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Queenannenews.com
FEBRUARY 10, 2016
Vol. 97, No. 6
Serving Magnolia & Queen Anne for over 27 years. Seattle Born and Raised.
Start preparing now with these 10 steps
Windermere Real Estate
Mobile: 206.947.6800 Direct DaveReith@windermere.com
Home sellers in Queen Anne and Magnolia are enjoying the benefits of a strong seller’s market. Low inventory and high demand should remain the driving force for local home sales in 2016. However, sellers need to properly prepare their properties for the market in order to receive the maximum return on their real estate investments. Reducing clutter and enhancing curb appeal are obvious and I know that I am not breaking new ground by including them on this list. But many sellers procrastinate in taking these actions, adding stress or failing to complete them prior to going on the market. Even if your home sale is months or even years down the road, it is not too soon to begin. Here are the 10 essentials:
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Think of your home as a product: Approach your home as if you are a buyer. What are your impressions from the outside? As you enter, how does your home look and “feel”? How does it smell? What jumps out at you both positively and negatively? Go room to room looking at things from this perspective. Think about what features of your home are the most marketable. Recently I worked with a homeowner where the spectacular view added considerable value to the property. But in future years the view was going to be blocked by trees not on his lot which likely would be an issue for potential buyers. We worked together to address and solve this issue before the home was to be placed on the market.
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Consider investing in your home: This is not a one size fits all tip; each case must be judged on its own merit. In a seller’s market, it most often doesn’t pencil out to do major improvements to your home when considering the potential return on the investment. Some projects could actually lessen
who consult with me when considering upgrades to ask my opinion on the impact and potential return on their home improvement projects.
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Ken Graff COLDWELL BANKER BAIN your home’s desirability to buyers. But in certain cases, investing in upgrades such as kitchens and bathrooms can result in a terrific return. Adding a back splash to a kitchen that lacks one can make it look great. Replacing chipped tiles or a dated vanity in a bathroom greatly improves the aesthetic. Adding crown molding is easy and inexpensive but can really add a lovely finish to any room. If you own an older home, it may make sense to upgrade wiring, plumbing or to decommission an old oil tank. Many buyers are reluctant to make offers on homes with dated systems. These issues could also be called out by a home inspector once your home is under contract, potentially costing valuable time and money. I have clients
“Pre-inspect”: This is another tip that doesn’t make sense for all sellers but can be useful in certain cases. Some of my selling clients have hired a professional home inspector and/or a sewer inspector before going on the market. Information from the report can help a seller to prepare for the market by allowing them to either address or fully disclose issues that could come up during a buyer’s inspection. The decision of whether or not to provide this report to buyers is a complex issue that should be thoroughly discussed with a REALTOR®.
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De-personalize: Family photos, degrees, political signs and personal items serve to remind buyers that they are in
Happy New Year! Lowest Inventory in the last 30 years. Perfect time to sell your home! www.FineSeattleHomes.com
What to Know about Applying for a Mortgage Although homeownership doesn’t make good financial sense for everyone, some experts say you may be qualified to purchase real estate without realizing it. “Factor in today’s very low interest rates and current home prices, and affordable mortgages are within reach for many qualified borrowers who may have been hesitant to enter the market,” says Christina Boyle, senior vice president and head of single-family sales and relationship management at Freddie Mac. After receiving your application, along with the required paycheck stubs, W-2s, bank statements and tax returns, lenders will evaluate the four Cs: • Capacity: Your income, employment history, savings, and monthly debt payments -- such as credit card charges and other financial obligations -- help lenders determine whether you have the means to take on a mortgage comfortably. • Capital: The money and savings you have on hand, plus investments, properties, and other salable assets.
➧ SELLING, Page 2 • Collateral: The value of the home that you plan to buy.
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home sales on Magnolia & Queen Anne in 2015
Address
2271 Westmont Wy W 2206 Eastmont Wy W 3001 44th Ave W 4715 W Ruffner 364 Ward St 122 Highland Dr 1521 9th Ave W 200 W Highland Dr #501 123 Prospect St 620 W Howe St 2720 W Galer St 2807 W Viewmont Wy W 700 W Lee St 615 W Prospect St 602 W Prospect St 511 W Lee St 524 W Highland Dr 160 Highland Dr 317 W Highland Dr 1228 2nd Ave N To start on the path to homeownership
Sell Price
Beds
$2,152,500 $2,160,000 $2,170,000 $2,250,000 $2,295,000 $2,350,000 $2,362,500 $2,425,000 $2,480,000 $2,630,000 $2,735,000 $2,795,000 $2,850,000 $3,000,000 $3,300,000 $3,400,000 $3,450,000 $3,500,000 $4,243,000 $5,100,000
4 5 4 2 5 4 6 2 6 6 7 6 6 4 3 5 6 5 4 4
Contact Julia today
Sr. Loan Originator NMLS #120442
julia.eaton@axiahomeloans.com Give me a call at (206) 818-5576 Axia is a registered trade name of Axia Financial LLC - NMLS ID 27830
Sq. Feet 4,520 4,340 4,577 2,785 3,627 3,950 4,560 1,972 5,980 5,540 8,890 5,410 6,800 4,350 6,460 4,650 8,390 7,670 4,150 6,570
3.5 4 3.25 3.25 3.5 2.75 4.5 2 4.75 4.75 5.25 3.25 6 3.5 3.5 3 3.5 4.75 2.75 5
To receive a no-obligation analysis of what you could expect for the sales price of your home
Julia Eaton
Seattle, WA
Bath
• Credit: Your bill- and debt-paying record. More loan application tips can be found at myhome.freddiemac.com. (State Point)
Thinking of making your move? Now is your time. Contact us today! 3643 36th Ave W
PEND
ING
$539,000 This home just went pending with multiple offers in 6 days
Contact Ken today
Ken Graff
REALTOR®, Broker International Presidents Circle KenGraffHomes.com Kengraff@cbbain.com Give me a call at (206) 498-7818
Corey Hays 206-818-3386 corey@mrmagnolia.com
homes@mrmagnolia.com Facebook.com/mrmagnoliahomes
Dawn Bourdo 206-948-4340 dawn@mrmagnolia.com
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February 10, 2016 | www.QueenAnneNews.com
Prepare for maximum return ➧ SELLING, from Page 1
2016 is a...
Leap Year! Take a leap into a new home.
I have decades of experience and now is the perfect time to make a deal. Call Me! Leap Day is February 29!
It happens almost every four years except years ending with “00” that are not divisible by 400
Eileen Quackenbush
Broker Agent/Realtor & Magnolia Resident Call/ Text: 206-300-3071 www.EileenQuackenbush.com Windermere Real Estate/ Wall St. Inc.
Serving Seattle for 34 Years! Computer Aided Kitchen and Bath Design Available
someone else’s house. You want them to picture the home as theirs. Avoid controversial or bold art pieces.
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De-clutter: This can be a daunting task. I have worked with sellers who have spent many years in the same home, and have accumulated a lot of stuff. My advice to them was to just get started. Don’t think about cleaning the entire house, just clean out one drawer. And if you have the time and energy, clean another. Move on to one closet, (repeat). Once done with one room, move to the next. Remove books from shelves and store or get rid of knick-knacks. Donate clothing you have not worn in years. Clear out storage areas. Some sellers even rent storage units to reduce clutter. Think of this exercise as a head start on the packing you will need to do anyway.
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Improve curb appeal: An un-mowed lawn or weeds in a planting bed suggest deferred maintenance. Plant flowers or put potted flowers on a front porch. Buy a new door mat, trim bushes, put down fresh mulch in planting beds. If the front door is dirty or dingy, give it a fresh coat of paint. If the porch light is tired looking, replace it with a more modern fixture.
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Clean, clean, clean: Cobwebs, dusty baseboards and shelves, and mildew in showers can really turn off buyers. Clean both the inside and outside of windows as well as the sills and window treatments. Replace shower curtains. Tidy up attics, crawl spaces and storage spaces. Clean out the gutters and remove moss from the roof. Pressure wash sidewalks, patios and porches. Professionally clean carpets, or replace them if worn. This need not be a budget buster. I advise my selling clients to shop from a carpet vendor who sells remnants at a lower price than showroom prices. If hardwood floors are scratched, consider refinishing them.
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Paint: If interior or exterior paint is dingy or chipped, don’t overlook it. Painting is one of the easiest, best and cheapest ways to freshen up your home. Especially important is the space buyers first see when coming into your home. Choose warm and neutral tones and avoid bold color choices.
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Consider staging: Studies (as well as my own experience) show that homes that are staged show better, photograph better, and ultimately sell for more money than unfurnished homes. Empty rooms can appear smaller to the eye, and photographs of empty rooms are uninteresting and
uninviting. Staging isn’t only for vacant homes. If moving out prior to listing is not an option, some staging companies will stage with your furnishings. Or you can consult with a REALTOR® about how to best arrange furniture and art to best showcase your home. Find a great REALTOR®: Choose a full service REALTOR® that matches your preferred working style. Ask them to prepare a market analysis to determine a list price for your home. Quiz them about marketing strategies and ask for references. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Choosing limited service brokerages, or listing your home as a For Sale by Owner in order to save on commission will likely cost you a great deal of stress, as well as money, in the long run. Ask your REALTOR® for their take on your home and advice on how to improve it to present the best face to the market. Don’t take this feedback personally; remember you are thinking of your home as a product!
Ken Graff is a Queen Anne resident, and a REALTOR® named to Coldwell Banker Bain’s International President’s Circle for his exemplary record of success in assisting his clients meet or exceed their goals in real estate.
Queen Anne Home Sales for January 2016 Address
144 W Florentia St 908 3rd Ave N #B 2251 B 14th W 215 W Garfield St 3443 10th Ave W 1414 6th Ave N 2612 14th Ave W 2109 3rd Ave N 2438 Queen Anne Ave N 1217 Olympic Wy W 2702 4th Ave W 520 522 Lee St 2561 10th Ave W 2721 Warren Ave N 1919 8th Ave W 315 W Crockett St 2711 4th Ave W 458 Wheeler St
Bed
Bath
Sq Ft
Year Built
Days on Mkt
Asking Price
Sold Price
Sold Price/ Asking Price
2 3 2 2 4 2 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 3 3 4 4 4
1 2.25 2 2 1.75 3 1.75 2.75 1.75 2 2 2 2.25 2.5 2.25 2.75 3.25 3.25
750 1230 1861 2280 1820 2000 2000 2180 2190 2020 2350 2120 2639 2730 2112 2600 2878 3526
1952 2007 2015 1908 1926 1996 1953 1908 1912 1910 1949 1926 1913 1929 2015 1907 2002 1907
6 15 46 8 8 9 12 7 7 17 7 8 5 54 0 12 26 12
$375,000 $675,000 $668,000 $699,950 $695,000 $798,500 $800,000 $899,000 $789,000 $925,000 $899,990 $900,000 $875,000 $989,000 $989,950 $1,175,000 $1,149,950 $1,595,000
$382,000 $650,000 $668,000 $699,950 $715,000 $790,000 $825,000 $906,000 $916,227 $925,000 $930,000 $963,000 $970,000 $979,000 $979,950 $1,100,000 $1,149,950 $1,590,000
101.87% 96.30% 100.00% 100.00% 102.88% 98.94% 103.13% 100.78% 116.13% 100.00% 103.33% 107.00% 110.86% 98.99% 98.99% 93.62% 100.00% 99.69%
Magnolia Home Sales for January 2016
Ballard/Crown Hill Location: 8055 15th Ave NW
206-789-3205 www.morgansonline.com
Address
Bed
Bath
Sq Ft
Year Built
Days on Mkt
Asking Price
Sold Price
Sold Price/ Asking Price
2128 34th Ave W 2311 29th Ave W 2304 W Lynn St 2815 28th Ave W 3229 W Viewmont Wy W 2853 30th Ave W 2438 W Lynn St 3900 W Briarcliff Lane 2307 Eastmont Way W 2804 W Boston St
3 3 3 2 3 4 4 4 5 4
1 2.5 2 1.75 1 3.25 3.5 3.5 2.75 3.25
1620 1780 1640 2650 3120 3360 2710 2544 3300 3474
1943 1932 2015 1940 1948 1953 1995 2015 1927 2015
7 7 0 25 10 6 108 258 55 0
$515,000 $600,000 $699,000 $779,000 $799,000 $799,000 $999,950 $1,112,995 $1,389,000 $1,650,000
$565,000 $580,000 $703,000 $725,000 $799,000 $870,000 $950,000 $1,146,000 $1,250,000 $1,650,000
109.71% 96.67% 100.57% 93.07% 100.00% 108.89% 95.00% 102.97% 89.99% 100.00%
www.QueenAnneNews.com | February 10, 2016
Does Your Household Need a Generator? What to Consider With increasingly volatile weather patterns and a growing reliance on technology, more people are becoming familiar with the benefits of having a back-up generator at home. But beyond the importance of immediate back-up power in the event of an outage, a generator can have many other benefits in your life -- at home and when you’re on-the-go. Given the lower prices of today’s models, generators are becoming a product more consumers choose to purchase. Here, Jason Sutton, vice president of Sales & Service at FIRMAN Power Equipment, offers tips for finding a suitable back-up generator for your household, and advice on getting the best use out of it. • Go Camping or Hunting: Take your campsite to the next level. Even if you’re roughing it, you’ll be happy to be able to charge the gadgets and keep the music going at your campsite. For ease of travel, consider a lightweight inverter generator designed for mobility. Inverters provide fuel efficiency, clean power for sensitive electronics, and a quiet motor that won’t bug fellow campers at neighboring campsites. • On the Water: A backup generator can make your next boating trip a more comfortable experience. Just be sure to follow safety precautions -never operate your generator in an enclosed or wet space. • Tailgating: Cold pizza never hurt anybody, but you can do better than that at your next tailgate party. And a backup generator can assist you with this culinary effort. Whether you’re blending up a batch of margaritas, or keeping the chili steaming throughout the day, you’ll be glad to have a source of long-term power. • Shopping for a generator: When shopping for a generator, make an informed consumer decision with a little groundwork. First, determine your wattage requirements by listing the running watts and starting watts for each device you intend to power at once, and add them together. Other factors to consider are the type of fuel you prefer and what your generator’s primary use will be – whether that’s home emergencies, RV road trips or tailgate parties. To learn more about FIRMAN generators, which cost about half or less the price of other leading brands, visit www.shopfirman.com, to take advantage of a special price offer of 15 percent off by entering promo code “readers” at checkout. At home and on-the-road, sometimes power is critical. For peace of mind and happier trails, consider a backup generator for your family and household.
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February 10, 2016 | www.QueenAnneNews.com
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153 Ward Street, Seattle WA 98109
Queen Anne Real Estate Expert Real Estate Broker Coldwell Ban Banker Bain Lak Lake Union Office M 206.919.4300 garymcmann@hotmail.com
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