We Are On the Move!
September 4th, 2009
- We’re on the move
Bothell Coug’s are back! Go Cougs!
September 4th, 2009Now any of you who are reading this and know me-know that I am not much of a sports fan. I have a hard time even recognizing most sporting equipment. But, I have lived in Bothell long enough (20 years) to know that the Bothell Cougs are special. I have lost track of the homecoming games I have attended at Pop Keeney field. It is sort of the thing to do if you live in Bothell. It is almost like being transferred back in time to when small towns went all out for their local football heros.
(Bothell still does)There are celebrations in advance, parades, wearing of the colors (blue, white, & black), signs go up in businesses and homes, and Main St. is decorated in the school colors.
So sport’s fan or no, I love the Cougs! It is so much fun to bundle up as fall starts rolling in, and go watch the game at Bothell’s Pop Keeney Field. The field itself is located in the heart of downtown Bothell and on game night you can see the lights shining all over town. We try to get there early to get a covered seat (home team only) and a decent parking space, and then we pass through the gates,buy our hot chocolate, and hot dogs and snuggle up with the other several hundred people (many of who we know) to watch the game. Of course, the kids are a show in themselves the sit in the north end of the covered stands for the home team and are constantly moving, socializing, screaming, cheering, etc.
The band provides half time entertainment and the cheerleaderskeep everyone on their toes. Win or lose, (though the Coug’s normally win) it’s great fun. It is part of the change of seasons, and it is part of living in Bothell. Bothell football is sort of like a giant “Bothell Family Reunion” as was reported in the Seattle Times.
This is just one more reason that Bothell is such a great place to live.
If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Bothell let me know.
Thanks,
Judy
Bothell’s RiverFest Photo Contest
August 28th, 2009
Bothell is celebrating our great town with the 9th annual “River Fest”on Sunday, August 30th from 10:00am through 3:00pm in the downtown area. There will be car shows, artist and craft booths, music and more. This year I am going to have the first ever “River Fest” photo contest. When you are out and about enjoying the festivities take pictures! Send them to me via email, and we will award prizes to the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place winners! By sending the pictures to me you will be granting me permission to publish them on bestofbothellundressed. 1st prize wins a $20.00 gift card to “The Lyon’s Den” coffee house. 2nd prize is $10.00 gift certificate, and 3rd prize is $5.00 gift certificate. All photos will be posted on our site. Enjoy RiverFest and show off your photography of Bothell.
As always, if you are looking to buy or sell real estate in Bothell- give me a call.
Judy
206-276-3289- judygratton@judygratton.com
Some optimism for Bothell real estate & beyond
August 21st, 2009i just read this interesting article from Reuters & thought I’d share it with you.
Pace of U.S. existing home sales fastest in 2 years
By Lucia Mutikani
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Sales of previously owned U.S. homes jumped 7.2 percent in July to mark the fastest sales pace in nearly two years, an industry survey showed on Friday, in a strong sign that housing is pulling out of a three-year slump.
Sales in July rose for the fourth straight month to hit an annual rate of 5.24 million units, the highest rate since August 2007, the National Association of Realtors said, beating market expectations for a 5 million unit pace. Sales in June had been at a 4.89 million pace.
July’s increase was the largest monthly gain since the series started in 1999. The last time sales rose for four consecutive months was in June 2004, the NAR said.
The Realtors group heralded the July sales as a turning point, while some observers offered a more cautious view.
“The housing market has decisively turned for the better. We are bouncing back,” NAR chief economist Lawrence Yun told reporters.
“Overall, these figures may suggest that the recovery in housing activity is gathering pace, but there is a long way to go yet,” said Paul Dales, U.S. economist at Capital Economics in Toronto.
U.S. stock indexes rallied on the data, with the Dow Jones industrial average up 1.5 percent in mid-morning, and home builders posted hefty gains. Pulte Homes Inc was up 3.5 percent, while D.R. Horton Inc gained 4.3 percent.
Luxury home builder Toll Brothers Inc was up 3.3 percent. A broader measure of home construction stocks was up 3.4 percent to 293.28 after the housing data.
Treasury debt prices fell as investors viewed the data as another indication that the recession that started in 2007 was close to an end, if not over.
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, speaking at a gathering of central bankers and top economists in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, said prospects for a resumption in global economic growth after a deep contraction looked good “in the near term.
MULTI-FAMILY DWELLINGS LEAD SALES GAINS
Compared to July last year, sales rose 5.0 percent. The improvement in sales in July was broad based with single-family home sales rising 6.5 percent to an annual rate of 4.61 million units and multi-family dwellings surging 12.5 percent to a 630,000 unit rate.
Still, high unemployment threatens the budding recovery as many homeowners continue to lose their properties, and some economists question the sustainability of the economic recovery many see taking root.
A report from the Mortgage Bankers Association on Thursday showed late home loan payments jumped to a record high in the second quarter, with almost one in eight homeowners delinquent or in the process of foreclosure.
The inventory of existing homes for sale in July rose 7.3 percent to 4.09 million units from the previous month, NAR said. At July’s sales pace, that represented a 9.4 months’ supply, the same as in June.
The national median home price was $178,400 in July, down 15.1 percent from the same period last year, weighed down by distressed sales as they typically sell for 15 to 20 percent less than traditional homes.
(Additional reporting by Nick Zieminski in New York; editing by Leslie Adler)
Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
If you have questions about buying or selling real estate, give me a call
Thanks
Judy Gratton
206-276-3289
Bothell Home Prices Can Fall Because of Neighbors!
August 7th, 2009
Ready to sell
You’ve decided to sell your home in Bothell. You are excited because you’ve watched other homes similar to yours sell for what you consider to be a good price. You have diligently taken care of your home and feel it capable of fetching a price at the higher end of the spectrum. You put it on the market with a savvy Realtor who has a great marketing strategy and it sits there. . . People drive by, take flyers, but keep going. What could possibly be wrong? A few agents show your home. Their feedback– “It’s a great home. My clients really liked it, but they couldn’t stand looking at the mess across the street.” Eventually you get an offer, but it is much less than you expected. The mess across the street, or next door, cost you a bundle. I have worked with many home sellers who have suffered from just such a scenario. What can you do? An article in the Seattle Times this last Sunday got me thinking about that.
This is a really difficult situation. If you live in a neighborhood with an active Homeowner’s Association you can go to them to get Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions violations resolved.
However, the best place to start may be a friendly conversation with your neighbor. Explain that you are about to put your home on the market and would like to put the best foot forward for the entire neighborhood. Explain that if you get a higher price for your home, it could affect the value of their home when they decide to sell. If they are the type who aren’t too argumentative that may be all it takes. Think about their position. They may not be physically or financially capable of any improvement. You could offer to help. (But, don’t go on their property and do anything without their permission. That’s TRESPASSING). If they are agreeable, do what you can to spiffy up the home. Curb appeal is huge in real estate.
But what if you live next door to the Munsters or their cousins? They may not see any problem, or they may be combative and refuse to do anything just to spite you. Then what?
According to a recent MSNBC episode here are 9 things you can do:
How to handle bad neighbors
If you have nasty neighbors, here are some failsafe strategies:
1. Call ahead and pick a time to talk.
2. Meet on the sidewalk or on the property line.
3. Don’t accuse; let them know how the problem bothers you and suggest ways to solve it together.
4. If that doesn’t work, check out local noise and disturbance ordinances and write a personal letter. Offer a solution.
5. Consult your condo or block association. Ask them to send a standard letter citing the ordinance or by-law. A condominium association’s right of first refusal is a little-known clause that can be used to buy your neighbor out.
6. Should that fail, call your local precinct. Keep a record of your complaint.
7. Call in an expert mediator. (To find a mediator, check with your local courthouse, police precinct, or bar association).
8. As a last resort, file a complaint in court.
9. For the property-line fanatic, walk the property line together to determine what belongs to whom; consider having the property surveyed to nip the problem in the bud.
Based on the Seattle Times article one of the final steps is to contact the City Code Enforcement office to see if your neighbor is violating any codes. The City of Bothell Code Enforcement Officer is currently Debbie Blessington. But, you may find that although the home is an eyesore, its owners aren’t breaking any codes.
This can be a particularly tough situation. A good Realtor will do what they can to help. But, educating neighbors and neighborhoods to the importance of maintenance as a financial gain can prevent some instances of nasty neighbors.
If you are thinking of buying or selling a home in Bothell or anywhere in North King or South Snohomish Counties, give me a call. I would love to help!
It’s hot in Bothell!
July 27th, 2009
It’s hot in Bothell and everywhere else in our region right now. If you are like me, and many other people around here we don’t have air conditioning, and just aren’t used to this hot weather.
I got to thinking about the heat and how to stay cool in Bothell. I found this great article “How to Cool Yourself Without Airconditioning” on Wikihow. Do you know that you can actually stay cooler by covering up in some cases?
I was recently down in Southern California where it was almost as hot as it is in Bothell right now, and I was surprised to see several people had discovered a new use for those handy old Bumpershoots (aka umbrellas)they used them for shade! So if you have to go out you might consider digging out the old umbrella.
Staying cool is really a serious situation for people of all ages, and animals too. There is always a risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Some medications can contribute to heat stroke such as Antihistamines and amphetamines. Check with your doctor to see if you are taking any medication that could cause problems with heat or sunlight.
Petsare as susceptible to heat problems as we humans. Don’t leave them outside without some shade and plenty of water. Of course never leave them in a car.
The most important thing that anyone can do to stay cool is drink water, plenty of water. The next best thing is to get somewhere cool. Bothell has plenty of places where you can go to cool off. How about going for a swim at the Northshore Pool or the Bothell YMCA. You could see what’s going on at the Northshore Senior Center, or The Bothell King County Library. Bothell has even set up local cooling centers for this heat spell. So whatever you do “Keep Cool”!
Oh by the way, if you are looking to buy or sell a home with or without air conditioning- give me a call.
Thanks,
Judy Gratton
206-276-3289
Bothell’s Student of the Month for July
July 15th, 2009
- Greater Bothell Chamber Luncheon
The Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce had another interesting luncheon last Wednesday, July 8th at the Courtyard Hall in Country Village. We had a great group of business leaders attending and the guest speaker was Steve Brown, CEO of Evergreen Healthcare. He was speaking about health care now and in the future. Our sponsors for this luncheon were the Beaumont Apartments of Woodinville.
As always the Chamber recognizes a student from our area who has worked hard. In the summer we have the pleasure of recognizing a student from Cascadia Community College. This month our student is Sara Rahmani. Sara was presented by Linda Hendrickson, Executive Director of Advancement for Cascadia. She briefly told us of Sara’s accomplishments and hard work including her high grade point average and willingness to participate in school activities. Sara started her college career with aspirations of being a veterinarian, but now intends to focus her degree in areas where she can help people. She hopes to join the Peace Corpsafter graduating. Currently she volunteers at a senior living facility. It is wonderful to meet such a caring young woman. We wish her great luck in the future.
Sara’s attendance was sponsored by Darci Wittke-Oliver with Cascadia Senior Living, and she received her award and gift certificates from Shannon’s Flowers, and Alexa’s Garden Cafe and of course the “Best of Bothell” baseball cap from me, Judy Gratton!
Sarah and the crew from Cascadia!
Thanks,
Judy
P.S. If you are interested in buying or selling a home or condo in Bothell, or South Snohomish County-give me a call! 206-276-3289
Bothell’s 4th of July fun goes on and on!
July 11th, 2009
Bothell celebrates the Independence of the USA for more than just a day. The city starts the celebration the night before with a dance at the Bothell Landing. This year we were entertained by the band Dance Factory. It was a great evening, clear and warm, and everyone bogeyed down to the great tunes. Everyone had fun, even our furry friends!
I love this park, the Burke Gilman Trail is right there you can walk over to Main Street for some retail therapy or a great meal. The museum and historic buildings are really interesting and there’s always something fun going on.
On the actual 4th of July everyone starts the day with the free pancake breakfast at the downtown Bothell Fire Station. Then we all scramble to get a good seat for the Annual Bothell 4th of July Parade. It starts with the Children’s Parade, where kids get to decorate their “rides” and strut their stuff down Main Street. Then comes the main parade with bagpipes, floats, marching bands, cheerleaders, dancers, and the famous “Seafair Pirates”. There is something for everyone including loads of candy! We have attended this parade every year for over 16 years! Then for the history buffs there is the reenactment of the battle of Concord by our “Brits” and “Colonists”. (Of course we all know who will win! More dancing and fun at the Bothell landing in the evening really rounds out the event.
It’s just another reason Bothell is a great place to live.
So if you are looking for Homes in Bothell-give me a call.
Thanks,
Judy Gratton
Art’s alive in Bothell!
July 2nd, 2009What can one do on a sunny summer day in Bothell? How about taking a bike ride on the Burke Gilman Trail to the Bothell Landing for a little artistic enjoyment? Well this last weekend I followed the crowd to the LiveARTS Bothell Festival
The LiveARTS Bothell Festival continues a 35-year tradition of arts in our community with a juried art exhibit,artisan booths, live entertainment, food and fun. Truly a community event with an all-volunteer staff, This year’s LiveARTS Bothell festival brought thousands of people to the Park at Bothell Landing to enjoy the sunshine, art, music, and food and to raise awareness and dollars for local arts causes. this year LiveARTS was affiliated with the NorthWest Art Alliance ‘Art Ride‘. Folks biked along the Burke Gilman trail and enjoyed the beautiful sights, the arts, music and the food. This year also featured a ‘kids corner’ where kids celebrated the natural beauty of our area by making their very own art. 
There was a performance stage with lots of local talent including the Ceda Steel band, a local group of kids playing steel drums.
Steel drum band
The Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce was busy selling their first cookbook “Bothell’s Best Bites“. Link on the Chamber above for information on still getting your copy,(check out the Wasabi White Chicken Chile).
Greater Bothell Chamber of Commerce
So, this was a great way to spend a sunny summer day in Bothell. But, you missed it. So just click on the link below for more events this summer that make it so much fun to live in Bothell.
http://www.pnwlocalnews.com/north_king/bkn/entertainment/48269112.html Thanks to the Bothell Kenmore Reporter.
Whatever you do I hope you enjoy living in Bothell as much as I do. If you have any questions regarding Bothell home sales please give me a call.
Thanks,
Judy Gratton, 206-276-3289
Hot summer for home sales predicted!
June 3rd, 2009I just recently read an article directed towards realtors preparing for a turn in our market. I found it very interesting. The article was written by Bob Cocoran for Broker Agent Social and it referred to an up turn in the real estate market, especially in terms of first time home buyers. The NAR (National Association of Realtors) announced that over 53% of home sales came from first time buyers in March of this year
Why? Well first timers have plenty of incentives. Of course there is the $8,000 tax credit in the stimulus bill for first-time buyers that earn less than $75000 ($150,000 for couples).
Next, there are the super low interest rates and extraordinarily low home prices (the average cost of an existing home is about $20,000 less than a home listed during 2008). Then add the fact that first-time buyers dont’ have a home to sell and you can see the motivations.
The next thing he discussed was just who those first-time homebuyers were. According to Quantcast, a research company in San Francisco first-time home buyers look like this:
-58 percent female
-41 percent are between 18 and 34 (59 percent are 35 and older)
-62 percent are Caucasian (26 percent African-American, 7 percent Asian and 4 percent Hispanic).
Now how does that fit in to the Bothell real estate market?
Real Estate Statistics for Bothell.
Based on sta
tistics for the NWMLS( our multiple listing service) this is how our market in 98021, 98011, and 98012 looked for the month of May:
Current homes for sale:430 Current Median list price: $402,950 (That is halfway between the lowest and highest priced home)
Current # of homes under contract: 105
Current homes sold in last 30 days: 47
Average % of list to sold price: 96%
Average Number of Days on the market: 115
First-time home buyers in our area are looking in the $350,000 range and under. There are currently 123 homes listed up to $350,000 in our area. So, if we are seeing a lot of activity in that area, we can also anticipate activity in higher price ranges as some of those sales make a move up.
In conclusion I believe that our Bothell homes for sale will catch a good deal of the summer sales activity from the first-time home buyers based on our average pricing under $410,000.
If you are interested in finding out if your home would sell this summer or you are interested in taking advantage of the incredible opportunity to buy a home in Bothell or anywhere in our area contact me.
Thanks,
Judy Gratton
Ps. If you are interested in buying or selling other items in Bothell check out www.bothellbulletinboard.com.
