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NEW LISTING: Columbia City Hide-Away
4712 S Angeline St
Seattle, WA 98118
Listed at $699,000
- MLS #: 1302624
- Taxes: $4,500 (2018)
- Lot Size: 3840 SQFT
- Type: Single-Family Home
- Year Built: 1908
- Style: 1 Story w/basement
- Views: Territorial
- School District: Seattle
- County: King County
- Community: Columbia City
Columbia City hide-away, want to be super close to downtown Columbia City, but not smack dab in it? Then this secluded, good looking updated 1900s bungalow is for you. Open living room and dining room flooded with natural light, a compact kitchen with a gas stove and bar connecting to a family room with access to a private west-facing back deck and cool professionally designed yard. Tons of OWC, oak floors, high ceilings, built-ins. Two good size bedrooms with big closets. Plus, a full basement and one-car garage.
Information provided as a courtesy only, buyer to verify. For more, go here.
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BUYER SUCCESS STORY: When One Door Closes, Another Opens
After one unsuccessful offer, Jeff & Mary Margaret ended up paying not that much more for a home in much better condition with a view of Lake Washington, in their desired location. Congratulations, guys!
First time buyers, Jeff & Mary Margaret and their daughter Juniper had been long time residents in Seattle and had been saving up for a long time to buy their forever home.
They moved to Burien a couple of years ago and made peace that living in Seattle was most likely no longer in their grasp as the housing market was so crazy. We started to look in Burien and the outskirts of West Seattle and found a cool mid-century, but alas our offer was not accepted even though we tried to be super competitive. It was quite an emotional roller coaster and we felt that the listing agent really played us, by telling us to submit before the review date, making us jump through a bunch of hoops and then waiting anyway, even though our offer was much higher than the list price with no inspection contingency.
There was some wound licking to be done and we had a good de-briefing session, I felt bad that this was their first experience of putting in an offer. I always warn buyers to not have high expectations in such a competitive and in some ways cut-throat market, however I do realize that losing-out takes its toll on my client’s hopes and emotions.
Anyway, we started looking again and found another mid-century in a much better location in Upper Rainier Beach, close to the bicycle path and light rail, so Jeff could commute to work downtown, come rain or shine, and they could be back in Seattle! Of course, they were not the only buyers interested in this house, we put our best offer forward again and this time we won and ended up paying not that much more for a home in much better condition with a view of Lake Washington, in a way better location.
I always tell my buyer clients that if they lose out, something better will come along, luckily this did not take too long. Constantly looking at houses is stressful enough and with young children in tow it is way worse.
Are you ready to buy a home? Go here to see what you’ll gain by having me by your side during this complex process. Ready to get started? Contact me today, or go here to learn more about me.
SAVE THE DATE: ProjectCool School Supply Drive
The simple beauty of Project Cool:
Every homeless student who receives a new backpack can walk into class with the same new tools and good supplies as their classmates, and not feel unprepared or embarrassed.
Project Cool helps hundreds of homeless schoolchildren each year. We give each child a sturdy new backpack filled with quality school supplies, books, toothbrushes, and more. We train school staff and social workers about supporting homeless students.
You can help us fill students’ backpacks by purchasing supplies off of the Wish List!
- Crayola Crayons (24 Ct.)
- CrayolaColoredPencils(12Ct.)
- Crayola Markers (8 Ct.)
- Highlighters
- Ballpoint Pens (black or blue)
- #2 Pencils
- Pink Erasers
- Glue Sticks (non-toxic)
- 5-Tab Dividers
- Toothpaste
- Toothbrushes (individually wrapped)
- Floss
- Wide-Ruled Notebooks
- College-Ruled Notebooks
- Wide-Ruled Filler Paper
- College-Ruled Filler Paper
Feel free to drop items at my office, Windermere Mount Baker | 4919 South Genesee Street | Seattle, WA 98118 or contact me for pick-up.
Thank you for your support!
South Seattle Neighborhood Spotlight: Lakewood Seward Park
Welcome to Lakewood Seward Park!
According to HistoryLink.org, the Lakewood neighborhood along southeast Seattle’s Lake Washington shoreline is located east of Genesee Park and northwest of Seward Park (it is often considered part of the Seward Park neighborhood). The area was originally a peninsula formed by a long inlet called Wetmore Slough — the present location of Genesee Park — that extended more than one-half mile south from the lakeshore and turned west toward Columbia City. Not until a bridge carried Lake Washington Boulevard S across the mouth of the slough in 1912 and a trolley line opened on S Genesee Street did the community gain good communication with the rest of the city.
Lowering of the lake due to construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal in 1916 largely drained the slough. The land where the slough had been was used for some years as a dump. The Stanley S. Sayres Memorial Hydroplane Pits were developed in 1957 at the north end of the former slough, and a decade later the remaining slough area became Genesee Park and Playfield. In addition to its park, Lakewood is a mix of large homes close to the lakeshore and more modest dwellings inland.
Lakewood’s and Seward Park’s first residents were Native Americans of the Duwamish Tribe who lived along the shore of Lake Washington. The thick forest sheltered game and provided the cedar trees that the Duwamish used for their longhouses, but the tribe does not appear to have established a permanent village there. During summer months, families erected shelters woven from cattails on the shore of the lake where they caught fish and dug roots. During the winter, they lived in elaborate longhouses on Pritchard Island or at other settlements around the lake. More.
Top 10 Neighborhood Highlights:
1. Lakewood Seward Park Community Club
The Lakewood-Seward Park Community Club was founded in 1910. The purpose of the club was to provide a social meeting place, and to do good works in the community. In 1910 a lot of the functions we take for granted didn’t exist. The community club serves as a gathering place for neighbors and families to become involved in their local community and to get to know each other better.
2. Seward Park
Within the Seattle city limits, Seward Park boasts 300 acres of beautiful forest land, home to eagles’ nests, old growth forest, a 2.4 mile bike and walking path, an amphitheater, a native plant garden, an art studio, miles of hiking trails, shoreline, beaches and more.
3. Raconteur & Third Place Books
Third Place Books–a general interest bookstore–is a fun, comfortable, and safe place to browse, linger, lounge, relax, read, eat, laugh, play, talk, listen, and just watch the world go by. Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, they opened a third store in the Seward Park neighborhood in 2016. It shares the space with Raconteur–a neighborhood restaurant and bar with new American fare, craft beer and cocktails.
4. Flying Squirrel Pizza
Flying Squirrel Pizza Co. opened its doors for business on Friday October 24th, 2008. This is a true neighborhood joint, which the chef/owner remodeled himself (and the help of some great friends and family) to ensure that his casual yet funky vision would be achieved. Voted Best Pizza in South Seattle by GO: South Seattle readers.
5. Both Ways Cafe & Catering
Both Ways Cafe & Catering is a cozy little kid-friendly spot tucked away in a quiet corner of the Rainier Valley where Genesee Business District meets the Lakewood/Seward Park neighborhood. Breakfast and lunch menu with plenty of vegetarian options, fresh-squeezed juices and homemade biscuits.
6. Bent Burgers
Repeatedly voted Best Burger in South Seattle by GO: South Seattle readers, Bent Burgers boasts nearly a dozen different spins on the classic, including the Bent Burger (bacon cheese burger, hotlink, a fried egg sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches), the Human Torch (pepperjack cheese, grilled habenero, jalapenos, red, green and yellow peppers) and many more.
7. Caffe Vita Seward Park
This independent, locally-owned company has been roasting coffee in Seattle since 1995. From its humble beginnings at the base of Queen Anne, Caffe Vita now operates nine cafes in the Pacific Northwest, a roasteria cafe in New York City, and a cafe in Los Angeles.
8. Pizzuto’s
This neighborhood favorite serves up classic Italian comfort food in a comfortable environment complete with red-checkered tablecloths. Huge pasta dishes, great service, a reasonable corkage fee and plenty of parking. Voted Best Italian Food in South Seattle by GO: South Seattle readers.
9. Lakewood Playground
Expansive neighborhood playground with playfield, complete with backstop and dugouts.
10. Windermere Mount Baker Real Estate
My office! Windermere Mount Baker first opened its doors in 1979 and has been a market leader ever since. We are proud to be the only major real estate company with a local neighborhood office in South Seattle.
Upcoming Lakewood/Seward Park Neighborhood Events
For more information on the following events, please visit the Lakewood-Seward Park Community Club website. For a list of annual Seward Park runs and races, check out this blog post.
- 6/12: Community Meeting (Topic TBD)
- 7/14: Community Garage Sale Day
- 8/17: Family Movie Night (Movie TBD)
- 9/14: Oktoberfest
- 10/9: Community Meeting (Topic TBD)
- 10/26: Family Movie Night (Movie TBD)
- 10/28: Halloween Ice Cream Social
- 12/1: Holiday Gift Bazaar
- 12/1: Community Blood Drive in Memory of Tom Verhulp
- 12/2: Holiday Gift Bazaar
- 12/5: Annual Meeting of the Members
- 12/7: ToyCycle
- 12/11: Annual Meeting of the Members
Photo/Lakewood Seward Park Community Club
Just Grow It! Plots Open at 9 South Seattle P-Patches
Do you want to grow fresh organic produce for yourself and your family while also supporting your community and learning gardening techniques from your neighbors? Now’s your chance!
Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods has P-Patch plots available in several of its community gardens throughout the City, including nine in Southeast Seattle. Most plots are 100 square feet and cost $43.00 annually. Plot fee assistance is also available to help reduce or eliminate the cost of your annual fee.
Gardeners grow vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers in their individual plots and participate in communal volunteer projects. Each year, every gardener is required to donate eight hours to communal volunteer projects in the garden. As a P-Patch gardener, you also have the opportunity to participate in the Giving Gardens program, that donates fresh produce to local food banks and meal programs. Last year, Seattle P-Patchers donated over 63,000 pounds to Seattle’s emergency food system.
Check out the Southeast Seattle gardens with available plots below. The Department of Neighborhoods recommends that people live within walking distance to their garden or other easy commute, to make maintaining your space as easy as possible!
- Angel Morgan (3956 S. Morgan St.)
- Colman P-Patch (1716 32nd South)
- Courtland Place (3600 36th Ave S)
- Estelle Street (3400 Rainier Ave S)
- Hillman City (4613 S Lucile St.) – Accessible, raised beds available
- John C. Little (37th Ave South and South Willow)
- NewHolly Youth & Family (32nd Ave S & S Brighton St.)
- Oxbow (Corson Ave South and South Warsaw St.)
- RV Snoqualmie Senior P-Patch (2917 S Snoqualmie St.)
For information and how to sign up, call 206-684-0264, or visit seattle.gov/neighborhoods/ppatch.
FROM SERENA: Seattle Real Estate Update
Dear friends,
On the real estate front, Seattle continues to be # 1 in the nation for price appreciation with an overall increase of 12.7% from last year. This is more than double the national average. That’s pushed the median cost of a single-family house to $820,000 in Seattle and $926,000 on the Eastside. Even more affordable areas have recently hit record prices: $485,000 in Snohomish County, $350,000 in Pierce County and $341,000 in Kitsap County.
With house prices continuing to increase, there are some predatory real estate agents out there, hoping to make money by–in my opinion–praying on seniors who have lived in their houses for many decades and don’t know the true value of their homes. I have heard of agents not just sending letters, but door knocking and even snooping around properties and looking in the windows, which must be very intimidating for older folks who live alone.
I have owned my rental house for 20 years and recently received a written offer for half of what my house is worth! So, if you live next to an older person please advise them to talk to a local real estate agent that you trust, so they do not get taken advantage of.
In fact, I was recently approached by the manager of Washington Federal Bank who works with a lot of elderly clients to be part of an agent spotlight program that provides no pressure advice to seniors who are considering moving out of their homes. I hate to see people being taken advantage of as their house is most likely their biggest asset.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any questions.
Cheers,
Serena
SELLER SUCCESS STORY: Rory’s Capitol Hill Condo Goes For 10% Above List Price
Rory’s Capitol Hill condo just sold for 10% over the list price, and now he’s all packed and headed to Palm Springs to start a new life and retire soon.
Rory Krout–my first seller of the year–was looking forward to selling his Capitol Hill, Seattle condominium and heading to the California desert for a new life, but he was also anxious about everything coming together as he had to find a place to buy in his new city of Palm Springs and imagined having to rent there for at least six months.
“I was referred to Serena Heslop by a co-worker,” said Rory. “She listed my condo on Capitol Hill in Seattle. As I was moving out of state, Serena took charge of it, having it staged with her trusted and professional staging company contacts and arranged open houses.”
However, luck was on his side as he instantly found an amazing place in Palm Springs and was able to put in a contingent offer (almost unheard of in Seattle), which he won, beating two other offers.
Meanwhile, his Capitol Hill condo sold in one week, and closed in three, for 10% above list price, with seven offers.
“Serena’s marketing plan (including professional photos) was magnificent and reassured me that she really knew what she was doing. Within 10 days, Serena managed to sell my condo for well over the listing price. Once an offer was accepted, Serena was also very helpful and open about the process. I really enjoyed working with her and her team and I would highly recommend her as an agent.”
Naturally, Rory is very happy, especially as his new condo is in a city known for its hot springs, stylish hotels, golf courses and spas, is 1,200 square feet and gorgeous, and all for just $229,000. Maybe we should all move there!
Congrats, Rory!
Ready to sell your home? Go here to see what you’ll gain by having me by your side during this complex process. Ready to get started? Contact me today, or go here to learn more about me. Want more information? Check out my Top Secret blog post of FAQs for Sellers.
Market Update: Washington State Economy Added 96,900 New Jobs Last Year
The following analysis of the Western Washington real estate market is provided by Windermere Real Estate Chief Economist Matthew Gardner. We hope that this information may assist you with making better-informed real estate decisions. For further information about the housing market in your area, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
The Washington State economy added 96,900 new jobs over the past 12 months, representing an annual growth rate of 2.9%—still solidly above the national rate of 1.5%. Most of the employment gains were in the private sector, which rose by 3.4%. The public sector saw a more modest increase of 1.6%.
The strongest growth was in the Education & Health Services and Retail sectors, which added 17,300 and 16,700 jobs, respectively. The Construction sector added 10,900 new positions over the past 12 months.
Even with solid increases in jobs, the state unemployment rate held steady at 4.7%—a figure that has not moved since September of last year.
I expect the Washington State economy to continue adding jobs in 2018, but not at the same rate as last year given that we are nearing full employment. That said, we will still outperform the nation as a whole when it comes to job creation.
HOME SALES ACTIVITY
- There were 14,961 home sales during the first quarter of 2018. This is a drop of 5.4% over the same period in 2017.
- Clallam County saw sales rise the fastest relative to the first quarter of 2017, with an increase of 16.5%. In most of the other markets, the lack of available homes for sale slowed the number of closings during this period.
- Listing inventory in the quarter was down by 17.6% when compared to the first quarter of 2017, but pending home sales rose by 2.6% over the same period, suggesting that closings in the second quarter should be fairly robust.
- The takeaway from this data is that the lack of supply continues to put a damper on sales. I also believe that the rise in interest rates in the final quarter of 2017 likely pulled sales forward, leading to a drop in sales in the first quarter of 2018.
HOME SALES PRICES
With ongoing limited inventory, it’s not surprising that the growth in home prices continues to trend well above the long-term average. Year-over-year, average prices rose 14.4% to $468,312.- Economic vitality in the region is leading to robust housing demand that far exceeds supply. Given the relative lack of new construction homes— something that is unlikely to change any time soon—there will continue to be pressure on the resale market. As a result, home prices will continue to rise at above-average rates in the coming year.
- When compared to the same period a year ago, price growth was strongest in Grays Harbor County at 27.5%. Ten additional counties experienced double-digit price growth.
- Mortgage rates continued to rise during first quarter, and are expected to increase modestly in the coming months. By the end of the year, interest rates will likely land around 4.9%, which should take some of the steam out of price growth. This is actually a good thing and should help address the challenges we face with housing affordability—especially in markets near the major job centers.
With ongoing limited inventory, it’s not surprising that the growth in home prices continues to trend well above the long-term average. Year-over-year, average prices rose 14.4% to $468,312.
DAYS ON MARKET
- The average number of days it took to sell a home dropped by seven days when compared to the same quarter of 2017.
- King County continues to be the tightest market in Western Washington, with homes taking an average of 24 days to sell. Every county in the region saw the length of time it took to sell a home either drop or remain essentially static relative to the same period a year ago.
- In looking at the entire region, it took an average of 61 days to sell a home in the first quarter of this year. This is down from 68 days in the first quarter of 2017 but up by eleven days when compared to the fourth quarter of 2017.
- Anyone expecting to see a rapid rise in the number of homes for sale in 2018 will likely be disappointed. New construction permit activity—a leading indicator—remains well below historic levels and this will continue to put increasing pressure on the resale home market.
CONCLUSIONS
This speedometer reflects the state of the region’s housing market using housing inventory, price gains, home sales, interest rates, and larger economic factors. For the first quarter of 2018, I have left the needle at the same point as fourth quarter of last year. Price growth remains strong even as sales activity slowed. All things being equal, 2018 is setting itself up to be another very good year for sellers but, unfortunately, not for buyers who will still see stiff competition for the limited number of available homes for sale.
Mr. Gardner is the Chief Economist for Windermere Real Estate, specializing in residential market analysis, commercial/industrial market analysis, financial analysis, and land use and regional economics. He is the former Principal of Gardner Economics, and has more than 30 years of professional experience both in the U.S. and U.K.
SOLD: Capitol Hill Condo with 89 Walk Score
215 20th Ave E. 204
Seattle, WA 98112
SOLD: $620,000
With a walk score of 89 & many bus routes to take one everywhere in the city, the new owners of this Capitol Hill condo really can be ‘carless in Seattle’. The freshly painted two-bedroom, two full-bath, SE corner unit, located on a lovely tree-lined street is close to everything: Trader Joe’s, Coop, eateries and coffee shops, plus Miller Park and the Arboretum. Light and spacious, featuring an open floor plan, a gas fireplace in the living room, and a private covered balcony with secure parking space and storage unit, this lovely home sold for $620,000–10% above list price.
Ready to sell your home? Go here to see what you’ll gain by having me by your side during this complex process. Ready to get started? Contact me today, or go here to learn more about me. Want more information? Check out my Top Secret blog post of FAQs for Sellers.
SAVE THE DATE: Annual Client Appreciation Wine Tasting & Lawn Bowling
Dear friends,
Please join my office, Windermere Real Estate Mount Baker for a fun evening of wine tasting and lawn bowling on Thurs., May 17, from 6 to 8 pm at Jefferson Park Lawn Bowling Club on Beacon Hill. Great wines – including a fabulous award winner! If you find something you like, purchase it direct from the vintners at a discount. We will also have some yummy appetizers, and free drawings for a delicious bottle to take home.
Feel free to contact me for more information.
Serena
