Exploring the Seattle Pacific Science Center, by Edy Kizaki and assistant Madeleine Anthony

The Seattle Pacific Science Center is packed with fun and adventures for people of every age.  From school field trips to just plain old family fun, the Science Center is always a blast.  Babies, toddlers, pre-schoolers, as well as our school children of all ages, enjoy  playing, exploring, and learning about such wonders as ocean life, reptiles, and the human body.  In fact, the adults have just as much fun as the kids as there is something for everyone!  Many times you’ll see Seattle visitors without kids there with unmistakable expressions of interest and pleasure. I know I learn something new every time I go! The Science Center is huge, with four buildings packed full of different exhibits surrounding the central water park which also has its own experiments about hydrogen energy, bicycling, and sculptures of animals and dinosaurs.

There is never enough time to completely enjoy all that the Science Center has to offer.  Two IMAX Theaters (the Boeing Theater being six stories high!) show all kinds of 3D films ranging from tornados to Sea-Rex. Learn about our solar system in the Planetarium and enjoy a hypnotizing laser show in the Laser Dome.  Check their IMAX THEATER WEBSITE  for current showtimes. Currently the butterfly house is a favorite attraction of most of the kids I know.  The humid exhibit is filled with exotic plants from jungles and tropical forests where hundreds of butterflies flitter past, sometimes to land on your shoulder or shoe.  Before going into the Butterfly House, you must pass through the yucky, creepy bug exhibit where you can observe live tarantulas and scorpions.  Sit at a picnic table where a lunch of fried beetles and bug cookies await.  In another exhibit you can learn about prehistoric dinosaurs and watch the life size models munching on plants and tearing apart fresh meat.   My little guy loves the toddler play area with indoor climbing toys, computer room, musical instruments, and water park (great for the Seattle wet winters which keeps us inside). There are endless experiments ranging from DNA blocks to the chemistry lab, balance and levers to trains and other locomotives.

The Science Center is located in the extensive Seattle Center in the north part of downtown. It would be a mistake to think you can see the whole Seattle Center in one day, split up the museums for several different trips.  You can spend the whole day at the Seattle Pacific Science Center and still not see it all. Bring a sack lunch, some snacks, and take your time exploring all of the scientific wonders and activities at the Pacific Science Center.

Madeleine Anthony, Young Seattle Mom and Real Estate Assistant

First, before you start to drive you can visit the website at seattle.gov/epark and take a look at the interactive map and live feed which show the parking garages that have space available.  You can choose the garage that is closest to where you are going, taking price into account too.

Then when you get to downtown, just go straight to your chosen garage.  There are dynamic signs posted at key points (made so you can’t miss them), which will help guide you.  These useful little signs let you know current information including how many spaces the garages have at that time.

Don’t forget some fun and entertaining ride options once you are downtown, which include the recently returned Seattle streetcars, the light rail, the monorail, horse drawn carriages, rental scooters, and of course the Ride The Duck tours.  And the Center for Wooden Boats on Westake offers free boat rides on Sunday afternoons, as well as some boating lessons and some classes on keeping the art of building old time boats alive.  And for those who like to walk, check out this great walking map put out by the city government which you can enlarge to see each individual walk.

It occurs to me that there are some definite differences between the big box real estate companies that you always see in the media and the smaller firms that are in the market.  The big firms make you fit into their box and some make you qualify with them before they will even take you out to see houses.  Oh and you have to sign an agreement to only use them.  They are great in the neighborhoods that they operate in as they are promoted as “neighborhood experts” but what happens if you don’t exactly know where you want to live and want to see other areas.  Hmmm, could be a problem.  The other issue is just because your friend, relative, neighbor is an excellent realtor for the big box real estate company where you are, does that mean that the person on the other side of the country is equally as good.  There are no guarantees as to the competence of realtors in a big box real estate company.  So it is imperative that buyers get a hold of “Buyers Realtors” in the community that they are looking, to find someone that is willing to work for you before you move.

What are “Buyers Realtors”?  These are agents/brokers, states like to mix these terms so I’ll call them realtors, who work mainly with people looking to buy a home.  Most of the big box real estate buyers realtors are again neighborhood experts that know everything within their neighborhoods.  But, cross over into another neighborhood or city and most won’t know as much as someone that works in that area.  The smaller company buyers realtors will go wherever they need to and may not know as much minutia about an area but will know about or be able to direct you to the website that can give you the information.  Ever wonder about schools, gyms, parks, in different areas?  All of this information is available and a good buyers realtor will get it to you.  There have been an occasions when someone doesn’t know the different communities and aren’t really sure where to live but they work in downtown Seattle, for instance.  What happens then?  Think a neighbor expert will know where you want to live?  Well certainly…in their area.  What if it’s not convenient or you want to use mass transit and it is not where you want to be?

Here are some things that buyers should consider: First, who’s going to know more about a variety of areas in the general vicinity of where they work?; Secondly, how soon is the relocation planned for; Thirdly, who is able to give you insights into the different areas that you are interested in; and Finally, who wants to assist you.  Many of the websites out there are good for looking up properties and most will have a realtor attached to them, that will contact you.  Don’t be afraid of talking to someone about what you want.  It is one of the biggest purchases that you make in life so get someone that can help you find the home that you really want.  As I said earlier, find someone to work with before you move.  In this way, you will find out how much they know and what their ability is to look outside their office area.  Depending on the realtor, you may even be able to eliminate some areas without even being there yet with the information that you get from them.  If you like to get paper resources, some firms will send you “relocation packs”  which are filled with some information about the areas that you might want to consider.

Good hunting!

Please let me know if I can assist you.

Alakan Way Viaduct Closure Survival Guide

Ready or not, the Alaskan way viaduct closure is planned for October 21-31^st.  One of the well travelled roads and a great alternative to I-5, commuters of all vehicles are panicking even for this short nine day closure.  This is going to really congest the West Seattle Bridge to I-5 corridor, which is already unpleasant during the busy commute times.  Unless you are the lucky few that are either taking vacation time or working from home, there is no way around this so let’s look for a solution to the Alaskan viaduct closure.  The state and WADOT are recommending people to shift work hours to avoid busy commute times, carpooling, taking public transportation, and etc.  In order to avoid the commuter nightmare, if everyone does their part, I think we can alleviate some of the pain we will nevertheless endure. 

The Alaskan Way Viaduct will be closed for nine days starting @ 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct 21, 2011!

The Alaskan Way Viaduct section of State Route 99

(Map provided by WADOT website)

There was ton of information out there so I wanted to streamline to what’s most important.  You will find following links useful in navigating the Alaskan way viaduct closure.

Nine-day closure of the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct, October 21-31 (what to anticipate and how to prepare yourself)

SR 99 – Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement (comprehensive information on the repair)

King County Metro Transit Alaskan Way Viaduct Construction Updates

Recommended Routes

Bicycle and Pedestrian Routes

Water Taxi Could Sail Through Viaduct Closure

ABOUT CHRISTY KIM

SEATTLE REAL ESTATE

What is a Short Sale?

Do you know what a short sale is?  You hear about it all the time in the news.  Your friend just scored a super deal on a short sale.  A stranger once suggested to you to never ever make an offer on a short sale.  I get asked about short sales a lot and as much as I despise providing generalized answers to some of the most pressing real estate questions, my answer often is “I can’t tell you concretely until we get into one.”  No, it is not a trick statement or sales strategy of a real estate broker; plain and simple, every short sale is different.  And even within the contract, there are obstacles, complications, disappointments, and pleasant surprises that come up in a short sale transaction.

According to Wikipedia, “A short sale is a sale of real estate in which the proceeds from selling the property will fall short of the balance of debts secured by liens against the property and the property owner cannot afford to repay the liens’ full amounts, whereby the lien holders agree to release their lien on the real estate and accept less than the amount owed on the debt.”  A homeowner for some reason is struggling and unable to continue their obligations will seek to do a short sale on their property.  This is a proactive option by the homeowner in which they are actively working with their lender to accomplish the sale of their home and is an alternative option to a foreclosure.

More on Short Sale

ABOUT CHRISTY KIM

It’s well and good to learn from a lecture. But rarely is a lecture life-changing.

Washington is called the evergreen state. We love our trees, the great outdoors and our planet. We are a hardy people. And we have two universities (colleges) that are in the top 10 for sustainable practices and learning.

The University of Washington is ranked number 1 in the country. Every building completed since 2006 has earned LEED Gold. All appliances bought are Energy Star rated. And the hydro-powered campus runs 3 farms, an extensive recycling program, and the conservation-research hotbed Pack Forest. The university is located on a fresh water lake in Seattle that had problems with algae bloom from residential sewage run-off.  The city of Seattle, like many cities with overburdened treatment centers, encouraged the University to reduce water use on campus. As an incentive, the city offered a rebate of $120 per water fixture that the university replace with new water saving equipment. So they retrofitted their plumbing to save water, conserve energy and be “green.”

Forty percent of UW’s food budget is spent on local items, according to the green report card. They use mostly cage free eggs and natural milk. The school composts their food waste, which keeps it out of the landfills. The Bothell campus uses goats to control weeds on their grounds.

All campus community members participating in the U-PASS program receive unlimited public transit passes and discounts on carpool permits and the car-sharing program. Student government runs a nonprofit bike repair shop, and 88 percent of students and 62 percent of employees commute via environmentally preferable means.

The Evergreen State College is ranked number 9 nationally. This non-traditional college breaks the mold in so many ways. Our middle son attended this college to obtain his Bachelor of Science degree and he received graduate level education with exceptional professors.

The Evergreen State College, in Olympia, Washington, aims to reach carbon neutrality by 2020. Though it’s campus is currently one-third coal powered, students pay a self-imposed fee of $1 each academic quarter to buy renewable energy credits to offset the college’s electricity consumption.

Evergreen’s Organic Farm is located on a 5 acre section of campus. The plot includes the farmhouse, Demeter’s Gardens, Community Gardens, the Biodiesel facility, the compost facility, the workroom, tool shed, greenhouses and the 38,000 square foot production area of the Organic Farm.  The Organic Farm crew works all year round to plan, plant, maintain and harvest the various crops grown.  The Compost Facility is used to turn farm waste into compost for fertilizing the production area of the farm.  During the growing season the Organic Farm’s produce is sold at the Organic Farm Stand on Red Square at Evergreen, at The Organic Farm during business hours and through our Community Supported Agriculture Program.  Excess produce and plant starts are donated to the Thurston County Food Bank.

The school has an extensive composting project as well as a comprehensive recycling program.

According to The Evergreen State Paper Policy, it  is committed to using environmentally benign products and technologies whenever possible.

Ride Share and alternative forms of transportation are part of Evergreen’s sustainability. Student fees pay for and allow all students at Evergreen to ride the bus in and around Olympia and Thurston County an unlimited number of times each quarter by showing their student ID. By registering in a database of Evergreen commuters, the ride share program allows students, faculty and staff to match their schedules with people who live close by and facilitates contact to set up new carpools.

Ban the Bottle is a campus-wide initiative to raise awareness in The Evergreen State College community about the negative impacts of plastic bottles on social, environmental and economical health as well as alternative, safer options for drinking water. The long-term goal of this initiative is to discontinue the purchase of plastic bottled water on campus and provide re-useable water canteens and to install bottle fill stations across campus.  Evergreen has switched all of their disposable ware to compostable products. They have also eliminated trays, saving countless gallons of water. The school supports local farmers and producers, using organic whenever possible.

Students can opt to live in the sustainability house,  made up of a community of students committed to a living an environmentally conscious, socially just, and sustainable lifestyle. Residents of the Sustainability House complete 5 hours of sustainability-related service each month to the campus and house community.

The lessons students learn from these sustainable practices will be carried throughout their lives and potentially impact the world.

Seattle Area Real Estate

Seattle Houseboats

Northlake Way Houseboats

This week I helped a new client tour a couple Seattle houseboats on Lake Union.  This young lady works at a clinic where she knows two doctors who live on big houseboats.  She would be a first time home buyer and was looking for something small and affordable.  She picked out two listings under $300,000 that were about the size of an apartment for a single person: 550 to 700 square feet.

We looked at two houseboat neighborhoods:

• Westlake Avenue: which extends from the new Lake Union Park north to within sight of the Aurora Bridge.  This home was on the northern end of the avenue.
• Northlake Way: sitting alongside Gas Works Park.

Our clear favorite was the houseboat off of Westlake Avenue.  It sat near the end of the dock – just one sailboat between it and the open water.  Its upper level, covered deck anyway looked out over this sailboat for a terrific view across Lake Union to the north with the Aurora Bridge and Gas Works Park in view and to the east where we would have seen the Cascade Mountains on a clear day.  The floor plan was well organized with a master bedroom, loft, and outdoor deck up top.  Below was a common room with seating, a small dining table, and kitchen with miniature appliances.  Nearby was the 3/4 bathroom with shower and even a tiny guest bedroom – about the size of a closet.  This houseboat was only 10 years old and appeared to be in excellent condition.

Westlake Avenue Houseboat Neighborhood

A few things surprised me about houseboats:

• Both neighborhoods had plenty of free parking!  Practically unheard of for Seattle.
• Some houseboats sit deep inside their neighborhoods and have little or no view.  I don’t see the point in living in such a location.  Your position on the dock is very important.
• There was no dishwasher and no laundry aboard the houseboat.  You won’t have all the amenities you take for granted on land.

My client was young and new to home buying, so she didn’t really know how to proceed.  I took the lead in researching considerations in houseboat ownership.  The listing agent was an expert in the topic.  From her I learned that the cost of moorage and utilities would run between $575 and $605 per month.  The boats needs maintenance done on their hulls every 5 years.  The City of Seattle is limiting development of new neighborhoods and construction of new houseboats, but the current houseboats are protected.

More Information on Seattle Houseboats

Click here for more photos and current houseboat listings

Belltown Condo in Seattle

Working in the Seattle market,  you bet I preview lots of Belltown condos in Seattle.  Combining urban excitement and Seattle’s spectacular natural setting, Belltown is a hot market for both retail buyers and investors looking for opportunities in a stable real estate market.

A fantastic unit in Klee came up so I wanted to share about this opportunity and its attractive building.  Klee is one of my favorites in the Belltown condo market in Seattle.  Located between Cedar St. and Western Ave, you can’t find a better location to call home.  It is one block from the Olympic Sculpture Park and the Pier, few blocks from the Seattle Center and the Space Needle, and close to all the restaurants and cafes with public transportation in every direction.  Its close approximity to Downtown makes it a convenient and fun location for busy professionals wanting to be close to all the action and attractions!

Klee Condo – 2717 Western Ave, Seattle 98121

More information on this Belltown Condo in Seattle

ABOUT CHRISTY KIM

Whether you’re a local, home shopping, or just visiting, there’s a great way to see more of the city and maybe polish up your photography skills too!  There’s a Shutter Tours of Seattle that is so interesting that earlier this year it was profiled on Evening Magazine (check out the video!) and is an ongoing favorite of tourists and residents alike.  Want to see something of Seattle?  This is as interactive as it gets!  Want to bring back some special photos?  Not only will your friends and fans ooh and ahh over your sparkling creativity, but I predict your photos will never be the same again.

And what does this have to do with real estate?  As always, enjoy and get to know the city, meet some of the people and give yourself a chance to breathe it in… you are never going to want to leave.  If you get some great photos, please play along with my little game and upload them on my Where in Seattle?  page, or post a link to your web album.  Keeps us guessing…

Wow! Where did the summer (oh, did we have one) go? It’s mid August and a new school year is just around the corner. Stores are full of back to school supplies and clothes. Times are tough – budgets are stretched thin. It’s easy to want to grab the most inexpensive supplies. Here are some ideas to make your child’s school year healthier for them and the planet.

Classroom Supplies:

• Buy cardboard or canvas binders, which are biodegradable, instead of plastic ones.

• Get your kids recycled pencils and paper. There’s even paper made out of elephant poop!

• Opt for crayons instead of markers, and white glue instead of epoxy.

• Teach kids to reuse scrap paper for drafting homework and working out math problems.

• When the teacher asks for classroom contributions, send in all-natural non-toxic items, such as antibacterial hand sanitizer, natural cleaning supplies and recycled paper tissues.

• Lobby for the school to become a paper-free school, with all information passed along via email.

Getting to and from School:

Many parents drive their kids to school and pick them up. While quick, convenient and often necessary, cars also pollute the environment. But there are ways to minimize the effects and save a few dollars in the process.

• Instead of idling in front of the school, emitting fumes and wasting gas, shut off the engine.

• Get together with friends and your kids’ classmates and carpool.

• Leave the car in the driveway and walk or bike the kids to school.

School Lunches:

• Avoid sandwich bags and plastic wrap that will end up in landfills. Put food in reusable tupperware whenever possible.

• Steer clear of packaged food that comes in individual servings. Buy items like yogurt or crackers in bulk and transport them to school in serving-size containers.

• Although straws are small, they can add up in landfills. Stainless steel straws are a little-known alternative, and are available online and in eco-friendly stores.

• When possible, use leftovers for lunches. This is a great way to avoid wasting food that may end up spoiling in your fridge.

• Pack lunches with organic and local foods and foods without added preservatives and hormones whenever possible. These foods travel shorter distances to get to you and contain fewer unhealthy additives.

• Encourage others to only use recyclable containers. Help create waste-free lunch days at school.

• Invest in a reusable water bottle to avoid packaged beverages and the waste they produce.

Clothes and Bags:

• Avoid backpacks made of nylon or new plastics, especially PVC (vinyl), and look instead for bags made from recycled materials or natural materials, such as hemp.
• Green clothing is also getting easier and easier to find, and while pricing used to make green clothing options out of the reach of most families, organic, sustainable and recycled clothing options are now often priced the same as conventional clothing. Major retailers including Wal-Mart and Target sell organic cotton clothing.
• Organic cotton makes a big difference by reducing reliance on pesticides and insecticides. Conventional cotton is grown on just 2.4 percent of land suitable for farming worldwide, but it consumes about 25 percent of all insecticides and 10 percent of pesticides used annually. Recycled cotton and polyester clothing is also cropping up in stores, and it’s a great way to maximize the use of materials and divert waste from landfills.
• Swaps and second-hand shops are also a great place to stock up on essentials, such as t-shirts, jeans, and more. Buying second-hand will help you save money, swaps let you trade up from the clothing your kids have outgrown, and both options help divert clothing from landfills and reduce demand for new clothing. Check out Buffalo Exchange in Seattle.

Check out the Sustainable Schools Coalition  in Seattle. They are working hard to put into action practices that will help the environment while saving money for Seattle Public schools.

And finally, when our tax dollars are paying for building new schools throughout our region, make your voice heard. Make sure the building is being done with sustainability in mind. A perfect example is the new Finn Hill Junior High in Kirkland. When students rush into the new Finn Hill Junior High in Kirkland, Wash., on the first day of school this fall, they will be greeted by the “Finn Hill Family,” a collection of glass figurines designed by a local artist. LEDs inside each sculpture will be wired to controls that measure the electricity, heat and water use of a particular classroom cluster.  The more energy and water students conserve, the brighter their figurines will shine. This spring, builders are installing a ventilation system that recaptures waste heat as well as tightly sealed walls of insulated panels and a rooftop photovoltaic array. Architects at the Seattle firm Mahlum designed the project to be 65 percent more energy efficient than typical schools in the area, making the case to taxpayers that investments made now will save in operating costs over the building’s 40-to 50-year lifetime.

Finn Hill Junior High sits at the vanguard of a green schools building boom driven by federal stimulus spending, local school bonds and education leaders looking to slash energy costs. As the recession-racked construction industry continues to suffer the burst of the housing bubble, green school projects offer a bright spot for builders and designers. Data research company McGraw-Hill Construction estimates that such projects totaled $16 billion last year – up from $9 billion in 2008. That’s more than a third of all school construction activity.

Seattle Area Real Estate