This one is always interesting, but listing agents including myself need to prepare sellers for vacating their homes upon close.  My very first transaction involved me representing a first time home buyer where the seller literally picked up their check at escrow and boarded a plane to California for good - food in fridge, clothes in closet, the tv was still one, etc.  - you get the idea.  It was not my job as a buyers agent to stand over her and make sure she left.  The listing agent who happened to be pretty experienced should have seen the signs.  Even a walk through on our part did not reveal her intentions.

Recently we had a seller completely disregard our buyer's feelings - we have a gorgeous couple buying a home and we had to force the transaction along on their behalf every step of the way.  The wife is pregnant and we really wanted to make the transaction as painless as possible. The seller, though, just only considered himself.  He left the house filthy and even left mattresses behind all over the house with no intention what so ever of picking them up. He just got out what he wanted and left town. Luckily his long suffering listing agent did help out and step up to the plate to get the rubbish out and we paid for a housekeeper for the couple. 

You really should use the golden rule when moving out of a home - would you want your home to be left this way?  For the most part, people are good thank goodness, but every  once in a while you do get a rotten egg and it is nice to have a team behind you when that happens so that you still get a great home and experience. We shielded our pregnant client form much of the true stress and took care of it on her behalf along the way. This is how things get done:)

The tax credit deadline approaches faster than ever now - you need to get a purchase and sale contract signed around by this week if you want to take advantage of the current home buyer tax credit.  That is the fact, but don't allow that to impact your decision process when purchasing. Being under the gun over a tax credit seems pretty silly when trying to make a much bigger decision overall. My suspicion is that there might be quite a bit of buyer remorse when those IRS checks come in. You would hate to be sitting with your $8000 in a home that as you look around just does not feel right.

My suggestion instead is to take your time and really find the home that is going to work for you and your goals. Choosing a home in a rush over a credit which is tiny when compared to the purchase price overall is like buying a brand new car because they give you a free junky toaster. It's a little gimmicky. 

Why not take your time and find the perfect property and let your Realtor negotiate it to make up for not getting that free toaster... I mean credit?  The competition will be less fierce as the feeding frenzy ends and the pressure will be lessened so that you can really focus in on whether or not the house truly works for you! You can find current inventory here:  Seattle Real Estate

Happy New Year Seattle!

Seattle real estate market 2010:  Looking to buy or sell a Seattle home in 2010? 

I am excited to kiss 2009 goodbye despite the fact that I am still counting my blessings.  I have met and worked with a lot of great clients this last year and appreciate their trust and faith in me, but I am also ready for the year ahead!  I am excited to be working with new agents in my office this year and look forward to all the adventures we will have!

Some Seattle Neighborhood Highlights...

Queen Anne:  Queen Anne Real Estate -I have always enjoyed my Queen Anne business, but I have been on the hill quite a bit lately showing and selling Queen Anne View homes and sharing all the history that this neighborhood has to offer.  I love showing my children their family homes on the hill (at least two happen to be on the historic registry) and it is just a great place to be.  You can read my latest Queen Anne article on Rain City Guide. 

Seattle Afloat:  SeattleAfloat.com is my Seattle houseboats blog site and I have gotten some great feedback from it. If you are interested in Seattle floating homes, then this might be a great place to learn more info.  I look forward to spending lots of time on Lake Union again this year!  Seattle Afloat covers Eastlake, Westlake, Portage Bay, Northlake, Southlake, Wallingford, University District, and all other aspects of Life on Lake Union or in a floating home.

Green Lake:  Green Lake is in my top five favorite neighborhoods if you have not noticed.  My New Years Resolution included at least three times around Green Lake a week.  Green Lake Real Estate is so refreshing!  I love all the time I spend there and especially liked meeting the girls from MYGreenLake in 2009.

Wallingford:  Wallingford real estate is close to my heart.  We actually are moving our office to Wallingford officially this year and have a listing right in the heart of Wallingford with a WalkScore of 100!

Ballard:  Ballard is one of my Seattle loves.  You can read about how I met my husband while living in Sunset Hill in the Seattle Times.  Ballard Real Estate is full of so many different types of homes and always fun. Sunset Hill homes overlooking the Puget Sound and a quick walk to the Ballard Locks are always gorgeous!

Downtown Seattle:  Downtown Seattle is so livable compared to other cities around the country and Downtown Seattle real estate has gotten very affordable whether you are a first time home buyer or looking for the ultimate luxury, there is something for you in the city!

These are just some of my personal favorites.  My office has agents who specialize in different neighborhoods and Seattle suburbs. We team up to offer the best possible customer service and thank our lucky stars for having such a great job!  You can email me if you are interested in buying or selling this year and I will be happy to match you up with someone in my office that specializes in your area. Thanks so much and Happy 2010! courtney@cooperjacobs.com

©Courtney Cooper,Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services, SeattleAfloat.com

9042 6th Ave NW, Seattle WA 98117:  Beautiful Craftsman Stately home in the heart of Greenwood!  4 bedroom officially, but room for more!  Seller putting in brand new bathroom upstairs with beautiful newer bath on both main and lower as well!  The lot, though , is the real surprise!  In city Large lot?  How about .32 of an acre?  13,936 square foot lot is perfect for having your own private park or potential subdivide or expansion.

Want a private tour and more info on this Greenwood stately home? Also ask about how to get your closing costs completely paid!

9042 6th Ave NW

This is a beautiful home! Tons of loving touches throughout waiting for its next owner.

Seattle's Queen Anne neighborhood has had some beautiful sunny days in the last weeks and West Queen Anne is particularly gorgeous perched over the Puget Sound.  This picture was taken the day after Thanksgiving for anyone who doubts we get sun in the winter at all. 

Here is your West Queen Anne real estate update for the December 2009 home selling market.  You can find West Queen Anne real homes for sale and other Queen Anne real estate on my site if you want to see all current listings, but here are the numbers for tonight:

West Queen Anne homes for sale:  Currently there are 47 West Queen Anne homes for sale in zip code 98119.  They range in price from $340,000 for a home on the far West slope near Smith Cove on 14th to $4,890,000 for 602 W Highland which is a newer Queen Anne home in the very perfect spot on that gorgeous Southwest slope.  The average price in zip code 98119 for homes on the market right now is $1,004,633 and the median is $650,000.  The average days on market (DOM) for these is 97 days.  There is also one home marked contingent in West Queen Anne priced at $1,185,000.

Pending homes in West Queen Anne:  These are homes that have received offers on them.  There are 12 pending West Queen Anne homes on the market right now ranging in price from $349,950 to $1,075,000 with and average price of $696,599 and a median price of $742,500. 

West Queen Anne home sales last six months:  In the last six months, 86 West Queen Anne homes have sold in zip code 98119.  These sold and closed home listings range from $199,000 for an extreme fixer to $4,300,000 with an average of $800,639 and a median sales price of $645,000.  The average days on market over the last six months? 72 days.

Conclusion:  West Queen Anne is selling!  But how do these numbers stack up to previous years of sales in 98119 for the same period?

2006 Total Volume: $75,463,950 Avg/Med Price: $804,451/$699,950 Avg DOM: 35

2007 Total Volume $62,104,075  Avg/Med Price: $874,705/$700,000 Avg DOM: 35

2008 Total Volume $34,368,800  Avg/Med Price: $781,109/$636,000 Avg DOM: 73

2009 Total Volume $68,854,945  Avg/Med Price: $800,639/$645,000 Avg DOM: 72

The sales volume itself is the best it has been in over three years! It doubled last year for the same period and then some!  Prices have definitely gone down and days on market are longer, but a well priced house will sell and there are buyers out there buying West Queen Anne.  In fact, inventory in this Seattle neighborhood is actually one of the problems while working with buyers in this area so if you are thinking of selling, please do consider getting an evaluation!

(I took out the Queen Anne townhomes for this property list, but you can find Queen Anne townhouses and Queen Anne condos on the site, too, if that is what you are after.)  Please also feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions at all about Seattle real estate.

Home Buyer Tax Credit 2009:  It passed the house and the senate and Obama has signed it into law.  The IRS site is updated except for the latest version of tax form to accommodate the newest change to the housing credit. 

The basics of the home buyer credit in this version?  In a nutshell, you can make more money to qualify, you have longer to find the qualifying home and even longer to close after that, and you don't have to be a first time home buyer to qualify for the reduced credit of $6500. 

The ceilings and deadlines have SERIOUSLY been moved with this version so please do read the details here:

http://cooperjacobs.com/blog/2009/11/07/the-new-new-tax-credit/

Seattle Backyard Cottages Approved:  You may remember that I wrote about Seattle backyard cottages coming to a vote yesterday. The proposal was approved and city wide Seattle (unless you are in the Shoreline District) is allowed one ADU - either as a backyard cottage on lots that qualify in size (have to be more than 4000 square feet, etc.) or an ADU inside the house walls.  You can only have one, but now there are more options than just your basement for an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) in Seattle! 

Seattle Backyard Cottages and Real Estate:  Are you interested in finding Seattle real estate that qualifies for a backyard cottage?  There are already many firms stepping up to advertise their backyard cottage services.  I look forward to seeing how this plays out!  Density does belong in the city and this is a great way to make affordable housing as long as quality construction and design is respected!  I know a perfect Greenwood home offhand that would be a great candidate and it is on almost a third of an acre!

Backyard cottages are a nice solution that many Seattle homeowners have been interested in for a variety of reasons.  A Seattle backyard cottage, officially known as a detached ADU or accessory dwelling unit, can be a nice solution for a college aged child or aging parent among other things and a great way to financially make ends meet.  Southeast Seattle has allowed them since 2006 and the Mayor introduced legislation to allow them across the city back in March of this year under a certain set of rules and regulations. 

Upcoming meeting to discuss Seattle Backyard Cottages: Nov 2nd at 2 PM for council vote on Backyard cottage legislation.  This is still tentatively scheduled, but you can get more info here: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/Backyardcottages/Overview/

Seattle Backyard Cottages Guidelines:

Since introducing the idea in March, 18 homeowners have applied to add one in their back yard. Certain rules and guidelines must be followed to qualify.  Here are some, but you can find more details on the city site.

1. Lot must be at least 4000 square feet in area with additional minimum width and depth requirements.

2. The house and the backyard cottage together can not exceed the current 35% limit for lot coverage.

3. Cottage square footage limit is 800 sq feet.

4. Height limit of cottage is 15-23 feet high depending on the lot width.

5. Parking is required.

6. The owner must live in either the primary residence or the backyard cottage (like a Seattle ADU).

Are you interested in finding a Seattle home where you can add an ADU such as an interior one in the basement or a backyard cottage?  Seattle real estate offers many opportunities like this and knowing the rules and guidelines is key to making it work for you financially.  Let me know if you have questions!

Thinking about converting your basement or attic into rental income?  Seattle has a great policy for allowing accessory dwelling units (ADU) on residential properties.  This is a great way to be able to rent out part of your home and allow someone to legally live in a separate part of your home while you live there. Additionally, you can live in the ADU yourself if you choose and the renter can live in the main home.  It doesn't matter as long as you stay within the city's guidelines for establishing an attached accessory dwelling unit.

Seattle ADU rules, rquirements & guidelines (you have to meet all of them although there are some variances allowed if applied for properly): 

1. the home has to be occupied by one or more owners and the owner has to have at least a 50% interest in the property.  Additionally, the owner occupant has to live there for at least 6 months a year.

2. Unless all residents in both units are related to each other, the limit is eight people in the entire structure.

3. One off street parking space must be provided for ADU( you can apply for a waiver on this one).

4. Only one ADU for each home (this includes backyard cottage or ADU).

5. ADU can only be 1000 square feet although there are some more details for getting around this if the ADU is all on one floor and structure was in existence prior to 6/1/1999.

6. Usually only one entrance can be located on front or side street locations. Ther eare some exceptions.

7.  Window for sleeping room has to be a certain size - according to city literature:

"In sleeping rooms located in buildings constructed after Aug. 10, 1972, or in rooms converted or established for sleeping purposes after August 10, 1972, there shall be at least one operable window or exterior door approved for emergency escape or rescue. The window or door must be operable from the inside. All emergency escape windows shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet (grade floor openings allowed to be 5 square feet), a minimum net clear openable height dimension of 24 inches, and a minimum net clear openable width dimension of 20 inches. The window must have a finished sill height not more than 44 inches above the floor. The sill height may be measured from the top of a constructed step with a riser of not more than 7 inches."

 8. The ADU has to meet all current Seattle residential standards for building, mechanical, electrical, and energy codes.  (Look for good ceiling height and egress. )

9. Electrical boxes either have to be located in common areas or in the areas for the units they serve.

(Make sure and check out the city's application here: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/publications/cam/cam116a.pdf)

 Seattle Mother In Law, Backyard Cottage, ADU... 

 These are all different!  An ADU is different than a mother in law (MIL) apartment which is a separate residence within a home and allows you to rent out the MIL apartment without having to live in the other part of your home. Backyard Cottages are also different.  An ADU us the best way to live in your home and have either legal separate living quarters fro your nanny or housekeeper or make extra income to offset your mortgage. 

Are you interested in finding a   Seattle home that you can convert part of the space into an ADU?  Seattle is ADU friendly and Seattle real estate has opportunities for just this type of set up!

Looking for Belltown Gallery Auction Results? The Gallery Auction has long been one of Belltown's most anticipated events.  It was astounding to witness the sheer volume of dollars that were spent on these places! 

Gallery Auction results surprising for many!  It was extremely interesting to see the mass exodus of hopeful would be Gallery Auction bidders who thought they might get a steal. There were some good deals last night, but nothing I couldn't have negotiated up front in a normal purchase and sale without the pressure of the auction itself.  It just goes back to my earlier statement:  "Do not be afraid to put in an offer that may not be socially acceptable."  In the case of the Gallery before the auction, they may have taken it based on auction result numbers I saw last night.

So here are the Gallery Auction results as I recorded them personally, so I should put in a disclaimer that I am human and may have made a mistake.  By the way, these are in auction bid order:

Unit      SQFT    Previous Price       Min Bid        Winning Bid Amt

1020     1438         $995,200          $449,000         $735,000

1103     1226         $895,990          $499,000         $650,000

920       1438         $995,200          $449,000         $607,000

820       1438         $990,200          $449,000         $592,000

720       1438         $923,400          $449,000         $588,000

903       1226         $895,990          $499,000         $621,000

703       1226         $795,900          $449,000         $548,000

1102     1301         $924,600          $449,000         $566,000

1002     1301         $887,500          $449,000         $564,000

702       1301         $810,700         $375,000          $547,000

1006     1066         $736,990         $325,000          $450,000

906       1066         $731,990         $325,000          $440,000

706       1066         $649,990         $325,000          $419,000

402        961          $573,400        $245,000          $412,000

1107      883          $636,500        $295,000          $462,000

1104      880          $619,990        $295,000          $455,000

1004      880          $573,200        $295,000          $413,000

1117      672          $504,500        $225,000          $380,000

1118      771          $509,990        $225,000          $344,000

1017      672          $467,600        $195,000          $338,000

1018      771          $499,990        $225,000          $337,000

618       845          $484,000        $215,000          $347,000

507       883          $466,300        $195,000          $282,000

407       883          $440,700        $195,000          $277,000

1111     603          $448,800        $225,000          $326,000

1011     603          $427,800        $215,000          $330,000

1115     586          $428,000        $225,000          $321,000

1015     586          $400,100        $215,000          $318,000

715      603           $365,100        $215,000         $310,000

620      843           $481,300        $225,000         $331,000

420      843           $467,800        $225,000         $289,000

1112    603           $426,400        $195,000         $301,000

1114    603           $425,000        $195,000         $300,000 

1012    603           $413,800        $195,000         $297,000

612      603           $368,100        $195,000         $280,000

721      605           $388,700        $195,000         $243,000*

403    1160           $694,990        $399,000         $434,000

201    1116           $658,000        $335,000         $384,000

624      699          $410,700        $195,000          $300,000

424      699          $400,000        $195,000         $284,000

521      836          $423,800        $195,000           ***

421      836          $420,800        $195,000           ***

623      791          $424,500        $195,000           ***

423      791          $397,500        $195,000           ***

*In my opinion, the winning bidder for unit 721 probably got one of the best deals of the day.  Although the unit is right next to the owner's lounge and I have heard that there is quite a bit of horizontal sound traveling in Gallery, this was a phenomenal price to get into that location!

*** At this point, I had to accompany my bidder out of the room, but I will update later with results from the last four auction results.

Gallery Auction Results Wrap Up -

Overall, I would say Gallery raked in far more dollar per square foot than I would expect them to have.  I would say this proves that Seattle real estate is alive and well and that Belltown real estate is still moving!  The condo market has definitely changed and we will be seeing more of these types of sales in my opinion based on the backlog of inventory.