right now.  But, have you thought about what the home will be like during the warm, dry summer months?

When shopping for a home, you should consider the context of the home, all  year round. 

In the summer:

• Does the house have potential to be uncomfortably warm?
• Is there central A/C or is it needed?
• Does the yard provide adequate shading for the house?
• What is the likely sun exposure of the house during the summer months?
• Are there screens on the windows?
• Are there window coverings?
• How much maintenance will the yard require in the spring/summer months?
• Is there a sprinkler system or a feasible way to keep any grass watered?
• Are there ample faucet outlets on the outside?
• Is there any evidence of summer pests (i.e. ants)?

 In the winter months:

• Are there house features such as high ceilings, open airy rooms and lots of windows which make the house harder to heat in the winter?
• Are the windows and doors properly sealed?
• Is the insulation beneath the home in good shape?
• Is the floorplan open and airy? (If so, this will be more difficult to heat.)
• Are there window coverings?
• Is the house at the bottom of a slope or hill or at the crest of a slope or hill?
• Is there a sump pump, or any sign of water problems in the crawlspace of the home?
• If the home is in an area where power outages are not uncommon, is it wired for a generator?
• Is the driveway so steep that icy mornings and evenings may present a challenge? 

If you don’t come up with ideal answers to all of these questions, it’s not a deal killer. Just keep your eyes open wide up front and make sure that you are willing to take the appropriate measures, if you decide to seal the deal.

In the meantime, here are the first Eastside $25,000+ price reductions of 2008–a good chance to to take a look with a year ’round perspective.

BELLEVUE

2665 168TH Ave SE
4 br/3.5 ba, 2,700 sq.ft.
Reduced $30,000 to $750,000 ($278/sq.ft.)
MLS 27208506

ISSAQUAH

731 Lingering Pine Dr. NW
4 br/4.5 ba, 4,420 sq.ft.
Reduced $30,000 to $1,060,000 ($240/sq.ft.)
MLS 27195293

KIRKLAND

11322 106 Ave NE
4 br/4 ba, 3,413 sq.ft.
Reduced $54,999 to $995,000 ($292/sq.ft.)
MLS 27046969

SAMMAMISH

48 210 Pl. SE
4 br/3.25 ba, 3,535 sq.ft.
Reduced $25,000 to $650,000 ($184/sq.ft.)
MLS 27194996