Few cities, if any, appeared on the scene over night (remember, "Rome wasn't built in a day?). Even well planned cities have taken unusual twists and turns along the way from ground breaking to current habitation. And no two cities have ever taken identical paths. Builders of condominium complexes establish and record a comprehensive set of rules and regulations for the future use of that which they build, as required by law. But there is a point when the people who have purchased the various units have  greater interest in the complex than the builder and the balance of power shifts. The owners start to amend the rules and regulations. The landscaping changes. When more owners are involved in the day to day process of maintaining the property, the better the property becomes.

In many cases, when there is a predominance of rental units in the building, the property is not so well maintained. For this reason Fannie Mae and Freddy Mac require a high percentage of owner occupants or they will not accept the mortgage terms.

Cities usually have a cause attached to their location. A river allows for river transport of goods. The bay off an ocean demands a port. Mountain passes define routes, and where routes cross, trade has been going on for centuries.

Once a town or city has begun to grow, interested parties make rules and set up enforcement policies on how the inhabitants should get along. And as towns become cities the management becomes more complex.

City management systems include mayors and councils and more rules and regulations are made. There comes a time when the managers start asking neighborhoods to reoprt on their wants and needs. There comes a time when city managers tell the neighborhoods that they must plan for the future. They ask the neighborhoods how they are doing and how they want to grow.

Some neighborhoods heed the call and engage. The people that live in these neighborhoods meet and talk and tell the city managers how things are going. Neighborhoods are made up of people. Some academics like to do studies and they come up with things called demographics. These academics go deeper into there studies and say that if this then that. They start forgetting about the people that live in the neighborhoods.

You may think I'm wandering, but I am not. Seattle has asked it's 37 urban villages to come up with plans for growth and greater density. The Roosevelt neighborhood has done that. The Roosevelt neighborhood has come up with a zoning plan that allows for greater density and allows for a density that sustains a new light rail station to be built there. But certain elements fo the city are aligned with developers who have decided that blocks which they control would be better suited to growth and that the people who live in the neighborhood are just being selfish is wishing to control home their homes are impacted.

It's a sad day when communities loose control to developers. Don't let it happen to you. If you live in a Seattle neighborhood, support Roosevelt's Plan for the future. And Roosevelt will support your cause when the going gets tough.  Great neighborhoods make great cities.

What is Moving Link? It is a company in western Washington formed in 1997 to assist home sellers in locating the right mover for their needs with out having to contact every mover in town. Moving Linkis able to connect a seller with the right mover for them and facilitate a move any where in the country and probably anywhere in the world.

Why was this company formed? To make moving easier than ever before. The result:

• Single point of contact that works for you – not the moving company
• Client advocate to trouble shoot the moving service
• Volume incentive/leverage with the mover to keep costs competitive
• Easier way to compare bids
• Quality Assurance
• Un-biased consulting

And Best Of All: It costs the seller nothing extra. Why: Because the movers pay Moving Link the fee they would normally have to pay their own front man.

Moving Link has a great reputation and they keep it that way by constantly getting feed back from the people they have helped. Companies that fall short of the quality of service don't get recommended the next time.

Richard Harper, founder of Moving Link, recently sent me the following hints to safe money when moving and I am passing them on to you with his permission.

Do it yourself Plan A - Rental Truck, beverages, and pizza go a long way and is the most cost effective way I know to move. Now, if you're older like me - oh, my back, my knees, my friends are all old, my kids either live out of town or can't afford to take time off work to help, Plan A won't work.

So, Plan B, you're thinking is to rent a truck and hire some experienced people to help. The cost of your plan B won't be much different from hiring a professional permitted mover in a competitive situation and is a lot less stressful.

Packing The more you pack the less the mover will charge you. Couple of thoughts: Start packing the non-breakable items first and if you run out of time, use the movers for the breakable items. It is pretty hard to break a box of books or linens! On a local move you will save time and money by "staging" your home for the mover. I know, I know, after listing your home for sale, the word staging isn't a fun word, but it can save you money.

PURGE!! When packing, use the 3 second rule: If you hold something in your hand for 3 seconds or longer trying to decide if it should go in the move or not - you DO NOT need it!! Less to move... Less it will cost! - have I already mentioned the word purge? On a local move consider using the mover to move only the big items and you move all of the boxes and smaller items.

Moving There is a fine line between getting the highest quality at the most competitive price! Make sure you DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!! www.thebbb.org; www.utc.wa.gov; www.wmcmovers.com

Storage Self Storage? Portable Storage? Mover's Storage? What kind of storage is the most cost effective for you? How long will you be in storage? Look at your total cost not just 1 month of storage. What will it cost you to go into storage? Do you need access while it is storage? Is it important to your to maintain continuity in responsibility for potential damage? Answering those questions will guide you in the direction in which you need to head.

Bottom-line... the more you do - the less your move will cost.

I have no connection with Moving Link other than the knowledge that they give excellent service to their clients.

If you are moving from or within the greater Seattle area give me a call to help you with the marketing and sale of your property; and call Moving Link to make sure the heavy lifing gets done right.

Ravenna-Roosevelt May 2011 Market Report

The 16 closings in May was double that of the 8 closings of residential property in the Ravenna and Roosevelt neighborhoods of Seattle during April. Surely a good sign that the people who took the plunge actually made it to the closing table.  Active listings have been pretty steady for the past three months coming in currently at 33 . We still could use more inventory in these neighborhoods. There are buyers out there looking for homes.

Last month there were 25 listings pending inspection or otherwise resolved and just waiting to close. Now there are 29 such properties, so expect June totals to be up slightly.

For in-city Seattle north of the ship canal the statics include 219 closed sales in April, 469 pending sales (up 130) and 912 active listings up 121 since last month. Absorption rate is now 4.2.Still a sellers market.

This report includes single family homes, townhomes and condominiums.



If you live in the Seattle area, and in particular the North Seattle and the Ravenna or Roosevelt areas, give me a call and let’s discuss how to resolve your real estate issues.

Expired? Cancelled? Off Market? What's a Seller To Do? You are not alone. Many homes in Seattle and elsewhere have languished on the market for months. In other words: Unsold. No action for weeks. You're the seller. The sign post in your yard has been leaning toward the street for so long you can tell it's trying to run away. What do you do? Blame your agent? Blame the market? Blame the banks and their lousy short sales and foreclosures? Let me help you here. There are only three reasons your home didn't sell. And you the seller are directly responsible for two of them and partially responsible for the third.

Here are the three reasons your house didn't sell:

1. Preparation
2. Price
3. Marketing

PREPARATION: The advice on how to prepare a home for sale is unlimited and it's free. Most sellers know well in advance of their own moving plans and have ample time to prepare. Sometimes sellers may not have the money to do major repairs, but a clean and tidy home, inside and out, is the first step in assuring that your home will sell. All you have to do is look and/or ask a professional.

PRICE: You know how hard you shop for bargains. Home buyers are out there scouring the listings for that special value. If you've been expecting that rare buyer with more money than brains is going to show up and fall so soundly in love with your house that they will pay way over market, you need to think again. That happens when the market has been trending up for years and even homes that seem to be over-priced get more than one offer. Select an agent and go with him to look at the competition before you decide on a price.

MARKETING: Some properties slip through the cracks. Not many, but a few do. Often properties marketed by owners are finally listed by agents but already have long market times. This is a turn off to buyers. Everyone wants to get something that's new on market, or they want a deep discount. Marketing can't cure all ills, but if your agent doesn't have a strong Internet presence, doesn't use high quality photography, doesn't advertise your listing online with more than just the simple MLS broadcasting, doesn't have a social media plan to expose your property on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Craig's List, Active Rain, Realtor.com, Zillow.com, Trulia.com and others, you aren't getting full exposure. There is such a diverse array of Internet sites these days, all vying to be "the only one" that no buyer is able to check them all.

As a seller, it is up to you to properly prepare and price you home. Don't kid yourself into thinking that those things are not that important. And it is up to you to interview agents and find one that will thoroughly work all avenues of listing exposure to assure that the right buyer will see your home soon after it hits the market.

Homes are selling in Seattle and all over the country. But not all homes. Too many end up expired, cancelled, or just off market.

There are reasons why I say don't buy a home now. Let me give them to you.

You can read on Realtor.com and Trulia and Zillow and numerous other websites the Five, or Eight, or Ten reasons to buy, hints to sell, techniques to get a great deal and so on. There are reasons you should not buy a home now, and I'm not just talking about the Seattle residential real estate market. 

The first question you have to ask yourself, and it is one I ask every new buyer at our first interview, Do you really want to be a homeowner? It seems like that is a rhetorical question. Of course the buyer wants to buy a home. That is why he is in the office. The usual answer is, Well, yeah! And I always appreciate the enthusiasm. Then I ask, And what kind of down payment do you have saved up? And the answer tells me how motivated the buyer has been for long enough to save up whatever he has for the down. 

Sometimes the answer to the first question is, My folks really want me to.

And sometimes the answer is, All of my friends are.

And even, Not really but I guess I should.

These are three good answers that should be telling you that now is not the time for you to be buying a home.

A while back I was showing homes to a couple who were renting and they wanted to see a home just down the street from where they lived. I showed them that home and we chatted, but not enough. They both had good jobs, but very little to put down. They could only look week nights, because they liked to go skiing every weekend. When at the places we looked at, he was always looking for the spot where the big flat-screen TV would go, which they didn't own yet. 

Unfortunately, I wasn't listening very well. I found them just what they said they wanted and we made an offer that was accepted. At the inspection it turned out that they had changed their minds. There was so much to do and they would have to give up the ski weekends, and the TV and probably a few other activities they loved, once the winter changed into spring. So they didn't buy. They weren't ready to be homeowners quite yet.

So that is a reason not to buy a home now. You have a decent job but you're not ready to give up a few of life's pleasures to save up the down payment.

Here's another good one. You have a job and there is lots of opportunity to move up the ladder quickly, but it would mean a transfer to another city. Look in to the company transfer policy. If they won't fund the move and cover any loss you might have from the sale of your home, it might be better to wait.

Are you buying a home to flip and make a lot of money like Uncle Harry? Flipping is a job and akin to being an investor. Don't buy into this lifestyle unless you can afford to lose your investment.

It's harder these days to buy a house for very good reasons. Too many people who shouldn't have been homeowners bought when it was easy and now many of them are complaining that they were treated unfairly.

Homeownership isn't for everyone. If you're not ready to make sacrifices and save up for the down payment, don't even go there. If you don't like home maintenance, and can't afford to have every needed repair hired out, perhaps you should be a renter. When you are ready to be a homeowner, give a Realtor® a call. In Seattle call me. My number is right below.

April 2011 Ravenna Roosevelt Market Report

The data is in for April is in and the results are pretty much as predicted. Closed sales are up 100%! There were only 8 closed sales in March, but there were 17 in April. Inventory has remained at 31 active single-family units including condos for the Roosevelt Ravenna neighborhoods. 

The map below shows the sales in red, the pendings in yellow and the active listings in green.

What does the data have to say about the month of April? Let's take a look.

We see that the average days on market for the pending and sold properties went way up. This indicates that those sellers who were too high have lowered their prices to meet the market, or that the market has improved and in spite of what Case-Shiller says and what you read in the paper, the housing market in the Seattle neighborhoods of Roosevelt and Ravenna is alive and well.

If you would like to be a part of this activity, give me a call. Let's take a close look at how the light rail station in Roosevelt will affect the growth in this neighborhood.

What is the maximum Seller Concession for a Buyer's Loan?

Well, that depends, and it's always best to consult with the Buyer's lender before your offer includes promises your lender can't keep. When you are negotiating for a buyer, keep the following in mind.

This information provided by Eileen Burke with Cobalt Mortgage in Seattle, a preferred lender.

Eileen also counsels that Seller concessions can not be paid in cash to the buyer, so if you are leaving money on the table, apply it to future home owner's insurance, property taxes, or *HOA dues.

We are in a very unusual market. For listings where the Sellers properly prepare the home and agree to list at a price the market recognizes as current, we are seeing very short market times and multiple offers. The other half of the market consists of homes that were priced too high originally and/or the Sellers are unwilling to lower them. It's this homes that the seller is often willing to assist the buyer in making the loan more attractive and sometimes just possible.

Representing a Buyer involves getting the best deal possible and this is one avenue to explore.

Representing a Seller and suggesting a Seller contribution in a counter offer may just be the ingredient that makes for a happy transaction.

The 34th Annual Ravenna Park Egg Hunt in the Park will be held On April 24th in "Little Park" on Easter Sunday at 2:30 rain or shine. If you have a child participating, bring a dozen plastic eggs, filled with candy, coins, sticker, or other treats (no nuts, please) to the Coleman's House at 311 19th Ave NE before 6 PM on Saturday April 23rd. 

With your eggs please include the form which is available here: The Egg Hunt Form.

You can help hide eggs, make a donation for the "Golden Eggs," or volunteer to be the Easter Bunny next year.

Come join the neighbors this Sunday for a good time in the Little Park.

It's baseball season again and Green Lake has Little League. My son played on the RUG team (Roosevelt, U-District, GreenLake) team 20 years ago. Today I watched a game with my grandson playing. He'll soon be 14. Hard to believe.

Loren (#22) plays for the Northwest team and today they beat the RUG boys. Loren pitched scoreless two innings of the game and he got on base a few times too.

Twenty years ago I met the parents of two players and have since had 9 transactions with realted members of the family. There is noting quite like enjoying an afternoon in the sun and watching the kids playing their hearts out.

Are there rats in Ravenna, and Roosevelt, too? Who would know unless they seee them or unless they went to the Ravenna-Bryant Community Association meeting last night. About 120 people showed up and it was a busy agenda. First off the acting president was named official president for the coming year. (I showed up without pen and paper, so I have no names to report.) 

After her introductory remarks, a nice young lady from Seattle Public Health arrived and shared some information on rats and what to do about them. There are 4 steps to removing rats:

1. Take away their food. (Stop feeding birds for a while if you must)

2.Exterminate by trapping and/or poisoning.

3.Keep rats out of your yard by eliminating places they nest.

4.Keep rats out of your home. Rats can enter through an opening the size of a quarter.

For the very inquisitive, you can view a dot map of where rats have been reported in people's toilets. And the why of that is something I've been harping on for years. Garbage disposers in kitchens are food processers for sewer rats. They love that stuff and will follow the food trail to it's source. Of course it's dark in those pipes and on occasion they make a turn and end up in your bathroom. Save your self a couple hundred bucks and get rid of your disposer. It will never break down again.

Fortunately Seattle has a yard waste and food waste recycling system and all such waste is composted. These items are stored in containers and picked up each week. Wonderful. 

Next up we heard from the Department of Transportation. Seattle has two floating bridges and one of them (the north bridge on the rat map) needs replacement. In order to pay for it there are going to be tolls and the tolling begins soon. So the talk concerned electronic tolling and what it might mean to you. Can rats cross the bridge and get into Seattle? Can they use the bridge to get out of Seattle? Will they too be charged a fee? These questions were not asked.

Next on the agenda was the selection of board members and their approval. All went well and even some new folks stepped up to help. It was also approved that board meetings would be open to all. Meetings on the first Tuesday of the month.

Then came the big draw of the evening. The run down houses in Roosevelt. I wrote about them before and even have blog dedicated to the Roosevelt-Ravenna Zonning Issues. On the property in question, are there rats? And the answer is an unequivocal, "YES!" An important part of getting rid of these rats is to make sure they are contained and destroyed, not just driven onto neighbors well kept properties. A second and equally important part of the rat remove issue is taking measures to keep other rats from invading the location with their bad building concepts and inappropriate designs. Overbuilding and building in the wrong location destroys a neighborhood just as surely as the current condition of these properties does. Jim O'Halloran, the Roosevelt Land Use Committee spoke to the large audience of about 125. Two processes are in action at the moment. 

1. The Roosevelt Neighborhood Plan is working its way to city approval and needs the support of the Ravenna neighbors. The RNA plan was worked on by a large group of people from the community with the desire to grow the neighborhood since a light rail station will be built there. A great deal of effort went into enhancing the neighborhood while preserving its charm. That support is easy. Everyone should email member of the Seattle City Council and tell them that they support the RNA Plan.

2. The RDG (an out of area development company which wants to build buildings on the rat infested property in excess of 120 feet, where current and recommended zoning is 40 feet) is taking some plans to a design review board. The time to oppose bad design is all of the time and any time. Jim requested that the audience be alert to this meeting and voice opposition when appropriate.We have to do what we need to do to keep the rats out.

The meeting closed with a short piece regarding the Ravenna quest to win  a $50,000 prize by being the most efficient recycling neighborhood in Seattle. And we are now leading. Kudos to us. Ravenna rocks!