Sometime around midnight last night, John L. Scott launched it's newest tool for Home Buyers to make searches easier with "Neighborhood Wizard" search. The new Neighborhood Wizard allows Home Buyers in Washington (Oregon and Idaho too) to customize their searches by letting them "draw a boundary line" with their mouse around the area that the Home Buyer is interested in.  This allows for a more refined search than could be done before, and helps to make sure the Home Buyer does not miss out on a home that the Listing Agentmay have entered under a different neighborhood name in the MLS, or perhaps the neighborhood name the home is in, the Home Buyer is unaware of.  Neighborhood Wizard is just one more way that Home Buyers, both from the Seattle area and Buyers thinking of moving to Seatt... 06/07/2007

My new listing-to-be in Montlake  is nearing the end of it's date with a contractor who is giving it a bit of a polish readying it for it's debut on Seattle's Real Estate Market in a week or so when I officially become it's Listing Agent.  There have been many details to attend to for my client who lives out of state.  Since the home is getting closer to its debut, I have been spending even more time at the house and working with the contractor in my client's absence.  The Montlake neighborhood is absolutely gorgeous right now with our mild Spring weather producing lush flowers, lawns, shrubs and trees.  On a recent Wednesday afternoon and evening, I spent it planting flowers for the newly redone front yard and noticed all the walkers, some with their beautiful dogs, and joggers out in ... 06/06/2007

If you are thinking of Moving to Seattle, here are a few popular Myths about Seattle that need to be debunked.  My Top 3 Things to Know When You are Thinking About Moving to Seattle.#1.  That Seattle is basically a two industry town; Boeing (did relocate it's headquarters to Chicago in 2001, but the main design, and assembly are still in Seattle) and Microsoft  - Myth. There is actually a very diverse industry base in Seattle.  Both Boeing and Microsoft are large Seattle area employers, but Seattle also has industry leaders in Biotechnology, International Trade and Shipping, Technology, Retail, Philanthropy, and the Arts.  The University of Washington (UW) even has a program for cultivating future business innovation and entrepreneurship called "The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneu... 06/06/2007

RD House REAL ESTATE & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT *Get Maximum Exposure for your RENTAL PROPERTY 206-728-6063 Location: KING CO> EXPOSE YOUR HOUSE OR CONDO-GET LISTED ON TOP REAL ESTATE WEB SITE'Swe work with section 8 Houseing low income5% Belltown Queen Anne Downtown Condo's unit over 8 unitLESS THAN A NEWSPAPER AD AND WE DO ALL THE WORK FOR YOU $350.00 RENTALS SELLING YOUR HOUSE WE DO IT  FAST1% of the Selling fee when we sell your houseLISTINGSCREENINGPAPER WORKwww.rd-house.com Information Contact Information Ricky D 206-728-6063 Contact Reply Form Forward to a Friend View Other Flyers Rates Rate: $350.00 per item Rate Details: GET MAXIMUM EXPOSURE LESS THAN AD why? use one WEB SITE when you can use many! GET QUICK SERVICE RD HOUSE REAL ESTATE& PROPERTY MANAGEMENT! Location 159 Denny WAYSe... 06/01/2007

In a article in MSNBC, Robert Alan Soloway, Top 10 Spammer, was arrested on Wednesday in Seattle for alleging using zombie computers to send mass emails. In years past, Microsoft and a small ISP won indictments on Soloway for the same practice but now it is a whole new ball game. With him facing jail time and away from a computer internet users should notice a dramatic decrease in the amount of SPAM we are receiving. Hooray!! For all of us who make a living using the internet and email this a very very joyous day! I look forward to seeing a noticeable decline in the amount of crap hitting my inbox everyday so let us throw an AR party and open the door for more note worthy emails that demand our attention and not just deletion, read full article.UpdateThere is a way to fight back through... 05/31/2007

Join the MDA Team !!You too can help fight muscular disease by supporting:https://www.mdaevent.org/ParticipantInfo.aspx?j=eee0e90e-7702-4dc3-8980-8d720e1936b5Please have me!!GET OUT OF JAIL!! Go to the web Site MDA Seattle WA  701 Dexter AVE North # 106Seattle Wa 98109 PH 206-283-2183 or FAx 206-285-2938Jail brids Name Is Ricky D Sadler Bail  $1950.00 Lock up Date 06-14-07 12. NoonYou've been accused of having a "BIG HEART" !  Thanks for joining MDA's Lock-UpYour support means help and hope for families MDA serves in your community. Reach out right away and ask people to support your participation in this event.Lake Union Lock-UpBail Has Been Set At: $1,950Bail Date: 6/14/2007Have Fun letting everyone know you're helping MDA      Your family, friends & associates will get a kick out of ... 05/26/2007

HOA condo service management Seattle Ricky D Sadler www.rd-house.com 206-728-6063 Condominium and HOA Property Management You Can Count OnOur Management ApproachOur goal is to maximize property performance. This involves integrating all areas of property operations to the daily association management. Cooperation and communication between clients and management are the keys to "happy owners" and ultimately a well-managed Association. We do this by frequently monitoring the common areas, establishing a strong relationship with the owners and by resolving problems early to avoid escalation.We have experience managing properties in the Seattle Metro area, and as a result have well-developed systems and policies. In today's fast moving world, we continually upgrade our services and operatio... 05/25/2007

Recently some Buyer Clients called me to let me know that they were back in Seattle and ready to see the new listing I had emailed them Friday night.  Since it was Sunday, and the house just came on the Seattle Real Estate market late Friday, there was an Open House scheduled that afternoon.  The "Agent Only" remarks had posted that the Sellers were requesting no showings until the Open House so I arranged to meet my Buyer Clients at the house during the Open House.The house was showing well and had lots of traffic; neighbors and potential buyers.  While I was examining the garage with my clients I opened up a storage closet door and found...a rifle!    ...please follow the link to my blog, Seattle's Urban Villages find out what happened... 05/22/2007

For me, moving to Seattle from Southern California (San Diego via Orange county) in the fall of 1994 was a wild idea since I did not know a soul...but I had my reasons! #10 - The affordability of buying a house in Seattle...relative!  Of course my first day of looking for a place to live (as a renter, not buyer) I spent driving around Seattle, I saw so many expensive looking homes and neighborhoods that I wondered how so many people could afford Seattle real estate!#9 -  Seattle reminds me of what I like best about San Diego but on a more extravagant scale.  Both have lots of hills, many water views, miles of coastline, and are close to mountains.  Of course Seattle is greener and has a lot more trees! #8 - Mount Rainier!  That fabulous, snow-capped volcano...just takes your breath away... 05/22/2007

Yesterday, May 20th 2007, The Seattle Times published it's annual Home Values review for 2007.  Their analysis reflects what Seattle Real Estate Agents have been experiencing in the trenches of the 2006 Real Estate Market in Seattle.  This is very different to last years Bubble talk of a collapsing Seattle Real Estate market in 2006.  The Seattle Times published in their report for single family homes, as rising 15.9% for King County.The article shows in maps of the neighborhoods, and the sales data for the map areas that support their overall findings for the 15.9% increase.  It's well worth clikcking on the above link to find information on a neighborhood area you live in or are interested in (usually several neighborhoods combined) to get the 2006 sales data, an appreciation map, and... 05/21/2007

                                            Ben Kakimoto an Agent and Realtor with John L. Scott's Seattle Centers office in Belltown. Ben specializes in Seattle real estate - condos, lofts and townhomes - in Downtown Seattle, Belltown, Queen Anne, Capitol Hill, First Hill, Pioneer Square, Ballard, Fremont, Green Lake, University District and West Seattle.  Though Ben is an urban condo and loft specialist, he has a number of clients in South Snohomish County and have sold homes in Bothell, Mill Creek and Lynnwood.Ben also writes Two Blogs Seattle_Condos_and_Lofts  find out about everything you want to know about Seattle Condo and Lofts. The Seattle_Housing_Buzz  providing commentary, market trends, news and Real Estate technologyBen volunteers and/or contributes to the following organiz... 05/18/2007

Hi to all!I'm a Realtor serving the greater Seattle area. While I might be relatively new to real estate, I am not a fledgling when it comes to sales. I have been a professional salesperson for over 30 years. What I have learned over the years is that in order to be successful in sales, one must be a good listener.I pride myself on being able to listen to what my clients want and need and then being able to deliver to them the information they are after. I like to work with the person relocating to the Seattle area. As someone that was in that same place back in the 70's, I can only look at the information that is available NOW as opposed to the lack of information readily available back then. Of course; this is due to the coming of age of the Internet.My hope is to provide information ... 05/17/2007

     These pictures of my grandson were taken at the Meridian Playground, located at 4649 Sunnyside Ave N in the Wallingford area of Seattle.  It has a large grassy area for any open activities, a play area and a gazebo near the shelter.   I see families having picnics there on warmer days. Acreage: 6.50 acres  The Wallingford Playfield is located at 4219 Wallingford Ave. North.  The Seattle.Gov link I have added says this about the park: "Wallingford Playfield has long been a popular neighborhood gathering place for tennis, picnics, wading pool splashing in summer, ball games, and playing-and now it has a new face. Its entirely new, deluxe play area, completed in the fall of 2004, includes a play structure specially designed for two- to five-year-olds, with a variety of slides. The wad... 05/16/2007

Paul Allen's Vulcan Real Estate's 2200 Westlake project is one of 10 winners in the 2007 Urban Land Institute's (ULI) Award for Excellence.  The award is widely recognized as the country’s most prestigious land-use recognition program. The criteria for the award include leadership, contribution to the community, innovations, public/private partnership, environmental protection and enhancement, response to societal needs and financial success. Winners are selected based on a rigorous judging and interview process that includes evaluation by the nation’s top industry peers as well as site visits to each project. Final award recipients will be honored at an awards ceremony taking place at the ULI Spring Forum on May 11 in Chicago.Continuing reading at SeattleCondosAndLofts.com.  05/15/2007

The 2007 Seattle Condo Expo is fast approaching. The expo, the first of its kind in Seattle, will be held this weekend at the Westin Hotel (map) and will feature exhibits of current condo projects, mortgage companies & developers, presentations and a Realtor Symposium.  Saturday, May 19th - 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM Sunday, May 20th - 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM For the event, the Westin’s ballroom will be transformed into a replica of greater Seattle’s neighborhoods with display booths situated at their corresponding projects’ actual addresses, from Capitol Hill to downtown to the Eastside. One highlight of the event will be the unveiling of CityScape 2010 – a photorealistic virtual reality video showing the evolution of Seattle’s skyline over the next few years. Admission is $10 and tickets may be ... 05/15/2007

   Northgate Construction Update May 2007:The new stores and restaurants under construction are looking close to completion at Northgate Mall!  It will be great to have Barnes & Noble, Romano's Macaroni Grill, Bed Bath & Beyond and The Ram in our neighborhood.  Their Grand Opening is scheduled for Fall of 2007.                    The parking garage opened before Mother's Day.  The revitalization of the Mall is just the beginning...  Ground has just started breaking for the Northgate South project which includes a new multiplex cinema with underground parking.  Several buildings with retail shops and apartments will be added and best of all ... Thornton Creek will see daylight!  It will meander through the site.The Library and Community Center along with street improvements to 5th Avenue... 05/15/2007

   I was reading the KOMOTV online this morning and ran across this very informative article “Choosing the wrong home inspector could cost you big.” The article gives examples of horror stories of inspectors missing serious moisture, dry rot and pest problems.  One of the things they recommend is that home buyers and sellers should use only inspectors that are a licensed structural pest inspector. When I use an inspector, I pick one that I would want to use if I was buying a property for myself.  I want them to pick up everything and advise me and my clients if more inspections are needed.  I then counsel my buyer clients to select the big important items for repair and not demand everything (the seller will probably not agree). Please visit my site for information and support.  Seattl... 05/14/2007

SAM - Seattle Art Museum's Grand Opening weekend Well the party was a success and SAM is open again at last!  Over the weekend the Seattle Art Museum celebrated it's re-opening by throwing a 35 hour party for free to every one who showed up.  I went with a friend Saturday night, but the line to get the free entry ticket was loooong with lots of Saturday Night revelers, so we went to a downtown theater to see a late night showing of "Spiderman" (umm, not very good).     My friend returned very early Sunday morning to visit SAM, and I went later at noon.  First, I had to stop by my recent Buyer's new home in Madison Valley to drop off their Home Book.  After driving to Downtown Seattle, I walked over to Pike's Place Market to pick up some lunch on my way to the Museum.   Lucky me...no lin... 05/09/2007

                       Ben Kakimoto is synonymous with Condos and Lofts in the Seattle, Washington area.He is certainly a leader in his field.  As a Condominium Market Analyst and Real Estate Consultant Ben makes it his business to know all there is to know about Condo and Loft projects in his area, and to willingly share this information with the consumer.To keep the public informed, he started the Seattle Condominium and Lofts site (SCL), here you will find all you need to know about the various projects.This site provides a wealth of information. I love the Condo Calendar which keeps you posted on what is happening in the local condo market such as a grand opening or condo expo.  Searching for a condo is made easy, because the search is done by price range and location.  For both buy... 05/09/2007

The condo market for Seattle's Capitol Hill and First Hill neighborhood, just East of Downtown, performed below expectations in April.  While unit sales were up 5% compared to March, both the average and median sales prices were down, 11.9% & 4.8%, respectively.Year to Year figures displayed nominal change in values.  Compared to April of 2006, the average sale price decreased slightly by .8% while the median price increased 2.8% to $309,475.  On a positive note, the market realized considerable activity with an 44.1% increase in unit sales.  The increased inventory and sales likely kept prices in check.  Reported by SeattleCondosAndLofts.com.Source:  NWMLS, information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.   05/08/2007