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

Tomorrow, we will meet at our office at 12207 NE 8th Street in Bellevue at 10 a.m. All agents will arrive with their own list of all of the Broker's Opens in Bellevue West EAST of the Office toward Microsoft.  Agents should plan to see at least six properties in the two hours or so that Broker's Opens are held. Everyone's list should have stars next to the properties that they want to see most. Between 10 and 10:30, we compare notes and agree on a list and route, and then we carpool over (so come with your car cleaned out in case you are one of the drivers) in caravan style.  Do a little research on the properties beforehand.  Are they REALLY new on market?  Were they on the market prior to this week, cancelled, and then relisted?  If the list is long, put the new on market properties f... 01/16/2008

In the current real estate market climate, selling a home is exceptionally more difficult than it would have been a few years ago when investors were snapping up multiple properties a minute and sellers could demand a lofty price tag and actually get away with it.  Today, it’s not quite as simple as the market glory days but that also doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. Finding someone willing to buy a Bellevue home or a property elsewhere is possible, particularly if you keep one valuable thing in mind: the price being asked is strictly a belief and it does not mean that a buyer will share that same belief. Think of the whole home sale as a time sensitive competition of sorts in which there is a little over seventy days to “guesstimate” a price capable of enticing a buyer.  Before the ... 01/15/2008

This is truly a high flying incentive!!John F. Buchan homes is offering a private jet membership with the purchase of a Buchan home priced for $1.2 million plus until the end of the month. The package has a value of approxiamtely $100,000 and can to be used to fly on several private jets.The executive vice president stated in the The Bellevue Reporter, "offering a jet membership is a way to take the customer's lifestyle to the next level. With the jet membership, families can be out the door and in the air without the wait"!!Last year the Buchan homes gave class C Mercedes with a home purchase.It appears washers, dryers and Plasma TVs can be included and not incentives for this home builder!!!! 01/13/2008

By Greg PerryEastside Realtorhttp://www.425realty.com/East Bellevue Real Estate Statistics  December 2007 Single Family homes (not condos) Area 530 (East Bellevue) median prices were up 12.3%.  YOY listing inventory was up 139.8% and Pending sales were down -17.1%.LISTINGS: 211 (2007) vs. 88(2006) 139.8%PENDINGS: 34 (2007) vs. 41 (2006) -17.1%MEDIAN: $589,500 (2007) vs. $525,00050 (2006) +12.3% compiled from but not published by NWMLS 01/09/2008

By Greg PerryEastside Realtorwww.425realty.comSingle Family Homes ( not condos)West Bellevue Real Estate Statistics -- December 2007Area 520 (West Bellevue) median prices were down -8.3%. YOY listing inventory was up 90.7% and pending sales were down -40.7%.LISTINGS: 164 (2007) vs. 86(2006) 90.7%PENDINGS16 (2007) vs. 27 (2006) -40.7%MEDIAN: $1,099,000(2007) vs. $1,198,000 (2006) -8.3%compiled from but not published by NWMLS 01/09/2008

To a large extent I am writing this for my agents at BRIO.  I have to say I am surprised to be seeing signs of a good year this early in January. In the last 24 to 48 hours I have been contacted by 4 couples interested in buying property and 4 who are selling property.  (that's 6 altogether as 2 of the buyers are also sellers).  One investor and three who are looking for homes to live in.  I must say I am very pleasantly surprised.  I thought 2008 was going to be a much tougher year, but I honestly can't remember a year when I've had this much contact so soon after New Year's Day. Of course it's my hope that all of my agents will wake up to new business sitting in their email the way that I do.  The key is to spend more time knowing your craft and less time worrying about new business. ... 01/04/2008

The bad news is, you probably aren't.  The GOOD news is, you have until February 7th to get there.If you Google "Bad Feng Shui" images, you will get the above photo of Steve Ballmer in his office at Microsoft.Whether or not you believe in Feng Shui, at least consider this.  Why not try it?  What do you have to lose?I'm going to give you a few examples of how to best use Feng Shui in your office.  PICTURE THIS!  Close your eyes and picture this scene:You are having dinner.  Your wine glass is FULL.  There is a waiter standing at the ready to pour you some more wine.  But your glass is so full, and it never empties, and so he never gives you more wine.So the first step to the Feng Shui of MORE business in 2008 is to move all "dead files" OUT of your office.  Kind of like removing dead lea... 12/28/2007

Long time no post, I know.  I've had my hands full moving to our new digs at 12207 NE 8th in Bellevue.  Realty Executives consolidated their two offices, and we picked up their space.  In a lot of ways it was an easy move given the space was already used as a Real Estate Office, and we picked up the space with everything in it. The logo puzzle below was done so I could determine the new color scheme of the office.  I kept the yellow and ditched the Kelly Green top border, bringing in a deep red border with the yellow walls.I didn't build any walls this time.  In fact I knocked one down.  I've been able to keep up with my blogging at Rain city Guide and even managed to get a post up at my blog.  But my postings here on Active Rain pretty much stopped while getting the office ready for th... 12/26/2007

  Attention Bellevue Agents and customers!! I wanted to let all of you know about the Bluecow Espresso stand in Bellevue Washington between 140th and 20th street. Yolanda Pepe , barista and owner, has been operating Bluecow for 6 years now and let me tell you....she makes the best lattes that I have personally ever had. She uses a premium roast blend, Batdorf and Bronson.   My goal today with this blog is to let all of you coffee lovers on the Eastside know that if you have not already been to her stand, now is a great time to try something NEW! Yolana truly has a passion for coffee and takes so much pride in her little shop. When I find a place that inspires me, makes me feel good and I know is a quality product, I think that it is important to let others know about it.  Her shop is in... 12/05/2007

Bellevue waterfront homes are incredible.  Located on either Lake Washington or Lake Sammamish, Bellevue waterfront homes offer both the convenience of the city and the beauty of the country. One would be unable to find a Bellevue waterfront home that is not universally recognized as gorgeous.  Typically built at over 3,000 square feet (and oftentimes at 4, 5, 6, or 7,000), these houses embody the qualities most people have only dreamed of in a house.  Bellevue waterfront homes are usually covered in windows, allowing residents to watch beautiful sunrises over Lake Sammamish or the purple sunsets and sparkling Seattle lights over Lake Washington.  Since Bellevue waterfront homes are generally built on large lots, residents never have to worry about a lack of privacy. Personal docks, eno... 11/13/2007

A favorite area for both canoe paddlers and fisherman, the sunken forest of Lake Sammamish stimulates even the non-dreamers imagination.  Did you know that the spooky old growth forest in Lake Sammamish is attributed to a major seismic event that happened over 1,000 years ago?  Apparently there was an event so large that it moved an entire forest down the slopes of the south end of the Lake depositing an entire stand of old growth to the watery grave. If you've never seen the sunken forest pick a good day and take a short paddle from Vasa park, or further south from Lake Sammamish State park. 11/09/2007

Back in March Greg wrote an article about what he considered to be the top 10 buyer turn-offs.  My clients and I just had an experience on Saturday that inspired me to re write the list!  Yes ladies and gentlemen this is 425realty.com's new and improved TOP 10 BUYER TURN-OFF'S...Completely inspired by one single listing.  10.  Keep your heat on during cold Sunday afternoons.  There is nothing worse than when you walk into a 48 degree house on a 51 degree day.9.  Mud on Downstairs floors.  Its been raining.  Your kids been playing TONKA trucks in the back yard... get a clue.8.  Stickers on hardwoods.  Something about stickers and the residue they leave behind that just screams white trash.7.  Rotten sushi on the kitchen table, as well as open cereal boxes.  When you walk into the eating... 11/08/2007