How to Prepare for the Open House •·         Advertise your open house. Ideally you should advertise both the weekend before and the weekend of the open house. Check with the local paper to see when their ad closing deadlines are.•·         Create a property summary sheet. This sheet gives prospective buyers an overview of your home. Include dimensions for each room, copies of a property survey, summaries of utility costs and property taxes, and a list of when capital items such as roofs and furnace were added.•·         Develop a sign-in form for prospects' addresses. You'll ideally want both phone numbers and e-mail addresses to follow up with prospective buyers.•·         Put up signs. One or two days before the open house, place directional signs at major intersections within three ... 04/03/2008

Forms You'll Need to Sell Your Home  1. Property disclosure form. This form requires you to reveal all known defects to your property. Check with your state government to see if there is a special form required in your state. 2. Purchasers access to premises agreement. This agreement sets conditions for permitting the buyer to enter your home for activities such as measuring for draperies before you move. 3. Sales contract. The agreement between you and the seller on terms and conditions of sale. Again, check with your state real estate department to see if there is a required form. 4. Sales contract contingency clauses. In addition to the contract, you may need to add one or more attachments to the contract to address special contingencies - such as the buyer's need to sell a home befo... 04/03/2008

Open House Safety TipsAn open house can be a great sales tool, but it also exposes you to numerous unfamiliar people for the first time. Stay safe by practicing these guidelines.Call the local police department and ask them to have a squad care drive by during your open-house hours.Check your cell phone's strength and signal prior to the open house. Have emergency numbers programmed on speed dial. Carry an extra, fully charged cell phone battery.Determine several "escape" routes that you can use in case of an emergency. Make sure all deadbolt locks are unlocked to facilitate a faster escape.Turn on the lights and open the curtains. These are not only sound safety procedures, but also great marketing tactics.Make sure that if you were to escape by the back door, you could escape from the... 04/03/2008

 Several years ago, when I was busy studying for my Real Estate exam, I stumbled upon a little-known coffee house in Shoreline, called "Hotwire Coffee House".  I'm not sure if anyone outside of Shoreline (and its other West Seattle location) really knows about it so I thought I'd write up a quick blog about it. Hotwire is growing in popularity, partly because of its large open space, big tables, and great pastries.  But the biggest reason must be the coffee itself.  Several of the Hotwire baristas have competed in US Barista Championships, so you know your espresso will be perfectly pulled.  Oh, and every drink comes standard with two shots - now you're talkin'! There's also free Wi-Fi access (with purchase) along with some big, poofy chairs to sit in.   They're located at 17551 15th Av... 03/31/2008

As usual, I set out today to do my weekly rounds of getting to know what is on the market.  As a Certified Ecobroker, my passion is Green Real Estate.  How can you not love something that is better for the environment?  After all, as a mother, it is my duty to try to leave this earth a better place than when I found it.  In that regard, I have a strong belief in the good of building green and of the importance of educating my clients, in hopes they too will see the benefits of living green.  Getting a 5 Star Built-Green certification is no easy task.  Of the 25 5-Star homes in King and Snohomish county, 19 of them are by Martha Rose, a pioneer in sustainable building.  As I pulled in the driveway of her new development, Queen City Eco-Village at the Homestead, on Greenwood Ave N. in Sho... 03/07/2008

Here in Western Washington, many homebuilders are deciding to support our environment by using recycled and sustainable materials when they build new homes.  More and more homebuyers are also searching for homes with the "built green"  designation.  SISTERS Interior Redesign, Edmonds, WA, recently had the opportunity to partner with local builder, Viking Properties, to stage one of these properties.  If you are in the local area, please stop by to take a look!  You may find yourself falling in love with your new home!  Staging by SISTERS Interior Redesign, Edmonds, WA, 425.776.7890, www.sistersredesign.comContact us today for a complimentary staging quote. 02/01/2008

Seattle has some amazing suburbs to look at if you are thinking about  a work relocation to the Puget Sound! Seattle Suburbs just to the north of Seattle include:  Lake Forest Park, Shoreline (including Richmond Beach), Mountlake Terrace, Edmonds,Woodway, Lynnwood, Bothell, Brier, Mill Creek, Kenmore, Snohomish, and South Everett - These cities are both in King and Snohomish counties and all are within reasonable commuting distance to downtown Seattle.  In addition, it is also convenient to commute to the East Side like Bellevue or Kirkland as well as to the North in downtown Everett.  This is especially handy when there are two employees in the house that commute to opposite regions for work.  There is a wonderful little "elbow" of towns that are right at the Interstate 5 (I-5) and 405... 01/03/2008

10/10/2007

Shoreline homes are a magnificent escape from the rush of Seattle, yet just a short drive from all of its conveniences.   Directly to the north of Seattle, Shoreline homes are perfect for anyone who doesn't want to deal with the daily trials of the big city.The unique geography of the city creates a variety of distinct neighborhoods.  Thus, Shoreline homes range from enormous, waterfront mansions to cozy, 800-square-foot ramblers.   While the aforementioned house styles may draw a certain crowd - millionaires and recent graduates, for example - most Shoreline homes fall somewhere in between.Of course, the mansions are worth mentioning.  Located on sparkling Puget Sound near Richmond Beach, many waterfront Shoreline homes boast some of the finest views in the region.   The glorious Olymp... 07/15/2007

Shoreline condominiums are a great option for those looking seeking housing near Seattle.  Affordable, convenient, and only minutes from downtown, Shoreline condominiums are perfect for those who want to be near it all (without having to pay millions). Most Shoreline condominiums sell for somewhere between $200,000 and $300,000.  However, smart shoppers can usually find even cheaper condominiums on the market.   Most of the luxury condos in the region are found in Edmonds, Kirkland, and Seattle, but there are numerous spacious, high-end Shoreline condominiums, as well.  These are scattered throughout the city's neighborhoods.Besides the price, what attracts most buyers to Shoreline condominiums is convnenience.  Jobs, shopping, and all the other great features of the big city are a ston... 07/15/2007

Richmond Beach is a lovely community overlooking Puget Sound.  It is a neighborhood within the City of Shoreline.  Because many homes in Richmond Beach have views of Puget Sound or are situated on or near the water, their prices usually run higher.  There are currently 25 homes for sale (active) in the Richmond Beach community.  The homes range in price from $393,900 to $1,395,000.  The average price of a home in Richmond Beach is $762,492.  The median price is $699,800.  Most homes in Richmond Beach were built in the 1950's to 70's.  There are 9 homes on the market in Richmond Beach that were built since 2000, most of them built this year.The number of bedrooms range from 3 to 8.  There are eleven 3-bedroom homes and eight 4-bedroom homes currently for sale in Richmond Beach.  The numb... 05/27/2007

Shoreline continues to grow with an average price in 2007 of $374,202.  This is and increase from 2006 of 16% with the average price then of $323,787.  The number of homes on market for January 2007 increased by 27%.  The average YTD price from 2005-2006 jumped 15%. With the close proximity to downtown Seattle and the excellent Shoreline schools, Shoreline is a great place to live.  I know that in the Ridgecrest neighborhood of Shoreline there are several new construction homes being built currently. Be prepared when you are ready to purchase.  I know there are multiple offer situations happening in Shoreline and the surrounding areas due to lack of inventory. 03/10/2007