About Rain City Real Estate Guide April 30, 2005
Hopefully you’ve noticed that this blog is not your typical real estate web site. I’ll try to answer some of the more typical questions I get here:
What is a blog?
Blog is short for “web log” and essentially, blogs started out as on-line journals. There is no fundamental difference between a blog and a website except that blogs are designed to be updated on a regular basis, whereas a typical website is not as easy to update.
Why did I forgo my website in favor of a blog?
I’ve always wanted a way to interact more and provide more timely information to my clients. The blog gives me a simple and effective medium with which to interact with you.
Another great feature of my blog is that it can be syndicated over RSS… Rather than describe this process, the end result is that you can read updates from my site directly on your “my yahoo” or “my msn” page (among MANY other RSS readers!). To add my site simply click on either of the two links:
Who writes on this blog?
All the entries are written by someone on my real estate team. You might have noticed that many of the blog entries are written by Dustin. Dustin is my husband and a vital part of the team. Dustin is also famous for using the “royal I” when blogging on this site. He feels no compulsion about writing things from my perspective and we’ve been married long enough that I can’t seem to stop him. 
What am I trying to accomplish with this site?
There are two markets I focus on with this site: Buyers and Sellers!
For buyers, I will continue to add current information about the local real estate market and local neighborhoods so that someone who is moving to seattle will find this website informative enough that they will contact me when they are looking for an agent in the Seattle area.
For sellers, I will continue to post information about current home values and community news so that you will consider contacting me when you are looking to sell your home in the Seattle area.
Is there something else you’d like to see on this website? Just leave a comment and I’ll see what I can do!
Sphere: Related ContentCommuting in Seattle April 29, 2005
I just found a nifty tool on the Washington State Department of Transportation’s website that allows you to calculate your commute time if you live in the Seattle area. If you are interested in how long it should take you to get to/from work from your potential new home, this will give you a pretty good feel of how long it will take to drive!
This got me thinking about all kinds of commute-related issues for Seattle area residents. Here is some of the commute-related info I dug up:
Trip Planner
For comparison purposes, King County Metro’s Trip Planner allows you to estimate how long it will take to commute via transit. Not only that, but the trip planner site will also tell you what routes to take!
Commute Costs
Finally, Metro also provides a commuting cost calculator that allows you to estimate the cost of driving vs the cost of commuting via transit. Of course, the calculator is biased toward convincing you to take transit, but it is none the less interesting to see all the costs of commuting.
The Future of Commuting to Downtown Seattle
My recomendation? If you are thinking of relocating to Seattle for work (and you are going to be working Downtown) then make sure that there is a convinient transit line that will get you to downtown. The daily grind of sitting in Seattle traffic will likely wear you down. Especially as traffic conditions in Downtown Seattle are likely to get much worse before they get better.
Why do I think traffic going to get worse before it gets better? There are a bunch of plans in the future to improve the transportation network in Seattle. Ten years out, things should be much improved. But until then:
- a major highway running through downtown (Alaskan Viaduct) will need to be rebuilt
- a monorail line will be built in Downtown along 2nd Avenue
- the I-5 reconstruction project calls for rebuilding parts of I-5 through Downtown
- the transit tunnel (that runs under downtown) will be closed to construct a light-rail line forcing hundreds of buses a day on to Downtown Streets
- SR 520 will need to be rebuilt
(Dustin’s bias: As an employee of DKS Associates, I’ve been paid to do transportation consulting for three of these five projects)
Am I missing something?
The good news is that a lot of money was just allocated to pay for some of these improvements, so while there will be some down time in the near future, the long-term prospects look very good for Downtown Seattle!
Sphere: Related ContentThe Most Expensive Zip Codes 2005 April 28, 2005
Forbes just came out with their list of the 150 most expensive zip codes in the US. I was a little surprised to see that Seattle has not yet made the list. The only two zip codes in Washington to make the list were Orcas (98280) and Medina (98039). The list is comparing the median price of a home which makes prices like $2.17 M in Santa Barbara that much more shocking! Imagine that half the homes are worth more!
So if you think that prices have gotten a little out of hand here in Seattle, at least California shows us that there is still some room on the upside for the Seattle market!
Sphere: Related Content1757 NW 60th St
This home is one of the most cozy and fasinating houses in Ballard! The home has retained its Victorian style and has been nominated each year for the Ballard Historical Society’s Old House Tour. The decoration is impeccable and it is obvious that the current owners had a keen attention to detail.
The house is two stories with a basement and a wonderful yard and is in a great locations! It is within walking distance of Downtown Ballard and all the coffee shops and stores there…
It has 3 bedrooms, 1.75 baths, dining room, eat-in original kitchen, office, family room and incredible aura from turn of the century! If you are looking for a home in this price range, it is a must visit!
Details
Address:
1757 NW 60th St.
Seattle, WA 98107
Bedrooms: 3
Bathrooms: 1.75
Square Feet (approx): 2097
MLS #: 25046278
List Price: $ 549,950
Are you interested in learning more about this house? Contact Me!
Sphere: Related Content6602 30th Ave NW April 27, 2005
Compared to other homes in the Sunset Hill/Ballard market this home shows really well. It’s a relativelly small house (barely under 2000 sf) but it does not feel that way. The living room is very large and would be great for entertaining.
And it’s hard to find a better place to live than the Sunset Hill neighborhood! This house is only a short walk from a great coffee shop and a local video store…
Details
Address:
6602 30th Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98117
Bedrooms: 4
Bathrooms: 1.75
Square Feet (approx): 1940
MLS #: 25053368
List Price: $ 469,500
Are you interested in learning more about this house? Contact Me!
Sphere: Related ContentChoosing the Right School
While 10 public schools will be closing in Seattle in next year, there are still lots of great options for education in Seattle. I would highly recommend checking out the Seattle Times School Guide and in particular the article on choosing the right school for you. .
The site has links to just about every public and private school in Seattle, although I noticed that the site didn’t include the Bright Water Waldorf School (which is the school my daughter attends!).
Sphere: Related ContentSeattle Living — U2 Concert April 26, 2005
I was very fortunate to get some amazing seats last night to watch the U2 concert at the Key Arena. Bono is an awesome performer who can really carry a crowd!
Why do I bring this up in my real estate blog? Because I had a true Seattle experience. Sitting in the seats next to us were Bill and Melinda Gates.
And then to top it off, I got mentioned in a CNN article today as one “of the 20,000 screaming fans” (That was the first time I’ve been mentioned on CNN to my knowledge!)
Title and Escrow. What do they do? April 23, 2005
The title and escrow companies are two important players in a real estate transaction. Are you wondering what they do?
A title company provides you with an insurance that guarantee that you are receiving real property in exchange for your money when you buy real estate . Title insurance guarantees that the the ownership of the property you are buying is just as stated in recorded documents.
Whenever you buy any real estate , you expect to acquire use of the property as well as the property “title” or legal ownership. You want to be absolutely certain that the previous owner had clear title to the property to begin with and is legally entitled to sell the property.
In most cases, escrow companies work closely with title insurance companies (usually they also provide you with a discount if you do all work with one company).
What is escrow? Simply stated the escrow company is the involvement of an impartial third party in a real estate transaction. This party acts as an intermediary between the buyer and the seller and also collects and distributes funds as instructed. Generally, this means that when you buy a home , you do not pay the seller directly: instead you deposit funds with the escrow company that then pays the seller on your behalf. The basic concept of escrow is to ensure that both the buyer and the seller are protected during any real estate transaction. In order to facilitate the transfer of the property from one owner to another, the best escrow companies will:
- prepare and amend escrow instructions
- determine the legal ownership and status of the property
- request a demand statement if a debt is to be fully by seller
- verify that the buyer is qualify and meets lenders requirements
- confirm property meets requirements imposed by lender/buyer
- prorate taxes and insurance
- have legal documentations recorded
- comply with time limits imposed in instructions
- “close” escrow when instructions have been fulfilled
- distribute funds as instructed
- prepare final closing statement for buyer and seller
Escrow companies are generally held liable if any instructions are violated during the course of escrow, although changes may be made to any escrow instructions if both parties agree. Escrows have clearly defined time limits. If for some reason, all instructions cannot be carried out by the end of the time limit, all parties involved are entitled to the return of documents, fees, funds and other related materials. They also may mutually agree to extend the time period.
Sphere: Related ContentNew Ballard Library Update April 20, 2005
The Seattle Weekly had an interesting article on the new Ballard Library. I had heard that the building was environmentally friendly, but I hadn’t realized the extent! It makes one proud to live in Ballard and read that we now have a building that is probably the most environmentally friently in Seattle!
Also from the article:
The grand opening of the Ballard Branch Library and Neighborhood Service Center will be held at noon Sat., May 14, at the library, 5614 22nd Ave. N.W. Events will include architect presentations, artists, community performers, and children’s craft projects.
It should be a fun day! I highly recommend adding it to your calendar! (I know I have!)
Sphere: Related ContentBallard’s Shinking Nordic Population April 19, 2005
I just came across this graphic illustrating one of the major changes in Ballard. Namely, that Ballard’s Nordic population is shrinking. Of course, this brings up many issues for the community.
For example, how to welcome the increased diversity while keeping Ballard “Ballard”?
How do you feel about this issue? Feel free to comment!
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