For HomeownersKirklandReal EstateRecyclingWindermere Real Estate July 14, 2011

Need to Recycle? Come on Down to Windermere Real Estate For free Recycling This Saturday

Free Recycling on Seattle's Eastside

Need to Recycle? Come on Down to Windermere Real Estate For free Recycling This Saturday

Bellevue Real EstateFor BuyersFor SellersIssaquah Real EstateKing County Real EstateKirklandMarket StatisticsReal EstateRedmondSammamish, WA Real EstateWoodinville, WA Real Estate June 15, 2011

How Many Real Estate Sales Were in Your Seattle Eastside Neighborhood in May, 2011?

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bellevue,+WA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.403932,58.271484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bellevue,+King,+Washington&ll=47.610377,-122.200679&spn=0.310148,0.910492&z=10&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

How many homes sold in May, 2011 in your neighborhood?

May real estate sales are proof again that real estate is local. Seattle eastside real estate is doing relatively well when compared to the last few years and to other parts of the country.  Regardless of what the national news reports about real estate, Seattle area real estate sales are better than most parts of the country.

In most eastside areas, roughly 1/4-1/3 of the homes on the market sold.  In some areas of the eastside, such as East Bellevue, Redmond near Microsoft, and Kirkland, more than 30% of the available homes sold.   These areas tend to shine, particularly East Bellevue and Redmond, near Microsoft. These neighborhoods have a mix of housing styles and prices and are located close to good schools and jobs.  The areas that are further out tend to be on the slower end of the sales spectrum. More home buyers in today’s market are looking for the convenience of living close to amenities.

I also should qualify my statements regarding the market.  Prices are not up, but remained stable in some areas and lost ground in others.

Seattle’s eastside has a “normal” real estate market when considering the market over the last few years.  A “normal” market means everything is happening from homes selling the minute they hit the market to homes taking months to sell and at reduced prices. The “hot” homes are selling.  “Hot” homes are great values with a good price tag, are staged and ready to go.  The homes that are not “hot” are taking a long time to sell and go through several price reductions before getting an offer.

From the Seattle Times Eric Pryne:

While the rise in pending sales was more modest on the Eastside, King County’s priciest area, closed single-family sales in May actually were up 6 percent from the same month last year — bucking the countywide trend — while prices fell just 4 percent, less than half the countywide drop.

Windermere’s Deasy attributed that in part to hiring by major Eastside employers. “People will start to see houses sell before they have a chance to act on them,” he predicted.

Eastside condo sales also were up from May 2010, climbing 15 percent. Countywide, however, condo sales fell nearly 4 percent, and the median price — $215,000 — was down 14 percent.

(Click on the cities below to see real estate trends for the past 5 years.  You’ll find the median pricing for each city and whether the number of homes for sale and the number of sales went up or down.  The odds of selling a home in each area is a result of the number of homes for sale divided by the actual number of home sales, so if 10 out of 100 homes sold, the odds of selling would be 10/100 or 10%)

The plateau:  Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, and Fall City

The odds of selling a home were 22%.

Median sales price dropped: $559,880 to $487,000.

There were 752 homes for sale.

A total of 186 homes sold.

Redmond/East Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 34%.

Median sales price decreased to $409,000 from $480,000.

189 homes were for sale

A total of 73 homes sold.

South Bellevue/Issaquah

The odds of selling a home were 29%.

Median price decreased from $624,975 to $538,000.

342 homes were for sale.

A total of 113  homes sold.

Woodinville/Bothell/Kenmore/Duvall/North Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 28%.

Median price was down from $451,126 to $375,000.

541 homes were for sale.

A total of 177 homes sold.

Kirkland

The odds of selling a home was 30%.

Median price decreased from $575,000 to $538,500.

282 homes were for sale.

A total of 94 homes sold.

West Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 29%.

Median pricing increased from $1,280,000 to $1,350,000.

167 homes were for sale.

A total of 51 homes sold.

Redmond/Education Hill/ Carnation

The odds of selling a home were 21%

Median pricing decreased from $519,950 to $411,950.

325 homes were for sale.

A total of 74 homes sold.

If you’d like more specific information about your neighborhood or home, feel free to contact me.



Bellevue Real EstateBellevue, WAFor BuyersFor SellersIssaquah Real EstateIssaquah, WAKirklandMarket StatisticsReal EstateRedmondSammamish, WASammamish, WA Real EstateSeattle real estateWoodinville, WAWoodinville, WA Real Estate May 12, 2011

How Many Homes Sold in Your Seattle Eastside Neighborhood in April, 2011?

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bellevue,+WA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.403932,58.271484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bellevue,+King,+Washington&ll=47.610377,-122.200679&spn=0.310148,0.910492&z=10&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

How many homes sold in April, 2011 in your neighborhood?

The increasing number of home sales on Seattle’s eastside continues, despite what the news media is saying.  Every month of this year has had a big increase in the number of home sales over the previous month.  It would be great if our news reporting could be more balanced.  Our real estate market is more balanced, so let’s hope the media figures it out!  One local news source did peg the market fairly well.

Right now, Seattle’s eastside has the most “normal” real estate market that we’ve seen in years.  A “normal” market means everything is happening from homes selling the minute they hit the market to homes taking months to sell and at reduced prices. The “hot” homes are selling.  “Hot” homes are great values with a good price tag, are staged and ready to go.  The homes that are not “hot” are taking a long time to sell and go through several price reductions before getting an offer.

The other issue working in favor of a more positive real estate market is that in every area on the eastside, except Sammamish, there are fewer homes on the market.  Less supply=more demand.

(Click on the cities below to see real estate trends for the past 5 years.  You’ll find the median pricing for each city and whether the number of homes for sale and the number of sales went up or down.  The odds of selling a home in each area is a result of the number of homes for sale divided by the actual number of home sales, so if 10 out of 100 homes sold, the odds of selling would be 10/100 or 10%)

The plateau:  Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, and Fall City

The odds of selling a home were 20%.

Median sales price dropped: $514,950 to $499,900.

There were 701 homes for sale.

A total of 161 homes sold.

Redmond/East Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 32%.

Median sales price decreased by 11% to $400,000 from $450,000.

176 homes were for sale

A total of 59 homes sold.

South Bellevue/Issaquah

The odds of selling a home were 24%.

Median price decreased from $599,900 to $568,800.

322 homes were for sale.

A total of 91  homes sold.

Woodinville/Bothell/Kenmore/Duvall/North Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 26%.

Median price was down from $409,500 to $397,000.

559 homes were for sale.

A total of 160 homes sold.

Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 30%.

Median price decreased from $575,000 to $538,500Z .

282 homes were for sale.

A total of 94 homes sold.

West Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 22%.

Median pricing was down from $849,000 to $649,995.

170 homes were for sale.

A total of 45 homes sold.

Redmond/Education Hill/ Carnation

The odds of selling a home were 23%

Median pricing decreased from $514,995 to $462,475.

299 homes were for sale.

A total of 80 homes sold.

If you’d like more specific information about your neighborhood or home, feel free to contact me.



Bellevue Real EstateFor BuyersFor SellersIssaquah Real EstateIssaquah, WAKirklandMarket StatisticsReal EstateRedmondSammamish, WA Real EstateSeattle real estateWoodinville, WAWoodinville, WA Real Estate April 13, 2011

How Many Real Estate Sales Were in Your Seattle-Eastside Neighborhood in March, 2011?

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bellevue,+WA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.403932,58.271484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bellevue,+King,+Washington&ll=47.610377,-122.200679&spn=0.310148,0.910492&z=10&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

How many homes sold in March, 2011 in your neighborhood?

The number of home sales for the eastside took a huge jump over last month’s total.  Each month of 2011 has seen a big increase in sales.

Are the sales stronger than March of 2010?  No, they’re not.  But remember, in March, 2010, buyers were scrambling to buy to get the tax credit.  This March, buyers are out buying because they’re ready to buy, not because a tax credit is dangling in front of them.  It’s been great to see the amount of activity in each neighborhood on the eastside.  In reality, it’s the hot homes that are selling.  “Hot” homes are great values with a good price tag and are staged and ready to go.  The homes that are not “hot” are taking a long time to sell and go through a lot of price reductions before getting an offer.

(Click on the cities below to see real estate trends for the past 5 years.  You’ll find the median pricing for each city and whether the number of homes for sale and the number of sales went up or down.  The odds of selling a home in each area is a result of the number of homes for sale divided by the actual number of home sales, so if 10 out of 100 homes sold, the odds of selling would be 10/100 or 10%)

The plateau:  Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, and Fall City

The odds of selling a home were 23%.

Median sales price dropped: $497,500 to $466,500.

There were 637 homes for sale.

A total of 160 homes sold.

Redmond/East Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 29%.

Median sales price increased by .5% to $467,250 from $464,995.

166 homes were for sale

A total of 64 homes sold.

South Bellevue/Issaquah

The odds of selling a home were 32.5%.

Median price increased from $539,450 to $571,470.

281 homes were for sale.

A total of 100  homes sold.

Woodinville/Bothell/Kenmore/Duvall/North Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 27%.

Median price was down from $396,725 to $359,900.

556 homes were for sale.

A total of 175 homes sold.

Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 25%.

Median price increased to $559,000 from $515,000, an 8.5% increase.

278 homes were for sale.

A total of 84 homes sold.

West Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 25%.

Median pricing was down from $921,500 to $780,000.

169 homes were for sale.

A total of 46 homes sold.

Redmond/Education Hill/ Carnation

The odds of selling a home were 24%

Median pricing decreased from $529,450 to $461,950.

287 homes were for sale.

A total of 86 homes sold.

If you’d like more specific information about your neighborhood or home, feel free to contact me.



Bellevue Real EstateBellevue, WAFor BuyersFor SellersIssaquah Real EstateIssaquah, WAKirklandMarket StatisticsReal EstateRedmondSammamish, WASammamish, WA Real EstateSeattleSeattle real estateWoodinville, WAWoodinville, WA Real Estate March 18, 2011

How Many Real Estate Sales Were in Your Seattle-Eastside City in February 2011?

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bellevue,+WA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.403932,58.271484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bellevue,+King,+Washington&ll=47.610377,-122.200679&spn=0.310148,0.910492&z=10&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

How well did homes sell in February, 2011 in your neighborhood?

(Click on the cities below to see real estate trends for the past 5 years.  You’ll find the median pricing for each city and whether the number of homes for sale and the number of sales went up or down.  The odds of selling a home in each area is a result of the number of homes for sale divided by the actual number of home sales, so if 10 out of 100 homes sold, the odds of selling would be 10/100 or 10%)

Thirty-five percent of the homes for sale around Microsoft in Redmond and East Bellevue sold last month.  That’s an incredible number and one we haven’t seen for years.  Overall, February was the most positive month for eastside home sales in the past several years!

The plateau:  Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, and Fall City

The odds of selling a home were 23%.

Median sales price dropped: $499,995 to $489,990.  Home values have been more stable here than anywhere else on the eastside.

There were 605 homes for sale.

A total of 153 homes sold.

Redmond/East Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 35%.

Median sales price increased by 2% to $430,000 to $439,950.

157 homes were for sale

A total of 57 homes sold.

South Bellevue/Issaquah

The odds of selling a home were 25.5%.

Median price decreased from $579,990 to $500,000.

283 homes were for sale.

A total of 83 homes sold.

Woodinville/Bothell/Kenmore/Duvall/North Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 24.5%.

Median price was down from $397,000 to $375,000.

549 homes were for sale.

A total of 150 homes sold.

Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 20%.

Median price increased to $542,725 from $537,500, a 1% increase.

251 homes were for sale.

A total of 60 homes sold.

West Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 18%.

Median pricing was down from $981,750 to $899,000.

174 homes were for sale.

A total of 37 homes sold.

Redmond/Education Hill/ Carnation

The odds of selling a home were 16%

Median pricing decreased from $474,950 to $450,000.

293 homes were for sale.

A total of 52 homes sold.

If you’d like more specific information about your neighborhood or home, feel free to contact me.



Bellevue Real EstateBellevue, WAFor BuyersFor SellersIssaquah Real EstateIssaquah, WAKing County Real EstateKirklandMarket StatisticsReal EstateRedmondSammamish, WASammamish, WA Real EstateSeattle real estateWindermere Real EstateWoodinville, WAWoodinville, WA Real Estate February 16, 2011

How Many Real Estate Sales Were on Seattle’s Eastside in January 2011 Compared to 2010?

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bellevue,+WA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.403932,58.271484&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bellevue,+King,+Washington&ll=47.610377,-122.200679&spn=0.310148,0.910492&z=10&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

How did January, 2010 compare to January, 2011 in your neighborhood?

(Click on the cities below to see real estate trends for the past 5 years.  You’ll find the median pricing for each city and whether the number of homes for sale and the number of sales went up or down.  The odds of selling a home in each area is a result of the number of homes for sale divided by the actual number of home sales, so if 10 out of 100 homes sold, the odds of selling would be 10/100 or 10%)

The plateau:  Sammamish, Issaquah, North Bend, and Fall City

The odds of selling a home were 18%.

Median sales price hardly dropped: $499,900 to $493,975.  Home values have been more stable here than anywhere else on the eastside.

The number of homes for sale increased by 4% and the number of home sales decreased by 4%.

A total of 118 homes sold.

Redmond/East Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 28%.

Median sales price decreased by 9% to $409,925 from $450,000.

The number of homes for sale was down by 16% and sales were down by 14%.

A total of 54 homes sold.

South Bellevue/Issaquah

The odds of selling a home were 19.5%.

Median price decreased from $559,900 to $460,000.

The number of homes for sale dropped by 10% and sales were down by 30%.

A total of 63 homes sold.

Woodinville/Bothell/Kenmore/Duvall/North Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 18%.

Median price was down from $389,725 to $359,900.

The number of homes for sale declined by 3% and sales were down by 8%.

A total of 105 homes sold.

Kirkland

The odds of selling a home were 18%.

Median price increased to $506,950 from $499,950, a 1% increase.

The number of homes for sale declined by 19% and sales were down by 35%.

A total of 52 homes sold.

West Bellevue

The odds of selling a home were 21%.

Median pricing was up from $899,000 to $1,000,000.

The number of homes for sale decreased by 11% and sales increased by 48%.

The total of 40 homes sold.

Redmond/Education Hill/ Carnation

The odds of selling a home were 20%

Median pricing decreased from $524,990 to $376,250.

The number of homes for sale decreased by 5% and sales decreased by 8%.

A total of 52 homes sold.

If you’d like more specific information about your neighborhood or home, feel free to contact me.



Bellevue Real EstateBellevue, WAFor BuyersFor SellersReal EstateRedmondSeattle real estate December 2, 2010

Does Microsoft Still Have a Big Influence On Seattle's Eastside?

Does Microsoft still have a positive affect on Seattle’s eastside?  Yes!  Microsoft still has a huge impact on the eastside.

The map below shows only some of the eastside campuses:

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Microsoft+Computer+near+156th+Avenue+Northeast,+Redmond,+WA&sll=47.647756,-122.133025&sspn=0.038741,0.113811&ie=UTF8&hq=Microsoft+Computer&hnear=156th+Ave+NE,+Redmond,+King,+Washington&ll=47.584406,-122.229424&spn=0.281495,0.25636&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

Recently, the news  has focused more on layoffs.  There are a number of people who have been laid off and are struggling, which is truly unfortunate.  This post is not an attempt to minimize what those who are without jobs are going through, but to focus on the strong influence Microsoft still has on Seattle’s eastside.

There’s little  said about the increase in the number of Microsofties on Seattle’s eastside since 2007. There are now over 40,000 employees in the area.  Back in 2007, there were just over 35,000.  Imagine the impact these additional 5,000 employees and their families have on the eastside economy and quality of life.  Imagine the impact of 40,000 people on the local economy.  Since 2007, these five thousand more people are renting or buying homes, going out to eat, buying goods at stores and using local services.

Microsoft has had a huge impact on the real estate in the surrounding neighborhoods.  The Bellevue and Redmond neighborhoods near Microsoft have consistently performed better than any other area on Seattle’s eastside. The number of homes that sell compared to the number that are for sale, the absorption rate,  is almost always the strongest on the eastside.  Most every month of the past few years, the Microsoft area of Redmond and Bellevue has had more homes selling when compared to the number for sale.

Does this make this area more expensive?

No, not by a long shot.  The good news is there’s been a huge benefit to the whole eastside because of Microsoft and there are homes in most price ranges in the area.

The least expensive home in Bellevue is on the market for $227,000.  The most expensive Bellevue home is a waterfront property on Lake Sammamish for $4,250,000.  Most of the homes in the area are priced under $500,000.  Most homes for sale right now, almost 1/2, fall into the $300-500,000 price range.

These 40,000 jobs help keep our economy and our real estate market going, even with the lay offs.  The real estate market is still challenging, but homes are still selling.  Clearly, the competition is tougher for the sellers right now as pricing and condition are everything.  This very realistic real estate market should continue for a year or so.

The eastside, particularly near Microsoft, should fare better than many other parts of the country as the economy improves.  People will continue to move in and out of the area for jobs.

What do you think?


Bellevue Real EstateFor BuyersFor SellersIssaquah Real EstateKing County Real EstateKing County, WAKirklandMarket StatisticsReal EstateRedmondSammamish, WA Real EstateWA real estateWoodinville, WA Real Estate December 1, 2010

Are We Seeing The Number of Homes On The Market in King County Dropping?

King County Real Estate For Sale

Number of King County Homes for Sale 11-29-10

It’s easy to see that King County real estate is following the national trend right now. There are fewer homes on the market than just a few weeks ago and, definitely, from a few months ago.  The peak of the competition was back in the last week of July when there were 14,639 homes on the market.

This week, we’re about ready to cross the line below 12,000 homes for sale with the number standing at 12,119.  The number of King County homes for sale should drop back below 12,000 by next week or the week after.   Plan on it.

It would be great to get back below the the 10,000 mark as we did back at the beginning of this year.

Many people think this time of year isn’t a good time to sell a home.  With the lower number of homes for sale, meaning less competition for buyers, what do you think?


Bellevue, WA August 20, 2010

There's A Lot of Green Close to Downtown Bellevue WA

Bellevue, WA is  “hot!”   The city is showing up on lists for the best schools, best places to live, and it’s a neighbor of Seattle, one of the top places in the next decade. It’s clear Bellevue has a lot to offer.  It’s got the economic vitality coupled with the beauty of lakes, the surrounding mountains, and wonderful green areas.  Here’s a video of a walk in The Mercer Slough, a green area smack dab in the middle of Bellevue.  (You can hear some road noise so you can tell you’re surrounded by greenery, but still in the city.  Mercer Slough also has guided walks available on Saturday afternoons.

So even though the city ends up on a lot of “top” lists, it’s great to see some green maintained in the heart of the city.  Take a walk down there and check it out.  It’s a beautiful piece of nature for all to enjoy.

[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Mercer+Slough,+Bellevue,+WA&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=23.761683,58.359375&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Mercer+Slough&ll=47.586255,-122.18688&spn=0.009841,0.028496&t=h&z=14&output=embed&w=425&h=350]

Local news and informationSeattle July 26, 2010

Seattle is #2 Of The Ten Best Places to Live Over the Next Decade

Seattle Rocks!   Seattle is the second best place to live in the country, according to Kiplinger’s. It’s because we’re smart!

Sunset Views of Seattle

Seattle Sunset From Across Lake Washington

Kiplinger’s study had an important tenet when evaluating cities.  The top cities included smart people, great ideas, and collaboration.

After researching and visiting our 2010 Best Cities, it became clear that the innovation factor has three elements. Mark Emmert, president of the University of Washington in Seattle, put his finger on two of them: smart people and great ideas. But we’d argue that it’s the third element — collaboration — that really supercharges a city’s economic engine. When governments, universities and business communities work together, the economic vitality is impressive.

This is a hub of innovation as the home of Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, and Expedia are among many strong innovators in the Seattle area.  The economy, the schools, the natural beauty with lakes, mountains, and Puget Sound

Ferries crossing Puget Sound with Mt Rainier in the background

Mt. Rainier, the Bremerton Ferry, and Puget Sound

are all draws to the area.

Did I mention Seattle is within driving distance to three national parks?  Mt. Rainier, Olympic National Park, and The North Cascades National Park.

Did I also mention that the fresh food and produce available in the N0rthwest is fabulous?

Northwest Berries at Pike Place Market

Fresh Berries at Pike Place Market