The Seattle Times Real Estate Article: "It's a good time...to be a first-time homebuyer"

Sunday mornings and it’s The Seattle Times, and a cup of coffee…ahhh….

So, this morning when I got to the Seattle Real Estate section, the first thing that caught my eye was the photo….I showed THAT house to my first-time home buyers last September!  It was for the article “It’s a good time to be a  first-time homebuyer”

While that home did not suit my clients, together we eventually found a great deal last fall, on a wonderful new construction, 4 bedroom, 2 bath home in Beacon Hill over looking Columbia City, I am glad that the buyer in the article, with the help of her Seattle real estate agent,  found what she was looking for. 

The article did a good job of pointing out why for many first-time home buyers it is a good time to buy:

• Lot’s of inventory – this is how my clients wound up with such a great deal, the builder needed to sell some of his inventory and was willing to take a much lower price than what the house was originally listed for.
• Lower prices on homes – the downward pressure of lots of inventory beause of potential home buyers watching and waiting.
• Low interest rates –  my lender, Christi, updates me on how the rates are and they are very good.
•  Up to $8,000 tax credit– available for first time home buyers who qualify, and who buy between Jan. 1st 2009 and Dec. 1st 2009.

Anyway, it was funny to see that house again in the newspaper, good thing I had already swallowed my coffee, or my photo would be of a coffee stained article…LoL!

This is what Seattle woke up to this morning…HUGE snowflakes falling!  Even though Spring officially begins this coming Friday (just 5 days away) the Seattle area is being dusted with more snow.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_6RkexJ7Rk[/youtube]

Here is what I saw on my patio this morning…snowfalling, so HUGE you can hear it land!

Seattle and the Space Needle from Alki walk on March 10, 2009

This evening’s walk on Alki was clear and COLD.  Since last Sunday was “Spring Forward” one hour we also had sunshine…Yay! 

The walk also had a few funny surprises this evening:  we saw a woman walking her skate boarding dog,  and a man holding his indoor cat in his arms because he told us the cat enjoys being outside occassionally for fresh air! 

On the way back the sun had set, it was even colder, and as we were rounding the curve of the point, we were surprised by the HUGE rising full moon coming up over the SafeCo Field….it was Awesome!

Moon rising over Seattle after Alki walk March 10, 2009 ....Just Awesome!

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The moon rising…  

Artforte Gallery in Pioneer Square

It’s a new month and here it is again, First Thursday Art Walk in Pioneer Square and it was a fine evening to be out enjoying the Art in the Galleries with a couple of friends.  I met a friend at her office and we to Pioneer Square and met up with another friend in one of the Galleries. 

So, every month I allow myself to pick which artists’ whose work catches my eye and appeals to my “would I want to see that artwork in my home” criteria and this month I found my favorite Artists for the evening in this order at Artforte, Linda Hodges and Marni Muir Galleries. 

Flora S. Bowley beside her paintings at Artforte Gallery in Seattle's Pioneer Square

My favorite artist for the evening was Flora S. Bowley at Artfort Gallery.  I noticed her paintings last spring and was happy to see more of her gorgeous surreal/abstract landscapes.  These color drenched, organic natural abstracted shapes are beguiling….  Yes, I think Flora’s paintings are candy yummy and would love to see them in my home or yours! 

Linda Hodges Gallery was showing mixed media collage and oil paintings by Patrick LoCiero .  These paintings quietly draw you in as you begin to notice the details of the background collage (which almost begin to tell a story) and realize the paintings are not a flat as they first appear.  The paintings have almost quilted, rich burnished surface from the collage and set against that surface are the painted (and collaged) floral subjects.  At first glance the paintings are quiet, then as you look deeper, you are drawn into seeing stories in the images of the collage backgrounds. 

Marni Muir Gallery was showing the dreamlike, surreal  paintings of Scott Goodwillie .  Technically amazing paintings in oil with dream-like  images (and dreams often have disturbing imagery) that first catch your eye, then as you settle your gaze on the subject you realize *oh* and wonder at what you are seeing, you are perhaps a little unsettled at that point.  The painting that appealed to me in the show was a large painting of a life-sized woman surrounded by writhing ferrets that reminded me of a few favorite Frieda Kahlo self portrait paintings.

It was an engaging evening of Art!

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Update:  Flora S. Bowley emailed me April 3rd, to let me know that she has been asked to make, “5 or more really large paintings to go in the lobby and restaurant of the new Escala condo building up in Seattle.”
Congratulations Flora!  I will check them out.

The copy of "The New Influencers" by Paul Gillin that I won from Hubspot

Outling the wonderful, weird way Web 2.0 works….

1. Last February (2008)  I was reading a post on NAR Wisdom  by Jay Thompson. 
2. That I learned of from reading a post by Lola Audu, I left comments on both posts.  
3. Jay’s post on “Why the NAR Needs a Social Media Director ” prompted me to leave a comment for Dale Stinton (CEO of NAR) recomending a book by Paul Gillin, “The New Influencers “. 
4. That book I won when I was a listener on a Hubspot Webinar interview with Paul Gillin about his new book .
5. I learned of Hubspot through their Free WebsiteGrader .
6. I learned about WebsiteGrader from ActiveRain.
7. I learned about ActiveRain   from ARDELL.
8. I found ARDELL on Rain City Guide.
9. 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.