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Old 04-27-2015, 08:42 AM
 
Location: Bothell, Washington
2,811 posts, read 5,626,386 times
Reputation: 4009

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ira500 View Post
The Seattle area real estate market is actually a bunch of different markets, which don't act the same. Seattle north of I-90 is the most frothy. Bellevue, Kirkland, Sammamish, and Issaquah are also quite heated right now. Edmonds, Bothell, Renton, etc are a little less so. Tukwila, Auburn, Bonney Lake, etc are nowhere near the frenzy of these other places.

And with a very hot market comes a few completely unrealistic sellers. It's much more common nowadays for sellers to price their homes at the lower end of market value in order to get a bidding war going.
Bothell is actually very heated right now. It's nice, clean, in a good location for commutes to the east side- so it is hot. Houses in my area of Bothell are only lasting 1-2 weeks on the market, sometimes even less.
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Old 04-27-2015, 08:54 AM
 
21,989 posts, read 15,713,056 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jm31828 View Post
Bothell is actually very heated right now. It's nice, clean, in a good location for commutes to the east side- so it is hot. Houses in my area of Bothell are only lasting 1-2 weeks on the market, sometimes even less.
I think the metro is just tight right now. I did a search on Woodinville, east of 522 all the way to Duvall, between $400K-$600K and there were only ten listed. Ten for that huge area.

Bothell has more but many are new(ish) and will go quickly. It's spring and everyone is making plans for moves before the next school year, so it will probably get worse this summer.

https://www.redfin.com/city/16163/WA...market=seattle
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Old 04-27-2015, 08:58 AM
 
Location: Seattle
8,171 posts, read 8,301,458 times
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My experience, after doing this 15 years, is that the time of year doesn't really matter. Summer equals more buyers but more listings. Winter, fewer homes, fewer buyers. I keep saying, you just need one. The homes are getting snapped up, somebody's getting them. Research, prepare, be decisive.
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Old 04-27-2015, 10:37 AM
 
1,511 posts, read 1,973,372 times
Reputation: 3442
Quote:
Originally Posted by homesinseattle View Post
Karch, one of the very sad parts of this relates (although not in the same way) to what you said. This area is truly getting very tough for low to middle income people to afford. It wasn't like that when I got here 25 years ago, I fear it isn't going to return. Besides having to move farther and farther out or leave town, there seem to be more and more people slipping through the cracks and even ending up in some of the homeless camps and shelters. There are a lot of ways to go broke in this country. For those doing well, this town is booming. Many are getting left behind, though.
Both Ms. BATCAT and I moved here in the late 90's, took on crappy jobs, and over the last 15 years or so we've managed to claw our way into some semblance of respectability. Despite now being middle-class, middle-aged DINKS, we're feeling the squeeze. We're currently renting, and love being centrally-located... we'd be fine with something really small in the CD or maybe Beacon Hill, but even these seem to be going for more than we could do right now. We could, in theory, move way further out and deal with the commute, but I think we'd hate living way out somewhere, and buying a home in an area you don't like just for the sake of becoming a homeowner seems ill-advised, especially given that this seems to be a hell of a time to buy if we might sell later.

I'm not complaining; I know we're actually really fortunate, but in light of where I hoped we'd be by now, I am a little discouraged. Despite our incomes increasing over the last five years we've lived together, rents are increasing faster- we've been squeezed into progressively smaller and humbler apartments.

Having kind of thrown in the towel on buying in Seattle, we've actually been considering buying something really small/modest/inexpensive in Eastern WA, and treating it as a renovation project/getaway/investment over the next 25 years or so, then potentially retiring there... and in the meantime, just renting what we can afford, as close to work as we are able...
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Old 04-27-2015, 11:27 AM
 
Location: Seattle
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BATCAT, I feel you. I've thought Roslyn would be a good place for that. Neat little town still within reach for trips back to Seattle.
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Old 04-27-2015, 11:52 AM
 
1,511 posts, read 1,973,372 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by homesinseattle View Post
BATCAT, I feel you. I've thought Roslyn would be a good place for that. Neat little town still within reach for trips back to Seattle.
We're thinking of starting to make some exploratory trips to different towns in Eastern WA in 2016, try to find where we like it best, and then see about the possibility of buying. There seem to be a lot of larger homes out there, and we'd be find with something like a small and modest two-bed/1.5 bath with a tiny yard, so I'm hoping that will give us an advantage.

Thanks for the suggestion- I haven't checked out Roslyn yet.
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Old 04-27-2015, 12:01 PM
 
Location: Seattle
8,171 posts, read 8,301,458 times
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I like Roslyn, interesting history. If Snoqualmie Pass is clear, you can be to Seattle in a hour and a half. Beautiful rivers and mountains over there too. It is true that there are some expensive ranches and chalets, but there are also relatively modestly prices historic homes near the town center, and even cheaper just beyond in a little blip called Ronald. The town has a great little arts scene, interesting characters roaming about. All in all, way to far to commute to Seattle but for your purposes, maybe perfect. The fact that it is within reach of Seattle is great. Roslyn, Washington - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Old 04-28-2015, 05:52 PM
 
2,638 posts, read 6,020,830 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ira500 View Post
The Seattle area real estate market is actually a bunch of different markets, which don't act the same. Seattle north of I-90 is the most frothy. Bellevue, Kirkland, Sammamish, and Issaquah are also quite heated right now. Edmonds, Bothell, Renton, etc are a little less so. Tukwila, Auburn, Bonney Lake, etc are nowhere near the frenzy of these other places.
I guarantee you that anyone buying north of I-90 is making the same assumption I did when I rented up there: that the niceness of the area wins out. Either that or they work in the area. If they work there, it's a dream. If they work in Seattle, they'll learn, and I promise you they'll move within 3 years.

Until the 522 "freeway" develops beyond its current "might as well be a city street" level, areas like Woodinville and Bothell will never be viable for going to Seattle. I speak from experience. And even if it did develop out, they'd just throw tolls on it and negate any potential benefits.

I'm in Auburn right now and while I do like my home, now that I work from home rather than commuting, I've thought about buying in Kennewick or Pasco, or even going all the way to Spokane. I also considered Brinnon, but I don't know that I could work with being that far from civilization and it seems there really isn't any development or improvements in that area.
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Old 04-28-2015, 06:00 PM
 
Location: Seattle
8,171 posts, read 8,301,458 times
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Gotta disagree with you, relevated. I have a number of clients who bought homes in Bothell, Kenmore who commute into Seattle daily on 522/Lake City Way (sometimes using a quick jump west on 145th to the freeway) and are happy as clams.
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Old 04-28-2015, 06:08 PM
 
21,989 posts, read 15,713,056 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by homesinseattle View Post
Gotta disagree with you, relevated. I have a number of clients who bought homes in Bothell, Kenmore who commute into Seattle daily on 522/Lake City Way (sometimes using a quick jump west on 145th to the freeway) and are happy as clams.
Agree, I know several who commute from Bothell and Woodinville to Seattle. I've always preferred the north area, it just feels more open and new IMO.
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