Finding the perfect downtown condo

The idea of buying a condo in the heart of Seattle can be pretty daunting, what price range can you afford ? What are the best buildings? Which buildings match your lifestyle? What building hold their value? The process can be confusing and frustrating.

We are here to help ! Ewing and Clark has been around for over a hundred years and we have grown with Seattle, having been a part of the Urban community as long as there has been an urban community. Our extensive knowledge of real estate downtown, both in commercial and residential can help you make intelligent decisions and find the home of your dreams.

We can create a team of professionals to help you find the best mortgage rates, title company, and agent . these people will be part of a team with you as the leader. You tell us what you want and we will find it for you. Want a loft, We know where the best ones are. Want a high rise with a view of the sound, we know every building , and which ones are sound and retain value and which ones don't. Want a pet friendly building, we will find it for you. Want high ceilings and hardwood floors with old world charm or a steel and concrete state of the art building, we can help.

Call Ewing and Clark and we can find you just what you want and we can make it fun in the process, you can shop and we will do the footwork. Come on in to our showroom just north of Pike Place Market , tell us what you want and we will find it!

Queen Anne Six Unit Project on the Market!

Yesterday, I went by our new listings on Dexter Avenue. They are finally done and they are spectacular.

Four of the condos are larger units. For example, this unit with sweeping views of Lake Union is over 2,000 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 3.5 baths. http://www.ewingandclark.com/properties/details/732387-1707_dexter_ave_n_b_seattle_wa_98109_6223

Two of the units are smaller live/work spaces. For example, this unit is 800 square feet with 1 bedroom and 1.5 baths. http://www.ewingandclark.com/properties/details/732347-1707_dexter_ave_n_d_seattle_wa_98109_6223

King County Condominium Sales Data - June 2009 & 2008

This is my second monthly blog on this topic (please see previous blog which compares May of each year). These are the numbers per the Northwest Multiple Service:

In June 2009, 406 condominiums sold in King County with a median sales price of $250,000 or $251 a square foot. The median days on the market were 48 days.

In June 2008, 526 condominiums sold in King County with a median sales price of $294,750 or $292 a square foot. The median days on the market were 55 days.

The June 2009 median days on the market went down from not only last year of the same month but also from May 2009. This may be because sellers are more aggressive on price. The median condo sold in June 2009 for $251 square foot compared to $292 a year prior and $266 in May 2009.

Exciting new condo project on Queen Anne

I am pleased to announce the near completion of an exciting new condo project on Dexter Avenue. 'The Block' is a 6-unit concrete and steel mixed use project designed by Stannard-Conway and Bloch Development. Concrete, wood panels, metal siding and a braced frame make up the palette of exterior materials for a contemporary design in an urban context. The interiors of each unit contain a double height living space, wood and steel stair that connects each floor to the roof deck. The residential units range from 2000-2400sf with huge roof decks. The front units enjoy panoramic views of Lake Union and downtown Seattle. The live/works are about 1,000sf with a cool spiral staircase, two baths, and separate garage. The design and finishes of these units are really spectacular. We're shooting for a grand opening the 2ND week of July. Stay tuned.....http://www.ewingandclark.com/properties/details/299981-1707_dexter_avenue_north_seattle_wa_98109

Found it!

Here is the article I was looking for. Like I said in the previous post, the article basically says that Seattle's real estate market is in better shape than most because of our strict building standards and our geography (surrounded by water) limited the over building when compared to other cities.

See link for the entire article: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/09_26/b4137033250949.htm

Looking for a real estate article and I found this fishy story...

I was looking for a real estate article on BusinessWeek.com, where it talks about the health of the Seattle real estate market compared to the rest of the country. The basic gist (which I always thought was spelled "jist") of the article I was looking for is because of our stringent building standards and our geography (surrounded by water) Seattle will recover quicker than other U.S. cities. I will continue to look for online version of the article so I can link to it, but in the mean time I found this article: http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D98NT7A00.htm . In summary, this other article says that a veterinary convention invited our local celebrity fish tossers from the Pike Place Market to create a "team-building experience." But PETA raised concerns about it and now the plans are on hold. The article is not clear on this, but I think PETA is more concerned about the fish being treated as props at a convention than with fish being tossed across a counter to someone who is purchasing the fish to eat it.

King County Condominium Sales Data - May 2009 & 2008

I posted a blog ( http://rentalsleasing.ewingandclark.com/2009/06/king-county-rental-data.html ) on the rental data in the Northwest Multiple Service (NWMLS) which got me thinking about the residential condominium sales data. This is what I found per the NWMLS:

In May 2009, 322 condominiums sold in King County for a median price of $272,950 or $266 per square foot with a median of 54 days on the market.

In May 2008, 544 condominiums sold in King County for a median price of $287,700 or $295 per square foot with a median of 44 days on the market.