Lake Washington in Seattle is Ever Changing...

Lake Washington homes for saleLake Washington in Seattle...

Lake Washington always looks so serene and calm in the pictures you see for Lake Washington homes for sale, but the lake is like other bodies of water ever changing.

In fact, yesterday, Lake Washington had white caps on it during one of our wind storms.  Elaine was getting ready for one of her Lake Washington waterfront listings and I asked her to film this on her iPhone - you can even hear the crazy wind we got...

So next time you see a calm nice picture of a home on Lake Washingotn in Seattle like this one, keep in mind that there is also some exciting wave action form time to time - not to mention an entertaining never ending parade of birds and boats!

 


Courtney Cooper

Seattle Realtor, Owner/Designated Broker/EcoBroker

Cooper Jacobs Real Estate

courtney@cooperjacobs.com

206-850-8841 

(Seattle real estate - search all MLS listings from all companies for FREE), SeattleAfloat.com (Seattle Houseboats), GreenLakeLoop.com (Green Lake Blog), QueenAnneBoulevard.com (Queen Anne Blog), MagnoliaView.com (Magnolia Neighborhood Blog)

About Me: 

Seattle real estate has been a big part of my life for well over a decade since I began my career in real estate,but also before that time when I was in the process of purchasing my own first home.  Buying your first home can be quite overwhelming,but I have managed to help many first time home buyers along the way.

Move up Seattle buyers and other types of specialized purchasing is a great passion of mine!  I love Seattle houseboats and you can find me down on the docks of Lake Union and Portage Bay several times a week.   Other aspects of Seattle real estate that I adore include Queen Anne Real Estate,Wallingford Real Estate, Ballard Real Estate, Green Lake Real Estate, Laurelhurst Real Estate, Magnolia Real Estate,andSeattle Waterfront Real Estate.

In addition to being a Seattle residential broker and founder of Cooper Jacobs & Seattle Afloat, I am also a member of CBA (Commercial Brokers Association) and head of the Cooper Jacobs Commercial Division in an effort to provide excellent commercial real estate services to the Seattle commercial real estate industry.  With a background in accounting and management, it is my great pleasure to coordinate our Seattle commercial brokers. 

About Cooper Jacobs Real Estate's Seattle Branch:

 My office at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC is located centrally near all my favorite Puget Sound neighborhoods just a few blocks up from Lake Union in Seattle’s Wallingford.  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate is a wonderful place filled with talented Seattle real estate brokers and I count myself extremely lucky that I get to spend so much time with these wonderful people.  We specialize in different Seattle neighborhoods and suburbs in both residential and commercial real estate and are all very passionate and excited about each of our favorite Seattle neighborhoods and industries!

©Courtney Cooper ©Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC

2 comments • Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 • February 13 2011 07:25PM

What to Expect When You Live on the Water

 

Even though this post is written for Virginia Waterfront property, many of the same things apply to Seattle waterfront living so I wanted to post it because it is good info and well written!  Seattle Waterfront homes including Seattle houseboats require special attention.  This is a great list:

 

Via Mike Hogan, MBA, EcoBroker (Pioneer Realty):

What to Expect When You Live on the Water  

Ahhh the sites, sounds and smells of waterfront living. We all love it...the sand between your toes...the sounds of the water crashing over the rip rap...the smell of the salt air. All of the combined with the crazy low prices we are seeing today and you might just be tempted to jump in the deep in and pick up your own little piece of heaven.   Before you make that leap however... you need to know what to expect when you live on the water. Northern Neck Piers

  ** Preventative Maintenance.Most of the water in the Northern Neck of Virginia is brackish. The closer to the Bay you are the higher the salinity. This means docks, piers, decks, windows, siding, locks etc...will take a beating. Expect annual maintenance and likely complete renovations every couple of years if you have a pier on the river. Creek docks are a little more protected but still require the annual maintenance. Anything wood(decks, window trim, siding, etc) will need an annual painting. Even deck chairs will likely need a new coat of paint every year. Metal items such as door locks will need to be oiled every year to keep corrosion at bay.  

** Shifting Sands. The shore is constantly moving. One weekend you may have a 75 ft beach and when you come back the next weekend you may have a 125ft beach. Always remember your property line can change...expect it.  You may want to check with neighbors and local government to see what erosion problems the area has before you buy.  

**  Double of everything.One thing many people tend to forget is when you have a second home...you also have a second of everything else. Beyond the basics(beds, couches, tvs), you'll also need extra tools for household chores, extra lawnmower, dishes, silverware, coffeepots, utility bills...pretty much double everything. The costs can quickly add up- just make sure you plan for it.  

Northern Neck Heron**  Friends, Friends and more Friends. You'll never realize how many friends you have until you buy a house on the water. Expect drive-by visitors, family and friends asking to visit for the weekend. You may even get requests to use it for weddings. Most of us who have a waterfront home also enjoy entertaining... so this may not be an issue. Just expect it.  

**  Windy days.One of the wonderful parts about living on the water is the constant breeze. The dog days of Summer aren't nearly so bad with the constant bay breeze. But there's a downside to that wind. Even the smallest of storms can wreak havoc on homes by the water. Hurricane shutters are a great way to counter the wind's powerful force but expect to pay from $10- 45 a sq ft for hurricane shutters. The other great thing about hurricane shutters is they keep out the sun's heat during the week when you aren't at the home...saving on energy usage.  

As long as you know all of this before you buy...you'll have no surprises... and your waterfront home ownership will be an amazing experience. Welcome to the club...

 

 

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Courtney Cooper

Seattle Realtor, Owner/Designated Broker/EcoBroker

Cooper Jacobs Real Estate

courtney@cooperjacobs.com

206-850-8841 

(Seattle real estate - search all MLS listings from all companies for FREE), SeattleAfloat.com (Seattle Houseboats), GreenLakeLoop.com (Green Lake Blog), QueenAnneBoulevard.com (Queen Anne Blog), MagnoliaView.com (Magnolia Neighborhood Blog)

About Me: 

Seattle real estate has been a big part of my life for well over a decade since I began my career in real estate,but also before that time when I was in the process of purchasing my own first home.  Buying your first home can be quite overwhelming,but I have managed to help many first time home buyers along the way.

Move up Seattle buyers and other types of specialized purchasing is a great passion of mine!  I love Seattle houseboats and you can find me down on the docks of Lake Union and Portage Bay several times a week.   Other aspects of Seattle real estate that I adore include Queen Anne Real Estate,Wallingford Real Estate, Ballard Real Estate, Green Lake Real Estate, Laurelhurst Real Estate, Magnolia Real Estate,andSeattle Waterfront Real Estate.

In addition to being a Seattle residential broker and founder of Cooper Jacobs & Seattle Afloat, I am also a member of CBA (Commercial Brokers Association) and head of the Cooper Jacobs Commercial Division in an effort to provide excellent commercial real estate services to the Seattle commercial real estate industry.  With a background in accounting and management, it is my great pleasure to coordinate our Seattle commercial brokers. 

About Cooper Jacobs Real Estate's Seattle Branch:

 My office at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC is located centrally near all my favorite Puget Sound neighborhoods just a few blocks up from Lake Union in Seattle’s Wallingford.  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate is a wonderful place filled with talented Seattle real estate brokers and I count myself extremely lucky that I get to spend so much time with these wonderful people.  We specialize in different Seattle neighborhoods and suburbs in both residential and commercial real estate and are all very passionate and excited about each of our favorite Seattle neighborhoods and industries!

©Courtney Cooper ©Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC

2 comments • Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 • October 10 2009 05:06PM

Seattle Waterfront Real Estate Choices: Lots Of Homes Here!

Waterfront Homes In The  Seattle Area... Lots Of Real Estate Choices Here

Do you want to look at waterfront homes for sale in Seattle, Washington?  There are a lot of different real estate choices so which type of waterfront living is your favorite?  Seattle, Washington luckily has all kinds of water and there are many different ways to live on the water!  So if you want a waterfront home in the Seattle WA area or Washington state in general, you have some great options!

Some Great Seattle real estate waterfront homes and neighborhoods to look at:

Seattle houseboats1. Seattle floating homes aka houseboats are a popular option to dream about!  Seattle floating homes are really the very ultimate in Seattle waterfront real estate, right?  What could be more waterfront than living on the actual water in one of Seattle's finest neighborhoods?  There are not many houseboats left in Seattle  (about 500) and these floating home communities special!  They require special financing, inspections, and more, but to live on Lake Union or in Portage Bay would a for sure number one pick for Seattle waterfront real estate! 

SEattle Wa waterfront homes

2. Riviera Beach in Matthews Beach (Matthews Beach Real Estate) is a close second for Seattle lakefront living.  This little community is nestled on the West banks of Lake Washington with perfect postage stamp lots and also right on the Burke-Gilman trail.  If you want more privacy than houseboat living could offer, this might be a great choice! 

3. Sheridan Beach real estate in Lake Forest Park, Wa is a great option for North Seattle - situated North of Matthews Beach on Lake Washington, Sheridan Beach offers a private beach club membership and wonderful views of Kirkland.  Lake Forest Park homes in general have a lot going for them and the natural settings in this Seattle suburb are gorgeous!

sheridan beach homes lake forest park wa4. Richmond Beach, Shoreline, WA. Richmond Beach is one of my very favorite beaches in the Seattle area and it is quite historic!  Perched on Puget Sound, this West facing community has some of the most amazing mountain and Sound views! 

Richmond Beach homes have a huge variety and are all oriented towards the downward slope and the water.  Because of this and the large park, a great option is to buy a big view home and walk to the public beach. Richmond Beach Real Estate  is one of my favorite parts of Shoreline WA real estate!

5. Bainbridge Island:  Want to work in Downtown Seattle and live the Seattle dream by commuting via ferry?  If you are a walk on passenger or even a cyclist, then the ferry system can be a very quick way to commute back and forth between work.  Many people like to live in Winslow on Bainbridge and walk on the ferry to ride over to Downtown.  Without having to rely on putting a car on and off the ferry, the commute is pretty easy!  Bainbridge offers a ton of waterfront homes and options!  Bainbridge Island Real Estate

6. Lastly, Go check out the Washington State coast!  A lot of people think that Seattle is on the West Coast, but it is actually 2 1/2 to 3 hours in from the Pacific Ocean.  We are on the Puget Sound which comes in from the Pacific Ocean.  If you want to check out the ultimate in waterfront homes, go take a trip and check out our pretty coast!  Ocean Shores is quite affordable with oceanfront lots starting at under $200,000!  Washington Coast homes

That is it for my Seattle waterfront homes and neighborhoods - these are just a few highlighted communities!  There are many more options as well in waterfront homes around Seattle:  Mercer Island, Bellevue, Kirkland, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Sammamish, and more all offer different ways to enjoy our beautiful state! 

 What are you interested in and what kind of waterfront home do you want?

Waterfront homes around Seattle

Courtney Cooper, Seattle Realtor, EcoBroker, Broker for Cooper Jacobs Real Estate Services:  Seattle real estate

 

 


Courtney Cooper

Seattle Realtor, Owner/Designated Broker/EcoBroker

Cooper Jacobs Real Estate

courtney@cooperjacobs.com

206-850-8841 

(Seattle real estate - search all MLS listings from all companies for FREE), SeattleAfloat.com (Seattle Houseboats), GreenLakeLoop.com (Green Lake Blog), QueenAnneBoulevard.com (Queen Anne Blog), MagnoliaView.com (Magnolia Neighborhood Blog)

About Me: 

Seattle real estate has been a big part of my life for well over a decade since I began my career in real estate,but also before that time when I was in the process of purchasing my own first home.  Buying your first home can be quite overwhelming,but I have managed to help many first time home buyers along the way.

Move up Seattle buyers and other types of specialized purchasing is a great passion of mine!  I love Seattle houseboats and you can find me down on the docks of Lake Union and Portage Bay several times a week.   Other aspects of Seattle real estate that I adore include Queen Anne Real Estate,Wallingford Real Estate, Ballard Real Estate, Green Lake Real Estate, Laurelhurst Real Estate, Magnolia Real Estate,andSeattle Waterfront Real Estate.

In addition to being a Seattle residential broker and founder of Cooper Jacobs & Seattle Afloat, I am also a member of CBA (Commercial Brokers Association) and head of the Cooper Jacobs Commercial Division in an effort to provide excellent commercial real estate services to the Seattle commercial real estate industry.  With a background in accounting and management, it is my great pleasure to coordinate our Seattle commercial brokers. 

About Cooper Jacobs Real Estate's Seattle Branch:

 My office at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC is located centrally near all my favorite Puget Sound neighborhoods just a few blocks up from Lake Union in Seattle’s Wallingford.  Cooper Jacobs Real Estate is a wonderful place filled with talented Seattle real estate brokers and I count myself extremely lucky that I get to spend so much time with these wonderful people.  We specialize in different Seattle neighborhoods and suburbs in both residential and commercial real estate and are all very passionate and excited about each of our favorite Seattle neighborhoods and industries!

©Courtney Cooper ©Cooper Jacobs Real Estate LLC

0 comments • Courtney Cooper 206-850-8841 • August 06 2009 12:18PM