Maple Leaf
Of 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 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 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 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…
Read MoreSt. Catherine School
We can’t count the number of people who move into their dream home—their dream neighborhood, even!—but just a few years later, pack up shop and move. The house wasn’t the problem. The community wasn’t either. The problem was the school. Because what matters more than our kids? And if we live in an area with…
Read MoreWhat’s In a Name? Maple Leaf
Settlers first moved to the Maple Leaf Neighborhood in the 1890s, back when the land was a developer’s hope and a homeowner’s gamble. Green Lake was the dominant northern neighborhood back then, and the Maple Leaf region was nothing but a rural addition. It needed a name. Eventually, one caught on. Wait, wait… Don’t tell me! Here…
Read MoreWhat does your zip code say about you?
Age? Check. Income? Check. Neighborhood? Check. Overall lifestyle? Check. It’s creepy, but once you get past the creepiness, it’s actually a useful tool for house-hunting and neighborhood-shopping, and, in a spying-on-the-Jonses way… it’s fun. Esri released an interactive map that analyzes your zip code information. You can zoom into Seattle and see…
Read MoreBeat the Seattle Commute
The commute, the dreaded commute! Bumper-to-bumper for miles, moving down I-5 slower than you backed out of your driveway. Wait, wait, wait—move forward ten feet and wait some more. Watch the minutes pile up. You should think about this when you pick a house. Map potential routes and test them. Imagine driving from that potential…
Read MoreThe Burgeoning Bungalow Market
Bungalows are coming back. They’ve always been here, ever since their heyday in the early 20th century, but recently homebuyers have been hunting them down and pouncing. Why? Bungalows are affordable, compared to their bigger urban neighbors, but they don’t sacrifice character to be that way. Bungalows make for cozy, charming homes. You’ll often find them in those ideal,…
Read MoreRoad Trip!
Hi everyone, I took a real estate road trip last week, and it reminded me yet again why I love this work. There’s nothing better than hearing about someone’s dream and helping her make that dream a reality. It all started with a referral. One of our past clients introduced me to a retired woman…
Read MoreOf Parks and Pianos
Seattle is known for many things. Music, coffee, rain. Good scenery and great parks. And this summer, you can combine all of it. How? Pianos in the Parks. From July 17 to August 17, twenty pianos will occupy twenty King County parks. Anyone can play them. It doesn’t matter if you’re tone-deaf or classically trained,…
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