Seattle Real Estate is pretty exciting for a first time home buyer in 2008!  A qualified buyer in Seattle can get major deals in real estate right now in the form of Buyer bonuses, upgrades, and special discounted pricing through negotiation!  Are you an A+ Buyer? These are some of the things an A + First Time Home buyer has already done: Saving money for a down payment and closing costs (and knowing how much these are by asking your Realtor to help guide you) Managing credit (debt, etc.) Managing employment history Once you have worked hard to be an A+ Seattle buyer in 2008, what do you do to make the move of purchasing a house in Seattle for the first time? Check out Seattle Home Buyer Tips and avoid some of the common mistakes made when purchasing a home for the first time. Courtney ... 02/23/2008

There was a time when attention to these issues was not important...but that time is so OVER!  Those of you with real estate licenses for only a few years, especially here in Seattle where the market has been hot during that time, need to change your practices a bit. Don't rely on the fact that your methods worked in 2005 and 2006 and 2007 until September.  The market has shifted!  Sales are down YOY 30% to 32% since that time. Let's assume we all agree that 77% more or less of people start their search for property on the internet.  In our area buyers will often refuse to go see a property after they have viewed the photos and "don't like it".  So good photos have become one of the most important things that we do for sellers hoping to sell their homes. Even if the property sells with ... 02/23/2008

  The Salvadorean Bakery first opened its doors in White Center roughly 10 years ago.  I discovered it when I came back home for vacation from living abroad in Japan.  I used to bring my Japanese language books to study there for hours so that I wouldn't get rusty when I returned to Japan. Hanging out there made me feel right at home, with the delicious array of aromas from the kitchen and the mix of Spanish music including cumbias, baladas, merengue and salsa that was always playing in the background.  I had longed for this type of place in Japan.When I come to the Salvadorean Bakery I always order the Platanos Fritos con Frijoles y Crema(Fried Plantains with Beans and Sour Cream). It is heavenly, that's all I can say.  I also love their pupusas, which I can only describe as a type of... 02/23/2008

North Seattle's Maple Leaf neighborhood has a gem tucked discreetly away from Seattle's pop-coffee culture.  There may be a Starbucks on virtually every corner here in Seattle, but what many people (who don't live here) don't know is that there is quite an alternative coffee movement.  I live here in the Maple Leaf neighborhood in North Seattle and we have a local community coffee house called Cloud City Coffee.  Cloud City is a great spot within the North Seattle community to hang up your umbrella and grab a nice tall latte.  If you're hungry, you can order anything from a cinnamon roll to the Cloud City Club Sandwich.  Sit back on one of the couches and enjoy the free wireless internet access.Sometimes the baristas might look a little grumpy, but once you start talking to them you'll ... 02/22/2008

Today I received this email from one of our clients:"Diana and Alisa,Thank you SO much for your staging services.  As you know we were relocating rather quickly and so we needed to have a completely vacant house staged so we could sell our home quickly.  The time of year (December) and the slowing market were very concerning to us, yet I'm convinced that your staging was a critical factor in showing off our home in the best possible light!  Our agent was very impressed and told us that our home received far more showings and sold much faster than anything comparable in our area.We believe your staging was a critical factor in wowing the buyers so much that it allowed us to negotiate a more than full price offer with our house on the market far less than the average home in a slowing mar... 02/20/2008

 Seattle Realtor Causes 100 Car Pile-up on I-75.This was the headline that was flashing before my eyes as I was spinning out of control, across two lanes of traffic, while driving through a classic Michigan blizzard. It was almost 5pm and I was just north of Flint so it was pretty much a sure bet that I was going to hit another car or be hit, thus causing a chain reaction.How exactly did I get myself in this situation? It started a month ago with a call from my mom who lives alone in the upper part of the lower peninsula. Her niece got a hold of her credit and debit cards (with the pin number) and had gone on a spending spree in the Detroit area. In order for the charges to be removed Mom would have to press charges against Mallory (I'm changing her name to protect the guilty) in the ju... 02/20/2008

Seattle real estate has been an anomaly compared to almost every other market and this, in most cases, is a good thing.  But not everyone is cheering.  The way I see it, the roller-coaster real estate trends have (and will continue to have) a negative impact on the rental community.Here it is in a nutshell:  1.)  Seattle real estate booms.2.)  Renters start getting kicked out of their apartments to make way for condo conversions.3.)  Newer home buyers purchase said conversions at somewhat inflated prices.4.)  Many of these purchases are made using interest-only and/or ARM's.5.)  Now in '07-'08, the clock strikes and the rates adjust to make their mortgage too expensive.6.)  At the same time, house prices are adjusting downward so they don't have enough equity to refinance.7.)  Now we (a... 02/20/2008

Seattle still has an incredible real estate market in 2008, but.... It is different than it has been in the last ten years or so. Many first time home buyers like to ask their friends and family a lot of questions along the way and tend to rely at times on these lifelines.  Unfortunately, new Seattle buyers might find that asking all the questions in the world might not get them the right answers for this new Seattle market.  Buying a house any time is a huge task, but being a first time home buyer on top of that makes it ridiculously intimidating for many. These are some of the things an A + First Time Home buyer has already done:Saving money for a down payment and closing costs (and knowing how much these are by asking your Realtor to help guide you)Managing credit (debt, etc.)Managin... 02/20/2008

This Seattle area starter home recently sold in fewer than 30 days on the market.  The home was well prepared by the owners (freshly painted and clean) and the vacant property was professionally staged.  As I reviewed these photos, here are some reasons why I think the staging helped in the quick sale of this home:The home was the star, not the "stuff". The furniture and accessories selected were properly sized for the rooms.  The furniture arrangement showed potential buyers how they could live comfortably in the space.  The spaces actually felt larger after staging than they did when empty. Color was consistent throughout, creating a feeling of cohesion.  Orange, blue, yellow and green with accents of cream and and black worked with the architectural elements of the home.  These color... 02/18/2008

What was I thinking?  Now I must go through with it.  Training hard and putting a team together for the annual Columbia Tower Stair Climb in an effort to fundraise for Leukemia.  I think this may be the tallest building in Seattle.  What I do know is that each time I go there it is up a couple elevators to a club for wine.  I will be participating in 22nd Annual Big Climb for Leukemia. The event is The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's most challenging event - and a complete quad burner! Last March, over 4,200 people climbed the stairs at the Columbia Center in downtown Seattle, the state's tallest skyscraper, and raised over $700,000. The 69-flight course includes 1,311 steps, 19 steps per flight and 788 feet of vertical elevation. I had the choice of either running the stairs and being ti... 02/18/2008

We are lucky here in Seattle that we have a way to mark the beginning of Spring...The Northwest Flower & Garden Show !  The gray, cold drizzle will all go away when you come to the Washington State Convention Center this week, February 20th thru 24th, 2008, to walk around the fabulous display gardens, and see all the wonderful new "STUFF'' for sale to help turn your yard, patio, or balcony into your own private garden retreat.  Come and get some ideas to improve your home's curb appeal, or just come for a stroll through fantasy gardens.  You can also attend the many lectures to learn more about gardening, but for me, it's all about the display gardens...I'm going on Friday....Check out last years Northwest Flower & Garden Show , I had a wonderful time (as usual!) there were so many wond... 02/16/2008

 On February 8th, 2008, Senator Barack Obama, gave his speech at the Key Arena in Seattle.  What you probably didn’t know is that Dick’s Drive In was called to see if they would provide the food for the Obama group. I spoke with the woman that actually delivered the burgers etc. that day.  She said that she did get to see Obama from a distance—said it looked like his was having an important meeting before he gave his speech. What is nice is that the food was all donated by Dick’s.  If you don’t know about Dick’s Drive In—it is very popular and has been around since 1954.  They have restaurants located in Wallingford, Capitol Hill, Holman Road, Lake City and Queen Anne.   Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Estate Property Listings... 02/15/2008

  ABC News has an article today saying that Forbes.com has come out with their list of “America’s Brightest Cities” written by Alyson Papalia.  Yippie Seattle is included!!   The places are usually college towns or some of the country’s biggest “high-tech centers (Seattle and San Francisco).” Here are the statistics for the Seattle Area:    Seattle-Bellevue-Everett, Wash. Metropolitan Division Population: 2,444,743 Ages 25 and older ... with a bachelor's degree or higher: 35.92% with a Ph.D.: 1.32% with a professional degree: 2.47% that graduated high school: 89.90%   You can go to the link for the article and see pictures that correspond to each of the cities that made it on their list.     Seattle, Bellevue, Queen Anne, Wallingford, Green Lake, Fremont and Redmond, Washington Real Es... 02/15/2008

In today's real estate market it's important to have your listings stand out from the crowd.  Even in the "starter home" price points, today's buyers want their new home to be move in ready.  Staging a vacant home can make it feel instantly welcoming and cozy.  Especially in the winter months it's important to have adequate lighting throughout the house and to remember to keep the heat at a comfortable level.  Adding color to compliment the existing elements in the home, showing buyers how they can live comfortably in the space, and setting the stage for a positive emotional reaction to the home is what a good home stager can provide.   Staging provided by SISTERS Interior Redesign, Edmonds, WA, 425.776.7890, www.sistersredesign.comContact us today for a complimentary staging quote. 02/14/2008

Convenient and cost effective 5%    We love what we do and it shows Rate:5% Min 105.00 For owners who just want professional help , we advertise and market a unit, handle the applications, screen and qualify tenants, complete the lease, and manage tenant move-in.  *Professional *Simply convenient Safe Service* That Tenants ApplaudRe-defining, property management*RD House Real Estate & Property Management INC.159 Denny Way Suite 110Seattle, WA 98109206-728-6063 02/14/2008

Seattle real estate is hopping -If you don't believe me, then listen to this one: I just got told by a Seattle mortgage broker that one of my closings in escrow might be delayed because the lender is backed up!  I will be on top of this one to see what I can do to help, but thought that it was interesting since the media is still saying our market is slow......The rates are low and the lenders are busy - I know based on other things that I have read that WAMU is pretty busy!  I just had no idea that they were that busy - any Seattle mortgage brokers out there having the same experience? I thought maybe the appraisal had been ordered late, but checked my NWMLS key box and the appraiser had been in there promptly!Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seatt... 02/13/2008

Seattle remodelers:  Habitat For Humanity in Seattle is opening up a retail outlet to sell NEW materials at a savings of 50% or more to the public!!! Home improvement just got cheaper!  Habitat is opening this outlet to sell their surplus as a a way to add funds to their program.  With the cost of land and building supplies rising, the organization is looking at alternatives ways to help provide housing.Included new cheap home improvement items are appliances, counters, electrical materials, lumber, cabinetry, windows, doors, roofing, flooring, plumbing, furniture, hardware, paint, lighting, wallboard, etc. - pretty much anything you would need in a remodel!Details from the Habitat site:Habitat for Humanity Home Improvement Outlet Grand Opening When?Sat Feb 16 10am - Sat Feb 16 5pmWhere... 02/12/2008

Seattle real estate is big on building green right now and I am thrilled for it!   I love taking buyers out and having them ooo and awe over the finish work that goes into a Built Green home.  Most of the time these environmentally conscience builders are so detail oriented that it really shows in the final product!  What about when a Seattle seller decides to remodel their existing home to incorporate some of these amazing new earth friendly and efficient, but sometimes expensive products?  Of course the home will become more efficient and cheaper to operate while having a lesser impact on the environment in most cases, but can this cash outlay come back in return on investment financially when they decide to sell?  I was surprised to see that the Master Builders Association does indee... 02/11/2008

Seattle real estate is on the move as far as "Built Green" goes!  If a Seattle buyer wants a home that is environmentally friendly and efficient, then there are fortunately options in both the Seattle townhouse 2008 market and also single family houses.  It seems as if builders are really starting to understand what modern savvy buyers want and the real estate available is beginning to reflect this. Building green is more than just using energy efficient appliances!   It is even more than Bamboo flooring or highly efficient windows.  There are dual flush toilets, low toxin paints, recycled glass and tiles, plus a whole set of guidelines about percentages of carpeting in building, garage sizes, etc.  There is actually a  whole matrix of different things builders can do to determine how g... 02/11/2008

Creating a cozy, welcoming environment for potential buyers from the moment they walk through the front door is the goal of home staging.  Consider staging your home prior to listing to gain a competitive advantage in today's crowded real estate market.  A well staged home presented online with professional photographs will set your home apart from the competition.  Give us a call today for a complimentary staging quote for your home.  We look forward to hearing from you soon! Staging by SISTERS Interior Redesign, Edmonds, WA, 425.776.7890, www.sistersredesign.com 02/11/2008