Powell Homes resale property available in Bryn Mawr/Lakeridge neighborhood

Posted on December 19, 2008 by Reba Haas

Excellent Powell Homes view property resale only 4 years young!

Main Photo

Location: Bryn Mawr

Nearly new Powell Homes house with lake views from master. Great room concept living spaces are perfect for entertaining and everyday living. This home is only 4 years young! Modern style living with some elegant touches is what you’ll find inside this update on a Craftsman style. Built on a small footprint lot with easy care landscaping means low maintenance living for today’s busy lifestyles. Buyer Bonus of $6,000 if closed before Jan. 31st, 2009!!

Photo Gallery

Living room with gas fireplace View from master bedroom 5-piece master bath One of 4 bedrooms Hallway full bath Master bedroom with big views Great room concept living area Large kitchen open to great room

Information

Contact Information

Rebecca Haas

425-970-3697

Pricing

Price: $399,950

Additional Pricing Information: Buyer Bonus of $6,000 toward closing costs if contract closes prior to January 31, 2009.

Property Location

11541 80th Ave S
Seattle, WA 98178

Links

Virtual Tour

Team Reba

Features

Bedrooms: 4

Bathrooms: 2.5

Parking Spaces: 2

Year Built: 2004

Subdivision: Bryn Mawr

Lot Size: 3299

Square Footage: 2200

Agent Name: Team Reba

Broker: RE/MAX Metro Realty

MLS #: 28196626

Attributes

Appliances

Range/Oven

Full Refrigerator

Washer/Dryer

Dishwasher

Sink Disposal

Microwave

Interior Amenities

Fireplace

Hardwood Floors

Vaulted Ceilings

5-pc master bath

Great room

Exterior Amenities

Patio

Lake and Mountain view

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

VFLYER ID: 2128100

All information in this site is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed and is subject to change

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Frith Barbat on eco-friendly textiles and “the rest of the story….”

Posted on December 7, 2008 by Reba Haas

I’ve been involved in Biznik, an online and in-person business networking forum since about April of this year. I’ve been meeting some interesting people and toward the beginning of this month I attended my first “Greenies” business meeting. We’re a group within a group at Biznik in that this is a group of eco-friendly focused business owners, with many selling eco-friendly products or, like me, working with eco-minded clients. I’ve just started a working relationship with a level 3 Built Green builder and I’m hoping to help bring even more to the table with my education on “green” practices within my industry and perhaps provide staging materials that are more earth friendly.

But, to get to the heart of today’s post in a timely manner, I want to introduce one of my fellow “Greenies”, Frith Barbat, a lady who is an interior designer as well as organic textile sales representative. She wrote a very informative article on organic textiles that I think is really worth getting out into the blogosphere. So, without further ado, here it is:

Organic textiles – the rest of the story

Your organic cotton sheets are kind to your skin and your conscience. And the organic process that grew the cotton was kind to the earth. But have you ever wondered what happened at the textile mill? Was the rest of the story organic? It’s a question few ask.Textile mills process the cotton, linen, hemp, bamboo or wood fibers into yarn that is woven into fabric. There are over a dozen steps along the way that use copious amounts of water and chemicals. Some of the chemicals are benign, but most are not. There are heavy metals and organochlorines used in dyeing, phthalates used in printing, sulfuric acid used in fiber softening, formaldehyde, and PBDE fire-retardants, and others. Some of these have an immediate effect on the health of people and critters near the mill, but as these chemicals spread through waste water and volatile fumes, the larger ecosystem is affected as well. Once the fabric enters your home, the residual chemicals can abrade off, for you to inhale, ingest or absorb through your skin. Virtually every human organ system is susceptible to damage by one or other of these chemicals – from benign skin irritation all the way up to cancer, leukemia, heart disease, sterility and miscarriage. Chemicals like PBDEs and phthalates are particularly disturbing. PBDEs accumulate in the environment, concentrating up the food chain in fatty tissue, where they mimic natural hormones in our bodies, causing birth defects, miscarriages, cancers, reproductive abnormalities, low numbers of boy babies being born, and low sperm counts – in humans, not just animals. Phthalates are used in printing inks and to soften plastics (often in toys). They are an animal carcinogen, and cause asthma, allergies and liver damage in humans. And scientists now suspect that low doses of phthalates can be toxic to fetuses, especially to the reproductive systems of male embryos. California has banned them in children’s toys, but they continue to be used to print textiles, including clothing and bed sheets. Ask yourself – if you don’t want your child chewing on a toxic toy, what about sleeping on those cute printed bed sheets all night?

Cleaning up the milling process is hard both monetarily and mentally, but there are mills that have taken up that challenge. Textile production is the leading industrial polluter of water on the planet (second only to agriculture overall). In India alone, 425,000,000 gallons of untreated water is released from textile mills every day. Treating the water requires removing or neutralizing chemicals, restoring the correct pH, and cooling it, adding to the cost of the finished cloth. Standards that are safe and clean for the environment, mill-workers and you, from growing to processing to your home, are important. We can support these efforts by looking for and purchasing textiles that are third-party certified. GOTS, Cradle to Cradle and SMART are good certifications to look for. You’re more likely to find these on fabrics bought through a design professional, but don’t forget your purchasing power. Tell retailers what you want – be ahead of the curve!

Keep in mind in the previous post that TREADLight (also a Biznik Greenie) has organic cleaning products, which I believe include fabric detergents. If you’re going to buy organic textiles, then keeping the products fresh with organic cleaners is a must.

To learn more about Frith Barbat, her interior design practice and the organic textile products that she represents, go to the following links:

http://www.barbatdesign.com

http://www.oecotextiles.com

http://www.livetextiles.com

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It’s a Miracle!!!! No, it’s Miracle Method…

Posted on October 21, 2008 by Reba Haas

A couple of clients of mine have been introduced to this company that does glazing/refinishing of tile and bathtubs. I became aware of this type of product when I bought my first house back in 1996 or so. A different company was used at the time, but the process is basically the same. Old, dated tile or ceramic coated products could be glazed over with a neutral color to help update a home’s kitchen or bath. In my own case, our remodel including covering a pink tub and a bunch of pink tile in a bathroom, we had it all glazed white. A BIG improvement!

Here is an example of a client’s home where I recommended the glazing when the client’s budget didn’t accommodate stepping up to a stone countertop as part of our upper tier Concierge Services for staging:

Before – dated tile and dark grout made for a dreary and dark kitchen.

After – freshly glazed tile lightens things up and gives focus to the new cooktop and reflects the updated under cabinet lighting.

I really liked the final look of the Miracle Method product. It’s not the same as new tile and it requires slightly different maintenance but if you’re looking to get a better looking surface for selling, or if you moved in to a place and don’t have a big budget to remodel with – it’s worth checking out. My contact at Miracle Method is Tyler Murphy; he and his brother own their own franchise and cover much of King County. He can be reached at 425-591-8652 or by email at tmurphy@miraclemethod.com.

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October 2008 newsletter online

Posted on October 1, 2008 by Reba Haas

Here is a link to my “October Real Estate Update” which is our monthly newsletter for clients and friends who are interested in the local and national real estate market.This Newsletter is full of interesting and useful information that I think you will enjoy whether you are a buyer, seller, homeowner, or renter.This month’s issue includes topics such as:

“Five Key Areas to Pay Attention to When Buying a Home”;
“Deploy A Strategic Assault On Your Mortgage Application”;
“Too Much To Store and Too Little Space”;
“Finding Discounted Homes For Sale”;
“Ten Fall Maintenance Tips”;
“Understanding Your Electrical System Can Help You Spot Problem Areas”;

Plus a roundup of September real estate activity as well as much more advice and information.

I hope you enjoy this monthly newsletter. If you have any comments, please e-mail them to me. Or, if you would like to see a certain topic covered in future months, let me know that too!

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I totally get why older condo buildings tend to have mostly younger inhabitants

Posted on September 17, 2008 by Reba Haas

No, I’m not saying “I’m old” because I just turned 40 last month. Rather, I’m feeling pretty good that I’m still in mostly good physical shape for my age and that I don’t have blown out knees or ankles like some of my friends from volleyball. The reason I’m feeling pretty good about that is due to the large number of stairs I’ve been up and down today as we de-staged a 3 story townhome and then carried the majority of the same furniture and “dressings” up to the 3rd story of a condo we are staging to go on market by Friday.

The continual up and down would be tough for anyone who’s joints are starting to get arthritis or have been damaged due to sports or other injury inducing activities. Those clients that look for elevators find themselves limited sometimes by the inventory that the Seattle/Bellevue and general King County area has available since many of the older condos and apartments (1960′s/1970′s) don’t have these built in to their, typically, lower slung buildings. Today’s high rise condos always have elevators, but they tend to have a high price tag to go with them since construction costs today have gone up, impacting the builder’s pricing structure to make a decent profit.

As a seller, you really have to think about who you are marketing your home to. So, it makes sense to stage your home in a way that will appeal to the right demographic that you think will be your end result buyer. In the case of this condo, we’re putting in some sleek styled furniture but adding in some antique-ish pieces to make it not overly “match-y, match-y” and to reflect the up and coming nature of the buyer we expect will be looking at this property as a new home.

For now though I will be happy to have a strong set of legs that get me by pretty well…. they’re getting more workout tonight too as we complete the staging work for tomorrow’s shoot…

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Comments on listing photos I’ve recently come across both good and bad

Posted on September 3, 2008 by Reba Haas

Ok, so the first one is something I find very cool. It is of a wine cellar space in an older home. I’m a big fan of the slightly curved wood being used for storage of the cases of wine and I also like the little plank sticking out of each space that allows for an upright bottle of whichever vintage is being stored. Granted, you might feel more limited in mixing bottles in each section, but cellars are always changing over inventory.

The next shot is one that convinces me, yet again, that I love Scott Chytil of Chytil Photography as my “go to” guy for listing photos. He would NEVER let this happen!!!!

Hello Mr./Ms. Photographer! I think we can see where you may be standing for this shot. This would never get approved by me and we’d be having a little edit job completed before using it in a series of photos for our listings. If you were the seller, would you be pleased with this photo? I don’t think so.

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New Chancellor style 5+ bd/2.25 ba home in Kirkland listed

Posted on August 18, 2008 by Reba Haas

This fantastic Chancellor home has incredible space for the price. With 3220 sqft of space encompassing 5+ bedrooms, an office, bonus room, and extra finished room you’ll love it. Thoughtful built-ins help maximize the space you get and keep clutter at bay. Easy access to transit and commuting options make this a fantastic place to call home. (Metro buses 236 to downtown Kirkland and 257 to downtown Seattle come by within a half block.)

Relax in the large back yard on the deck, or shoot some hoops and then ease your muscles in the hottub. You can’t go wrong with this home! To make it even more relaxing, there is a 1-year basic American Home Shield home warranty that is available to the buyer at closing to help cover the appliances and systems in the home.

A slideshow of all the photos is available here. A total of 17 photos to be exact showing all the rooms of the house except for the garage interior and laundry room. There is an eat-in kitchen with space for a couple of barstools and/or a kitchen table for more informal dining.

The home is located near Totem Lake, where Evergreen Hospital is growing by leaps and bounds and it is also near one of the first Trader Joe’s in Washington. Lots of local amenities and there is a community pool you’ll have access to as well. Better get busy before Labor Day weekend if you want to enjoy it this year! Local park & ride nearby makes the possibilities of reducing your carbon footprint easier. Easy access to Eastside companies and employment centers(Bothell, Bellevue, Redmond) such as Microsoft, Expedia, and Overlake Hospital.

We’ve even got a great offering from Eric Aasness (one of our co-contributors) that if you use his office for the financing portion, they’ll offer 1% of the loan amount toward your closing costs! With 10% down, the loan amount will still be under the new, temporary increased level of conforming loan limits – which is $567,500.

Come swing by and take a look for yourself!

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Magnificent Mid-Century Modern at Seward Park on the market…

Posted on August 6, 2008 by Reba Haas

Team Reba presents a new listing of a classic 1950′s style home in the Seward Park neighborhood of Seattle. It’s modern neighbor was featured in this past week’s Pacific Northwest Magazine in the Seattle Times which was built on land formerly a part of this dwelling’s land parcel.

Our listing has many sought after, yet hard to find, features such as: Two (2) Master bedrooms, Universal Design features, 2 kitchens (actually what could be 2 full living quarters and was previously used in this fashion), expansive views of Lake Washington in a serene setting, large lot, and environmentally conscious features such as broad overhangs for passive cooling, ceramic tile roof, and large windows for wonderful natural lighting. In addition to these features you’ll find numerous outdoor sitting areas, ample parking space besides a 2-car garage, and an elevator between the 2 floors.

See some of photos of this wonderful property below or check out all the photos at our slideshow:

Front of home with circular driveway which supplies excellent additional parking for guests. Here you can see the tile roof which is original to the structure. Roof products of this kind typically require a substantial structure to support their weight – this is a very solid home!

This view from the northeast corner of the home shows the layout of the walk-out daylight basement – the slope of the site allows for a very open and bright lower living area along with providing fantastic views of Lake Washington and Seward Park from both levels of the home. It also represents the true size of the home with its 4410 square feet of space.

Gleaming oak hardwoods flow throughout the main level spaces including the dining area, sunken living room, office, family room, kitchen, hall and the 3/4 bath. Deck and patio areas off each level allow for many entertaining opportunities.

Wood cabinetry, stainless appliances including double wall Viking ovens, 2 Miele dishwashers (for the serious entertainer) and tile countertop with a new cooktop in the main level kitchen. The large stainless refrigerator is just out of view to the left of the photo. Space is available for an eat-in kitchen and there are bountiful cabinets and pantry spaces. Note the glass case ahead for displaying favorite art pieces. Upper halogen lighting casts a beautiful glow on glass artworks.

The family room adjacent to the kitchen area enjoys the same magical views as the rest of the living areas and provides secondary access to the deck. This is also the area for entry to the 2-car garage. An alternate staircase passes between the garage and the lower level of the home to provide covered parking for each living space, if necessary.

To see the two master bedrooms, 2nd kitchen and other spaces of the home, please visit the slideshow which will have additional details about the house and its amenities.

Proudly offered at $1,410,000

Serious inquiries by pre-approved or qualified buyers only. NWMLS# 28131238.

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Snoqualmie Ridge listing has lots of upgrades… and lots of room

Posted on July 28, 2008 by Reba Haas

We recently went on market with a beautiful Murray Franklyn resale home out in the Snoqualmie Ridge area. It’s a lovely home with a sophisticated color palette. The home has 4 bedrooms (all with closet organizers), a gorgeous 5 piece master bath and walk in closet, 2.75 baths and a wonderful built in buffet in the dining room.

You’ll have plenty of room to spread out in this gorgeous home with numerous upgrades (listed below). With an office, media room and a fantastic great room you’ll have plenty of good times with friends & family. Get to know the members of your community by joining the local country club with a social or full golf membership. Rest easy in the large tub of the master bath – there are a total of 2.75 baths here. Great patio and yard for summer fun.

Below are a few photos for your perusal. You can find them all in a slideshow at this link.

The current homeowners had such nice taste in furniture we didn’t have to do too much for staging other than the usual decluttering and some color infusion. The house is only a few years old so it is in excellent condition and there are some nice upgrades like granite counters and accents, carpet, full house speaker wiring for multi-room music enjoyment, and much more. A list of upgrades is noted below:

Featured Upgrades

Premium Carpet, Tile Upgrades in all bathrooms, Granite countertops, and Tub Surround in Master Bathroom, Tile Countertop in additional Bathrooms, Tiled Fireplace in Family Room, Granite Countertops in the Kitchen, InstaHot Hot water in Kitchen, Pendant Lighting in Kitchen, Additional ceiling lights in Living Room, Granite Countertop Buffet with Wine Storage and Mirror in Dining Room, Rough In for ceiling Fans in All Bedrooms, Ceiling Fan in Family Room, Blower on FirePlace in Family Room, All Crown Molding, Sound System with indoor and outdoor speakers, Sprinkler System, Gas Line for BBQ, Rough in for Central Air, Closet Systems in 3 bedrooms, Upgraded closet racks in all bedrooms.

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Good advice on tips to interviewing a listing agent…

Posted on July 4, 2008 by Reba Haas

Because I write in several online forums I have to avoid duplicating the exact material from one blog to another. For those of you that have been getting into the online forums of communication you recognize that search engine optimization only occurs when you have original content and if you cut and paste your posts from online forum to additional sites you’ll end up getting yourself blacklisted by the bots and spiders that troll the web.

So, to keep myself from getting my, what I like to think are useful articles, blacklisted, I’m putting a link to one that I just wrote for my “other site” where I write regularly – Rain City Guide. In the post I list 9+ questions that consumers can use to help in interviewing a listing agent. These questions are applicable for any real estate market no matter where you are so please feel free to use them in your own market outside of the Seattle and Washington State area!

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Team Reba Real Estate

Seattle real estate and related wealth management topics

Category Archives: staging

Powell Homes resale property available in Bryn Mawr/Lakeridge neighborhood

Frith Barbat on eco-friendly textiles and “the rest of the story….”

Organic textiles – the rest of the story

It’s a Miracle!!!! No, it’s Miracle Method…

October 2008 newsletter online

I totally get why older condo buildings tend to have mostly younger inhabitants

Comments on listing photos I’ve recently come across both good and bad

New Chancellor style 5+ bd/2.25 ba home in Kirkland listed

Magnificent Mid-Century Modern at Seward Park on the market…

Snoqualmie Ridge listing has lots of upgrades… and lots of room

Good advice on tips to interviewing a listing agent…