Better Seattle

The Newmark Tower

in downtown Seattle, on the corner of Pike and Second Ave, is an established building with a full concierge, indoor pool, gym, spa, and an overnight guest suite. 

The high rise on the left is the "Newmark", in which I sold a comfortable condo to an earth-friendly client. The Newmark Tower is a short 1.5 blocks from Seattle's renowned Pike Place Market, two blocks from Westlake Center and the shopping district, and one block from the beautiful Benaroya Hall, home of the Seattle Symphony.

My client loved the location, a short bus-ride right off 2nd into south Queen Anne. She often frequents Belltown via an even shorter bus-ride, or a brisk walk. Eco conscious, she eschewed owning a personal vehicle, proving how pedestrian friendly a city Seattle really is.

The Newmark underwent extensive renovations in 2002-2003 and is a good catch for a building to buy in, if you can get it!

I captured these pictures of the building from the 9th floor of the parking garage on the corner of 2nd Ave and Union in downtown Seattle.

The next picture captures the view looking west from the parking garage, and the edge of the Newmark on the rightmost.

I just got meme'd, compliments Rich Jacobson, and since this is the second time I've been meme'd, I thought I'd just do it...

Question 1: Who is my favorite Musical Artist?

This is tough to narrow down, I am very broad-spectrum!!! It'd have to be a three-way tie between Luciano Pavarotti, Bono of U2, and Peter Furler of Newsboys.

Question 2: Who is my favorite Artist?

William-Adolphe Bouguereau, hands down. 

Question 3: Who is My Favorite Blogger?

My favorite RE blogger is Jessica Horton! And I love Kevin Tomlinson for the pure entertainment factor. Both exceptional people, btw!

Question 4: If I could meet anyone (dead or alive), who would it be and what is interesting about them?

I would want to meet Jesus. I want to love others the way Jesus loved them.

Question 5: What did I want to be when I grew up?

A doctor, a pilot, an archeologist, and journalist, a New York Symphony violinist, and a shrink.

Question 6: What is the most interesting piece of Trivia that I know?

LOL that depends on how you define "trivia"! Actually, I can't think of anything... nothing seems like "trivia" to me! Rhodedendrums and Azaleas like shade. (Is it trivia if it has a practical application?)

Visceral fat is very dangerous, as it functions as its own organ in the body and correlates directly with life-threatening conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease... (Also  has practical application...marathon, anyone?)

Question 7: If you could live in any point of history when would it be and why?

Right now. I can't imagine a better time in history where individual people have been empowered to make the world a better place, caring for the disenfranschised and those in need. I am excited about the opportunity to live right now.

Question 8: What is the most interesting job you’ve ever had?

I thought of a few that matched perfectly for this, but then I opted to be non-traditional and speak about a "job" that's been close to my heart for over a year.... specifically, what it means for me to be a good steward of my life, my opportunities, my friendships, my money, etc. I've been taking steps to live more intentionally, with the choices I make, how I spend my money, even my entertainment... I can either live accidentally, or I can live on purpose. I used to feel powerless to change the world, until one day I realized that my powerlessnes came from the every day choices I made. Being a steward of my life is the most interesting "job" and meaningful one I could ever have.

Is your discount broker watching out for you??

What services will you be doing without, that you just don't know yet?

Today I came across a listing in Somerset that I've never paid much attention to. It's been listed for sale for nine months, dropped in price by 75k but still erroneously listed about $50k above market value. In the marketing remarks it says: "Seller to offer buyer up to $30,000 cash bonus at closing".

My first instinct was to ask, "What does it matter if the seller will offer 30k in cash bonus if potential buyers are searching the market for homes $30k less? What the seller has done is artificially inflate the price of his home above the range that potential buyers would look for it in.

I thought about calling the listing agent and passing along my suggestion as an act of realtor cameraderie, when I noticed the listing office: a discount brokerage to whom you pay $500 to list your property for up to a year. This was not the sort of brokerage that offered any real representation to the seller.

In fact, it was unlikely they had ever counseled the seller on either price or strategy. So why did the seller choose a discount broker that as of today has cost him more in mortgage payments since listing (and that he could have saved) than he would have paid out to a qualified area specialist for proper representation?

The answer lies in the prejudice in percieved value.

Let's consider another market:

The real difference between international real estate representation and US real estate representation lies in the perceived value of the agent, not in the difference between the services rendered.

This should make us wonder why we devalue our real estate experts in the US and why we think a discount broker is just as good.

When visiting my cousin in Lake Como, my husband and I had the opportunity to enjoy the company of a local agent. In Italy, the agent explained, you pay your agent up front. You pay fees to them to search for a house for you, and you continue to pay them cash out while they negotiate the deal and secure your property. Likewise, you pay them to find a buyer should you be selling.

In the US, not only do we not pay our agents upfront, we treat them like they are trying to rip us off. "You want us to pay how much? And what for?"

...the prejudice in perceived value...

That's exactly why to some there is no perceived difference between a discount broker and a highly experienced market specialist.

Some questions to consider:

• Will my discount broker consult me on market pricing and strategy backed up by qualified and ample research?

• How qualified is my discount broker (if at all) on the particulars of my neighborhood market? (Consider that two blocks out from your home could be the end of your neighborhood and the start of another. How intimately does the discount broker know neighborhood boundaries and values?

• Is my discount broker out in the field selling every day? Or do they sit behind a desk?

• If I choose my discount broker because they give me the commission savings I want (meaning, they don't negotiate with me at all), how can I know they're any good negotiating the price I want?

• How much money and time am I prepared to lose (think mortgage payments, lost opportunities on contingent purchases, etc)

• Do I believe a worker is entitled to fair pay for their work? Am I being realistic in what I hope to get for what I pay?

• Is there anyone on my side (as buyer or seller) watching out for me that's not scared to give it to me how it is (speak the truth to me, even if I'm not excited to hear it) to help me sell my home?

Mark your calendars!!

Only two days away, residents in Bellevue, Washington have the opportunity to participate in an innovative "Spring Forward Expo: Projects Affecting Your Future" event/open house Wednesday, May 15th, where experts on over 40 city and regional projects affecting the city will offer presentations and seek your feedback. The event will take place at Bellevue City Hall at 450 110th Avenue NE, on the first floor concourse. (This is your opportunity to visit the gorgeous new City Hall if you haven't done so!)

Some of the projects featured and seeking your input:

• The Light Rail Best Practices Committee draft report regarding light rail practices to be applied in Bellevue. (EXCITING!!)
  
• Aquatic Center Feasibility Study north of Main Street
  
• Boeing/Eastgate Property Master Plan
  
• Meydenbauer Bay Project and Land Use Master Plan (I Blogged about this earlier, here's the master plan we've been awaiting!)
  
• Sound Transit East Link (To be created off the Freeway)
  
• Neighborhood Sidewalk Program (Livability, Livability!)
  

                      ...and there's a whole lot more!!! In fact, so much more, that it's guaranteed something here's going to affect you directly if you're a Bellevue resident... More info on Spring Forward Expo

Bellevue is truly a proactive city. Whereas some our neighboring cities face grumbles regarding mismanagement of resources, Bellevue deserves kudos for improving the quality of life of its residents and for its wise stewardship of resources and opportunities.