FEATURE
Moving? Some ideas... PAGE 2
MARKET
VALUE
PAGE 10
PAGE 4
A look at what has sold in Bellevue
jumbo loans still hard to get
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Your link to Bellevue and its neighborhoods
For information on featured property see page 2
See Bellevue homes listed on the market today at homes.bellevuereporter.com
Simplified Home Loans
For a free mortgage planning session, please call David Foster Branch Manager
Email: David.A.Foster@wellsfargo.com Website: www.getloaninformation.com
80163
425-351-8900
2
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
Moving? Some ideas that will help you box it up Late spring and summer is the time when most people move, for obvious school and weather reasons. The feeling of shaking off the old and launching into the new can be exhilarating... but also quite intimidating. There will 1. Manga Manga be an enormous amount of responWith the million and one things sibilities and headaches accompany- there will be to do on the days of the ing your move. move--move-out No matter if your day, travel day(s) "Make sure you have and move-in day move is to the other side of town high-energy foods like -- you want to or the other side make sure you of the universe, fruit and trail mix with have a plan for the word of the food. You are all M&Ms mixed in..." day is “organizagoing to work tion.” The more physically hard you prepare and for a few days, plan before the first box is packed, the and everyone gets hungrier the more easier and less stressful your move will physical exertion is required. Accordbe. ingly, when people get tired and over-
There is no way of getting around it: Moving means planning, tracking and executing tasks both large and small, which, seen in their totality, can be overwhelming. That is why you will want to put together a binder, or buy a prepared one like Moving.kit from Buttoned Up. It can help keep all the tasks and paperwork organized. More importantly, it should help you view all those tasks as compartmentalized jobs -- bite-sized pieces of a huge meal. So, instead of thinking every day for months that “We have to move,” you can think: “I have to hire a mover.” “I have to list my home and schedule appointments.” “I have to contact the power companies here and at the new place.” And so on. Sarah on “Trust”: You are certainly going to want to delegate tasks to all members of the family, and it provides a great learning opportunity. Let your kids be in charge of packing up their stuff -- with your supervision, of course. Since it is unusual to take everything, the first thing they will learn is how to prioritize and let go of the things of the past. Once the move is complete, and any carelessness has resulted in a broken or lost item, they will understand the value of taking care of the things they care about. While no one column can cover an entire move, we at least offer these hints. COVER PHOTO
taxed, emotions can get raw. Make sure you have high-energy foods like fruit and trail mix with M&Ms mixed in as well as deli sandwiches in a cooler so that anyone can get something more substantial without a lot of prep time. Don’t forget water. 2. The Long and Winding Road
The best way to stay on an even keel is to be prepared for any deviations from your plan. Make sure you have the phone number for your moving company, whether you are hiring a company or renting a truck. You need to take an inspection of all vehicles before heading out to make sure they are roadworthy. In case of a breakdown, having the national numbers for a few chain motels would not be such a bad idea. Finally, you should have with you the number for the power company in your new city so that if there has been a snafu you can contact it immediately. 3. The Corners of your Mind You never truly leave an old home. Since memories of your old life will always be with you, leave something behind to tie you physically to your onetime home. You could, for instance, bury something in the back yard. The whole family can get together and choose an item that best commemorates the time spent there. – By Sarah Welch and Alicia Rockmore Scripps Howard News Service
File photo
Neighbors Moving and Storage in Bellevue suggests creating an essentials box for when you arrive at your new home. • Basic tools such as flashlights, pocket knife, hammer, screwdrivers, nails, masking tape, tape measure, and light bulbs. • Bathroom essentials such as hand towel, soap, toilet paper, shampoo, and shower curtains. • Kitchen goodies such as paper towels, coffee maker and filters, paper plates and cups, plastic utensils, dish detergent, a sponge, pet foods, dishes, and trash bags. • Pack rugs last so they can be the first items unloaded and placed at your new location. FEATURE
Moving? Some ideas... PAGE 2
MARKET
VALUE
PAGE 10
PAGE 4
Supplement to the Bellevue Reporter
jumbo loans still hard to get
A look at what has sold in Bellevue
Produced by the Marketing Department
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Your link to Bellevue and its neighborhoods
Cover photo provided by Heidi Bright of Windermere Real Estate in Bellevue. Reach her at 425-820-5343. Magnificent Private Compound Above Carillon Point Year Built: 2003 Bedrooms: 4 Baths: 4.75 Offered at $4,500,000
MLS Number 28081113 Living Area: 6552 square ft. Type: Single Family Lot Size: 12,500 square ft.
www.BigDogRealty.com
Bellevue Real Estate Review is a special section published by the Bellevue Reporter. Extra copies are available at City Hall, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce and local libraries. Bellevue Real Estate Review Staff Publisher: Sandy Payson, 425.453.4270
For information on featured property see page 2
See Bellevue homes listed on the market today at homes.bellevuereporter.com
Simplified Home Loans
For a free mortgage planning session, please call
425-351-8900
David Foster Branch Manager
Email: David.A.Foster@wellsfargo.com Website: www.getloaninformation.com
80163
Alicia on “Being Able to Chew Everything you Bite”:
Editor: Sarah Simmons, 253.453.4270 Advertising: Bruce Baker, 425.453.4273 McKenzie Lukecart, 425.453.4287 William Shaw, 425.453.4211
Bellevue Reporter: 919 124th Ave. N.E. #104, Bellevue | 425.453.4270 | bellevuereporter.com
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
3
75710
4
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
So-called jumbo loans still hard to get Higher loan limits, set by the federal government early this year, were supposed to make jumbo loans more affordable in expensive housing markets. Rates finally have come down on these so-called “jumbo conforming” mortgages, though these loans likely will remain hard to get. Jumbo-conforming loans range in size from $417,000 to nearly $730,000 and are especially important in expensive markets. There are three types of
1. Agency jumbo-conforming loans, which meet, or “conform to,” Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac guidelines and can be sold to those secondary market corporations, or “agencies” 2. FHA jumbo-conforming loans, which meet guidelines set by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development agency that guarantees home loans 3. Bank jumbo loans, which needn’t conform to either agency or FHA guidelines
MARKET
FEATURE
A look at what has sold in Bellevue
Moving? Some ideas... PAGE 2
PAGE 10
jumbo-conforming loans to consider: “Consumers need to look at all three of those (loan types) because their particular circumstances may make one or another of those options the better option for them,” explains Frank Sillman, CEO of Indymac Mortgage Bank in Pasadena, Calif. Until recently, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac weren’t authorized to purchase loans of more than $417,000, except in a few very expensive housing markets. The new limits are based on a percentage of the median home price in each county and can reach up to $729,750 in the priciest areas. When the new jumbo-conforming loans were announced, there was an expectation that the rates would be similar to those for conforming loans. But for the first six weeks of the jumbo-conforming loans’ existence, they were priced closer to regular jumbo loans. That means the rates were often half a percentage point higher or more. For example, at the beginning of May, a borrower in Los Angeles might have been able to get a conforming loan for $400,000 at 6.125 percent, and a jumbo-conforming loan for $450,000 at 6.75 percent. Finally, in the second week of May,
W E D N E S D A Y, M A Y 28, 2008
Fannie Mae CEO Daniel Mudd announced that the company would price conforming and jumbo-conforming loans identically. Rates dropped abruptly on jumbo-conforming mortgages. This week, the rate difference between conforming and jumbo-conforming has been anywhere from negligible to a quarter of a percentage point. Before the change, says Dick Lepre, loan consultant with Residential Pacific Mortgage in San Francisco, “their pricing was, ‘We don’t want to do these loans’ pricing. They changed their minds, and the difference was sudden and large. The difference to me was not doing loans and then doing loans.” The typical jumbo-conforming borrower wants to refinance out of an adjustable-rate mortgage “and they’re seeking the safety of a fixed (mortgage),” Lepre says. They pay for that safety: A lot of these borrowers will pay a higher rate on their fixed-rate jumbo-conforming loan than they were paying on the previous jumbo ARM. But they’ll have to refinance out of those ARMs anyway, and they’re gambling that fixed rates on jumboconforming loans will rise. That’s probably a wise move, Lepre said. The FHA loan limits depend on the
cost of housing in each metropolitan area and can range from $271,050 in so-called “normal” markets up to $729,750 in some expensive markets. Homeowners who want to refinance a jumbo-sized non-FHA adjustablerate mortgage, but don’t have at least 3 percent equity can consider the FHA Secure program, which allows the current lender to take back a second mortgage to make up the difference between the amount that’s owed and the current value of the home, according to the FHA’s Web site. The higher limits apply to this program as well. The new loan limits took effect in February and are set to expire at the end of this year, unless Congress extends the time period or makes the new limits permanent. The House recently passed legislation that would make the limits permanent, but President Bush has denounced the multifaceted housing bill as a foreclosure bailout and threatened to veto it. Bigger loans, known as “super-jumbos,” are a specialty product in today’s market and are available only from select lenders that choose to offer them. Some lenders are eager to originate super jumbos while others “won’t touch” them, says Mike Mueller, a mortgage broker in San Francisco. – Scripps Howard News Service
VALUE
jumbo loans still hard to get PAGE 4
Next Issue Dates:
Wednesday, June 11 and June 25, 2008
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Your link to Bellevue and its neighborhoods
Reach 42,000 HHs & 96,000 Readers For information
on featured property see page 2
Online marketing packages available for purchase at homes.bellevuereporter.com
See Bellevue homes listed on the market today at homes.bellevuereporter.com
Simplified Home Loans please call
425-351-8900
David Foster Branch Manager
Email: David.A.Foster@wellsfargo.com Website: www.getloaninformation.com
80163
For a free mortgage planning session,
Ask your account executive for details!
Don't miss this great opportunity to maximize your local print and web advertising dollars! • UV glossy pages available on the cover page, inside cover, inside back and back page • High quality electrabrite paper on all other pages • Full color is available on every page
Concerned your new home is too open to the neighbors? Consider these plants
• Pick up your Bellevue Real Estate Review advertisement into any one or combination of our 15 network publications
Screen out potentially nosy neighbors with plants. Below are some shrubs and vines that provide dense barriers. Two that aren’t listed, but often are recommended in nurseries, are wisteria and privet. Approach both with caution. Wisteria is a beautiful vine in bloom but often is invasive. Privet forms a dense cover but is a prodigious re-seeder. You’ll have to pull up new plants where they’re not wanted.
• Increase your marketing exposure by utilizing our online and print packages with the recently launched - homes.bellevuereporter.com
• Evergreen euonymus (Euonymus japonica)
• Enhance your web presence in the neighborhoods where you do business
• Lemon bottlebrush (Callistemon citrinus)
• Premium positions are available, first come, first serve basis • Editorial submissions available for consideration
See Bellevue homes listed on the market today at
• Fern pine (Podocarpus gracilior) • Oleander (Nerium oleander)
homes.bellevuereporter.com
• Honeysuckle (Lonicera)
Part of the PNW Homefinder Network
• Holly oak (Quercus ilex)
• Potato vine (Solanum laxum) • Carolina jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) • Pink jasmine (Jasminum polyanthum) • Shrubby yew pine (Podocarpus macrophyllus maki) – By Dan Vierria Scripps Howard News Service
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
5
Make your new porch an outdoor paradise have a screened porch, but we never use it. How Q: We can I make it a spot where we want to hang out? A: Chances are your screened porch spends its days all alone because it’s uncomfortable and unattractive. With the warm summer months just around the corner, this is the perfect time to transform this dusty wasteland into one of your favorite spots to entertain, lounge and dine. In order for your porch to lure you outside, it must be an oasis for your tired eyes and weary body. For years, I’ve been a big believer in dressing your porch just as you do every other room in your house, with beautiful furniture, gorgeous linens and fun accents. People think I’m nuts, but I’ve always used indoor furniture outside on my screened porch. On a large wooden hutch, I display things like artwork, dishware and seasonal accents and set up a small bar for entertaining. The slip-covered chaise longue and daybed are our favorite places to lounge on Sunday afternoons. Since Dan and I enjoy entertaining
al fresco, we also have a round table and chairs tucked into a corner of the porch. For accent lighting, I frequently hang a lantern or candelabrum over the table and decorate it with seasonal greens. Before you begin your makeover, clear out your porch and give it a good spring cleaning. Now, think about how you’d like to use this spot. Do you want a place to sit and read? Do you want to hold dinner parties out here? Once you pinpoint how you want to use this outdoor room, scout for the right furniture. Do you have any old pieces you could bring outside, like a comfy chair or a hutch? Is it time to invest in an outdoor table and chairs? R e me mb e r : Anything you put out there will get dusty and damp and will need frequent cleaning, so choose accordingly. Next, add charm and personality to your porch with linens. Are you partial to hot citrus colors? Then pick cushions and pillows in the zippiest of hues. Do you prefer a soft, roman-
“ Do you have a
fun set of dishes reserved for outdoor use? If not, get some that make you smile.
79086
”
tic look? Go crazy with muted florals, stripes and little checks. Just remember to pick fabrics you can launder easily. I know this is a no-no, but I’m all about using cotton and linen fabrics outside. Since these delicate textiles fade in the sun, I replace them every few years, giving me the perfect excuse to remake the look of my porch. This year, I’m getting my inspiration from a new line of dishes I’ve developed for the Mary Carol Home Collection. The cream-colored plates feature a delicate fern frond in the freshest of greens. So, I’ll slipcover my chaise longue and daybed in cream fabrics with green accents. (I love these light colors for seat cushions because I can launder them with a few drops of bleach, then put them back on the cushion forms damp, so they dry in place, wrinkle-free.) Since I’m nuts about monograms right now, I’m going to put a leaf-green monogram in the center of at least one of the cream
pillows. With your linens in place, it’s time to add the accents that will pull the space together and make it luxurious and welcoming. How about some great outdoor lighting, like lanterns or a candelabrum? Last year, I added an inexpensive floor lamp to my porch and loved how it bathed the space in soft light. Do you have a fun set of dishes reserved for outdoor use? If not, get some that make you smile. When I entertain outdoors this summer, I’ll use an old quilt as a tablecloth, then create unique place settings with my new fern dishes mixed in with some dishware, goblets and silver I use all the time. To polish off the look of the porch, I’ll repeat a few of the dishware pieces and accents in the displays in my hutch and side tables. I can’t wait to get started! – By Mary Carol Garrity Scripps Howard News Service
6
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
Condos for sail: These homes might float your boat
uncomfortable mix, said Fitch Ratings' Paladino. "There could be a difference in how people take care of the units, and you could get different types of people," he observed. Boyd, who described himself as a consultant to Florida real estate interests, looked out to sea when available beachfront land became harder to find and fears of hurricanes dampened the condominium market on terra firma. While Condo Cruise Lines is an unknown quantity, established companies drawn by what they think could become a lucrative niche are getting into the floating-condo market, too. First into the water, in 2002, was Miami's ResidenSea. The company's 644-foot ship, the World, offers condos for sale. Condo owners sometimes rent their units when not on board. ResidenSea takes pains to make clear that its customer experience differs from those of popular cruise-ship lines _ some geared to budget travelers _ beloved by vacationers in search of groaning-board buffets and carousing nightlife. privately owned waterborne condos exist on just one major ship _ the World, "Ours is a quieter pace, more adventurous in our travels operated by a management company in Miami called ResidenSea Ltd. but more relaxed in lifestyle, in many ways quite similar to luxury yacht ownership," according to the ResidenSea Condos for sale on cruise ships. Great views. Changing seaside sites all Web site. "Our time is ours to do with as we please, choosaround the world. From $500,000 to $8 million. Motivated sellers. ing to enjoy the life ashore _ opera, museums, restaurants, shops; to see natural wonders _ fjords, mountains, icebergs, t may be a stretch to call it a real estate terest in getting their feet wet. deserts, coral reefs and beaches. We also enjoy playing golf tsunami _ a gently rising tide, maybe _ but putToronto's Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, the on the world's great courses. ... We always have the whole ting plush condominiums on seaworthy cruise high-end hotelier, has licensed a Miami partner, world to explore and enjoy _ without ever moving from our ships is drawing interest from developers, inves- Four Seasons Ocean Club Ltd., to launch a vesown home." tors, entrepreneurs and gilt-edged hotel compa- sel in the fall of next year under the Four Seasons According to the company, the World's itinerary this nies eager to plumb a new market. brand. summer includes stops in Ho Chi Minh City (SaiPitched by their champions as exotic and novel Condo Cruise Lines Internagon), as well as Brunei, Kota Kinabalu alternatives to traditional condos for landlubbers, tional, also anchored "The in Malaysian Borneo, the Thaiprivately owned waterborne condos exist on just in Florida, says it land resort of Phuket and one major ship _ the World, operated by a man- will float its first World, which has about Australia's Great Barrier agement company in Miami called ResidenSea c o n d o - c a r Reef. This winter, the 200 residents spread out over Ltd. _ but at least three other companies are lin- rying ship ship is scheduled to call ing up to launch shipboard condos. in February. 12 decks, is staffed by a crew of 250 in French Polynesia and Condominium ships are "a very small piece Condo Cruise Chile _ the better to bask assigned to pamper condo owners of the market," according to Michael Paladino, a Lines plans to in the Southern HemiFitch Ratings analyst who follows the cruise-ship homeport one or and their pals." sphere's summer. industry. "Certainly the large cruise operators two ships at the Port of The World, which has about 200 haven't expressed interest in this market." San Francisco if a deal can be residents spread out over 12 decks, is staffed by However, an enterprising company that "wants worked out. a crew of 250 assigned to pamper condo owners and their to have a differentiated product out there" could Condo Cruise Lines President and CEO Mark pals. The units, which ResidenSea says are 95 percent sold, find the condominium ship market appealing, he Boyd said his company's first ship _ presently a list for $825,000 to $6.3 million, not including a mainte said. floating casino in Hong Kong _ will be converted nance fee, which is calculated by square footage. Condo ships are an unusual hybrid of travel into a condo carrier this fall in Singapore. Plans and real estate, a hybrid so new that there is a call for staterooms to be enlarged and remade Continued on page 8: Condos for sail dearth of experts who oversee the field, and oper- into suites. Boyd said suites on the 560-footating rules that are still fluid. Four years ago, when long ship are listed from $500,000 to $1.2 milcondo buyers on the World felt disgruntled about lion for one-room units to three-room pentthe ship's ports-of-call itinerary, they formed an house suites. owners association and bought the ship. The vesAt the high end, the company is charging an sel is now a co-op. annual owners fee of $20,000, with most fees Although much remains unknown about this falling in the $7,000-to-$10,000-a-year range. market niche, a few companies have declared inAccording to Boyd, "We get a range of buyers, from the guy who says, 'When I retire, I'm going to sail around the world,' to another guy who says, 'I'll never set foot on it. I can rent it HOMES.BELLEVUEREPORTER.COM for four times my mortgage, rather than two times my HOMES.MI-REPORTER.COM mortgage, as it is on land.' " HOMES.KIRKLANDREPORTER.COM For condo owners who want Part of the PNW Homefinder Network to rent out their units, the company says it will charge Agent Packages • Broker Packages • A La Carte Options a 30 percent rental manageincluding: Banner Ads, Video Ads, Spotlight Homes, ment fee. Preferred Agent Listings, Agent Profile Pages, a Directory Mixing condo owners and much more! who want to live full-time or nearly full-time aboard ship with vacationers who rent for Call 425.453.4270 short periods could create an
I
GET THE ADDED EXPOSURE YOU NEED TO INCREASE YOUR SALES!
to get started in this program!
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W E D N E S D A Y, M A Y 28, 2008
7
Duration trumps location for real estate Forget location, location, location. The three most important things in real estate are duration, duration, duration. If you bought a home in the last two years, it's very probably worth less than you paid.
B
Prices, on a year-over-year basis, ut if you bought four years were down in all 20 cities except Charago, you're probably still lotte, N.C., which eked out a 1.5 perabove water. And if you bought eight years ago, you're almost certainly sitting on a tidy profit, assuming you haven't sucked every dollar of equity out of your home with a second mortgage or refinance. Nationwide, home prices in February were nearly 15 percent higher than they were in February 2004 and almost 75 percent higher than they were in February 2000, according to a 20-city index tracked by Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller. OK, I'll admit that location is an important factor in real estate. The point I'm trying to make is that housing, like the stock market, is a long-term investment. All the whining, headlines and public debate over home prices focus on the steep drop over the past year or two. To be sure, these numbers are chilling. In February, Case-Shiller's 20-city index was 12.7 percent lower than it was the previous year and 14.9 percent below its July 2006 peak. (Case-Shiller tracks resales of existing, single-family homes, not new homes or condos. Its 20-city index covers about 45 percent of the nation's housing market by value.)
cent gain. "This the first time in recent history that we've had a national decline in housing prices," says Maureen Maitland, vice president of index analysis for S&P. "In the past, you may have seen this kind of a decline in a particular region, but another region would be going up." Another troubling sign: The rate of decline has accelerated in the past few months, with some markets losing 3 or 4 percent in a single month, Maitland says. What you have to keep in mind, however, is that the nationwide decline in home prices was preceded by 10 years of appreciation. Let's not forget that in the second half of 2004, prices in Las Vegas were soaring 50 percent on a year-over-year basis. Anyone who thought that would go on forever spent too much time in the desert sun. The 20-city home price index is now roughly where it was in January 2005, about 3 1/3 years ago. Some cities have backtracked even further, some not quite as far. Prices in the San Francisco and Los Angeles are about where they were in August 2004. Hard-hit Detroit has retreated to its August 1999 level. Seattle, on the other hand, is back
where it was July 2006. Charlotte has lost just one month's worth of appreciation. Because it never really boomed like some cities, Charlotte has so far avoided a bust, Maitland says. Compared with four years ago, home prices in most cities are still in positive territory. Only three of the 20 metro areas tracked by Case-Shiller show losses since February 2004: Detroit (down 11.8 percent), Cleveland (down 7.5 percent) and Minneapolis (down 2.7 percent.) If you go back eight years -- to February 2000 -- only Detroit is below water, with a 3 percent decline. The other 19 cities are showing gains ranging from 7 percent in Cleveland to 118 percent in Miami. Home prices, like stock prices, generally move in multiyear cycles. They often become extremely overvalued or undervalued before they turn around. After the stock market crashed in
March 2000, it took the S&P 500 index more than seven years -- until October 2007 -- to top its previous all-time high. That's why stocks and homes should always be viewed as long-term investments. Lynn Reaser, an economist for Bank of America, says the housing market "is likely to hit a low point probably this year. In terms of (new-home) production and sales, we should see some bottoming in the fourth quarter. But prices are likely to fall further in some of the overheated markets in 2009." The simple problem is that home prices outstripped incomes and home construction outpaced new household formations. Until homes become more affordable and the population grows enough to fill up some of those empty houses, prices are likely to fall. – By Kathleen Pender Scripps Howard News Service
Beetles in wood floor will need professional solution before you move
Q:
We have a wood floor in our home that repeatedly has termite mud holes and piles of sawdust showing up. The contractor has replaced some of the wood, but the problem continues. Is there any treatment that will work completely, or does the entire wood floor need to be replaced? What is the best way to get rid of wood-flooring termites?
A:
If you are finding sawdust, then you probably have a woodboring beetle, also known as a powder post beetle. The name is derived from the fine flourlike powder, or frass, the beetles discard. The most common wood-boring beetle families are the lyctidae, bostrichidae and anobiidae. Only the anobiidae family of beetles can digest cellulose, the main ingredient of wood. All other species of wood-boring beetles excrete the wood without digesting it. The beetles live and bore inside the wood and most likely were already in the hardwood flooring when you pur-
chased it. The lyctus beetle may also be present in wood furniture and paneling and can be brought into the home in firewood. The beetle larvae spend several months inside the wood, where the damage goes unseen. It’s only when the adult beetle exits the wood that the pinhole damage becomes evident. The female beetle will often leave behind eggs to hatch to continue the cycle of their species and further damaging the wood.
and structural lumber, but termites are not often seen until they swarm, which is usually in the spring and fall. In order to survive, termites build shelter tubes for protection, climate control and energy sources. The subterranean termite must return to the ground where the main colony is established. Dry-wood termites can sustain a colony above the ground, but they still need a source of moisture. When checking for termites, look for the distinctive mud-colored shelter tubes that meander as the termites forage for food. And that’s about all they do is feed, and your house is the food source. Whether you have termites or woodboring beetles, do not attempt to treat the problem yourself. The environmental damage that can be caused by improper use of store-bought chemiPowderpost Beetle Damage cals can be serious. My best advice is to hire a licensed professional pestOther cellulose items in the home can control operator to rid your home of be infested with wood-boring beetles unwanted pests. -- books, toys, tool handles, bamboo -By Dwight Barnett flooring and structural lumber. Termites also damage wood flooring Scripps Howard News Service
Steps to prevent beetles from infesting wood include: • Inspecting wood prior to purchase • Using properly kiln or airdried wood. • Sealing wood surfaces • Using chemically treated wood (wood preservatives or insecticides). • Using good building design such as ventilation, drainage and proper clearance between wood and soil will reduce the moisture content of wood creating less favorable conditions for beetle development. • Central heating and cooling systems also speed up the wood drying process.
8
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
Seven questions for landlords-to-be Y
ou have to move unexpectedly. Maybe your job is transferred to another market or you have to take care of an ill relative. But you own your house and aren't sure you want to sell. You may return in a few years, or may want one of your grown kids to nest there someday. So you decide to hang out a forlease sign. Just ask enough rent to exceed your house payment and you're on your way. You can't lose, can you? Yes, you can. Before you become a landlord _ especially the absentee variety _ make sure you can get the right answers to these questions:
1) Do the numbers add up?
Determine what fair-market rent is in the area through for-rent ads or rental agencies. Then add up the home's fixed costs (mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance expenses) the renter won't be required to pay and add in a buffer for a contingency fund. Will the difference between the two sums make it worth your effort?
2) Do you know your state's land-
lord-tenant laws? Study landlord-tenant rights and duties in your state. They vary.
3) Can you legally rent? In the case
of condominiums, it's best to check with the condo association or board to make sure you can lease out the place on the up and up. Also, some zoning restrictions and neighborhood associations near universities may limit conversion of single-family homes into rentals for college students.
4) Is your location desirable? The
most successful rental homes are generally near good schools and shopping centers, but not too close to other rental properties.
5) What are the tax consequences?
In most cases, you can sell your house up to three years after not occupying it and still pocket a capital-gains tax exemption. You can also take depreciation when you're renting it and even write off some travel expenses for site
visits. Contact a financial expert for the details.
6) Will you be returning? Be clear
about limitations or rent-credits for painting, wallpapering, draperies, blinds and other physical changes. Be honest with the tenant if you plan to reoccupy at a specific point. A surprise eviction may spur tenant retaliation.
7) Who's minding the home front?
Someone you trust must be prepared to show the house, make periodic checks and minor repairs, give notice when rent isn't paid and even appear in court if necessary. If you can't do this, find someone reliable who can.
Did you get satisfactory answers to these questions? If so, it's time to find a renter. "The one big mistake mom-andpop type landlords make is not running a credit report or checking references of all tenants," says Champaign, Ill., investor and Realtor Randy Hughes. "If you get what we call
a professional tenant in there, they can spend two to six months in your house without making a payment." Such deadbeats usually plead a plausible case to landlords, who will often let them move in without a deposit. Or they may proffer a firstmonth rent check that bounces, usually after taking occupancy. "Then it's pure hell to get them out once they're in," Hughes says. Be tough with the tenants up front. Screen them thoroughly, make it clear what's expected of them in their rental contracts and clear their checks first, say seasoned landlords. Finding a good renter isn't easy, especially with so many first-time buyers entering homes in recent years due to relaxed lending standards, say landlords. "There are simply fewer quality tenants in the market," says Hughes, who has been a landlord for 30 years. "Everybody with a heartbeat and decent credit has already bought a home." – By Steve Mclinden Scripps Howard News Service
Condos for sail
sented at a Real Estate Wealth show schedcontinued from page 6 uled for San FrancisFour Seasons, which operates doz- co's Moscone Center ens of five-star hotels in Europe, Asia in late August, where and North America, plans to take to it will have a booth the waves with its condo ship in the next to yet another condo-ship firm: Resfall of 2007. The 12-deck, 656-foot ship will of- idential Cruise Line fer 96 residences, according to Four Ltd., based in Arizona, Seasons Ocean Club, and will be built which says it plans to expressly to carry condos. According launch its residential to the club, the ship will entice condo ship _ called the Mabuyers with a swimming pool and ca- gellan _ in 2009. In a slick, large-forbanas, a spa and wellness center, a golf mat sales book, Masimulator, driving range and putting gellan units are listed greens, plus high-speed Internet acfrom $1.8 million to cess, personal chefs and personal train$8 million. The ship ers, and high-end shipboard shops and is expected to be an restaurants. 860-foot, 15-deck vesAll this does not, of course, come sel, staffed by 300 emcheap. Units on board the good ship Four Seasons are being offered from ployees. Annual fees, $416,000 to $4.2 million, according to in addition to purchase prices, start at $96,000 and go as high as $228,000, the company. according to ResidenWith tial Cruise Line sales mate"For people...who want a rials. home sweet home on the waves, Condo F o r p e ople Cruise Lines' prices might be just right" who can't spend that much but still prices want a home sweet set lower than home on the waves, Condo Four Seasons and ResidenSea, Condo Cruise Lines hopes its offering will ap- Cruise Lines' $500,000 to $1.2 milpeal to people who _ while affluent _ lion sales prices might be just right, Boyd said. don't have to be super-rich. Given that his company's first ship Boyd, the Condo Cruise Lines execis reportedly 80 percent sold, Boyd utive, said his company will be repre-
This apartment is priced at $6.9 million. This is the view from the bedroom.
said he plans to push ahead and amass a fleet of five ships _ all converted from use as conventional cruise ships at an average cost of $12 million. Condo Cruise Lines expects to spend from $11 million to $80 million each to buy the additional ships, and is still negoti-
ating with their present owners, Boyd said. – By David Armstrong Scripps Howard News Service
Design Staging, LLC STAGING YOUR HOME TO SELL & MORE! david Alsup 206-715-2888 www.designstaging.com david@designstaging.com
80042
9
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
Home sellers try to stand out in tough market
T
he spring home sales season is under way, and pros say this year you'll need every trick in the book to sell your house. So take the mounted deer head off the wall, roll on a coat of cheery yellow paint and bring out the vanilla spray, say real estate agents. 2008 is going to be more competitive than ever for sellers. "Price it right and present it right, and hope you get lucky," says broker associate Doug Bryan of Yuba City, Calif. But what does it mean to present a house right? What gives a house a "wow" factor? And what exactly is the "it" factor that makes a buyer say, "This is the one"? For sellers, those questions may be the difference between selling a home in four days or four months. eal estate agents claim to know precisely what pleases or repels people when it comes to the biggest financial transaction that many will ever make. It's not rocket science, they say. Certain colors stir certain emotions (yellow supposedly says "buy"), and certain smells (fresh-baked cookies) take buyers back to childhood. In a trade where most potential buyers supposedly decide within 20 seconds if your house is a go or a no, agents say subtle tactics can give a house an advantage over its competitors. Rule one for sellers is much like the doctors' code: "Do no harm." Agents advise doing nothing to offend or distract buyers. No cat box in the laundry room. No sexy glamour shots in the bedroom. No cobwebs in the corners, no dust on the ceiling fan. "You want to take away your personal stuff," says Sacramento real estate agent Patrick Lieuw. That means no stuffed elk heads on the living room wall. "If people like to hunt, they
put up a trophy," Lieuw says. "If you happen to find a hunter, they love it; but someone from the Sierra Club, it turns them off." Family photos? Lose them. It's the oldest rule in real estate, agents say: Buyers want to envision themselves in the house, not the owner and especially not all the owner's furniture, household clutter and children's baby pictures. "Put away all the photos that hang up on the wall. (They) will distract the buyer," Lieuw says. "If you believe you're really going to move, why not start to pack? Less clutter makes your house look bigger." Finally, no all-white interiors, says Elk Grove, Calif. agent Tracey Saizan. "White is sterile. It has no personality," she says. When it comes to painting, the simplest application may be just doing the exterior trim, say some agents. What makes people like a house? It often starts with the surrounding ambience. On older streets, big shade
Beth’s Real Estate Update By Beth Billington
WHY WAIT TO BUY? “Bottom-fishing”: a scary term often used when real estate prices have eased and seem on the verge of easing further. We don’t advise it. Actual bottom-fishing tends to yield up the least attractive fish, the ones who scrape the bottom of the sea and gobble up the most toxic of foods. That’s relevant here. Because most buyers who wait anxiously for just the right moment—when home prices reach their cyclical bottom—end up losing far more than they gain. That moment is always impossible to pick out, especially when it is happening. And when it has passed and the market has moved into genuine recovery, there is no “rewind” button. It’s gone. And what, precisely, is gone? Not just the lowest possible price, but also the opportunity to negotiate the most favorable possible terms of purchase. As the market nears recovery, sellers’ attitudes and flexibility quite naturally begin to firm. There is a sense that a stronger market is just beyond the
horizon, and sellers are less inclined to do back flips for capable buyers. Not that you want to demand back flips of your seller, but here is the truth about a buyers’ market. Though buyers are in the driver’s seat in most transactions, there is a kind of equal opportunity at work. The chances of negotiating a transaction that truly benefits all parties are far greater than they are in the heat of a sellers’ market, when even the sellers are forced to act and react too quickly to engineer truly constructive terms of purchase. Rather than waiting, most of us will benefit most greatly by working at the far more thoughtful pace allowed by a buyers’ market…and no waiting for the fish on the bottom of the sea. For help call Beth at 425-450-5208 and visit her website at www.bethbillington.com.
Beth Billington is a Realtor® with Coldwell Banker Bain in Bellevue,WA.
File Photo
trees pack an immediate "wow" factor. But in any neighborhood, so do green lawns and flower beds. "Fertilize the grass so it's as green as it can be," Saizan says. When it comes to flowers, Sacramento broker associate Elizabeth Weintraub believes in the power of yellow, which she says stimulates the buying emotion. "There's something about yellow that just makes people feel comfortable and warm and happy," says Weintraub. "And you want people to feel that way when they're contemplating buying your house." Marigolds are inexpensive, she says. Flowers and anything welcoming to would-be buyers are a plus. Saizan even suggests hanging a small flag with the word "Welcome." "A brand-new doormat that says 'Welcome' is $5," says Folsom, Calif. real estate agent Susanne Wolter. "It gives that feeling of newness and being taken care of." She also likes seeing a new doorknob and handle, followed by a whiff of vanilla spray as a browser enters the house. "When they walk in and get a scent of vanilla, they have this whole sensation," Wolter notes. For open houses, the aroma of fresh-baked cookies can evoke memories of the buyer's childhood home. But what about when there's a drop-in visitor and no time
– By Jim Wasserman Scripps Howard News Service
F r e e F o r e c l o s u r e Wo r k s h o p This home was purchased at auction on 5/2/08 for $340,001.
A $549,000 Value!!!
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
to bake? "I buy a can of vanilla spray and give it to my seller," says Wolter. "Every time somebody comes by, do a little spray throughout the house. The smell of vanilla gives (people) a sense of comfort." Saizan says sellers also can sprinkle a few drops of vanilla on the oven door and set the temperature on "low." It fills the room with a "fresh-baked" smell. "You can burn a candle, too," she says. Above all, these agents say, have a clean exterior, because it immediately suggests to buyers coming up the walkway that the home's interior is also clean and neat. The rest is all about price. "That's all good," Bryan says, referring to aromas, colors and welcomes. "But the price is what does it. If the buyer feels it's reasonable for them, they'll make the leap." Adds Lieuw: "If you price a property right, it's still moving. Pricing is critical nowadays. You don't want to test the market anymore. You want to be proactive instead of reactive. Pricing is really the key for the 'wow' factor." That and a spotless front porch.
Even as the nation suffers from a growing wave of foreclosures, savvy KingCounty residents are cashing in on bargain prices at the auctions. Properties are being sold for as little as 60 cents of current market value. You can attend a FREE FORECLOSURE WORKSHOP each Tuesday at 5:00 PM and discover how you, too, can profit from this brief window of opportunity. The office location is 1200 112th Ave NE STE B-100, Bellevue, WA 98004. The workshops are free but seating is limited so you must register. No products will be sold.
Call 206-550-5559 or 425-260-7270 for registration 75709
Windermere Bellevue Commons, Foreclosure Solutions
79993
R
10
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
Real Estate Sales in Bellevue, WA: April 15, 2008 - May 15 , 2008
Residential Housing in 98004 1210 108th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $594,800 10625 Woodhaven Ln. . . . . . $600,000 10595 NE 12th Pl. . . . . . . . . $695,000 10575 NE 12th Pl. . . . . . . . . $695,000 10471 NE 17th St. . . . . . . . . $879,000 1124 Bellevue Way SE . . . . . $750,000 1723 100th Ave NE. . . . . . . . $999,000 2418 108th Ave NE. . . . . . . . $1,195,000 8626 NE 26th Pl . . . . . . . . . . $1,298,000 2804 109th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $1,399,000 10603 SE 20th St. . . . . . . . . $1,535,000 1905 108th Ave NE. . . . . . . . $1,675,000 2114 94th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . $1,688,000 2116 88th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . $1,950,000 9212 NE 20th St. . . . . . . . . . $2,998,000 9062 NE 40th Pl. . . . . . . . . . $2,950,000 9540 NE 42 Pl. . . . . . . . . . . . $3,175,000 9432 NE Points Drive. . . . . . $3,795,000 103 Cedar Crest Ln. . . . . . . . $4,290,000 Diamond S Ranch . . . . . . . . . $3,800,000 Residential Housing in 98005 12704 SE 29th . . . . . . . . . . . $411,000 2720 127th Pl SE . . . . . . . . . $445,000 12414 NE 2nd St. . . . . . . . . . $550,000 12620 NE 7th St. . . . . . . . . . $549,950 2042 123rd Ave SE. . . . . . . . $574,950 2042 123rd Ave SE. . . . . . . . $574,950 12525 NE 4th Pl. . . . . . . . . . $648,000 5214 134th Pl NE. . . . . . . . . $799,000 12340 NE 24th St. . . . . . . . . $899,000 12128 SE 17th Pl . . . . . . . . . $925,000 12102 NE 33rd St. . . . . . . . . $1,400,000 Residential Housing in 98006 4037 161st Ave SE. . . . . . . . $350,000 3741 147th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $410,000 5009 119th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $499,950 11820 SE 56th St. . . . . . . . . $499,900 12103 SE 47th St. . . . . . . . . $525,000 16310 SE 48th Dr. . . . . . . . . $544,000 4645 119 Ave SE. . . . . . . . . . $579,950 11628 SE 46 St. . . . . . . . . . . $585,000 4322 158th Pl SE . . . . . . . . . $595,000 13278 SE 54th Pl . . . . . . . . . $595,000 4641 121st Ave SE. . . . . . . . $600,000 14918 SE 61st Ct . . . . . . . . . $719,000 4316 130th Pl SE . . . . . . . . . $734,900 6703 154th Pl SE . . . . . . . . . $844,950 4521 172nd Ave SE. . . . . . . . $859,950 13314 SE 44th Pl . . . . . . . . . $860,000 4783 171st Ave SE. . . . . . . . $840,000 15322 SE 49th St. . . . . . . . . $870,000 5740 149th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $927,000 4581 137th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $985,000 6014 Lk WA Blvd SE. . . . . . . $1,079,000 13801 SE 52nd Pl. . . . . . . . . $1,000,000 4468 158th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $1,296,000 17863 SE 58th Pl . . . . . . . . . $1,610,000 Residential Housing in 98007 15525 SE 8th St. . . . . . . . . . $347,000 1234 147th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $396,000 1813 155th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $449,000 2316 142nd Ave SE. . . . . . . . $495,000 15236 NE 1st Pl . . . . . . . . . . $495,000 805 146 Ave SE. . . . . . . . . . . $489,500 15426 SE 4th Pl . . . . . . . . . . $479,900 1013 142 Ave SE. . . . . . . . . . $499,950 14765 NE 57th St. . . . . . . . . $715,000 5825 147th Ave NE . . . . . . . . $785,000 Residential Housing in 98008 1115 160th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $345,000 16032 NE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $409,900 15634 Main St . . . . . . . . . . . $429,800 15740 NE 1st St. . . . . . . . . . $424,000 17027 NE 19th St. . . . . . . . . $495,000 3838 166th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $484,900 983 164th Ave SE. . . . . . . . . $469,000 16905 NE 27th St. . . . . . . . . $519,950 16570 SE 19th St. . . . . . . . . $525,000 16023 NE 28th St. . . . . . . . . $469,950 2018 166th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $524,950
17174 NE 5th Pl. . . . . . . . . . 1035 170th Pl NE. . . . . . . . . 1010 178th Pl NE. . . . . . . . . 356 167th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . 16908 NE 32nd St. . . . . . . . . 18529 NE 19th Pl. . . . . . . . . 16637 NE 30 St. . . . . . . . . . . 17001 SE 31st Pl . . . . . . . . . 16121 SE 31st St . . . . . . . . . 16121 SE 31st St . . . . . . . . . 2830 170th Ave SE. . . . . . . . 16165 Northup Way. . . . . . . 16105 Northup Way. . . . . . .
$539,950 $575,000 $600,000 $599,950 $659,995 $684,000 $735,000 $745,000 $787,000 $787,000 $898,900 $910,000 $890,000
Residential Housing in 98039 1025 84th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . $790,000 7803 NE 12th St. . . . . . . . . . $1,350,000 Residential Housing Averages AVG. List Price: $1,019,671 AVG Sold Price: $964,611 Cumulative Days on Market: 115 Homes Sold: 93 Condos/Townhomes in 98004 10401 NE 32nd Pl. . . . . . . . . $230,000
321 Bellevue Way SE . . . . . . $299,000 177 107th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . $314,900 9922 NE 1ST St. . . . . . . . . . .$349,900 401 100th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . $339,000 145 105th Ave SE. . . . . . . . . $349,900 1208 100th Pl. . . . . . . . . . . . $349,900 10001 NE 12th St. . . . . . . . . $485,000 177 107th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . $515,000 200 99th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . . $529,950 1188 106th Ave NE. . . . . . . . $649,950 10398 NE 17th St. . . . . . . . . $779,950 177 107th Ave NE. . . . . . . . . $788,000 12109 Bel Red Rd. . . . . . . . . $259,950 711 122 Ave NE . . . . . . . . . . $319,000 13615 NE 8th St. . . . . . . . . . $348,000 2440 140th Ave NE. . . . . . . . $377,000 12240 NE 24th St. . . . . . . . . $389,500 12515 SE 42nd St. . . . . . . . . $254,950 12325 SE 41st Ln. . . . . . . . . $274,950 12519 SE 41st Pl . . . . . . . . . $279,000 12621 SE 41st Pl . . . . . . . . . $283,000 15248 SE 43rd St. . . . . . . . . $304,999 4519 125th Ave SE. . . . . . . . $329,990 6761 SE Cougar Mt. Way . . . $320,000 4204 Factoria Blvd SE. . . . . . $329,900
6705 SE Cougar Mtn Way. . . 4237 155th Pl SE . . . . . . . . . 5399 164th Ave SE. . . . . . . . 5535 Lakemont Blvd SE. . . . 16310 SE 48th Dr. . . . . . . . . 6855 166 Pl SE. . . . . . . . . . . 154 Ave NE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14601 NE 51st Pl . . . . . . . . . 1425 NE 154 Ave . . . . . . . . . 14412 NE 30th Pl. . . . . . . . . 14741 NE 31st St. . . . . . . . . 15204 NE 8th St. . . . . . . . . . 14611 NE 35th St. . . . . . . . . 2957 142 Pl SE. . . . . . . . . . . 14611 NE 3rd St. . . . . . . . . . 16227 Northup Way. . . . . . . 15940 NE 15th . . . . . . . . . . . 16219 Northup Way. . . . . . . 3110 W Lk Samm Pkwy SE. .
$338,000 $359,990 $474,950 $525,000 $544,000 $599,000 $127,900 $189,950 $265,000 $239,950 $275,000 $299,000 $318,000 $394,900 $460,000 $254,175 $365,000 $400,000 $800,000
Condos/Townhomes Averages AVG List Price: $385,678 AVG Sale Price: $374,358 Cumulative Days on Market (CDOM): 82
PRIVATE MORTGAGE BANKING
.'7#5' 1/' +0#0%+0) 1 +0' 35
; '8 104536%5+10 +0#0%+0) ; 63%*#4' #0& '(+0#0%' 1#04
"'#34 '37+0) 5*' '3%'3 4.#0& 1//60+5:
; #4* 65 '(+0#0%' ; 1/' 26+5: +0'4 1( 3'&+5 ; +9'& #0& &,645#$.' #5' 135)#)'4 ; !'..4 #3)1 .14+0) 6#3#05''
107'0+'05.: .1%#5'& #5 :163 .1%#. !'..4 #3)1 #0-
5* 7' ; '3%'3 4.#0& ! ; .,$ $04(37 +. -2 -# +(-$2 .% "1$#(3 1$ 5 (+ !+$ 3'1.4&' $++2 1&. (5$12(%($# 1.#4"32 1.4/ #(5(2(.- .% $++2 1&. -* 04 + .42(-& $-#$1 5 (+ !+$ .- ++ 04 +(%($# /41"' 2$ 31 -2 "3(.-2 3'$1 3$1,2 -# ".-#(3(.-2 //+7 $$ .,$ .13& &$ .-24+3 -3 %.1 #$3 (+2 '(2 (-%.1, 3(.- (2 ""41 3$ 2 .% # 3$ .% /1(-3(-& -# (2 24!)$"3 3. "' -&$ 6(3'.43 -.3("$ $++2 1&. .,$ .13& &$ (2 #(5(2(.- .% $++2 1&. -* 8 $++2 1&. -* ++ 1(&'32 1$2$15$#
#63# 0) 1(5 3$ .13& &$ -*$1 1 *3+4 0) 1(5 3$ .13& &$ -*$1 0+5# '#55: .13& &$ 22."( 3$ 80207
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
11
SPOTLIGHT HOMES Sarah Jullion
425.736.2203
ONE-OF-A-KIND Country living with the City so accessible!
s.jullion@comcast.net
Spotless Bellevue home with quiet ambiance & curb appeal. 204 - 153rd Place SE, Bellevue, WA 98007 MLS#28059190, 2640 s/ft, 4 bdrm, 2+ bth, 565 s/ft shop
• One-acre plus-level and with salmon-running creek wandering through • Great Room design, expansive decking. 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2,480 sq.ft. 26101 SE 166th Issaquah, WA 98207
$599,000
MLS#27205511
Impressive home offers classic renovations throughout. Striking new kitchen boasts custom cherry cabinetry with slab granite counters, stainless steel appliances including a 5 burner cooktop and huge center island. Price: $ 799,950 MLS Number: 28026336 Type: Single Family
78304
$599,000
www.listbuysusan.com
425-761-9500
Year Built: 1988 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 2.5
Located in Lakemont’s Vuemont Meadows. Original owners have maintained to perfection. Traditional floorplan with 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, bonus room, main floor den and extra large upstairs laundry. Entertainers delight in the back yard with an oversize deck, gazebo with hot tub and sports court. Price: $ 987,950 Year Built: 1989 MLS Number: 28061122 Bedrooms: 4 Type: Single Family Bathrooms: 2.5 78306
First time on market! Jet City Development Custom Estate, feels like a Luxury Hotel Resort with rare U-shaped design and magical views from all wings of Lake WA, Olympics & Seattle. 50-yard line seats perched above Carillon Point & Marina. Entertainment patios and outdoor living areas for cozy evenings or fabulous parties…Please see more photos at our website:
www.BigDogRealty.com
425-820-5383
80156
Represented by: Heidi Bright & the Big Dog Realty Team
A World of Possibilities can be had with this 4BD 2.5BA home. With it’s unique personality and many features. This home has an updated kitchen a remodeled master bedroom and 5 piece master bath with a jetted soaking tub and a gorgeous view of Lake Washington. The daylight basement has a possible MIL suite, and enough storage to make any avid shopper proud. Welcome home. Price is $935,000 • 3,200 sq ft. • 13,000 sq ft. lot Jackie Ramirez Coldwell Banker Bain 425-890-1141 jackieramirez@cbbain.com
Promote your property listings to over 190,000 Bellevue Reporter readers each month with an ad in “Spotlight Homes”. Reach the affluent Bellevue market with an average household income of $97,360 for just $180/month. Call 425-453-4273 to reserve your space.
80158
Magnificent Private Gated Compound
80157 76219
12
b e l l e v u e R E A L E S TAT E r e v i e w
W e d n e s d a y, M a y 28, 2008
Where will she hold her slumber parties?
E XC LUSI V ELY PR ESE N T ED BY
Windermere Real Estate
Medina Elegance
Nestled in the exclusive Medina neighborhood, this 4bdrm/ 4.75ba home offers style, sophistication and comfort. Exquisite attention to custom details both inside and out. This new construction home by Lochwood-Lozier brings you modern luxury and elegance just moments from firstrate schools, parks, and shopping. MLS#27148368. Steve Erickson works with third generation home builder LochwoodLozier to bring custom homes of enduring quality and innovation to the West Bellevue area. Contact Steve to explore these new construction luxury Steve Erickson homes to fit today’s modern lifestyle. 206-295-8485
serickson@windermere.com
MEDINA-EVERGREEN POINT $8,987,500 The epitome of luxury. This is it, the perfect view & lifestyle you have been waiting for. Crafted to perfection, this 5 bedroom, 5.5 bath home features an epicurean kitchen, exquisite den, media room, family room, wine cellar, bonus room w/wet bar & an amazing walk-out to the private patio & in-ground pool. An opulent 6,300 square foot Mediterranean waterfront mansion featuring 115 feet of no-bank waterfront, stunning views of Lake Washington, the Seattle skyline & far beyond. MLS#28082295. Julie Scozzafave, 425-417-3566 www.Scozzafave.com
MEDINA
YARROW POINT $1,600,000 Located on the western tip of Yarrow Point is a location that is wonderful for raising a family or living the quiet life. Western views of Lake Washington and the Olympic mountains from a private, beautifully landscaped yard make this setting the finest available. The charming home has been remodeled and updated, taking full advantage of the views. 3 bedrooms + den, 2.5 bathrooms. MLS#28014844 Rondi Egenes 206-953-1771/Sandy Nicholls 425-444-4966 www.rondi.com
MEDINA $1,175,000 Drenched in natural sunlight, this private Medina lot is the opportunity of a lifetime! Your signature residence awaits you in Medina’s finest location, one block to Medina Elementary, steps to Medina Park and a short walk to the beach, store, post office and Overlake Golf and Country Club. This four bedroom home features comfortable living spaces allowing you to move right in while creating the house of your dreams.
Julia Krill 206-406-9000 juliakrill.com
Anna Riley 425-761-8836
anna@westbellevue.com www.westbellevue.com
$3,650,000
Situated in one of the most coveted neighborhoods. This home speaks to elegance while maintaining a comfortable ambiance. Outstanding details; all of the bedrooms are ensuite, the well planned living spaces provide an unparalleled setting for entertaining. This estate showcases; high ceilings, broad hallways, generous rooms, an oversize bonus room, a media room and a main floor master suite. Walk to the parks, the beach and enjoy! Judie O’Brien 206-817-2363 www.OBrienRealEstate.com judie@judieobrien.com
Wendy Paisley 206-650-5812 www.wendypaisley.com
Justin W. Richards 425-765-8088
justinrichards@windermere.com
Wendy Paisley 206-650-5812
Wendy@wendypaisley.com www.wendypaisley.com
SOLD IN MERCIA! $3,475,000 Panoramic Views of Lake Washington, the Seattle Skyline, and the Olympic Mountains. A contemporary statement wrapped in Craftsman warmth. Natural, distinctive and stylish elegance help define this exceptional design. Located centrally within Clyde Hill in the exclusive Mercia neighborhood, this is the second largest resale in Clyde Hill since September. To learn more about my unique listing strategies for selling your luxury home, please give me a call! Nate Short 425-891-5842 www.MRCLYDEHILL.com
CLASSIC MEDINA LUXURY $3,100,000 Nestled on a serene private property with spacious grounds in the heart of Medina this custom home is a tribute to traditional styling with a tangible twist. Beautiful rooms with substantial millwork & artistry unfold in an artful way. Thoughtful design offers a floorplan that transitions easily from casual living to stylish entertaining with welcoming formal rooms, a media room, bistro bar, wine cellar, tech area & stunning outdoor patio with a warm stone fireplace. MLS# 28050177 Anna Riley 425-761-8836 anna@westbellevue.com
PHANTOM LAKE $949,950 “Location, location, location! Home is close to Microsoft, Phantom Lake Swim & Tennis Club, freeway access, and great schools. This Northwest Contemporary boasts a gourmet kitchen with slab granite, stained oak floors, stainless steel Sub Zero, Viking and Bosch appliances. Plantation style shutters accent your windows throughout the home. MLS#28061524 Justin Richards 425-765-8088 www.RichardsNorthwest.com justinrichards@windermere.com
WEST LAKE SAMMAMISH $699,800 Peaceful, Private & Perfect! Open floor plan and an ideal location welcome you to this 2500+ SF remodeled home. Stunning kitchen remodel features cherry floors, maple cabinets, large island…a modern flair & designed for entertaining! Serene bkyd with stone patio, deck & tree fort feels like your own private park. Newer Roof, Windows, Furnace & A/C. Close to parks, schools & I-90. Julia Krill 206-406-9000 www.juliakrill.com
Rondi Egenes 206-953-1771 www.rondi.com
windermere.com
Nate Short 425-891-5842
www.MRCLYDEHILL.com
Judie O’Brien 206-817-2363
judie@judieobrien.com www.OBrienRealEstate.com
Julie Scozzafave 425-417-3566 Julie@Scozzafave.com
72646