By Molly Cartwright, Realtor, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate, Molly@CooperJacobs.com, 206-841-6800, on November 28th, 2012%
Green Lake Inventory of Active Homes
Let’s take a look at the 30 active Green Lake homes right now on the market. Inventory is tighter now than it was a year ago. In fact 53.3% less homes are on the market today than October 2011.
Searching the entire database of active homes in Green Lake, I found just three condos and the rest were single family homes. The lowest price being $189,000 and the highest of $1.25M brings the median price in Green Lake to $449,600.
I generally like to price homes by cost per square foot. By doing so the average cost per square foot is around $252.00.
Here is a snapshot of the 30 active Green Lake homes:
More photos and details on these active Green Lake listings can be found at our information rich website www.cooperjacobs.com or
“Representing home buyers and sellers in Seattle’s most popular neighborhoods”
By Molly Cartwright, Realtor, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate, Molly@CooperJacobs.com, 206-841-6800, on September 29th, 2010%
Condos vs Lawsuit: How does Green Lake Compare? Recently I had the need to look up some downtown Seattle condos for a buyer. One right after another I would find the perfect place. And one right after another there were pending lawsuits ~ some even lingering for 4 years. From a faulty roof to some twisting their ankle to the builder’s shoty construction.
 Green Lake's Circa Condos Oh boy, this is going to harder than I thought. Then I encouraged my buyer to look just 5 minutes north to Green Lake. I held my breath as I researched my Condos vs Lawsuit predictament. What did I find?
13 ACTIVE CONDO and/or townhome listings right now in Green Lake. Only one has a pending lawsuit. I can now exhale.
Lenders + pending litigation = red flag.
Lenders see the number of units going up for sale but none of them closing.
If you’re a buyer who has cash or a healthy downpayment – 20…30% or more and want rock bottom prices then by all means – consider buying that bank owned condo. Just make sure the builder has agreed to pay for litigation and remedy the problem in full. Also make sure any assessments are spelled out in the condo association.
The first question I raise when my client is thinking about purchasing a condo is whether the Home Owner Association is healthy. Does it have lawsuits pending, how are the reserves, what condition is the building in, are the monthly HOD in sync with the condition and ammenities of the condo building.
Green Lake is more populated with single family homes but there are some amazing deals right now for condos too ~ as low as $163,400 for a 1 bed 1 bath and clean as a whistle!
I look forward to hearing from you! Feel free to write any comments, questions, or feedback. If you’re in the condo or townhome market, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate would be happy to show you these excellent investments.
By Molly Cartwright, Realtor, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate, Molly@CooperJacobs.com, 206-841-6800, on September 22nd, 2010%
 Handsome 1910 Green Lake Home Just Listed! Spacious and charming offering an expansive remodel to encompass a friendly floorplan and functional spaces. Nestled between Green Lake and Greenwood, this home offers double dynamic neighborhoods with a walkscore of 83!
Gleaming hardwood floors, tuftex stainmaster carpet, and porcelain tile floors envelope these serene walls. New stainless steel kitchen appliances, Richlite wood countertops, and nifty eating nook takes center stage in the kitchen.
The gas fireplace is the perfect centerpiece between the large dining room and the casual great room to entertain.
2,450 square feet is complete with 4 bedrooms and 2 3/4 bath plus loads of storage space. A perfect resource room or kids corner is smartly designed on the main floor next to the kitchen. Separate heating zoned for upstairs and downstairs for your comfort.
This modern bungalow sits on a quiet, residential street with exclusive driveway, and a huge private backyard.
By Molly Cartwright, Realtor, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate, Molly@CooperJacobs.com, 206-841-6800, on September 15th, 2010%
Oh how I do love Green Lake and the appeal it has over me. I’m a runner, so I want to say thank you for giving me flat trails to run until my heart’s content. But no thank you when I get low times in races with hills.
On a more serious note, Green Lake has tons to offer – we know this, right (?) or else you wouldn’t be reading about this awesome Seattle neighborhood. It has the schools, the park, the location, the water, the views, the new architecture, the old architecture, the history, libraries, pizza joints, amazing schools, and yes Starbucks.
Looking for great Green Lake homes for sale? Well there’s a new kid in town and it’s called 8552 Densmore Avenue North.
This beauty, built in 2006, has over 3,400 square feet of functional, livable space with every inch thoughtfully laidout. Spacious front porch to watch the walkers go by, lofty ceilings with stylish two toned neutral colors to add to the airy appeal. 4 bedrooms and 5 baths including two master bathrooms all on the upper floor. The walk-in pantry keeps the main kitchen virtually clutter-free. An easy two car garage accessed through the private alley. Did I mention the A/C and a back-up generator? This home has it all.
Contact us for a tour!
Link to the outdoor environment. Link to Green Lake Real Estate. Let us know if you want more information about this Green Lake home or Seattle’s Green Lake (Greenlake) neighborhood.
Molly A. Cartwright & Courtney Cooper
Dream Green ~ Dream Green Lake
206.841.6800 mobile
molly@cooperjacobs.com
courtney@cooperjacobs.com
By Molly Cartwright, Realtor, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate, Molly@CooperJacobs.com, 206-841-6800, on June 27th, 2010%
I wrote a blog earlier about Backyard Cottages in Seattle or Detatched Dwelling Units. Since then, I’ve had numerous questions about them.
Whether you are considering a Backyard Cottage on your at least 4,000 square foot lot as a rental property, for an elderly family member, or a grown child you need to know the max square footage the structure can be is 800 sq ft. This includes any carport, attached garage, or storage.
You can decide to go through a contractor and architect or get a panelized or modular fabricated design. Fabricated is the fastest, and designed much like building blocks. Panelized takes a little more time and can be more customized.
It’s no secret adding a Backyard Cottage on your property can add extra monthly income. However there are some costs involved. Here is a link to a handy worksheet that breaks down Hard Costs and Soft Costs. Example of a Hard Cost is demolition or site preparation. A Soft Cost is a mortgage, or fees for utility hookups. Which aren’t cheap, by the way! Seattle City Light recommends separate electricity meters. This will save you way more money in the long run.
Make sure you save room for a parking space for your Backyard Cottage – this is a requirement!
For more information regarding Backyard Cottages and self help steps to diagrams, permits, and more – this site wins, hands down.
Check back frequently to www.cooperjacobs.com for our Backyard Cottage listings in Seattle City Limits.
By Molly Cartwright, Realtor, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate, Molly@CooperJacobs.com, 206-841-6800, on June 19th, 2010%
Top 5 Selling Improvements On A Budget: You should know putting on a new roof or stainless steel appliances in the kitchen won’t necessarily sell your home faster and you definitely won’t recoup the cost.
So what does help improve our home when it’s up for sale that won’t cost an arm and a leg?
Number 1: CLEAN UP. I mean take your home to the next level. Hire a pro and give it a deep cleaning. Remember how great it looks and smells afterwards? Keep that up with a weekly clean (either you or a pro) and it will really pay off with first impressions. Also make small repairs, ie: broken outlets, door latches, flaws that the buyer views as signs of deeper problems.
Number 2: STORE YOUR CLUTTER. $100 a month for a storage unit (or a good friend or relative’s use of their garage) to store those holiday decorations, extra kitchen pots and pans, arts and crafts, and extra clothes in the closets. It will make your house look bigger, brighter, and more valuable.
Number 3: TIDY THE YARD. Again, first impressions and curb appeal. It’s not necessary to uproot the junipers and jack hammer the cement pathway. Simple put color spots or planters in empty places, rip out any weeds and mow any grass.
Number 4: PAINT. Interior and exterior. It’s likely to cost less for you to do it before selling. You’ll recoup more in the long run.
Number 5: REPLACE HARDWARE: Instead of remodeling that kitchen, just paint cupboards and pick out new hardware.
For most, the value added is a mere fraction of the cost. So it’s in your best interest to do these small steps above by honing in on attention to detail for a greater return.
For more tips on selling or buying your next home feel free to contact us at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate!
By Molly Cartwright, Realtor, Cooper Jacobs Real Estate, Molly@CooperJacobs.com, 206-841-6800, on April 28th, 2010%
Good Housekeeping: 5 Points To A Sale of your Green Lake Home
We have seen a lot of Green Lake homes sales in the Seattle MLS through the years and the homes that always sell faster and for money have one thing in common in most cases. They all follow the seller tip guidelines below. We thought we would go ahead and share them with you in case you are thinking about selling your Green Lake home.
The goal is to sell your Green Lake (Greenlake) house as quickly and as profitably as possible. To do that sellers need to Stage the home – not just have it Staged professionally, but all the items that go along with that. Here are four-steps designed to maximize the value of your house:
- De-cluttering Tips
- Repairing Tips
- Cleaning Tips
- Revitalizing Tips
- Showing Tips
De-cluttering Tips
Make four distinct piles: Trash, Return, Donate, and Might Need.
It would be overwhelming if you tackled the whole house at once. Delegate the work to other family members accordingly and go at it. Put checkmarks next to each completed room. It’s important to know you’re making progress. Golden Rule – Consider hiring a garbage collection agency or rent a commercial garbage bin if you have a lot to throw away.
Repairing Tips
Green Lake Buyers expect a trouble-free home. They want to buy a house, move in and start enjoying it right away. They don’t want to waste time and money fixing up the place. If you don’t repair your house now, it will be seen as a fixer-upper and you will not be able to attract the right kind of buyers, nor will you get the price you want for it.
Know whether you need a pre-listing home inspection and understand the difference between repair and renovation can save you money and headaches. Golden Rule – Repair cracks in the foundation immediately.
Cleaning Tips
Cleaning your house for sale goes well beyond dusting, mopping and vacuuming. You must clean it like you mean it. You must minutely examine every square inch of your house and restore it to near-new condition. An advantage of a well-cared-for house is that you’re less likely to receive a low offer. When buyers can’t find faults they focus less on how much money they can squeeze out of you and start thinking that the house is right for them. If you don’t have the time to clean then you should hire a professional. It’s a smart investment. Golden Rule – Clean the area around your fireplace and then the fireplace itself.
Revitalizing Tips
Revitalizing is not remodeling, which is usually expensive and delays the selling of your house. Revitalizing starts with improving your curb appeal, follow up with lighting, and painting. Only then can you start staging your house for sale. Golden Rule – Home Office: Move your filing cabinet into the basement.
Showing Tips:
You’ll need to dust the undisturbed rooms once in a while but you can see how this strategy ensures your house is always ready for showing with minimal efforts. For the rest of the living space create three to-do lists:
- A weekly must-do checklist
- A daily must-do checklist
- A final checklist before the open house
Golden Rule – Put away personal valuables. Turn off your computer.
Full service Green Lake Realtors help with all of the above.
Often we are asked to go through a Green Lake home and give the seller a check list of some of the items above. We also usually hire a Stager and a housecleaner on your behalf. Selling Green Lake real estate requires knowing what Green Lake buyers want. Curious what YOUR Green Lake home value is and what’s been selling in the neighborhood?
Contact us and we can help or at least answer any questions you might have.
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