ADU's and the City of Seattle

In 1988 when I bought a house that was previously a duplex (after WW2 Seattle eased housing restrictions to allow apartments in homes, as there was a housing shortage then). In the 80's and 90's Seattle cracked down on the "illegal' MIL apartments, and I had a hard time getting two garbage cans and two recycling bins so my tenant and I could have separate cans. The city came to "inspect' the house and the regulation was you could have a family member live in your apartment in your home, not a stranger, so there must be an interior staircase connecting the two units and if there was a second kitchen, there could be no stove, in fact the city made me remove my range/oven.

fast forward to now: OK to have both a MIL and a backyard cottage, and OH! they can cook while they live in your basement or backyard...

For more information on this current Seattle regulation, here is a article that was published recently by Curbed Seattle

Should You Remodel?

Spring is here and maybe you're thinking about remodeling. Remodeling magazine notes that nine out of ten high return projects are high curb appeal projects. The first on the list is garage door replacement with a 97.5% return on the value at resale. The second project on the list is replacement of vinyl siding with manufactured stone veneer and this returns 94.9% of it value at resale. 

Several of the other project that you might consider might be these projects:

• Replacement of existing siding with new siding: 75.6 percent

• Steel entry door replacement: 74.9 percent

• Vinyl window replacement: 73.4 percent

• Fiberglass grand entrance: 71.9 percent

• Wood window replacement: 70.8 percent

• Composite deck addition: 69.1 percent

Remodeling costs are rising but you can sometimes cut some of the costs by  shopping at places like the ReStore where they sell gently used building materials and appliance at a fraction of their retail prices.  

Remodeling or updating your home in 2019?

Curb appeal continues to be the highest return on investment in the 2019 real estate market. Curb appeal and first impression are central to the real estate professional's estimation of resale value. A home's exterior will either encourage or discourage a potential buyer to look at your home. These impressions will set the stage for what a buyer is willing to pay for in your home.

The top five projects in 2019 according to Remodeling Magazine are:

1. Garage Door Replacement
2. Manufactured Stone Veneer
3. Mid-range Minor Kitchen Remodel
4. Wood Deck Addition
5. Siding Replacement

If your're interested in more information you can use this link Cost VS Value

New Lifestyle Vision Guide!

It’s time to create your 2019 lifestyle! Let your imagination run wild with my gift to you. Get a free Lifestyle Vision guide here.

Lifestyle Vision Guide 

It's That Time Again!

Hey folks, it's that time again. yes, I'm talking about fall maintenance.

So what do you usually do when you get ready for fall and winter? Do you pick up your yard, put tools away trim trees?  Sometimes it can feel overwhelming and you don't really know where to start.

I found this great list from the National Realtors Association that will help me make plans and schedule my projects. I think my first project will be to check the chimney.  I do love a good fire for atmosphere and taking the chill off a room. What will your first chore be?

Staging Your For Sale Home

If you've been looking for a new home to buy, no doubt you've been in lots of homes already. Did you think about how you felt about the house when you walked in? Do you know why you liked or didn't like that home? Curb appeal is certainly a contributing factor but how about the furnishings.

A homeowner who is selling their home wants to appeal to as many people as they can. How can you do this in your home? The easiest way to help those potential buyers "move in" to your home is by removing your personal belongings. Help those buyers envision this house, as the perfect home for them, the one they've always wanted to lived in. You don't want to sell the house with your "lived in" look but instead, stage your home with neutral belongings. A staging professional will remove the clutter and create the sense of a warm, inviting atmosphere.

This is a good time to appeal to the emotions of a home and the neighborhood. Who will most likely buy your home? Is it a single person living in the city or is more likely to be a growing family? Maybe it will be a couple or friends so think about how your home fits into the neighborhood.

Fresh paint, designer furniture and accessories meant to appeal to the perfect buyer will enhance your homes appeal. This is a best reason to use a staging professional when you sell your home.

Remember that you can control the message your home displays to potential buyers. Make it the best that you can and let's chat about the benefits of using a staging professional.  ~ D. Lisa

Curb Appeal

First impressions really do matter. That's why it's important if you're looking to sell your home that you make the best first impression that you can. You can create a positive first impression with just a few simple projects.

Paint your front door. You don't always need to paint your entire house but painting the front door in a memorable color will help it stand out and make a good impression.

Boring old house numbers are most likely the same as all of your neighbors. You can replace those numbers with new fresh updated and colorful numbers. The can be painted or metal and they don't always have to be the same size.

If you have a mailbox in front of your house, plant a garden around it or even replace the mailbox. You can often find unique mailboxes at farmer's markets or seasonal markets.

You can add interest to your entryway with a pot of flowers or even a chair or a sitting area. Let folks imagine themselves sitting there morning or evening and watching the neighborhood happenings.

Flower boxes are a great way to add a pop or color or interest to an area that looks a bit tired in the summer sun. Go bright and bold. Remember that you don't always need to have flowers in a traditional flower box, but use an old boot, beach bucket or any kind of interesting container.

Summer Movies

When we were growing up it was fun to go to a drive in movie and sit in your car with your family or your friends and watch a movie. The excitement of being out on a warm summer night was enticing and felt a little bit decadent. Especially if this was an occasional activity. In many households this was a special activity that happened only once or twice a summer.

Well Seattle now offers many options for outdoor summer movies. There are family friendly movies, cult favorites and of course "Star Wars" movies.

So put it on your calendar, pack some snacks and blankets and head out to sit under the stars and watch your favorites or maybe a new to you movie.

Seattle Outdoor Cinema

June 24 Star Wars: Rogue One (25^th Anniversary special, free screening)
July 1 Shaun of the Dead
July 8 The Wedding Singer
July 15 The 5^th Element
July 22 The Big Lebowski (Dude Fest, 21+)
July 29 La La Land
Aug 5 The Dark Knight

Movies at Westlake Park*

July 14  Dirty Dancing
July 21 Ghostbusters (2016)
Aug 4 Moana
Aug 11 La La Land
Aug 18 Star Wars: Rogue One
Aug 25 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Movies at Marymoor Park

July 5 Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them
July 12 La La Land
July 19 Moana
July 26 Hidden Figures
Aug 2 Sing
Aug 8 Ghostbusters (1984)
Aug 16 Finding Dory
Aug 23 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Movies at the Mural (Seattle Center)*

July 29 The Princess Bride
Aug 5 La La Land
Aug 12 Hidden Figures
Aug 19 Clue
Aug 26 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Three Dollar Bill Cinema: Parental Advisory? (Cal Anderson Park)*

Aug 11 Beetlejuice
Aug 18 But I’m A Cheerleader
Aug 25 Juno

Seattle Outdoor Movies at Magnuson Park

July 6 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
July 13 Moana
July 20 Hidden Figures
July 27 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Aug 3 La La Land
Aug 10 The Lego Batman Movie
Aug 17 Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them
Aug 24 The Princess Bride

Moonlight Cinema at Redhook Brewery (Woodinville)

July 13 Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure
July 20 Moana
July 27 Shaun of the Dead
Aug 3 What We Do In The Shadows
Aug 10 Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
Aug 17 Logan
Aug 24 Star Wars: Rogue One
Aug 31 Lego Batman

West Seattle Outdoor Movies*

July 22 Star Wars: Rogue One
July 29 The LEGO Batman Movie
Aug 5 Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
Aug 12 Finding Dory
Aug 19 Queen of Katwe
Aug 26 Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Crossroads Movies in the Park (Bellevue)*

Aug 3 Finding Dory
Aug 10 Zootopia
Aug 17 Pete’s Dragon
Aug 24 Moana

Downtown Movies in the Park (Bellevue)*

July 11 Sing
July 18 Storks
July 25 The Angry Birds Movie
Aug 1 Monster Trucks
Aug 8 The LEGO Batman Movie
Aug 15 The Secret Life of Pets
Aug 22 Middle School
Aug 29 The Sandlot

Carillon Point Outdoor Movie Nights (Kirkland)

July 8 Raiders of the Lost Ark
July 22 Finding Dory
Aug 5 Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
Aug 19 Star Wars: Rogue One

SPONSORED

An Insider’s Guide to the Valley’s Best On-Mountain Adventures

From must-hike trails to high-flying outings, our reader-endorsed recipe makes for the perfect Vail Valley summer on the slopes of Vail and Beaver Creek.

Presented by Vail Magazine

Auburn’s Summer Sounds and Cinema*

July 28 Sing
Aug 4 Moana
Aug 11 Star Wars: The Force Awakens

LeMay Car Museum’s Drive-In Movie Series*

July 8 Raiders of the Lost Ark
July 22 Ghostbusters
Aug 11 Moana
Aug 26 Star Wars: Rogue One

Movies at the Marina (Shilshole Bay Marina)*

July 21 Captain Ron
Aug 11 The Secret Life of Pets

Movie Night at Freeway Park

Aug 21 Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Bite of Seattle (Seattle Center)*

July 21 Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Skyway Outdoor Cinema*

Aug 4 Moana
Aug 11 E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Aug 18 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Aug 25 Star Wars: Rogue One

Pickford Film Center’s Rooftop Cinema (Bellingham)

July 22 The Last Waltz
Aug 5 Little Miss Sunshine
Aug 19 West Side Story

Fairhaven Outdoor Cinema (Bellingham)

June 24 Ghostbusters (1984)
July 1 Fantastic Beasts & Where to Find Them
July 8 Hidden Figures
July 15 Moana
July 22 Star Wars: Rogue One

Filed under

Summer Out