It List - May 2016

Our Madison Park office is currently under way! The new branch will be comprised of a boutique retail storefront called “The Park House” located at 4031 East Madison Street with an administrative annex located across the street at 4020 East Madison Street that offers room to grow. The Park House is offered as a retail living room but it will also be a venue for special events. We will showcase homes from around the corner and around the globe with a focus on sun, snow and surf destinations where our network is especially well-positioned to represent second home lifestyles and investment opportunities. READ MORE >> 458 Crockett Street, Seattle | From the boxwood hedges to the elegant entry, this 1924 bungalow draws curb appeal from the days of Count Basie and Ella Fitzgerald, when people would sit on their front porch watching the world go by and waving hello to the neighbors as the stars came out. The home brings an English sensibility to mind; while keeping a very practical approach to the place where life happens every day, you should always be wearing your best pearl earrings. Offered at $1,150,000. EXPLORE THE PROPERTY >> Featured in Seattle Magazine | Realogics Sotheby's International Realty recently coordinated an extensive insert in the latest edition of Seattle Magazine, featuring 14 different neighborhoods around the sound. I was asked to be the resident expert for Broadmoor and Madison Park, sharing my love of these treasured neighborhoods. If you are interested in reading more about your neighborhood, I invite you to explore the spread below.  READ THE SPREAD >> The Burrard Group, a Vancouver, BC–based real estate development firm, provided a first glimpse of downtown Seattle’s next generation condominium tower, NEXUS, and plans to offer unit reservations in May 2016, presales in Fall and break ground by late 2016 for first occupancy in 2019. Realogics Sotheby's International Realty will be the exclusive listing brokerage; Realogics Inc. will provide the marketing services. I am proud to be affiliated with a company with so much vision and cannot wait to see this project progress! READ MORE >> My recent alignment with Realogics Sotheby's International Realty has connected me with extraordinary talent. I am proud to introduce the first-class team I have backing my sales and marketing. This month, meet Andrea Savage, Vice President of Marketing at Realogics Sotheby's International Realty.    MEET ANDREA SAVAGE >> With all thirteen homes sold at Montana Circle [including closed and pending], the collection of residences at Officer's Row represents the final opportunity to own a home at Fort Lawton. In preparation for the summer sales debut, RISE Properties introduces the "Officer's Club" - a tailored program for qualified home buyers (and their brokers) to receive priority sales information, gain preferred access to private events on an invitation-only basis, and participate in the Officer's Row reservation process before the general public announcement. READ MORE >> "My wife and I were thrilled with the representation, advice, and counsel we received from Laura Halliday. We wanted to move to the Broadmoor neighborhood, and specifically wanted to work with Laura due to her expertise in the area. At the time we commenced our search, inventory was extremely limited. Undeterred, Laura confidently listed and sold our previous house and simultaneously networked to identify owners in Broadmoor who were thinking of selling. We were so impressed and pleased with her efforts on our behalf. She really took the time to understand what was important to us and coached us not to settle for anything less than a home we loved. Laura is a pleasure to work with and is an expert on Broadmoor and the surrounding markets. She is the utmost professional, a strong and effective negotiator, and all around a very nice person to be around. We recommend Laura without hesitation." READ CLIENT REVIEWS >> Introducing Madoneagle, an island sanctuary of superlatives and an architectural achievement beyond compare. Enviable SW land portfolio along East Sound ranges from beachfront to high bank surrounded by a reserve. Gated and ultimately private. Reclaimed timbers, matchless craftsmanship and artisan features too numerous to list. Main estate, workshop plus guest house. Mooring buoy and near Rosario Resort marina and all-season amenities. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a visit will leave you breathless. EXPLORE THE PROPERTY >> I LOVE monograms! These days it’s hard for those of us that do still adore this beautiful traditional look to find anywhere to purchase something custom made. Enter Walker Valentine (out of San Francisco). This company monograms everything from linen dinner napkins to tote bags. You can select the fabric you want, the thread color and the style of the monogram ~ be still my beating heart! EXPLORE THE SITE >>

It List - April 2016

1644 Windermere Drive E, Seattle | Never before has this special home been offered on the open market. Beloved & coveted, this extraordinary residence is sited on almost 3 lots in the heart of Broadmoor. Totally re-built in 2009, with no expense spared: English hand painted wallpaper, hand planed plank floors from a 200 year old barn, antique built-in vanities, limestone fireplaces, waxed sugar pine paneled library, welcoming Dutch doors & much more. Separate carriage house residence. Relaxed, refined & remarkable! Offered at $6,150,000. EXPLORE THE PROPERTY >>

Neighborhood Market Spotlight: The communities of Broadmoor, Madison Park, Capitol Hill, Denny Blaine, Madrona, and Washington Park, among others, have been a seller’s market since early 2013. In recent years, this market has established a pattern of loosening in January and late summer, then tightening through the fall and spring, respectively. Months in inventory have been gradually trending downward, averaging 1.2 in 2015, 1.6 in 2014, and 1.9 in 2013. EXPLORE THE REPORT >> My recent alignment with Realogics Sotheby's International Realty has connected me with some extraordinary talent. I am proud to introduce the first-class team I have backing my sales and marketing. This month, meet Dean Jones, Owner & CEO of Realogics Sotheby's International Realty.    MEET DEAN JONES >> "Simply stated, Laura Halliday is the best real estate agent in Seattle -- or anywhere else. We struggled before we hired Laura to help us find a home. Laura helped us find the perfect home. Laura listened, identified possibilities, and presented properties that met our parameters & our search criteria. We could not have been better served." READ CLIENT REVIEWS >> Appreciation in Downtown Seattle 2015 is Greater Than the Top 100 Global Cities | According to the latest figures released by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service in February 2016, King County posted a new record high for median home prices at $515,600  – increasing by nearly 19% over the prior year. And condo prices in the area increased even more countywide, rising 26% with a median price of $343,975. That means that Washington’s most populous county has officially recovered from its prior 2007 peak pricing when the Great Recession corrected home prices. READ MORE >> When I have time, the way I like to “exercise” is to walk, and if at all possible, listen to a great book or a podcast as I go. This last month I was given a tip from a friend and client of mine for a fabulous podcast which I thought I would share with all of you. If you have podcasts or are on iTunes, simply steer your browser over to a Bloomberg Podcast called “Masters In Business” with Barry Ritholtz. In the January 29th episode, they interview Jonathan Miller of Miller Samuel, Inc., a real estate appraisal and accounting firm. They discuss high end home sales in NYC and the Hamptons, critique the Case-Schiller Index and have some other insights that I think you might find fascinating. On a much lighter, but very addictive note, also check out the podcast called Serial-Season One (it’s from the creators of This American Life). Hosted by Sarah Koenig, this true story unfold one episode at a time and is impossible to stop listening to! LISTEN NOW >>

It List - March 2016

I invite you to view the Market Report: Puget Sound Real Estate Trends & 2015 Year in Review, a comprehensive look at the 2015 real estate market in an exploration of seven key counties of Western Washington as well as 30 neighborhoods. The report touches on macroeconomic and micro trends including medium home prices, inventory levels and market drivers. Click to view the full report or contact me for a printed copy hand-delivered to your front door.  EXPLORE THE REPORT >> My recent alignment with Realogics Sotheby's International Realty has connected me with some extraordinary talent. I am proud to introduce the first-class team I have backing my sales and marketing. This month, meet Stacy Jones, Owner & Vice President of Realogics Sotheby's International Realty.    MEET STACY JONES >> "Laura has assisted our family with various real estate transactions in Madison Park and Broadmoor neighborhoods over the past 15 years and our experience has been great. Her local knowledge of these neighborhoods is unsurpassed. Our most recent experience with Laura was when she took our Broadmoor listing at 3356 E. Shore Dr. in June 2015 which did have some challenges. While I had anticipated and fixed some items prior to listing, our first "out of area" buyer backed out due to a number of inspection items to repair. Through her contacts, Laura quickly found a local buyer within 3 days of the previous that understood the value in the property. When the inspection list came back, daunting as it was, Laura and I teamed up to get through all items. A bit overwhelming, but with Laura's help we got through it and closed on time. I would recommend her highly to anyone looking to buy or sale high-end property in Seattle." READ CLIENT REVIEWS >> 2229 Waverly Way E, Seattle | Charming, shingled Cape Cod traditional home sited on one of the most desirable streets in Broadmoor. Divided light double paned windows, custom shutters, sets of French doors & handsome brick patios & paths all contribute to its cottage sensibility. Sited on an flat, over-sized lot and surrounded by lovely mature plantings, it's the perfect spot for outdoor entertaining. Offered at $2,595,000. Today, 2229 Waverly Way E is featured as the Home of the Day on the Puget Sound Business Journal. Help us win Home of the Week by voting here! EXPLORE PROPERTY >> 1440 Broadmoor Drive E, Seattle | This sought-after Elizabeth Ayer Cape Cod classic is located right on the fairway! Walls of divided light windows, French doors, private front courtyard, lovely moldings, beautifully remodeled bathrooms, a cook's kitchen & a fantastic indoor/outdoor flow all combine to give this home a feeling of relaxed elegance. Offered at $2,650,000. On Friday, 1440 Broadmoor Drive E will be featured as the Home of the Day on the Puget Sound Business Journal. Help us win Home of the Week by voting here! EXPLORE PROPERTY >> WOW, what an exciting time for our global brand! Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates recently reported that in 2015 its affiliated brokers and sales professionals achieved approximately $80 billion in U.S. home sales volume. Driven largely by a brand record of over 100,000 total transaction sides, this is the highest annual sales volume performance in the history of the brand and marks a 13% increase from the prior year. READ MORE >> My "IT" pick for the month of March is the Blood & Sand cocktail at Bing's on East Madison. A killer combination of scotch, cherry heering, sweet vermouth & orange, this libation is the perfect spring refreshment. Be still my heart! EXPLORE THE MENU >>