Seattle:  I like this rainy day ferry scene...

I have a couple showing appointments today in Northern Seattle and I am thrilled that it is such a nice day, but tomorrow does not seem to be looking as nice!  I actually heard that we might get another summer rain for the end of August just in time for my open house!

I like that the rain makes my grass green since I refuse to waste water keeping it green in the summer, but I also feel like Seattle has gotten robbed out of quite a few summer days this year!  I actually saw someone wearing a coat to the grocery the other day! 

The nicer weather does make it wonderful for showing houses because they always look better with the blue skies behind them:), but I also like having inspections in the rain.  I always feel like it should be raining for an inspection so that if the roof is going to leak, it might right then and there!

The funny thing about Seattle real estate is that it does keep on going and we look at houses even in our constant winter mist.  Sunny days are of course nicer so I will enjoy today!  Happy Weekend!

Here is just one of Seattle's many gorgeous beaches.  This one is in Alki - my daughter took the picture for me when she and her boyfriend went there the other day. 

Alki has a special place in our hearts because as a toddler I took her there almost every Sunday without fail to collect beach glass.  Alki has great beach glass, but also wonderful views of the city (See the Space Needle way in the background?).

West Seattle has always been one of my favorite places in Seattle and Alki is one of the jewels there.

Are you interested in living in Seattle? realestate@cooperjacobs.com

I love picking different places and being a tourist in my own town.  Seattle has so many cool places to go to that are different than just the Space Needle or Pike Place Market.  I love the summer time when I can take a little time and go enjoy Seattle! 

I gave the nanny the day off and decided to take my kids to a few different places in Seattle this week.  I had a whole list, but my 19 month old quickly decided that he was finished half way through my list, so we will try and complete it next week if I get a day. 

First up for our Seattle fun day?

Seattle Aquarium:  Every time we go to the doctor's office my baby boy squeals in delight over the "bubbles" - this is the only word he can say that has anything to do with the fish tank at the doctor's office.  I have been there a ton, but figured it might be a nice place to take him.  In addition, my eight year old was begging to go.  Both kids delighted in the "bubbles" and all of the fun activities at the aquarium and we seemed to get there right before the crowds did (about 10:30 AM).  The fish tanks are amazing there and we were even lucky enough to witness a diver waving to us from one of the tanks.

Here are their hours from the site:

9:30am to 5pm daily
Last entry at 5pm, exhibits close at 6pm

A little lunch on the pier....

My husband works downtown, so we called up Daddy and asked him to walk down to the waterfront and join us.. Fish and Chips, Crab Cakes, Salads while watching all of the passengers get on the Argosy boats.  The Seattle waterfront has a great combination of restaurants.  You can go from sidewalk eateries like we did to Red Robin to fine dining - all with wonderful water views of course.

Big Plans After Lunch

Well, I had big plans after lunch, but little guy wasn't having it - that and I also needed to get home to make showing appointments for some buyers that had called that day.  We headed down to Georgetown.  Georgetown is one of my very favorite neighborhoods in Seattle - mostly because it is just so unique!  The houses are gorgeous and the urban spots are just wonderful.  Georgetown has always been one of my favorite places to sell houses - mostly because the clients that want to live in Georgetown are so fun and full of life. 

The neighborhood of Georgetown got together and bought the ailing Hat N Boots a few years back for the sum of $1, but moving the iconic historical pieces took a lot more than a dollar.  Eventually funds were raised and these darling pieces of Seattle history were moved and placed in their current location: Oxbow Park on 6400 Corson.

I just love the history of the Hat and Boots!  It was originally a gas station in the fifties and located just off 99 when there was no I-5.  The hat was the storefront portion of the gas station and the boots were the restrooms - there was a girl boot and a boy boot.  People say Elvis was even there according to some of my readings.  The gas station was going to be part of an elaborate western themed village which never came to be and the gas station eventually stopped all operations in 1988. 

A lot of love and money has been put into these monuments from Seattle's history.  The boots have been lovingly restored and the hat is next when there is funding.  My kids loved checking out Georgetown's P-Patch and also the wonderful play structure there. 

Tourist In My Own Town

Well I think once a week or so my kids are going to want a repeat performance - that is great because there are plenty of cool little things to check out in Seattle!

Seattle real estate buying or selling?  Summer FINALLY seems to be here!  Ready, set, go!!!!  Time to get out there and check out all of the great properties and neighborhoods out there!  Summer in Seattle is primo looking time for houses because it is so pleasant AND you can actually see those mountain views!

I have seen some great properties all over Seattle and Seattle suburbs including condos, townhomes, and stand alone single family residences.  I have been amazed at how wonderful some of the Built Green houses are - I love the different materials that go into making these homes more environmentally friendly.

Seattle has so much to offer!  We have one of the best economies in the country and our future outlook is strong.  Many buyers are relocating to Seattle for just those reasons alone, not to mention the many natural beauties we are surrounded by.

I love Seattle!  Are you interested in Seattle real estate? real estate@cooperjacobs.com

A long night...

I spent all Saturday night at Seattle's Children's Hospital with my 18 month old and got home at about 5:30 AM on Sunday morning.   We think he may have gotten into something while with his babysitter outside, but we are still baffled.  It was scary and serves us right for trying to go out for a couple hours once in a while!  I completely missed an appointment with a client on Sunday because I didn't set the alarm clock correctly in my stupor - first time in eight years and today I finally feel like I might have recovered from the lack of sleep. 

In the past, when I am forced to spend hours in an emergency room, I always leave feeling dirty like I need a shower because the place is just gross.  Children's emergency room is not like that.  From the moment you walk in, they have the nurse constantly checking up on you with triage and then there is a series of other people doing each of their specific jobs when you get into an exam room.  The rooms, by the way, are also about 500 steps up from the normal ER.  When my little ones need it, I will always take them to Children's over the other hospitals around.

More Info:

Children's Hospital

4800 Sand Point Way Northeast
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 987-2109

PS - My little man is doing great and seems to be all back to himself 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 REALTOR 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 (Ballard real estate, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf real estate, Green Lake real estate (Greenlake), Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park), Shoreline real estate, Edmonds, Brier real estate, Lynnwood real estate, Mountlake Terrace real estate, Lake Forest Park real estate, Bothell real estate,Redmond, Kirkland, Mill Creek real estate, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs real estate!

Yuck yuck yuck!!!!  Yes, Seattle is lovely, but I hate it when we get the Spring rain for days at a time and right now I am looking at the weather report and it is telling me that these giant rain drops are going to keep on falling!  It slows down the house showings a bit, so hang in there, Seattle sellers - the sun should be back...maybe.

Now is a good time if you are a Seattle seller to get your house in order - do some of those organizing projects that will help your home be better presented on the real estate market.  Take some time and tidy up another corner - it is better in my opinion to do this instead of getting drenched around Green Lake!

Need to look for Seattle listings? Looking for Seattle suburbs real estate?  Interested in Brier real estate?  Mountlake Terrace real estate?  realestate@cooperjacobs.com

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 REALTOR 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 (Ballard, Crown Hill, Phinney, Ravenna, Maple Leaf, Green Lake (Greenlake), Greenwood, Northgate, Lake City,University, Sand Point, Laurelhurst, Windermere, Fremont, Wallingford, Queen Anne, Westlake, Eastlake, Lake Union, Downtown, Madison Park), Seattle Suburbs Homes in Shoreline, Edmonds, Redmond, Kirkland, Brier, Lynnwood, Mountlake Terrace, Lake Forest Park, Bothell, Mill Creek, Everett, or other Seattle Suburbs!