Seattle and Snow
January 19, 2012
Posted in: Local Seattle
Seattle is famous (or is it infamous?) for our weather. The average yearly rainfall in Seattle is about 36 inches, which, surprisingly is actually less than both New York City and Washington DC. However, when most people think of Seattle they imagine cool, drizzly days. And they wouldn’t be wrong.
This week we’ve experienced what I like to call Snow Panic. As a tremendously hilly city, ice and snow can turn us into one giant metropolitan hazard. Businesses have temporarily shut down, people are working from home, and the airport even closed for awhile this morning.
Although this week’s snowstorm was predicted to be “the worst blizzard in 30 years!”, it looks like we’ve gotten less snow than they originally expected.
I’m sure many of us were dreading something similar to the snowstorm that befell Seattle in December of 2008. People in from out of town were stranded for days, as the airport cancelled and postponed hundreds of flights.
If you’ve got five minutes to spare, check out this video someone took in November 2010, as cars repeatedly slid down an icy Capitol Hill street.
How are you surviving the great blizzard of 2012?
Featured Seattle Neighborhood: Queen Anne
January 20, 2012
Posted in: Local Seattle
As part of my ongoing blog series on Seattle neighborhoods, this week I’d like to feature Queen Anne, the neighborhood that I call home.
Queen Anne is a truly eclectic neighborhood, with a mix of three-million dollar waterview mansions and small bungalows, old turn-of-the-century Tudors, craftsmen homes, and new construction.
If you didn’t know you were only ten minutes from downtown, you’d feel like you were in a quaint little neighborhood in a small town near the coast.
The neighborhood is close to Ballard, Magnolia, and downtown, which makes it an ideal location. There are tons of parks and a vibrant retail district.
Some of my favorite dining establishments in the neighborhood include Top Pot Doughnuts (famous donuts!), 5 Spot (great breakfasts), Hilltop Ale House (excellent beer and food), and Macrina Bakery (check out their scones).
I would highly recommend checking out the Queen Anne neighborhood if you’re thinking about buying a house in Seattle. While it may not be the most affordable neighborhood in the area, it really does offer a little bit of everything.
2012 Real Estate Outlook
January 5, 2012
Posted in: Local Seattle
Over the last few months real estate experts have been making their predictions for 2012 and the national and local housing markets. Here’s a brief summary of what experts and local professionals have to say.
Multi-Housing News believes that the multi-housing real estate industry will continue to do well in 2012, as people who have the resources take advantage of the low prices and low renter vacancy rates.
In the office space real estate industry, the International Business Times expects things to slow down in 2012, even though they were looking up in 2011. Despite the sluggishness in this specific industry, experts still anticipate some growth.
Agent Jerry Barker believes that nationwide trends in real estate may adversely affect home values. However, it may still prove to be a buyer’s market, which is always good for people looking to buy their first home.
A blog post on Prospera’s site states that a housing recovery has already begun, and will only continue to improve for 2012 as the job market and consumer sentiment improve.
What do you think 2012 will bring?
