Debra Sinick

Archive for October, 2009|Monthly archive page

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Hot Sales Price for Kirkland Homes, 10-29-09

In buyers, Kirkland WA, Kirkland, WA Real Estate, market statistics, Real estate, sellers on October 30, 2009 at 10:33 am

The hot price range of the week in Kirkland?   $400-$499,999 and $500-$599,999

  • Most number of home sales in Kirkland: $400-$499,999 and $500-$599,999, 4 sales each
  • Most number of homes for sale $1,000,000-1,499,999:  58 homes for sale. This number has remained fairly constant and continues to be down from the summer’s highs.  This is a good thing!
  • Highest number of home sales in Kirkland in the last 7 weeks:   10-7-09 when 24 homes sold.
  • Home sales happened in most price ranges below $1000-$1,499,999.
  • It’s a positive sign to see Kirkland real estate selling in a variety of price ranges.


  • Peak  of homes for sale in King County so far this year?
  • July 27th marked a high of 13,861 homes and condos for sale in King County.
  • Week of 10-26-09   12,865 homes for sale in King County.  The lowest number of properties for sale in King County since March of this year.

There were 394 homes for sale in Kirkland and 18 homes sold last week.  The number of homes for sale in Kirkland is dropping, another good sign.  There are about 30 less homes for sale than about 7 weeks ago.

Kirkland Home Sales - 10-28-09

Kirkland Home Sales - 10-28-09

This chart is updated weekly by (Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc., using MLS data) to show the price ranges of the homes sold each week.  Here’s how it’s set up:The colors show who has the advantage in a particular price range.

  • Green means the buyer has the advantage with many homes to choose from and not that many selling.
  • Yellow means the number of homes for sale and the number of sales in the price range is balanced between the buyer and the seller.
  • Red indicates a sellers’ market where the seller may have the advantage as more homes are selling when compared to what’s available.

Down the side of the chart, the home sales activity is broken down into a price bracket of $99,999. All the homes priced between $400,000-499,999, as an example, are put together in one price category in the chart.

Across the top, the chart is broken down into real estate activity by the week.

If you take the $400-499,999 line and follow it across the chart, you’ll see what has happened each of the last seven weeks.  There are three columns under each week. On the left side of the column is the number of homes for sale in Kirkland.  The middle column shows how many homes sold that week, and the final column under the date shows the months supply of homes for sale.  In other words, if no other homes came up for sale, it would take an average of 3.7 months to sell all the homes in the $400-499,999 price range.

The last section shows the 7 week average of each category, the number of homes for sale, the number sold, and the months supply.

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Hot Sales Price Range for Kirkland Homes, 10-21-09

In buyers, Kirkland WA, Kirkland, WA Real Estate, Real estate, sellers on October 23, 2009 at 1:00 pm

The hot price range of the week in Kirkland?   $300-$399,999 and $500-$599,999

  • Most number of home sales in Kirkland: $300-$399,999 and $500-$599,999, 4 sales each
  • Most number of homes for sale $1,000,000-1,499,999:  58 homes for sale.
  • Highest number of home sales in Kirkland in the last 7 weeks:   10-7-09 when 24 homes sold
  • Home sales happened in all price ranges below $1000-$1,999,999, except one, $800-$899,999.
  • Peak  of homes for sale in King County so far this year?
  • July 27th marked a high of 13,861 homes and condos for sale in King County.
  • Week of 10-19-09   12,977 homes for sale in King County.  The lowest number of properties for sale in King County since March of this year.
  • Again, it’s a positive sign to see Kirkland real estate selling in almost all price ranges.  Plus, the number of homes selling is far stronger than earlier this year.

There were 404 homes for sale in Kirkland and 18 homes sold last week.

Kirkland Home Sales, 10-21-09

Kirkland Home Sales, 10-21-09

This chart is updated weekly by (Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc., using MLS data) to show the price ranges of the homes sold each week.  Here’s how it’s set up:The colors show who has the advantage in a particular price range. 

  • Green means the buyer has the advantage with many homes to choose from and not that many selling.
  • Yellow means the number of homes for sale and the number of sales in the price range is balanced between the buyer and the seller.
  • Red indicates a sellers’ market where the seller may have the advantage as more homes are selling when compared to what’s available.

Down the side of the chart, the home sales activity is broken down into a price bracket of $99,999. All the homes priced between $400,000-499,999, as an example, are put together in one price category in the chart.

Across the top, the chart is broken down into real estate activity by the week.

If you take the $400-499,999 line and follow it across the chart, you’ll see what has happened each of the last seven weeks.  There are three columns under each week. On the left side of the column is the number of homes for sale in Kirkland.  The middle column shows how many homes sold that week, and the final column under the date shows the months supply of homes for sale.  In other words, if no other homes came up for sale, it would take an average of 4 months to sell all the homes in the $400-499,999 price range.

The last section shows the 7 week average of each category, the number of homes for sale, the number sold, and the months supply.

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Eastside Food Drive Needs Your Help Now!

In Kirkland WA on October 23, 2009 at 10:53 am
Eastside Month of Concern for the Hungry Food Drive

Eastside Month of Concern for the Hungry Food Drive

Can you donate food, money or your time to the Eastside Food Banks? Donations for the drive are way down and the need is way up.  There’s one last push this weekend in Kirkland for the Eastside Month of Concern for the Hungry’s Food Drive.

Three grocery stores have agreed to allow a booth outside their doors this Saturday, October 24:

1.  Albertson’s on 132nd in Juanita: anytime that day.
2.  Bridle Trails Red Apple Market:  2:00-6:00pm.
3.  QFC Totem Lake West on 124th:10:00am-2:00pm.

Volunteers are needed for these times and locations, otherwise the events may not happen.

Please contact Kari Page at 425-736-6477 (cell) or KPage@ci.kirkland.wa.us if you can help.

Can’t contribute time? Please contribute money or food.  Donation drop sites are at Kirkland Fire Stations and Evergreen Hospital and Red Apple Supermarket.   For a full list of needed food items and donation sites, click on the link above.

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Kirkland Highlands Cotton Hill Park Still Needs Your Help

In Kirkland News on October 21, 2009 at 7:11 am
Kirkland Highlands-Cotton Hill Park Path

Kirkland Highlands-Cotton Hill Park Path

Mark your calendars for other Cotton Hill Park events coming up:

Saturday, October 24, 10 am to noon – remove bindweed from goat area
Saturday, November 14 - Arbor Day planting event with Earthcorps

Bring:
gloves
clippers

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Is Your Kirkland Street In Danger of Flooding This Winter?

In Kirkland WA, Safety and Disaster Preparedness on October 20, 2009 at 3:03 pm
Kirkland Street filling with water

Kirkland Street filling with water

I know my street is, if someone doesn’t watch the storm drains. Remember the torrential downpour on Saturday morning? The neighborhood boys, Jack and Jordan, knew how to have fun when the skies opened up.  Armed with their rubber boots, they checked the street out as it began flooding.  The two storm drains in the cul-de-sac were clogged, causing a “new body of water” to develop on my Kirkland street.  Unfortunately for the boys, my husband unclogged the storm drains before the street overflowed. The water was beginning to cover the sidewalk.

Kirkland Street Filling up with Water

Kirkland Street Filling up with Water

Unclogging the storm drain

Unclogging the storm drain

There are about 9500 storm drains in the City of Kirkland.  It’s all but impossible for the city to get to everyone of them each time the skies rain down on us so Kirkland has a program called “Adopt A Storm Drain.” You can “adopt” a storm drain on your street or in your neighborhood by checking it each time there’s a heavy rain.  If the drain is clogged with leaves or debris, all you have to do is get a rake and clean the drain off.  Pretty simple, a lot less of a mess than letting the drains stay clogged, and the neighborhood kids will still speak to you!

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Latest Real Estate Buzz in The Kirkland Highlands, 10-19-09

In buyers, Kirkland WA, Kirkland, WA Real Estate, market statistics, Real estate, sellers, Weekly market update on October 19, 2009 at 10:17 pm

More good real estate news in Kirkland and King County.   Homes are selling in The Kirkland Highlands, as three home sales recently closed.  The number of properties for sale in King County is the lowest since March, 2nd!

The Kirkland Highlands Real Estate Buzz post reporting on the latest real estate activity in the neighborhood has moved from Fridays to Mondays.  The “Hot Price of the Week” post will now be at the end of the week instead.

The real estate statistics below reflect the activity in The Kirkland Highlands for the past two weeks. All data is taken from the NWMLS through Monday morning.


View Larger Map

The map shows most of the outline of Kirkland’s Highlands neighborhood. The map address is simply for a street corner in the middle of the Kirkland Highlands. For those not familiar with the neighborhood, it’s a pocket of unique homes close to downtown Kirkland. In some ways it feels like an island, because it’s separated on the east by 405, the south by Central Way (the main route to downtown) and the west and north by the BNSF railroad tracks. The neighborhood has the best of both worlds, a little isolation without any through traffic, but just seconds from everything.

Numbers in parentheses are from the last report:

Active Listings: 29 (30)

New listings: 1 (0)

Pending inspection: 0 (0)

Pending: 1 (1)

Closed Sales: 3 (3)

Number of Price Reductions:  1  (4)

Price increase: 0(0)

Homes off the market that did not sell: 3 (2)

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0-$349,999: 1 (1)

$350,000-$499,999: 7 (7)

$500,000-$749,999:  11 (12)

$750,000-$999,999: 7 (8)

$1,000,000- $1,499,999: 3 (2)

$1,500,000- $2,999,999: 0 (0)
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Average Price of homes for sale: $702,212 ($682,938)

Median Price of homes for sale: $699,990 ($695,975)

Average Days on Market:  142 (129)

Highest Priced Listing: $1,298,800 ($1,298,000)

Lowest Priced Listing: $285,000 ($285,000)

Three closed sales this week:

$295,000 Original list price of $319,999, final list price of $319,999, sold in 25 days, 8% below the original asking price.

$615,000  Original list price of $749,950, final list price of $624,999, sold in 113 days, 18% below the original asking price.

$664,000 Original list price of $684,000, final list price of $684,000, sold in 51 days, 3% below the original asking price.

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7 Town homes on the market

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Peak in the number of homes for sale in 2009:

7-27-09  13,861

Now:

10-19-09 12,977

There’s been a huge drop in the number of homes and condos for sale in King County as we head towards the winter.  Hmm…maybe it’s a good time to think about selling because there’s less competition!

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Hot Sales Price Range for Kirkland Homes, 10-14-09

In buyers, Kirkland WA, Kirkland, WA Real Estate, market statistics, Real estate, sellers on October 16, 2009 at 9:41 am

The hot price range of the week in Kirkland?   $400-$499,999 and $500-$599,999

  • Most number of home sales in Kirkland: $400-$499,999 and $500-$599,999, 3 sales each
  • Most number of homes for sale $1,000,000-1,499,999:  60 homes for sale.
  • Highest number of home sales in Kirkland in the last 7 weeks:  9-2-09 and 10-7-09 when 24 homes sold each week. Two of the strongest sales weeks in Kirkland this year.
  • All of the homes sales were under $799,999, except one sale in the $1000-1,499,999 range.
  • Peak  of homes for sale in King County so far this year?
  • July 27th marked a high of 13,861 homes and condos for sale in King County.
  • Week of 10-5-09   13,061 homes for sale in King County.  There were only 13 new listings in the entire county.

There were 414 homes for sale in Kirkland and 11 homes sold last week.

Kirkland Real Estate Sales 10-14-09
Kirkland Real Estate Sales 10-14-09
This chart is updated weekly by (Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc., using MLS data) to show the price ranges of the homes sold each week.  Here’s how it’s set up:The colors show who has the advantage in a particular price range. 

  • Green means the buyer has the advantage with many homes to choose from and not that many selling.
  • Yellow means the number of homes for sale and the number of sales in the price range is balanced between the buyer and the seller.
  • Red indicates a sellers’ market where the seller may have the advantage as more homes are selling when compared to what’s available.

Down the side of the chart, the home sales activity is broken down into a price bracket of $99,999. All the homes priced between $400,000-499,999, as an example, are put together in one price category in the chart.

Across the top, the chart is broken down into real estate activity by the week.

If you take the $400-499,999 line and follow it across the chart, you’ll see what has happened each of the last seven weeks.  There are three columns under each week. On the left side of the column is the number of homes for sale in Kirkland.  The middle column shows how many homes sold that week, and the final column under the date shows the months supply of homes for sale.  In other words, if no other homes came up for sale, it would take an average of 3.5Hot Ho months to sell all the homes in the $400-499,999 price range.  Just a few weeks ago, it took 3.3 months to sell a home in this price range.

The last section shows the 7 week average of each category, the number of homes for sale, the number sold, and the months supply.

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There’s A Cost to Seniors if The Utility Tax Increase Does Not Pass

In Kirkland WA, seniors on October 15, 2009 at 10:03 am

Did you know there were 65 legislative bills regarding senior issues up before the legislature earlier this year?

Senior issues need to be kept front and center with our state legislature and city governments.   There are too many seniors who are vulnerable and have no one to advocate on their behalf.  From my past involvement with The Kirkland Senior Council, I’ve tried to continue advocating for seniors.  If the utility tax of approximately $72 a year, $6 a month, does not pass, it will affect the ability of the City and The Kirkland Senior Council to advocate for seniors.

Because it’s an issue I’m passionate about, I’ve written articles both for Kirkland Views and The Kirkland Reporter which explain a little about what might change for seniors if the utility tax does not pass. Please check the articles out and consider voting for the utility tax increase.

One reason to vote for the small tax increase is to stabilize the revenue stream coming into Kirkland city coffers.  The other reason is to continue advocacy programs for one of our most vulnerable populations, seniors.  Most importantly, vote, and vote for the utility tax increase.

What do you think?

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The Odds of Selling Your Kirkland Home, September, 2009

In Kirkland, WA Real Estate, market statistics, Real estate, sellers on October 14, 2009 at 3:38 pm

Kirkland Real Estate Sales, Sept 2009

Kirkland Real Estate Sales, Sept 2009

There was a 15% chance of selling a home in Kirkland in September, 2009.

September, 2009    418 homes for sale    64 homes sold     15% odds of selling,

August, 2009      428    homes for sale      88(now 74) homes sold       21(now 17)% odds of selling a home.*

September, 2008        514 homes for sale       36 homes sold          7% odds of selling a home.

*(Reflects the revised percentage of homes sold because some home sales failed.)

If you click on the link, you’ll see the MLS charts which show the real estate trends, including median price, for the past five years in Kirkland.

The chances of selling is another way to characterize the “absorption rate” in which we take the number of homes sold in a particular month and divide it by the number of homes on the market. This number tells us what the odds are that a home will sell.  In September, there was a 15% chance of selling a home in Kirkland.  Out of 100 homes for sale, 15 homes received and accepted offers.

The median price in Kirkland declined by 21% from $695,000 to $549,950. The number of sales increased by 47% from last September!

Homes are selling in all price ranges.  It’s encouraging to see the number of sales between $1 million and $1.499 million increasing overall.

For the complete picture of home sales on Seattle’s eastside, check out my eastside blog post.

Looking for information about the national real estate picture  The Real Estate Channel had a good article with real estate data from the Case-Shiller Index.

http://www.realestatechannel.com/us-markets/residential-real-estate-1/case-shiller-home-price-index-reports-sixth-consecutive-month-of-positive-gains-1452.php

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Cub Scout Pack 550 Raises Food/Money For Eastside Food Drive

In Kirkland WA on October 12, 2009 at 10:21 pm

A big thanks to Cub Scouts, Pack 550, their parents, and Cindy Bienz, who worked so hard last Saturday to bring in 644 pounds of food and $366 towards The Eastside Month of Concern for the Hungry.

Cub Scouts, Pack 550, at the Kirkland Highlands Food Drive

Cub Scouts, Pack 550, at the Kirkland Highlands Food Drive

A donation of $7-$15 will support a case of canned food.  Every dollar donated equals 1.3 pounds of food.

There will be another opportunity to support the Scouts and the food drive this weekend.  I’ll keep you posted.

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