Spring Garden Art Sale 2009 Studio Artists' Annual Spring Garden Art Sale Moshier Community Art Center 430 S. 156th Burien, WA 98166 Saturday, April 25th, noon-6pm Sunday, April 26th, noon-6pm My friend, Dana Lasswell, is one of the featured artists at this annual Spring show highlighting local potters. You can learn more about her at her website: www.lasswellarts.com salmon on the rocks Leaf Spirits 04/19/2009

Burien's new Town Square project is steadily moving along, and hopefully you'll be strolling through it by summer when the Farmer's Market gets underway.  Burien is a great place to live, and a wonderful place in which to invest in a home. As of April 7, 2009 there are 17 3-bedroom homes on the market in Burien for under $250,000.  Many of these have 4 bedrooms and generous lot sizes. To view 3 bedroom homes in Burien under $250,000, click this link, no registration is necessary: http://www.lisabosques.pnwrealty.com/pnwra/modules/agent/agent.asp?p=findahome.asp&selected=qck&point=47.33077504693251|-121.80065760796673|11&acc=46040 Happy house hunting! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Thanks for stopping by my blog!You can reach me at 206-595-5866, or e-mail me: LisaBosques@PNWRealty.comOr visit ... 04/07/2009

If there's a silver lining to this difficult financial crisis that most everyone in the U.S. is going through, it would probably be that as a society we would become much more conscious about the way we spend our life energy (i.e. money), and also be more open to finding alternative means of acquiring the goods and services that we need.  We'll also most likely re-assess what our needs actually are, and whittle down that list accordingly. Bottom line: if you've never been in a thrift store or considered using second-hand goods before, or if you've never bartered items or services before, perhaps now is the time to explore this "new" world.  I've been doing these things to some extent for years.  My husband is a self-taught graphic designer / illustrator / artist.  By making logos for bu... 11/21/2008

Well, I should say the police helicopters flying over my neighborhood kept me up all night.  I needed 3 cups of strong coffee just to get up and out of the house to go to my class today.  I sat next to my office mate, Tom, who also lives about two blocks away.  I asked him if he heard the helicopters all night and he said, "Yeah, there was a shooting on Ambaum last night right by SW 124th St."  This is the second shooting within 8 blocks of my house to take place in the past year, and this is not counting the rapid succession of gun shots that woke me up in the middle of the night earlier this year that was not reported anywhere.  What is happening in Burien?  I live in a nice neighborhood on a cul-de-sac, around the corner from a brand-new school.  It seems to me that the violent crime... 09/05/2008

My husband and I took our son swimming at my mom's condo.  We started noticing a bunch of commotion. I went out of the swimming area to find out what was going on. Some of the neighbors were standing around one of the many shrubs on the property, expressing shock and disgust at the way in which they were "trimmed"(and I'm using the word "trimmed" loosely). I can totally understand their anger and frustration.  I'm fairly certain that these shrubs looked fine before they were attacked.  I can't imagine that this would be an improvement over what they looked like the day before. It looks like some Sedro-Woolley chainsaw artists took a break from creating salmon-eating bears out of giant tree trunks to come down here and moonlight as landscapers.  Hey, if it's that easy, maybe I'll start ... 08/05/2008

Howdy folks, Lisa here with some Burien home sale statistics for the month of July 2008.  Please note that I've only included those homes listed on the MLS in area 130 in the city of Burien. I am happy to say that there are lots of homes that went Pending this month - let's hope they ALL translate in to 'solds' in August! Homes: Listings taken: 43 Listings that have expired: 13 / Average Days On Market(DOM): 86 Listings that have gone pending: 28 / Average DOM: 66 Listings that have sold: 9 / Average DOM: 30 Condos: Listings taken: 4 Listings that have expired: 2 / Average DOM: 107 Listings that have gone pending: 10 / Average DOM: 48 Listings that have sold: 2 / Average DOM: 121 Vacant Land: Listings taken: 5 Listings that have expired: 1 / DOM: 146 Listings that have gone pending: 1 /... 08/04/2008

I'm quite certain that my pictures cannot convey the beauty of these light fixtures that I saw while sitting at an Open House in Burien on SW 128th St, heading into Shorewood.  It's a beautifully remodeled two-story home that looks and feels like an estate.  As I was standing in the kitchen, the sun coming through the window hit the multifaceted crystals on the chandelier and produced the most brilliant colors.  Unfortunately, despite all of the photos I took, I could not adequately capture this. The chandelier in the entryway was grand and impressive. Another gorgeous fixture(a dome-style light) located in the family room off of the kitchen; like the first chandelier it also reflected beautiful rainbows of colors, so much more brilliant than in the picture.  I did manage to snap a shot... 08/03/2008

In the midst of uploading all of my photos onto a photo storing site, I stumbled upon these photos of Burien that I took at the crack of dawn one day last spring. They were meant to be used for a video project that I obviously never got around to completing. I've uploaded them onto Slide.com to make a slide show. I hope you enjoy it. :) 07/28/2008

Shinnyo-en Buddhist Temple in Burien is holding its annual Summer Festival on August 10th, from 11:00 to 4:00 p.m.  It is an environment where everyone is welcome; even though I'm not Buddhist, some of my friends are, and I enjoy going there to learn about Buddhism and enjoy the fun activities with my family.  The grounds are beautiful and impressive, the people are friendly, and the food is always delicious! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Thanks for stopping by my blog!You can reach me at 206-595-5866, or e-mail me: LisaBosques@PNWRealty.comOr visit my website:  www.98146online.comI am an Associate Broker and Marketing Specialist with Prudential Northwest Realty Associates.   I specialize in homes located in the Burien/North Highline/West Seattle area, and I am here to serve all of your Real ... 07/28/2008

I imagine that with the abundance of sunny days headed our way, that this weekend will be filled with all kinds of festivals, street fairs and such.  But if you have a chance, come and check out the Olde Burien Block Party.  It'll start at noon on Saturday 7/12 and continue until midnight.  There will be vendor booths, carnival games, a sidewalk sale, dunk tank, beer garden, prize drawings and more. The gang at Prudential will be there, ready to impart our vast amount of real estate knowledge and experience...and we'll have a prize wheel too. If you haven't been through Olde Burien for a while, tomorrow is the perfect time to come by.  The Block Party is located at Ambaum Blvd SW and SW 152nd St.  There's street parking all around.  See you there! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Thanks for s... 07/11/2008

Four years ago the Critical Areas Ordinance was passed here in King County.  The ordinance required property owners of acreage in rural King County to leave 35% of their property untouched as a buffer, for purposes of preserving and protecting wetlands, stormwater and the environment in general.  The effect of this ordinance has been that in some cases owners have seen their property values plummet, or have been unable to utilize their property in the manner that they had originally intended. It was just announced today that the State Court of Appeals has overturned this ordinance.  Apparently, it turns out that government taking of land is unconstitutional...though you would think that county officials would know that small detail.  If King County wanted to preserve rural land and prot... 07/07/2008

The other day my family and I went for an evening stroll at Seahurst Beach.  My son had just been on a nature walk there with his school, so he was educating us on all of the different types of marine life that can be found there. I was really hoping to spot a sea otter; I did see one out there once about 2 years ago.  But the only animal life I saw were wet dogs fetching sticks in the water. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Thanks for stopping by my blog!You can reach me at 206-595-5866, or e-mail me: LisaBosques@PNWRealty.comOr visit my website:  www.98146online.comI am an Associate Broker and Marketing Specialist with Prudential Northwest Realty Associates.   I specialize in homes located in the Burien/North Highline/West Seattle area, and I am here to serve all of your Real Estate needs.  ... 06/30/2008

Recently there have been a couple of scenarios where I've come into contact with people who have expressed a desire to invest in a home.  They are currently renting, so each of these people would be a first time home buyer.  Upon turning in their loan application to a lender for review, I've gotten word back that both of these people cannot qualify for as much as they would need to buy an entry-level home. Part of the reason? Car payments for one vehicle in the amount of $400+ per month.  I totally understand that most of us must have a decent car.  But as far as I know, a decent car that adequately suits your needs can be had for closer to $200/month. By purchasing a car with payments of around $200/month, you are saving $200 per month; the money that you would be saving translates to ... 06/22/2008

Seattle Property Manager Thanks you for the Business flat fee or percent% have it your way! RD House Real Estate & Property Management INC 206-728-6063 www.rd-house.com Location: Seattle, WA 159 Denny Way #110Seattle, WA 98109(206) 728-6063 office(206) 728-6175 faxwww.rd-house.com  Your real estate is a valuable investment and we can help you protect that investment with sound expertise. Our goal is to provide you the best property management service available in Washington State Please feel free to contact us Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.Ricky D Sadler Broker/Senior PM @ 206-728-6063 or email rickyd@rd-house.com  Summary of ServicesOwner/Tenant Relations: As your agent, we will advertise your property to locate and qualify tenants suitable for your property. We handle the... 06/02/2008

This is the question I've been hearing most often from people who approach the Prudential booth at the Burien Farmer's Market.  It seems that everyone has a bit of curiosity about the market and wants to hear an answer first-hand from local Realtors who are in the trenches. My answer to this question is, "It's probably never been a better time to buy a home. Interest rates are low, and there are lots more homes to choose from. As for sellers, homes are still selling, and those homes that look great, have the most amenities and updating, and are priced at or below their competition will sell the fastest". People are still buying homes.  They still want a place to call home, a place in which to have a sanctuary from the outside world. For those who truly want to invest in their own home, ... 05/31/2008

On Friday night I came home from Happy Hour to find my son and husband cooing over a little bunny that they had found in the yard.  We just so happened to have a rabbit cage(I have no idea why or how we got it), so they trapped him and put him in the cage.  We quickly set it up for Bun-Bun, and I went back out to get hay, pellets, a water bottle and some fresh veggies. Once in a while I see bunnies in my Hazel Valley neighborhood.  I would tell my husband but he would never believe me.  I think that sometimes people get tired of caring for their animals and they decide to abandon them.  This may be what happened to Bun-Bun(or his mom).  We live near a gulley, and I can only imagine how many critters live there. So far, of all the vegetables I've given him, he loves cilantro the most.  H... 05/18/2008

The City’s Edge Condominiums (website) is a new, gated conversion community nestled within 4-acres of protected greenbelt just 7 miles from downtown Seattle. The development features 45 condominiums in 7 buildings which consists of 17 one-bedroom, 23 two-bedroom and 5 three-bedroom homes. Most of the homes are corner units that range in size from 481 square feet to 1,574 square feet. Home amenities and features include: spacious floor plans brushed nickel hardware modern finishes stainless appliances granite countertops full-size washer and dryer private garages (for all but three units) City’s Edge homes start from $150,000 and range up to just under $400,000 for the three-bedroom units. The sales office is open Thursday - Monday from Noon to 5:00 PM at 11801 Ambaum Blvd SW, Burien. 05/10/2008

Some of you may know about MyZip.net, a Marchex project.  Their goal was to get "people to think of their ZIP Code + .net as the default Web destinations for information and commentary about their neighborhoods or towns."  I've mentioned it before in previous blog posts, and I was fortunate enough to be chosen as the neighborhood blogger for 98146.net.   The MyZip.net project was to be on a trial basis of undetermined length of time.  I am sad to report that on April 30th the trial period ended.  When I first signed up for this project I was under the assumption that once the trial period was over we would still be able to keep our blogs, and that the trial ending meant simply that we wouldn't be paid our $50 stipend anymore.  However, upon receiving the final e-mail from MyZip, we were... 05/04/2008

The Burien Farmer's Market is just around the corner.  The starting date will be Thursday, May 8th and will continue, rain or shine, every Thursday through October 9th.  I will be working in the Prudential booth every week throughout the season.  It sure beats sitting in the office, and it's great fun to meet people, hand out treats to kids and snack on farm fresh produce. Every year the location changes due to construction of Burien Town Square.  This year, the Farmer's Market will be located at SW 152nd St and 10th Ave SW, adjacent to Olde Burien shopping district and next to the Masonic Temple. It's a sweet location compared to last year.  In addition to the Farmer's Market, there are all kinds of great busineses in Olde Burien, old and new, so as you're strolling the Market don't fo... 05/04/2008

Why You Need a Professional Property ManagerWould you like to save time, work, and stress in handling your rental property?  If so, hiring a professional property manager will benefit you because:RD House Real Estate & Property Management make sure-You don't have to hire someone to clean, paint, or make repairs. You don't have to advertise, take rental calls, and show the property. You don't have to screen applications and be apprehensive about who to pick. You don't have to execute a rental agreement, worry about adding addendums, fill out the move-in inspection report, and deposit money. You don't have tenants calling at all hours of the day and night. You don't have to confront tenants on tough issues like collecting rent or taking better care of the property. You don't have to colle... 05/01/2008