Seattle: If you love your dog, then you have to subscribe to CityDog Magazine!  This is THE very best thing you can have as a Seattle dog owner to keep you updated on what the local happenings are in Seattle!  The latest issue is at pet stores now, and CityDog is putting on the CityDog Puppy Love MuttMixer for all dog lovers in Seattle!

CityDog throws some swanky events for you and your dog - I highly recommend not only emailing in your RSVP ASAP, but also ordering your subscription today!  I like to give them out as gifts to my fellow dog lover friends and clients!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor specializing in  Seattle Real Estate (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Greenlake, Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park) and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! 

I was amazed to read on Rain City Guide this morning about the Realtor in Florida who is being sued for $25 MILLION dollars based on his blog!  Tim Kane wrote the informative post about whether or not we really have free speech when it comes to blogging.  A developer didn't appreciate the Realtor's blog and is filing suit as a result! 

I read the article in the Miami Herald and also the agent in question's blog posts.  I did find the style harsh in my own opinion, but I can't see how a lawsuit could possibly be founded by the developer.  Of course, I should disclose that I am not an attorney if I am going to be offering up my own opinion on the subject. 

What surprised me the most was that the Realtor's broker fired him and also plans on telling their roughly 800 agents what they can and can not blog about.  Wow!  Won't that just be great for the customer?  Instead of getting the truth about the local market, they will be getting a management approved sugar coated version of the truth. Ouch! 

So, two issues:

1. Should we offer a disclaimer when we blog that it is only our opinion even though most people know that a blog is an online diary of opinions?**
2. Is sugar coating your blog really in the best interest for a consumer? How do we protect ourselves while getting the information out there?

You decide!  I want to get the info out there to the Seattle real estate customer to try and help them make an informed decision for the Puget Sound market.  That is the basis of why I blog.  I don't expect everyone to agree with me - nor should they.  That is the beauty of the medium of blogging to me. 

**Disclaimer:  This is my personal opinion and I am not an attorney:)

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor specializing in  Seattle Real Estate (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Greenlake, Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park) and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them! 

Seattle neighborhood Eastlake is hot right now! 

There is so much in Eastlake for anyone who is thinking of living there and there are buyers out there for Eastlake Sellers!  Just this last week alone I have had three calls from drive-by buyers who were SERIOUSLY interested in my condo listing.  This is the same Eastlake condo that got an offer in less than a week!  Eastlake is definitely a great place to buy or sell real estate!

I was amazed at the flow of buyers that came into my open house in Eastlake!  The sunny weather helped, but overall, I think buyers are excited by the low rates!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor specializing in  Seattle Real Estate (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Greenlake, Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park) and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   Experienced and with a background in accounting - I love my clients and work hard for them!

Seattle suburb Mountlake Terrace has a lot going for it, but did you know that it also has a state of the art swimming facility????

People literally drive from miles and miles to come swim in this city pool!  The city of Mountlake Terrace completely remodeled their Recreation Pavilion to make this one of the area's cheapest and best attractions! 

The Mountlake Terrace swimming facility is spectacular with many different areas to swim in including lap swim areas, children play areas, hot tub, and a lazy flowing "river" area complete with current just to name a few.

In addition to the pool facilities, the Pavilion houses a gym, dancing studio, playgrounds, etc.  Buying a house in Mountlake Terrace really pays off in perks!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   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 neighborhoods:  Ballard

Ballard is quickly becoming one of the fastest growing areas in Seattle!  I am happy that so many people want to live in Ballard, but still saddened when I drive by the now boarded up Denny's on Market and 15th. I know better things are to come in this location, but I have such fond memories of Denny's in Ballard.

 I lived (rented) in Ballard in the Sunset Hill neighborhood for quite some time when I was younger!  My daughter went to Adams Elementary and on Tuesdays I could take her to eat for free at the local Ballard Denny's.  I was a single mom at the time and the price was right!  We spent many wonderful times at this corner Denny's while I watched her chow down and I sipped my Diet Coke very slowly.  It was the one real time I remember having some good conversations with her. 

She is practically all grown up now and Ballard Denny's will soon be a memory as Ballard makes way for townhomes and condos all over its popular urban landscape!  Ballard is so wonderful and highly recommend living there!  My favorite places that are still around are Hattie's Hat, Archie McPhees and The Maritime Pacific Brewing Company (Owners George and Jane are personal friends from my past and have worked hard to make this Seattle's Premier Brewery!).  Ballard Blossom is still the best florist around and Ballard even has a Cupcake Royale now!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   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 Relocation Services:  Finding a school 

Relocating to Seattle is an exciting thing!  The 2008 Seattle real estate market is starting off strong and I anticipate being very busy if the last few months are a good indicator.  Seattle real estate is a good buy and a strong investment, but what about the schools in Seattle and Seattle suburbs? 

Sometimes finding Seattle school information might seem overwhelming, but check out my Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services Company website for detailed school reports for Seattle and its suburbs! 

www.CooperJacobs.com

Once you find the schools you are interested in, you can also use the same site to search for houses located around these schools! 

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   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 real estate is hopping and nothing makes that more clear than the response I got on my latest Seattle listing in the wonderful neighborhood of Eastlake!

Here are some of the details:

2 bedroom/2 bath with views of Lake Union - not waterfront by any means, but close to everything Eastlake has to offer and right next to the lake! 

Location: Eastlake Gorgeous Lake Union Views from this spacious Eastlake Ground floor condo with new hardwoods, French doors, wood burning fireplace, tiled patio, huge walk in closets,Owners suite w/ large bath, plus another full bath in hall, large laundry room, Silestone (better than granite) counters, new oven, new lighting, & tons of new touches throughout. Storage, parking, and all appliances stay! Conveniently located in heart of Eastlake right next to parks (Easy kayak launching nearby!), shopping, & more!

There are Seattle buyers out there looking for homes!  Sellers in Ballard, Eastlake, Fremont, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Wallingford, Greenlake, Sunset Hill, Maple Leaf, Crown Hill, and Ravenna need to take note of easy seller tips that can get their home sold quickly, too!  Right now IS a good time to sell your house!  The interest rates are extremely low and this attracts qualified buyers to your house!

Courtney Cooper  and Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services...For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   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 Suburb Landlord Woes:

Many current Seattle suburb landlords are finding that their real estate interest rates may be going up and they are not able to refinance their rental properties.  The increased payment exceeds the rental income and they are unable to meet the difference on a monthly basis.  There is a solution! 

Interest rates are low and investors are out looking for Seattle suburb properties they can sink their dollars into. One of the best investments is one that is already set up for success! Many Seattle sellers might worry about their ability to sell their rental property while it is occupied, but as long as the seller has a cooperative tenant, this can be the perfect situation for a potential buyer!  Offering an investor a turn key Seattle suburb rental property has great value! 

Talking to your tenant can go a long way in making the situation a positive one for all involved.  Make sure that they know your intentions and ask them to help you improve the situation.  I have talked to tenants who are very helpful in making this happen for the landlord and when treated with respect will more than go the extra mile for my sellers!

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   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 new construction townhomes are a great way for a first time home buyer to get into the market with lower upkeep costs and usually no homeowner dues.  These townhomes usually have a cute little yard and lots of decks for increased living spaces and wonderful views of our gorgeous city! 

Here are the Seattle townhome market update figures for real estate in 2008 for the Ballard, Greenlake, Fremont, Crown Hill, Sunset Hill, and Wallingford neighborhoods in Seattle.  This is on townhomes priced $500,000 and less.

There are 64 Seattle townhome listings on the NWMLS right now with a status of ACTIVE.  These range from a 2 bedroom/1 bath to a 3 bedroom/3.5 bath with an average of a 3 bedroom/2.25 bath layout.  Square footage ranges from 818 square feet to a spacious 2219 square feet with an average of 1531 square feet.  They range in price from $309,950 to $499,999 with an average of $427,678.  The average days on market for these townhomes is 73 days. 

So what is happening in this Seattle townhome market?  Well, while there are 64 listings to choose from, there are not a lot of new townhome listings coming on to the market.  This is probably due to the recent media scare tactics which may make some sellers or builder hesitant to put their properties on the market right now.  I have buyers who are very well qualified in this market, but the current inventory does not suit their needs for one reason or another, so we are actively looking for new townhome listings in this particular area of Seattle! 

Courtney Cooper ....For all your Seattle Washington Real Estate Needs! Seattle Area Real Estate Agent: Broker and Realtor serving North King & South Snohomish County.  Seattle Real Estate and Seattle Suburbs!  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:   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!