As seen above chart, Residential active listings units dropped 20.55% from 8707 units in 2008 to 6918 units in December 2009 while Pending Residential units increased 55.10%, as Dec 09 pending listings were 1413 units compare to 911 units in December 2008.  There is a huge increase in sold units at 57.37%, 1462 units closed in 2009 vs 929 units in 2008.  Snohomish County Sold Residential unit increase is at 89.02% when compared to 2008.

As seen above chart, Median Price declined all across for Active, Pending and Sold Listings.  For December 09 sold median price was $380,000, dropped 6% compare to Dec 2008 while year to date Median price dropped further to 11.62%.

As seen above chart, the other important indicator to watch is “Days on the market” (DOM). There isn’t a significant difference, as little as 1.19% for Dec 09 and 6.85% for the year.

Over all, 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 emailSebnem.oden@exprealty.com or visiting my website www.ProKeyRE.com

Wishing you a prosperous real estate future….

Giving the Bash some serious competition are two major parties, one is DList Magazine’s “New Year’s Eve 2010″ being held at Fremont Film Studios (9 p.m. to 2 a.m.).  If you haven’t at least been in the neighborhood when the Studios are lit up with a celebrity event, noticed the strings of limos and party-goers approaching (the friendly smiles of the Valet guys tell us it’s Fremont after all) then you’ll want to make it a point to attend something there, and here is a great possibility.  General admission is $55 and Ryan Leslie is featured along with DJ Ikon.  21+, dress to impress!

But wait, it gets even more tempting with the 8th Annual all-out bash at EMP!  It’s called “Indulgence 2010“, a party featuring varied music, many dance floors, national music acts, hot DJs, comedians, great experiences!  There are tickets for $60 as well as VIP packages at $189 and $350.  And views of the Space Needle and City Lights.  Actually, I wanna go.  Problem is, I wanna go to all three, and then there’s the all night cruise, the Rock the Boat party that starts out at the Islander Yacht Club, boarding and pre-funk starts at 9 p.m., boat leaves the dock by 10:30 p.m., and parks about 20 minutes before midnight at the South End of Lake Union to watch the fireworks.  The tickets are $70, it’s usually a private party but this year for the first time has been opened to everyone, black tie attire.  Oh, I forgot, the event is hosted by Harrison Wood from Kube 93 and the music is slated to be “the best hip hop and R&B”… all night!  Let’s!  The Islander Yacht Club is at 1611 Fairview Ave E in Seattle.

There are warnings abroad that any and all of these just might sell out so if you are going to one it’s recommended to get your tickets early (so I’m posting it now to give you a week).  And don’t forget to post your comments and photos so we can all enjoy!  Happy New Year, Seattle!

So how do we make it practical and attractive not only to spend the $ up front for long term savings, but to include the more than 100 million homes and offices we already have in the new technologies that result in these long-term savings? Looks like the plan is in place. Economically it makes sense to retrofit. Almost all older buildings could use improvements that pay for themselves and cut their power consumption in half. The loans to do it would be paid by the savings in energy. The programs to support these upgrades are starting to appear. Ideally, homeowners and small businesses could call a toll-free number and find out what local resources and loans are available to start their retrofit process in a cost effective way. Many local communities have started to develop this resources so check locally whereever you are and find out if your city provides the consumer information service to get started.

Here in Seattle, Seattle City Light has announced that it’s proud to be one of the first four Utilities in the country which is working with Microsoft in an innovative consumer support program. They are providing consumers an online application (FREE!) that helps them track their energy usage and then get personalized recommendations for improved energy efficiency! You can (and I am definitely going to, so I’ll report back) sign up to be one of the first customers to use the product! (Microsoft Hohm for Seattle.)

The activity taking place at the highest levels of government are already moving us toward lower public building utility bills. Often the second-biggest government expense after saleries, Obama’s first economic recovery packaged included retrofitting public buildings. This will help get into place worker training and factories which make energy-efficient windows, furnaces, insulation, as well as air conditioning. Local and state government energy bills will be much lower and will be able to repay the loans with their savings. Good to know!

"Here lies Walter Fielding. He bought a house, and it killed him."

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 for those hoping to save money, and these days, short-sales and foreclosed (REO) homes are whetting the appetites of aspiring “investors” all across the country.  Certainly, there are good deals out there to be found, and there are smart ways a savvy buyer can save money. The seemingly-endless series of books, seminars, and TV shows based on that premise can attest to that.  However, in my experience as a real estate professional I have witnessed, first-hand, more than a few common mistakes that I think are worth pointing out. This is for those buyers AND their agents, to whom they should be paying more attention!

#1   You don’t actually know how to fix stuff:

Do you know how to re-wire a circuit breaker? Have you actually done it, or just seen it on TV?  If water starts shooting across the floor after you smash the old toilet with a sledgehammer, do you know how to turn it off? Do you know how to pull up the carpet and lay down that fancy tile flooring your wife picked out at Home Depot last weekend? No? Then…

#2  You don’t have the money to get things fixed:

You don’t have to be a handy-man to buy a fixer. However, you definitely need deep pockets with plenty of cash in them. Fixing up a house can cost a lot of money. I mean a LOT of money. Do you know how much a toilet costs? How about a window…or a new heating system? Do you know how much it costs to pay the people who do know how to do that stuff? I’ve met electricians who charged by the second,  roofers that actually preferred to be paid in kidneys, and  plumbers whose invoices technically qualified as Crimes Against Humanity…

#3  You don’t have the time to get things fixed:

So, let’s say you have the knowledge, the money, or some combination thereof that you determine will make this a workable scenario. Do you have the time?  I was talking with a friend of mine recently about this. He’s a professional home inspector, so he definitely has the knowledge and the money required. However, he was complaining about how he’d been working on a bathroom remodel for an entire year. A YEAR!  His intentions were pure and his plan was solid…but time just kept getting away from him.  Think about that for a minute.  A whole year of planning, anxiety, struggling to find the time…NOT being able to use the bathroom… Now think about trying to fix up a whole house.  Make no mistake, any rehab project is a serious time-suck, but a whole house is a full-time job, and then some!

#4  You can’t get the bank to actually give you the loan:

These days, banks are getting increasingly antsy about loans, especially for fixers. Remember, the house has to appraise for the amount you’re paying for it, or at  least the amount you’re financing.  If the house is falling apart, the appraisal will reflect that. If the bank determines that the house is a potential liability, you’d better be prepared to provide solid answers to the above questions. If you can’t, the bank is likely to reject your application on the grounds that you’ll be too likely to get in there and find yourself over your head.  The last thing they want is to encourage somebody to default on a loan because they end up overwhelmed by the staggering realities of fixing up a crack-house.

#5  Your work  prices you above the market:

If you think you can manage the cost, effort, and time required for repairs, be careful not to price your new Valhalla out of the local market! Some clients of mine bought a house in Seattle back in early 2005. It was a nice, older home, in a pretty good area. They spent the next 6 months transforming it into a modern masterpiece, replete with stainless appliances, additional bedrooms and bathrooms, heated floors and dormer windows in the master bedroom.  They’d turned a $400k house into a $750k house. The problem was that the home was on a busy street, and the surrounding homes topped out in the mid-$600 range.  This home, in any number of other locations, could easily have sold for the $750 they wanted…but the present location brought the value down. They ended up selling it after several months for much less than their original asking price, simply because they had spent too much money in the first place. A couple of years later, I later sold a similar fixer just a few blocks up the same street. Having seen this movie before, I went out of my way to warn my client about the dangers of pricing herself out of the market by over-doing the remodel. However, she knew a lot more than I did about flipping houses in Seattle. She was from the East Coast, after all. Yada-yada-yada…same beer, different bar. She lost money…

Thanks for reading! For more information on the Seattle area and Seattle real estate, please contact Rob LeRoy at 206.883.6668 or rob.leroy@exprealty.com, or visit his website www.TheRealEstateNovelist.com!

Having spent several years living in and around Ballard, I am excited to present my favorite Seattle neighborhood to the world, in all of it’s funky, unique and beautiful glory.  Why, because it’s Ballard.

Ballard bars offer some of the most lively and diverse nightlife in all of Seattle.  A night out in Ballard can easily turn into a weekend, a week…or a month. There is that much going on.  As a nightlife connoisseur, I have come to love the unparalleled diversity that Ballard, and in particular Old Ballard, has to offer.  Reminiscent of the famous 6th street in Austin, Texas, the motivated explorer can wander through Ballard and find tastes to suit every palate, from raucous rockabilly taverns to swanky, modern lounges. There are late-night pizza joints, Irish pubs and not-quite-pretentious wine bars. These are my favorites…in no particular order…

1.  The Matador: Known for it’s ridiculously awesome happy-hour food menu, the Matador is one of Seattle’s pre-eminent boutique chains. The decor is southwestern classy, with high-backed booths and an elaborate fireplace centerpiece. Dos Equis Amber on tap and cadillac margaritas are my favorites.

2. The Sunset tavern: The quintessential dive bar (in the best possible sense), the Sunset has nightly live music performed by up-and-coming local bands, cheap beer and a vibe that says, “we’ve been here forever, we know we’re awesome, and we don’t care what you think!”

3.  Hazlewood: Rumored to be owned, at least in part, by one of Seattle’s most luminary musical figures, Hazlewood occupies a narrow loft space with dim lighting, artsy decor and excellent cocktails. The upstairs has comfy seating in a tight cozy space that almost forces you to mingle with the other hipsters who’ve been lucky enough to find their way up there. The lights have a soft vibe that makes you feel like you’ve spent some of your happiest nights in their glow. Don’t forget to check the peephole above the couch in the back of the upstairs area… Hazlewood is located next door to Snoose Junction, which has awesome pizza, late into the night.

4.  King’s Hardware: Located toward the southeast end of Ballard Ave., King’s is located in…wait for it… an old hardware store. King’s has, in my opinion, the best outdoor drinking area in Ballard. There’s a huge deck out back with it’s own bar. Inside, King’s looks the way a really cool bar in Montana would look if it was full of Rainier swilling Seattleites. There are animal heads adorning the walls and Skee-ball in the back… it feels like a redneck vacation hideaway, but in a cool way that doesn’t actually involve killing anything. Also, they have some of the best burgers in Seattle.

5.  The Tractor Tavern: The home of Ballard’s best live music, famous across the far reaches of the hipster galaxy, The Tractor is old, wooden, and utterly awesome. Inside it’s worn and faded doorway, you will find a warm, happy place featuring tall-boys of Rainier, bathrooms about which your mother would complain, and a guarantee of excellent live tunes.

6.  The Lock & Keel: Situated across the street from the Tractor, the Lock & Keel has the unique distinction of being the first pub I ever visited in Old Ballard. With long tables, cheap pool, and a wide range of beers on tap, this is a great place to take a large group of drinking buddies.  I like to go there immediately before and after shows at the Tractor.

7. Conor Byrne: One of Ballard’s two Irish pubs, Conor Byrne rounds out the trifecta at the corner of Ballard Ave. and 20th Ave. NW, next door to the Lock & Keel and across the street from the Tractor. Conor Byrne features a dark, cozy atmosphere, replete with Irish beers and live Irish music.  The crowd here is usually lively, and the cover is reasonable. M0re than almost any other place in Seattle, this is a where I commonly run into old friends I haven’t seen since who-knows-when. That, in itself, is a great reason to show up…

8.  The Loft: One of Old Ballard’s newest bars, The Loft has endeared itself to me greatly. The feel is difficult to describe. It is everything Ballard stands for.  A perfect blend of the best of the old, and the best of the new. Located in one of Ballard’s oldest buildings, The Loft features great beers (extra-large glasses of Oly!), great food and that ultra-cool brick construction that gives Old Ballard it’s real character. Known for it’s crowds of football and soccer fans, as well as it’s upstairs that caters to private parties, The Loft is a perfect example of the way Ballard is creating a hybrid of classic and modern.

9.  The Old Pequliar: The other of Ballard’s Irish pubs, The Old Pequliar is one of the larger venues in the area. Located on Market Street a few blocks east of “Old Ballard” the Old Peq has two pool tables, a rarity in the area. They also feature live music and an outdoor drinking area. The crimson exterior grabs the eye and attracts the liver.  It’s location makes it perfect for the adventurous pub crawler to hit on either the attack or retreat from Old Ballard. Or both, if you know what you’re doing. Also, the relatively large size makes this a preferred venue for St. Patrick’s day, though it is still advised that you get there early.  February 23rd has worked quite well for me….

10.  The Copper Gate: One of Ballard’s most unique establishments, the Copper Gate features Scandinavian brews and cuisine. The bar itself is fashioned from on old wooden ship, and the floor is tiled in white. The walls and shelves are adorned with early 20th century “self-help” contraptions and black-and-white “artsy” pictures… I wouldn’t suggest taking your kids here, lest they be irrevocably scarred by the sight of devices and pictures your great-grandparents might have gasped at. Then again…it’s a bar. Delight your senses in the exotic Scandinavian and European beer selection, most of which you’ve never heard of.  Don’t be shocked by the $12 bottle of beer. Trust me, it’s worth it…and you won’t remember the cost anyway…

That’s it….for now. There are several great Ballard bars that did not make this list that are definitely worth checking out. I will update this post periodically as new reviews are written and new watering holes are added to Ballard’s growing landscape.

Thanks for reading! For more information on the Ballard area and Ballard real estate, please contact Rob LeRoy at 206.883.6668 or rob.leroy@exprealty.com, or visit his website www.TheRealEstateNovelist.com!

I was up in the Vancouver BC area last week and my friend Laura Howren took me with her to see a property she just listed in Chilliwack. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the area, it’s a city in the Fraser Valley region in BC about an hour and a half away from Vancouver (home to the 2010 Winter Olympics!!) with an abundance of recreational activities…hiking, fishing, golfing, water sports, you name it.

This log home is currently a short term executive rental, rented out on a nightly or weekly basis, and is in a perfect location as it’s only 35 minutes to Harrison Hot Springs and 25 minutes to Cultus Lake, a popular camping destination. Think 26′ ceilings with ceiling-to-floor windows that take advantage of light, beautiful Hans Rhodes natural rock fire place, large recreation room in the daylight basement and a private master suite on the upper level…it’s literally the perfect Getaway!

With the exchange rates today at $1.08, with US dollars it’s like getting an 8% discount right off the top of the purchase price. The listed price is $969,000 and the home has 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, about 2600 sqft and is just shy of 2.5 acres, which may be able to be subdividable in the future. The furniture is negotiable, and for those who would like to keep it as a vacation rental, the seller will negotiate the websites for the lodge as well!

For more information, visit VancouverPowerSearch.com or contact Laura at 604.209.3674 or at laura@vancouverpowersearch.com.

Click here to see a virtual tour of the property and more pictures!

I have long-term buyers who have been looking for the perfect home to come up in either of these neighborhoods. They’re looking for at least a 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom (4 bd 3 bth would be perfect), 3000 sqft min home and perferably with a view of the lake. In the past they’ve been attracted to Craftsmen-style homes with white moldings, open, luxurious kitchens with all of the high end appliances, and the more ‘wow’ factor the home has, the better! The home would have to be the caliber of a $800,000+ home and asking price should be no more than $1,300,000.

Are you or someone you know thinking about selling your beautiful home? Before you list it, talk to us first! 206.384.7169 for Amy or 206.402.9155 for Edy.

Yes, it’s that time again Seattle, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are back in town.  And, if you haven’t heard already, the

Fun in the Sun at Seattle Seafair

thunderboats are back on Lake Washington.  It is truly a spectacular time of year.  Seafair is a celebration in Seattle that is truly the highlight of the year.  The City is shown off like no other time and it is family oriented to boot.  The torchlight parade is always a kid favorite as floats are all lit up and really are amazing.  If you’re a runner, there’s the seafair triathalon or the torchlight run.  Or if you’re into speed…try watching the Blue Angels and the Seafair Hydroplanes, which are my personal favorite.  There’s also a concert and fireworks Saturday Night.

Hydros jet around Lake Washington during the Seattle Seafair.

Last year, I made the trek down to south Lake Washington to see first hand what goes on at the hydroplane pits and see the Blue Angels up close.  Well as close as you can from the shore with them overhead.  They really try to make it

Flying Blue Angels delight crowds at the Seattle Seafair.

easy to get there with shuttles from the Seattle Center to the park so you don’t have to fight parking or the crowded streets.  This was a blessing in disguise as we boarded the 2nd bus and made our way there.  It took about 15-20 minutes to get there and they drop you off at the park.  There are lines to get into the main area at a cost of around $20 unless you’re in the military or work for the sponsor then you get a cut rate.  Remember family friendly, if you

Hydros pass in front of the floating bridge on Lake Washington during Seattle's Seafair.

don’t want to pay to get in there is a hugh lawn that is free for those who want to watch the festivities.  Once you buy your ticket and get in, you have several choices, eat, visit booths, or find your space by the water to get both a good look at the air and the lake.  Some purchase tickets for the beer garden and pit area but we chose to just sit by the lake.  A hint–be sure and take something to sit on and take shifts going to get food and beverages so that you don’t lose your space.  The people, locals and visitors alike, are all very friendly and know that we’re all there for the same thing…to see the show unfold.  We were treated to an amazing performance in the air first by several other types of aircraft, then a demonstration by the Coast Guard dropping a rescue specialist in the water from a helicopter to simulate a rescue, then the Blue Angels made their appearance.  What a sight, the speed and manuverability of the planes is tremendous, these pilots are truly a great demonstration of who we have in the military to defend our country… and bring everyone to the realization that the planes are how they will do it.  And of course, I took the opportunity to purchase a Blue Angel hat and backpack…Go Navy! 

Then a while later, the thunderboats took the water.  Luckily they sped around the course without any crashes and it was fun to watch.  These boats can go extremely fast kicking up roostertails from their propellers and still turn corners all the while fending off challengers trying to pass them.  Whew, what a job. 

Two hydroplanes battle deck to deck on Lake Washington in Seattle during Seafair.

After all was said and done, we made our way back to get picked up and taken back to the Center to get the car, already thinking about how next year we’ll do it all again.  Go Seafair!