SEATTLE AVENUE

A strong Pacific frontal storm system has swept into Washington state with heavy rains, high winds, landslides and extensive flooding.  Representative Jay Inslee provided this information on flood shelters, warming stations, road closures and other resources to help you and people you know who have been impacted by the severe weather.

The American Red Cross is providing shelter, food and other necessities for those affected by the flooding throughout Western Washington.  Residents whose homes have become uninhabitable due to flooding should go to the nearest shelter.  Shelters can be found at the following locations:        

King County

Spartan Gym 18560 1st Ave NE Shoreline, WA 98155 (206) 323-2345.

            Snohomish County

World Harvester Family Church 20830 52nd Ave W Lynnwood, WA 98036 (425) 252-4103

Kitsap County

Silverdale Methodist Church 9982 Silverdale Way NW Silverdale, WA 98383

  (Two more shelters are expected to be opened in North and South Kitsap in the near future.)

For up-to-date local information regarding the situation in King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties, please visit the Regional Public Information Network website: www.rpin.org  For Kitsap County news and information, please visit the Official Kitsap County Website: http://www.kitsapgov.com/pw/roadwork.htm  And for statewide resources, please visit the Official State Government Website: http://access.wa.gov/emergency/emergencyresources.aspx 

As always, please feel free to contact Representative Inslee if you need additional assistance.  He encourages you to contact him via e-mail at Jay.Inslee@mail.house.gov, telephone at 1-800-422-5521, or fax at 202-226-1606, because security measures are causing House offices to experience delays in receiving postal mail.  Please be sure to include your full name and address, including your zip code, in your message.

With everything being about the environment and going green it’s easy to think that it’s something that we cannot do anything about. But the funny thing is that we can all do really simple things that will not only reduce our impact on the environment, but it will even save us money. And it doesn’t require any big investments. Actually, to do any of these 5 things you don’t have to invest anything at all, although sometimes a small investment can make the difference even bigger.

One — Lights out

The first and easiest thing you can do is to switch of lights you don’t need. Even if you only leave a room for a few minutes the amount of energy saved far outweighs the wear on the light bulb. And if you have heard that a bulb uses much more electricity when you switch it off than when it’s running… well, you are right, but that only happens for such a short time that it’s negligible. As soon as you see light it’s already warmed up and working at normal efficiency.

Which brings me to the lack of efficiency that light bulbs are. 80% of all the energy comes out as heat and only 20% as light. You could actually describe it as a heating element that as a side effect gives off light. There the compact fluorescent light is much more efficient. A 15W fluorescent light gives off as much light as a 60W incandescent light bulb, so the investment here is to buy compact fluorescent light bulbs when they are on sale at your local DIY store, and then replace your old school incandescent bulbs. As a positive side effect there is much longer interval between changes, so the little effort you put in lasts a long time. Just remember that they do contain mercury and should not go in your normal garbage. I have some rooms where I have even put in daylight compact fluorescent. Makes my room feel like a bright day all year round. Oh, and try to remember to unplug all unused equipment, like phone chargers and even the TV or DVD player. They all use a little electricity all the time, and if you add them all up they might be using a lot.

Two — Cool down

Here is another really simple energy saver. Lower your indoor temperature with 2° (or increase it with 4° if you live somewhere where you have to cool your home). This will save you a lot of money and reduce your environmental impact. If your home is oil heated you might want to go even further with these prices. Putting on an extra fleece is a small price to pay. Good indoor temperature for heated rooms is about 68° when you are active and 64° when you are sleeping. Even lower when you are not there.

If you don’t have a computerized thermostat controlling your heater, that could be something worth investing in. Making sure that you give your heating system regular maintenance is also well spent money.

Three — Take a shower

If you take baths regularly, stop that. You are literarily guzzling water and heat. Instead, take a shower, and preferably a short one. You can even switch the water off when you shampoo your hair or lather your body, since you are not using that water anyway.

If you want to spend a little extra to make sure that you are extra environmentally conscious, get the most efficient shower head you can find. That can save up to three times the water of a wasteful one, with no or little difference in showering experience.

Four — Turn off the tap

To continue the tap water theme, you can save by switching off in more places than the shower. If you let the water flow while brushing your teeth or shaving, you can save a lot by only turning the tap on when you need water. To see the difference, try closing the drain one day and see how much water you actually use. The same goes for doing the dishes, or running the washing machine with just a few things in it. With the laundry you can save even more by switching to a concentrated detergent that also cleans well in cold water.

If you are thinking in investing money to save tap water the investments are slightly bigger, but if you are replacing your toilet anyway, get one with low gallons per flush, and even better, one with 2 buttons with one for liquid waste and one for more solid stuff. If you are thinking of a new washing machine, don’t just look at how much water it uses, but try to find out how efficiently it cleans in low temperatures. And if you often run small loads, maybe you actually would be better of with a smaller machine. Big is not always better.

Five — Buy local

This one might not look as straightforward as the ones above, but everything we use has a carbon footprint, which is a way of measuring how much energy was used to produce and deliver the product to you. And if food is grown locally or products produced locally, the amount of energy used to transport them is naturally much lower. And on top of that you aiding your community to keep more job diversity in the vicinity. And that is not a bad thing either. So check your local farmers’ market and talk to the small manufacturers and retailers around you to see what you can do for your local area.

Finally, I admit that I do not always live even according to these five rules, and often I do other things, like drive when I don’t have to, or buy products with excessive packaging materials. But I think that if we all try to do the right thing for the environment most of the time we can make a huge difference. And it doesn’t have to hurt our wallets, rather the opposite. So set your mind on green and together we can change the world for the better.

Hi there! I thought I’d introduce myself. My name is Henrik Brameus, and I’m new to the real estate industry, as well as to this web site. I am going to write about what it’s like to become a licensed sales person, and what you can experience as a new one. In addition I will write about little things with regards to the housing market, especially here in Seattle, and also to give you a chance to increase your knowledge and maybe even pick up a useful tip here and there.

I’m more than happy to receive your comments. The easiest way is to just put a comment to the article I’ve written, since that invites everybody to the dialog. Of course you are welcome to email me if you prefer, and that would be to henrikbrameus at cbbain dot com.

You can also visit my Coldwell Banker Bain Associates home page.

Our stay at Rosario Resort found us in sunny skies and flip-flop weather. Our keelboat sailing course at Orcas Island Sailing was exhausting for me but a piece of cake for my husband who has been sailing since he was a kid. I passed the exam, got my little sticker, and am on the way to becoming a full-fledged Captain. For fun I may skipper those Ducks that cranky Seattleites moan about. QUACK! As we’re ruminating over how to remodel our boat we had a fabulous idea. Let’s go black and white! Again sailing reminds me of real estate.

Real estate across the country is making daily news and concerning both buyers and sellers. In Seattle our economy is robust and appreciation continues yet at the same time resales are selling much slower than anticipated and new construction is molasses. Price reductions follow.

As you’re ruminating over whether to sell or buy now or in the near future, my advice is to just get back to the basics. Keep it simple and uncomplicated - black and white. Buyers, make an appointment now with a good mortgage planner and look carefully at your financial situation. If you need to clear up credit issues or save more money do it now. Get pre-approved, be realistic, don’t overextend. Sellers, step it up and professionally prepare your property for sale. Don’t be cheap about hundreds and thousands of dollars, treat your property like the extremely valuable asset that it is and make the best presentation you can afford to make. Make repairs, pre-empt inspection issues, create a clear perception of high value. Make buyers want to pay for what you have. Perfecting the basics will reward you every time.

Speaking of perfecting the basics, as promised this month I have the story about luxury condos. Specifically condos over $1M. Many of these condos are as intensely delicious as a dish of the most decadent German Chocolate ice cream. Yumm-o!

NEW is the mortgage column with mortgage planner James Wirth at the helm. Ask James any and all of your financial questions!

Until November, stay warm and happy. And treat yourself to some luxury.

This issue I promised to share info about our luxury condo market, more precisely our over $1M condo market. I haven’t yet tired of looking at or showing these homes. Sometimes my work is so difficult. <sigh> In fact, this photograph is from a $10 million dollar condominium in downtown Seattle. It is luxury - I’d be happy to sell it to you.

What makes “luxury”? That’s subjective. Usually details and quality.

Merriam-Webster defines “luxury” as “a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort” “sumptuous environment” “something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary” “an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease.”

Luxury condos offer a lifestyle galactically beyond what is basic and necessary, indeed an abundance or even excess of what is pleasurable and comfortable. This lifestyle may include amenities such as 24-hour concierge services, valet parking, frequent window washing and upkeep of common areas, fitness centers, yoga studios, movie theaters, conference rooms, rooftop decks, entertainment rooms. Most always luxury condominium residences are spacious, utilize rare woods and modern high-end finishes such as granite and various stones, stainless-steel appliances, higher ceilings, dreamy fireplaces, spa baths, gourmet kitchens, various environmentally friendly features, and screaming views.

Developers, largely hoping to attract affluent technology workers, continue to plan and build high-end condos in downtown Seattle, downtown Kirkland, and downtown Bellevue. And the units are not necessarily selling as quickly as developers had hoped and there’s no shortage of speculation as to why.

There are some simple possibilities to bounce around that don’t burn too many brain cells. Buyers able to pay $500,000 for a condo can afford a nice, large, maybe new, maybe with a water view, single family home. Buyers in this price range think long and hard about what is financially best for them.

Buyers paying $700,000 for a condo are able to consider a huge array of options including single family homes, waterfront homes, new construction, resales, floating homes, etc. These buyers make faster decisions and choose what best suits their lifestyles.

Someone looking at $1M condos may be a local but they’re probably from another city where housing prices are higher. Over $1.5M, well those units attract buyers who can afford to live anywhere in the world. These buyers want properties that reflect their lifestyles.

In addition to mortgage payments there are homeowner association fees. Generally, the charge is 55 to 75 cents a square foot per month - meaning the owner of a luxury 1500SF condo would pay $825 to $1125 a month.

There are currently 228 Active condominium listings with our Northwest Multiple Listing Service over $1M. The price range for these condos is between $1M and $10M with the average price being $1,851.682, square footage being 2254, and days on market being 139.

No surprise that the highest priced condos continue to be found in downtown Seattle (currently 109) followed by:

Kirkland (39)
Bellevue (38)
Tacoma (6)
Bellingham (5)
Bremerton (5)
San Juan Island (5)
Blaine (5)
Manchester (4)
Bainbridge Island (4)
Edmonds (3)
Gig Harbor (2)
Everett (1)
Issaquah (1)
Des Moines (1)

The demographics for these condos may not be what you’d expect. I read that recently-built luxury condos in trendy downtown Kirkland have sold mainly to senior citizens. In the Lake Pointe and Marina Pointe projects, 70% of the buyers were over 65! And it’s interesting that there’s little cross-over between buyers of Seattle and Eastside units. Buyers looking at luxury condos in Kirkland don’t want to live in Seatte, buyers looking at luxury condos in Seattle don’t want to live in Bellevue. And Eastsiders (I can say this since I grew up on the Eastside) prefer to live closer to the ground. Highrises in Seattle (and Bellevue) have a WAY different energy and attract different souls.

I have to say there is something undeniably opulent about luxury highrise condos that I don’t feel when previewing equal quality low-rise condos. There can be an involuntary WOW and undeniable AWE in standing on a 26th floor bedroom balcony looking out at a 240 degree view of - - everything. The emotion is inspiring. Ok, and a little freaky if I stand against or lean over the balcony.

Some think the Seattle market isn’t sophisticated enough (or large enough) to support all these swank condos. Some think it’s just plain wrong. Some are jealous. Many business owners are excited. One thing most people agree on is this - the face of downtown Seattle, downtown Kirkland, and downtown Bellevue is changing. Downtown Seattle is becoming more “stylish,” but we’re not San Francisco or New York. We’re not even Vancouver, B.C. When I make my little 2 1/2 hour trips north across the border I often think that it’d do us good to research the Canadian market where multi-family living is so well-integrated in their communities and urban experiences. Where multi-family condo living is normal, not exclusive.

How to use structures that already exist to maximize living spaces. That’s a question that quite handsome German designer, Werner Aisslinger, had in mind when he envisioned Loftcube - a minimal mobile home unit designed for rooftop living. At his site, be sure to go to The Story and The Concept!

Werner’s view of Berlin from his 5th floor studio inspired an idea of rooftop communities inhabited by urban nomads. Flat roofs of high-rises could be used as a space for temporary living. Not many designers take advantage of the design potential on top of buildings. This is an opportunity to create a wonderful skyscape.

Werner is an international name in the area of furniture design. Working with another furniture designer came the idea of nomadic architecture, designs with portability in mind.

The rooftop aspect of the Loftcube makes portability a challenge. Plumbing and heating within the unit would require an extension of the host building’s utility lines making it also a parasitic architecture. Transport would be by freight helicopter or the modular shell could be dismantled and transported. There are challenges but Loftcubes weren’t thought of as a solution to any problem. Loftcubes started out as an experiment. It was a vision for a new way of living that Werner and the designers he worked with fell in love with and are trying to make work.

Loftcube was first exhibited in Berlin. It has traveled to Amsterdam and will find itself atop a roof of a department store in Paris. Seattle is not on the calendar.

Werner and his studio are exploring options for Loftcube. There’s been a lot of interest from people wanting it not only for their roofs but for their gardens and waterfront properties, too.

Learn more about Werner Aisslinger at Studio Aisslinger.

Each month I’ll introduce you to another player in the Small House Movement. Share these ideas with your friends and dream up some of your own.

18Seconds.org is a very cool website!

Did you know that if every American (not to mention the rest of the planet) swapped just one bulb for an ENERGY STAR labeled CFL bulb, it would collectively save more than $8 billion in energy costs, prevent burning 30 billion pounds of coal, and remove 2 million cars worth of greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere?

I didn’t know until I found this site. Share this one with EVERYONE you know. Six degrees of separation means we share information and we make things happen.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Great news for urban-hearted IT folk who work at the main Microsoft campus: The Connector is at your service!

 This pilot program which started September 24th buses employees from five neighborhoods to the main campus in Redmond.

The 14 coaches (7 full size, 7 mid size) of course have wi-fi and power jacks at each seat and transport up to 1000 riders per day. Best of all The Connector is free and available to all full-time MS employees. Morning pick-ups are between 6:20 and 9:30 a.m. Evening departures are between 4:30 and 7:30 p.m.

The sleek, stylish coaches operate these routes:

• Queen Anne-Belltown 
• First Hill-Capitol Hill
• Mill Creek-Bothell
• Issaquah-South Sammamish
• Snoqualmie-Issaquah

Because of these Connector coaches we can expect:

• 20,000 fewer cars per month and 240,000 fewer cars per year on the road which means elimination of approximately 800 vehicle trips and 32,200 miles of travel each day.
• Elimination of approximately 3,800 tons of carbon emissions annually.
• A convenient, comfortable, and productive option for commuting to MS.

Having said that, Microsoft will have nearly 1400 employees in Seattle as it leases about 126,000 square feet of office space in South Lake Union that will include space for up to 150 employees who want to avoid that Redmond commute. Microsoft also announced two other new work locations in the Pioneer Square area.

Our government is trying to make it more attractive to buy products that make a difference and they’re giving tax credits for doing so. The Energy Policy Act (EPACT) of 2005 encompasses tax credits for

• home improvements
• cars
• solar energy systems
• fuel cells
• home builders
• appliance manufacturers
• commercial buildings

Most of these tax credits remain in effect through 2007 so visit the Energy Star and U.S. Department of Energy websites now for all the details!

The residential community of downtown is growing and those urban dwellers want a full-service grocery store. In February they should find one at 1423 Third Avenue. Kress IGA Supermarket will occupy the 18,000SF basement of the building that for more than 50 years housed department store S.H. Kress & Co.This is brilliant news. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been dawdling or working downtown and wished I could pop into a grocer for one thing or another. There are a couple small specialty grocers in the area but downtown is growing and is hungry for a full-size supermarket. Whole Foods on Westlake Avenue is an awesome full-service market but it’s closer to South Lake Union and quite a ways to walk from downtown for groceries. Pike Place Market is a keeper and remains an interesting maze of shopping delights but it doesn’t have the amenities of a full-service supermarket.

I understand the service area of Kress IGA is quite small, about 1/2 mile in diameter, but in that 1/2 mile live reportedly over 18,000 residents. At least 15 high-rise condos (3000 units) are scheduled for completion by 2009. Those numbers don’t include people who work in the area or those just strolling by.

Because of the demographics, Kress IGA is planning on offering a substantial amount of hot and prepared food items. 40% of their floor space is planned for prepared food items. And Kress IGA will reportedly be offering a good assortment of organics! Well, what kind of self-respecting urban grocery store wouldn’t offer organics? Can I get a witness? 

Be aware, there’ll be no parking. Let me tell you though, that’s a GOOD thing. The last thing any of us need is more congestion downtown. Basically, you portage your items home in your backpack, gym bag, or purse. They will offer the service of delivery in a contained radius of the waterfront to the bottom of Queen Anne Hill to Capitol Hill to Pioneer Square.

Happy shopping!