Playin' In The Rain: A Guide to Seattle Real Estate

Ever Been Fishin'?

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:02:37 -0500

Stick with me a sec. I'm going somewhere with this.

Fishing is an interesting pass time. Some days are absolutely beautiful. The sun is rising. It's peaceful. There are others on the lake but plenty of room for all. The fish are lively and active. You take a second to soak in what a great day it is and you cast your line. You just barely get settled in and something grabs your line. Thrilled with the prospect, you reel it in. There it is a beautiful fish. Just what you were hoping for. It was a fighter but all the good ones are and with your skill you were able to get him in the boat with an average amount of effort. The day passes much like that. You take a break a few hours in to enjoy a snack and by noon you have caught your limit and you head home content and refreshed.

Seriously, I'm going somewhere with this.

Other days don't go so well. It is dark when you leave the house so you don't see the storm clouds brewing on the horizon. You get to the lake and it is crowded, hardly room to cast your line without hooking another fisherman. The fish seem to be asleep. snoozing on the bottom with little motivation to even pay attention to your bait. You cast your line and wait...and wait...and wait... Finally you get a strike. It isn't a big one but a strike is a strike. You reel and reel but after a long struggle the fish ducks behind a log. Your line gets snagged and then breaks. Nothing to do but reel in the line, get more bait and cast again. The day goes much like that. You catch nothing, your coffee goes cold, the rain soaks right through your clothes. Maybe even at one point you cut yourself setting your line. By the end of the day you are dejected and head home with nothing.

What's my point? Many of us remember the good old days, where deals used to fall in your lap. Big paydays and an average amount of work. Buyer's were motivated and sellers were gidddy. If you got to mutual acceptance it was nearly a sure thing that it would close. Problems that came up had everyone involved makeing concessions to see the deal through.

Now, not so much. Transactions are down somewhere in the neighborhood of 50% with most of the agents still out there slugging away. Buyers are like scared bunnies, with the smallest problem on inspection scaring them off or asking for ridiculous compensation. Seller's are scared out of their minds. Still believing that their homes are worth what they were several years ago and not willing to price at current market value. If you manage to get through the inspection, now you have to worry about appraisal.

I swear I am doing twice the work for half the commissions. (Not an exaggeration)

Here is my point. I know you are all in the same boat. (pun intended) But hang in there my friends. A wise man once said, "A bad day fishing is still better then a good day at the office." (Translation - Being a Realtor is still better than answering to some jerk!)

The sun will rise again. The waters will calm. The fish will get hungry, and we will all start reeling in the deals once again. Don't loose hope. Cast your line and know you will be rewarded.

Footnote:

As of this writting Rob is being treated for excessive optimism at the OB Jacobi home for the professionally insane. Please send contributions of coffee in leu of comments.

I have the worst barber in Seattle, and I'll never go anywhere else.

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:42:06 -0600

I got a hair cut this morning and as I was leaving the barber shop I had the same thought I always have when I leave the barber shop. "Wow that is one God awful haircut, but I love my barber".

I have been going to the same barber for over seven years now and he is quite possibly the worst in Seattle. I won't tell you his name for fear of angering a man who wields sharp objects near my head. Suffice it to say he is a Lebanese born man in his mid 50's.

Keep in mind, cutting my hair is not all that difficult of a process. You slap a #2 attachment to a pair of clippers and go to town, and yet still he manages to make a mistake or two each time. Sometimes it is a clump of hair over my ear that was missed, sometimes he takes a chunk out of the back leaving a small but noticeable divot. Once he actually clipped my ear and made it bleed for a few minutes.

So why do I go back? I love the guy. He is fascinating. Grew up and lived in a war torn middle eastern country. Has stories that would make your hair (pun intended) turn white. Culturally he is dramatically different from me. We talk endlessly about the difference he sees between America and his home land. We talk about his children and the struggles he has to raise them in a foreign culture. He is endlessly good natured and friendly. He knows me, my life and my business. I have also gotten to know him, met many members of his family and remember and bring up issues he is having with them, and his business. In short, we have become friends over time.

Why?

Because the guy is friendly and interesting. He genuinely seems happy to see me each month, listens and shares stories and advice open and honestly. He is a great guy, and month after month year after year I go back. I risk the minor nicks and cuts. Endure having to go home and reshape certain spots he overlooked, all because I cherish the experience. He is comfortable familiar and I like going to him.

So what's the point. As I left today a thought occurred to me. What am I doing in my business that fosters the same feeling of loyalty and, dare I say it, love, from my customers? What am I doing to make them so loyal that even if I miss trim their bangs from time to time, they will keep them coining back.

Here is my list of things to do.

•1. Take a genuine interest in everyone in front of me. Clients friends, family, acquaintances and strangers alike.

•2. Never treat anyone like a client. The closing is secondary and they will come if you treat people correctly.

•3. Truly make their interests mine. That includes telling a client that now is not the best time to sell their home, or that that they can't afford the house they truly desire.

•4. Take the time to get to know them. Understand their needs, wants and dreams, before I ever act on their behalf.

•5. Listen intently.

•6. Share honestly.

•7. Ignore the outcome. Paychecks are temporary. Loyalty is forever.

If you build it. They will come.

So good by for now my friend. I'll be back next month. But don't worry even if you take another chunk out of my ear, I'll still come back. Some things are more important than perfection.

----------------

Feel free to check out my Seattle Home Buyer's Blog at www.seattlehomebuyingguide.com

Can I get penalized for duplicate content?

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:16:28 -0600

OK AR help me out. If I have a post on AR and remove it but post the same post on a different blog, can I be penalized for dupicate content? The post is original content created by me.

Any ideas?

I am having an affair: Open Letter to AR

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 09:54:44 -0600

Dear Active Rain,

This is one of the hardest letters I have ever written, but I want to be honest with you. AR you have meant so much to me and I owe you the truth. You have no doubt noticed that I have been a little absent the past few months and not paying very much attention to you.

The fact is that I have been having an affair.

I have met someone who has changed my life. Her name is Word Press. Starting this past fall I guess I was feeling a little restless and my eye began to wander. I do truly love you, but there was something missing in my life. WP and I have a number of friends in common, who suggested we get together. Well, one thing led to the other and we have created something that I think is quite beautiful.

Seattle Home Buying Guide

I hope we can still be fiends. I want us to keep in touch, but things can never be the same as they were before. This past 9 months with you have been extraordinary. I learned more then I could have ever hoped. You showed me how to connect with others, how to reveal my inner real estate agent. You have introduced me to some amazing new people who have truly changed my world. I will stay in touch with you and all the wonderful people you have introduced me to, but I need more. I need to be free to explore this crazy thing we call the "internet".

I need to keep in touch with my sphere through FaceBook.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=584838653&ref=name

I need to be able to twitter when I can't decide between going to Jack in the Box

or Taco Del Mar for lunch.

http://twitter.com/RobGraham

I want to answer questions on Trulia when Midge in South Carolina can't

decide what to do with her cats when she lists her Duplex.

Understand that it's not you it's me. I need to be free right now. I need to be able to adjust my permalinks and metatags on a moments notice. I need to obsess over long my long tail keywords at 2:00 am in the morning when I can't sleep or change my theme all together to match my mood.

I know this must all sound selfish, but I have to be honest with you and myself. I will always love you and stay in touch, but right now I just can't be tied down to just one blog format. Please try to understand. I owe you more then I can ever repay.

I wish you nothing but the best,

Love,

Rob

Robopedia: Short Sale vs. Distressed Property

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:35:11 -0600

It is easy to get all mixed up with the vocabulary swirling around the real estate market these days. Two very confusing terms being thrown around right now are short sales and distressed properties. While the two are similar and many times both are involved in the sale of a home, they are not the same thing.

Robopedia:

Short Sales - When a seller is selling a home and the proceeds of that home will not be enough to cover the loan amount that the seller owns on the home.

For example, If you refinanced your home for $500K last year and put your home up for sale for $480K, that sale is officially a short sale.

Distressed Property - A home where the seller is at least 30 days behind on a payment of a loan that used the property as collateral. This could be a home loan, home equity line of credit, construction loan, etc.

So if someone has fallen behind on payments and is selling their home, but the proceeds from the sale will be enough to pay off all loans owing on the home, then it is a distressed homeowner situation but not a short sale.
If a seller is selling their home and is current on the payments but the proceeds from the sale will not be enough to cover the loans owing on the home, then it is a short sale but not distressed.
If a seller is at least 30 days behind on loan payments and the proceeds from the sale of the home will not cover the loan debt, then it is officially a short sale and a distressed homeowner.

The situation for a potential buyer is different in each situation and the pitfalls can be significant. Be sure to get some good advice before attempting to buy a property in any of the above situations. They can offer some of the best deals in the market, but also come with some extra baggage. The world of real estate is in a rapid state of change at the moment and this stuff isn't even clear to many agents.

Give me a call if you need help.

Cheapest Homes In Seattle: The Skinny on Short Sales

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 17:20:26 -0600

There is a lot of buzz in the Seattle media about short sales. So what the heck are they anyway, and how can they save you tens of thousands of dollars on a home?

Put simply, a short sale is when a home owner is trying to sell a house, but the proceeds from the sale of the house will not be enough to cover the loans currently owing on the home. So the seller will need to get bank approval once a buyer makes an offer on the home, because the bank will not get all of their money back when the home sells.

Why is this a big deal?

A short sale situation can be a big deal as far as the time it takes to close on the house. Because of the extra step of having to get bank approval, the process can take several extra weeks to several extra months to complete. Each bank has its own process for considering short sales and not all of them are very efficient. Part of the problem is the volume of short sales that many banks need to consider. There are a lot more now than a few years ago.

The time lines are a serious consideration. Take a client of mine right now. They are first time home owners who don't have a lot to spend on a home. They found a house they like but it is a short sale situation. They decided to move ahead with the offer. We agreed on terms with the seller, did an inspection and the offer went to the bank. The timeline has been delayed several times by the bank. First they told us a few weeks now it is looking more like about a month and a half. In this situation the bank has all the power and can take almost as long as they want to make a decision.

So why would anyone consider buying a home that is subject to a short sale?

Quite simply price! If a seller is not going to make any money on the sale of their home anyway, you can imagine they are much more flexible on terms and price of the sale of their home. If you are the only person making an offer on the home, the bank will need to take the offer seriously, even if you offer significantly less than the asking price for the house. In many Seattle neighborhoods, short sales represent some of the best deals around. In the case of my buyers, we will get the house for nearly $75K less then what the house was refinanced for just a year and a half ago. Well below market value. (I won't tell you the value of the home because the negotiation is still going on, but it is well below $300K)

In short (pun intended) there is no reason to be afraid of a home that will be subject to a short sale. In fact they may be some of the best values out there. Just be prepared for a longer timeline, a little more hassle and be sure to use an escrow company, mortgage company and if I may be so bold, real estate agent with some experience in short sales. You may just find that hidden gem at a bargain basement price.

Happy Hunting

Free Advice: Integrating Active Rain, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 12:05:44 -0600

I am sure there are a lot of you out there who are just like me, trying to figure out how to use all these different on-line platforms effectively and integrate them to get the maximum bang for your free bucks. I thought I would create a post showing what I am doing with the platforms I have found most useful. Please check them out and give me your feedback, but especially if you have found things that work that I have not included please let me know what you have found.

YouTube:

Recently I created a YouTube Channel that I named RainCityRealEstate. It is more or less a video blog page highlighting my home town and offering instructional videos created by me. Setting up the channel is about as complicated as setting up a blog. Believe me it is almost idiot proof (and I should know). I make simple videos with my Cannon Power Shot camera edit them using Windows Movie Maker, and post it on my channel. I have tried to keep it simple and let people see my personality in a clearly non-professionally produced video.

In addition there are videos I have found from others highlighting specific neighborhoods in Seattle, or interesting events in Seattle that I feature on the channel.

There is a place for anyone to leave comments and also subscribe to receive future videos as I create them and display them.

So far I have had a subscriber and I am just getting started!

I also have the URL for my blog displayed on the channel for an additional link back to my blog. And Links = Good

Please feel free to check it out and leave me a comment or suggestion.

http://www.youtube.com/user/RainCityRealEstate

Active Rain:

I have been an Active Rain member for about 8 months. With YouTube it is easy to capture the HTML code and past it in the AR format. I add my own comments and VIOLA! I have a video entry on You Tube and the identical video on my blog with my comments. Two shots out to the public for the price of none.

I try to post traditional posts as well that do not have video content in between the video posts so that it is more interesting and less visually boring to the observer.

Again I try to be as genuine as possible and only post things that would be of interest to those who might be shopping or selling in the Seattle area.

http://activerain.com/blogs/robgraham

Twitter:

This has taken me a while to figure out and I have to admit I am not quite there yet. Twitter is a micro blogging site that asks only one question. "What are you doing now?" You can tweet back and forth as many times as you want per day. I have to admit that I am not quite sure of the value of this, but some people swear by it. The one true value I do see is that you can post the URL to any new blog post to it automatically. You may have seen this option on the post page of AR.

I actually have several people who have started following me on Twitter and almost the only thing that I am posting is URL's of AR blog posts.

This creates an additional "back link" to your blog. Long story short, the more links to your blog or web site the more important Google thinks you are. So links = good.

http://twitter.com/RobGraham

Facebook:

Ok, finally Facebook. Facebook is a social network web site to make and keep in touch with friends. Think of it as an ongoing sphere web site that allows you to post comments, pictures, favorite movies music or links. One of the valuable things about this is that similar to Twitter, you can post a link to any location that has a URL. So when you create a new post, video or find an interesting article about anything, you can post the URL. Facebook then allows you to add comments, choose a photo and send it out to everyone who views your Facebook page.

Again this creates another "back link" and links = good.

Facebook also allows you to post comments to anything your "friends" are doing or posting. You can also update what you are doing such as, "off showing houses on Capital Hill". Everything is updated to anyone who cares to see it, so it is a great way to remind everyone that you are still an active agent.

All of these platforms are linked to one another as much as possible and back to my web site. Remember links = good.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Rob_Graham/584838653

So that is what I am doing. Please check me out on YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. Feel free to leave me comments and suggestions. Let me know what you are doing and things you like or dislike about what I am doing. If you want to be my friend on Facebook, follow me on Twitter or YouTube, that is all encouraged as well.

Hopefully, we are all taking the time in this market to upgrade our technology and knowledge to gain every advantage we can.

Hope it helps.

Cheers

How Much Home Can you Afford?

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:29:22 -0600

If you are up to a year away from buying a home, now is not the time to be talking to a bank. Here is my recommendation for what you can be doing right now to put yourself in the best position when the time comes to buy your home.

Free Starbucks Coffee

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 10:07:19 -0600

Seattle based Starbucks is hosting a promotion to try to encourage or at least reward people for voting. If you go into a Starbucks tomorrow and tell them that you voted, they will offer you a free coffee.

Can I vote more than once?

http://www.starbucks.com/

Spring Ahead, Fall Behind, Change your Batteries.

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 16:51:42 -0500

Ok, so it doesn't rhyme, but you get the idea. It is recommended that you change the battery in your smoke and Co2 detectors twice a year. An easy way to remember to do so is to change them in the spring and fall when you adjust your clocks for daylight savings. Tonight is the night we all need to wind those clocks back and gain an hour of sleep (or whatever frivolity you plan on doing tonight). So go buy new 9 volts and trade out the old ones. It's cheap and keeps your family safe.

Now if there were only a way to protect the family from leftover Halloween candy, Hmmmmm.

How to Prepare your Home for Sale

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:32:26 -0500

Home owners!

Before you run out and spend thousands of dollars to remodel you home to get it ready to sell, watch this video. You may be surprised at what you need to do and more importantly, not do, to get your house ready to sell.

September '08 Average Seattle Condo Prices

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 18:23:00 -0500

As promised here are the latest numbers for Seattle condo prices. Below the graph is the raw data for the past four years. Funny that the numbers are een more encouraging then those for single family home prices. We are only off 4-5% from the hoghs of a year ago.

As with single family home prices, the numbers vary greatly from neighborhood to neighborhood. If you would like to see the data for a particular neighborhood, leave me a comment and I'll be happy to post it.

Date	10/04	2/05	6/05	10/05	2/06	6/06	10/06	2/07	6/07	10/07	2/08	6/08	9/08
For Sale	758	622	513	560	502	670	927	902	1381	1642	1490	1631	1584
Sold	238	231	364	278	210	312	259	230	401	240	214	229	180

Months of Inventory based on Closed Sales	3.2	2.7	1.4	2.0	2.4	2.1	3.6	3.9	3.4	6.8	7.0	7.1	8.8


Avg. Sld Price	271	292	310	341	301	322	347	356	351	371	364	399	340


Sold/Orig LP Diff. %	97	101	99	99	99	99	98	99	97	96	96	95	94

Avg CDOM	0	0	43	35	45	33	38	58	47	66	81	87	107
Median Price	240	252	262	264	255	274	283	322	300	317	304	318	308

September '08 Seattle Home Prices

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 17:40:33 -0500

I know you guys love to hear the stats. I am happy to oblige. Here is a graph showing what the current median home price is doing in Seattle. Below the graph is the raw data for those of you who want to dig into it. The price for the most recent month of $420K is down roughly 13% from the highs of June 2007. Keep in mind a couple of things: First of all prices typically spike in the summer so it is best to compare year over year at the same time of year. We should expect prices to flatten out or dip a little further this winter. Also, keep in mind that the value within a specific neighborhood may be very different then the overall Seattle stats.

If you want to see a specific neighborhood, let me know and I can post it.

I'll post the condo stats tomorrow. Enjoy.

Date	10/04	2/05	6/05	10/05	2/06	6/06	10/06	2/07	6/07	10/07	2/08	6/08	9/08
For Sale	1742	1320	1489	1701	1333	1631	2083	1546	2319	2961	2678	3128	3210
Sold	735	561	952	789	538	944	669	544	861	511	454	571	448

Months of Inventory based on Closed Sales	2.4	2.4	1.6	2.2	2.5	1.7	3.1	2.8	2.7	5.8	5.9	5.5	7.2


Avg. Sld Price	404	429	506	487	479	545	524	501	570	583	548	587	484


Sold/Orig LP Diff. %	98	100	99	99	99	99	99	98	98	97	95	95	94

Avg CDOM			30	35	49	35	34	58	39	49	79	64	81
Median Price	340	360	404	400	408	450	445	432	475	450	448	460	420

Using Seasonal Photos to Sell Your Home.

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 16:05:21 -0500

Hey gang,

Here is my latest video talking about taking photos throughout the year so that you have them when it comes time to sell your home.

For more videos check out my you tube channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/RainCityRealEstate

Are gas prices a sign of things improving?

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 15:59:16 -0500

I took this photo this morning on my way to the office. I know it isn't earth shattering but I think it is a big deal. Just a few months ago we were all scared that gas prices were going to hit $5 per gallon and now we are looking at almost half of that.

Gas prices along with the Dow in my opinion are the two biggest gauges that people use to determine how the economy is going.

It makes perfect sense too. On your way to work or to drop the kids off as school, you are bombarded with dozens of neon billboards reminding you how much we need to pay per gallon. If the prices are higher than they were last week, you feel a bit of a tug on your wallet. The opposite is true if the prices are coming down.

Gas prices have a wide effect on the economy as well. Gas Prices affect the cost of everything in this country that is delivered by truck or plane, which is almost everything. With the election next week, and gas prices down I think there is reason for people to feel a little better. Now if we could just get the stock market to calm down maybe we would all go back to normal.

Just thought I would share.

Shoud I do an inspection when I buy a home?

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 17:25:32 -0500

Hey gang, here it is. My first attempt at video blogging. Let me know what you think.

Also I created a utube channel with lots of other videos either that I made or that are of interest to Seattle and Seattle Real Estate. Check it out and let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/user/RainCityRealEstate

Seattle Home Prices are up 27%

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 18:23:25 -0500

With all the doom and gloom in the media and in public perception regarding home prices, I thought I might add a little perspective. Yes prices in Seattle are down, (THIS YEAR). Yes, it is a buyer's market. But if you take a step back and not look so myopically, you see that home prices in Seattle over the past five years are actually up dramatically.

For example, since October 2003:

North East Seattle Median Single Family Home Price is up 38%

North East Seattle Median Condo Price is up 28%

North West Seattle Median Single Family Home Price is up 33%

North West Seattle Median Condo Price is up 27%

Yes, if you bought last year and need to sell now, you are in trouble, but considering the average time horizon of home ownership, most of us are just fine.

Unfortunately human tendency is to look only at the immediate.

The Sky is not falling!

Remember 2003, we were all dressed in animal skins, fire had just been harnessed, and we all looked forward to the day someone would invent a better club so we could scare off the Tyrannosaurus outside our cave. NO, it wasn't that long ago. Take a deep breath. With all due respect to the 1 in 1,600 of the Seattle population that is facing foreclosure, everyone relax. We will get through this. It is temporary.

Video Tour of West Seattle

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:36:43 -0500

In honor of my latest listing in W. Seattle, I thought I would share this great video tour of W. Seattle.

PS if you want to see more videos of Seattle Neighborhoods or just Video of Seattle in general, I am trying to organize the best ones that I find. Check them out here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/RainCityRealEstate

FHA Preapproval and Non FHA Approved Condo Complexes

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 18:15:13 -0500

FHA financing used to be only for a select few. With the recent changes to the mortgage world, FHA has become much more popular and is in fact one of the most attractive financing options currently available when buying a home.

WHY?

Under FHA approved loans, you can put as little as 3% down toward a home. Significantly less than the 5-10% typically needed for a conventional loan. In addition, the amount that you can negotiate a seller to put toward your closing costs is significantly higher.

In cities like Seattle, FHA loans have the greatest appeal to those who are looking for their first home or make less than a million dollars per year (ie. most of us). Condos are attractive options for this group.

But FHA loans only work on a project if they are FHA approved right? Not necessarily.

If a particular condo complex is FHA approved then there is no problem. Using your FHA loan to make an offer. If it is not, then you will need to have your agent get a hold of the FHA Spot Approval. It is basically a checklist that your mortgage agent needs to have filled out by the condo association rep. to make sure that the projects financial situation is secure. If the complex has no major red flags, such as a law suit against it, or a significant pending special assessment, then everything should be fine.

So go ahead shop your hearts out, and if you find the perfect condo and are concerned about FHA, breathe a sigh of relief. It isn't as difficult as it sounds.

W. Seattle Condo for $329,950: 5000 California Ave SW. #203

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:07:03 -0500

Rob Graham | Windermere Real Estate | 206-321-6349

5000 California Ave SW #203, Seattle, WA

Alaskan Junction Condo with Partial Sound View

2BR/2BA Condo

offered at $329,950

Year Built	1984
Sq Footage	1,283
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	1 Car garage
Lot Size	Unspecified
HOA/Maint	$355 per month

DESCRIPTION

One West Condos is located just blocks south of the Alaskan Junction in W. Seattle. This spacious home, has a full size washer dryer, stainless steel appliances, deck, wood fireplace, and a peek-a-boo view of the sound. Ignore your 401K. This is the home you have been waiting for.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central heat	Fireplace	Walk-in closet
Living room	Dishwasher	Refrigerator
Stove/Oven	Stainless steel appliances	Washer
Dryer	Balcony, Deck, or Patio

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Garage parking

Guest parking

Storage space(s)

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Rob Graham

Windermere Real Estate

206-321-6349

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Oct 13, 2008, 10:59am PDT

Sewer Scopes they're Pooptacular!

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 17:02:49 -0500

When doing an inspection:

Always get a sewer scope!

A sewer scope is an additional inspection that costs about $200 but is one of those things you don't want to buy a house without knowing. During a sewer scope they put a camera down the sewer line to see if there is any damage to the line. Often they find tree roots that need to be removed but other times they can find actual damage or whole collapsed lines. The cost to fix them can run in the tens of thousands of dollars and become your problem after the close so you need to know about them before hand.

Let me tell you a little story:

Several years ago a friend of mine was selling her house. The potential buyer did a sewer scope and found a complete collapse. The estimate to fix it was in the neighborhood of $40,000. That's a 4 with 5 zeros! Something you would certainly want to know.

Side note:

The scope isn't necessary for condos since the association is responsible for the maintenance of the sewer line for condos and co-ops.

Just like a regular inspection and a title search, you hope they show nothing and they typically do, but when they do find something it makes the $200 you just spend seem like candy.

Always Attend The Home Inspection

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:31:32 -0500

I have an inspection this afternoon that I helped a buyer client of mine purchase which brought this little nugget of wisdom to mind.

You should always plan on attending the inspection.

Inspections take about two hours for the average size home. If you need to get a sitter, put in for a day off or just plain play hooky, you want to be there. The inspector will go over the entire house. They will look at all major systems and offer all kinds of advice. An inspection is not a pass fail thing.

Every inspection will find something that need to be addressed even on homes that are just built.

While the inspection is going on, it is good to be present as a buyer because a good inspector will point out things that you will want to know even if they are not things that need to be addressed immediately. For example the approximate age of the roof and hot water heater, recent code updates, how to earthquake proof appliances, etc. All things that you as a home owner, especially first time home owners, will want to hear. It is all great information and the more you have the more you can avoid problems in the future.

Give me a call if you need help.

Fantastic Video of Pioneer Square, Seattle WA

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 01:24:17 -0500

Ok, I am a big enough person to admit when someone else is better at something then me. I was on You Tube and found these fantastic videos about various neighborhoods in Seattle. They do a far better job showcasing the neighborhoods and are hosted by some great local people. There are several I love, but rather then inundate you with all of them, I think I will sprinkle them in on occasion among my other posts. Here is one about Pioneer Square.

Enjoy!

Visit More then Once!

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 16:15:57 -0500

When you are considering buying a home visit the home at different times of the week and at different times of day. During any one visit you may not notice that there is no sunlight in the backyard or that there is significantly more road noise during rush hour. A bedroom my get significant morning light which can effect heat and the ability to sleep late. The more different perspectives you get on a home, the more informed your choice will be.

Happy Hunting.

2 Bedroom Magnolia Home for $440K: Seattle, WA

Rob Graham (Windermere Real Estate) — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:56:05 -0500

Rob Graham | Windermere Real Estate | 206-321-6349

4564 36th Ave W, Seattle, WA

Live across the street from Discovery Park

2BR/1.5BA Single Family House

offered at $440,000

Year Built	1948
Sq Footage	1,800
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1 full, 1 partial
Floors	3
Parking	Unspecified
Lot Size	6,000 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Welcome home to this fantastic two bedroom home.

Situated in one of Seattle’s most sought after neighborhoods, this home boasts 1,800 square feet. Directly across the street from Discovery Park and less then a mile from Magnolia Village and Fisherman’s Terminal.

Entertain in the oversized living room with picture windows, fireplace and gleaming hardwood floors. Enjoy barbequing on the back deck on sunny summer days.

Additional space downstairs makes an excellent location for a third bedroom, play room for the kids or exercise room for yourself.

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central heat	Fireplace	Hardwood floor
Living room	Dining room	Dishwasher
Refrigerator	Stove/Oven	Basement
Washer	Dryer	Laundry area - inside
Yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Rob Graham

Windermere Real Estate

206-321-6349

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: Sep 30, 2008, 9:38am PDT