Joseph Hill

Three fantastic points about the current real estate market:

1. All of the not so good agents and part-timers (idiots!) are getting out of the business
2. Everything is on sale!
3. It IS a good time to sell your home*

*IF you are a young family in a cramped two bedroom condo and just found out that you are expecting twins, THEN it is DEFINITELY a good time to SELL.

*IF you are offered a company relocation to a job that you have wanted for a long time and there is opportunity for growth in the new position, THEN it is DEFINITELY a good time to SELL.

*IF you are in over your head and having a difficult time making your monthly mortgage payment, THEN it is DEFNITELY a good time to SELL.

Bill Virgin, Seattle Times & PI collumnist, has an excellent article about the economic stasis we are all experiencing, published Tuesday November 18th, 2008. The opening words: "We are concerned, and frankly a little perplexed, at the repeated assertions by you, the American consumer, business owner and taxpayer, that we are sending mixed and often comflicting messages about how we want you to behave in order to stop the recession and get the economy moving again."

Bill has hit a nerve that is starting to emerge as the driving force behind much of our current and near future percieved economic strife: FEAR

False

Evidence

Appearing

Real

Now, we all have our personal demons, but this is something very different, and it stems from the ONE THING we can all control in any economic cycle - BEHAVIOR!

You see, how we behave today will have immediate and real effects, and also immediatly, our behaviors will have affects on the future. This is a truism for economic indices and otherwise.

Bill sums up the article: "all we ask is that americans spend, save, reduce debt, take on more debt, lend and invest - simultaneously. What could be clearer than that?"

Between the opening lines and the last words, Bill explains many of the FEAR factors that are rampant right now and how those Fears are causing Americans to behave. (Remember that taking no action is a type of behavior, or action also)

The point is that because it is impossible for anyone anywhere in anytime to do anything other than just one thing at a time, we ALL need to relax; examine our behavior (and the fear associated with it), then we need to analyze our fears till they die in front of us and we can have some control over them! Do this by:

Asking yourself - What is the WORST thing that could/would happen if I...?

- What is the BEST thing that could/would happen if I...?

Then - and this is VERY IMPORTANT - Take ACTION!!! Do something! Create a behavior! It is our behavior that will most realisticaly determine how successful or not we become. Doing anything out of immediate fear is the only wrong thing to do.

I CARE about my clients' varied situations, from needing to downsize in the suburbs and enter the city condo market - to leaving the city condo and upsizing to a suburban house for the new kids. But I cannot analyze your Fears without your involvement. Now more than ever is a time of opportunity. Engage in questions and seek answers, then act on those answers - What is the Best/Worst thing that could happen?

All the investors I know are buying right now - Why are they calling it a BUYERS MARKET if we have such a low volume of transactions, that is, people actually buying? I suspect it is fear. Lets Talk About It!

Have a GREAT Thanksgiving!

Joseph; your Realtor - 206.218.8448

My Core Values:

1 - Live by the 'get by giving' philosophy

2 - Make my client's #1 goal, my #1 goal

3 - Be willing to work toward a common good

4 - Live up to my standards, despite temptations to lower them

5 - Do what I say I will do, sometimes more just never less!

ps - here is the LINK to the Bill Virgin article in its' entire text.

Well, the House is not sold quite yet BUT we are having a GRAND Estate Sale with some exceptional pieces to help our client out. These are all high quality, usable pieces with plenty of life left in them. Don't miss the highly collectable 'Monterey' dining set, or the 'Cribben, Sexton & Co.' Antique Stove! These are RARE Finds indeed!!

The following is just a 'copy & paste' of the words from the photos above to allow Active Rain users & searchers to access this blog more effectively. appologies in advance for the appearance.

Estate Sale 357 29th Ave, List of offerings

Authentic Monterey Branded early California Spanish Revival furniture made by the George Mason Co. in the early 1930s has become VERY COLLECTABLE and is currently soaring in price! We have the following authentic Monterey Branded pieces available!:

Dining Table with 4 extension leafs ($950 separate or $2000 w/ chairs)
Set of six dining chairs w/o arms ($1050 separate or $2000 w/ table)
One Captains dining chair w/arms ($200 separate or included with table & chairs)
Two corner display cabinets ($250 each or $1000 w/corner cabinets)
One buffet/hutch ($750 separate or $1000 w/corner cabinets)
One six drawer dresser ($500)

All of these pieces are BRANDED Monterey, in EXCELLENT Condition. Shipping is available at additional buyer expense.
Call Beatrice at 206.322.6105 to come see these fine pieces for yourself! Terms are cash or cashiers check, payable to Beatrice Farrar. Paypal may be arranged on request.

Authentic Cribben & Sexton Co. Chicago Antique Stove, Empress Universal Model from early 1920’s in EXCELLENT Condition!

Cribben and Sexton Company, Chicago, Illinois
Universal Wood burning stove Made in the 1920’s
6 burners, Oven Compartment, plus ‘toaster’, overhead Storage/Bread Warmer!
ash bin
very little wear
color: Sky Blue, White, and chrome
$2,000/ ALL offers will be heard. (Shipping available at buyer expense)

Call Beatrice at 206.322.6105 to come see these fine pieces for yourself! Terms are cash or cashiers check, payable to Beatrice Farrar. Paypal may be arranged on request.

Miscellaneous quality furniture pieces from the 1960’s and 1970’s. Hendredon, Sorrento, and unknown brands.

Entertainment center with two lights, pull out television/stereo shelf & media storage$250 or best offer
Mahogany coffee table/bench with Slate inlay and two cupboard compartments $125
Small Entry/bedside table w/ drawer and bench $50
Tread Mill $50
Bike Trainer with wind resistance $25
King Size crocheted bedspread $100
Roll top secretary desk with seven drawers and organizing compartments $65
Miscellaneous Linens, Glass objects, Antique Serving pieces available as well from $5

Call Beatrice at 206.322.6105 to come see these fine pieces for yourself! Terms are cash or cashiers check, payable to Beatrice Farrar. Paypal may be arranged on request.

Yesterday I commented on the emerging Sprinkler Workers Strike at The Bravern and Bellevue Towers. Here is a quick update from today's Seattle PI

Today the Headline: Strike Continues to Halt Construction is an update. Apparently the Sprinklers Union began striking on Tuesday July 1st, and is now supported by several other Trade Unions. The main issue is the wages and benefits offered to 'apprentice' Union members. Currently Apprentice members start at around $15 an hour, have no health insurance, no sick or vacation pay, and it takes up to FIVE years to become a full Union member.

The date for United Association of Sprinkler Fitters & Apprentices Local 669 to sit down with developers is next Thursday, July 11th.

Unions are a double edged sword - they clearly provide protections for workers, they also provide the most protection for the most 'senior' workers within the union itself, and this extra protection and benefit structure often comes at the expense of 'junior' or in this case 'Apprentice' members.

The Union representatives are senior union members, they are going to make sure their peers are taken care of before the Apprentices are. The developer just wants the job done well and within a certain budget range. If a union really wants to represent the best possible outcome for the greatest number of its members, it may have to consider the cost it is choosing to impose on Apprentice members and the unfair benefit it bestows on full members.

If our new global competitive marketplace (for construction services, or superconductors, or soybeans) has taught us anything, it surely has taught us that five years for any worker to earn full benefits is way too long - who do you know that has had the same job for over five years?

Unions need to become more flexible, not only to survive in todays market, but also to attract more members and in turn achieve a greater bargaining position.

What do you think about Union representation WITHIN union membership demographics?

Joseph R Hill, Seatlle Bellevue and Kirkland Washington Real Estate Agent and Consultant

Imagine Properties nw, Keller Williams Realty Bellevue

206.734.4741

Hello everyone,

Well it looks like I have been a bad bad Real Estate Agent the past 10 days! No Blog posts, and no showing or previewing appointments. Although I have been on the phone with clients, and emailing daily, the past 10 days have been filled with lots of in-town tourist activities... BUT there is a good reason...

I have three sisters, they all live out of state and have young children. Last week, my mother and one of my sisters - and her three children - all decended on Seattle and my small Leschi / Madrona area home. The little kiddies, ages 6, 4, and 9 months all had never been to the big city before. They wanted to do everything, and that is what we did!

Here is a good, if hurried guide you may want to adapt to your own pace should you have the good fortune to be inundated with relatives looking for a good time in the emerald city with small kids:

• Woodland Park Zoo! The Pink Flamingos may be the newest attraction this summer ...

But the African Safari always Steals the Show!

It is funny what kids will want to do after the zoo - There was sidwalk Chalk to play with, Happy Meals to eat, and the always popular option of the nearest playground... they wanted to run around in the new 'Zoomazium' at the west entrance to the zoo! This is a great little facility all indoors with faux 'eggs' that kids can build around each other, a 'hiking trail' complete with caves and aquariums! And of course a giant 'Tree' that has a slide going down the middle of it. Note to parents: Your kids will probably have more fun in the Zoomazium than at the actual Zoo...

• Seattle Aquarium! The touchable tide pools will entertain and delight youngsters for HOURS..

Just be aware that the exit to the aquarium has become very 'Disneyesque' You MUST walk through the gift shop to get out - Danger - !

• Argosy Cruises! The Harbour cruise was a first for me - this 45 minute jaunt is a GREAT RESTING OPPORTUNITY for tired shoulders that have had toddlers hanging on them from the hours in the aquarium, and the views are arguably the best that can be had of Downtown, Sculpture Park, and Harbor Island. Lots of picture opportunities

• Space Needle! Alrighty, so to be honest the kids really couldn't care less about this fabulous structure, or the views from the top, but the LOVED the new interactive computer screens that have cameos of every day Seattleites doing what they do best, hanging out on Alki, Walking downtown, Playing at Madison Beach... Go check out whats new, and by the way, with all the construction in Downtown Seattle, the Skyline will look new to you also

• Pacific Science Center! Ok, Ok, so I didn't know what to expect about the Science Center for small kids. The only things I had previously done at the Center were IMAX movies... but WOW there is a TON of interactive displays and fun things that kids could literally spend the entire day just wandering around 'discovering' stuff. Right now they have an exhibit called 'SPEED' it was too technical for the age group of my visitors, but I really enjoyed it - and learned something! -We are all, always, moving at the speed of light- Really! Ask me about it sometime...

OK, so we did all the obligatory things to do in Seattle on a first visit. But we did not go to Pike Place Market because the kids would just not care. And we DID go to the new Madison Valley park to play Four times!!!!

Kids are fun to have around, but I would probably not make the best parent. I really look up to my sisters for the decision they have made to stay at home and care for thier children. Mothering is definitely the HARDEST job around!

So, Thank you MOM, Thank you Anna, Thank you Katie, Thank you Ashley, and Thank you Sterling for such a fun filled week. I miss you so much already.

Now back to work! (its ok, I love what I do!)

Been to one of these Seattle landmark institutions? What are some take-aways you experienced?

joseph

206.734.4741

What does it mean to 'WALK' in a neighborhood? What about 'Walkability'? Depends on why your walking... Seattles new Walkscore.com website allows users to log on and type in an address, and get an instant 0-100 score for the neighborhood 'walkability'. Here is a general map from todays Seattle Pi that showcases the walkable trends in Seattle.

I like the idea of this site. Addresses are considered 'walkable' based on relative proximity to services. Walkscore uses public information available from Google searches for restaurants, bars, grocery stores, etc and overlays them in proximity to the address you type in.

There are some serious weaknesses in this approach...

My home is located just two blocks east of Marting Luther King Blvd and one block south of Cherry St. Officially I am in Leschi, however the neighborhood is much more like the Central District first and Madrona Second, with Leschi being a distant 10 blocks away (at least the businesses in Leschi)

When I plugged in my address on Walkscore.com this morning I was surprised to see it rated a 72 out of 100 for walkablilty, on thier scale that is near the top for walkable neighborhoods.

I don't walk my neighborhood - Where would I go?

Walkscore has me going to LOTS of places - mostly Ethiopian restuarants between two and 5 blocks away, a couple of ethnic grocery stores, and the Red Apple at Jackson and 23rd is considered walkable.

Two things give me pause here.

1 - If I walk to any of these places - what do I have to walk past... It matters!

2 - The grocery store is a brisk 10 minutes walk away, and that is empty handed without heavy cartons of milk and cheese to lug back home!

Madrona restuarants such as St. Cloud, Cremant, and Madrona Bar & Ale House I WOULD consider walkable - mostly because the experience of getting there by foot is MUCH more pleasant than that of walking to the Red Apple...

All I am saying here is that location matters - and in the city, location changes very quickly - often from one block to the next. Your REALTOR should ask you lifestyle questions and engage you in a conversation about what is most important to you in a neighborhood.

One of the (I Feel) missleading objectives walkscore.com is to help you become less car-dependent, well maybe. But according to Walkscore.com, the Western edge of Magnolia - all along the Puget Sound waterfront in Ballard up to Shilshole and Golden Gardens is considered Car Dependant. If you have ever walked these neighborhoods you know that these are some of the most scenic and well maintained neighborhoods in the entire City. Again, what you walk through matters.

I suggest Walkscore.com ask thier visitors to create profiles for each visitor by asking them questions to determine what is important to walk to in thier neighborhood. One persons 100% walkable neighborhood is another persons Club Crazed Pioneer Square!

Comments welcomed,

joseph

206.734.4741