Wallingford Condos under $300,000

The Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle is comprised mainly of single family homes. There are a few pockets of condos, mostly built around the Southern part of the neighborhood near Lake Union. The majority of Wallingford condos are South of N 40th Street, and close to Gasworks Park, although there have been a few new construction condos built near the business and entertainment center of Wallingford, N 45th Street.

Although prices for condos in Wallingford remain fairly high, there are a handful of good buys for first time buyers or people looking for a bargain in this well-known neighborhood.

As of today, there are 8 condos in Wallingford under $300,000. Most are 1 bedroom, 1 bath condos, but the lowest-priced home is actually a 2 bed/1 bath. Situated near 41st St and Whitman Ave, this 1940s era unit is 700 square feet and surrounded mostly by single family homes and has quick access to highway 99. It's listed at just under $250k, the only condo in this category currently.
Moving up above $250k we have 4 condos currently for sale in the Biscayne, a fairly new building. There are a couple of one bedrooms and a couple of two bedrooms available, with the two-beds listed closer to $270k. A couple of these have Lake Union water views and Seattle skyline views from the balconies. Located at 34th St and Wallingford Ave, these condos are perfect for walking down to Gasworks or commuting from Highway 99 or I-5.

On the Southeast end of Wallingford, there's a large one bedroom (almost 900 sq ft) listed under $275k in Landings Lake Union. This is one of the biggest condos available in this price range, and a quick I-5 commute location. It's also just steps from the University Bridge, street end parks on the waterfront, and Ivar's on the lake.

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand

Seattle Homes and Seattle Condos for sale on SeattleHome.com

The Wallingford neighborhood of Northwest Seattle is known as being fairly expensive, but there are some houses that have come on the market recently that ease that label. While most Wallingford homes start around $600,000, there are a few houses for sale that are under $550k and worth looking into.

There are a couple of townhomes listed at just under $400,000 right now, and both are fairly new construction, good-looking homes. Wallingford doesn't have a lot of townhomes or condos in general, so this is a good first buy to get into the neighborhood without breaking the bank.
The lowest-priced house is on the West end of Wallingford, between Stone Way and Aurora.

It's a good-looking Craftsman house, 3 beds, 2 baths, and listed near $420k. At over 1800 sq feet, it has plenty of space and is inexpensive on a per sq ft basis. This area is thought by some to be part of Fremont, and alternately called Freford or Wallingmont. Technically, it's part of the Wallingford neighborhood according to the city, as Aurora Ave (Highway 99) is the true border.

There are a handful of other townhouses between $400k and $500k, all fairly new and high quality construction. There is also a very modern, minimalist single family home listed just under $500k. It's a green-built, brand new home that exudes style. This is not your average Wallingford craftsman, but a splash of funky design in a quiet enclave.

There are 3 or 4 more homes between $500k and $550k right now, all classic Craftsman homes, 3 or 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 1500 to 2000 square feet. These kinds of homes seem like the best investment right now. Remember the old saying..."Buy the smallest house in the nicest neighborhood"?

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand

Seattle Homes and Seattle Condos for Sale at SeattleHome.com

Good deals on Lake Washington waterfront homes

Lake Washington waterfront homes comprise the largest number of Seattle area waterfront properties. Although the prices are generally high, there are a few gems right now that are still in the price range of "mere mortals".

On the North end of Lake Washington, there is one home in Kenmore and two homes in Matthews Beach that are listed under $1 million. The Kenmore home has 62 feet of gently sloping waterfront, while both Matthews Beach homes have quick dropoffs, meaning deep water, docks, and easy boat launching from your back yard. This neighborhood still seems undervalued, in my opinion.

On the South end of Lake Washington, Rainier Beach is the star of the affordable waterfront listings. With homes at $640k, $700k, $800k, and $850k, there are plenty of homes with lakefront docks that don't reach the pricing heights of the majority of the lake.

Over in Bellevue's Pleasure Point, there's a small 2 bedroom home on the lake with 50 feet of waterfront and a 50 foot dock listed near $900,000. Checking in at just under $1 million, there is a cozy cottage in N. Renton's Kennydale neighborhood. This home has 161 feet of waterfront - unheard of.

To find the deals on Lake Washington, you really have to know the intricacies of the different areas. Each city and neighborhood has its own unique qualities - give us a call if you need any help.

Seattle Waterfront Homes

Sam DeBord and Brian WiegandYour Seattle Homes Experts - SeattleHome.com
(206) 552-8820

Lake Union waterfront homes - on the affordable side

When we talk about Lake Union waterfront homes, the conversation usually centers on houseboats and floating homes. While those may be some great values, there are a few condos that do come on the market that are waterfront buildings with docks and boat slips available.
We've seen some very affordable houseboats on the Northlake side of Lake Union. There are currently 5 houseboats under $250k, which is a great starting point for buying real estate. Be aware of extra slip rental, management, facilites fees that may apply for houseboat living. There's even a floating home in Eastlake at just $350,000 right now, which is about half the price of most floating homes.

There's also a nice one bedroom condo on Eastlake that we recently viewed with a client. With views of Lake Union, boat moorage available, and even a pool right on the lake, it's a great alternative to your average water view home. All this, and it's just under $270,000. The next lowest-priced waterfront condo is over $700,000, just as a reference point.

There are some really intriguing waterfront homes on Lake Union, but you need to do your research. From South Lake Union to Eastlake, Northlake, and Westlake, there are very different neighborhoods, home types, and ownership organization. Give us a call if you need help.

Seattle Waterfront Homes
Sam DeBord and Brian WiegandYour Seattle Homes Experts - SeattleHome.com(206) 552-8820

Affordable Seattle waterfront on the Puget Sound

With prices on Seattle waterfront homes at their lowest point in years, there are some great deals on some Puget Sound waterfront real estate. A couple of deals we're seeing lately that might pique your interest:

North Beach (Northwest Seattle near Blue Ridge and North of Ballard) is a beautiful, quiet community. There are two waterfront homes on the Puget Sound that are listed at much lower prices than we've seen in the past. One small bungalow is listed at just $375,000. At 1 bed, 1 bath, and around 600 sq ft, it's a cozy hideaway on the water.

Just down the road is an expansive, 3 bedroom/4 bathroom house with panoramic views of the Sound. At under $900,000 it's a steal. This is a short sale, so be prepared for that whole can of worms if you're interested.

Further South, in the Three Tree Point neighborhood just SW of Seattle, there's a beach house with a long trail walk to access it. It's not your average home, but it's $399k and it has some beautiful views.

There are some great bargains if you can find them - give us a call if you need some help.

Seattle Waterfront Homes
Sam DeBord and Brian WiegandYour Seattle Homes Experts(206) 552-8820

U.S. Home Prices are Up Again in May

U.S. single family home prices rose in May, the second consecutive month of price gains for the nation. Summer home sales usually contribute to an increase in prices, and home sales this summer have been up. This seasonal effect was expected, but is still a good sign for a beleagured national real estate market. It's the largest price increase since July 2005.

Total West Coast sale prices were up just 0.9%, but the star was King County and the Seattle area. North Seattle alone was up about 20% in sales vs. 2008 and prices are up 4% since January over the whole Seattle market.

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand - SeattleHome.com - Seattle Real Estate Brokers - Seattle Homes For Sale

3 Months Left - Will $8000 Tax Credit Get an Extension?

The federal government's $8000 tax credit for first time home buyers expires November 30. A buyer must have purchased a home by then, and most transactions take at least 30 days, so buyers really need to have that home under contract in October. That gives us just 3 months to find a home, write an offer, negotiate, and get that home mutual acceptance before November.

There have been proposals to extend the tax credit in congress, but nothing has taken hold yet. The theory I'm hearing is that the decision will be made at the last second, so buyers will have to jump on board now or take their chances down the road with the federal government.We're finding many buyers who qualify for the $8000 tax credit who aren't your traditional "first time buyers". Anyone who hasn't owned a home for the last 36 months qualifies, so we have repeat owners getting the credit now. Low prices and interest rates are making home ownership more attractive than ever.

First Time Buyer Tax Credit Details - Seattle Homes For Sale

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand - SeattleHome.com - Seattle Real Estate Brokers

Bank-Owned Foreclosures in Seattle - More on the Market

The total number of bank-owned homes on the NWMLS rose this month, as foreclosed homes are being released to the public for sale. Although foreclosures are still relatively low in Seattle, as compared to most large U.S. cities, we do have a significant number for sale. These can be great bargains for buyers looking to make a move while the market is down.

Current Bank-Owned home listings:

Seattle: 67 houses, 38 condos
Bellevue: 15 houses, 16 condos
Redmond: 6 houses, 1 condo
Kirkland: 18 houses, 13 condos
Shoreline: 9 houses

This clearly doesn't represent the total number of foreclosures - just those that have been listed by a bank for sale and have not sold yet.

Seattle Area Foreclosures

Sam DeBord and BrianWiegand - SeattleHome.com - Seattle Real Estate Brokers - Seattle Homes for Sale

Queen Anne, Seattle Real Estate Sales Are Up in June

Home Sales in Queen Anne followed the general trend of Seattle real estate sales, with a 30% increase in house and townhome sales this June as compared to last year. There were a total of 30 of these homes sold in Queen Anne this June, as opposed to just 23 in 2008. The sales prices actually showed a slight increase this year, moving up from a $625,000 median to $629,000 this year.

The only low point for the house and townhome market in Queen Anne was marketing time, as time on market moved up slightly from 39 days to 44 days. Considering the other bright statistics, I don't think that this minor increase in Days On Market will dampen anyone's spirits about the state of Queen Anne real estate.

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand - SeattleHome.com - Seattle Real Estate Brokers

Queen Anne Homes For Sale - Seattle Homes For Sale

Information derived from MLS data, total sales figures may differ. The Northwest Multiple Listing Service did not compile or publish this data.

Phinney Ridge Real Estate Hot in Summer 2009

Phinney Ridge, Seattle home sales are up significantly this summer as compared to last year. June 2009 sales of houses and townhomes in Phinney Ridge were up 7.7% as compared to the same month in 2008. More surprisingly, median home prices were up 9.3% over last year. The median sales price in June 2008 was $525,000 in Phinney Ridge, and rose to $574,000 in this year in June.

The icing on the cake of this neighborhood's market's statistics is the marketing time. Total time on market has been cut in half, as the median time went from 56 days to 28 days in 2008 vs. 2009. These large increases match the trend for most of North Seattle, as we've seen strong sales and pricing increases all over the Seattle metro North of the Ship Canal.

Phinney Ridge Homes for Sale - Seattle Homes For Sale

These statistics based on MLS data. The Northwest Multiple Listing Service did not compile or publish this data.

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand - SeattleHome.com - Seattle Real Estate Brokers

Mukilteo Make the Top 10 in Money Magazine

Mukilteo is a quiet, suburan city just 25 miles North of Seattle. It has an award-winning school district, beautiful views of the Puget Sound, master-planned neighborhoods, and an overall charming appeal. Money Magazine seems to agree.

The Money Magazine list of the top 10 best places to live list was just released, and Mukilteo checked in at number 10. This is a big accolade for a city that is many times overshadowed by its larger neighbors. The homes were selected based on good schools, affordable homes, low crime rates, and strong economies.

Money Magazine Article - Top 10 Cities To Live
Mukilteo Harbour Pointe Home For Sale - Seattle Homes For Sale

Sam DeBord and Brian Wiegand - SeattleHome.com - Seattle Real Estate Brokers

Ballard, Seattle Real Estate Selling Fast in Summer

Sales of Ballard, Seattle houses and townhomes are up big for June of 2009. Compared to the same month in 2008, total sales are up 19%, and sales of single family homes are up 17%. These are significant improvements in a comparable seasonal sales category.

Homes in Ballard are also selling faster than ever. There's no way to describe the Ballard market right now except as "hot". Median days on market was just 14 days for all townhomes and houses, and single family homes had a median marketing time of just 12 days. These are some of the fastest sale times we've seen anywhere in Seattle or King County.

The Ballard real estate market seems to have inherited the perfect storm. It's an attractive and entertaining neighborhood for young buyers, prices are fairly reasonable for first-time buyers, and the $8000 tax credit is pushing many of these first time buyers off the fence. Nearly half of our current first-time buyer clients are buying homes in the Ballard area for its combination of downtown Seattle proximity and affordable housing in a lively, urban environment.

Ballard, Seattle homes for sale

Numbers based on MLS data - total sales numbers may vary slightly. The Northwest Multiple Listing Service did not compile or publish this information.

Lake Union and Portage Bay Foreclosures - Bank-owned Seattle Houseboats and Floating Homes

There are three floating homes/houseboats on the market that are bank-owned homes. These foreclosures are available to the general public, and many times offer a discounted price compared to traditional home listings.

The first houseboat is in the Eastlake community of Lake Union. On a co-op dock, it's a small, but completely modern studio. At $350,000, it's one of the best prices you'll find on a Lake Union houseboat, but it's more of a weekender than a full-time residence.

Moving over to Portage Bay, we have two floating homes that are also very modern, being built in the oast few years. Listed at $400k and $485k, these homes offer more living space with a separate bedroom. Modern construction of houseboats and floating homes can take away many of the hassles of traditional houseboat living, so these are great homes for the first-time houseboat buyers to try out the lifestyle.

During down economic times, these homes seem to lag a bit longer on the market, and it's the perfect time for someone who has been looking into living on the water to get a great deal that they might not be able to afford during a booming economy.

Seattle Area Foreclosures
Seattle Houseboats
Lake Union Homes

Produce the Note + Lawyers = Fraud in CA

Distressed home owners are being advised of a new way to stop foreclosure on their homes, and it's not the silver bullet that it claims to be. The newest urban legend in real estate is a version of the "Produce the Note" strategy. The theory is that your mortgage has been resold 3 times to different banks, and the bank that now holds your mortgage probably can't find the official documents that show you owe money - the "Note". If the bank can't produce the Note, they can't legally make you pay your mortgage payments or foreclose on you (this doesn't have any credibility in non-judicial foreclosure states, and little evidence of long-term value in other states).

Attorneys, unfortunately, are some of those people propagating a scam based on this strategy. California has begun prosecuting attorneys who charge distressed homeowners thousands of dollars up-front, thousands in ongoing monthly fees, and never get any results. They file a simple lawsuit and never follow up. Why? Because there is no evidence that any of their clients actually get help. The vast majority end up being foreclosed upon anyway.

Mortgage Fraud Report

Seattle Foreclosures

The public can now search for Bellevue Foreclosures online

Listings of Bellevue Foreclosures are now available on SeattleHome.com. Search all of the bank-owned homes in Bellevue - houses, townhomes, and condos.

Bank-owned homes are available on the NWMLS for agents to search, but the public end of the MLS listings doesn't allow for this search. We now have weekly updates of Bellevue bank-owned homes, all active MLS listings available for immediate purchase to the public.

Bellevue Bank-Owned Home Search

New Seattle Foreclosure Home Search

Currently, the MLS in Seattle doesn't provide the ability to the public to search for foreclosures specifically. As of today, you can find the latest foreclosed, bank-owned homes on SeattleHome.com.

Through some hard work on our part, we are now able to offer weekly listings of the newest Seattle foreclosures on our site. We currently only list Seattle bank-owned homes, but we will soon include other King County cities including Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, and Shoreline, to name a few.

Seattle Foreclosure Search

In the meantime, click on the following link for a list of bank-owned homes in your area.
Sam DeBord and Brian WiegandSeattle Real Estate Brokershttp://SeattleHome.com

Capitol Hill Condo Sales Take Big Jump in June

There were 36 Capitol Hill Condos sold in June of 2009. The median price was $286,500, and lasted just 37 days on the market. While the overall Seattle condo market has been fairly slow this year, the Capitol Hill neighborhood seems to be selling at a much faster pace. The median condo was a 1 bedroom 1 bath home. The maximum price paid last month was $565,000 for a 3 bed, 2.25 bath condo.

Compared to June of last year, we saw a 33% increase in condo sales on Capitol Hill, with just a 6% decrease in prices (median last year was $305,000). Considering that much of King County has seen 15% drops in prices since last year, this market remains very strong.
Capitol Hill, Seattle Condos For Sale

This data was not compiled or published by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.
Featured Listing - 1029 Belmont Ave E #305, Seattle WA 98102The Palermo Condominiums - North Capitol Hill$440,000 - 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, Lake Union ViewsMotivated Seller - Just Reduced Price $55k!

Seattle's Green Lake Condo Sales, 2009

Condo sales in the Green Lake neighborhood of Seattle have been slower than single family home sales during the first half of 2009. Days on Market has averaged 61 days so far, a significant margin above houses. Median prices for the first half of the year stand at $215,000 for a typical 2 bedroom, 1 bath condo.

Much of the longer time on the market may be attributed to pre-sale, under construction projects. Many of these condos will go on the market well before completion and artificially inflate the marketing time by including presale time. Even still, for such a well-known and valued neighborhood, condos seem particularly affordable at the moment in Green Lake.

Green Lake, Seattle Condos For Sale

Seattle Home Sale Up Big in June

The latest numbers coming in from the NWMLS are showing a stronger real estate market in King County, led by big numbers in North Seattle and move-up buyers pushing mid-priced homes into a more positive market.

June statistics - 2009 vs. 2008
Total sales in King County: Up 4% vs. June 2008
Total sales in Seattle: Up 11%
Total sales in Northeast Seattle: Up 26%
Total sales in Northwest Seattle: Up 16%

Prices are also finally starting to show an upward trend, with prices up approximately 4% since January 2009.

While no one will attribute these numbers to a definite turning point in the the market, these are the strongest signs we've seen in two years that the real estate market is getting healthy. The total sales closed in June were the most since October 2007.

First-Time Home buyers fueled much of the buying earlier in the year, but it looks like mid-priced homes are starting to move as well. Those homeowners who have sold early in the year are moving up in to higher-priced homes, which accounts for the increase we've seen recently in median prices.

Seattle Homes For Sale

Green Lake, Seattle Homes - 2009 Sales

Green Lake homes are selling at a fast rate in 2009. At just 31 days, the median time on the market shows a popular neighborhood where single family homes are still in demand.

Most local real estate professionals understand how loosely the "Green Lake" neighborhood label is applied. I've seen it used for homes as far South as 45th St and as far North as 100th St. Real estate agents understand the power of the neighborhood name being associated with a home.

The median home price in 2009 for single family homes is $445,000, with a max sale of $1.2 million and a low of $200,000 (undoubtedly a family sale/tear down/distress sale, etc). It seems that the Green Lake neighborhood is surviving some of the downturn that has hit other neighborhood's real estate markets.

Green Lake Seattle Homes For Sale

Blue Ridge Waterfront - Seattle Home on the Puget Sound

I previewed this Blue Ridge waterfront home recently for clients. It has some of the best waterfront footage on the Puget Sound that I have seen in a while. It just had a significant price drop, from $2 million to $1.8 milllion.

Situated at the center of Seattle's Blue Ridge neighborhood, this low-bank property has an easy walk down toward the sandy beach and saltwater shores of the Puget Sound. The yard is large, and the shoreline is even larger. This mid-century home looks good from the street, but you can't feel its expansive size without seeing the interior. At 3800 feet, it's a large, spread-out home that is well-designed to make use of the water views from all of the Northwest-facing windows.

The double lot provides plenty of privacy, and the lower level would be ideal for developing into an entertaining area leading out to the yard and the waterfront.

2444 NW Blue Ridge Dr, Seattle, WA 98177Courtesy NWG Real Estate
Blue Ridge Waterfront Homes For Sale
Blue Ridge Water View Homes

Lake Union, Wallingford Houseboats

Most Lake Union houseboats and floating homes are in the Eastlake and Portage Bay waterfront neighborhoods, but there is a large enclave on Northlake Way in Wallingford that is less well-known. This area of the lake has quick freeway access, open public parking for cars and boats, and great parks like Gasworks just steps away.

There are a handful of houseboats on the market right now in Wallingford's stretch of Lake Union. There have been just two sold so far this year, although summer is always the peak of houseboat buying season. The two sold so far are a two story house barge at $235,000, and a 48' vessel with two stories and a top deck. The vessel sold for $255,000.

Houseboats in Wallingford start at around $150,000 and quickly break above the $500,000 mark. There are such a variety of styles of live-aboards, from tiny towable barges to long, sea-faring vessels that you need to take a walk down the docks to understand the different lifestyles afforded by each type of home.

Lake Union floating homes

Wallingford Condos Sold, YTD 2009

Condos make up a low percentage of housing in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle, but those condominium buildings that do exist carry substantial price tags.

The median price for condos sold so far in 2009 in Wallingford was $265,000. This is a 1 bed, 1 bath condo of about 600 square feet. Marketing time for condos this year has been just over 2 months, at 65 days on market. Almost all of the condos sold in Wallingford sold between 30-90 days on the market this year.

Seattle - Wallingford Condos For Sale

Wallingford Neighborhood Home Sales, 2009 - Seattle Real Estate

There have been fifty-six single family homes sold in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle so far in 2009. Median home prices stayed above the half-million mark at $502,000. For most of Wallingford, this would be the price on a typical small- to mid-sized Craftsman house with two or three bedrooms and one bath.

While total sales numbers are down, length of time on the market isn't remarkably long. Right now, the median time to sell a single family home is 50 days in Wallingford. 44% of homes sold in less than one month, which is still a bright spot for this Seattle neighborhood. If a home is priced right in Wallingford, it still seems to move quickly.

Wallingford, Seattle Homes For Sale

Seattle Makes Forbes Top 10 list for family friendly cities

Seattle was ranked as the #7 most-family-friendly city by Forbes this week. Although housing prices in Seattle are relatively high, incomes are commensurately high, according to Forbes' study.

Forbes analyzed taxes, incomes, and total expenses to figure a family's ability to live a good lifestyle in a major U.S. city. Seattle came out in the top 10, mainly thanks to a strong job market and high wages, from aerospace, biotech, software, and other Seattle companies.

Seattle Family Friendly City - Forbes

Waterfront Home Sales in Seattle, June '09

Floating Homes and Houseboats dominated the Seattle waterfront home sales for the month of June. Looks like summer has started.

There were 11 total waterfront homes reported sold on the NWMLS in June, with five being houseboats and floating homes. Two houseboats on Lake Union sold at under $300,000, while the floating homes sales started at $500,000 and moved all the way up to $1,400,000.

The two highest-end homes on the waterfront were in Laurelhurst in N. Seattle and Fauntleroy in W. Seattle. The Fauntleroy home sold for over $1.7 million, with 85 feet of no-bank waterfront on the Puget Sound. The Laurelhurst home, which had 16 feet of Lake Union waterfront and a shared 50 foot dock, sold at just under $2 million.

Seattle Waterfront Homes For Sale

Pending Home Sales Rise For Fourth Consecutive Month

Pending home sales numbers in the U.S. are continuing their upward trend. For the fourth consecutive month, the Pending Home Sales Index rose for residential homes. This index measures signed contracts on homes for sale. Low interest rates, more affordable home prices, and first time buyer tax credits are attributed to the increases in homes under contract.

We haven't seen four straight months of gains since late 2004, so this is a very positive trend in real estate sales. While these transactions may take a bit longer to close with the larger number of short sales and distressed homes, there's no doubt that total closed home sales will rise in the coming months.

Seattle Homes For Sale