So Nice, I'm Doin' It Twice

I'll be returning to host another open house this Sunday, 30 March, at a swell condo just a block off Eastlake Ave... this place is well above-average, with top of the line appliances, great travertine finishes in the kitchen and bath, and an overall kick-your-shoes-off-and-forget-the-day vibe, like a private spa...

Come see me from 1 -4pm this Sunday, 2019 Franklin Avenue East (a block uphill and block-and-a-half south of the stoplight at Eastlake Ave and Lynn St.)

There are a number of new and reduced-price listings in the neighborhood so if you're interested, come toward 4pm and I can show you around... I think this is one of Seattle's best (and most under-appreciated) neighborhoods... totally walkable, downtown-adjacent, and while new development is bringing more amenities, it still has some of that Seattle funkiness... not to mention public waterfront!

Inspiration

I've occasionally mentioned cool modern (or vintage modern) homes on here, but for a couple of days last week I got to see in person some of the most iconic 20th century architecture produced in the U.S...

The better-half and I, accompanied by our good friends, escaped to Palm Springs for a four-day respite from the cold, wet and gray. While it's a guilty pleasure for those of us who espouse density and environmentalism, I have to say that PS was full of low-effort fun (and what guilty pleasure isn't?), plenty of sun, and good food... and scores of architectural landmarks from the 1940s into the 1970s. As much as I had read about these buildings over the years, I wasn't prepared for how right they would feel to me, someone who grew up in cookie-cutter, ersatz colonial-themed subdivisions.


Make no mistake, many if not most of the houses I saw were intended for mass production even if, as in the case of the Wexler steel houses, only seven were built.





The Alexander Company had a huge impact on Palm Springs, and of course as someone who rails against sameness I have to admit my weakness for this particular brand of conformity flies in the face of my usual arguments (see above about guilty pleasures and PS.) On the other hand, most of these houses are modest in scale (for single-family residences), and exhibit an efficient use of space and light that lend the feeling of much bigger houses... lessons current developers would be wise to heed.

But hey, I don't need to justify my infatuation THAT much, do I? After all we're talking about the place where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon... where Frank Sinatra's house is still front and center... and while the 70s and 80s celebs have yet to show up their ancestors in the style department, it's still fun to running across Suzanne Somers' house advertised for sale in a local real estate pulp mag ;)

All of this has inspired me to renew my search for the best examples of contemporary residential architecture for sale in Seattle... stay tuned... I think it's time for a fun group tour of some local mod(ern) homes for sale, don't you? Email me direct at mattgray@cbbain.com if you'd like to tag along... I'll have details in the next day or two.

Spring has Sprung!

Along with daffodils and the occasional sun breaks, increased real estate activity is a rite of spring. But with the national market turmoil, and no small amount of hesitancy and cooling off in the Seattle market, more than a few Realtors (and their clients) have been holding their breath since the holidays to see if things would start to pop...

Well they have.

Our office had its busiest seven-day period this past week since July 2007. I haven't seen the "big board" (the white board where we each log our sales) completely full since I arrived last fall... people were having to squeeeeeze those last few in just to fit.

Beyond my office's anecdotal evidence, one of the contributors over at the Seattle P-I's real estate professionals' blog did some analysis on last month's Northwest MLS numbers... things are heating up in the north end... and are STILL balanced overall. Can you stick a sign in the ground and ask 10% more than the house down the street sold for last month? No, but we're still in a solid market, and in dramatically better shape than the rest of the country.

"In February 2008, Seattle NWMLS AREA 710 (North Seattle) slipped in to a SELLER'S advantaged market (2.8 months inventory) [for single-family homes] becoming the first NWMLS area to become a SELLER'S advantaged market since September of 2007. Nie areas are now considered Balanced markets.

BALANCED markets for King and Snohomish Counties include:
Area 705, Greenlake/Ballard (4.1 months)
Area 700, Queen Ann/Magnolia (4.3 months)
Area 385, Central Seattle (4.5 months)
Area 140 West Seattle (4.6 months)
Area 715 Richmond Beach (5.1 months)
Area 390 Central Seattle (5.2 months)
Area 120 Des Moines (5.4 months)
Area 350 Renton (5.6 months)

All other NWMLS areas in the Region, including the Eastside continue to remain Buyer's advantaged markets.

Inventory is absorbing in the lower price ranges. In most areas, higher priced properties continue to build market time and build inventory.

January 2008 saw no Seller's advantaged markets with only 5 Balanced markets (NWMLS Areas 705, 710, 140, 700 and 715).

Sellers Market is defined as 0-3 months of inventory.
Balanced Market is defined as 3-6 months of inventory.
Buyers Market is defined as 6 months + of inventory."

SOURCE: SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

A bit of luxe in Eastlake

I'll be hosting an open house this Sunday, 9 March, at a swell condo just a block off Eastlake Ave... this place is well above-average, with top of the line appliances, great travertine finishes in the kitchen and bath, and an overall kick-your-shoes-off-and-forget-the-day vibe, like a private spa... come see me from 1 -4pm this Sunday, 2019 Franklin Avenue East at Newton.

Nice Phinney bungalow close to it all

I'll be hosting an open house today at this bungalow on the west slope of Phinney Ridge, just around the corner from the Tin Hat et al... come by and say hi between 1 and 4pm.

6238 3rd Ave NW just south of th 4-way stop at NW 65th St.