Earlier I read Ardell's blog on posting favorite YouTube footage..  I went to CJ's tutorial because, frankly, I have not ventured into this realm ( I have een a bit of a chicken)....and look! It worked!  You guys rock! OK - here goes....not very original, but I love it.... I am sure you can tell by the very opening shot what movie this is....

The Money Pit! - I also love the earlier Cary Grant and Myrna Loy Version: Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House...

Both of these films really hit home when it comes to the emotions running wild during a move or relocation!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! If you are thinking of relocating to Seattle, I am an expert at Seattle Relocation services and can help you find the perfect home while making sure it is a solid financial investment!

Real Estate 2008  (it rhymes!!!!) is going to be a great year in real estate!  I am going to start a series on little tips here and there that maybe you hadn't thought of? 

I am kicking it off with a silly and fun one to celebrate the new year:

Take your phone number and see if it spells anything...

I found http://www.phonespell.org/ and they have a very cool free service which might get your creative juices flowing. Put some of your digits in and see if you have any good marketing words embedded in your phone number.  I tried mine and although I was hoping for something like 976-BABE (Pretty Woman reference), I came up with nothing... Try it and see if you can get lucky..

If not, then another way to use the tool is to find a number that spells your word....then go buy that phone number.  These phone numbers are also known as vanity numbers.

Aaah well, not so useful, but fun for the new year!  I wish you all the best and plenty of fun for 2008!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! If you are thinking of relocating to Seattle, I am an expert at Seattle Relocation services and can help you find the perfect home while making sure it is a solid financial investment!

Surviving the Rainy Season in Seattle!

I am a nerd and read through my new AAA "journey" magazine cover to cover!  I was impressed with the advertisement the city of Bothell put in this latest issue, and amazed at the picture of a 1930's  stucco milk jug shaped building in Spokane, but also very excited to see some of the cool Seattle events coming up!  I highly recommend AAA to anyone with a car for obvious reasons, but their magazine is a definite perk!

Here are some of the events highlighted in this latest issue:

 January Events:

2nd-6th Tacoma RV Show at the Tacoma Dome - I have only been to the Tacoma Dome twice - once for some ice skating event I took my daughter to and then this year to see Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (I took my 7 yr old daughter - We had front row seats and those two amazing people both came over and blew kisses to my baby and then held her hand).  I won't be going to the RV Show, but I know so many people who are VERY excited about this one:)

19th-21st  Model Railroad Show at the Pacific Science Center in Seattle - This show is in its 34th year and we are pretty excited to see it! It features dozens of railroad layouts and should be pretty amazing.

26th-27th 2008 Travel Show - at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall - come see what 300 travel professionals have to share with you!

February Events:

2nd-3rd United Northwest/Equifriends Show - in Monroe at the Evergreen State Fairgrounds   - 17th Annual NW Model Railroad Club's show to benefit Equifriends - Equifriends is a therapeutic Equestrian program for disabled people.

And the two biggies...................................

Feb 16th-24th Seattle Home Show!!!!  Quest Field Event Center in Seattle - I always look forward to this one!

Feb 20th-24th NW Flower and Garden Show - Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle... Flowers and gardens in the Puget Sound...need I say more?

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! If you are thinking of relocating to Seattle, I am an expert at Seattle Relocation services and can help you find the perfect home while making sure it is a solid financial investment!

North Seattle Suburbs  - Thinking about relocating to Seattle or any of the Seattle Suburbs?  Check out some of these North Seattle Suburbs!  The markets are good for these Seattle suburbs and the choices are also wonderful! 

Lake Forest Park.... Lake Forest Park real estate is so beautiful! It is the closest to Seattle boasts natural scenes like trees and water views.  Waterfront living is gorgeous here and the parks are abundant!  If you are not in a waterfront budget, then there are also many beach rights options in Lake Forest Park real estate!

Shoreline (including Richmond Beach)...Shoreline is also close to Seattle - just on the north side.  Shoreline has a variety of housing to meet all needs and budgets and tons of shopping and cute little neighborhoods.  The Shoreline School District is highly rated and there is a lot of real estate to choose form.  My favorite neighborhood in Shoreline is Richmond Beach - quaint little beach town feel and huge Puget Sound views!  Shoreline is a Seattle Suburb that has a lot going for it!  Tip:  Don't miss Richmond Beach Park!!!!

Kenmore..Kenmore is just North of Lake Forest Park at the very top of Lake Washington.  Waterfront houses in Kenmore are beautiful and the other neighborhoods are very well put together.  Kenmore has its own seaplane airport and some pretty good shopping.  It is extremely close to Kirkland and Bellevue and right on the Burke-Gilman trail.  Waterfront living can be on the lake or one of the sloughs of Lake Washington (throw  a kayak in and go!) - there are many types of waterfront ownership in all of Puget Sound and each one has its own intricacies.

Bothell..  Bothell is next up from Kenmore and covers areas in both Snohomish and King County.  Bothell has some wonderful new developments as well as older neighborhoods.  Downtown Bothell is very cute and has amazing restaurants and shopping (Penn Thai is one of my favorites - plus the Bothell Sparta's is also amazing!)  Bothell has a driver's licensing DOL that many people do not know about and also some other cute little shops in The Bothell Landing Shopping Center (Consignment store:  Alligator Purse and across the parking lot is their baby alligator store:cute cute cute).  Bothell has some waterfront real estate on the Slough as well - the city has a ton to offer and is right at Interstate 405 for easy commuting either way...

Brier..I love Brier..  Brier Washington Real Estate is pretty special.  The city prides itself on open spaces and a rural feel right in the city.  Brier used to be a lot more rural, but people have discovered it!  New construction with large lots can be right next to glorious horse properties and somehow lives in harmony.  All the neighborhoods are interconnected for easy walking trails.  Big tip:  Don't speed through Brier!  Restaurants:  Brier Pizza is a great neighborhood pizzeria which supports most of the city activities.  The parks here are huge and the city hall even has a downtown horse arena!  This is a great Seattle Suburb horse property town!

Mukilteo  - Big views just north of Edmonds in Mukilteo Washington.  Good schools and lots of new houses make this an attractive Seattle suburb for families wanting to get out of the city just a bit.  Shopping is good and MUkilteo is convenient to just about everything as far as work commutes go.

Edmonds - Edmonds Washington is another one of my favorite Seattle suburbs!  If you are thinking of relocating to Edmonds, you need to check out the whole city!  The downtown area is cute as a button and artsy with a tons of independent shops and restaurants.  There are antique stores and waterfront dining places.  The views are big from many houses in Edmonds and the ferry boat runs on a regular schedule to Kingston.  Edmonds has a ton of parks and outdoor play areas, too! Edmonds real estate is a mix form apartments to Townhouses to older more established view homes and then a lot of gorgeous new construction homes as well. The schools are wonderful and part of the Edmonds School District.  Favorite Edmonds restaurant: Kafe Neo - Sophia, the owner has the most amazing Seattle Greek menu and her catering is to die for and surprisingly affordable!

Mountlake Terrace  Mountlake Terrace Washington is a wonderful Seattle suburb with a ton going for it - it is one of the most affordable Seattle Suburbs in close proximity to downtown Seattle!  Houses range form 1950's blockers to 1960's ramblers and splits to 1970's and 80's splits and tri levels to new construction townhomes and houses.  Mountlake Terrace has lake waterfront properties and mountain views.  Shopping is wonderful with neighborhood pockets like QFC for groceries, Rockit Music for music equipment and lessons, and Chad N' Vicky's which is arguably the BEST coffee in Seattle (You can find Chad on the corner of 228th St SW and Cedar Way inside the Chevron - there is a drive thru window!).  Just down the street towards Lynnwood is Sorelli's Pizza-  on 44th which is the best Pizza in the Northend in my opinion. Seattle suburb commuting:  Mountlake Terrace is also about to convert to a huge park and ride system which will make it even more accessible to the city!

Mill Creek...Mill Creek is a developed city on a golf course. The neighborhoods are nice and neat and the area is ever expanding as more and more people decide to move into Mill Creek. There is a huge interconnecting system of trails, but make sure you have rights to them if you are thinking about relocating to Mill Creek, WA - not all houses in Mill Creek have rights to all the facilities and amenities - it is extremely important to look at whether or not your house is with in the golf course along with other factors.  Mill Creek has some pretty good shopping - my favorite restaurant is a wonderful Latin inspired place called Azul - check out http://www.azullounge.com/ for more info on that one...yum!

Lynnwood ...Lynnwood has a nice downtown and also the Alderwood Mall. It also has a mixture of housing options from apartments to larger new construction.  Lynnwood also recently completed their new convention center and will probably be one of the premier places to conduct business in the future.

Woodway  - Woodway is a tiny town between Richmond Beach and Edmonds - there are some AMAZING estate houses there and also newer construction like the Woodway Highlands.  If you are looking for exclusivity and privacy, then look no further than Woodway!  It has amazing houses, but has opted out of the public library system so if library is important to you, then maybe go with Edmonds.  No commercial district to speak of and don't speed through this town!

 South Everett. South Everett touches Mill Creek and more and more Seattle suburb buyers are deciding that South Everett is a more affordable option in some cases - plus the new construction is extremely attractive and especially so when mixed with a fairly smooth commute option to Seattle.

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Please call me if you are looking for a home or investment property (including short sales, preforeclosures, foreclosures, and REO properties) in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! If you are thinking of relocating to Seattle, I am an expert at Seattle Relocation services and can help you find the perfect home while making sure it is a solid financial investment!

Seattle Suburbs are so unique and each one has its own special features and "personality", but what about getting around from the various Seattle suburbs?

Some general geographical Seattle info:  aka..Getting around in Seattle and Seattle Suburbs... 

The first thing you need to know  about Seattle Relocation is that Seattle in general is pretty small when compared to other cities.  We are a close knit city and each of the suburbs are easily accessible.  A Seattle resident might work in downtown Seattle, Everett, Bellevue, or elsewhere, but still choose to live in one of the many Seattle suburbs for the quick commute.  And it really is a quick commute relatively speaking.  Many of us complain all day long about the traffic in Seattle, but the simple truth is this:  it is not that bad!!!!  Yes I might be sitting in traffic on Interstate 5 trying to get through downtown, but it is nothing like other cities I have driven in.  In addition, our public transportation system and network of Seattle walking trails and Seattle cycling trails is phenomenal and only getting better!  The infrastructure is here for easy Seattle suburb living!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Call me if you are looking for a home or investment property in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! 

Seattle houses:  a Seattle real estate bubble?

You decide!

As prices nationwide have decreased, only three cities show an upward trend according to Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller report for October 2007.  The report details year over year performance for the nation's cities and Seattle real estate is highlighted!

According to the Case-Shiller report, only three cities nationwide had a year over year gain - Seattle, Portland, and Charlotte!  Seattle real estate is a strong investment!  I have long said that Seattle and Portland are the most undervalued cities on the West Coast.  While inventory may be up right now, it is an excellent time to buy while there are good house choices and amazing buyer bonuses.  The market time is longer and sellers are willing to negotiate with ready and willing qualified buyers. 

More buyers on the way:

As the lending choices open back up and more buyers are able to enter the market again, competition will increase and there will be less Seattle and Seattle suburb inventory to choose from.

Just my two cents...

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Call me if you are looking for a home or investment property in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! 

Seattle real estate and Seattle suburb real estate is extremely attractive right now and especially so for those home buyers looking to trade up to a new house! 

Some Seattle buyers are looking for new construction and all the builder perks that come with Seattle or Seattle suburb new construction.  Some Seattle buyers might be looking to move up from a condo to a town home or from a townhome to a house.  Maybe a view of Puget Sound or a lake? Acreage for a horse? Waterfront on Mercer Island or in Lake Forest Park?  Larger square footage or a pool? 

No matter what house you are looking for in the Seattle real estate market, you can find a better deal right now if you want to trade up.  So, how do you trade up and take advantage of today's prices and buyer bonuses and offload the house you are moving out of?  There are surprisingly many ways to accomplish moving up in Seattle real estate!

Here are just some of my tips:

1.  Sell your current house, condo, or townhouse..  You CAN sell your current home in Seattle's current buyers real estate market!  You just need to make sure to price it CORRECTLY!!!!!  The buyer pool has shrunk and you need to be extremely competitive and savvy in pricing your home accurately.  You may have to look at a lower price for your old home but a huge savings in your new house.  Your qualified FULL SERVICE Realtor is the only one who can do this effectively.  Stage your property and take all of your Realtor's other tips, but please listen very carefully when it comes time to pricing.  Longer market times cost you money!!!!

2.  Rent your old house....Don't want to sell in a lower market?  Why not rent for a year?  Loan qualifying standards have increased and with less people qualified to purchase, more are renting!  Don't want to deal with renting your house?  Hire your Realtor to do the property managing - this is cheap and saves you both hassles and increased liability.

3.  Rent your new house...  Buy your dream house now and have someone else help you pay for it. Live in your current home and rent out your new home.  Have someone else help you earn that equity and improvements can be tax deductible.

4. Explore a lease to own situation....This is similar to renting your old or new Seattle house except that the tenant is vested and has an option to purchase the property.  A down payment is usually involved and lease payments are typically higher because part of the monthly money goes towards the future possible purchase of the home.  Make sure to have a Realtor help you with the intricacies of this transaction.

5.Builder Help? Creative builders can sell you future houses at today's prices or help you "trade in" your old house.  Builders also have access to in house financing - your Realtor can help you find some of the builders in the area that might be willing to negotiate this type of transaction.

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Call me if you are looking for a home or investment property in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! 

According to FEMA, Seattle area residents in both King and Snohomish County can now register for disaster assistance stemming from the storms and flooding which began in early December 2007.  Losses from severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides are now eligible for state and federal disaster relief funds!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Call me if you are looking for a home or investment property in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! 

Seattle Real Estate gets some help: 

According to FEMA, Seattle area residents in both King and Snohomish County can now register for disaster assistance stemming from the storms and flooding which began in early December 2007.  Losses from severe storms, flooding, landslides, and mudslides are now eligible for state and federal disaster relief funds!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Call me if you are looking for a home or investment property in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs! 

I recently saw this question on the internet: "What is a nice area Suburb near Seattle WA to move to?"

I love this question and thought maybe it deserved a post - I love Seattle real estate and the real estate in all of the Seattle Suburbs, but I think that you really have to look at dividing the Seattle Suburbs up into different categories:

1. North Seattle Suburbs
   
2. REALLY North Seattle Suburbs
   
3. Eastside
   
4. Further expanding Eastside
   
5. Southend
   
6. Ferry Suburbs

Each Seattle Suburb is very unique and special and if you want to learn more about Seattle Suburbs, check out RainCityHouses.com for more info.

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Associate Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County - Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! Call me if you are looking for a home or investment property in Seattle, Shoreline, Edmonds, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs!