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By Courtney Cooper, October 19, 2008 10:58 am

Seattle real estate has definitely slowed down this year although I am still pretty busy, but I like to read all of the local posts and articles on what is going on out there. The title of this one from The Seattle Post-Intelligencer was pretty negative, but really is a good argument on why we should be out there investing in our local housing in the next year. Okay, yes, I am a Seattle Realtor so I am biased, right, but I am also a person who is deeply involved with my clients and their well being – always trying to look out for what is around the corner. To me, this looks like an opportunity. Read it for yourself and let me know what you think:

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/383884_housing18.html

Buying up some of these new construction houses in the coming months might be a great way to get ahead when 2012 rolls around…. Plus the builders are thinking more short term and trying to off load these properties with many perks alongside them.

Check out some of the newer developments in South Everett, Bothell or Lynnwood for easy examples of what is out there: Seattle Suburbs Listings

If you are interested in Seattle real estate, please feel free to get a hold of me: Courtney@CooperJacobs.com

©Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services, Seattle Realtor serving Seattle neighborhoods & Seattle suburbs, e-PRO, member Built Green

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By Courtney Cooper, June 13, 2008 1:06 pm

Seattle Suburbs real estate – The weatherman was wrong…again! Well, I guess I should be thankful because the new perennials I planted in are doing very well without any HEAT!!!! The truth is that while the rest of the country is going through a bitter heat wave, Seattle has managed to stay in the 50′s and 60′s – pretty depressing when I think even parts of Alaska are warmer than the Pacific Northwest.

Now is a great time to spruce up your yard and make your curb appeal gleam. A few extra touches can go a long way in making a buyer choose your home when they are out looking at real estate. I have a giant six to eight foot tall rockery that backs to a six acre forest. We fenced out the forest at one point, but the top of the rockery is like its own forest. Between my work schedule here and there, I have spent the last month alongside my husband and anyone else we can sucker into helping. We have pulled weeds, laid down multiple layers of landscape fabric, and planted in low maintenance plants like lavender. It is a big project – the rockery is very long – it runs the entire length of our lot. We are only a third of the way through because we are both so busy.

Your project doesn’t have to be so intensive – just a few bits here and there can make a huge difference when it comes to first impressions. Weeds gone and a few spots of color can go miles. Go for broad strokes rather than really detailed labor. It might not look like much, but if you were to take a before and after shot, you would definitely see it! The added perk? Our weather is perfect for this kind of activity – no sunburns or overheating, and no water starved struggling new plants. I want my summer, too, but at this point, looking at the silver lining is vital to sanity!

Good luck! Happy weeding!

Interested in Seattle real estate? Seattle suburbs real estate? Seattle short sales? Seattle foreclosures? realestate@cooperjacobs.com

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 real estate, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf real estate, Green Lake real estate (Greenlake), Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park), Shoreline real estate, Edmonds, Brier real estate, Lynnwood real estate, Mountlake Terrace real estate, Lake Forest Park real estate, Bothell real estate,Redmond, Kirkland, Mill Creek real estate, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs real estate!

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By Courtney Cooper, June 5, 2008 12:47 pm

Seattle real estate is still good – the market has cooled off a bit, but houses are still selling – with multiple offers in some cases – if they are positioned correctly within the real estate market. There are some properties that are probably always going to demand more interest when it comes to being on the market – waterfront or water views are usually in high demand and anything close to a hot urban area such as Green Lake will command a higher price in most cases. This doesn’t mean that you can just stick a sign up in the ground and wait for a buyer. Selling a house in Seattle neighborhoods or Seattle suburbs requires a bit more!

Deep Cleaning: Hire a housekeeper to come in and really get down to the nitty gritty! Most of us live with messes that we don’t even see and an outside professional eye will really help!

Simplify things: Basics like cleaning and sprucing the place up are important, but also really weeding through the stuff in your house is vital! I can’t tell you how many times I have taken a buyer through a house crammed full of stuff and had them run out thinking it was not the house for them. All these possessions we have really make our houses feel smaller than they are – the buyers feel this!

Staging – Hire an ASP to help you move your furniture around to make it the most ideal for being shown on the market. Make sure it is a Stager who has exhibited success and is recommended by your REALTOR.

More Seattle Selling Tips.

Wanting to find the perfect house in a Seattle Neighborhood? Looking for Seattle Suburb Real Estate? Interested in Brier real estate? Lynnwood WA real estate? Mountlake Terrace real estate?  realestate@cooperjacobs.com

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), Seattle Suburbs Homes in Shoreline, Edmonds, Redmond, Kirkland, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs!

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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 27, 2008 3:43 pm

Selling Seattle real estate and being the best Seattle real estate agent that I can be involves using the best tools I can find. Finding the tools that help me be more efficient with my clients is in everyone’s best interest: So in that spirit, here are a few of my favorite things! These are things that I would ask any new or seasoned agent wanting join my brokerage to look at to help them serve their Seattle clients. Gadgets and tools that make my job as a Seattle real estate agent easier and more efficient:

1. Smart Phone: I use a Palm Treo 700 WX – I love it and it makes getting my email on the go very easy. I also have the MLS software for opening houses loaded right onto my phone so there is less to carry around. Let’s face it, Email is better answered more promptly!
2. eFax: Faxes to and from my computer – faxes on the go means that I can get you the info quicker.
3. Docusign: No more late night run out to get a signature – just send it over with email and the clients love it.
4. Active Rain: Blogging on AR has been a huge change to the way I do business, but I have actually met a lot of nice clients on the site and love the interaction and networking that goes on with other agents around the country. If you have a relocation need, I now have easy access to agents in every state.
5. GPS: Doesn’t work well with new construction, but a must just the same.
6. Vflyer: A great easy way to present listings – great for showing off some of those houses and their attributes.

My latest favorite toy? My Flip Video Camcorder – very easy to use – I like to put together walking tours of houses for my out of town RELO clients. It makes it really easy for them to visualize driving up the street to the house because they can see it.

Being a real estate agent is a lot more than selling houses – having some of the right tools makes the job a lot more efficient and easier for the clients.

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, Redmond, Kirkland, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs!

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By Courtney Cooper, April 23, 2008 6:03 am

Yes, we are in a buyer’s market in Seattle – that is obvious as the inventory has increased and the buyer pool is smaller. In addition, short sales and foreclosures have increased so much so that the NWMLS has had to come out with new rules for short sales. Buyers who are well qualified are out there looking for the best deal and I am noticing that the trend is to look for a Seattle short sale or foreclosure. Although the chance to earn instant equity may be appealing and there are many wonderful aspects to purchasing a short sale or foreclosure, this may not be your best deal.

These properties are in many cases distressed in more ways than one ranging from appliances that have been pulled out and sold to deferred maintenance issues, and even thousands of dollars in unpaid bills that run with the property. Short sales in addition have a very low percentage of success rate as far as making it to close before the bank sends them to auction. Unfortunately, from what I have seen recently, the banks are still unwilling to be reasonable in many cases. On top of that, there are usually more than one department at the mortgage company involved and the left hand doesn’t speak the same language as the right hand. It is great that the MLS has tried to put a system in to make short sales a bit easier, but I really think that until the mortgage companies put a clear system in place, there is going to continue to be a low percentage of them that actually reach the closing table. This is bad news for both buyers and sellers – and the banks, but so far, I am not seeing the banks concerned enough to change this.

I think the better deal out there right now is new construction. These properties are out there sitting costing somebody something to carry them. There are perks galore being offered on them and the cost of maintenance up front is very low. The cosmetics are perfect and the builders are able to play ball when it comes to negotiating. In fact, I am seeing that when it comes to negotiating price, new construction has a much better potential for getting the better deal! New construction isn’t for short term flippers – the price is right, but be prepared to sit on the investment until the development is sold out or mostly sold out. With all of the perks and special pricing going on, there is no appreciation until the builder is out of the neighborhood. For the owner occupied buyer, though, this purchase can be ideal for earning equity.

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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, 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!