This is a fabulous home just blocks from Microsoft and Nintendo, and minutes to Redmond Town Center, Marymoor, 520 and Grass Lawn Park. Light and bright kitchen with hardwoods and maple cabinets, new dishwasher and stove. New paint, new vinyl and tub/shower surrounds in baths, remodeled family room perfect for media room, double pane windows throughout. Large fully fenced yard is great for relaxing or play. Mud room, spacious garage with a shop area. Central air conditioning for those sweltering summer days! Wired for FIOS. Lake Washington school district. Not a short sale, just move in! For more information or a showing, call me at 206-335-3335 or click here to email me.

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Details:

3 Bedrooms
2.50 Baths
1680 Square feet*
Built 1969, remodeled
5309 159th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052
MLS# 29155125

Information is taken from sources deemed to be reliable but is not guaranteed. Buyer/Selling Agent to verify all info.

I’ve just listed this gorgeous 2 bedroom, 1.75 bath top floor condo in a rare 4-unit building in the desirable Tanager complex. Big kitchen with granite counters, pantry, lots of cupboard space, great for entertaining. 2 large bedrooms, each with its own bath. Very private setting surrounded by trees. Minutes to Google, Microsoft, Evergreen Hospital, Cascadia College, and just a few blocks from Trader Joes, QFC & Starbucks. Very near Park & Ride and the new HOV access to 405. FHA-approved complex, not a short sale! For more information or a showing, call me at 206-335-3335 or click here to email me.

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Details:

2 Bedrooms
1.75 Baths
923 Square feet*
Built 1990, remodeled
Tanager Complex – 11301 NE 128th St. #A201, Kirkland WA 98034
MLS# 29155047

Information is taken from sources deemed to be reliable but is not guaranteed. Buyer/Selling Agent to verify all info.

Here are the October 2009 housing inventory supply numbers going back five years for selected Seattle areas.* Months of Inventory (MOI) refers to the number of months it would take the current housing supply to be completely sold if no new listings were added.

The geographical area is marked at the top left of each chart. You can also click here to view stats for all Seattle and Eastside areas (opens as a pdf.)

*All reports published October 2009 based on data available at the end of September 2009.  This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the NWMLS.  Neither the Board nor the MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy.  Data supplied by the Board or the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.  Report reflects all activity by brokers participating in the MLS.

Here are the October 2009 housing inventory supply numbers going back five years for selected Eastside areas.*  Months of Inventory (MOI) refers to the number of months it would take the current housing supply to be completely sold if no new listings were added.  (Lower numbers = more seller-friendly market.)

The geographical area is marked at the top left of each chart.  You can also click here to view stats for all Seattle and Eastside areas (opens as a pdf.) 

 *All reports published October 2009 based on data available at the end of September 2009.  This representation is based in whole or in part on data supplied by the NWMLS.  Neither the Board nor the MLS guarantees or is in any way responsible for its accuracy.  Data supplied by the Board or the MLS may not reflect all real estate activity in the market.  Report reflects all activity by brokers participating in the MLS.

October Fall Harvest Festival
September 26 to November 1, Remlinger Farms, Carnation
Come to the festival for the corn maze, pumpkin patch, a variety of food vendors, and much more.
32610 Northeast 32nd Street, Carnation | (425) 333-4135

Everett Fall Home Show and Go Green Showcase
October 2 to 4, Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center, Everett
This premiere fall event features hundreds of specialized local businesses ready to help you customize, update, or design the home you have always wanted.
2000 Hewitt Avenue, Everett | (425) 257-7001

2009 Issaquah Salmon Days Festival
October 3 to 4, Downtown Issaquah
Enjoy the Grande Parade, foods of the world, live entertainment, creative crafts, and celebrate the returning salmon making their way up Issaquah Creek.
125 West Sunset Way, Issaquah | (206) 270-2532

2009 Skagit Valley Festival of Farms
October 3 to 4, Mount Vernon
Explore a variety of Skagit Valley’s farms with plenty of activities for kids, including racing veggie cars, milking an artificial cow, creating art, exploring a corn maze, and pony rides.
Various locations around Mount Vernon | (360) 428-8547

Croatia Fest
October 4, Seattle Center, Seattle
With internationally acclaimed folk dance ensembles, musicians, artists, and intricate costumes, this festival provides a glimpse into the rich Croatian culture.
305 Harrison Street, Seattle | (206) 684-7200

Chick-N-Coop Craft Show
October 9 to 10, Country Village, Bothell
Come enjoy sweets, wood and glass collectibles from the past, and gift ideas from over 50 Northwest crafters.
23714 Bothell-Everett Highway, Bothell | (425) 483-1042

Willkommen Oktoberfest Northwest
October 9 to 11, Puyallup Fair and Events Center, Puyallup
Celebrate with brats, beer, authentic German treats and entertainment, as well as activities for the entire family.
110 Ninth Avenue Southwest, Puyallup | (253) 845- 1771

45th Annual Wild Mushroom Show
October 17 to 18, Center for Urban Horticulture, Seattle
The Wild Mushroom Exhibit, one of the largest and most complete in the United States, contains over 200 varieties of wild mushrooms. The mushrooms will be displayed, identified, and classified.
3501 Northeast 41st Street, Seattle | (206) 543-8616

Tacoma Holiday Food and Gift Festival
October 21 to 25, Tacoma Dome, Tacoma
With over 600 exhibits and displays, this is one of the largest holiday gift shows! There will be plenty to see and do, including fun entertainment, food sampling, and more.
2727 East D Street, Tacoma | (253) 272-3663

Seattle Weaver’s Guild Annual Sale and Show
October 22, St. Mark’s Cathedral, Seattle
Over 100 member artists of the Guild create unique works of art that range from functional, hand-woven household items to spectacular wearables and jewelry.
1245 10th Avenue East, Seattle | (206) 323-0300

Edmonds Halloween Celebration
October 31, Downtown Edmonds
A trick or treat adventure for all in downtown Edmonds. Join an estimated 5,000 costumed kids, parents, and pets for a fun-filled trek around town to gather treats.
5 p.m. to 7 p.m. | 121 Fifth Avenue N, Edmonds | (425) 775-2525

I just listed a really nice top floor condo in Marymoor Heights (in Redmond near Marymoor Park.)  It’s a 1 bedroom plus den, 1.75 baths and over 1,000 square feet*.  The den is large and according to the homeowner association it appears that there’s good potential for someone to add a window and a closet and turn this into a true two-bedroom unit.  As it is, it’s very usable as a two-bedroom, with a full main bath and a three-quarter master bath.

Other perks include vaulted ceilings in the living room, a kitchen with plenty of cupboard and counter space, a large master bedroom with access to the balcony, lots of closet space as well as two additional storage lockers, plus two parking spots – one garage bay and one dedicated open parking spot.

It’s a really private unit with a great balcony that looks over trees and has Cascade views in the fall through spring.  Call your agent to go and see it, or if you’re not working with an agent call me at 206-335-3335 to arrange a showing.

Click here to see more photos and information about this Redmond condo for sale.

(* All info to be verified by buyer and/or selling agent. Square footage based on King County records.)

I’ve been passing out a resource list of my top recommended service providers for Seattle and the Eastside to my clients (if you’re a client and are wondering why you haven’t gotten one yet it’s just because I haven’t given them all out yet – you’ll get one soon!)

Anyway, it’s great to get feedback from people who use the list, and I thought it was worth mentioning that just in the past week I had clients use and give good reviews to the two electricians and the plumber I recommended.  Here they are again:

Roger Hill, Hill Electric
(425) 485-4321
Eastside for sure, don’t know how much of Seattle he covers.

Brian McManis, Eagle Electric
(206) 271-3678
All of Seattle and Eastside.

Jeff Morelli, New Concepts Plumbing
(425) 418-3304 or (206) 948-1617
All of Seattle and Eastside.

If you’re shopping for new construction condominiums in Seattle in fall of 2009, here are a few things to keep in mind based on my recent experiences helping a condo buyer:

Expect large price drops for new Seattle condos and structure the offer accordingly.

You’re not guaranteed the result you want, but even with the general uptick in the Seattle housing market that we’re seeing right now the odds are still definitely in your favor.

Keep an ear out for ‘things in the works’.

Developers are using condo auctions as a way to sell large quantities of inventory and set a trend for pricing of remaining units at the same time. Current examples are Gallery in Belltown, and Brix Condos in Capitol Hill (both links now go directly to the auction website.)

Remember functionality and re-sale criteria when shopping for Seattle condos!

Regardless of how cool or famous the condo designer is, people need space to store their clothes, cook a meal, and fit a king sized bed comfortably into the master bedroom.  These are the major issues I hear about from buyers when they’re deciding to not purchase a property.

My client and I did a massive tour of multiple units in five new Seattle condo buildings a couple of weeks ago, and out of all of the ones we saw (one-level, loft and brownstone styles) there were only four units total in two buildings that we thought were worth considering. Most of the rest ruled themselves out with a small master bedroom, and one highly touted building had a master closet the size of a broom closet, with a washer and dryer stuffed into it to boot.

I realize that you can get away with more funkiness in Seattle than you can on the Eastside, but as I told my client, if you buy a place like that you have to be OK with your future target market for re-sale being the itinerant artist who only needs space for a pair of pants and an easel in the master closet. (Rule out most couples, and even many singles.)

Home buyers typically have an eye for at least some of these things, but I’ve found that most of them still need someone to point out the things they don’t notice that affect functionality and re-sale, and to back them up when they have a feeling that something isn’t right but they think they might just be too picky – usually they’re on target.

Walking out of well over a thousand homes for sale over the past 10 years and hearing exactly why my client will or won’t buy it is the best training for coaching people on re-sale value that I can think of.  You would think that building designers would be in tune to the same things, so it really surprises me to see new Seattle condo units with features that are deal-killers for many home buyers.  Fortunately there are some good ones out there too – it just pays to be picky!

Evergreen State Fair
August 27 to September 7, Evergreen State Fairgrounds, Monroe
The fair is on again in Monroe! There will be rides, food, competitions, farm animals, arts, crafts, and all types of family fun.
14405 179th Avenue Southeast, Monroe | (360) 805-6700

Bumbershoot
September 5 to 7, Seattle Center, Seattle
This year’s entertainment lineup includes The Black Eyed Peas, Sheryl Crow, Modest Mouse, Jason Mraz, Kay Perry, and many others.
305 Harrison Street, Seattle | (206) 684-7200

20th Annual Bremerton Blackberry Festival
September 5 to 7, Waterfront Boardwalk, Bremerton
The Bremerton Blackberry festival will be packed with free entertainment, including musicians and entertainers performing all three days.
2nd Street and Washington Avenue, Bremerton | (360) 377-3041

44th Annual Lighthouse Festival
September 11 to 13, Rosehill Community Center, Mukilteo
With a grand parade, fireworks, children’s activities, art, live entertainment, and food, there will be something for everyone!
304 Lincoln Avenue, Mukilteo | (425) 355-2514

Puget Sound Bird Fest
September 11 to 13, Yost Memorial Park, Edmonds
Residents and visitors will have a chance to observe birds and learn about ways in which habitats for birds and other wildlife can be preserved.
9535 Bowdoin Way, Edmonds| (425) 771-0227

Live Aloha Hawaiian Cultural Festival
September 13, Seattle Center, Seattle
Featuring live performances of the hula and mele as well as historical exhibits, films, Hawaiian crafts, keiki activities and ono food.
305 Harrison Street, Seattle| (206) 684-7200

Edmonds Classic Car Show
September 13, City of Edmonds
The Edmonds Chamber of Commerce hosts a car show featuring selected awards for sponsor’s choice, the fun award, the community award, and the people’s choice award.
121 5th Avenue North, Edmonds | (425) 775-2525

Corn Maze Opening
September 12 to 13, The South 47 Farm, Redmond
Venture into the corn maze, greet the farm animals, enjoy refreshments, and enjoy live music.
15410 Northeast 124th Street, Redmond | (425) 869-9777

Puyallup Fair
September 11 to 27, Puyallup Fair and Events Center, Puyallup
One of the top ten highest attended fairs in North America, the Puyallup Fair offers grandstand entertainment, livestock contests, youth shows, food booths, and the Extreme Thrill Ride.
110 Ninth Avenue Southwest, Puyallup | (253) 845-1771

Fremont Oktoberfest
September 18 to 20, Fremont Ship Canal, Seattle
Celebrate the beginning of fall with three beer gardens, a huge selection of microbrews, two entertainment stages, a Dog Day, and a dedicated children’s area.
Phinney Avenue North and North 35th Street, Seattle | (206) 633-0422

Chinatown International District Art Walk
September 19, Theatre Off Jackson, Seattle
The indoor and outdoor walk will include works and performances by local artists at various venues throughout the Chinatown International District.
409 Seventh Avenue South, Seattle | (206) 640-1049

Decibel Festival
September 24 to September 27, Seattle
This critically acclaimed multimedia art and music event is dedicated to live electronic performance, visual art, and new media.
701 Pike Street, Seattle | (206) 461-5800

West Coast Sea Kayak Symposium
September 25 to 27, Fort Worden State Park, Port Townsend
The Symposium is a collection of the finest kayak manufacturers, speakers, and instructors, all brought together in one place so paddlers can experience everything that is sea kayaking. For beginner and veteran paddlers alike.
200 Battery Way, Port Townsend | (360) 344-4400

October Fall Harvest Festival
September 26 to November 1, Remlinger Farms, Carnation
Start the day in the Family Fun Park with the Farm Theatre, 4-H petting zoo, and Mini Canoe Adventure. Also explore the pumpkin patch and corn maze while sampling food from various vendors.
31904 Northeast 8th Street, Carnation | (425) 333-4677

If you’re thinking of switching to FIOS in the Seattle area, here’s some feedback from one of my clients who recently had FIOS installed at his home in the Redmond area right near Microsoft.  I thought it would be helpful to share, since so many people are curious about it.

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“Fios is actually working really well now.  We had an initial snafu with the installation where basically it got installed into a switched outlet, and we didn’t realize.  So every time we’d shut off the lights in the garage our TV and internet would go out.  The package we got is $119/mo. (w/o taxes) and it includes unlimited domestic calls, not sure if it includes Canada or not, tons and tons of channels including over 80 HD ones, and super fast internet that I’ve been happy with so far.

We use the streaming Netflix service through the Xbox 360, and up until we got Fios we weren’t able to watch any of the streams as HD.  Now any of them that have HD enabled stream as HD.  It’s actually a bit cheaper than what we were paying before and we have more functionality (we had Comcast with Boost), but recently Comcast has released a $99/mo plan for similar services.  However, I am now convinced that Fios internet is more reliably fast. 

A couple gotchas that aren’t clear from the marketing material:

The bundled deal doesn’t include any set top box.  They cost $6/mo to rent one that doesn’t support HD, or $20/mo to rent one that does support HD (and is a DVR).  However, you can also get cable cards instead for $3/mo, so if you have something like a TiVo HD it’s better to choose that option.  In addition, the sales rep will tell you they don’t have M-series cards, but that’s incorrect.  We have an M-series card now.  The M-series allows you to use multiple tuners, where as the old cards only allow a single tuner.

By default Verizon will actually remove the copper line coming into your house.  It’s not clear why they do this outside of the fact that they are legally required to lease that line to competitors where as they don’t have the same restriction with their fiber optic cable.  That means that reverting to your old phone service or changing carriers is more difficult since you would need to get the line replaced (this shouldn’t affect internet or TV).”

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Hope this is helpful to anyone who might be installing FIOS soon in the Seattle or Eastside areas.