Seattle's Private Affordable Housing; Pot Shop Prices Drop
· This private affordable housing project is a Seattle first [PSBJ]
· Extra $20 million OK'd to finish East Link light-rail design [ST]
· Seattle needs to 'swing for the fences' to end homelessness [MyN]
· Seattle Pot Stores Owners Hang On As Weed Prices Fall [KUOW]
· Skyline gap closing between downtown, South Lake Union [K5]
· Legacy Homes of Washington founder lists Hunts Point home for $4.8M [PSBJ]
· See country house in the city: traditional touches with room for family living [ST]
· Extra $20 million OK'd to finish East Link light-rail design [ST]
· Seattle needs to 'swing for the fences' to end homelessness [MyN]
· Seattle Pot Stores Owners Hang On As Weed Prices Fall [KUOW]
· Skyline gap closing between downtown, South Lake Union [K5]
· Legacy Homes of Washington founder lists Hunts Point home for $4.8M [PSBJ]
· See country house in the city: traditional touches with room for family living [ST]
Downtown Seattle Condo Prices & Inventory Down in July
The Mark Company's latest Condominium Pricing Index is out and resale pricing experienced a slight one percent increase since last month in Downtown Seattle. New construction condo numbers actually took a hit as well, month over month. New Condo prices were down two percent to $757/square-foot from June. With only 26 units sold downtown in July, that number dropped 70 percent on the month (but is still up 63 percent from a year ago). While new construction inventory is still way up from last year (376 available units), that number is down six percent from June as well. Insignia is single-handedly keeping the numbers where they are with 228 available units. Luma also has 145 units while the Four Seasons Residences has just three available units. Right now, there's only 1.4 months of downtown Seattle condo inventory available, which is considered extremely low supply. Same old, same old.
· The Mark Company Trend Sheet [TMC]
· The Mark Company Trend Sheet [TMC]
This Tiny $170K Tukwila House Was Built to Be a Speakeasy
Welcome to Tiny Homes, an idea that is more popular with minimalists than with neighborhood associations and zoning boards. We'll point out the fun parts. You'll have to check out the logistics and legalities - but this one got its start by flouting the law.
Seattle has a sordid past, which is why there are so many good stories around. The evidence has a tendency to disappear, like the Lester Apartments that were Seattle's biggest brothel and were run by the mayor. There's a tiny house in Tukwila, that somehow survives. Even the listing describes the location as 'tricky to find', which was probably the idea when it operated as a speakeasy. The 1 bedroom, 1 bath house is up for sale at $170,000. It was built in 1928, just a few years before Prohibition ended; so, as a business it probably get to run for long. Whatever business it did it had to stuff into 500 square feet inside or 5,967 square feet outside. The stories remain. Some of the evidence must be plastered over by now. There was a remodel in 1988 that did radical things like give it a foundation and upgrade the plumbing and electrical. Now, if you didn't know the story, you might think it is just a nice cottage with some odd angles in the walls and ceiling. Tiny housesare known for storage challenges. This one has an attic over a carport. It may not be the most convenient arrangement, but it is useful. Besides, most attics and crawlspaces are icky places to visit. That may be true here, too; but at least there's the possibility of finding something unexpected and historic.
Tacoma's Tibbetts House by George Bullard Lists For $575K
In 1908, notable architects George W. Bullard and Erwyn H. Hill built the house at 916 N L Street in Tacoma for George W. Tibbetts, a local merchant and hops farmer. Built for $3,500, the meticulously-maintained Tibbetts House is now available asking $575K. This isn't your usual turn-of-the-century Tacoma home. This one's been updated and kept in pristine condition. Remnants of the era remain, including a sitting bench by the living room window, subway tile in the bathroom and beautiful glass inserts in the woodwork. The kitchen is more modern but still has a few vintage charms. There's a standalone shower down in the basement if you really, really need to showerwhile doing laundry. Out back, a traditional fenced backyard and deck. Tibbetts's reputation doesn't hold up all that well these days but his Tacoma home sure seems to be doing just fine.
Last Week's Biggest Sales: $2.8M Denny Blaine Mediterranean
Listed for: $2.99M
Received: $2.8M
Size: 4-BRm 4.25-bath, 5,490 sf.
Location: 180 Lake Washington Blvd E, Denny Blaine
The Skinny: Purchased for $3.8M in 2006 by former RealNetworks VP Alex Alben, this one's been on and off the market an absurd amount of times since 2008. He ends up taking a million less than that but it seems like he's probably happy to be able to move on. The 1928 four-bedroom features red-tile roof, Spanish tile floors and leaded windows evoke that Mediterranean feel while a Clive Christian kitchen, complete with a farmhouse sink and marble counters, brings some casual modernity into the mix.
Received: $2.8M
Size: 4-BRm 4.25-bath, 5,490 sf.
Location: 180 Lake Washington Blvd E, Denny Blaine
The Skinny: Purchased for $3.8M in 2006 by former RealNetworks VP Alex Alben, this one's been on and off the market an absurd amount of times since 2008. He ends up taking a million less than that but it seems like he's probably happy to be able to move on. The 1928 four-bedroom features red-tile roof, Spanish tile floors and leaded windows evoke that Mediterranean feel while a Clive Christian kitchen, complete with a farmhouse sink and marble counters, brings some casual modernity into the mix.
Get Close to Seahawks Training Camp in This $2M Renton 5-BR
Maybe you are one of the Seahawks. Maybe you work with them. Maybe you're a fan who just likes to be with them. In any case, they probably spend more time at their training facility outside Renton than at the stadium in Seattle. A short walk, bike ride, or boat ride from the facility is this house that has that rare mix of moorage without waterfront. This 2003 three story has 5 bedroom, 4.5 baths, and 5,210 square feet for $2,099,000, and it all fits into 7,721 square feet of land. The rooms have room, and expansive gets to come along with expensive. Open spaces let the views flow into the rooms, and the moldings, framework, and occasional pillars are decorated enough to add style without distraction. The mountains and the lake are the main places for the eye to land, at least in the daytime. The kitchen has enough room for several cooks, and the wine cellar is big enough to keep them supplied with cases. The master suite is big enough that no one should knock elbows, unless they want to. There's something to be said about a house that has three office spaces, one with side-by-side desks as if there was a competition at work. They're matched with three play spaces: a media room that's waiting for the big away games (because you bought season tickets, right?), a billiards room, and a workout/training room in case you want to sweat as you play. With 4.5 bathrooms, there's definitely plenty of options for getting clean again.
Five Properties Worth Buying Along Metro Bus Route 303
Seattle has buses. Use them! In which case you might as well find a place to live along a line. One line at a time. Here's the next one, selected at random for the fun of it.
Not everyone has to get to downtown. Some folks need to get from Shoreline to First Hill. Route 303 does that, while also giving a quick tour of Aurora Village, Meridian Park, and Northgate - lots of options for destinations.
↑ If you were born in 1998 and now were better than new - don't think about it too much, but be glad it doesn't work that way with houses. This 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath house is claimed to be better than new, probably because it looks like it's had a lot of upgrades, or at least cleans up nicely. They're asking $625,000 for a 2,950 square foot house on an 8,110 square foot lot that certainly looks new and very empty. The ovens and the carpets and new. You get to check out the rest. In any case, as least you're somewhat close to the beach and Shoreline Community College.
21 First Drafts: Frank Lloyd Wright's Hillside Home School
First Drafts is a series exploring the early work of our architectural icons, examining their careers through the lens of their debut projects. Occasionally unexpected but always insightful, these undertakings represent their initial, finished buildings as solo practitioners. While anecdotes accompany the work of all great builders, there's often more to learn about their first acts.
The curriculum at the progressive Hillside Home School was based upon Unitarian and transcendental precepts. The original photo was bent, hence the line. Image courtesy Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Archives (The Museum of Modern Art | Avery Architectural & Fine Arts Library, Columbia University)
Getting the Gig:
The year was 1887, and a budding young architect without a degree was finding that the job market in Chicago wasn't to his liking. After five firms and five rejections, Frank Lloyd Wright, who was living with relatives in Oak Park, decided to look up a family friend in hopes that he could find steady employment.
The year was 1887, and a budding young architect without a degree was finding that the job market in Chicago wasn't to his liking. After five firms and five rejections, Frank Lloyd Wright, who was living with relatives in Oak Park, decided to look up a family friend in hopes that he could find steady employment.
Contemporary Built Green Denny Blaine Home Asks $1.85M
Built in 2012 by Build Urban, this Contemporary Built Green 4 star home in the heart of the Denny Blaine just hit the market asking $1.85M. Including 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and a 2 car garage, it's got the look and feel of what we'd expect to find inside an eco-friendly Seattle modern. What was striking to us was the design in that upstairs office. Not too often you see a striking ceiling design that catches your eye. Combined with the stark stairway outside and sleek master suite, it makes for an impressive upstairs. The downstairs is no slouch though, boasting a private outdoor patio incorporated just off the kitchen and living space. Locally manufactured triple pane windows and well-maintained hardwoods complete the package. Within walking distance of Lake Washington and Denny Blaine Park, it's a pretty ideal family spot, if you can afford it.
POPULAR
Glenn Beck Not Fan of Seattle; Mayor Threatens Eminent Domain
· Glenn Beck Names Portland the Worst City in America, Seattle No. 3[WW]
· Tax-automation giant Avalara moves headquarters from Bainbridge Island to Seattle [PSBJ]
· Sell or we'll use eminent domain, Seattle mayor tells owners of beach lot [ST]
· Portage Bay crow battle lands in court [ST]
· The Feed Bag pet store is closing to go mobile after 21 years on Capitol Hill [CHS]
· Seattle area one of the least affordable in the U.S. for renters [PSBJ]
· $50 million 'national park lodge' envisioned for historic seminary in Kenmore [PSBJ]
· Holland wants SLU tower design to reflect industrial past, tech future[DJC]
· Chinese firm starts Bellevue project [DJC]
· West Seattle development: 14-house project, 8 years in the making[WSB]
· Tax-automation giant Avalara moves headquarters from Bainbridge Island to Seattle [PSBJ]
· Sell or we'll use eminent domain, Seattle mayor tells owners of beach lot [ST]
· Portage Bay crow battle lands in court [ST]
· The Feed Bag pet store is closing to go mobile after 21 years on Capitol Hill [CHS]
· Seattle area one of the least affordable in the U.S. for renters [PSBJ]
· $50 million 'national park lodge' envisioned for historic seminary in Kenmore [PSBJ]
· Holland wants SLU tower design to reflect industrial past, tech future[DJC]
· Chinese firm starts Bellevue project [DJC]
· West Seattle development: 14-house project, 8 years in the making[WSB]
Cornerspotted: The Renovated Collins Building Is New Again
Yesterday, we asked you to guess what this 19th century Seattle building is is and where it's located. Guess we gave you an easy one because we got a whole lot of folks who guessed correctly it's the Collins Building at 520 Second Avenue. We'll give it to bsl521 for getting it first.
Image: Wikimedia
Some say it was built in 1889, others say 1894. Either way, it's old. Among the Collins Building's initial tenants was the Seattle Public Library. Today, the ground-floor retail space is occupied by the Collins Pub while it's all office space upstairs. Other past tenants include Wilson's Modern Business College and Thomas Investment Co., though the sign in the photo above isn't real, it was added to the image after the fact.
· All Cornerspotter coverage [CS]
· All Cornerspotter coverage [CS]
Whidbey Island's Moose Ridge Still Available For $3.66M
Some houses are snapped up in days. Others take years. The sellers should be commended for their patience.
They could've claimed this property was 37 acres, but they rounded 36.98 down to 36. What else is understated with this 4 bedroom, 3.25 bath estate on Whidbey Island? For over a year, Moose Ridge (not that moose are common on Whidbey) has been on the market at $3,660,000. For that much money, 3,800 square feet seems small - until you add in the guest house, the tearoom that looks like a house, a greenhouse, and a barn. Oh yeah, and there's a pavilion, too. The story isn't just one of quantity. Multi-million dollar houses tend to afford quality, and this manor house of a country estate has it in the wood and stone work throughout the house. Simple things like a staircase are turned into something like art instead of just being an intrusion into a room.
Stainless steel is the metal of choice, evidently. The kitchen is definitely equipped that way. At least it's easy to clean. The island stovetop with central vent hood means the cook can be in the middle of things, though hopefully not traffic. Despite the high-end work, the surfaces aren't some blinding set of reflecting surfaces that dazzle anyone who's trying to get something done. Bathrooms are the other place that some houses treat as opportunities for infinitely reflecting surfaces. Here, it is sophisticated instead of just shiny. (If you want reflections, there's a pool outside for that.)
This Week in Strange, Weird & Terrible Seattle Real Estate Listing Photos
As the weekend approaches, let's take a look around the Seattle real estate listings to find some examples of the strange, the weird and just the plain terrible. (Come across one we missed? let us know…)
"Once one of us figures out how to spin the wheel without opposable thumbs, this game should be a piece of cake."
Hey Ronald, Here's a Custom Contemporary Asking $1.15M
If your name is Ronald, move to the town of Ronald and see if you can convince anyone the place is named after you. It's a suburb of the town of Roslyn, so if you're spouse has that name you can really tell a story. If not, don't worry. You can still check out this waterfront property on the shore of Lake Cle Elum. For the asking price of $1,150,000, they're selling a 4 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2,735 square foot modern marvel that was built in 2014. Either it was built on spec, or someone moved out just after moving in. The commute looks like it could be tough, but it is only a little over an hour from Issaquah, which sometimes describes the commute from West Seattle to the Eastside. The house has all the new conveniences in so many listings: high-end appliances, etc., but it also has things that make sense in the playground that is the Cascades. There's a mudroom (or a dust room this year), a double set of washers and dryers, and boot warmers. Put it in perspective. The bootwarmers can handle eight pairs of boots. Whether you're backcountry skiing or snowmobiling along Salmon la Sac, or just want warm feet in the winter, that's a handy appliance. As country and natural as the surroundings, the rest of the house is modern, like an office building beside the lake. With enough bandwidth and the right job, maybe you can work from home, skip the commute, enjoy the view, and end the day with a swim in the lake.
Seattle-Area Luxury Homes Love The TV Over Fireplace Trend
Earlier this week we learned that America has a serious problem and that problem is people putting the TV above their fireplace. According to one commenter, "TVs over fireplaces are ugly and lazy." And they weren't the only one to think so. To be honest, we're not entirely sure ourselves what makes it so bad. Seems to depend on the example. So we figured we better take a look around and make sure the Seattle-area wasn't leading the way on this trend. We found out that...uh-oh...we kinda are.
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