In my area of south King County, we’d had a number of just wet little snow blizzards that melted about the time the flakes hit the ground. What I didn’t know, was that the worst of the storm was just laughing at me … waiting for me to go back into the house to finish my skeptical blog post.

For my area of the Auburn east hill, snow was late to arrive, but when it did, it was daggone serious. Now, remember you east coasters … we’re talking about the Seattle area here. We don’t get much in the way of snow. We may get a few inches here and there, close the schools for a day, and then melt off. There’s little snow equipment in the area, we live up/down on hills and the snow we do get is typically very very wet. None of that dry fluffy stuff that’s fun to ski … just Seattle “concrete.”

This time around was no exception. After fits and starts, snow really started to fall on Wednesday and it was wet wet wet sticky stuff. Great for making snow sculptures. That sort of thing.

Thursday morning around 7am, the power went out. A quick look outside said that it had snowed a bit more. With accumulations around 8 inches or so after it’d melted off a bit. Bummer—I wanted SNOW!—and an adventure! At my house, situated on a small community well, septic systems, electric heat, it was going to be a cold few hours – outside was around 28 degrees or so.

But, expecting the best and dressing in layers, we were prepared! Flashlights, generator, a full fridge and pantry full of food, bottles of drinking water and a bathtub full of water for the necessary stuff. Bring it on. We were ready.

HAHAHAHAHAAAA

Fast forward to late Thursday … it’s raining. That’s what was predicted. It was going to rain off all of our accumulations. No problem. What the weather folks didn’t know, is that the rain was freezing. Encapsulating everything and accumulating a deadly layer of ice on top of the snow. And it just kept on accumulating. By the time the rain stopped and turn back to snow on Friday, we’d gathered about an inch of solid ice on top of our snow layer. Stuff is falling off the trees everywhere. (Nothing like laying in bed listening … creeeekkkk, screee, schuuuuuckkkkk, CRASH!) Outside, it’s a winter wonderland with ice coating everything.

But then the snow kept on coming … again! Now there was about two inches of snow on top of the ice! Yikes! I had no idea. Friday morning I decided to let the dogs out front to avoid the broken tree mess in our back yard … and immediately after stepping off the porch all four legs splayed out on both dogs. Getting purchase and standing back up was a challenge for them.

By late Friday we were able to actually make it out of our driveway and back to the world and what a mess it was. Downed trees, downed wires, cars in ditches; it was total destruction. No wonder we had no power. Lines were down on both sides of our private road, huge trees laying everywhere.

But real estate calls just kept on coming. My cell phone kept ringing with people looking for houses. So on Saturday I decided to go ahead and make a showing appointment and give it a go. Yikes, what a further mess. Now our feeder road was totally blocked off, with power line trucks guarding the road so no one could get in or out. Lots of yellow caution tape. (Yay!! Maybe they were working on restoring power!) With lots of talking, we were allowed to carefully go around all of the barriers and trees and off to my showing. Only to be stood up by the Buyers. Sigh … but it was a fun adventure!

Here’s a shot of my favorite shade tree during the ice storm … and after. What you can’t see here is the line of tree trunks that are now just sticks. There’s gonna be a lot of tree removal again this year. I’m thinking that Mother Nature decided pruning was necessary so decided to help us get a start at it. We were very very fortunate – no real damage, but sure a lot of destruction. (And I was mighty glad to take a hot shower on Sunday when the power was restored!)

A few years ago I watched as the area was cleared and developed with streets, lights, and playgrounds, and then the real estate economy tanked and the property sat idle … until recently!

Unfortunately, it appears that the folks at MainVue homes have decided not to list their homes on our local MLS. Visiting both their Web and physical sites indicate that several homes have already been sold, model homes are available, and homes are for sale.

Marketing is driven specifically to consumers and Broker/Agent participation appears to be discouraged.

With registration either on the Web or in person, the builder will recognize that a particular client is represented by a Broker, but they’ve certainly not made it easy. Having worked with Quadrant, Soundbuilt, Kendall Homes, Richmond American, and Polygon in the last year, I’m a bit spoiled, apparently. Those folks welcome Brokers and encourage us to be of help to Buyers. I’m afraid that’s not the case at MainVue.

I love working with Builders. I’ve built my business offering outstanding customer service to both Buyers and Sellers. I’ve helped Buyers sell their existing home quickly so that they were able to buy a new construction home. I’ve directed them to financing that was far better than what they were offered by the Builder’s preferred lender. I’ve helped the Buyers actually get the option package that was advertised by the Builder, but then went missing in their Builder contract.

As a transaction progresses, it’s frequently necessary to indulge in a bit of professional and friendly nudging with the Builder to be sure that the Buyer ends up with the home of their dreams, while helping them with all facets of their home buying process. As a new construction homebuyer, you’ll have a lot of questions – at the time you choose your lot, your model and floor plan, and throughout the build. You need someone to look out for your interests. (By the way, Mr. Builder, I also kept Buyers happy, answering their questions, interfacing with your representatives, and keeping them out from underfoot so that you can do your job! You should want to work with me!)

When you’re ready to buy a home at The Bridges, please be sure to use a well-qualified Broker. If you choose to visit The Bridges on your own without your Broker, do so only once, and be absolutely certain those folks know you’ll use your own Broker for your purchase.

I’m delighted to be of service to you … and am happy to represent your purchase of a MainVue home – even if the Builder isn’t excited about working with Broker/Agents.

Be certain you’re well represented during this most important purchase! There’s a lot of money involved and you deserve the best!

My husband, the amateur weatherman, has been obsessively following the build-up to the “Megastorm” of decades, currently predicted for our greater Seattle region. We’ve been watching for days, experiencing a bit of snow here, and a bit of snow there. At our home in east Auburn, so far we’ve accumulated a couple of inches, which largely went away today even through additional flurries of wet heavy snow.

I grew up in Seattle and remember a few good-sized snow storms from my childhood; even one or two while raising our own children. This storm, however, is expected to dump somewhere between 12- and 18-inches in our yard, according to the “Futurecast” radar displayed on one of our local news sites, KIRO7. That’s a significant amount of snow. Significant!

According to AccuWeather, the history of great Seattle snowstorms is as follows:

1. Jan. 5-9, 1880: Est. 36.0″ with 6-foot drifts
2. Jan. 31-Feb. 3, 1916: 33.4″
3. Jan. 26-31, 1969: 30.7″
4. Jan. 12-15, 1950: 26.8″
5. Dec. 23-27, 1965: 14.9″
6. Dec. 30-31, 1968: 13.0″
7. Jan. 23-26, 1972: 12.6″
8. Jan. 25-26, 1950: 12.4″
9. Dec. 26-27, 1974: 9.8″
10. Nov. 20-22, 1985: 9.4″
11. Nov. 27, 1985: 7.6″

Twelve-to-eighteen inches. I’m expecting the roof to be fine, but I’m thinking the tarp-type carport under which we park our riding lawnmower and various “stuffs” to probably take a hit. We’ve brought pellets for the stove into the garage. The chickens are safely ensconced in their coop with plenty of food and water. The dogs are oblivious, but will love it. The cat? Well, we may have to hand-carry him out now and then to visit the kitty potty.

Twelve-to-eighteen inches, followed by rain. It should be exciting!

At least so say the weather stations.

The greater Puget Sound metropolitan area is a unique place when it snows. We’re hilly around here and our typical warm ocean breezes prevent us from getting much in the way of significant snowfall, which means most of the cities and towns in our area have a minimal amount of snow equipment to deal with the mess. We don’t dump a lot of sand or salt on the roads. Some … but not a lot.

Oh sure, once a year or so we get dumped on with a couple or three inches, but then it rains away within the next day or so. I know, I know – you Seattle’ites remember the recent great snowfall of ‘ought eight’ when we had 6+ inches on the ground for a week or so.

It was darned cold out there and the stuff was packed hard on our road. (We happen to live almost at the bottom and no way were we getting out of here.) It was exhilarating! Snowball fights. The dogs romped through the yard like puppies. BIIIGGG snow creatures adorned the yard.

I remember that the Mayor of Seattle got into all sorts of trouble for not arranging to have side streets and a few major hills plowed (as if he could do much about it with the few plows available), and so on. It was chaos out there.

But I love the snow. Snuggling inside with hot cocoa and a good book.

So … just a word to the wise: Beware!! Real estate .. and everything else involving cars … is coming to a screeching halt if we get 1/2” of snow on Sunday. …….

……

……

… of course, then it’ll all start back up again in a day or two and we’ll be raring to go back to work.

Enjoy!

Here’s a quick look at the numbers:

Who says the economy still not improving!? Compare the numbers from 2008!

The next chart compares year end stats:

I’m jazzed! Look at that nice up-tick in closed sales!

So … what sold in Auburn in December?

Traditional sales are creeping up in number …. a really good thing, but equally good is noting that Bank-Owned property sales are also closing, getting some of those low, low priced homes off the market. I expect to see a gain in short sale property closings in 2012 as some of the big banks are finally getting their acts together and realizing that closing on short sales actually keep prices up a bit higher than foreclosing and then dropping the price even further.

One final quick note: remember that sales that close in a given month probably received offers in the previous month … typically about 45 days prior to the date of closing. Unless we’re talking about short sales, of course, which continue to take about 60 days or more to receive bank approval after an offer is presented to them and then another 45 days to close the transaction.

With the number of real estate transactions on the upswing here in the Auburn, WA, south King County, and Pierce County areas, it only makes sense that we’ll also see more short sale transactions.

Around the water cooler, I’m hearing that some real estate brokers are fed up with the lengthy and time consuming process of working with short sale clients and have decided not to work with short sales any longer.

I can sure understand that attitude! Short sales are difficult, at best, and so many short sale listings never manage to close, whether due to unrealistic price expectations on the part of lenders, the physical condition of so many homes, buyers that get tired of waiting and walk away, or lenders that refuse to even look at offers (let alone counteroffer) thus letting a house ultimately go to auction.

Working short sales requires a team of experts that know what they’re doing and can address objections and legal issues as they arise. Agents must know the various programs involved, what the various banks require as far as what and when paperwork must be obtained, and how to counsel their clients. My team of experts, including lawyers, title reps, and escrow officers, know what they’re doing. We’ll be here during this upcoming 2012 year to answer your questions about short selling, listing your home at a price attractive to short sale buyers and to the banks involved in the process.

Call me when you have questions. I’ll do my best to answer them so that you can develop a strategic plan for moving forward – whether that involves short selling your house, keeping it, or allowing it to go through foreclosure.

*photo credit Jeff Turner via Flickr

It’s Spring, which means Farmer’s Markets are “Springing” Up All Over!

I love shopping at local Farmer’s Markets. Just mingling amongst all the fresh produce, the local crafts, and flowers is inspiring. I always come away with the zeal to go home and weed. Or something equally as dirty.

Not to mention, of course, my reusuable shopping bag, full of goodies. Veggies, lettuces, fruits…even an occasional quart of fresh fresh milk. Yummy. We eat really well for a few days after my trip.

Near my home in Auburn, Washington are a few Farmer’s markets worth mentioning. I missed all of the grand openings this year, but I definitely stop by a couple of times a month for goodies!

Here’s the info you’ll need to visit. Click the heading for additional information.

 Auburn International Farmers Market

June 12 to September 25
9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  Auburn Sound Transit Plaza, 23 A St SW

The Auburn International Farmers Market boasts more than 40 vendors offering a variety of fresh locally grown farm-based foods, hand-crafted items, and concession stand that are restaurant-based but feature a home-cooked taste. The 2011 weekly market starts June 12 and runs through September 25. The market will again include free performances, guest chef demonstrations with farm-fresh ingredients, children’s activities, and classes on health, nutrition, and gardening. AIFM 2011 Special Events June 12 Opening Day ceremonies begin at 8:30am June 19 – Sound Transit and Metro Appreciation Day July 10 – Kids Day July 24 – The Dog Days of Summer | Complete with the annual Parade of Market Dogs August 7 – National Farmers Market Week | Vendor Recognition Day September 11 Remembrance Day September 18 – Senior Appreciation Day

Kent Farmers Market, sponsored by the Kent Lions Club

Saturdays, June 4 to September 24
Town Square Plaza — 2nd Avenue &b Smith Street

But give me lots of sparkles and trailing lights and I’m in every time!

So … this is a heads up! It’s time to start planning!

One of the best shows in our area is, without a doubt, hosted by Emerald Downs in Auburn. Combined with the fun and excitement of horse racing, a plate of nachos or garlic fries and a margarita (or two), the day just can’t get much better!

Emerald Downs traditionally puts on the show on the 3rd –- which is good if you also have a tradition of a BBQ and neighborhood bangs on the 4th. My family has attended the show for years. Last year we were joined by our two granddaughters, who absolutely loved it. Much to the chagrin of our son and daughter-in-law, we taught the girls the finer points of making $2 bets on the ponies. They quickly learned how to lose money … although I must admit their “horse picking” skills are far better than mine. They won periodically, where I, with my finely-tuned ability to pick the last place finisher, walked away with nothing but memories. 

Anyway, after spending a few hours walking the grounds, watching the face painters, and standing in line at the bounce house – all while watching the races, of course – the fireworks finally started! The girls plugged their ears and were in absolute awe, as were all of us once again!

Emerald Downs in Auburn is located at:  

2300 Emerald Downs Drive
Auburn, WA 98001-1633

Looks like racing this year starts at 4:30 in the afternoon, with fireworks starting at dark. You’ll need to pay their very reasonable admission if you choose to attend the races – $7 for adults, free for youngsters 17 years old and younger.

Bring blankets and your own goodies, if you like, along with a pocketful of dollar bills so you can place your strategic winner’s bets on the horses, as well.

Oh — And get there early. It’s a busy day and some of the best firework viewing spots fill up early. 

According to an Associated Press article quoted in my local Seattle Times, new home sales so far this year across the nation accounted for just 5% of all sales. Historically, they say, new home sales make up about 15% of all sales.

Around my Auburn, Washington area home, I can count at least 10 new construction developments just starting up. Maybe more than ten if I give it a bit more thought. The point is, around here new construction is selling. Why? Well,  builders are savvy in their marketing and pricing, selling more homes than short sales during this brief snapshot.

Since January 1st, here’s the breakdown of what’s on the market or sold in Auburn, WA by type of sale. Note that new construction closed sales during these last 90 or so days were about 15% of the total — right where we should be, apparently.

What’s also interesting to note is the difference in price between bank-owned homes and all other houses on the market. Gee, do you think banks are dumping prices to get their foreclosed-on home inventory sold?

Interested in new construction? Come to Auburn, Washington. Houses are being built in our area … and selling too!

That’s certainly and admirable goal and one I completely understand. Unfortunately, for most of the greater Seattle/Tacoma area, that can be a bit challenging when compared to the purchase dollars also in the equation. As reported this morning in our local paper, The Seattle Times, Seattle ranks 10th in the nation with the worst traffic according to the 2010 Urban Mobility Report published by the Texas Transportation Institute. Using our public transportation (the Sounder train and our bus services) can make our commutes more pleasant, but realistically, our public transportation is a bit limited. We lag far behind other parts of the nation (I’m thinking Portland!)

Since I’m a native of Seattle, I feel pretty confident in discussing the area … and comfortable when talking about commute times and options. I can tell you that, generally speaking, living to the north of Seattle is a more difficult, longer commute than living in the southern suburbs and cities. Emphasis on the word generally, however.

15-Mile Radius of Home -- and the surrounding areas of my real estate practice -- All about 30-45 minutes away

The commute on Highway 167, which bisects the Renton/Kent/Auburn valley and is the primary north/south connector route to Interstate 5 leading in and out of Seattle and Tacoma , is ugly most days. Both directions.