Have heard the word there’s a new 100% financing program on the table and in some cases income isn’t a dis-qualifier. Its based on the income levels where you want to purchase you next property. All that’s needed is the address and if the income level is low-medium 100% financing is available  as long as its you primary residence really. In cases where income levels high there is an income cap of $68,480 but you can still finance 100% and this without that nasty PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) that’s attached to your loan because you can’t put 20% down. Looking at a jumbo loan how about 5% down yea for real. exprealty and a major local lender have the exclusive rights to this fantastic loan program. If your a first time home buyer, down sizing, relocating, or just looking to purchase in the Greater Seattle area you need ^the Cobbin Group!

The community’s location on the west-facing slopes of Puget Sound provides many amenities, including extensive views of the water and Olympic Mountains, access to beaches and waterfront parks, and compact downtown area.

As of April 2007, the population of the City of Edmonds has grown to 40,760. The rate of population growth has been relatively stable at about 1% per year with major increases occurring primarily as a result of annexations in the 1960s and 1970s. Based on forecasted continued growth at 1% per year, the population in 2010 is projected to be 43,650.

The Edmonds Chamber of Commerce was founded over 100 years ago and plays a major role in the Edmonds community. The Chamber sponsors several events throughout the year 4th of July celebration, A Taste of Edmonds, David Stern Golf Tournament, Classic Car Show, Halloween Festival, and Tree lighting.  The Edmonds Chamber is preparing for the largest event of the summer “A Taste of Edmonds”  A Taste of Edmonds is August 12-14th. Located in the Civic Play-field this will be the 29th birthday of A Taste of Edmonds featuring 3 full days of  fun, food, drinks, and great entertainment in downtown Edmonds.

Voted one of the “Top 100 North American Festivals”, there’s fun for everyone.

This Stunning 180-degree Puget Sound/Olympic Mountain/Whidbey Island View from beautiful 3,901sf Talbot Park home. Serene 1/2 acre perched high above cul-de-sac. Gourmet Kitchen, Master Suite w/fireplace/walk in closet & french doors open to fabulous Wrap Around Deck! Views from virtually every room including basement level which boasts potential mother in-law w/private entrance & very cool 1950′s diner style kitchen. Hot tub, huge laundry/project room, study/den, RV parking, prof landscaped & lots more. Priced to sell @ $685,000 for a private showing contact ^the Cobbin Group of exprealty

Below please find some websites and addresses that will give you access to the Edmonds amenities and experience.

In 2007 Money Magazine profiled Edmonds as one of the best places to live!

Wikipedia Article on Edmonds

Neighborhood Profile:

• population is 40,156
• median age is 45
• average income is $54,000
• rainfall is 39 inches and snowfall is 4 inches
• January average temp is 39 degrees and July is 76
• days on which some rain fell are 158 (know that it can rain in the morning and be sunny by noon here)
• unemployment rate is 4%
• median home value is $490,000 and median home age is 39 years old
• 7.8% of homes are rentals, 70% owner occupied, and the rest are vacant

An excellent local community college, Edmonds Community College offers such extras as beekeeping as well as international programs and the mainstreen studies.

Edmonds School District website provides info on all the schools.

Great Schools website will give you a rating for each school, just type it in the search bar.

The Walkscore site will let you know exactly what shops, schools, gyms, parks etc. are nearest to any address you type in, and how far away they are.  Interactive Map of downtown Edmonds.

Edmonds City Website has selections for visiting or moving to Edmonds.

List of phone numbers for all city services, schools, etc.

Edmonds Center for the Arts has a great website with a calendar of 2011 events.

Exploring Edmonds Parks online pamphlet.

Edmonds Historic Sites Walking Tour online pamphlet.

Yost Park Trails, Kid’s Education Offerings, and History and photos of a truly great resource park all online. This includes a local marine life guide, education on the forest and the local salmon, the Edmonds Marsh, the fishing pier, and Edmonds Underwater Park which is a favorites of scuba divers (Edmonds has a scuba center offering certification.)

Please stand by for additions including lists of the antique stores, great shopping, restaurants, and other Edmonds treasures, special spots and local amenities.

Below are a quick offering of what is currently new on the market in two neighborhodos, Edmonds and Edmonds Bowl: 27 single family homes under $300,000, 69 homes between $300-600,000, 22 homes between $600-900,000 and 12 homes over $900,000.  These links will expire after 30 days so just email me if you are reading this later than that and I will send you new links.  If you are interested in other Edmonds neighborhoods or other Seattle Area locations we can tailor a list to your requirements, again just drop me an email and I’ll be happy to put it together.  My team and I get great satisfaction in making your home search turn out right.

One great place that has Saturday auctions is the Waterfront Antique Mall.  I have happily wandered around there for a couple of hours.  Everything from furniture to books to jewelry to china, you name it and it is likely to be there.  It is a huge one story room which is divided up like a flea market into small booths, everything is labeled, and you take the purchase to the front counter to buy it.  Here is a page from Yelp with five reviews I found quite helpful.

Today I stopped by at Edmonds Mercantile and Auction, a small but impressive shop full of atmosphere and goodies from bygone eras.  Whether it’s grandma’s china, a wonderful doll, a little chest to hold treasures, or collectable glass, here you will find something to catch your interest even if you only stop by for a moment.  They also do an online auction, check out the website.  Happy hunting!

like the sign says!

plates, lamps, dolls, teapots gallore!

me, me, take me!

collectable glass

hours and daily schedule

2011 UPDATE:  Click here for a Calendar of Upcoming Events (like the Art Crush 2011 in September, Orla Falon (harpest) in October and A Chef’s Tour of Dream Kitchens next May).  My intention here and below is to give you an idea of the kinds of events taking place in Edmonds!

At the performing arts center we’re in the midst of the 2009-2010 season, with upcoming events such as The Peking Acrobats (Sunday 1/31/2010), The Second City, a “unique blend of cutting-edge improvisation and satirical sketch comedy”  (Saturday, 2/13/2010), a Grammy nominated woodwind quintet, Imani Winds (Sunday, 2/21/2010), Angelique Kidjo, West African singer/performer gathering wide influences of R&B, funk, and jazz music with and theater into a unique blend of song (Thursday, 2/25/2010) and legendary ukulele performer Jake Shimabukuro (Friday, 3/12/2010).  Events continue with Celtic Tenors and Seattle Men’s Chorus in March, Joan Osborne in April, and Ballet Folklorico in May.  You can find more information about tickets, dates and times, and directions on the ECA website. We are blessed with a fine cultural mix of offerings, be sure to get out and enjoy!

Semantics Gallery, Edmonds

strong.  The old Downtown Edmonds has been called a Northwest Carmel, partly due to the plethora of art galeries and artsy shops lining the streets.  There are about 7 galleries in downtown Edmonds, and the monthly Third Thursday Art Walk draws crowds.  The community is accostomed to being involved, and loves art.  Edmonds also draws thousands a year to vacation, walk, browse, rest, get sand in their shoes (with 2 miles of walkable beachfront, a marina, a ferry terminal, it is truly a town by the Sound).  According to .. gallery owner Denise Cole, Edmonds has become a destination for art collectors from Seattle, Bellevue, and points north and south.    Being only about 25 minutes north from downtown Seattle makes it a very easy drive!

Larry Jeffers talks about his constructed pieces

Larry Jeffers, owner of Semantics Gallery, had a successful gallery which incorporated a fossil and mineral store for years in Pioneer Square.  He closed it in 1994 and arrived in Edmonds with a vision of a small gallery to showcase his own work, fabricated movable sculptures and boxes that incorporate gems and minerals.  He found a peaceful quaint town devoted to the arts and very receptive to his venue.  In fact, so many artists walked through his door to apply for representation that he now showcases over 90 artists in the four plus showrooms of Semantics, which is located in an attractive building that opened in 1939 as a doctor’s office.  The gallery is on 4th Street, a half block away from local favorite Chanterelle Restaurant on Main Street.

According to Jeffers, Edmonds is what Pioneer Square was like 50 years ago.  People are not rushed, they’re not in the

Another room In Semantics

 fast lane.  People walk their pets, take time to stop and chat, no tall buildings, and everybody “has a great attitude.”  When I was there we fell into a conversation about how my 7 year old son likes rocks… or should I call them minerals.  As I started out he stopped me and pulled out a facinating little stone from a cupboard.  “Here, give him this.”  It was a teeny crystal of interesting shape.  Clearly Jeffers loves what he does, and his joy in the oppotunity to share his love with the people his work attracts is one of the reasons for the gallery’s success!  Next time I’ll plan at least a couple of hours to see everything and enjoy all the art and learning that are available to enjoy in this little Edmonds art scene gem.

Larry Jeffers' intricate constructed pieces incorporating metals and minerals.

Edy Kizaki
Realtor
edy@seattlepowersearch.com
206-402-9155 (cell)

Semantics Gallery

110 4th Ave N, Edmonds, WA 98020-3114

Recently a client and I discoverd a mutual love of art and took a few hours away from house hunting to visit several of the Edmonds downtown galleries and antique shops. Each one has such a distinct flavor that we felt like children being led through the streets by a pied piper, but the temptation was visual. She was down from Alaska to relocate and trying to find the area that felt best, I couldn’t resist showing Edmonds off!

First we went to Aria Studio Gallery, where proprietor Joan Archer paints and teaches art. Next door was the Fabric of Life Foundation, which teaches young women in Mali, West Africa, to be artisan-entropeneurs and create a craft business allowing them to support themselves and their families financially. What a wonderful place to go when you need a gift…or a gift for yourself. After that we found we couldn’t resist le Palmier Antiques, full of atmosphere and splindid delights from bygone eras.

We looked and looked and enjoyed chatting with the shop owners about the various goodies. And then it was time for lunch! We walked over to Chantrelle, one of the most beloved of Edmonds eateries, where we were lucky enough to find a table for two and enjoyed specialties from the grill.

After lunch we visited a very wonderful little art/craft gallery, don’t miss it if you have a chance to drop by. Semantics Gallery (at the moment exhibiting the work of Marcio Diaz) is just off the main street, so you have to make sure to walk over there, but it is well worth the extra few minutes. The owner/artist used to own the largest gem and fossell store in Pike’s Place Market, but gave that up to open this splendid gallery. Many fine craft artists are represented, including a facinating case of the owner’s sculptures with stone and other natural elements in intricate designs. He also has a great knowledge of the rocks and gemstones displayed in his cases, and we found it hard to tear ourselves away from the interesting stories. I will be sure to bring my little boy with me next time, there is so much to learn there.

That day we didn’t get to the Waterfront Antique Mall where there are auctions held weekly and a truly amazing assortment of displays of every imaginable antique, books, furniture, jewelry, just for a start, we had to leave that for another day…not to mention a good many other galleries in the town, the Edmonds Center for the Arts (recently built and quite impressive, with a variety of exciting performances scheduled during the season) and other very rewarding aspects of this special small town close enough to Seattle for a comfortable commute, with excellent schools, numerous community events year round (like the Taste of Edmonds Festival and the Edmonds Art Festival) and the proximity to Puget Sound that makes life seem just that little bit more special.

Edy Kizaki
Realtor, Team Leader
edy@seattlepowersearch.com
206.402.9155  (cell)

follow me on Twitter.com:  http://twitter.com/edykizaki

Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington. Edmonds has a view of the Puget Sound and both the Olympic Mountains and Cascade Range. As of 2007, Edmonds is the second most populous city in Snohomish County, ranking behind Everett. Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Edmonds ranks 37th of 522 ranked Washington areas.

Edmonds is a port in the Washington State Ferries system. Currently, the only ferry from Edmonds is a short run to Kingston, Washington.