Seattle Real Estate & Homes For Sale | Seattle, Washington » Jim Reppond http://www.seattlepowersearch.com Seattle Real Estate Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:20:29 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 MarketWatch Ranks Seattle 10th out of 102 US Cities as Best for Business http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/marketwatch-ranks-seattle-10th-out-of-102-us-cities-as-best-for-business/ http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/marketwatch-ranks-seattle-10th-out-of-102-us-cities-as-best-for-business/#comments Sun, 02 Jan 2011 13:56:01 +0000 Jim Reppond http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/?p=4987 Seattle Business GrowthIt’s a big jump from 31st last year due mostly to the drop in unemployment, according to MarketWatch. Business executives point out that they want a place where they have that ability to attract and retain good people. Seattle is an desirable place to live for employees. That, in turn, attracts businesses.

]]> http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/marketwatch-ranks-seattle-10th-out-of-102-us-cities-as-best-for-business/feed/ 0 Relocating to Seattle? Get Moving Protection http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/relocating-to-seattle-get-moving-protection/ http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/relocating-to-seattle-get-moving-protection/#comments Sun, 26 Dec 2010 12:08:45 +0000 Jim Reppond http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/?p=4943 Are you relocating to Seattle? There are many things to think about besides just which neighborhood is best for you.  If you’re hiring a moving company to move your furnishings, don’t  assume you are covered by insurance. The term “covered” can mean different things. How would you feel if that 50-inch plasma display TV got dropped and broken and you only received $12 for it? If you have “basic carrier liability-release value”, which is the minimum required by federal law,  your furnishings are often covered to no more than 30-60 cents per pound per article. This minimal amount of coverage is called “released value” or “carrier’s liability.” So a 40 lb TV, no matter what the true value, might only net you $12 dollars on a claim.

relocating to Seattle loading truck imageMoving Companies are very sophisticated in how they offer you coverage in order to limit their liability. So you need to be educated and savvy before entering a contract with them. There are ways to protect yourself but you need to be careful and ask the right questions. Read this Moving Insurance Liability Tips article and be ready to investigate to find out exactly what is covered. After all, the last thing you need when you arrive at your new home is to have your possessions damaged or destroyed and not receive adequate  compensation for it.

Work with a Relocation Specialist REALTOR who can help guide you through these issues. And if you have company provided relocation benefits, be sure you are getting everything you are entitled to.

]]> http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/relocating-to-seattle-get-moving-protection/feed/ 0 eXp Seattle Office is Officially Open! http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/exp-seattle-office-is-officially-open/ http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/exp-seattle-office-is-officially-open/#comments Wed, 22 Dec 2010 08:30:14 +0000 Jim Reppond http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/?p=4773 eXp Realty SeattleeXp Realty Seattle is officially in business! We are so excited to open a physical office here in the Fremont District of Seattle! We are now going to mix the best of the real world and virtual world reality to create a great value proposition for both clients and Brokers! I am the Principal Managing Broker and we already have a number of other eXp Brokers coming aboard.


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Let me introduce the member agents and let you get to know them:

Dave Sato
Dave Sato
Broker – Realtor®
Direct: 425.213.6411
Edy Kizaki
Edy Kizaki
Broker – Realtor®
Direct: 206.249.2914
Michael Pollock
Michael Pollock
Broker – Realtor®
Direct: 206.399.1345

Marybeth Cicirello
Marybeth Cicirello
Broker – Realtor®
Direct: 206.214.6556
http://classicfreshseattle.com/
http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/author/marybethcicirello/

Sebnem Oden
Sebnem Oden
Broker – Realtor®
Direct: 206.619.3652
http://prokeyre.com/

Daniel Newsome
Daniel Newsome
Broker – Realtor®
Direct: 206-458-1311
http://yournewhomeseattle.com/

]]> http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/exp-seattle-office-is-officially-open/feed/ 1 Skillet Street Food to Go http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/skillet-street-food-to-go/ http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/skillet-street-food-to-go/#comments Mon, 06 Dec 2010 14:46:30 +0000 Jim Reppond http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/?p=4379 Streetfood Skillet - SkilletWhat does a quality street food booth look like in today’s world of social media and tight economic times? Skillet is a great business model to look at for how small mobile restaurateurs may promote themselves successfully these days.

They change-up the menu on a regular basis using a dry-eraser marker on the side of their Airstream. I found them in the Northgate area. And I’m sure there are people who schedule their doctor’s appointments at Group Health, or make sure they do workouts at Seattle Athletic Club, on days the they know Skillet is coming to the Northgate area of Seattle.

They move around a lot. So how do people know where they’ll be? Don’t they always have to go to their SkilletStreetFood.com website? Not really. You see, they publish a Google Calendar showing the locations, times, and even directions on how to get where they are at. Or you could go to their Facebook page and see where they are listed under Events. If you sign up to be on their ConstantContact email list you are going to be tempted on a regular basis with their changing menu. But probably the most efficient and up-to-the-minute way to know where they are, and what they are cooking, is to follow them on Twitter @skilletstfood. And if you are an iPhone user you can find them there. Yes, there’s a app for that! Download the StreetEats App [iTunes link] and then the iPhone GPS will locate various moving food street vendors for you on-the-fly!

Skillet Street Food Airstream

All this WAY cool marketing wouldn’t work if they didn’t back it up with awesome food, and they do! I had their scrumptious Duck Stew for lunch. Skillet Street Food Duck StewBut most people go for one of their burger specials.They are also very well known for their “Bacon Jam”, which is a spread made from rendered-down bacon, spices, onions, among other things. They’ve even been featured on KING-5 TV. It’s easy to find people talking about them. But the best thing is to look them up, and try them out for yourself. And check-in with foursquare while you’re there. Maybe some friends will join you for lunch!

Skillet Street Food Bacon Jam You can order your own Bacon Jam online, or get it as a perfect gift for that special chef in your life who has everything!

]]> http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/skillet-street-food-to-go/feed/ 0 New Seattle Walking Maps http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/new-seattle-walking-maps/ http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/new-seattle-walking-maps/#comments Fri, 24 Sep 2010 14:27:37 +0000 Jim Reppond http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/?p=3930 pedestrian road signNew Seattle Walking Maps available at the City of Seattle’s website are designed to help people choose a walking route that best suits their interests and fitness level. To help plan your walk, all of the routes and paths on the maps have been labeled with the approximate amount of time (in minutes) it takes to walk each segment based on its length. Maps for North, Central, and South Seattle are available. Or you can download a full City of Seattle walking map if you’d prefer. All of the maps are in scalable PDF.

]]> http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/new-seattle-walking-maps/feed/ 0 New Home Inspector Requirements http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/new-home-inspector-requirements/ http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/new-home-inspector-requirements/#comments Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:44:07 +0000 Jim Reppond http://www.seattlepowersearch.com/?p=3583 InspectorAs of July 1st, 2010 a new law went into affect in Washington State making it illegal for anyone to engage in or conduct home inspections without first obtaining a license. (The full language of the law can be found at RCW 18.280.020) This law was passed a couple of years ago and since then the Licensing Advisory Board has been developing a Standards of Practice, Code of Ethics, Educational Standards, and Licensing Requirements for this new law.

Home Inspectors Now Must:

  • Complete 120 hours of board approved classes and pass the National Home Inspectors Examination
  • Complete 40 hours of in-field training including 5 inspections with a licensed home inspector
  • Show licensed home inspectors license number on the front of each report
  • Provide a written report that includes the Standards of Practice (unless excluded by agreement with client)
  • NOT advertise their home inspection business without their license number
  • Report on fungal rot or conditions that may lead to fungal rot

In addition, there are a number of requirements and conditions regarding a separate license for being a Structural Pest Inspector:

  • A Home Inspector cannot report on wood destroying incests, unless they are also licensed by Washington State Dept of Agriculture as a licensed Structural Inspector.
  • ONLY Home Inspectors who are also licensed as Structural Pest Inspector may identify, draw conclusions, advise, or share any observation concerning wood destroying insects. This will be done with a complete report as required by WSDA and an additional fee may be charged.

I think it makes sense to ask inspectors to investigate more than just what’s required in certain circumstances. Sometimes they can do this, and sometimes a specialist needs to be called in. In older Seattle neighborhoods I often recommend to my clients that they have the main sewer pipeline inspected. This requires specialized equipment that home inspectors don’t carry. And homes with EIFS or stucco siding should really be inspected by a trained professional using a thermography device for moisture penetration. But this is not a state requirement.

As of July 1st, 2010 Real Estate Brokers should only refer Home Inspectors and Structural Pest Inspectors that are licensed to their clients. So is your favorite Home Inspector or Pest Inspector Licensed? Now it’s easy to find out on the government website.

Licensed Home Inspectors:

https://fortress.wa.gov/dol/dolprod/bpdLicenseQuery/

Licensed Structural Pest Inspectors:

http://agr.wa.gov/PestFert/LicensingEd/lists/default.aspx

For more information about Thermography Meters used to detect moisture and heat in the building inspection process, visit my previous blog at: http://www.theseattlespecialist.com/seattle-real-estate/thermography-for-home-inspections. Information for this article was obtaining from the Washington Department of Licensing and Washington Realtors.

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