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By Courtney Cooper, June 2, 2008 8:22 am

Seattle real estate: Going green in Seattle has a lot of different angles, but replacing all of our energy guzzling regular old light bulbs is a very basic part! I was thrilled when I spotted a cool deal at Bartell’s over the weekend – hubby looked at me and said, “Is that for real?” The sign said: 4/$1.00 on energy saving florescent bulbs for our lamps. These are normally about $2.50 on a good day, but the lovely people at Bartell’s in Mountlake Terrace had marked them down to $1.25 and had coupons from SNO PUD for $1 off each one at the registers – no limits! I couldn’t believe there wasn’t a run on them. We were tame and only bought a dozen, but I did send my teenager back later to buy a couple more bags!

Seattle real estate and light bulbs? I have noticed that while showing homes, my Seattle buyers are pretty impressed with the houses that do take the time to be as green as possible. Little things like changing over to these energy saving light bulbs can go a long way in the buyer’s eyes – believe it or not!

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By Courtney Cooper, May 20, 2008 3:02 pm

Years ago before I was a Seattle real estate agent, my husband and I bought our first house in the Seattle suburbs via an FHA loan. We had no idea what so ever as to what we were doing and I hated not being able to control every single aspect of the transaction. OK, so I am still that way as far as the control freak aspect, but I know a lot more about the process obviously! We had a very interesting thing happen and I wanted to share so that others can learn from this one (without naming names).

We had little money to put down and were required to get a loan that took out mortgage insurance (PMI). This included a huge chunk up front in our closing costs as well as a substantial amount each month. After four years of paying the PMI and after being a real estate agent, I learned that you can get the PMI dropped. I realized that we had enough equity in our home to warrant removing the PMI (PMI is usually put in place to protect the lien holder in case of default when a buyer has less than 20% to put down on a sale),so I started calling the mortgage company to try and get information on removing the mortgage insurance. I wanted to reduce our payment by that PMI monthly premium. What I found out was shocking.

The mortgage company was quite hesitant to even talk to me about removing the mortgage insurance and tried to persuade me into a refinance instead, but I persisted. After nagging them for weeks, the mortgage company finally gave me my account numbers and told me I needed to call the people in charge of my mortgage insurance policy. I did and when I gave them my “policy number” I was told that this policy did not exist. I went back and forth in a circle between both of them via the telephone and mail for another few weeks before it was finally discovered that:

The mortgage company had collected the upfront premium as well as the monthly premium and then forgotten to actually take out the mortgage insurance policy. After four years, they still had not taken the PMI policy out on my loan! Just to give you an idea of how much money I am talking about, it was almost four thousand dollars! Four thousand dollars! Who loses that? Now I have my accounting degree and have done the books for companies so I am wondering one thing: Where could that money possibly have been applied to?

Obviously, they dropped the PMI “coverage” and payment amount from my monthly bill, but guess what else I learned from FHA? If your mortgage company does not take out a mortgage insurance policy on your loan, they have to refund that money to you IN FULL. Yee haw! Not yet. It took at least another six months to see that money and I had to fight for my right to it. When the mortgage company refused, I sent a letter to everyone I could think of including the Office Of Thrift Supervision’s Consumer Affairs Department. This apparently did the trick because while admitting no wrong doing at all, the mortgage company referenced my letter to the Office of Thrift Supervision and agreed to refund my money in full as “a gesture of customer goodwill”. HMMM

Are you trying to remove PMI coverage? Be persistent! Keep an eye on the comps around you and don’t be afraid to really argue your case!

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By Courtney Cooper, May 5, 2008 8:28 pm

I love the green building going on around Seattle – I actually am working on my ECO Broker designation and love looking around at all of the different variations of “building green” going on in houses, townhomes, and condos. Most of the builders who claim to be green builders are completely legitimate with well thought out plans for green homes that not only are better for the environment, but also have thoughtful design. I have however come across some that just seem to be trying to ride the coat tails of the green trend. Luckily, they are the minority in Seattle!

I haven’t gotten all the way through my studies, but I checked out a development yesterday that has been sitting for a while. Suddenly, the entry sales sign changed and it was claiming to be “Built Green”. This bugged me because except for the really energy efficient siding on the houses, they really don’t seem to be very green. In fact, I know for a fact that the builder got into trouble by knocking over a bunch of trees without getting proper permits. I got inside and almost all of the floor was marble and the off gassing from the MDF made my eyes water.

I need to find the Built Green police and report this one! In the mean time, it is a good lesson to Seattle buyers who are looking to buy green. Buying green should not be about getting more customers in for a few buzz words, but rather changing the way people are living. Selling something that couldn’t possibly be that green in spirit really seems like bad business to me. Just my two cents.

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By Courtney Cooper, April 15, 2008 10:59 am

Really, Chocolate & Going Green in Seattle?

Whether you are looking at buying green in Seattle or going green via green remodel, there is a special offer for residential customers in the Green Up program through Seattle City Light. From now through 7/31/2008, residential customers who decide to make a commitment to the environment and join the Green Up program are in for a treat – an organic THEO chocolate bar from the Seattle based chocolate factory as well as a two for on coupon for a tour of this local chocolate hot spot in Fremont.

What is Green Up in Seattle?

Green up is all about Seattle going green and putting your money where your mouth is. Green up is a voluntary green power program for both residential and commercial customers. Designed to allow the customer to show their commitment to green energy, the Green Up program enables customers to help go green by purchasing green power for a portion of their energy bill. Customers can also purchase green power for LEED credits.

This is a great opportunity for Seattle City Light customers to really make an impact! These programs are only going to work well and be implemented faster if we support them now!

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By Courtney Cooper, March 23, 2008 6:35 pm

Thinking about relocating to Seattle and wondering about crime rates? Looking for information about what is a safe neighborhood? Seattle is full of wonderful neighborhoods and has amazing architecture on top of it, but make sure to check out the crime rates! Moving in Seattle should be fun, but at the same time you want to be safe.

Here is the link to the crime density map of Seattle for 2007 provided by the city of Seattle:

http://web1.seattle.gov/seastats/doStatistics.aspx

Each Seattle neighborhood has its own statistics and this map from the city is handy in letting you know the crime density per neighborhood. You can even break it down into crime density by specific crimes if that is more helpful.

Courtney Cooper ….For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   Experienced REALTOR with a background in accounting – I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Green Lake (Greenlake), Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park), Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs!

 If you are thinking of relocating to Seattle, I am an expert at Seattle Relocation services and can help you find the perfect home while making sure it is a solid financial investment! 

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By Courtney Cooper, March 8, 2008 11:45 pm

Seattle neighborhood Green Lake used to be a suburb only connected to the city by trolley – its true! Green Lake is a fabulous neighborhood in Seattle, but here is something you might not have known:

The suburb of Green Lake became part of the city and in 1903 the city approved a park development plan from the Olmstead Brothers which included a lovely public park around Green Lake. So far you are bored and wondering where I am going with this because obviously there is a park around Green Lake that we all love and use as often as possible, right?

This is the amazing part: By the time Olmsted decided to design the park around Green Lake, the real estate developments had already been built down to the water’s edge! You know what Olmsted did so that we could have the park we have today?

In 1911 he decided to have Green Lake lowered.

He had the lake lowered and gained 100 acres of dry land for the park that we know today! Can you believe it? Can you imagine if you were a waterfront property owner at the time? What if he hadn’t? Can you imagine Green Lake without the park around it?

Courtney Cooper ….For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   Experienced REALTOR with a background in accounting – I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Green Lake (Greenlake), Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park), Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs!

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By Courtney Cooper, February 27, 2008 12:44 pm

So I just read in the Seattle PI about Children’s Hospital looking at buying out an entire condo complex for possible future expansion. According to the PI, Laurelon Terrace condominiums is a six acre complex with 136 units. Children’s reported price according to this article?

93 million dollars!

A jaw dropping 2.8 times the current value according to the PI! It isn’t a surprise that the majority of residents in the condo complex are willing to sell, but what does surprise me? There are some that don’t! I wish I had bought a couple of those condos a few years back – don’t you?

So how does this happen? In 1990 the state of Washington passed a measure which allows a condo to sell itself if at least 80% of the owners approve. That was not put in place for complexes built prior to that time, which are still under the 100% approval rule. So the neighbors at Laurelon who don’t want to sell still have a fighting chance of keeping their homes for now, but it seems according to the article that the condo board is looking at legal ways around that, too.

I understand someone not wanting to leave their home – take Edith Macefield for instance – the lovely woman in Ballard that refused to sell her home when she was offered something like a million dollars. I adore this woman, but driving by now and seeing her house swallowed up by giant concrete walls make me extremely sad. My favorite book as a child was The Little House and Ms. Macefield is the little house in real life. I wish the developer could have convinced her to let him move her house out to the country or somewhere with a lovely little view instead of the giant dark walls outside her kitchen window now. I lived in Ballard for a long time and I remember seeing her house in the middle of a parking lot for years and thinking how she must have lived there forever, but never did I think that Seattle would allow an older lady to have to finish out her long life in a house smothered by construction. I truly fault the city for what happened to Edith Macefield – I have no idea how it happened, but that building should have never gone up around her house.

So, progress happens in Seattle and although I love old Seattle and one of my favorite sites is www.VintageSeattle.org, I would much rather sell my home to an organization such as Children’s Hospital than a developer putting in a Trader Joe’s or whatever else is going in there.  But then, we do love our Trader Joe’s too….hmmmm.

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By Courtney Cooper, February 26, 2008 11:57 am

Feb 2008 Seattle real estate seems to be hopping – could have something to do with the amazing sunny weather we have been having, but hot neighborhoods include Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Fremont, Greenlake, Wallingford, East Lake, Queen Anne, Lake Union, and Eastlake! I put an Eastlake condo on last month and it got an offer in five days! This real estate sale in Seattle had nothing to do with luck. I gave my sellers a clear plan of attack and they took charge and listened to me on every point. I am still getting calls asking if this place is available to buy as a result.

Some of the basics – These Eastlake sellers did all things I asked them to do and followed my Seattle seller tips exactly! They updated some of the fixtures, cleaned the place completely, put in a few new touches, allowed me to put some Staging pieces in, and priced the place right! Our sale price was 98.76% of our list price and we closed successfully in about a month! Sellers who are serious about listing their houses and condos need to be very diligent in this market to make sure and follow a clear plan of attack when it comes to getting their home ready for the 2008 Seattle real estate market. Savvy Seattle buyers will respond as a result.

Want info on Green Seattle topics?

Seattle Built Green Info , Seattle Green Remodeling , Seattle Going Green Guide, Going Green in the Seattle Suburbs

Courtney Cooper ….For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   Experienced REALTOR with a background in accounting – I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Greenlake, Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park), Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs!

 If you are thinking of relocating to Seattle, I am an expert at Seattle Relocation services and can help you find the perfect home while making sure it is a solid financial investment! 

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By Courtney Cooper, February 18, 2008 12:20 pm

Here are some more of my client and friend tips on going green in Seattle:

• Jen says her cloth baby diaper service is awesome and she also uses canvas grocery bags. Here is a link to a Seattle cloth baby diaper service. There are pros and cons, but each site is very informative.
  
• I noticed that Animal Care Center (one of the best vets in Seattle is Tracy Tomlinson) in Mountlake Terrace has some interesting posters up about Dog waste pollution and its impact on the environment. My friend recently mentioned buying or making a dog waste solution for her back yard.
  
• I got flush the toilet less from both Rob & M – I would also add that buying a low flow toilet or dual flush model could go a long way. I personally have to recommend the Toto brand
  
• Rob says cloth diapers, solar panels, fluorescent light bulbs and less toilet flushing. I also saw recently that REI among others are selling cool solar chargers for cell phones, etc.
  
• Kathi likes rain barrels and I have to get at least two! Here is some info on attaching a rain barrel to your gutter system in Seattle. There are tons of Seattle rain barrel sources!
  
• Dave & Brian: Unplug the chargers in the house or plug them in on a switched outlet that you don’t use much – save a ton of electricity this way because these electronics draw power even when not charging…
  
• Sam: “My favorite “green” change was moving to reusable grocery bags. http://usa.envirosax.com/index.php has a line of cute, sturdy, and best of all, small bags that fold up and get tucked into a pocket or purse.”
  
• John & Laurie:
  1.  Recycle 2.  Drive our small economy car whenever we can 3.  Compost grass clippings 4.  Eco-friendly detergents for washing the cars
  

Want more info on Green Seattle topics?

Seattle Built Green Info , Seattle Green Remodeling , Seattle Going Green Guide, Going Green in the Seattle Suburbs

What are your favorite green tips for Seattle?

Courtney Cooper ….For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   Experienced Seattle REALTOR with a background in accounting – I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Greenlake (Green Lake Real Estate), Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park), Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood (Lynnwood Real Estate), Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park real estate, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs!

 If you are thinking of relocating to Seattle, I am an expert at Seattle Relocation services and can help you find the perfect home while making sure it is a solid financial investment!

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By Courtney Cooper, February 15, 2008 1:49 pm

Seattle’s real estate market may be a bit soft right now, but the rates are incredibly low for qualified buyers and as a result the good Seattle lenders I have talked to recently are incredibly busy – and even backed up in some cases. Sure, there are going to be refinances in this mix of increased business, but the savvy Seattle buyers are out there in neighborhoods and suburbs right now trying to scoop up some deals before others realize that the market isn’t as bad as they thought! The truth is that Seattle has a booming real estate market in 2008 – it is just a very different market than we have seen in recent years. Seattle sellers, agents, and buyers need to adapt and stop looking to the media for “expert information” because the media seems to be gripping more of a doom and gloom Seattle bubble attitude. Instead, ask someone out there who is actually listing and selling houses in 2008! WAMU might be backed up because they cut their staff down to the bone, but other lenders are busy, too!

The weather is beginning to turn in Seattle – I always know when the woodpeckers start banging on my chimney to attract mates that spring is near! More and more buyers will be out as warmer days set in and with this will come some competition. Sellers should have their full service agents price their home competitively. They should pay the extra money and have an accredited Stager help them get their home ready for the market if their Realtor suggests it. Spring on its way doesn’t mean that Seattle sellers don’t need to put their best foot forward so that a buyer’s first impression is the best it can be. The 2008 Seattle market is still strong, but just trickier and it takes savvy on your agent’s part and on your part to sell your home.

Smart Seattle buyers who are out there right now: it is possible to get incredible prices, deals and bonuses from these sellers without completely low-balling them on your offer! Have your Realtor be aggressive, but write a strong offer and choose where you want to negotiate rather than beating down the offer from all directions. The window of primo opportunity is getting smaller as more buyers realize how enticing Seattle real estate is right now!

Courtney Cooper ….For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving Seattle neighborhoods and Seattle suburbs in both North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   Experienced REALTOR with a background in accounting – I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle neighborhoods (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Greenlake, Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park) or Seattle suburbs (Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett) or other Seattle Suburbs!