Archive for February, 2009
February 26th, 2009 categories: Art, Artists, Georgetown, White Center
White Center For The Arts Studio Tours Feb. 21, 2009
Last week, I was invited by Kim McCarthy to the launching of White Center For The Arts Building with their first Open Studio Art Tour in White Center (fondly nicknamed Rat City ) on Saturday, Feb. 21. I came with a friend (after showing houses for sale until it was too dark to see) to tour the studios.
The
White Center For The Arts Building is on the main street of
White Center and it actually has a
skate rink in the building where the
Rat City Roller Girls first started skating. The building is now in the process of becoming a focal point for the
White Center Art community as artists’ have been priced out of other
Seattle neighborhoods.
Kim McCarthy in her studio for the White Center Open Studio Tour
The progression for urban neighborhood renewal is for artists to begin to move into an affordable, usually a bit rundown, neighborhood close in to the city. The artists’ support the local restaurants, cafes and bars, and a buzz begins to build. This brings hip/edgy younger people who start hanging out, then buying the affordable housing and fixing them up. The builders now come building condos helping to further transform the neighborhood, causing prices to move up and pricing out the younger artists who then seek out another affordable neighborhood and the cycle begins again.
Ken Torres in his studio at the White Center For The Arts Open Studio Tour
Close by Georgetown has recently undergone this transformation and the housing in Georgetown has priced out many first time home buyers. Currently White Center has 11 homes for sale on the market median price $299,950, and Georgetown has 13 homes for sale at a median price of $350,000.
My friend and I were there to say “Hi” to
Kim McCarthy and
Ken Torres (both work at
DANIEL SMITH Artists’ Materials – fyi, I write the blog for DANIEL SMITH) and it was fun to see their artwork. Kim is a very active artist, and I am always running into her at various art venues!
Spoken by Deborah Burns |
February 25th, 2009 categories: NAR, Web 2.0
My copy of "The New Influencers" by Paul Gillin
Today NAR announced who their Social Media Manager is, Todd Carpenter . Congratulations to both Todd and NAR!
This is a huge step in the right direction for
NAR (National Association of Realtors) in joining in on the
Web 2.0 conversation with home buying and home selling consumers, and the
real estate industry. Being in the conversation is the first step to, hopefully help
NAR to gain more credibility. Of course just joining is not enough,
NAR will need to become more aware of the changes happening and be willing not only to listen, but to take positive action in response to what is being said.
Spoken by Deborah Burns |
February 25th, 2009 categories: NAR, Web 2.0
The copy of "The New Influencers" by Paul Gillin that I won from Hubspot
Outling the wonderful, weird way Web 2.0 works….
So today
NAR announced who their new
Social Media Manager is (
Todd Carpenter ) and I played a teeny, tiny part with
NAR taking action to join the web 2.0 conversation (see the following
post). Since the blogosphere is all about conversation, sharing information, and helping to influence, here is an outline of the wonderful, weird way web 2.0 works…………..
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That I learned of from reading a post by
Lola Audu, I left comments on both posts.
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I found
Rain City Guide because I was dissatisfied with what I was learning at the
Seattle real estate brokerage (to remain nameless!) I had started at as a new
Seattle real estate agent.
There you have it….why web 2.0 is effective!
Spoken by Deborah Burns |
February 24th, 2009 categories: Moving, Seattle Times misc. articles
The Seattle Times article: "Movers aim to unpack warm feelings of home" Feb. 22, 2009
I read in last Sunday’s edition of “The Seattle Times “, in the Job Market section (and no, I was not job hunting, I read Daneen Skube’s weekly column “Interpersonal Edge “) and there I found an interesting article on a growing niche moving service. This moving service specializes in working with Seniors who need to down size, moving from their homes filled with a lifetime of possessions, to smaller, more manageable homes.
In the article by Thomas Heath: “
Movers aim to unpack warm feeling of home ” Heath writes that these movers are specializing in helping Seniors to minimize the sad reality of moving from their home, with all it’s familiar furnishings and memories, to a smaller place that simply cannot accommodate all their treasures.
These movers known as “Move Management Consultants“, help not only with the physical move, but can also help with determining what to keep and more. Everyone knows how stressful packing up and moving can be, then when you add the stress of downsizing from 2400sf (or more) to a 900sf (or less) condo or apt. and experiencing the sense of loss that comes from having to get rid of many familiar and beloved things, it becomes overwhelming.
The article is very interesting with all the services that the Move Management Consultants offer their aging clients, it looks to be a very good, and much needed service to help a growing segment of the population. Unfortunately after Googling “Move Management Consultant” for the Seattle area, I found no local businesses. That is too bad, the article said there were about 500 businesses offering these types of services, but apparently none in Seattle to help Seniors to move. The company who the article was written about, “
Transitional Assistance and Design “, is based in Maryland.
So entrepreneurs in Seattle, here is a great idea for an opportunity to help Seniors with their downsizing move !
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Update: Christy Urdel from
NextStep Transitions stopped by and left a comment to let me know about her Seattle Specialty Moving Company and 8 others, so check out the comments for more. Thank you Christy!
Spoken by Deborah Burns |
February 24th, 2009 categories: Seattle Times RE articles
The Seattle Times Real Estate article: "Good Look at New Housing Credit" from Feb. 22, 2009
Last Sunday “The Seattle Times ” had a good article “Good Look at New Housing Credit ” by columnist Kenneth R. Harney, explaining the $8,000 Housing Tax Credit for 2009.
Briefly, the $8,000 Housing Tax Credit that was passed for 2009 improves on the $7,500 Tax Credit for 2008 by making it a true credit, and not an interest free loan. To qualify, you must be a “first time home buyer” (as defined in the plan) and earn less than $75,000 (single income) or $150,000 (joint-filing couples). The article goes into more details concerning eligibility, other beneficial aspects of the plan and is worth reading.
It’s unfortunate that the main change to improve the Tax Credit by making it a true credit, and not an interest free government loan, is not retro-active for first time home buyers who bought a home last fall.
Spoken by Deborah Burns |
