End of Summer Tips to Keep Your Home Cool

Now that we’re right in the thick of summer weather, the heat might have gotten to some of us fair weathered Seattleites- but never fear, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the sunshine while staying cool! There are several things you can do these last weeks of summer, most of which come at little or no expense to you, which other options might cost you, but might be worth it in summers to come. Seeking shaded areas in these later summer months is a great way to keep cool, under the tree in the backyard, or putting up an umbrella over that patio furniture on the deck. Cooking outdoors is another great way to keep it cool indoors- turning on the oven or boiling water for pasta can make it stifling in the kitchen, why not grill some burgers on the BBQ, and keep the heat outside?
Keeping the air circulating inside is crucial to staying cool, and bringing that cool night air inside with window fans and house fans is a great way to maximize the circulation in the evening. If you don’t own too many fans, you can open windows on the upper floor and lower floor to create a stacked effect, drawing out hot air on the upper floor, and bringing in the cooler air on the lower level. Sealing the leaks in your home, is as important in the summer as it is in the winter. Air leaking in and out can mean that the cool air is escaping just as soon as you’re able to circulate it, so be sure to check your wall and ceiling openings, or ask your landlord about what options you might have. For more information on Seattle residential real estate, contact your local real estate agent today.

30 Reasons to Call Seattle Your Home

Those of us who grew up in Seattle can easily gush about our beautiful mountains, our clean air, craft IPAs, and coffee shops on every corner. We can easily come up with a slew of reasons why someone considering the big move should take that leap and call Seattle their home, and the folks over at Movoto have compiled the perfect list of reasons that could (and should) convince anyone they need to move to our city. Along with the obvious reasons listed above, this fun filled list includes everything from ferry rides, Tom Douglas restaurants and a loyal fan-base of unpredictable sports teams, it also includes things like “ours dogs are treated like people” (or better) and it’s totally normal to have a city chicken coop- because who doesn’t want farm fresh eggs for breakfast?We love the rain, we have a huge indie underground music scene, and we can travel to a beach, climb a mountain, visit wine country or hike through a forest all within 30 minutes of the city. Need we say more? If you’re thinking about moving to Seattle, or have friends who need a little convincing, check out the rest of the items on their list, and add a few of your favorites for a personal touch. If you're looking for places to live in and around Seattle, contact your local Real estate agent today.

Seattle's Most Kid-Friendly Neighborhoods

Moving with your family on top of trying to figure out logistics can quickly become a full time job (or recurring nightmare), so doing some research before the big move is essential. You’ll want to research the school districts in the area, and find out what is most important to your family such as a shorter commute, or close proximity to parks and shopping.

Seattle has several neighborhoods that are highly populated with families, and there are also several neighborhoods where people under the age of 18 are fairly scarce. According to an article in the Seattle Times and their data source Experian, the Laurelhurst neighborhood has the highest population of children at 29.3%, and has 11 times more children as the Belltown neighborhood (2.6%). Other family friendly neighborhoods include South Beacon Hill (26.9%), North Seattle’s View Ridge (26%), and Mt Baker (25.3%).

The neighborhoods with the lease number of children include the University District (3.3%) Downtown Seattle (3.2%) and Lower Queen Anne (3.6%).
There are also neighborhoods such as Capitol Hill (8%) and Portage Bay (7.8%) that are in the middle, both lightly populated with children, but  also have a high number of young adults without children.
If you are looking for a new home and trying to find a perfect neighborhood for whatever your needs are, please contact

Seattle Rental Rates Continue to Rise, Mortgage Rates at Historic Low

Over the past year, there has been more new construction for apartments than over the past two decades, but rental rates in Seattle seem to be unaffected. According to the Seattle Times, vacancy rates continues to remain low, and while the price retention doesn’t sit well with renters, the nearly 2,000 new apartments that filled quickly over the past year indicates a healthy rental market. Over the past few months the average rental rate rose to $1,190, and the vacancy rate in the city is set at 4.41%. Many are concerned that the overbuilding will affect rates, as a percentage of current renters are expected to become home buyers in the near future, but that didn’t seem to happen this year.

Photo credit: www.third-estate.com

Many attribute this to the influx of employment opportunities in the city with Amazon Microsoft, and Google, setting the bar higher for an increase in employee housing, thus creating a greater need in Seattle’s rental market.While rental rates continue to rise in the area, mortgage rates have remained at historic lows, and prices have started to rise, making it the perfect time to buy, or sell your home.

Seattle Housing Prices Reach Biggest Year Over Year Gain Since 2000!

Seattle housing prices continue to rise, and have jumped another 12.1 percent in April from a year ago, according to the Case Shiller price index, released today. Our housing market posted a slight gain of 2.7% from March, the biggest month over month increase we’ve seen since 2000! All other cities in the 20 city index also posted gains except for Detroit. 
There were 12 cities overall that posted double digit year over year gains including Seattle, while cities like Las Vegas, San Francisco, phoenix, and Atlanta posted gains of over 20%. In general, the housing recovery is getting stronger, and more sustainable, and ready to ease home buyers and sellers back to the marketplace. If you’re looking to buy or sell your home int he Seattle area, contact your local Real Estate agent today.

Seattle Homeowners Buy Air Rights

The newest trend in the Seattle Real Estate Market isn’t adding another story, or buying a summer home on the Eastside; its all up in the air. According to King 5, The growing hype over “air rights” has homeowners in neighborhoods like Magnolia, Blue Ridge and Somerset in Bellevue scrambling to own the air above their homes. It is becoming more popular as our population density increases, and homeowners can’t spread out and extend their homes, so as the population increases, we build up. To prevent a neighbor from building upwards and blocking the view, many homeowners are will to pay a hefty price to protect their views.
According to King 5, two homeowners in Magnolia purchased the home next to theirs for $600,000 because they were worried about the damage a new neighbor could do to their waterfront view. They rented out the home for 9 years, and then finally sold it, but still retain the air rights above the property. They ended up asking for $100,000 less than the average asking price, and as a result the new homeowners aren’t legally allowed to build up or add a second story to the home. Generally these are rights can be anywhere between $50,000 to $250,000, but every home is different. Bill Gate’s air rights are in the upward millions. But homeowners that do own their air rights agree it’s money well spent to protect their views.

5 Steps to Take Before Buying Your First Home

With the housing market heating up again it has become more competitive and lenders are demanding more documentation regarding the sale process which means that as a first time buyer you want to be prepared and not have anything that can snarl the process. The following 5 steps will help a first time home buyer prepare for their first home purchase.
1.  Be sure to check your credit report. Make sure that there isn’t anything that shouldn’t be on there such as paid off balances, fraudulent charges or even family members’ credit. Your credit should be as clean as possible. Pay off any and all debt possible. If you feel the need to cancel any credit cards, do so strategically. If you decide to cancel multiple credit cards in a short time period be aware that can send out red flags to lenders. The best thing to do is to close the newest cards. Lenders like to see that you have a long standing relationship with credit companies as well as have more credit available a month than what you spend. It is also a good idea to have a savings account.
2.  Create a monthly budget so that you know what to expect spending wise when you buy a home. Wright down all your finances and as you save money for your first home, live as if you are making a mortgage payment so that you will be prepared spend less money once the home is bought. Be sure to stick to your budget.
3.  Be sure to find a good agent to help you in the search and buying process of your first home. Your agent should be showing you homes with in your price range, listen to your wants and needs pertaining to the house, help you become a strategic bidder, guide you through the process and they should be concerned about making you happy and not solely about their commission.
4. Find a good lender. It is important to find a lender that explains all aspects of the loan to you and one that is willing to look over your credit report with you and give advice as to what you can do to improve it. Be sure to interview several lenders before choosing one and wait until you find one you are happy with before having your credit checked. It will be another red flag and bump on your credit report if it shows your credit has been checked several times within a short time period. Do not settle for what may seem like the best deal such as settling with a lending company which you found and signed up with online. You may get a good rate but when the time comes to speak with an agent you may have difficulty getting a hold of one.
5. Keep a look out for properties and be ready to make an offer. The market has become competitive and you want to be quick at making a wise and competitive offer. Don’t make large purchases such as a new car which may lower your housing budget. When you find the house you are interested in, call utility providers and ask for usage history or contact the HOA so that you are aware of the average costs of living at a certain property and you don’t end up going over budget. Remember to continue to live and spend as if you are already making house payments so that you don’t end up under budget.