OPEN SUNDAY, 2:30pm -4:30pm in Sunset Cove

The Crest       &          The Gardens

The Crest, luxury view condos in Sunset Cove near Washington Park. Experience breathtaking water views, & resort living with elevator, secured access & parking garage. Units include a variety of amenities like luxurious spa-like bath, cherry floors, upgraded open chef’s kitchen w/granite & Kitchenaid/Thermador appliances, den/3rd bedroom, Air conditioning, fire sprinkler system & Sunset Cove Community Gazebo.

The Gardens, luxurious condo living at located in Sunset Cove, and walking distance to the WA Ferry or Washington Park. Built green, amenities may vary including use of granite, tile, cherry floors, kitchen w/maple cabinetry, Jennair/Frigidaire  appliances, walk-in pantry, eating bar & gas FP. Master w/access to patio/terrace, coffered ceilings, jetted tub, fire sprinkler system & Sunset Cove Community Gazebo.

Great location close to Skyline Marina AND Washington Park  .

DIRECTIONS: Commercial Ave to 12th, (12th turns into Oakes Ave) Left at Sunset Ave, (stay to the left as you pass the ferry terminal). Turn Right on Washington Blvd, Right on Observation to Sundown Ct.

Hosted Saturday By Georgia Coy & Sunday By Janis McHarg

Georgia Coy, 360.333.1900    Janis McHarg, 360 . 391 . 8439
Coldwell Banker Island Living
3110 Commercial Ave #101
Anacortes, WA 98221
Janis@AnacortesRealEstateNow.com

Georgia.Coy@ColdwellBanker.com 

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OPEN SUNDAY, September 5th from 11am -2pm

1805 Lea Place in Skyline

 Wow! Beautifully maintained, move in ready 1723+/- sq ft, light/bright Skyline Rambler w/3 bedrm, 2 baths. New siding, exterior paint & all new composite decks in 2009. 2 car gar, wired for Generator, vaulted ceilings, cozy gas log FP, large open kitchen w/eating bar, French doors off dining to deck. Master bedrm w/bath & slider to delightful backyd, a private oasis landscaped in 2008. Walk-in crawlspace. Great location with access to all the Skyline community amenities, Skyline Marina AND Washington Park  .

DIRECTIONS: N on Commercial, left on 12th, turns into Oakes Ave, left on Skyline Way, Right on Sands Way, left on Lea Pl, property on the left..

Janis McHarg, 360 . 391 . 8439
Coldwell Banker Island Living
3110 Commercial Ave #101
Anacortes, WA 98221
Janis@AnacortesRealEstateNow.com

What should or can we as an Association do about this issue?

There are many potential ramifications with the new maps – not just affecting individual residential property owners – but commercial and municiple property uses as well. Over the next few weeks, Washington Realtors and I feel it is important to really nail down the most serious impact points and express our support to those agencies that need it. I will be taking the temperature of the affected interests to determine who – if anyone – we as Realtors should stand behind. The county commissioners have made it clear that Skagit County as an entity will not take legal action against FEMA – and none of the government agencies nor the Realtor Association has the resources to take on a huge legal fight to have the maps changed.

In the meantime, you can help by reviewing the maps on the link at the end of the email, informing your clients, both residential and commercial, that the maps are available and encouraging them to participate in the public hearings. Also – please let me know how you and your clients will be impacted and in what way so that we can garner as much information as possible for an appropriate response from NPSAR. Regardless of our what our official response will be in the end, we and our clients will be dealing with this and the most valuable thing we can do for them is keep them informed.

Please feel free to call or email us if you have questions or comments about this issue .
360-293-4511 or islandliving@coldwellbanker.com

Here is the link to the maps as posted on the City of Mount Vernon website.

(SKAGIT COUNTY)— The Skagit County Public Works Department says the 2010 Guemes Island Ferry haul-out will take place from Monday, October 4th, to Tuesday, October 19th.

The ferry’s last run will occur Sunday, October 3rd at 8:00 pm.

The vessel is scheduled to return to service Wednesday, October 20th, at 6:00 am.

During the haul-out, Skagit County will remove and replace one main engine, conduct ultrasound readings on the hull to determine hull thickness and life expectancy, paint void spaces and portions of the superstructure, perform other small maintenance items, and complete the USCG dry-dock credit.

Arrow Launch will provide a passenger-only service that will run on the regularly-scheduled sailing times.

The passenger-only boat accommodates 49 passengers and carries both bicycles and small motorbikes.

Skagit Transit will provide a bus on Guemes Island to provide transportation.

For more information, contact Rachel Beck at 333-1496 or at rachelb@co.skagit.wa.us.

“In general consumers seem to be stuck in uncertainty surrounding the world’s economic concerns, our lack of jobs and the rollercoaster of the stock market. They seem to be hunkering down despite the lowest interest rates in years,” said NWMLS director Frank Wilson.

On a more upbeat note, Wilson said the deadline extension for the tax credit is good news. “Congress has acknowledged the length of time it is taking banks to close a transaction by passing this extension,” he remarked. Without the extension, the National Association of Realtors estimates as many as 180,000 buyers wouldn’t have qualified for a tax credit of up to $8,000 because they couldn’t meet the June 30 deadline to close on their purchase.

The latest report from Northwest Multiple Listing Service shows mixed news across its 21-county market area, with arrows going in both directions. “The current market is not as bad as some people think, and not as good as some people would like it to be,” observed NWMLS director Pat Grimm. He also said the combination of low interest rates and affordable prices are the best he’s seen in his 25 years of experience in real estate.

The MLS summary statistics for June show:

• Pending sales of single family homes and condominiums (combined) fell 28 percent from a year ago, but rose 5.8 percent from May.
• Year-to-date (through June), pending sales are up 12.4 percent compared to midyear 2009.
• Closed sales for June outgained the same month a year ago by 617 transactions (up 12 percent), and rose 8.9 percent from May’s total.

“The economy is still recovering and that makes some consumers hesitant to buy,” Grimm stated, adding, “On the other hand, with prices down and mortgage rates at their lowest in 50 years, homes are more affordable now than they were before the tax credit went into effect.”

Grimm said the market has created its own incentive for buyers who missed out on the most recent tax credit. “Lower prices and lower interest rates more than offset the benefit of the tax credit. Homes are actually more affordable than they were three months ago, and that factors in the tax credit,” he emphasized. To illustrate his point, he said the purchaser of a $500,000 property this month with a $400,000 mortgage would save more than $250 per month as a result of the interest rate drop. “Do the math and you can see you are way ahead if you stay in the property for more than three years.”

House-hunters have plenty of choices. Brokers added 10,354 new listings to inventory last month, bringing the selection to 42,940 residences being offered for sale system-wide. That’s up about 4 percent from a year ago. Included in the current listings are 36,027 single family homes priced from $8,500 to $25 million, and 6,913 condominiums priced from $20,000 to $15.6 million.

Asked if now is the right time to buy, Grimm replied, “You can’t time the real estate market any more than you can time the stock market,” but added, “If you want to buy a home, and can afford it, I haven’t seen a better convergence of affordable prices and low interest rates in the 25 years I’ve been working in real estate.”

Last week’s benchmark 30-year fixed-rate mortgage fell to 4.75 percent, according to the Bankrate.com national survey of large lenders. That’s the lowest rate for the 30-year fixed in the nearly 25-year history of Bankrate’s weekly survey. Freddie Mac reported an average of 4.58 percent, the lowest level in more than five decades.

Click to view large chart

Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member brokers, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership includes more than 24,000 brokers and agents. The organization, based in Kirkland, currently serves 21 counties in Western and Central Washington.

The First Church of Christ, Scientist has closed it’s doors as the final member, Phyllis Pitts, has become unable to travel from Seattle to Anacortes for her weekly private service.  The church, located on the corner of 8th & K Ave, was donated by Phyllis Pitt’s grandparents and Phyllis Pitts grew up right across the street from it.

While each congregation & church is independently owned, there is a home church located in Boston. The home church has officially dissolved the Anacortes branch and has listed the historic church, to be sold, with Coldwell Banker Island Living in Anacortes. Phyllis Pitts has deeded it back to the home church and hopes whomever buys the church, will keep it’s exterior integrity intact.

The church was designed by noted architect & Christen Scientist, Norman Archiblad Torbitt, AIA and then locally supervised by I.E. Cahill, contractor. Ground was broken in July 1929 and the cornerstone was laid. The congregation held it’s first service in Nov of that same year and was debt free when dedicated in Sept 1930.

The building has been listed on the Washington State Historic Property Inventory and is eligible for both the Anacortes Register of Historic Places and the National Register. The neighbors hope that whoever buys the church will respect the character of the building and restore the facade. For more historical information on this wonderful historic church or to see the church in person, contact any of our Coldwell Banker agents or e-mail us at  IslandLiving@ColdwellBanker.com

This month, the kids will be out of school and for a lot of families relocating, it is time to pack up and move. Moving brings on an entire new set of stresses and tasks for the family.

Here are some tips for moving, courtesy of Move.com. It might just help save you a bit of time, stress and headache for the move ahead.

4 weeks from move date: Get organized and start notifying the right people and companies that you’ll be moving soon and give them a date to forward or terminate service. Start looking for licensed and professional moving companies, moving guides and relevant coupons.

Tip: If using a professional mover, get quotes from multiple moving companies to get the best deal that is right for you and your needs. Ask plenty of questions like whether or not they give binding quotes and what kind of insurance is included. Be sure to talk with them about the different options available with full-service moves such as packing and unpacking services and providing boxes and packing supplies.

Tip: Important documents such as your child’s school records may need to be accessible during your transition. Make sure to put these items aside and make copies of any records for yourself, in case you forget what box they’re packed in.

3 weeks from move date: Once you’ve selected a mover, begin by taking inventory of your belongings and their worth and decide what will be coming with you to your next home.

Tip: Start cleaning out closets, drawers and storage areas of your home and divide things into categories: “pack,” “recycle” and “give to friend.” You can always have a garage sale or donate old items to charity. This will make packing day a lot easier and you may reduce the total weight you’ll be paying for to move.

Tip: If you’re moving yourself or contracting for a self-service move, pack the items you know you won’t need until 30 days after the move. It will feel great to get started early.

Tip: If possible, take pictures of rooms and areas inside the home or apartment you’ll be moving into so you can start thinking about placement of furniture, artwork and other items. This will help save time, headaches…and money…on moving day.

2 weeks from move date: If you choose not to take advantage of full service mover packing services, or are planning to do it yourself and rent a truck, start packing things into boxes. Figure out the logistics of the move, travel plans and if other specialized plans need to be made.

Tip: If you are using a professional mover find out what items are on their “non-allowables” list and discard those items or find a way to transport them separately.

Tip: Instead of stacking plates, pack them vertically; they will travel safer this way.

Tip: If you are moving long distance, remember travel arrangements for your pets. There are pet-exclusive airlines available such as Pet Airways but regular airlines have travel options for pets as well.

Tip: If you have young children, you may want to make childcare arrangements so you can be 100% focused on moving day and your little ones remain safe and busy with fun activities.

Tip: Schedule “move out” cleaning service, carpet cleaners and heavy appliance disposal if necessary for once you’ll be out of the home you’re vacating. Even if you’re selling your current home, it’s a nice welcome for the buyers to move into a clean and tidy home.

1 week from move date: Set aside valuable items and keep those with you. Clean before moving and leave your house or apartment as clean as it was when you moved in.

Tip: Make sure the details for paying the moving company are taken care of. Some will require money orders or cashier’s checks upon delivery; know their policy in advance to avoid stress on moving day.

Tip: Start eating all the frozen foods you have, or give them to a neighbor or friend. This way you won’t have to throw them away on moving day, or worry about packing an ice chest.

Tip: Also think about necessities for managing moving day like confining your pets and anticipating the amount of time you will need.

Tip: Place necessities such as toiletries, toilet paper, rags, “must-have” cooking supplies and organize them in boxes marked “open first” so it’s easy to find the initial items you’ll want handy on those first few days of being in your next home. Don’t forget the flashlight!

Tip: If possible, take one last tour of the new location and identify water and gas shut off locations, as well as the electrical breaker box just in case something happens in the first few days so you’re prepared. Might be smart to drop off a fresh box of light bulbs too!

Moving day and beyond: Take one last walk through and make sure nothing has been forgotten or overlooked. Also, make sure all doors and windows are locked and switches turned off, then you are on your way to your new house or apartment.

Tip: Go back to the photos you took when you began to pack up. Now you can show the movers or those helping you unpack exactly where everything goes with photos.

Tip: Unpack one room at a time according to basic needs starting with the kitchen and at least one bathroom…and don’t forget to make a bed as early in the day as possible if you’ll be sleeping in your home that evening! Remember, you don’t have to unpack everything in one day, or even in one week.

Tip: After you’ve settled in a bit, introduce yourself to some neighbors, ask for advice on the best places to eat, grocery shop, etc. This way you will feel like part of the community and can get some great local tips. Don’t forget, you can contact Coldwell Banker Island Living for any information you may need to find a new home & for relocation information. You can call any of our professional agents or email us at islandliving@coldwellbanker.com

Fundraising Campaign

The Coldwell Banker Office manager, Jingles is trying to help all her friends at the Ace of Hearts Dog Park. The permanent home at Ace of Hearts Rotary Park (38th & H Aves) opened in July 2009!   The site has a 1.5 acre fenced dog park, a baseball field and an extensive wetland and pond system from the Ace of Hearts Creek. The new park complex is a community and City of Anacortes project.  Anacortes Noon Rotary Club as well as FIDO (Fidalgo Islanders for Dogs Off-leash) are assisting through fundraising and volunteer efforts.

 The new park will be developed in stages:

The dog park portion is the first area being worked on and the gazebo & water features are now in!   The next projects to be installed this summer are the fundraising bricks and several benches.

Our Dog Park needs new members on our FIDO STEERING COMMITTEE … Email us at info@anacortesdogpark.com if you’d like to help!  Make sure and visit the Coldwell Banker Booth at the 2010 Bark in the Park, June 26th where you can meet Jingles in person and get a tattoo of the image above!

Donate $75 for an engraved brick to be installed in a walkway around the dog park, and you will help us to buy benches, a gazebo, trees, and other cool stuff!  

Donate $200 to the dog park, and receive a personalized, permanent fence plaque, which will go on an 8′x10′ section of the fence just installed at the Ace of Hearts Creek Rotary Park dog park.

Jingles and her friends thank you for all your support of our dog park!!

Northwest MLS member brokers reported 9,438 pending sales during April, an increase of more than 36 percent from the same month a year ago. Of these mutually accepted offers, 7,368 of them were in the four county Puget Sound regions – the highest volume in this area since August 2006. Two counties, Grant and Pacific, reported a twofold increase in the number of units sold last month versus a year ago.

MLS figures show inventory is nearly equal to year-ago levels, closed sales jumped almost 51 percent, and sales prices in many areas reflect little variation during the past six months.  

Commenting on the latest report, two industry leaders referred to market stability. “The home buyer tax credit did what it was designed to do; it helped with stabilizing the housing market which in turn helped stimulate economic recovery,” and “It’s exciting to see the stability of the real estate market continue to improve,” said NWMLS director Bobbie Chipman, co-managing broker for Coldwell Banker Bain-Tacoma/Puyallup. “The tax credit seems to have accomplished its purpose,” she added, noting, “It motivated home buyers to enter the market place, creating a synergy that should propel us through the summer months.” 

Brokers were also upbeat when commenting on inventory and the pace of sales. NWMLS members added 12,664 new listings of single family homes and condominiums during April, up from 10,824 for the same period a year ago. At month’s end, with these additions, there were 39,999 active listings in the MLS database, about the same number as a year ago when inventory totaled 40,147 listings.

 With pending sales outperforming a year ago (9,438 for last month compared to 6,918 for April 2009), the months’ supply (an industry indicator of sales velocity) is shrinking. System-wide, there’s about a 4.24 month supply, meaning at the current sales rate, if no other homes were put on the market it would take just over four months to exhaust the supply. For the four-county Puget Sound market, there is a supply of about 3.5 months.

 The current ratio of listings to pending sales speaks favorably to market growth. “Whereas listings were static compared to April ’09, the number of pending sales increased more than 36 percent.”

  NWMLS figures show big gains in the number of high-end sales. Last month, members reported 93 closed sales of homes priced at $1 million or more, improving on the year-ago total of 52 such sales. Through the first four months of 2010, the number of closed sales that fetched $1 million or more increased 65 percent from a year ago (304 versus 184 transactions).

 Closed sales area-wide jumped nearly 51 percent from a year ago. Members notched 5,243 closings during April, up from the year-ago total of 3,478. Condo sales jumped nearly 74 percent last month for all counties combined.

 There are two types of homes on today’s market: Well priced homes in good condition that are selling within 30 days, and over-priced homes that will be sitting on the market a long time. As long as sellers remain realistic about the market value of their homes and the expectations of buyers, the strength of the market will grow.

Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member brokers, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership includes more than 24,000 brokers and agents. The organization, based in Kirkland, currently serves 21 counties in Western and Central Washington.

Here are many of the considerations you’ll want to discuss with your buyer’s rep:

Basic Home Features
What type of property?
Desired number of bedrooms & bathrooms
Preferences regarding layout
High priority home features
Other types of rooms needed
Storage
Need for garage or shop?
Other home preferences include levels, age & style … are green home features important?

Neighborhood/Location
Commuting, proximity to desirable features – hospital, schools, etc, views – how important is it to find your ideal view?

Lot Characteristics
Size & shape
Landscaping considerations – need for play areas, privacy, deck, etc
Home orientation – is it important for your home to face a particular direction?

Life at Home
Will you be sharing your home with pets? children? live-in parents? Now or in the future
Proximity to nieghbors

Related Costs
Homeowner association fees
Property taxes

Trade-Offs
How much do you want to invest in a home beyond the purchase price, either financially or in terms of sweat equity, if you can’t find exactly what you want?
Are you willing to consider other neighborhoods that provide better affordability?

Resale
How long do you plan to live in this home? How does this impact they type of home you will buy. how much you’ll spend and your choice of location?

Most homebuyers invariably face trade-offs.  Your buyer’s representative can play a key role in helping you sort out your options. He or she can also offer important insights specific to your local market. Call any of our professional agents for answers to all your home buying questions. (360) 293-4511 or visit CBIslandLiving.com

Luckily, you still have time to feast your eyes on their intense and varied displays of color by taking part in the Annual Skagit Valley Tulip Festival continuing until the end of the month.

 Just minutes away from La Conner, Anacortes, Burlington and Mount Vernon are vast fields in bloom, or official gardens and displays.

 All the details are available on the festival website:  www.tulipfestival.org or stop by the Codlwell Banker Island Living Anacortes real estate office for more information.

 You will definitely want to pack your camera!