Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Are You Being Priced Out of Seattle (Permanently)?
Everyone has that perfect home in mind, but if this is your first or even second home, the perfect home should not be the priority. The appreciation should be, and here is why: Seattle is expensive. If you are buying your first or second home, you might not have the capital required to buy a…
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A Day in Pioneer Square with Matt & Brian
Brian and I visited Pioneer Square recently. I couldn’t believe how much prettier the area has become! We saw open squares of people gathering to play games, sit and talk, or enjoy a some delights from one of the many food trucks parked nearby. Fabulous restaurants, wine bars, pubs and open markets entertain and impress.…
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What You Need to Know About Living in Ballard
The reason I was often given was the proximity to I-5. Seattle was different 10 years ago. Major employment centers were typically in the center of downtown, Redmond, or one of the many Boeing locations. In other words, people needed the freeway to get to work. Getting to the 5 from Ballard is, to put…
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North Green Lake On The Rise!
Not only is it filled with early 2000s townhouses, it has also typically been a place of affordable homes that, as an agent, I could rely on for the sub-$500K buyer. Well, that is changing at this very moment. I have a client who wants to spend no more that $550,000, wants a townhouse, and…
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Ready to Invest in a Seattle Home? These Facts on Seattle Appreciation May Surprise You
Recently, I discovered a new tool that actually allows me to look at a certain neighborhood with the home’s appreciation rates broken down by era home, size home, bedroom counts, etc. Of course, you can do this on the MLS too, but the amount of time it would take to do it for each zip…
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Matt’s Theory On When To Sell Your Home
Here’s my proverbial canary in the coal mine: Keep an eye on the four main factors that drive every market: Demand, supply, affordability, and consumer trends. But don’t just look at it from the obvious perspective. For example: There are many things that drive consumer demand. Most of which are feelings, and often not facts.…
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Matt & Leo Ride Seattle’s Link Light Rail (& It Was Awesome)
Last week, my little dog and I went for a walk through our neighborhood in North Beacon Hill. While on our walk, my car’s dealership called to say we could come and pick up the car. I thought it about waiting for Brian to get home and then we could head over to U-District to…
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What’s a View in Seattle Worth?
Figuring out how much a view is worth requires finding comparable homes in every way except view. The easiest way to do this is to look at condos. Homes present more nuanced differences, and it would take longer to isolate the views value alone. For example: In the Newmark Tower in Downtown Seattle, you have…
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Seattle: The NW-Francisco (& Why I’m Calling It That)
I’m asked all the time if I think home prices are going to continue this astonishing rise. Some would-be homebuyers are beginning to think that this is a bubble, and that waiting might to buy might be a good idea. Over the last 5 years, I’ve had many clients act on that impulse to devastating…
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Seattle’s Median Home Price is Deceiving (& Which Neighborhoods Offer Affordable Single-Family Home Options)
The official statistic is that we are somewhere around $530,000. However, that number is a little deceiving. Seattle encompasses a rather large area. Most people think of Queen Anne, Ballard, Capitol Hill, Ravenna, Wedgwood etc. when thinking about where they want to live (at least in my experience). No one says they want to move…
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