Sammamish Washington

Came in 15th on the Top 100 cities population 46,700

If you’re looking for the Pacific Northwest ideal–snow-capped mountains and scenic lakes–Sammamish might be for you. Puget Sound and ski resorts are both an hour from this affluent Seattle suburb. High-tech employers in the area include Boeing, Amazon, and Microsoft, which is headquartered just 15 minutes away. Incorporated just over a decade ago, Sammamish still doesn’t have a real center where the community can gather. But local officials are working on a new downtown with retail, recreation, and town services.

Newcastle Washington:

Last but certainly not least was Newcastle Washington at 18th of the Top 1oo cities of the Best places to live with a population of  10,200.

The volunteer spirit is alive and well in this former coal-mining town 13 miles from Seattle. Despite serious budget cuts that threatened the city’s summer 2011 events, local businesses and citizens offered time and cash to keep the community’s concerts and fireworks afloat. There’s a 350-acre golf course here, not to mention 12 parks; the 3,115-acre Cougar Mountain Wildland Park is right next door. Newcastle residents can jump on a trail in the city and end up in the “Issaquah Alps.” Tech employers such as Microsoft are almost as easily accessible

Nestled into a non-assuming building is the Mukilteo Lodge, a restaurant and sports bar that caters to the sports enthusiasts in us all.  With several televisions screens spread out throughout the restaurant you can see the game or games that are crowd favorites.   You can see all the major sports and some minor ones that are playing on the TV.   Right now you can see the Mariners & Sounders play or see what’s happening in the NBA or NHL playoffs.

The bar has 32 Microbrews and some not so microbrews on tap along with a full bar, so you should be able to find something to whet your whistle.  The food also has some sports favorites such as the different PAC-10 burgers to show your support of your favorite team.  Everything that I’ve had there has been tasty and the portions were enough that you shouldn’t go home hungry.   They have enough room to bring your friends and make a party out of it.

The Lodge is truly the only restaurant and sports bar in the Greater Everett, Mukilteo areas.  It’s also on the way to the Mukilteo Ferry terminal to Whidbey Island.  Ever get stuck in line waiting for the ferry and can’t make the big game?  Well no problem, just stop at the Lodge and let other people fight the wait and have your favorite drink served by really nice people while watching the game.  Sound like fun?  It is!

This is one of the truly fun places in Mulilteo.  See you there.

The park is broad and grassy, not unduly windy, and has amenities such as benches and tables for a sunset picnic.  Now that spring is in full swing with milder days and only sightly chilly evenings, the intrepid among us might dare to take sandwiches or even a more elaborate picnic down and socialize in full view of the glory.  As summer approaches the park, as it is every year, will be full to bursting of families and groups enjoying the broad grassy expanses (great for Frisbee and playing ball) and shady trees toward the north end of the park.  And the view.  Oh yes, and the view!

Boulevard Bluffs is a great and upscale Everett neighborhood.  The views, the proximity to Mukilteo and the quaint shopping, restaurants, and Seaside parks, not to mention the ferry, and yet near enough to I-5 or 405 to be able to go south either to Seattle or the Eastside quicker than from more northern parts of Everett, make this area popular with those who don’t mind the higher mean housing values in exchange for the beauty and amenities of the area.

If you have any good photos of this park in summer I would love to post some of those as well, so just email me at edy@seattlecentric.com.  Thanks!!

I often get calls from my active buyers asking “when to buy”. My sellers are asking me “when you sell”. Each party wants to know how long to wait before pulling the trigger.  My answer is “when it is the right time for you, your budget and your family”.  Each person has a different life event that calls to buy or sell real estate.

Northwest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) reported as following stats for Dec 2009.

As seen above chart, Residential active listings units dropped 19.01% from 4362 units in 2008 vs 3533 units in 2009 for the month of December while Pending Residential units increased 38.02%, as Dec 09 pending listings were 628 units compare to 455 units in December 2008.  There is a huge increase in sold units at 89.02%, 654 units closed in 2009 vs 346 units in 2008.

As seen above chart, Median Price declined all across for Active, Pending and Sold Listings.  For December 09 sold median price was $287,000, dropped 19% compare to Dec 2008 while year to date Median price dropped further to 13.06%.

As seen above chart, one other important factor to watch is “Days on the market” (DOM). Due to better pricing of the homes as they get listed, DOM has dropped 12.3% for sold listings in December 2009 vs 2008.

Over all, Days on the market is shortening, Inventory of homes dropping while sold home units are increasing. December 2009 Market Trend is showing a promising future for buyers and sellers. Yes, values are declining as there is activity out there…..

If you would like more personalized information for your area, please contact me via email Sebnem.oden@exprealty.com or visiting my websitewww.ProKeyRE.com

Wishing you a prosperous real estate future….

Rose Hill Chocolate Company, 700 3rd Street, Mukilteo, WA, (425) 353-1183

Leely’s Day Spa & Wine: 700 Third St., Mukilteo; 425-268-6004, leely@ahanmail.net. Wine tasting available with spa services anytime; regular tasting 6 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, $5.

Lighthouse Park Views from Beach

recently relandscaped beach park just south of the Mukilteo ferry terminal. There were kayaks, speedboats, the ferries of course, and one glorious ocean liner passing, kids and their parents playing on the new space age playground climbing equipment, dog walkers, log sitters, photographers, and some strollers enjoying the beauty of the scene. We jumped from log to log and made it from one end of the beach to the other without touching the sand.