By Greg PerryEastside RealtorIn March, the WSDOT demolished the Paragon Hotel to make way for a freeway overpass to be located on NE 10th Street in Bellevue.Built in 1969, you may have also known the Paragon as The Thunderbird Motor Inn, Red Lion, Doubletree Hotel and Ramada Inn.Check out this video:  : 03/21/2008

 THE EDDIE BAUER BUILDING (LINCOLN SQUARE) / Now Complete  Here is a picture of the new Eddie Bauer Building. Its projected to be completed in late December of 2007. This picture was taken few months back and the building is now fully complete. Here are a few details about the building:Name: Eddie Bauer Building (Lincoln Square)Address: 770 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004Building: office space, parking garage, retail space, and 27 luxury storiesAmenities: Shopping / Hotels / Restaurants / Entertainment / Business Vendors Shopping:Thomasville Home Furnishings The Container StorePaper SourceHenredonExOfficioVino 100Tully's CoffeeHotels:The Westin (Starwood Preferred Members)Restaurants:Maggianos Little ItalyTrader Vic'sMcCormick & Schmick's Seafood RestaurantKoots Green TeaManzana Rot... 03/20/2008

I went and visited a friend few months ago and when I walked into her lobby on the 21st floor, I was just speechless. I mean, being so high up in a building and then looking across the horizon seeing the Seattle Skyline was just AMAZING!  I took a few pictures the first few times when I visited my friend at her office.  I decided to try and visit my friend twice a month. My reasoning was, to take pictures of the downtown Bellevue skyline and share it with everyone thats interested in living in Bellevue or jsut thinking of visiting.Below you will see pictures of Meydenbauer Bay, Lake Washington, I-90 bridge, Lincoln Towers, and the new Washington Square towers that are going up on the far left corner (see the building crane).  Lincoln Tower I on the left and the new Eddie Bauer Building ... 03/19/2008

brings you only 4 New Homes on Lots Larger than 10,000 Sq Ft in Bellevue & Kirkland, WA.New Homes for sale on 10,000+ Sq Ft of land is rare and hard to find in Bellevue and Kirkland. The reason...  most new homes are built on tiny 4,000-6,000 sq ft lots. So to find 1 not to mention 4 in these areas is pretty amazing. Zoning laws have changed trying to minimized urban sprawl but this is making it hard to find new homes with enough land for multi use. Many home buyers are OK with this but there are the few that love homes on larger lots and they will not look at homes if they have small, unusable lots or lots with little space from neighbors.  So here are the 4 homes I found and the criteria I used to find them.Search criteria      City: Kirkland & Bellevue, WA    Price: $800K and under  ... 03/17/2008

LARGE/BIG lots is what these Bellevue homes got!   I am one of the few people that gives more value to a big lot than a big, fancy home. My philosophy is, you can always add to the house but rarely can you add to your lot. These days with the way zoning is and builders cramming as many homes in a community as they can large lots are hard to come by. Most new construction is built on 4000-6000 sq ft lots. There is not a whole lot of new construction in Bellevue because most of the land that can be developed has been. Builders are also building monstrous homes with only +/-10 feet between homes and/or the property lines. This is not my idea of living.   In Bellevue, WA there is only a short list of homes under $600K that have 10,000+ sq ft. of property.  Search criteria      City: Bellevu... 03/17/2008

If you are a buyer and have had a pre-approval letter in your file saying "this approval is good for six months", don't rely on that statement. Many loan programs and criteria are changing daily.  Often the person who issued that letter simply can no longer place the loan, and that can be totally beyond their control. If you were looking for a house a few months ago or more, and recently just got back into looking again, don't wait until you find the house of your dreams.  Loan pre-approvals are taking much longer, and most need to be fully documented before you can get a letter that you can rely on. If you are thinking about buying a home this Spring or Summer, sit down with a lender and provide all of the documentation to be sure.  Don't wait until the last minute, and don't wait unt... 03/13/2008

Considering the conditions in Bellevue real estate, sometimes you have to settle on renting your home, at least for the time being as a means of generating a fixed source of income until the country’s housing market and the economy picks up again.  While renting a home is pretty much a straightforward process, there are a few things to keep in mind that may be so obvious they can easily be overlooked. Make the home rentable.  Just because you aren’t necessarily trying to sell a property doesn’t mean you shouldn’t place the same amount of attention on its outward appearance if you were.  First impressions are everything and even potential renters can be turned off if the property looks unkempt or in bad shape.  Spend some money to make it look as close to brand new as financially possibl... 03/13/2008

When is it actually better to rent than buy?    I don't know that there is ever a better time to rent than buy however, your credit score, your savings and other requirements to get a mortgage loan will determine if you can buy. This time last year it didn't matter, but today it is much more difficult for those credit challenged people to get a loan. I have run into this a lot lately. If you are also asking this question I recommend contacting an LO (loan officer) you know and trust to see what you qualify for. You will most likely need to have at least 3% down and a decent credit score. If you are in need of a quality LO I have a great one. Troy Westendorf w/Liberty Financial Group.    What can you do if you want to buy but don't have enough for a down payment? You can be gifted a down... 03/11/2008

Having lived in Bellevue for many years now, I've really come to love the cities vibrant atmosphere and certainly the fine foods offered downtown.  Bellevue is a rapidly growing city located in King County, Washington, just a stones throw across Lake Washington from Seattle. In 2003 the Census Bureau estimated the city had a total population of 112,344, making it the fifth largest city in the state and the largest on the Eastside of King County. According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management's April 1, 2006 estimate, the city has a population of 117,000. Based on per capita income, Bellevue is the 15th wealthiest of 522 communities in the state of Washington.Since I've lived here, downtown Bellevue has undergone massive change. Lincoln Square, which opened in 2005, app... 03/10/2008

Seattle was doing very well relative to the rest of the Country until the mortgage industry impact in September of 2007. How much will the changes in the mortgage industry affect us here in Seattle? Tonights data is continuing to show dramtic reductions in the number of properties sold and is starting to show signs of price weakness. While there will be late postings for the month of February into next week, the number of condo sales at present is down 47% for the month of February compared to February of last year. For the full data for this week,, January 2006, 2007 and 2008 as well as February for those three years, click here.  Here's a quick snapshot of this breaking news...let's hope a whole lot of people didn't post their month end closings yet.  I predict that 47% reduction in s... 03/02/2008

There's no way to avoid getting entangled in a short sale these days.  Even if you aren't looking for them, they seem to find you. I have had two instances with a short sale recently, and did them years ago when they were common prior to the market going up.  So I thought I'd outline a few important points for those just entering into them for the first time. From a buyer's perspective, Read the Article in the link below that I wrote a while back for my buyers who closed back in November.  This post really helped them get to the end and addressed many of their questions, especially regarding the "moving target" of lender approval.  "The current market is making me feel older than dirt.  Mostly because there are fewer and fewer agents around who have sold real estate in a previous bad ma... 03/01/2008

Please join me in welcoming, all the way from Georgia, Jessica Horton to her new, soon to be role, of Broker of Brio Realty in Bellevue Washington.  Many of you will know Jessica from her blog here on ActiveRain. My initial 90 day position as Broker was extended for 90 days when we decided to move the Headquarters Office to 12207 NE 8th Street in Bellevue.   A very special thanks to all of the agents, and most importantly Liz Thompson shown with me above, for their hard work in getting situated in the new space.  Life is change and change is good. A big welcome to Jessica!  We look forward to meeting you, and working with you, and being of assistance in any way we can with your getting acclimated to Seattle. As soon as you get that Washington Broker's License, tentatively scheduled for... 02/22/2008

East Bellevue Real Estate Market Statistics January 2008Single Family HomesArea 530 (East Bellevue) median prices were up 5.2%.  YOY listing inventory was up 112.1% and Pending sales were the same.LISTINGS: 227 (2007) vs. 107(2006) 112.1%PENDINGS: 36 (2007) vs. 36 (2006) 00%MEDIAN: $567,250 (2007) vs. $539,450 (2006) +5.2% Compiled from but not verified or published by NWMLSby Greg Perry, Eastside Realtorwww.425realty.com 02/21/2008

West Bellevue Real Estate Market Statistics --January 2008NWMLS Area 520Single Family HomesArea 520 (West Bellevue) median prices were down -13.0%. YOY listing inventory was up 78.4% and pending sales were down -41.7%.LISTINGS: 198 (2007) vs. 111(2006) 78.4%PENDINGS 14(2007) vs. 24 (2006) -41.7%MEDIAN: $937,500(2007) vs. $1,077,500 (2006) -13%  Compiled from but not verified or published by NWMLSBy Greg PerryEastside Realtor 02/21/2008

Sincere and heartfelt CONGRATULATIONS go out to Jeremy Keener, BRIO Realty's 2007 Agent of the Year! Jeremy is not only the Top Producing Agent for Brio in 2007, he is also the agent who just does everything right.  Rarely do I see that combination.  Right for his clients, right for the office and right for his own goals. Always positive and forward moving, it is no surprise that Jeremey can outperform for his clients first, for himself and for BRIO Realty. Never afraid to learn something new and very quick on the uptake.  He not only sucks up new info like a sponge, he immediately applies the knowledge gained to the benefit of all. Congratulations Jeremy.  It has been my great pleasure to meet and know you.  You have what it takes and the industry is better off for your being in it.   02/15/2008

RD House Real Estate & Property Management offing LE Chateau Condominiums by appointment only 206-728-6063 Location: LE Chateau Immaculate Top Floor Unit w/in minutes of I-90, I-405, Microsoft- Bell square shopping & restaurants. Two (2) beds, 2 full baths, including granite counters, stainless steel appliances, ceramic tile & marble. Enjoy the breakfast bar, fireplace in living room & spacious deck. Private Master Bed including walk-in closet & master bath w/ soaking tub. Amenities include Grand Salon, Library, Kitchen, Swimming Pool, Spa, Exercise Room & Business center come w/ unit. Nat'l ranked Bellevue School District.Pleasure to offer this unit @ 2350.00 Monthsmall dogs under 30 okCall RD House Real Estate & Property Management to Visit LE Chateau Condominiums by appointment only2... 02/14/2008

The situation with loans and defaults are yet another one of those things affecting Bellevue Washington real estate and the housing market that people are more than well aware of.  In fact, banks and lenders have been known to turn down more than the common amount of people seeking a loan of some sort these days.  What are these people who want to buy a Bellevue condo or a home someplace else to do? Enter “hard money” mortgages, a type of loan once popular with distressed borrowers which is now gaining in popularity with individuals who have deep pockets and has dramatically better prospects of generating significant capital now that subprime mortgages are experiencing difficulties.  Instead of relying on credit scores, the majority of the value is instead placed on the asset. On the o... 02/13/2008

Don't just invest in a home, invest in your child's future. While property in Bellevue doesn't come cheaply, you may get an even greater return for your investment dollar than you realize. Newport Hills (Home to Newport High School) was ranked the #1 Suburban Neighborhood (out of the 98 reviewed) to live in by Seattle Magazine in 2007. Neighborhoods that rank high by the magazine have a lower median price and cost per square foot, a significant increase in median price, low crime rate, high number of students passing the WASL, park acreage nearby, shorter commute times, and higher racial diversity. Newport High School was built in the 1963 and opened in the fall of 1964 to accommodate Bellevue's growing population. Prior to construction, students in the Eastgate, Somerset and Newport Hi... 01/30/2008

"Ardell DellaLoggia is demanding and always pushing." And those are good things! Ardell has helped Brio Realty become a very exciting place to be an agent. Where else could you get the assistance, respect, and help of the finest Broker in the Seattle-Bellevue area? Ardell is always requesting us agents to write blogs, attend seminars, and other things that will help us all in the long run. I feel she wants to make us all succeed and if she does not motivate you...then nobody can! Her current concern is our sour market condition or at least that is what other agents are calling it. I am seeing many opportunities right now and have been very busy. It takes some thinking outside of the box. There are so many opportunities to make money right now. Here are just a few options....1) Foreclosu... 01/21/2008

Last week we went to the Broker's Open Houses in Bellevue. This morning I did a recap of the experience.  As always, in Janaury, many of the Open Houses were not new listings at all. They were properties put on the Open House Tour that were leftovers from last year.  As usual for January, most of the homes on market were leftovers that were either overpriced or had severe negatives or both.  As usual for January, the best properties were the ones that were actually New Listings, and had never been on the market before and were only on the market for a couple of days.  I expect one of those to be in escrow by month end.  See link for details of which it was and why.   01/20/2008