Seattle Real Estate & Homes For Sale | Seattle, Washington » Queen Anne

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation ~ Future Headquarters Site

Marybeth Cicirello — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:45:35 +0000

Did you know that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation currently has offices in 5 parts of the world? Headquarters: Seattle, WA; East Coast Office: Washington, D.C.; Avahan Initiative: Delhi, India; China Office: Beijing, China; Europe Office: London, United Kingdom. This is a brief video of the upcoming headquarters project as its coming along in 2010 – I pass by this corner (5th & Mercer in Uptown Queen Anne) no less than 10 times a week – it’s about time I parked the surfmobile and took a closer look! The design of this complex, in my small opinion, is the epitome of organic / futuristic /environmental thinking and symbolic of Seattle at large. Living in this region, I’m reminded every day of the quality of people who live here and of our collective desire to improve…one thing or another! The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Creative Capitalism – it’s an interesting time in history to watch the major shifts taking place, and what a thrill that the home of this foundation is right here in Seattle. The future Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation offices are located across 5th Ave. from the Seattle Center & KCTS 9. For real estate in this area: The 500 Mercer Lofts (along 5th across Mercer St.) went to auction this year (unfortunately) – great, great, great location! Poor concept & design – a bit too cold for NW residents. The downtown Seattle condo market is ripe with opportunities anywhere from $175,000 into the millions. Uptown Queen Anne, Belltown, South Lake Union and Denny Triangle are neighborhoods surrounding the future offices of Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Seattle Center and primarily Condo markets.

Marybeth Cicirello * 206.214.6556 * marybeth.cicirello@exprealty.com * Downtown Seattle Real Estate

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tudor Revival in Seattle Neighborhoods

Marybeth Cicirello — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 17:50:10 +0000

tudor architecture in Seattle

Who can point out tudors when driving through Capitol Hill and other parts of town – Maple Leaf, Ravenna, Montlake, West Seattle, Wedgwood, Matthews Beach, Seward Park. Gosh come to think of it, most neighborhoods have some form of tudor architecture! I described just the basics to my husband one day: look for that steeply pitched roof; tall & narrow (diamond-paned) windows; and front and side gables (triangular wall/facades). And now, I have to say, he’s pretty proficient about pointing them out! Even the slightly altered and wood-based homes ~ Originally, the 1920′s middle-class tudors were smaller, brick houses ~ but today – and especially in Seattle’s market – there’s nothing middle-class about them! These are lovely homes in competitive neighborhoods and can range from 2 – 6 bedrooms with interiors that reflect the diversity of our residents. $395,000 and up to the millions depending on the location, size and upkeep. It’s always free though to walk around your neighborhood and admire the classic architecture of the NW. Cheers to exploring en route to picking up the kids or running to the grocery store!

Marybeth Cicirello * 206.214.6556 * marybeth.cicirello@exprealty.com * www.classicfreshseattle.com

Seattle Tours for Everyone

Marybeth Cicirello — Wed, 12 May 2010 05:00:31 +0000

20th Century Architecture across from Moore Theater

Got the sunshine bug? Pulled out your shorts and sneaks yet? Here’s something you might enjoy on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday (Apr-Dec). For inquiring minds: when you notice fern motifs on the interior of Macy’s downtown or stone eagles perched on top of the Seattle Athletic Club’s building; and for guests who are visiting our city and wanting to explore ~ Seattle Architecture Foundation (SAF) offers an array of city tours highlighting architecture, details, design and art! Moving out and about to experience urban Seattle and our neighborhoods enlightens participants and sparks conversation. Here are some that you can discuss afterward over an outdoor dinner and a glass of fine NW wine: Green Building Tours (The Cobb and Skinner Buildings tour. Or The Starbucks Center tour.); Art Deco Diamonds and Gold; Design Details Lions, Griffins and Walruses; Harvard Belmont District historic millions and quite a few more. See you around town…looking up!

Marybeth Cicirello * 206.214.6556 * marybeth.cicirello@exprealty.com * Downtown Seattle Real Estate

Classic Seattle Architecture – Craftsman House

Marybeth Cicirello — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 05:00:05 +0000

Classic Craftsman house in Mount Baker

Seattle is known for an early 20th-century American architecture called Craftsman. People who visit our city notice the abundance of Craftsman houses & bungalows and note that these aren’t quite so common (or exist at all!) in their own home towns. Considering the weather in the NW and our history in lumber and fishing industries, it’s an architectural response to Seattle’s rainy season and blue collar roots.

Bungalow in Genesee

The term “bungalow” refers to the size of many Craftsman homes we may see in parts of West Seattle, Wallingford, Fremont, or Genesee and some still have original built-in benches, ironing board closets and bookshelves. Larger – more formal – Craftsman houses can be found in Queen Anne, Leschi, Capitol Hill and Mount Baker with deep eaves, asymmetrical facades and wide street-facing gables. Generally, the structural, siding and interior element is wood and the floorplans are similar, but still irregular from home to home. In Seattle’s in-demand neighborhoods, a solid Craftsman house will range upward from $699,000 and a Craftsman bungalow upward from $450,000, with some exceptions.

Marybeth Cicirello * 206.214.6556 * marybeth.cicirello@exprealty.com * Downtown Seattle Real Estate

Residential Housing Statistics in King County December 2009

Sebnem Oden — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 05:54:38 +0000

I was just asked this week how is the Real Estate Market in King County since I mentioned earlier about Snohomish County. Well here is information which was requested about King County. Northwest Multiple Listing Service (MLS) reported as following statistics for Dec 2009. Jan 2010 stats will be published in the coming weeks. We still got 21 months of inventory in King County while Snohomish County got 19 months of inventory of homes for sale.

UNITS	ACTIVE	PENDING	SOLD
DEC 09 UNITS	6,918	1,413	1462
DEC 08 UNITS	8,707	911	929
Total Unit +/-	-1789	502	533
Difference DEC %	-20.55%	55.10%	57.37%


YTD 09 UNITS	33,744	23,019	16,022
YTD 08 UNITS	38,889	18,895	15,991
Total Unit +/-	-5145	4124	31
Difference YTD %	-13.23%	21.83%	0.19%

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.

MEDIAN PRICE	ACTIVE	PENDING	SOLD
DEC 09 MEDIAN	$425,000	$349,000	$380,000
DEC 08 MEDIAN	$495,000	$374,900	$403,500
Price +/-	-$70,000	-$25,900	-$23,500
Difference DEC %	-14%	-7%	-6%


YTD 09 MEDIAN	$479,950	$370,000	$380,000
YTD 08 MEDIAN	$509,950	$424,950	$429,950
Price +/-	-$30,000	-$54,950	-$49,950
Difference YTD %	-5.88%	-12.93%	-12.0%

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%.

DAYS ON MARKET	ACTIVE	PENDING	SOLD
DEC 09 DOM	131	89	83
DEC 08 DOM	128	87	84
Days +/-	3	2	-1
Difference DEC %	2.34%	2.30%	-1.19%


09 YTD DOM	109	77	78
08 YTD DOM	93	75	73
Days +/-	16	2	5
Difference YTD %	17.20%	2.67%	6.85%

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….

Heating Bills a Thing of the Past?

Edy Kizaki — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:14:18 +0000

I’m pretty sure if the power company offered you a month off from paying your bill, you’d say yes. It might not happen tomorrow, but according to an article I just read in a Sierra Club magazine, in a few decades looks like large power bills will be a thing of the past. As we all know, it’s possible to build homes and offices that will not only be energy self-sufficient, but will produce zero carbon emmissions. In the short run this might be more costly to build (which is why some elements of the building industry look on the movement to increase energy efficiency requirements in building standards with dismay) but in the long run it will more than pay you back for the investment… in other words, save you money. So where a Green-Built house might cost you however thousand dollars more now, it will more than pay you back over time in utility bill savings.

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!

What is a Buyer’s Agent and Why Do I Need One?

Edy Kizaki — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 17:55:49 +0000

WHAT IS A BUYER’S AGENT AND WHY DO I NEED ONE?

Q: How do Buyers’ Agents Get Paid?

A: Their services are free to the Buyer.

Q: How does that work?

A: When the Seller’s Agent signs a listing agreement with the Seller, they negotiate a commission. They then offer a part of that commission, usually half, but it varies, to the Buyer’s Agent. This is listed in the Agent part of the MLS. So when a Buyer chooses a home and purchases it, the total commission is subtracted from the Seller’s side of the totals, and is paid out to the Seller’s Agent and the Buyer’s Agent.

Q: But if the Buyer’s Agent gets paid by the Seller, do they really work for me?

A: Good question! Actually the Washington State laws have changed. It used to be that both parties worked for the Seller! Even though you might pick out your own agent to tour and help you, they would still be obligated to guard the best interest of the Seller of any property you saw. That was deemed unfair to the Buyer and the law has been changed. The Buyer’s Agent by law owes the Buyer confidentiality and fiduciary loyalty… i.e. has a responsiblity to guard the best interest of the Buyer. Ask me for a copy of the Washington State Pamplet on Buyer’s Agency Law. And by the way, all agents are obligated by law to provide this to their clients, many do so at the time of making an offer but I like to do so upon our first meeting … or even before!… to give my clients a chance to review the pamphlet and open up any questions or discussion they may have.

Q: So can I save money by working directly with the Seller’s agent?

A: Usually if the Buyer approaches the Seller’s agent directly the Seller will have both Buyer and Seller sign an agreement that the agent is neutral and represents both parties. They are supposed to not disclose confidential information to either side. In practice this can be difficult to do since they already have a well developed relationship with the Seller and are psychologically devoted to their interests. For this reason some Seller’s Agents will suggest another agent to be the Buyer’s Agent if approached directly by a Buyer. Some will go ahead and represent both, in which case they keep the entire commission.

Q: Is there a disadvantage to me in working with the Seller’s Agent directly?

A: In my opinion it is disadvantagous to have an agent who would prefer you to buy one certain property. The Seller’s Agent really wants you to like that property, because his job is to get it sold, so he is in the position of advocating or presenting the property to best advantage. If you select and work with your own Buyer’s Agent your agent does not care which property you select, just that you get the property that best fits your needs at the best possible price. My job is to get you what you want and negotiate to get you the most possible advantage. That way you are satisfied and if your friends and relations need a realtor you will be able to recommend me wholeheartedly.

It’s a Buyer’s Market…enjoy!!

Queen Anne Local Favorite, Julia’s Restaurant

Edy Kizaki — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 16:13:45 +0000

There are a lot of great places to eat in Queen Anne, one of the favorite places for locals is definitely Julia’s. These are the people that don’t bother to review it on Yelp because they already know where they are going when they want a meal out at a comfortable local place. It’s not really plain, but it’s not prissy either. Julia’s is in a converted Craftsman house on Queen Anne Ave N, with tables outside on the terrace as well. When we went there yesterday we choose to be outside…we are not in the tripple digits anymore, thank heavens, but it’s still pretty warm even in the evenings. Inside there are comfortable antique wooden tables and chairs in several small dining rooms, and as I said outside is the terrace with wrought iron tables and umbrellas. A mother and daughter took the table next to us near the railing, and they were obviously Queen Anne residents since while they were eating at least 4 passersby stopped for long visits. This is a community.

The menu is comfortable and inviting. Our server let us know that recent revisions have added some very interesting bites to the choices. We loved the Steak Salad. I’ve had that at other places recently with good results, but this was the hands down winner with lovely crispy onion frittes on top, black olives, and baby romaine as well as truly excellent grilled steak slices. There was also a great flatbread with garlic and spreads that I would recommend, and a slammingly satisfying double chocolate decadance cake. If you happen to get to Julia’s, please let me know how you liked it!

Everyone Loves Queen Anne

Edy Kizaki — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:06:44 +0000

The City’s Favorite Neighborhood and the Reasons Why

You might say that any sentence that starts out with “everyone” has to be an exageration. And I suppose it’s true that if you were to ask 20 Seattleites what their favortie neighborhood is, they would not all immediately blurt out “Queen Anne.” In fact we are blessed with a number of wonderful, quirky, downright fantastic places to live in this laid-back, high speed Pacific Rim city, not to mention some equally popular and beloved Eastside and Northside areas. But Queen Anne is special to the heart of Seattle, even for those who might choose to live elsewhere. In one of the eleven parallel universes that exist according to String Theory, everyone lives in Queen Anne at least once.

Why is it so beloved?

Paragon Restaurant

Well, perhaps it’s the winding streets lined with flowering trees, or the gorgeous restored vintage houses, or the walkability with some of the city’s best restaurants and shops. Or could it be the proximity to Seattle Center with all it’s offerings, and the every-so-easy commute (only 2 miles but as much as 20 minutes in rush hour traffic) to downtown? The laid back atmosphere infused with vibrant lifestyle? The neighbors who care? The trendy and ever changing dynamics (like newcomer restaurant How To Cook A Wolf, Ethan Stowell’s 3rd restaurant which has been called “a cross between a cigar box and a sauna!? or like the top-rated Macrina Bakery, “fresh hot breads and pastries in a quaint, light-filled place in Queen Anne”) or the family freindly atmosphere (a great community center, parks, and shops like Lily’s Pampering Salon & Party Boutique kids’ salon and Urban Kids Play or Queen Anne Books which has a Summer Read Program and wonderful kids events.)

Maybe it’s just the views, views of the city, the Sound, the Space Needle, the old craftsmen homes, the quaint streets, the tempting shop windows, the friends having coffee at little sidewalk tables, the quaint atmosphere of the shops and high-ceilinged old buildings that house restaurants and bring a sense of the past of the city into our everyday lives.

El Diablo Coffee House

For a gatherings of listings in Queen Anne don’t hesitate to drop me an email or call with your criteria.

Edy Kizaki
Realtor, Group Leader
edy@seattlepowersearch.com
206-402-9155

Urban Kids Play Toy Store

Metropolitan Market has everything yummy

Caffe Ladro, one of the many coffee houses on the Boulevard

Queen Anne Frame Shop

Bank Owned Homes for Sale in Queen Anne

Edy Kizaki — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 21:02:24 +0000

These days there is an interesting niche among available properties, and that is Bank Owned properties. A client of mine that previously purchased a condo for his kids asked me to be on the lookout for a good deal as he needs a bigger home. There are a lot of well-priced homes on the market right now as those who were hit by the slow-down in sales in the winter are making an attempt to be the “best, lowest priced” property in the neighborhood. But in my experience, Bank Owned properties are usually among the lowest priced, and it doesn’t stop there as we can still negotiate. Some are as-is although they have to put them in condition for a lender to approve a loan, which means no safety hazzards. Often they are just fine, not even fixers, but usually could use a little “TLC” whether it’s a new coat of paint on some of the walls or some more extensive upgrades. The price reflects the bank attitude that it will be the problem of the new owner. We still do all the research on comparables to make sure we understand a fair value for the property, but it’s one of the best places to know you are going to find a lot of opportunity to get a good deal.

Queen Anne is one of Seattle’s “Brand Name” neighborhoods. When I decided to do some research and search for Bank Owned properties for my client, I decided to start there. There are less in the most “desirable” neighborhoods as there is the most competition, but when I searched in Queen Anne just now I found six bank owned properties. What do they look like? Humm, the first one is a 2 bedroom, 1.5 bath 1400 sqare foot townhouse, Lake Union views out of both windows and across the street from Seattle #1 restaurant Canlis! This one is listed at just under $340,000. How does that shape up to the average price per square feet in Queen Anne these days? I ran a “Comparative Market Analysis” on active listings. There were 16 2 bedroom listings (not condos, townhouses and a couple houses). The high price is $629,950, the Median is $442,500, and this property is THE lowest at $339,000. The average price per square foot is $315.92, this property is priced at $230.61 per square foot. Clearly a great price.

There are two other townhouses too, one is a 4 bedroom 3 bath 2000 square foot townhome with views of the canal and lake (I’ll have to go over and take a look to figure out what the views are like!), built only 2 years ago for just under $370,000 (really??!!)… I’ll have to send that one to my client right away, it just came on the market today and I bet it goes quickly!… and here is a 2 bedroom, 2.5 bath (that would be an attached bath for each bedroom plus a half bath as a powder room) of over 1400 square feet and listed at slightly under $380,000. That one has been on the market for three days, before it was listed at $100,000 more (this is before the bank owned it) but did not sell. According to the listing data it has a two-car attached garage, hardwood floors, and granite countertops. Besides these four intriguing townhomes, there are two Bank Owned houses listed. One is interesting in that it is a 1950s home with 3 bedrooms and 1.5 baths. It is 2300 square feet on a corner lot described as a “cosmetic fixer.” The last one is a 4 bedroom 3.5 bath craftsman which needs quite a bit of the interior finished and is listed at just over $760,000. This was most likely a home a builder was working on who ran out of money. For someone who wants a project it could be worth a look!

If you would like me to find out what is available in this category in the neighborhood of your choice, just give me a call or email me! My cell is 206-402-9155 and my email is edy@seattlepowersearch.com. I can preview any house you’d like and get you some more photos, if you’re out of area. Otherwise, we can go see!

Edy Kizaki
Realtor, Group Leader
www.seattlepowersearch.com
edy@seattlepowersearch.com
206-402-9155