Seattle Real Estate for Sale July 20, 2013

OPEN SUNDAY 1PM-4PM :: 1221 NW 126th St, Seattle WA

JUST LISTED!
1221 NW 126th St
Seattle WA

OPEN SUNDAY 1PM-4PM

1960's California Ranch panache, a portrayal of attraction and coveted one level living. Spacious and flowing living spaces pour from room to room, ideal for entertaining guests. Three bedrooms and three baths, kitchen off large family room and casual dining area. Level lot features abundant garden space and courtyard patio with westerly exposure providing outdoor entertaining for all to enjoy. Coveted Broadview location is conveniently located near shopping, parks, transit and major routes.

Visit this home online at: AtHomeInBroadview.com

Open House Seattle June 9, 2013

Open House :: Sunday, June 9th 1PM-4PM

8529 Caroline Ave N Seattle, WA 98103
Welcome home to a truly unique contemporary home, originally built by local builder Kapsner Homes. Situated at the end of a dead end street & just steps from Green Lake, this home was built to take in tons of natural light & sit high above the street amongst the trees. Built with high end details, soaring ceilings, A/C, bamboo floors, espresso cabinets, stainless steel appliances, & stunning master bedroom suite, this is a once in awhile opportunity to buy that custom house you have waited for!
 
Proudly Presented by Steve Hill and Sandra Brenner
Windermere Real Estate / FN Seattle Northwest
12250 Greenwood Ave N
Seattle WA 98133
206-769-9577
Mortgage, Rates, Payment, Interest May 23, 2013

Total Increase a Buyer May Pay if They Wait

Earlier in the week, we explained that experts have projected that U.S. home prices will appreciate by approximately 5% in 2013. We also revealed the Mortgage Bankers AssociationFannie Mae and the National Association of Realtors have all projected that the 30-year mortgage rate will be at least 4% by the end of 2013. If we assume that prices and interest rates will rise as projected, here is the monthly difference a buyer may pay if they wait a year.

Steve Hill and Sandra Brenner
Windermere Real Estate Seattle Northwest
206-769-9577

Mortgage, Rate, Interest, Home Buyer, May 22, 2013

Mortgage Rates Projected to Increase

The Mortgage Bankers AssociationFannie Mae and the National Association of Realtors have all projected that the 30-year mortgage rate will be at least 4% by the end of 2013. If we assume that rates will still be at 4% in twelve months, here is the difference a buyer will pay if they wait.

Steve Hill and Sandra Brenner, Windermere Real Estate Seattle-Northwest 206-769-9577

Shoreline Home for Sale May 12, 2013

Two Homes – One Price! Open Sunday 12PM-3PM

15254 Dayton Ave N
Shoreline, WA 98133

This close-in Shoreline property offers two homes on one lot. The two bedroom, one bath front house has 1940's charm throughout. It has separate parking and its own laundry, making this an ideal rental home.

The back home, built in 1980 boasts a large great-room style room with the kitchen, dining and living rooms all open to each other. This upstairs features a large master suite with full bath, walk-in closet and a private sunny covered deck to enjoy the views of the gorgeous yard.

Online at ExclusivelyShoreline.com

For a private showing of this home, contact:

Steve Hill and Sandra Brennerr
Windermere Real Estate Seattle – Northwest
206-769-9577

Seattle Home for Sale May 12, 2013

Seattle Single Level Home – Open Sunday 12PM-3PM

305 NW 127th Street
Seattle WA 98133

Beautifully maintained Broadview rambler welcomes you with a plethora of features throughout. In superb condition, this captivating home boasts a convenient circular floor plan with new interior paint, elegant light fixtures, rich hardwood floors, slate entry and halls.

Room warming fireplaces in the living and family room. Park like setting, efficient gas heat, oversized driveway, delightful street appeal, the list goes on and on. Single level homes of this size and location are hard to find.

On line at EldoradoLane.com

For more information or a private tour of this home, contact:

Steve Hill and Sandra Brenner
Windermere Real Estate Seattle – Northwest
206-769-9577
Home Remodeling May 11, 2013

10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today!

10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today!

We update our wardrobes to reflect the changing and emerging styles, so naturally we should update our homes. In the long-run, a well maintained and updated home is necessary if you plan on putting your house on the market. Whether this is your first or second home, you are likely to, at some point, move on. By staying current with the styles you will have less work to do to your home should you decide that you do want to put it on the market. (I am avoiding the word trends here on purpose as style has staying power whereas trends are fleeting, and do not.) Home design styles do have staying power, so any money that you spend should be looked at as an investment, much in the way you look at your house.

updates 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

A well maintained and updated house will need less work in long run, when it is time to sell. A well maintained and updated house will attract more buyers and will sell faster than one that needs work. Perhaps you are not planning on selling any time in the near or distant future. Perhaps this is your dream home and you plan on spending the next 30 or 50 years there. Regardless of whether you want to sell your home or not, consider this: Except for the classic and timeless pieces, you wouldn’t wear something that was in your closet 10 or 20 years ago, so why would you want your home to do so?

At the moment your home needs some serious updating. Perhaps you’ve been there for a long while or perhaps you purchased an older home at a great price because it desperately needed updating. By making a few necessary changes you will greatly increase the value of your home. And without question, you will enjoy it much more. Why wait until you plan on selling to make these changes? Why let someone else enjoy your hard work?

updates bathroom 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

1. Colored fixtures

Get rid of any colored tile that was popular when our parents and grandparents were children! Get a sledgehammer and take down all that pink and yellow and mauve tile. Replace it with a clean and timeless white or neutral tile. Get rid of the baby blue bathtubs and toilets. White bathroom fixtures will stay in style much longer. If you need to add color opt to paint the walls or bring color in with framed artwork, rugs and towels.

updates kitchens 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

2. Toss the avocado and mustard

Mustard and avocados belong in your salad, and not on your kitchen appliances! If you happen to have a really old kitchen and you can actually use colors like avocado and mustard to describe it, then you really have a lot of work ahead of you! Stainless steel and white appliances will have staying power in this room. A fresh coat of paint can also transform tired walls and cabinets.

updates remove panneling 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

3. Remove all wood paneling

Wood paneling is dark and heavy and really make any room look dated. By removing the wood paneling and adding a coat of fresh paint to the walls, you’ve managed to liven up your space and give your room a whole new look. You will be amazed by just how powerful this simple transformation is. If you feel the walls are too plain, you can always add mouldings or wainscotting.

 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

4. Remove all faux finishes

Faux paint was extremely popular in the 1980s. The faux finish was found in nearly every 80s home either in paint or wallpaper form. It might have worked for Ralph Lauren 30 years ago, but in this case what’s old is not new. It is dated and tired and desperately needs to be removed from your home! In my last home I moved into a living room that was covered in faux finishes, both on the walls and on the fireplace hearth. Upon close inspection of the hearth we learned that the faux marble was actually covering real marble! We still, to this day, wonder why on earth someone would do this. Naturally, the faux marble was immediately removed to reveal the gorgeous real marble beneath. (And the faux walls were immediately painted over as well.)

updates freshly painted rooms 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

5. Save the red carpet for Hollywood!

It has no right to be in anyone’s home. Rip up any and all old carpeting. Carpeting immediately dates your home. If you happen to have hardwood floors, leave them entirely or partially exposed. This instantly freshens up your home. If you don’t have hardwood floors you might want to consider having them installed. If this is not at all possible, then select a durable rug that can stand up to traffic and spills, and please select your rug in a neutral color!

updates kitchen countertops 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

6. Replace your countertops

Old, aged, dingy countertops should be replaced. A countertop will instantly change the overall feel and appearance of  your room. You need not spend a fortune to bring your counters up to date. There are many wonderfully affordable, handsome options out there that will not cost an arm and a leg.

updates hardware 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

7. Accessorize

These accessories may be small but they are both powerful and impactful. Remove and replace your old drawer pulls and cabinet handles. Brushed metals and chrome have staying power and brass is making a comeback as well. Look for clean lines and refined shapes. Stay away from items that appear too trendy. Kitchen and bathroom faucets and handles should be replaced and updated as well if they are showing signs of age, wear and tear.

updates wall paper borders 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

8. Take down wallpaper borders

Again widely popular in the 1980s was wallpaper borders. Not only are they dated, but they simply look silly in most rooms with the exception of children’s play areas and bedrooms. There’s not much more to add about these other than remove them immediately!

updates light fixtures 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

9. Replace old light fixtures

Whether sconces, or hanging from the ceiling, replace dated light fixtures to add a fresh and modern look. Any interior decorator will tell you that lighting is crucial to your space. The amount of light your home has sets the mood and tone. It can create both a productive as well as a relaxing atmosphere. Many older light fixtures use odd sized bulbs when you replace these with newer models you will be able to replace your incandescent bulbs with fluorescent ones. This will save energy and lower your electric bill.

updates carpeting 10 Things you Must Fix in Your Home Today! Share on Facebook  Tweet Comment

10. Paint

This may be the easiest and yet the hardest task of all. Walls should be repainted every few years. Nothing makes a home look old and dingy like tired walls. Many will tell you to stick with a neutral color, but if you prefer bright or pastel walls, then by all means repaint them in a color that best reflects your style and personality. Placement of color is crucial. A bright pink may be more suited to a child’s room than one in a main living area. If you tend to prefer louder, bolder colors, when it does come time to sell, your Realtor may indeed advise you to repaint using a softer, more neutral color.

For the most part these fairly small fixes will make a huge impact in the overall appearance of your home!

http://bit.ly/10pM9Rp

Home Prices May 10, 2013

Optimism over home prices reaches milestone

A majority of Americans now expect home prices to increase over the next year, pointing to growing optimism among housing-market observers, according to the results of Fannie Mae’s April 2012 National Housing Survey.

By comparison, in April of last year only 32 percent of those surveyed said they believed home prices would appreciate over the next year. In April, the three percentage point increase in the share of Americans who believe prices will increase was enough to push the total share of those bullish on home prices to 51 percent, Fannie Mae said.

“For the first time in the survey’s three-year history, the majority of Americans surveyed now expect home prices to increase,” said Doug Duncan, senior vice president and chief economist at Fannie Mae. “Crossing the 50 percent threshold marks a significant milestone as most Americans believe a housing recovery is truly occurring throughout the country. Reflecting that increased optimism toward housing, the share of Americans who think it is a good time to sell has doubled during the last year. Many homeowners who have been underwater are gradually returning to positive equity, and selling is now becoming an available and attractive option again.”

As buyers continue to bid up prices in many markets suffering from a shortage of inventory, the share of Americans who believe now is a good time to sell continued to climb in April, according to the survey. That share of respondents rose by four percentage points in April to 30 percent, exactly double the share recorded last year.

Other results of April’s survey appear to highlight growing optimism among Americans in the larger economy as well. They include:

  • The share of respondents who say the economy is on the right track increased 4 percentage points over March to 39 percent.
  • The percentage of people who expect their personal financial situation to get worse over the next 12 months dropped by five percentage points to 16 percent.
  • Eleven percent reported significantly lower household expenses compared to 12 months ago, a three percentage point increase over March.

– See more at: http://www.inman.com/2013/05/07/optimism-over-home-prices-reaches-milestone/#sthash.aYAgiAB4.dpuf

http://bit.ly/10pLzTB

Home Price Gains May 9, 2013

Here’s What Is Really Behind Home Price Gains

The numbers just keep going up. Home prices are defying gravity and expectations, which has some asking exactly how real they are and what is driving them. The answers lie, again, in the numbers, which vary depending on what particular report you choose.

Home prices nationally, including sales of distressed properties, rose 10.5 percent in March from a year ago, according to a new report from CoreLogic. Read on HERE

http://bit.ly/18tDOCH

Seattle Metro Transit May 8, 2013

Hearing on Metro Service Cuts May 14th

The King County Council’s Transportation, Economy and Environment Committee will hold a special meeting Tuesday, May 14 to take public testimony about potential Metro Transit service cuts. Committee members want to hear how you might be affected by service reductions and your ideas for alternatives.

Metro faces a $75 million annual shortfall and will have to cut service by up to 600,000 hours, or 17 percent, beginning in fall 2014 unless new funding becomes available. Roughly two-thirds of Metro bus routes might be eliminated, reduced or revised. Learn about services at risk: www.kingcounty.gov/metro/future

Service cuts hearing: Tuesday, May 14 3:30 p.m. – open house 4 p.m. – testimony begins Union Station
401 S Jackson St, Seattle
Can’t attend? Submit your comments online

Metro has had a severe funding shortage since 2008. So far we have avoided major service reductions by cutting staff positions and programs, raising fares, digging into reserves, and taking many other actions. We’ve adopted recommendations from a performance audit to save about $22 million annually, and have secured $121 million in grant funding to help develop high-volume RapidRide lines in major travel corridors.

The County adopted a congestion reduction charge to provide supplemental funding for two years while the Legislature considered transportation funding solutions. That charge will run out in mid-2014, and no more reserve funds will be available. If no additional funding is approved, Metro will have to reduce service to close the budget gap.corridors.

Steve Hill and Sandra Brenner, Windermere Real Estate Seattle-Northwest