Green Lake
Free Tools
DIY home improvement sounds nice and all, but let’s face it: tools are expensive. They take up space. And odds are, you don’t know how to use them—at least not well enough to increase your home’s value by installing new flooring or leveling the yard. Tool libraries like the PhinneyWood Tool Library remove those barriers.…
Read MoreWhat 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 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 MoreHow Far Do Your Real Estate Dollars Go?
Home prices keeps rising. In fact, Washington State home prices are rising faster than in any other state in the Union—Washington now ranks among the top five states for priciest homes overall. We sit right below Hawaii and California. Of course, price and price-rise differs wildly across the state. Take San Juan Island, for instance.…
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 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…
Read MoreRental Registration and Inspection Ordinance
Do you know the new rental licensing requirement, SMC 22.214 (Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance)? The Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO) requires landlords to register ALL rental housing units in Seattle, from single-family houses to large apartment buildings. ALL properties must be registered from 2015 to 2016, with specific deadlines based on the ZIP code where…
Read MoreTriple Success!
Success! That’s a rare word for buyers in this crazy Seattle market. But we just helped three clients succeed in buying homes in one of the toughest price ranges in the city—and all of them were fierce multiple offer scenarios. Thanks to our 25 years of experience, we beat the competition. A lot of competition.…
Read MorePhoto Contest: Seattle Bloomin’
It’s springtime in Seattle! For May’s photo contest, send us pictures of nature in bloom. Step 1: Take 1-3 photos of blossoms. A flower, a tree, a blooming onion. They’re all fair game. Step 2: Email your photo(s) to josh.realestategals@gmail.com with: • Your name • A brief caption Step 3: We’ll post your photos on our Facebook page. The photos…
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