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OCTOBER 14, 2015
Magnolia news
QueenAnneNews.com
VOL. 96, NO. 42
Cost-Effective Ways to Heat Your Home How to Conduct a DIY Home Energy Audit T
his fall, why not consider making needed improvements in your home to help increase energy efficiency and save big in the long run?
Here is a short checklist for a DIY home energy audit. Seal Air Leaks According to the U.S. Department of Energy, sealing air leaks around the house can save up to 30 percent of energy costs annually. To find leaks, conduct a thorough visual inspection for gaps and cracks by baseboards, where the walls and ceiling meet, around door frames, and near cable and phone line wall plates. Spot a gap? Caulk it. Use painter’s tape for a cleaner job. Hold the caulking gun at an angle for best results, and apply in a continuous stream. Improve insulation around windows and doors with weather-stripping. Measure the gap you need to fill to identify the width of weather-stripping needed and determine whether you should apply it from the inside or outside. Before starting, read the package instructions to ensure you’re using the right materials. Cut to size and install. ➧ AUDIT Page 3
Sold in one week with multiple offers
W
hen keeping your home warm becomes a top priority, utility bills can get pricey. But upgrades featuring new technologies and heating strategies can help lower costs comfortably -- plus these changes can also help make your home more environmentally friendly. Zone Heating A central furnace cycles on and off several times an hour, heating your entire house, including unoccupied rooms. But supplemental heating
products can warm the living areas that your family occupies most, allowing you to turn down the thermostat for the central furnace. This practice can save up to 40 percent off your heating bills, according to an American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy report. Instead of a utilitarian space heater, consider alternative zone heating tools, such as fireplaces, stoves and fireplace inserts, which look great and add ambiance. Wood Stoves In addition to adding ambiance, new innovations are making wood
stoves a more convenient way to stay warm this winter. For example, the Quadra-Fire Adventure II is the first wood stove that maintains a room’s temperature via a programmable thermostat and tells you when to add more wood. Plus, its four-point burn system produces intense rolling flames for powerful and efficient heat, so warming your home can be as simple as loading the wood, lighting the fire, and walking away -- and it can reduce home heating ➧ HEATING Page 3
LUXURIOUS QUEEN ANNE PENTHOUSE 2627 Warren Avenue #300 Breathtaking 360° views! This one-story home consists of the entire 3rd floor plus the private roof-top deck! (Exclusively for this unit!) Spectacular spaces & volume. Private attached 2-car garage that hosts a shop and previous wine cellar with no stairs to elevator. Security elevator which opens directly into your unit! Three large bedrooms and two bathrooms. Two gas fireplaces with one in glorious master bedroom with 5-piece spa bathroom. Air conditioner to keep you cool in the summer! Dual treated windows allow for seeing out but keeping the hot sun out as well. Beautiful kitchen with abundant storage and counter space open to the dining room perfect for entertaining. Two large garden beds deeded to this unit to keep your green thumb green! MLS # 815886 | $975,000
Portia Strong Gray Realtor® CNE
Cell: 206-818-7195 | PortiaGray@CBBain.com
Managing Broker, CRB, CRS, ABR, e-Pro, Luxury Property Specialist (206) 216-3440 | LaurieWay@CBBain.com| RealEstateWays.com
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October 14, 2015 | www.QueenAnneNews.com
County Assessment and Your Property Taxes
What your King County property value notice means to your property taxes In the last few months, homeowners in King County received their annual note from the King County Assessor labeled: “OFFICIAL PROPERTY VALUE NOTICE.” That’s when we learn the new valuation the county has placed on our property—and we wonder what that assessment means to next year’s property taxes. During the recession when homes decreased in value, I was inundated with clients asking, “The
County says my home is worth less than last year. Why didn’t my property taxes go down?” The answer: the county-assessed property value is just one of many moving pieces in the complex equation of determining property taxes in our state. Washington is one of the few states in the country that determines property taxes via a “budget-based system.” In our system, local taxing jurisdictions
as schools, fire and rescue, parks, wastewater treatment, and more. Given King County’s sizzling real estate market over the past year, most homeowners saw an increase in the county’s assessed value. That value has bearing on next year’s real estate taxes, but it’s just one piece of a very complex tax equation. If you have real estate topic you’d like to hear about, please send questions to kwesselman@ windermere.com. Kim Wesselman is Managing Broker at Windermere Real Estate. She has advised clients on buying and selling properties in Queen Anne and Magnolia for 12 years.
Queen Anne Home Sales for September 2015
SOLD
Address 30 Florentia St 1922 11th Ave W #B 2932 2nd Ave N 3813 12th Ave W #A 63 A Etruria St 707 W Florentia Place 2207 4th Ave N 2519 2nd Ave W 915 W Blaine St 310 W Prospect St 160 Highland Dr 317 W Highland Dr
(206) 478-0941 egillette@windermere.com MakeSeattleYourHome.com
Exceptional Service. Exceptional Results.
Become a lifelong client. My thorough knowledge and service will exceed your expectations.
Bed
Bath
Sq Ft
Year Built
Days on Mkt
Asking Price
Sold Price
1 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 5 4
0.5 3.25 2.25 2.75 2.5 1 2.25 1 3.25 3 4.75 2.75
500 1,280 1,380 1,910 1,960 2,260 2,200 2,660 2,490 4,030 7,670 4,150
1901 2005 1995 2002 2004 1946 1912 1908 1919 1926 2010 1930
49 6 10 5 5 34 5 15 3 157 62 12
$460,000 $575,000 $590,000 $625,000 $670,000 $685,000 $725,000 $782,500 $1,300,000 $2,150,000 $3,500,000 $4,243,000
$435,000 $574,888 $525,000 $625,000 $660,000 $694,500 $665,000 $825,000 $1,225,000 $2,245,000 $3,500,000 $4,432,000
Asking Price/Sold Price 105.75% 100.02% 112.38% 100.00% 101.52% 98.63% 109.02% 94.85% 106.12% 95.77% 100.00% 102.63%
Magnolia Home Sales for September 2015
{
{
WINDERMERE REAL ESTATE such as schools, hospitals, and fire districts submit a budget to King County with the cost of providing services. The county looks at the total assessed value of properties in
Ellen Gillette
Specializing in Home Purchases & Refinances for Over 20 Years. Come see me for a no cost, no obligation home loan consultation today!
Kim Wesselman
that jurisdiction and calculates a tax rate that will return the budgeted amount, and that goes into the equation of setting your tax. The more valuable your property, the larger share of the budget you pay. (This is a greatly simplified explanation. See www.kingcounty. gov for more details.) The county assesses property value on the attributes you would expect: location, size, quality of the home, etc. But the resulting assessment is only one piece in the puzzle. More than 50% of your property tax is determined beyond the budget—by special voter-approved levies that provide additional funding for services such
Jeanne Neal
S.A.F.E Licensed Mortgage Professional Lic # MLO-94009 206-200-8773 Jneal@salmonbaylending.com
www.SalmonBayLending.com Powered by American Pacific Mortgage Corp. NMLS # 1850
Address 2120 W Ruffner St 3052 31st Ave W 3837 23rd Ave W #B 4400 Brygger Dr W 3302 W Government Wy #C 3433 21st Ave W #A 3839 33rd Ave W 2344 W Plymouth St 2632 W Newton St 4202 36th Ave W
Bed 3 2 4 3 3 3 4 2 3 3
Bath 2.5 1 2.25 2.5 2.25 2.25 1.75 1.5 1 3.25
Sq Ft 1,360 940 1,730 1,570 1,440 1,740 1,690 1,340 1,740 1,740
Year Built 2009 1945 1996 2013 2003 2013 1943 1954 1936 2002
Days on Mkt 10 5 116 11 9 20 5 56 9 6
Asking Price $450,000 $455,000 $502,000 $525,000 $537,295 $565,000 $570,000 $575,000 $625,000 $627,000
Sold Price $450,000 $449,000 $519,000 $529,000 $479,950 $565,000 $570,000 $550,000 $624,995 $549,000
Asking Price/Sold Price 100.00% 101.34% 96.72% 99.24% 111.95% 100.00% 100.00% 104.55% 100.00% 114.21%
3010 B 31st Ave W 3212 22nd Ave W 3249 25th Ave W 4515 W Emerson St 3625 35th Ave W 2816 W Elmore Place 2626 W Lynn St 3435 38th Ave W 2608 36th Ave W 4411 30th Ave W 4004 28th Place W 3207 37th Ave W
2 5 4 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4
2 1.5 1 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 1.75 2.25 2.5 2 2.5
1,698 3,090 1,550 2,580 2,520 1,880 2,780 2,560 2,600 2,000 1,920 2,820
2015 1909 1909 1949 1910 1947 1954 1950 1940 1953 1952 1953
76 6 7 9 8 6 7 7 6 5 12 6
$633,000 $651,000 $680,000 $687,000 $699,950 $705,000 $750,000 $800,000 $807,000 $825,000 $840,000 $900,000
$649,950 $639,000 $649,900 $699,000 $699,950 $649,500 $750,000 $699,000 $765,000 $749,950 $749,000 $900,000
97.39% 101.88% 104.63% 98.28% 100.00% 108.55% 100.00% 114.45% 105.49% 110.01% 112.15% 100.00%
4009 31st Ave W
4
1.75
2,520
2636 40th Ave W
4
2.5
2,590
1927
8
$937,500
$850,000
110.29%
1941
8
$960,000
$890,000
3052 23rd Ave W
4
3.5
107.87%
3,434
2006
13
$989,500
$989,500
3049 38th Ave W
5
100.00%
3
3,040
1996
46
$1,110,000
$1,160,000
2900 25th Ave W
95.69%
4
3.25
4,195
2007
58
$1,375,000
$1,399,000
98.28%
2531 27th Ave W
6
3.75
4,524
2004
28
$1,565,000
$1,595,000
98.12%
3001 44th Ave W
4
3.25
4,577
2002
4
$2,170,000
$2,150,000
100.93%
2206 Eastmont Wy W
5
4
4,340
1954
12
$2,160,000
$2,189,000
98.68%
Information supplied by Northwest Multiple Listing Service
October is...
National Pizza Month Eileen Quackenbush You get the whole pizza pie when you list with me
Broker Agent/Realtor & Magnolia Resident Call/ Text: 206-300-3071 www.EileenQuackenbush.com Windermere Real Estate/ Wall St. Inc.
$50
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www.QueenAnneNews.com | October 14, 2015
Heating Your Home ➧ HEATING, from Page 1 costs by up to 50 percent. And unlike fossil fuels, wood is a renewable energy source. Burning wood completes the last step of the natural carbon cycle of trees, resulting in a zero net carbon impact on the environment. More information about the benefits of heating your home with wood stoves can be found at www. quadrafire.com. Annual Maintenance Annual maintenance to your heating system and home can
ensure you get the best bang for your utility buck. Have your heating system serviced for optimal performance. You can also change the filters yourself and should do so periodically. Seal drafts and ductwork so you don’t waste warm air. And remember that not all weatherstripping lasts forever, so inspect doors and windows and reapply if necessary. With these tips, it’s possible to affordably and comfortably heat your home this season. (Statepoint)
Working for Your Best Interests HEIDI WARD Real Estate 206.419.4285 HeidiWard@360modern.com 360modern.com
Serving Seattle for 34 Years! Computer Aided Kitchen and Bath Design Available
Save Big Money This Winter ➧ AUDIT, from Page 1 Lastly, check if your fireplace flue is open. If so, close it when not in use for additional savings. Make Smart Upgrades One quick way to check your windows for inefficiencies is to look for condensation, frost and other moisture. The Department of Energy also recommends closing your windows on a dollar bill. If you can easily pull the bill out, the window might be losing substantial energy and may require repair or replacement. Additionally, ENERGY STAR reports that homeowners who choose windows that have earned the ENERGY STAR save an average $101-$538 a year when replacing single-pane windows. If it’s time for an upgrade,
look for ENERGY STAR qualified windows that offer innovative technologies and improve energy efficiency. Exterior remodeling companies like Window World, an ENERGY STAR partner, offer more highperformance options featuring technologies like a Warm-Edge Spacer System, which blocks escaping heat between glass layers. Additionally, the company sells windows made with highperformance Low Emissivity Glass, featuring a microscopic silver coating that actively blocks heat gain during the summer and heat loss during the winter. To further improve efficiency, Window World’s replacement windows also contain Argon gas between their glass layers. Because Argon is denser than air, it acts as an ideal insulator. For information about innovative
and cost-saving energy efficiency options, visit www.WindowWorld.com. Change Behavior Do an audit of not only your home’s features, but of the occupants as well. Are lights left on in empty rooms? Is the television on when no one is watching it? From switching to cold water laundry cycles to taking advantage of sunlight for warmth and light — modifications of energy and cost-saving resources don’t need to be a sacrifice. To save energy, improve the comfort of your home and do your part to be more environmentally conscientious, conduct a do-ityourself energy audit. You’ll likely discover many areas in your home that should be improved. (Statepoint)
Contact Tammy at 206.461.1322 to be in the next issue!
Ballard/Crown Hill Location: 8055 15th Ave NW
206-789-3205 www.morgansonline.com
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October 14, 2015 | www.QueenAnneNews.com
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When you work with our team at Coldwell Banker Bain you are hiring a team of exceptional people committed to providing superior service to the Buyers and Sellers we represent. Our mission is to build long term relationships and to ensure our clients have a sustained advantage in the real estate marketplace. We accomplish our mission by being dedicated to providing our clients the best possible real estate buying or selling experience through our un-paralleled transactional expertise, team work, competent and caring advocacy, professional accountability and extraordinary knowledge of the real estate market. When you are ready to buy or sell your property, call on the best, call Coldwell Banker Bain. Serving Greater Seattle real estate needs from the same location for 43 years.
Serving Seattle Neighborhoods & Beyond Lake Union Office | 1200 Westlake Ave. N. Suite 406 | 206-283-5200 | cbbain.com/lakeunion Magnolia Office | 3300 West McGraw St. Suite 210 | 206-283-3604 | cbbain.com/magnolia