Halloween Happenings

Below is a list of Seattle and Eastside neighborhoods hosting Halloween events. Have fun and make sure to follow the links for full details!

Capitol Hill

If you live in the area, or want to experience Broadway in all its spooktacular glory, the Capitol Hill Seattle blog has posted a “candy forecast map” showcasing the best places to find your treats, and in this case, some tricks!! They’ve highlighted the best door-to-door trick-or-treating that can be found in the neighborhood whose homes offer goodies and ghoulish displays. Hauntedbroadway.com also offers a guide to activites from parades to costume contests. Make sure to take a look at the post on capitolhillseattle.com if you want enjoy Halloween on Haunted (Capitol) Hill!!

Madison Park

Just a bit east, in Madison Park, a ghostly gala will be taking place as well!! The Madisonparkblogger.com gives their vampy version’s details, which will take place on Saturday with most businesses participating in the trick or treating. Click the link above for more information.

Madrona

Madrona is also hosting a spooky spectacle dubbed the “Halloween Extravaganza” which will be at the Madrona Playfield. With candy, storytime, games, drinks and a carnival, you won’t want to miss it!! Click the link above for more information.

Queen Anne

Queen Anne was recently voted one of the best neighborhoods for trick or treating (zillow.com). So if you have kiddies, take a stroll through Queen Anne and look at their map to find the best treats! Courtesy of their blog, Queenanneview.com, they’ve listed a few other frightful festivities for you to enjoy including the Halloween Carnival, a special Farmer’s Market, and a Halloween party at Queen Anne Manor. Follow the link above for more details on how you can participate!!

Ballard

For you Ballard residents, Holman Road will now be hosting a trick-or-treat event. Carkeek Plaza and Holman Road Square businesses will be handing out candy on Halloween day. Many of the stores will have specials and free services, like face painting and massages. Follow the link for more information!

West Seattle

Will you be in West Seattle this Halloween? If so, check out this unique celebration. This year, the 4th Annual Skeleton Theatre, a famous animatronic outdoor production has a rock n’roll theme. With Free entrance and some ‘bone’ chilling performances on Sunday and Monday night, you’re sure to have a good time. See more above by clicking the link!.

Bellevue

It looks like Bellevue businesses will be taking part in the trick-or-treating also! Old Bellevue is hosting the event on Halloween day from 2:00-5:00. Bellevue Square is having it’s own funfest on Sunday complete with tricks, treats, clowns, and fun for kids. For you grownups, the 520 Bar & Grill has it’s Halloween Party on Saturday nights. Enjoy some creepy cocktails and dance the night away! See downtownbelleve.com for more information.

Madrona Fire Suggests Arson

The Seattle neighborhoods of Madrona and Madison Park have been in recent news due to an arson scare that was sparked at a Madrona home. Literally. We wrote in a previous blog that last Monday, a home located on 33rd Avenue caught fire while the owner was away. The cause was determined to be a deliberate one. Deliberate and suspicious. Earlier in the day, a man had knocked on the door of said home claiming he’d lost his ball and hoped he could look for it in the backyard. The kind homeowner allowed the man into his backyard and seemingly left the home, assuming the man was gone as well. Not long after, the home was aflame and the man was nowhere to be found. Police suspect the man to be an arsonist who had used the tactic to cover up a burglary. Coincidentally, another homeowner in the neighborhood reported a man at his doorstep looking for a lost ball in the backyard. Yet, the man left once he had found it. Unfortunately, a similar situation has surfaced in the Madison Park neighborhood. A family reported that upon returning home, they found their garage and back gate open and a propane heater (originally in the garage) inside of their basement. The moved heater suggests that someone may have been looking for a way to ignite a fire. The homeowner found footprints and later discovered a rubber ball in the backyard that did not belong to him. Police have found the incidents to be strikingly similar and are assuming they are related. The suspect in question, whose sketch is made from witness description, is shown above. All things considered, be wary of who approaches your home and be sure to keep doors and windows closed/locked. Homeowners, air on the side of caution to best prevent a crime like this from happening.

The Blur of Belltown

You hear of the following situation all the time: Person 1 and Person 2 both live in the city of Seattle. Person 1 lives “Downtown” and person 2 lives in “Belltown”. Person 3 hops in the conversation and says he lives in Queen Anne. Sure, most everyone living in the city knowd that these areas are distinctly separated from one another, but what are the actual boundaries? Where does one end and the other begin? Belltown has some of the most varied opinions. Many say its southern border starts anywhere from Blanchard Street (my coworker), Virginia Street (Belltown.org), or Lenora (Zillow.com) to the mostly undisputed Denny Way bordering the north side. My point is, the lines are blurred. Some organizations or websites like Seattle.gov don’t even list Belltown as a choice for selecting a neighborhood map. It’s logical to assume that most out-of-towners are going to consider everything from Belltown to Denny Regrade to Pioneer Square (and everything in-between) is “downtown Seattle”. However, if you’re local to the city, or in my case (and other co-workers) are a licensed real estate agent, you have to know the difference. Yet, your directional understanding may not always be what your counterpart agency’s XYZ agent is. For example, after searching for the condominium building (without specifying neighborhood) Cristalla, a total of 9 listings showed up. Six of these listings were specified in the Belltown community, and three were under the downtown community. Many agents experience this issue, and it’s not limited to only these communities. The area known as Interbay, between Queen Anne and Magnolia and the area between Fremont and Ballard are both prime examples of similarly blurred boundaries. Although I couldn’t find definitive (nor harmonious) Belltown borders, it’s good to know that people are fairly forgiving if you ever slip up. For the record, the Ewing and Clark office is located on Western between Lenora and Blanchard, and we have always considered ourselves to be located in Belltown.

Downtown Seattle Residence Beware: Man shot - Suspect in Custody

A shooting took place downtown Seattle this early evening around 4:45 PM. It was on the corner of Second and Pike, usually a busy intersection that time of day, and near the main entrance of Pike Place Market and close to several Seattle condo buildings including the Newmark Tower and Fifteen Twenty-One. At least one witness saw the shooting, with one man being shot in the forehead. The victim was rushed to Harborview and there is no report on his status. The suspect was apprehended only a block away on the 100 block of Pike Street and a gun was recovered. The police have no motive at this time.

The Seattle Times, as well as other news outlets, I am sure will have more information as it is available.

A Downtown Seattle Ferris Wheel

Pier 57 is home to The Crab Pot, Fisherman’s Restaurant, Pirates Plunder and a Ferris wheel? Yes, that’s right. The Pier could also house a Ferris wheel in the near future. The owner of Pier 57 recently applied for a permit to build a giant Ferris wheel to decorate the historic Miner's Landing. The pier, built in 1872, was a key point in shipping routes and one of the few structures to survive the Great Seattle Fire. Hal Griffith, the pier’s owner, hopes to construct a 175-foot wheel with enclosed gondolas, to compensate for unpredictable Seattle weather. A big incentive for the Ferris wheel is to draw a crowd to the waterfront. Because of the recent viaduct issues, Griffith is worried that customers and business will continue to dwindle. A Ferris wheel is a giant (and costly) attraction, but riders will experience phenomenal views and a new, fun amusement park ride. A Ferris wheel is allowed under the existing zoning, but it will have to go through reviews before it is approved. The first would be an environmental and shoreline review, and the second a landmark review, as it is a designated Seattle landmark. If all goes as planned, Belltown and Downtown Seattle residents may expect to have a local Ferris wheel sometime in the next 18 months.

Broadmoor Tour Thursday

Broadmoor is a gated community located in the Madison Park neighborhood in the heart of Seattle. Known for its beautiful homes, exclusivity and 115-acre fairway, the Broadmoor Golf Course (and private club), this Seattle residential area is anything but ordinary. The stately homes and picturesque setting that grace Broadmoor are highly sought after and truly one-of-a-kind. Tomorrow, October 21st, Ewing and Clark is having broker’s opens for 6 incredible Broadmoor homes, so please take the opportunity to see them for yourself! Below is a list of the homes which will be open from 12:00-2:00 pm. Please click the highlighted address and follow the link to view these properties.

1982 Shenandoah Dr E, Seattle 98112-$2,495,000


1818 Broadmoor Dr E, Seattle 98112-$2,985,000


1129 Parkside Dr E, Seattle 98112-$1,695,000 or $6,000/mo


3414 E Shore Dr, Seattle 98112-$6,450,000
-Image above


2128 Waverly Wy E, Seattle 98112-$2,899,000


1420 Broadmoor Dr E, Seattle 98112-$995,000

-Happy Touring!

Madrona Home Destroy by Fire

A Madrona home on the 1700 block of 33rd was destroyed by fire. No one was home and no one was injured but the fire was declared to be arson by the Seattle Police Department. The damage to the home is estimated to be $300,000 with the adjacent homes suffering minor damages. According to people with knowledge of the fire, the fire started from a couch in the basement and there was either some type of lighter fluid or gas found near by.

Bill Gates Sr. and his Misleading I-1098 Ad

Figures lie, and liars figure is an old saying. In Bill Gates Sr.'s “I Love Our State” ad, the first part of the old saying is true. Mr. Gates talks about how the state property tax will be cut by 20% which is true. However if you are expecting your property tax bill to be cut by 20% if this initiative passes, you are sorely mistaken. The state portion of your property taxes is only one portion of the overall property taxes that you pay. Thus, if you live in King County and your home is assessed for $300,000, then your taxes will go down by about $133, or about 4% which is far less than the 20% you might reasonably expect. The ad also never refers to the new tax as an income tax. Why not? Probably because it is considered taboo to say to voters, and because our state constitution makes it unconstitutional to tax property disproportionately. Income has been ruled to be property in the past, so the supporters of this “excise tax” cannot say it is an income tax. Now, Mr. Gates is well intentioned and everything he says in the ad is true, so he is not a liar. He merely spins the figures and chooses his words carefully to put his position in the best possible light, which in politics-well, that just is politics.

Admittedly, I am against a state income tax, mainly because the tax will be expanded to more taxpayers. How do I know? History tells us so. Just look at our current federal income tax that was established in 1913. Below is an excerpt from the United States Department of Treasury Website:

"By 1913, 36 States had ratified the 16th Amendment to the Constitution. In October, Congress passed a new income tax law with rates beginning at 1 percent and rising to 7 percent for taxpayers with income in excess of $500,000. Less than 1 percent of the population paid income tax at the time. Form 1040 was introduced as the standard tax reporting form and, though changed in many ways over the years, remains in use today." [Bold was added.]

Sound familiar?

Vendovi Island Update

In a previous blog, I wrote about an up and coming J.P. King auction for Vendovi Island, located in the San Juans. The outrageous property up for grabs was a 216-acre private island with 6 beaches and incredible views owned by David Fluke. However, the auction which took place at the end of September, proved to be rather disappointing. The Island received only one bid at $3.3 million, over $10 million less than the owner’s reserve price. J.P. King, who is a member of Ewing and Clark’s sister company, Luxuryrealestate.com, was established in 1915 and is based in Alabama. They primarily service North America in marketing and selling multi-million dollar properties. The Seattle Times released an article today about the auction and related Islands on the market noting that they, like most properties for sale, are still feeling the effects of the current market. Although the Vendovi Island is appraised for over $10 million, a J.P. King spokeswoman says they are expecting the selling price to be lower. The article also reveals that there are 500 islands worldwide for sale, and only one internationally marketed island has sold in the past 5 years. Until the market makes a turn for the better, Vendovi will most likely remain on the market for a while.