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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!