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REMAX Mill Creek Town Center Jenifer Murrweiss, Broker Associate, REALTOR® www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com | (425) 422-7243 | Contact Us |
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Category Archives: Why I love Real Estate
Help and Advice in case of flooding
What would you do if your property were flooded? Are you prepared?
Here in Washington we are lucky to have so many beautiful lakes and rivers surrounding us. With that beauty however comes a risk at times with rivers overflowing and threatening homes. Even if you feel you live in a community with a low risk of flooding, remember that anywhere it rains, it can flood. Just because you haven’t experienced a flood in the past, doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. Flood risk isn’t just based on history; it’s also based on a number of factors including rainfall , topography, flood-control measures, river-flow and tidal-surge data, and changes due to new construction and development.
Right now its really cold with nice sunny days but we know how fast it changes here. Take a look at these tips and information to help your family prepare in case the worse happens.
OPEN HOUSES! Dont Miss These Ones!
OPEN HOUSES!
Bordering Mill Creek/Bothell and South Everett you will find 5 new homes tucked back on a culdesac. These are not any ordinary homes but absolutely extrodinary with builders touches and quality that you do not see everyday.
Come and see me Friday 1/11 and Saturday 1/12 from 1-3 p.m. You will fall in love!
12315 31st Ave SE, Everett 98208
Huge lots in Silver Lk~GREAT location! Private, dead-end street and lot will be mostly fenced. Features 4 bdrms, 2.75 bath, HUGE master bedroom (16×24!!) includes 5-pc master bath! Office/den downstairs *WITH CLOSET* so can be used as possible 5th bedroom!!, formal dining, rec room w/ fireplace AND living room. You’ll appreciate this builder’s attention to detail and design.
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For details on these homes please click here
Considering a Remodel Project This Winter? Know The Average Cost Before Starting
Welcome to 2013! Do you know its expected to be a double digit year in remodeling?
Since the Seattle Remodeling Expo is going on right now and through the weekend what better time to give an idea on how much those new windows or kitchen remodel would be. If a project is in your horizon this year, whether large or small, take your time and compare. Its amazing the cost difference and quality so pay yourself back a bit and do your homework. But most of all have fun!
These are average costs of typical projects and could be more or less depending on materials, labor costs or if your doing it yourself. For example, we added on our home a family room addition. The below states typical cost at about $101K. We added 940 sq. ft on our split level home for a family room and additional down stairs bedroom. Our cost 75K but, I have a handy husband who did most all of the labor except for foundation, framing and electrical. Still a chunk of money and the time spent was enormous. Many late nights after work and weekends to complete. So when you do factor in costs dont forget to consider your time. Oh, and the possible arguments with your spouse in Lowes (yes, I do know first hand). Most of all from me to you~~ Good Luck!
| PROJECT | JOB COST | RESALE VALUE | COST RECOUPED |
| Minor Kitchen Remodel | $20,947 | $19,165 | 91.5% |
| Garage Door Replacement | $1,742 | $1,531 | 88.4% |
| Entry door replacement (steel) | $1,473 | $1,252 | 85% |
| Deck addition (wood) | $12,938 | $10,596 | 81.4% |
| Window Replacement (wood) | $13,504 | $10,995 | 81.4% |
| Attic Bedroom | $61,066 | $46,981 | 76.9% |
| Basement Remodel | $76,393 | $58,337 | 76.4% |
| Major Kitchen Remodel | $64,209 | $48,745 | 75.9% |
| Deck Addition (composite) | $17,358 | $13,045 | 75.2% |
| Bathroom Remodel | $19,204 | $14,431 | 75.1% |
| Siding Replaced (Vinyl) | $14,161 | $10,080 | 71.2% |
| Two-Story Addition | $191,902 | $135,006 | 70.4% |
| Roof Replacement | $26,086 | $17,942 | 68.8% |
| Family Room Addition | $101,311 | $69,611 | 68.7% |
| Entry Door Replacement | $3,959 | $2,696 | 68.1% |
| Garage Addition | $69,904 | $45,893 | 65.7% |
| Master Suite Addition | $127,813 | $82,764 | 64.8% |
| Bathroom Addition | $48,237 | $29,747 | 61.7% |
| Backup Power Generator | $16,996 | $8,783 | 51.7% |
| Sunroom Addition | $85,177 | $43,184 | 50.7% |
| Home Office Remodel | $31,239 | $15,777 | 50.5% |
OPEN HOUSE IN SILVERLAKE ~~~HOT , HOT NEW HOME
Gorgeous and Huge New Home in Silverlake
OPEN HOUSE TOMORROW 1/4/13; FROM 1-3. COME AND SEE THIS AND THE 4 OTHER BRAND NEW HOMES IS A CULDESAC
FOR MORE PICTURES PLEASE CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW.
http://snohomishcountyhomes4u.com/listings/D15557E2-06BE-229E-64E66EA179B2E3C7.shtml
Everett, WA 98208
Price: $494,950
GORGEOUS new construction home in a new 5 lot community, huge lot in the Silver Lake area~GREAT location! Private, dead-end street and lot will be mostly fenced. Features 4 bdrms, 2.75 bath, large master bedroom includes 5-pc master bath! Office/den downstairs *WITH CLOSET* so can be used as possible 5th bedroom!!, formal dining, rec room w/ fireplace AND living room. close to major shopping centers, malls, schools, Costco, Parks, Beaches and Everett Boeing. What could be better? You will definitely appreciate this builder’s attention to detail and design~!!
Move in Ready and will not Disappoint!
•Neighborhood: Silverlake
•Lot Size: 8400
•Type: Single Family Residential for Sale
•Floors: Two or More Stories
•Parking/Garage: 3
•Bedrooms: 4
•Baths: 2
•Half Baths: 1
•Square Feet: 2969
•Year Built: 2012
•School District: Everett
Protect Yourself This Holiday Season and Beyond
We all love going home at the end of the day to a place we feel safe. Yet, residential homes are often the target of burglary, theft and other crimes. Statistically there are over 8000 reported home invasions each and every day across North America. Luckily, there are a number of measures you can take to help keep your home and valuables secure when you are at home or away.
| Secure the Yard with a Fence – A fence and locked gate are two simple ways to prevent your home from looking like a target. These tactical deterrents add an important obstacle for thieves to overcome, and burglars will avoid homes with these basic security features. Fences can also add privacy to your backyard, and keep children and pets in one place as they play. Many fencing options are both attractive and secure, so you don’t need to worry about creating a “fortress” appearance around your home. |
| Secure Lighting- Lighting is a basic but important burglary deterrent. Indoor and outdoor lights can thwart would-be thieves by creating the illusion that the house is occupied when you are not home, and by minimizing the number of places for burglars to hide at night. Keep your yard well lit with motion-detecting lights and put several interior lights on a programmable timer when you are away. |
| Secure Garage – Garages are a favorite target for thieves because they contain easy to sell valuables like bicycles, tools and cars. Garages can also provide easy access into the home unless precautions are taken. Installing garage door openers will make access much more difficult, but it’s also important to keep all garage windows and access doors securely locked. Look into installing tempered glass in windows, or covering the inside of the windows with a sheet of durable Plexiglas. You might also consider fastening a padlock and hasp on the interior access door when you leave for extended periods of time. |
| Secure Entrances – Make a thorough evaluation of the entry points to your home. Make sure all doors have a secure lock and reinforce the door frames. Windows should be closed and locked at all times when you are away. You can also look into glass alternatives that are harder to break or cut. |
| The Right Alarm System There are numerous variables and systems of monitoring, so research should be invested to find the perfect system that will works for your home and your budget. I am attaching one of those offers that I give to clients. You get a great system and a bonus too. Dont forget to give my name for this great deal! Remax Security System |
Grand Opening Today! Hurry Only 5 Homes in this Development.
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| GORGEOUS new construction home in a new 5 lot community, huge lot in the Silver Lake area~GREAT location! Private, dead-end street and lot will be mostly fenced. Features 4 bdrms, 2.75 bath, HUGE master bedroom (16×24!!) includes 5-pc master bath! Office/den downstairs *WITH CLOSET* so can be used as possible 5th bedroom!!, formal dining, rec room w/ fireplace AND living room, …You’ll appreciate this builder’s attention to detail and design~!! For More pictures please visit full listing at www.snohomishcountyhomes4u.com
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Wow! Check Out These Great Events December 1, 2012 at the Mill Creek Town Center
This Saturday, December 1st, Santa is coming to the Mill Creek Town Center. Santa will be having brunch at Kafe Neo and tea at Spotted Cow!
Then come across the street to our office (Remax Town Center) We will host a gingerbread house coloring contest from 12-4pm. Children can come in and color homes, and we will help them place their pictures in the window for display. A hot chocolate station and coffee station will be set up for refreshments. We have also coordinated to have local author Susan Straub-Martin, http://www.strauberrystudios.com that will be reading her new Christmas book! Reading will be at 1pm, 2pm, and 3pm.
After all the festivities we will pick a 1st and 2nd place winner from each age division. 1st place winners will receive a gift card to the local toy shop in the town center, and 2nd place will receive a signed copy of the Christmas book from Susan Straum.
Hope to See you there!
And dont forget after to check out the Tree lighting Event
Mark your calendar and please join Rotary of Mill Creek and Mill Creek Parks & Recreation for the annual Parade & Tree Lighting in Town Center. A few highlights from the event include musical performances by Jackson High School Jazz Band & Drumline, Disney Characters, Carolers, and Santa & his Elves. Photos with Santa in Town Center – bring your cameras and add to your family memories.
Date: Saturday, Dec 1, 2012
Time: Parade at 3:30 pm & Tree Lighting at 4:30 pm
Location: North end of Main Street and end at Mill Creek City Hall
For more information, please visit: the City”s website at www.cityofmillcreek.com
Does your next move take into consideration great schools?
Does your next move take into consideration close proximity to great schools? Or just curious if yours made the grade?
Check this out to see the latest list of Top 10 High Schools in our state:
Housing Update for Washington State
News from NW Multiple Listing Service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 5, 2012
Housing recovery continues with prices rising as inventory dips to lowest level since 2006
KIRKLAND, WA, November 5, 2012 – Last month’s housing inventory around western Washington fell to its lowest level since February 2006, according to statistics from Northwest Multiple Listing Service. The MLS report covering 21 counties also shows year-over-year prices on closed sales area-wide increased by double-digits for the first time since March 2007.
Brokers reported 6,000 closed sales of single family homes and condominiums last month, outperforming the year-ago volume by 1,236 transaction for an increase of nearly 26 percent. Last month’s activity in the areas served by Northwest MLS marked a rebound from September when members reported 5,535 completed transaction.
Prices on October’s sales were up 10.4 percent compared to twelve months ago. The median price for last month’s closed sales of single family homes and condominiums (combined) was $251,625; a year ago the figure was $228,000. The last time the multiple listing service reported an area-wide double digit hike in prices was March 2007 (up 11.3 percent).
Prices for single family homes, which accounted for more than 86 percent of October’s sales, rose more than 11 percent, while prices for condominiums jumped 16.6 percent.
The shortage of inventory is helping propel prices. J. Lennox Scott, chairman and CEO of John L. Scott Real Estate, commented on the correlation of sharply reduced inventory and rising prices. “The rise in prices is derived from seasonally strong sales activity in a shortage of inventory market,” he remarked.
Scott’s analysis shows 95 percent of all sales in King County were for homes priced under $1 million.
A similar pattern exists in Snohomish County, where inventory is down 51.6 percent compared to a year ago. He found that 95 percent of sales there were for homes priced under $500,000. In Pierce County, his breakdown shows about 89 percent of homes sold for under $350,000.
Northwest MLS members added 6,979 listings to inventory during October, the fewest since January. The additions included 6,108 single family homes and 871 condominiums. With those new listings, the selection at month end totaled 23,115 homes and condos. That’s down about 30 percent from the year-ago total of 33,094 listings.
Pending sales outpaced brokers’ ability to replenish inventory. Northwest MLS reported 8,312 pending sales during the month, a 22 percent increase from the year-ago total of 6,187 pendings. Last month’s number of mutually accepted offers also surpassed September’s total by 818 transactions.
The brisk sales activity is creating imbalanced markets in some Northwest MLS counties. Area-wide there is less than a three month supply of homes based on the pace of pending sales when matched with inventory. (Many industry experts consider 5-to-6 months as the indicator of a balanced market.)
At the end of October, five counties in the MLS system have less than four months of supply:
| County | Active Listings | Pending Sales | Months Supply |
| King | 5,437 | 3,400 | 1.60 |
| Snohomish | 1,960 | 1,325 | 1.48 |
| Pierce | 3,539 | 1,383 | 2.56 |
| Thurston | 1,218 | 320 | 3.81 |
| Clark | 213 | 54 | 3.94 |
| NWMLS total (21 counties) | 23,115 | 8,312 | 2.78 |
NWMLS director Frank Wilson said Kitsap County is continuing its “slow and sane” recovery. “October continued the trend of increased sales activity,” he noted, pointing to a 23 percent increase in pending sales of single family homes last month versus a year ago. “We also have fewer houses on the market,” added Wilson, the branch managing broker at John L. Scott Real Estate Poulsbo/Kingston. MLS figures show inventory of single family homes and condos (combined) is down 12.4 percent.
Wilson said fourteen of the 19 Northwest MLS map areas in Kitsap County have less than a 5-month supply of homes and condos. Among areas with limited supply are Bainbridge Island, Chico, Indianola, Port Orchard and Poulsbo.
Wilson also cited extremely low interest rates as a contributor to healthy activity. “Where there is activity there is recovery and appreciation,” he remarked.
In King County there is only 1.6 months of supply for the county overall and even less in the MLS areas covering the Eastside, north King County and Seattle.
Closed sales rose more than 33 percent in King County last month, led by the Eastside areas, which posted a 48.5 percent increase from a year ago. Prices for homes and condos that sold last month in King County increased 19 percent compared with the same time a year ago, and rose 2.2 percent from September. The biggest gains occurred on Mercer Island (up 49.4 percent), Dash Point/Federal Way (up 46.7 percent) and Renton-Highlands/Kennydale (up 38.4 percent).
Brokers also reported solid gains in condominium activity during October. Year-over-year pending sales increased nearly 19 percent for MLS areas overall. Prices rose 16.6 percent, while the selection shrunk. The number of listings was at about half the inventory offered for sale at this time last year.
Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership includes more than 21,000 real estate brokers. The organization, based in Kirkland, Wash., currently serves 21 counties in Washington state.
Statistical Summary by Counties: Market Activity Summary – October 2012
| Single Family Homes + Condos |
LISTINGS | PENDING SALES |
CLOSED SALES | |||
|
New
Listings |
Total
Active |
# Pending
Sales |
#
Closings |
Avg.
Price |
Median
Price |
|
| King | 2,606 | 5,437 | 3,400 | 2,474 | $420,345 | $342,250 |
| Snohomish | 967 | 1,960 | 1,325 | 937 | $265,631 | $245,000 |
| Pierce | 1,150 | 3,539 | 1,383 | 877 | $221,858 | $199,950 |
| Kitsap | 348 | 1,480 | 345 | 279 | $297,732 | $225,000 |
| Mason | 94 | 692 | 95 | 63 | $203,329 | $170,000 |
| Skagit | 152 | 819 | 182 | 120 | $250,018 | $212,450 |
| Grays Harbor | 126 | 769 | 101 | 84 | $126,828 | $116,500 |
| Lewis | 111 | 665 | 105 | 53 | $163,941 | $160,000 |
| Cowlitz | 115 | 504 | 114 | 76 | $144,355 | $142,000 |
| Grant | 97 | 532 | 71 | 57 | $184,278 | $170,000 |
| Thurston | 308 | 1,218 | 320 | 297 | $237,440 | $220,000 |
| San Juan | 27 | 380 | 29 | 31 | $399,485 | $327,600 |
| Island | 130 | 748 | 147 | 109 | $322,407 | $269,950 |
| Kittitas | 67 | 446 | 52 | 61 | $222,334 | $185,000 |
| Jefferson | 58 | 461 | 56 | 44 | $277,767 | $235,000 |
| Okanogan | 35 | 404 | 30 | 24 | $186,349 | $149,450 |
| Whatcom | 310 | 1,353 | 312 | 242 | $278,791 | $257,625 |
| Clark | 43 | 213 | 54 | 41 | $224,738 | $195,000 |
| Pacific | 44 | 379 | 47 | 20 | $91,950 | $80,000 |
| Ferry | 5 | 78 | 3 | 3 | $60,967 | $39,900 |
| Clallam | 48 | 398 | 36 | 29 | $241,847 | $216,650 |
| Others | 138 | 640 | 105 | 79 | $188,920 | $164,500 |
| MLS TOTAL | 6,979 | 23,115 | 8,312 | 6,000 | $316,505 | $251,625 |
4-County Puget Sound Region Pending Sales (SFH + Condo combined)
(Totals include King, Snohomish, Pierce & Kitsap counties)
6453
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| 2000 | 3706 | 4778 | 5903 | 5116 | 5490 | 5079 | 4928 | 5432 | 4569 | 4675 | 4126 | 3166 |
| 2001 | 4334 | 5056 | 5722 | 5399 | 5631 | 5568 | 5434 | 5544 | 4040 | 4387 | 4155 | 3430 |
| 2002 | 4293 | 4735 | 5569 | 5436 | 6131 | 5212 | 5525 | 6215 | 5394 | 5777 | 4966 | 4153 |
| 2003 | 4746 | 5290 | 6889 | 6837 | 7148 | 7202 | 7673 | 7135 | 6698 | 6552 | 4904 | 4454 |
| 2004 | 4521 | 6284 | 8073 | 7910 | 7888 | 8186 | 7583 | 7464 | 6984 | 6761 | 6228 | 5195 |
| 2005 | 5426 | 6833 | 8801 | 8420 | 8610 | 8896 | 8207 | 8784 | 7561 | 7157 | 6188 | 4837 |
| 2006 | 5275 | 6032 | 8174 | 7651 | 8411 | 8094 | 7121 | 7692 | 6216 | 6403 | 5292 | 4346 |
| 2007 | 4869 | 6239 | 7192 | 6974 | 7311 | 6876 | 6371 | 5580 | 4153 | 4447 | 3896 | 2975 |
| 2008 | 3291 | 4167 | 4520 | 4624 | 4526 | 4765 | 4580 | 4584 | 4445 | 3346 | 2841 | 2432 |
| 2009 | 3250 | 3407 | 4262 | 5372 | 5498 | 5963 | 5551 | 5764 | 5825 | 5702 | 3829 | 3440 |
| 2010 | 4381 | 5211 | 6821 | 7368 | 4058 | 4239 | 4306 | 4520 | 4350 | 4376 | 3938 | 3474 |
| 2011 | 4272 | 4767 | 6049 | 5732 | 5963 | 5868 | 5657 | 5944 | 5299 | 5384 | 4814 | 4197 |
| 2012 | 4921 | 6069 | 7386 | 7015 | 7295 | 6733 | 6489 | 6341 | 5871 | 6453 |
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Copyright © 2012 Northwest Multiple Listing Service
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
This material may not be copied, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without prior permission.