UNIQUE HOME IN THE HEART OF WALLINGFORD!

See this special home today! 

Asking Price $995,000

3 BED · 2 BATH

Uniquely built, this cantilevered design creates angular architecture and many different spaces for living, working, and playing. Featuring three bedrooms and two baths with a space on the main floor for a studio, workshop, office, or playroom. Built in 1982, this home has had the same owner since 1983. Fresh paint and carpets gives the home an updated feel. In the heart of Wallingford, close to shops, restaurants and near the UW, Greenlake, Gasworks Park.

2312 Wallingford

Should I Sell My Home Now or Wait Until Spring?

Should I sell my home now or wait until spring? This is a common question among sellers. There are certainly advantages to selling now rather than waiting.

The Seattle housing market has been difficult for buyers for several years. There was so much competition for very few homes, that buyers got burned out. They were exhausted by making offers and not getting the house they had counted on. The market has changed and we're seeing more buyers in the market again. One of the differences with a more normal market, is buyers are taking longer to make a decision as well as having home inspections done and seeing more homes before they make an offer. This is to your advantage. Many of these buyers will wait until spring but many are tired of waiting and they want to buy a new home now. There is traditionally less competition for homes in the winter and buyers are ready to make that move.

Mortgage rates are also usually better in the winter. With record low rates for many years, we're seeing the interest rates start to rise and we do expect that trend to continue. Again, a strong reason to consider selling now.

One other important thing to remember is houses are bought and sold every day of the year. Good agents want to help you buy and sell in all seasons. This is a great time to sell and a great time to buy. Give me a call and I'd love to talk about it.

Are you Thinking About Selling?

Are you thinking about selling your home? If and when you are, there are several things that will not help you sell your hme.

Don't over improve.
While you're sprucing up your home for sale you will make a greater return on your investment if you do make some changes like updating appliances or replacing broken cabinets in a bathroom. Remember to not over-improve however. Finishing a space to your taste with color or function will probably not bring bring the return that you're looking for.

Don't over decorate,
Choose neutral colors and schemes, to appeal to the greatest number of potential buyers. Pink and lace may not make the impression that you would like.

Don't hang around.
You will want the buyers to imagine themselves living in the space so don't hang around when your home is getting shown to potential buyers. Leave and take the dog and the kids with you! You'll make buyers uncomfortable if they think you're watching and making judgements while they're in your home.

Don't take things personally. 
Remember that selling a home is personal for you but real estate is a business. Don't be offended when you get a low offer or the buyer asks for money to replace carpets.

If you would like to talk more about getting your home ready to sell, please give me a call or send me an email. I'd love to chat!

Live Love Own

Live, Love Own.. the Windermere Wall Street Group has a wonderful website.

On the live tab, you can learn more about the transportation, government, development and taxes in Seattle. On the Love tab there are things like food, pet resources, Seattle attractions, art, culture and sports. Under the Own tab there is a home search feature, information on schools, neighborhoods and neighborhood blogs. There are also tabs for informational blogs and reports on market conditions. We can't forget about the contact us feature with location information for our offices and an email contact form. Check it out today. Tell me what you think and let me know if I can help you with your real estate questions.

Home Tips, Selling and Buying

I just read an article that got me thinking about selling and buying. Now I think about these things each and every day as I'm actively helping buyers and sellers but this article made a couple of different observations.

One was that if you're thinking about buying home near the water, consider the recent natural disasters on the east coast and the south coast. FEMA flood map changes are aggressively expanding the flood zones, forcing owners to buy flood insurance for the first time and forcing others to pay thousands more annually. Some insurers are also imposing coverage caps so you might not recover as well as you thought.

Another thought for people selling homes in the future is to do an exterior photo shoot on your home this fall. You'll be able to show fall colors, flowers and things will look better than during the winter months if you take marketing photos now.

Also, remember that curb appeal can increase prices by 10% or more.  A few new plants, or native plantings can add that curb appeal easily and little expense.

It's Farmer's Market time here in Seattle. A great place to find locally grown fruit and vegetables, handcrafts and more. I love the atmosphere, the food trucks and the people watching. I love the lettuces, the kale, the radishes and the rhubarb. I love to wait for the local raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Sometimes there are blackberries and later in the season, peaches, pears, apples, apricots, cherries and more. There are fresh herbs and even artisan cheeses.

I love the buskers and the mimes and the children in strollers.  I love the smells of fresh coffee, food and the fresh air.

What are you favorite sights and sounds at the local farmer's markets?

Local Farmer's Markets

What Kind of Neighborhood Should I Consider When I Want to Buy A Home

Buying a home is an important decision. When you buy a home, most people go with emotion "How does this home make me feel?' This is a good place to start but there are some other things to consider. The area I want to chat about today is the neighborhood. 

You can assess a neighborhood in many simple ways but I would like to talk about ways that I use.

1. I walk the streets. Talk with neighbors and see how they feel about the area.

2. Determine which people are owners and which ones are renters. If there are more homeowners the neighborhood will be more stable and likely have higher real estate value.

3. How is the neighborhood maintained. Do the homes have nice yards. Do they take pride in the way the houses and lawns are kept up?

These are good indicators that this is a neighborhood that you will want to invest your time and money in.