the season is in

We're not quite ready to put away our rain jackets, mukluks, and heavy sweaters but on the other side of the continent, in the Hamptons, this weekend heralds the start of the summer season.

If you haven't lined up your Southampton rental than you're most likely out of luck-it appears Seattle is not the only market on fire! Check out what $375,000 gets you for a three month rental in the Hamptons.

Not ready to spend $85,000 and up for a month on the beach? Then consider these options.

1) Buy a coastal inspired home right in your own back yard! Check out this 4 bedroom/3 bath home priced at a cool $985,000 - much more affordable and you own it!

 

  

2) Invest in a little redecorating. Whether you go serene or vibrant there are plenty of ideas to be found on sites like Pinterest and Houzz. Here are a few of my favorite color palettes:

Adding wicker, pillows and accessories can be fun - here are a few shops that specialize in the gorgeous, the funky and the serene of a coastal feel.

Sesame and Lilies

Circa Who

Stores and online sites like Pottery Barn, One Kings Lane and Target offer tons of merchandise as well.

3) Subscribe to the many coastal/beachy inspired magazines. My two favorites are Coastal Living and Veranda. Other magazines like  Southern Living and Martha Stewart Living have some great ideas to inspire your own coastal cottage.

As we turn our attention to this coming Memorial Day weekend and all that it holds - I leave you with this quote,

"A real friend is someone who takes a winter vacation on a sun-drenched beach and does not send a card."

real estate report card for 4th qtr

Just in....Matthew Gardner's 4th quarter 2012 report on the real estate market in Western Washington.

Read the full report here: Gardner Report - Western Washington 4th quarter 2012

Highlights from his conclusion:

"I remain in somewhat befuddled awe when I think of the resiliency of the United States economy and how we, as a nation, are emerging from this recession bruised but, for the better part, intact. Inasmuch as the government has tried, hopefully unwittingly, to hinder our growth with various budgetary issues and the like, we are doing our best to adapt to our environment and grow the economy. 

I started out this piece with  quote from George Orwell which inferred that our job recovery, although occurring across geographic board, will be unequal. I certainly expect that the power centers that accommodate a majority of our businesses in the state (Washington) will expand at a faster rate than counties that are more removed. That said, the overall picture is a positive one and I expect that 2013 will be another year in which our regional economy outperforms the nation as a whole.

From a real estate standpoint, it is clear that we are now well removed from the days when home prices were hemorrhaging. Home values have stabilized and a recovery in values is underway. The credit markets have thawed and getting a mortgage is easier now than it has been since the housing "bubble" exploded. Interest rates remain at historic lows, and although I believe that they will rise in 2013, the increase should be modest. 

The outlook is getting clearer. Home values will appreciate in 2013, but not all markets are created equal and some will fare better than others."  Matthew Gardner

Matthew Gardner is a land use economist and principal with Gardner Economics and is considered by many to be one of the foremost real estate analysts in the Pacific Northwest. 

Mr. Gardner shared his outlook for 2013 to a group of my clients on January 30th. If you would like a copy of that presentation, please let me know-I will see that you receive a copy quickly!

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur

real estate report card for 3rd qtr

Just in ... Matthew Gardner's 3rd quarter 2012 report on the real estate market in Western Washington.

The full report here: Gardner Report - Western Washington 3rd quarter 2012

Highlights from his conclusion:

"The economy and real estate market in Washington continue to exhibit positive growth, but the rate of growth has started to taper. 

Now, some of this can certainly be attributed to seasonal fluctuations, as well as the current political environment, but it is important to put this into context. Our region continues to outperform not only all other West Coast markets, but also the United States as a whole.

The headwinds that do exist, mainly in the form of low levels of housing for sale, are likely to be temporary."  Matthew Gardner

Mr. Gardner is a land use economist and principal with Gardner Economics .
He is considered by many to be one of the foremost real estate analysts in the Pacific Northwest.

SAVE THE DATE

Matthew will be presenting his annual kick-off presentation

at a private event hosted by myself and colleagues

January 30, 2013

Montlake Community Center

This will be a great opportunity to ask Matthew questions on his view for 2013!

To be placed on our invite list please email me at darcy@windermere.com

Thanksgiving Trivia

I firmly believe it is the memories we create in our house that make it our home. With two teenage daughters, I am always looking for some fun conversation starters to introduce at the dinner table. In my search I ran across some great trivia. I plan to stump them all at our Thanksgiving dinner..right!

What is the name of the famous rock where the pilgrims landed?
          Plymouth Rock

The Indians invited to the Thanksgiving feast were?
          Wampanoag

What is the name of the ship the pilgrims came over to the United States on?
          Mayflower

What is the name of the Captain of the Mayflower?
          Christopher Jones

Who was instrumental in declaring Thanksgiving Day a National holiday?
          Sarah Hale

What is the original name for pilgrams?
          Puritans

What part of the turkey that is broken that is considered good luck?
          The wishbone

Indian corn should only be used as decorations and not for cooking?
          True

What year did the first Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade start?
          1924

What year was the first Thanksgiving?
          1621

Who was the first President to pardon a Turkey?
          President Harry Truman

Name the first balloon in the 1927 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?
          Felix the Cat

How many pilgrams came over on the Mayflower?
          102

How long did it take the pilgrams to travel from England to the United States?
          66 days

What was the Mayflower originally designed to carry?
          Wine

How long did the first Thanksgiving Day last?
         One week

What football teams played in the first Thanksgiving Day game in 1934?
          Detroit Lions vs Chicago Bears

President Bush pardoned two turkeys in 2005. What were their names?
          Marshmellow and Yam

Of the 102 pilgrams that came over on the Mayflower only half of them survived to attend the first ever Thanksgiving dinner. We have much to be thankful for.

Wishing you a fun and festive holiday.

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur

Sources: history.com

Transforming spaces

I'm deviating from my normal "house" blogging to write about an event I'm involved in this year, and every year for the past eleven years....my children's school auction. Over the course of a few days St. Joseph's Wyckoff gym is transformed into a spectacular venue for Saturday night's Auction and Gala.

Last year's auction theme "There's No Place Like Home" found my co-chair Anne Cunningham and myself wanting to transform the gym into the Emerald City. We enlisted the help of Blue Danube Productions, whose talented team of a/v professionals executed our vision to perfection.  

We added greenery/poppies to the boulders, a yellow brick road for fun and lit the exterior in green

The gym's vestibule was transformed into a field of poppies using green drape, over sized poppies and green lighting

The poppies were absolute "perfection"

40 tables were draped in luscious emerald green linens from Choice Linens and the entire room was draped in shimmering white 20' panels then lit so the room glowed a beautiful emerald green....gorgeous. Our three screens were 20' rounds which continued and fully executed our orb theme.

We added dangling crystals and incorporated our orb theme by adding round lights. Can't you just imagine Glinda popping out of one of these?

We found an artist in Arkansas who hand blew 40 glass orbs from emerald green glass

We nested them in reindeer moss and anchored them in a tin vessel...out of respect for the tin man

Every year there is a special VIP table...this year we played with the good and the evil by using Glinda's crown on one end and the Wicked Witch's hat on the other. We added lots of mercury glass for sparkle and Anne designed a spectacular wand

Anne also designed and created Glinda's beautiful crown 

The tables sparkled

Glinda's crown designed and crafted by Anne

Incorporating our orb theme, local graphic artist Mary Cunningham designed the wine labels, table numbers and other signage for the event

The Dessert Dash was an enormous success

Anne Cunningham and I, decor co-chairs for last year's event

This week finds me at it once again. Our theme is La Ville-Luminere, or City of Light, the Magic of Paris. Ah, crystals, gold gilt, Monet, Chanel, shimmer and champagne - now that is truly C'est Magnifique

Until next time.

la chasse au bonheur

Fall maintenance plan

Many of you know I would rather be posting about all the wonderful and creative ways to decorate your porch for fall but I know how important it is to have a solidly maintained home and how critical it is to have a regular maintenance plan.

OK, I had to add at least one photo for inspiration

There is a chill in the air and it's clear fall has finally arrived which means it's now time for some fall maintenance. If you follow a regular plan your home stays a healthy living environment and you save costs by avoiding big "surprise" maintenance issues down the road. As I always say "you pay now or you pay later but either way, you pay".

So grab the kids, some gloves and head outdoors this weekend.

Check the outdoors

• Clean out debris from gardens, pots, and areas around the house.
• Clean out gutters and check downspouts and the roof for any signs of leaking.
• Check and repair all exterior caulking. Look around windows, doors, and under the eaves.
• Trim back any limbs or shrubs that are touching the house or roof.
• Inspect and clean windows and install storm windows if you have them. 
• Clean out window wells. 
• Clean out under decks and porches.
• Drain and cover exterior hose bibs.
• Drain and store hoses before the temperature dips to freezing.

Check the inside

• Have the furnace serviced and change the filter.
• Check and replace any worn weather-stripping.
• Check crawl space for any broken ducts, excess moisture or inspects. 
• Replace any fallen insulation. 
• Check chimney and have it cleaned, if needed.
• Clean the garage and put away equipment no longer needed for this year.
• Find and check snow shovels and snow removal equipment and replace now, if necessary.
• Prepare lawn mower for winter storage after the last mowing. 

If you keep your home in good condition with a regular maintenance plan your property will:

• Maintain its property value
• Sell more readily and usually garner a higher price
• Be more comfortable to live in
• Have few expensive repair bills

Until next time, 

la chasse au bonheur

beyond bricks and mortar

Please watch this short video prior to reading this posting Harborview Hall Video

Harboview Hall is eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places. It was placed on
the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation's 2012 Most Endangered Historic Properties list. 

Too often, the pros and cons of saving an historic building revolves around architectural significance, structural integrity, obsolescence, and the cost to bring it up to code and its systems into the 21st century. 

What sometimes gets lost or is relegated to a minor role in these discussions is the value the building has had to generations of residents and workers and the direct and indirect impacts on the economic, social, and cultural identity it has brought to the area. 

For several years, Historic Seattle, an organization I am passionate about, has been involved with a number of local groups in making a case for preserving Harborview Hall on First Hill.

King County built Harborview Hall to support a new concept in nursing curriculum pioneered nationally by the first Dean of the UW School of Nursing, Elizabeth Soule, It put students next to a hospital (via an underground tunnel) where they would complete the newly required two years of hospital experience. 

A 1932 Seattle Times article was critical of the building calling the building more lavish than a luxury hotel, with "fudge kitchens, electric elevator, private rooms for each student, beautifully appointed recreation rooms, and a drawing room with a fireplace."

Former Harborview Hall residents are universally dismayed at plans to demolish the building. Patricia Ross, who was sworn into the U.S. Surgeon General's Nurse Cadet Corps on the steps of Harborview Hall in July 1944, lived there and did three-month rotations to all area hospitals. In an email she said, "through our work and training we saved the collapse of the health care system across the country." This was done right here in Harborview Hall. 

"Harborview Hall reflects the architecture of the hospital," said Ms. Bakeme, age 83, Class of 1952, "and they (have) the tunnel joining them-they are...married. How could they possibly take one away?"

We are trained in real estate to look at real property and apply the "best-use" approach to its development/use. The current plan is to demolish Harborview Hall and replace it with a plaza. However, King County is working on a proposal to preserve and rehabilitate the former residence for the UW School of Nursing students. As discussions fly around this proposal, I encourage everyone involved to look at the intrinsic elements of this building - I firmly believe it is not just about bricks and mortar but so much more. 

Historic Seattle is dedicated to educating, advocating and preserving. For more information please visit www.historicseattle.org

Until next time,

la chasse au bonheur