The Japanese Garden in the Arboretum is about to end its winter hiatus, reopening on Sunday, February 14, for its 50th Anniversary season. Rated by a garden journal as one of the ten favorite Japanese gardens in the country, Seattle’s Japanese Garden was inaugurated in July 1960, after only four months of construction. It’s now ready to celebrate a half century of giving pleasure to visitors seeking sanctuary and a connection to nature.
The concept of adding a Japanese Garden to the Arboretum goes back to 1937, but it took another …

It seems fitting to be writing this the day before Halloween, given the cringe-inducing nature of this topic.  However, I feel compelled to write about this as a Public Service Announcement.

Bed bugs, like the ones your Mom used to warn you against, are becoming a serious nuisance in metropolitan areas like Seattle. They first came to my attention a couple of months ago, and my initial reaction was something along the lines of a guffaw. “What’s next?”, I laughed, “an invasion of unicorns?”  Sadly, and disturbingly, bed bugs are real, …

These days, it is all too easy for  inexperienced buyers to become obsessed with getting the “best deal”.   I’m talking about  the “weekend warrior” buyer- the one who watches countless hours of HGTV shows that make it seem plausible that someone could seek out, purchase, remodel and flip a home for 25% profit in 30 minutes, or less. The “Hey, I bet I could do that, too!” type of buyer…
There are lots of ways to cut costs when house-hunting. Buying fixers, frontier homes or former meth-labs has always been popular …

The $8000 first time buyer tax credit has gotten a lot of attention in recent months. If you’re reading this, you probably already know that, I guess. You are obviously capable of operating a computer and navigating the internets… So, if you are curious about the $8000 tax credit, and like stick figures, have a look at this video. I didn’t make it, but I like the style. It’s a little cheesy, but it explains the meat and potatoes of the tax credit in a way that even your dog …

Recently,  I was wandering the Ballard Sunday market with my friend Alan. We were taking pictures of Old Ballard and reminiscing about the many great times we’ d had there over the years. While wandering down Ballard Ave. ( which is blocked off during the market) we saw a pair of boots nailed to a phone pole.  As I paused to take a picture, a family walked past. I overheard their young son inquire of his father, “Daddy, why are there shoes stuck to that pole?” The answer, which became …

Just about everybody has heard of an appraisal and knows what it is- an assessment of a home’s value based on empirical evidence like recent sales, replacement costs, and the subjective opinions of underpaid appraisers hurrying from one gig to the next.  What many Buyers don’t know is that, even though they get to pay for it,  the appraisal isn’t for them, it’s for their bank.  While it’s true that the bank wants you to know you’re getting your money’s worth, they are really much more concerned about whether they …

Unless you’ve been living in a cave, you know that the past 18 months have seen record numbers of homes hit the Seattle real estate market.  And not just Seattle’s market, but all markets across the country. The combination of panic, desperation and fear has caused “For Sale” signs to spring up faster than Rush Limbaugh’s assistant when somebody yells “free cake”.  The good news is that the tide seems to be turning toward a more balanced and stable market. However, that isn’t really all that reassuring if you’ve been watching …

7. You have WAY too many knick-knacks and personal items covering your shelves and walls.  If your house looks like an indoor flea-market, potential buyers have a hard time imagining their own crappy junk littering the house.  The same goes for pictures of your wedding, vacations or grandkids- if home shoppers feel like they’re in your house, it’s hard or them to begin to think of it as their house.  Get yourself a professional staging expert.  It is statistically proven that staged homes tend to sell faster and for more …

And last, but certainly not least…
10. You’re cheap- Guess what- if you aren’t offering a competitive selling commission (aka buyer’s agent commission or SOC)  on your listing, you are doing it wrong. It is time to get serious about selling your house, and short-changing the professionals whose job it is to get it sold is a great way to shoot yourself in the foot.  This is one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) financial transactions of your life. Do you really want to trust it in the hands of …