Where are the sellers in Seattle? by Rebecca Carlson

The week before Christmas through early January are traditionally a very slow time of the year for new listings.  But, with interest rates as low as they are right now, buyers are anxiously waiting to buy a house.  Many have been looking since November (or longer), and just haven’t found ‘the one’.  They are pre-approved, and ready – are you, Mr/Mrs Seller?

In the past two and half weeks, there have only been three single family homes that have come on the market in N. Capitol Hill.   In N. Admiral (West Seattle), only one home has come on the market during this time!   And in the Mt. Baker neighborhood, they haven’t had a new listing for over 45 days.  Buyers are anxious and ready to buy!  Yes, it’s true – there are buyers out there.  And, if you prepare your home and price it right, you could sell your home more quickly than you think.  Case in point:  33% of the homes currently pending inspection in Ballard were on the market for less than two weeks.  And, of the homes pending right now in Ballard, 41% were listed for 14 days or less!  And, many of these had multiple offers.

Often times, I hear sellers say they want to wait until Spring so their yard looks nicer.  I say with the statistics above, why wait?!   There’s little to no ‘competition’ right now.  Touch up the paint, de-clutter and price your home right – these are all keys to a quick sale.  Pricing strategy is especially important.  If your home is valued around $600K-$650K, consider affordability.  For buyers to get the best interest rates, and therefore, the most affordability, their loan needs to stay under the current loan max of $506K.  A typical ‘move up’ buyer will want to put 20% down on their purchase.  This means that their purchase price should not exceed $607K.  If the price of your home is slightly above this price, consider lowering it just a bit to the $607K price in order to capture the most buyers for your home.

If you are nervous or just not sure what you can get for your home, talk to a trusted Realtor who can help you strategize the right approach for your home and personal situation.

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10 Things I Love About Seattle by Rebecca Carlson

In the July issue of “Seattle Metro Magazine”, they list their Top 100 Reasons to love Seattle.  I’ve lived in Seattle for over 20 years and thought I’d share some of my top reasons.  Here are 10 (in no particular order): 

1. So many great restaurants, so little time!  We are definitely a city that loves to eat out.  (me included!)  No matter where you live in Seattle, there’s a great restaurant.  And, just when you think you have hit them all, another one pops up.  I guess that’s why we are one of the best cities in the country to start a new restaurant!
2. The water and views of water.  Whether you like a salt water view or a lake view, we’ve got them! 
3. Speaking of water, I love the West Seattle Water Taxi. 
4. Summers in Seattle.  Yes, we have to put up with long, dreary winters, but it’s soooo worth it! (ok, except this summer, which has kind of sucked the past few weeks!)
5. Proximity to Canada.  I spend a lot of time in Whistler and Egmont, and love that we’re just a few hours from Beautiful British Columbia!
6. Our liberal views.  Being one the least religious cities in the country probably has something to do with this, but I love our progressive, open-minded attitudes.  (well, at least most of us — although we aren’t perfect!)
7. Being eco-friendly is a normal way of life here.  Whether it’s the recycling nazi’s who will fine you for not recycling enough of your garbage, or all of the cool salvaged goods stores like Earthwise and Second Use, it’s hard not being eco-friendly.   In fact, it’s almost gotten to the point where if you don’t compost and recycle you get the “Scarlet Letter” written on your eco-friendly, organic t-shirt.   (instead of “A” it’s “R” for Recycle!)
8. So many amazing neighborhoods.  For those of you who follow my blog regularly, you know my favorites.  But, for you newbies, here are just a few I never tire of visiting:  N. Admiral (West Seattle), Mt. Baker, N. Capitol Hill, Sunset Hill (Ballard), Queen Anne, Washington Park, Magnolia and Bryant.  (ok, that’s more than a few, but there’s just too many I couldn’t stop!)
9. The Space Needle.  While I think it’s too expensive to pay for the elevator ride to the top, I love how it’s such an iconic symbol of our city.  And, it’s such a beautiful part of our skyline view. 
10. We have a lot of rich people in this city, but you’d never know it.  We don’t have a lot ‘old’ money like you find on the East Coast, which gives us a more laid-back attitude about money.  Thanks to companies like Microsoft and Amazon (just to name a few), we have a lot of millionaires, many of whom drive a Prius and strut around the city wearing their nylon rain jackets.  (ok, so we may not be the best dressed city out there.)

In writing this, I  realized it’s hard narrowing it down to just ten.  And even now, I’m wondering if I should change a few out.  But, there it is!  I’d love to hear your thoughts on Seattle and what you love the most about it.

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Seattle Met Magazine’s picks for top neighborhoods, did yours make the cut?

Every year, Seattle Metropolitan Magazine (now Seattle Met Magazine) crowns a handful of Seattle neighborhoods as the “Best Places to Live”.  I look forward to this edition every year.  Unfortunately, I found this year’s article a little too predictable.  Queen Anne tops the list – of course!  And, one of my personal favorites, Capitol Hill, is also among the mentioned list.  For those of you new to Seattle, this is a great guide to the city.  But, maybe my 20+ years in Seattle has made me take these neighborhoods for granted, or perhaps I’m ready for the next best place.  Truth-be-told, there are a lot of great neighborhoods in Seattle, and to have small list just doesn’t do this great city justice!  Here are a few others that top my list:  Bryant, Ravenna, Mt. Baker, North Admiral and Sunset Hill. 

What’s your favorite Seattle neighborhood?  I’d love to hear from you!

My Blog Post of N. Capitol Hill

My Blog Post of Mt. Baker

My Blog Post of N. Admiral

Seattle Met Magazine – Full Story

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N. Admiral Neighborhood in Seattle by Rebecca Carlson

N. Admiral is a wonderful neighborhood in West Seattle.  Its proximity to downtown Seattle, the airport and the many beaches in West Seattle makes it a great place to live!  Many homes boasts stunning views of the city, or the Olympic Mountains.   Watch my video to take a peak at the types of houses you can find in this highly sought-after neighborhood.

For more information about N. Admiral, as well as West Seattle, check out these websites:
West Seattle Blog

West Seattle Chamber of Commerce

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