Fremont
What Happened to Aurora Ave?
Today’s Aurora Ave. goes hand-in-hand with jokes about drugs and roadside prostitutes. It’s a grimy stretch of road lined with dilapidated businesses. If they have a choice, most homebuyers (and renters) steer clear of properties along that asphalt swath. But Aurora didn’t use to be like that. It was a happening place once, with new…
Read MoreNew Bike Lanes Where We Need Them
Bicycles are great—in theory. You can skip traffic, savor fresh air, get some free exercise, and save the planet one pedal at a time. But then there’s the matter of hills. Especially here in Seattle. No one likes riding up hills and showing up for work drenched in sweat, barely able to walk. Especially not…
Read MoreOf Gals and Homes: Bungalows
Bungalows had their heyday in the early 20th century, but they recently experienced a surge in popularity. Bungalows are affordable—especially compared to their bigger urban neighbors, but without sacrificing character. Bungalows make for cozy, charming homes, and you’ll often find them in active, urban neighborhoods that are low on crime and high on indie coffee shops and young families. You can spot a…
Read More$2,000,000 for Our Neighborhoods
The City of Seattle wants us—you, me, and our neighbors—to decide how to spend $2,000,000 on small-scale neighborhood improvements. Does your community need a new crosswalk? How about a median? Or a flashing beacon, repaired sidewalk, curb ramps, park benches, or trail improvements? That’s what this project, “Your Voice, Your Choice,” aims to accomplish. As real estate…
Read MoreHow Racist Real Estate Shaped Seattle
We all know the “bad” neighborhoods. We all know the “rich” neighborhoods. So, too, did 1936 Seattle. Much of the city we live in today was shaped by early 20th-century home loans, as you can see in this Great Depression map from the Home Owner’s Loan Corporation (HOLC). HOLC took all sorts of data from mortgage…
Read MoreFremont Solstice Parade
One of our city’s most eclectic traditions happens this Saturday: the Fremont Solstice Parade and its naked bicyclists! This event is pure Fremont, and, as with most things that build community among neighbors and neighborhoods—we love it! Saturday, June 18 2:30 pm: Street closure along the route 2:45 pm: Solstice Cyclist Ride begins 3:00 pm: Parade begins…
Read MoreST3 Light Rail–The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good: Light rail lives! The new Capitol Hill and Husky Stadium stations are operational and successful, and riding on the wake of their popularity, Sound Transit has announced the new ST3 draft plan, which lays out the future of Seattle’s public transportation. This draft plan matters. It’s huge, developmentally speaking. As Seattle keeps growing…
Read MoreNorth Seattle Home Prices Rise 42 Percent
Home prices are up. Way up. Central Seattle and Beacon Hill both saw their median home price climb nearly 40 percent last year. In parts of North Seattle, the median home price leapt 42 percent. Forty-two percent. That’s absurd. The Seattle-wide median home price isn’t as bad. That measure only jumped 24 percent last year,…
Read MorePeople on People on People
Seattle is now the #10 U.S. city for density. Density isn’t what usually comes to mind when most people think of our city. I know I used to picture the waterfront, the comfortably impressive skyline, and the charming village-esque neighborhoods. But I’ve watched more and more people move into those charming neighborhoods, and I’ve noticing…
Read MoreSeattle’s 3 Bizarre Tower-Homes
What’s in the very top of the iconic Smith Tower? What about those towers on the Fremont Bridge? Why does Ballard have a lighthouse nowhere near the water? Answer: Residents. People live in strange places in Seattle. Places that, if we didn’t know better, we never would have imagined anyone calling “home.” Places like these…
Read MorePrime Now, Wine Now
Seattleites, booze has never been more convenient. …for some of us. Amazon just launched—for the first time ever in the U.S.—Prime Now, alcohol-style, which can bring a bottle of wine or a pack of beer to your doorstep in under an hour. It’s more than just a booze service. Prime Now lets you pick from more…
Read MoreState of the Real Estate Market: July Report
It’s a hot summer, and we don’t mean the weather. We aren’t seeing the usual summer slowdown this year, due to the high home prices and inventory shortage that have frustrated buyers all spring. This seller’s market continues to sizzle. But Seattle’s real estate market is barely cooling down. When July’s numbers rolled in, they showed…
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