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Sold this Month: THREE Seattle Homes
Seattle, WA 98144
Listed at $785,000
Solid 1950 home, set back off the street and fully fenced for total privacy. The main floor has hardwoods throughout, a living room with a real fireplace, an eat-in kitchen, two bedrooms & a full bath. Then there’s a fully finished lower level with two bedrooms, a family room, 2nd full kitchen & 3/4 bath. Perfect for a MIL. Fully fenced yard with trees and shrubs. The backyard patio and swimming pool face west so it’s sunny. Light rail, parks, eateries and the lake all walk-able.
Seattle, WA 98118
Listed at $625,000 | Sold for $750,000
Sweet, super private, south-facing 1918 bungalow, on a magical landscaped lot. Seller is an artist and professional gardener, and it shows! Tons of ‘old world charm’ with original fir floors that are in good shape, high ceilings & a big covered front porch. There is plenty of natural light augmented by newer sliding glass doors that open on to a small sunny deck and big southwest facing patio. Updates include: brand new roof, copper plumbing and most wiring, plus an energy efficient mini-split heat pump for heat & AC. Lots of room to expand the footprint, plus add a DADU as new zoning allows for ‘extra’ dwellings. It is a short walk to downtown Columbia City, Light Rail & easy access to freeways.
Buying a Fixer-Upper
For some home buyers, a fixer-upper is their idea of a dream home. Preparing for the process comes down to creating a plan, knowing what to look for, and understanding what financing options are available.
Create a plan
Fixer-uppers require a future-oriented mindset. Knowing the magnitude of the project you and your household are willing to take on will help dictate your budget and expectations as time goes on. Understand that in addition to the down payment and closing fees, the costs inherent in a fixer-upper purchase have the potential to go over-budget easily. Familiarize yourself with permitting in your area to understand how to navigate any legal roadblocks in the renovation process.
What to look for
Location: Whether you are purchasing a fixer-upper with plans to sell it, rent it out, or live in it, consider its location before purchasing. If you’re planning on selling or renting, location is one of the most important factors to making a return on your investment. And if you’re planning to live in your fixer-upper, keep in mind that location will be a large part of your experience in the home.
Scope of renovation: If you are looking for a smaller scale renovation, look for fixer-uppers that require cosmetic projects like new interior and exterior paint, fresh carpeting and flooring, appliance upgrades, and basic landscaping maintenance. More expensive and involved projects include reroofing, replacing plumbing and sewer lines, replacing HVAC systems, and full-scale room remodels.
Inspections: Beyond a standard home inspection, which covers components of the home like its plumbing and foundation, consider specialized inspections for pests, roof certifications, and engineering reports. This will help differentiate between the property’s minor flaws and critical problems, further informing your decision when it comes time to prepare an offer.
Financing options
Renovation loans allow buyers to finance the home and the improvements to the home together. Extra consultations, inspections, and appraisals are often required in the loan process, but they help guide the work—and thereby, added value—of your fixer-upper. Talk with your lender about which option is best for you.
- FHA 203(k): The Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) 203(k) loans can be used for most projects in the process of fixing up a home. In comparison to conventional mortgages, they accept lower incomes and credit scores.
- VA renovation loan: With this loan, the cost of the improvement projects is combined into the loan amount for the home purchase. Contractors employed in any renovations must be VA-approved, and a construction fee may be charged by the lender.
- HomeStyle Loan – Fannie Mae: The HomeStyle Renovation Loan can be used by home buyers purchasing a fixer-upper, or by homeowners refinancing their homes to cover the improvements. Funds are distributed directly to contractors via a separate escrow account. This loan also allows for luxury projects, such as pools and landscaping.
- CHOICERenovation Loan – Freddie Mac: This renovation mortgage is guaranteed by Freddie Mac, allowing projects that bolster a home’s ability to withstand natural disasters.
If you’re interested in buying a fixer upper, talk to your Windermere agent to help you understand the process and discuss what makes the most sense for you.
How to Improve Your Curb Appeal
When it comes time to sell your home, first impressions are crucial. Improving your curb appeal helps to make the most of a buyer’s first glance and sets the stage for their interest in purchasing your home. The following projects are simple and inexpensive ways to enhance both your home’s first impression and its value.
Landscaping
- Lawn: A healthy, well-tended lawn goes a long way towards improving your curb appeal. Clean up all weeds, leaves and debris, and consistently water your lawn to give it that fresh green look. If you live in an arid climate, consider grass alternatives like artificial turf for the best lawn aesthetic.
- Plant colorfully: Adding color variety to your front yard will grab buyers’ attention. Align smaller plants, like groundcover and flowers, neatly within your flower beds, aiming for symmetry when possible. Use larger plants and trees to frame in your entryway or walkup. If your front yard doesn’t have flower beds, try adding hanging planters or window boxes.
- Lighting: Landscaping lighting boosts your curb appeal during nighttime, accentuates your shrubbery, and adds a welcoming touch for visitors as potential buyers, lighting the way to your door.
Porch
Front porches set the stage for all your home has to offer. Improvements here will play a significant role in how comfortable potential buyers feel about the property and how inspired they are to explore the inside of the house.
- Door: Your front door is an opportunity to make a tasteful statement. Look at bold color choices that are within or slightly stretch your home’s exterior color palette. Take time to prepare the surface for a fresh coat of paint to make the color pop as much as possible. Try stylish doorknob options that accentuate the aesthetic to give your door some added flair.
- House numbers: New and stylish house numbers are an easy, eye-catching touch to the look of your porch. Look for styles that match with your exterior color palette and any exterior lighting fixtures.
- Go for comfort: Incorporating classic front porch elements like a porch swing, sitting bench, and other outdoor furniture gives a welcoming aura to the front of your home and creates a sense of comfort for prospective buyers.
- Shutters: Windows are the gateway to the inside of your home. Shutters of delicate fabric will bring elegance to your front porch, while wooden shutters deliver a solid, cozy vibe.
Other
These miscellaneous projects will add the finishing touches to your home’s curb appeal and get it in prime selling condition.
- Quick maintenance: Small chores and minor fixes like cleaning gutters, repairing chipped paint, and cleaning windows are important for buyers with a detailed eye.
- Staining: Instead of replacing fences or garage doors, look into applying a fresh stain. This brings a refreshed look and is much cheaper than a full renovation or replacement.
- Power wash: Power washing your walkways and driveways makes a significant difference in curb appeal. If buying a power washer is outside your budget, explore rental options from the big-name hardware stores.
The Seahawks and Windermere Team Up Again to #TackleHomelessness
As the “Official Real Estate Company of the Seattle Seahawks,” all of us at Windermere are proud to kick off our fifth season of partnering with the Seahawks to #TackleHomelessness. For every defensive tackle made at a Seahawks home game this season, Windermere will donate $100 to Mary’s Place in support of their mission to provide safe, inclusive shelter and services that support women, children, and families on their journey out of homelessness. Mary’s Place has provided resources, housing and employment services to the homeless in the greater Seattle area since 1999.
Thanks to the Seahawks’ defensive efforts last year, we were able to donate $30,000 to Mary’s Place, bringing our grand total to $128,200 raised over the past four seasons. We look forward to raising even more this year!
Our partnership with Mary’s Place is in harmony with the mission of the Windermere Foundation—to support low-income and homeless families in the communities where Windermere operates.
You can follow our progress throughout the Seahawks season on our social media pages. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn for updates. Go Hawks!
Dangers of an Overpriced Home
When it comes time to sell your home, determining its exact value can be a challenge. Naturally, homeowners want to get the most value for their home. However, if it hits the market at too high a price, it could cause serious complications in the selling process.
Attracting the wrong buyers
An overpriced home creates a kind of seller’s limbo that draws the attention of the wrong buyers, which is a surefire way to start your selling process off on the wrong foot.
A vast majority of homebuyers begin their home search online, especially during these days of social distancing amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. If your home is overpriced in comparison to other listings in your area, it won’t appear in their search results. In this way, an overpriced home is blind to its intended buyers and actually drives traffic to nearby listings that are more accurately priced.
An overpriced home can’t compete with listings in a more expensive bracket. Buyers know what they want, and they know what to expect in their price range. When they notice a home is missing the square footage, features, and amenities typically found in others at the same price, they will quickly lose interest.
Fewer showings / virtual tours
Showings—both physical and virtual—play a significant role in the sale of your home. They give buyers a first-hand look and provide them the opportunity to ask questions and gather more information. Selling your home is a numbers game. The more showings scheduled at your listing, the more potential buyers you have. The more potential buyers, the greater chance of an offer.
Your agent knows that showings are critical to capturing buyer interest. But if the home is overpriced, they will have difficulty attracting attention to your home. This can slow the entire home selling process, leaving both the seller and agent feeling frustrated.
Expired shelf life
Think of the home you’re selling as a fresh tomato. Off the vine (newly listed), it is fresh and attractive, appealing to everyone in the market and standing out amongst the other tomatoes. As time goes on, no one buys the tomato and it begins to overripen and wither, losing its appeal. This is what happens to an overpriced home in the minds of buyers.
New listings attract the most attention—that’s when buyer interest is highest. The longer your home is on the market, the less appealing it becomes. At a certain point, sellers are forced to lower the price. However, this lowered price won’t have the same impact as hitting the market correctly priced the first time. Once price drops begin, they can continue, which creates the risk of selling the home for less than what it is worth.
Lastly, the longer your home is on the market, the more expenses you incur. Mortgage payments, utilities costs and seller’s fees will continue to pile up, making it harder to recover from these costs when your home does eventually sell.
Post-sale complications
Let’s say you do find a buyer at the overpriced cost. During closing, the lender will order an appraisal of your home, and if the appraiser finds that the market value of the home is less than the selling price, they could potentially deny financing.
Contact me about how to price your home correctly to avoid these pitfalls of overpricing. Knowing your home’s worth will set you up for success when it comes time to hit the market.
Preparing for the School Year at Home
For those whose children will be taking classes online or participating in remote learning this school year, keeping the following tips in mind will help create an at-home learning environment that prioritizes health and learning, while being able to adjust to this year’s unknowns.
A home cannot fully replace all that a formal school classroom has to offer. However, what it lacks in traditional classroom appeal it makes up for in comfort and familiarity. Prepping your home to take on this additional role will help set your child up for success during what will be a unique academic year for many.
Set the tone
One of the best ways to set your children up for success this school year is to get them excited. It is important to communicate that this school year, even with all its unknowns, is an exciting opportunity for new and creative ways to learn and grow. Helping your child understand the unique learning possibilities your home provides will get the school year off to an enthusiastic start.
Create a space
Establishing a designated space for school at home is important for a child’s ability to focus and to associate a space with learning. How you create a classroom environment will depend on your home and your needs. If your child is most comfortable in their room, try incorporating their classroom setup there. Depending on your child’s age, it may help to have toys or familiar room objects nearby. However, if your child is distracted by their own room, it may be better to set up elsewhere to help them focus, such as a nook or office.
Allowing your child the freedom to make the space their own will help stimulate their imagination, which is vital to their learning and enjoyment of school.
Wherever the home classroom is, be sure that area has minimal distractions, maintains a strong internet connection, and is well-stocked with school supplies within reach at all times.
Back to school
To maintain a sense of normalcy, keep your family’s back-to-school traditions intact this year, such as picking out school supplies, back to school clothes shopping, and everyone’s favorite first day of school photo. These ceremonies of preparation for the school year will build excitement while bringing some familiarity to those final days of summer.
Establish a routine
Just as adults have discovered new routines to parallel the shift to remote work, children need a shift in their daily flow to mirror the change to remote learning. The rigor of their school schedule will determine how much flexibility you have in putting together a routine.
Stay active, incorporating movement breaks throughout the day to make up for the lack of physical activity. Plan out times away from their computer screens to differentiate between work and play time. It’s recommended that children move at least 60 minutes a day, so prioritize exercise and movement, going outside when possible. This change of scenery is a helpful intermission for children. It gives their eyes a rest from their screens and returns them to their learning space feeling refreshed and revitalized.
Granted, your ability to facilitate your child/children’s preparedness and monitor their continued learning is based on various factors like your work schedule and what resources your school district is providing for at-home learning. No matter your household’s situation, taking these factors into consideration where possible will help set your student(s) up for success.
Patio Upgrades to Finish Summer Strong
Many homeowners have taken this extra time at home as an opportunity to retreat to their backyards and patios, turning their space into their own personal oasis. Here are some ways you can upgrade your outdoor space to make the most of the remaining days of summer.
Add color
Add decorative throw pillows to your outdoor furniture to complement your garden’s color palette and bring some added comfort for you and your guests. Brightly colored patio umbrellas make a statement while protecting you from the sun and other outdoor elements.
In addition to having colorful flowers in your garden, another great way to add a little pizzazz to your backyard is through colored pots and planting boxes that enhance the surrounding decor.
Decorative lights
Outdoor lighting can transform your outdoor space and set the perfect mood for those late summer nights.
LED lights are a very popular option for patio lighting, using up to ninety percent less energy than incandescent varieties. Strings of twinkle lights bring a magical nighttime quality to your backyard, creating the perfect ambience for those summer evenings under the stars. Installing light fixtures around eating areas and your landscaping will give these spaces new life during evenings outdoors.
Upgrade your BBQ
The barbecue is the focal point of summer cookouts. Any time the grill gets fired up, classic summertime dishes like burgers and ribs come to my mind. However, there are simple upgrades you can make to your barbecue that give you even more options to maximize outdoor meals.
Pizza stones are perfect for making evenly cooked, delicious pizzas on the grill. They also produce a consistent heating surface for baked goods and desserts. Griddles do wonders for barbecues, allowing you to cook foods that would normally fall through the grates, like vegetables and shellfish.
Fire pit
Fire pits are the modern-day conversation pit, providing the perfect spot to gather with friends and family – even during these days of social distancing. Commonly used building materials include brick, landscape blocks, stone, or cinder blocks. Traditional fire pits are best accentuated with circular seating to gather around the fire, while more modern styles like fire troughs best allow for taking in surrounding views. Natural gas fire pits offer a low-maintenance substitute to the wood-burning variety, igniting fires at the flip of a switch with easy control over the flame’s intensity.
Whichever fire pit you choose, be sure to consult local guidelines and regulations, and keep an extinguisher nearby to squash any rogue flames. If fire pits are not allowed in your area, consider safer options like flameless candles.
With more time being spent at home than ever before, there is plenty of opportunity to make the most of the home stretch of summer. We hope we’ve inspired you with some ways you can get creative with your slice of outdoor paradise.
Matthew Gardner Weekly COVID-19 Housing & Economic Update: 8/31/2020
JUST LISTED: Solid 1950s Home with Swimming Pool
2523 31st Ave S.
Seattle, WA 98144
Listed at $785,000
- Beds: 4
- Baths: 2
- SqFt: 2,200
- MLS #: 1653054
- Taxes: $7,069 (2019)
- Lot Size: 5,000 SQFT
- Type: Single-Family Home
- Year Built: 1950
- Style: 1 Story W/Bsmnt.
- Views: Territorial
- Community: Mt Baker
Want a house with a swimming pool? Then look no further. Check out this solid 1950 home, set back off the street for privacy. The main floor has a living room with hardwoods & fireplace, an eat-in kitchen, 2 bedrooms & a full bath. Then a fully finished lower level with 2 bedrooms, a family room, 2nd full kitchen & 3/4 bath. Perfect for a MIL. Fully fenced yard with trees and shrubs. The backyard patio and swimming pool face west so it’s sunny. Light rail, parks, eateries all walk-able.
