Transit in Seattle

streetcarI’ve been thinking about putting together a set of blog entries that describe Seattle. In particular, I’d like to provide some decent information and a decent set of links for people who are thinking of moving to this area. My first step was reviewing books. My next step was describing all the mapping technologies focusing on Seattle. This entry gives a real broad overview on the transit system. My next few entries will be more difficult as I’ll try to focus on different neighborhoods within Seattle.

No matter where you live and work in Seattle, you will rarely be far from good transit service. I’ve lived in a few different cities, and as much as residents love to complain about lousy transit service (a past-time of downtown commuters everywhere), Seattle’s transit is relatively comprehensive and reliable. Metro Transit, Sound Transit and Community Transit all offer bus service in the City. Metro Transit operates all the local routes (and most routes throughout King County, including Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland). If you are living in Seattle, almost all of your transit riding will be on Metro.

In addition to regional bus service, Sound Transit also operates a train between Tacoma and Seattle and another train between Everett and Seattle. Sound Transit has already begun construction on a light-rail line that will connect the Sea-Tac Airport with Downtown Seattle.

And the white elephant in the room is the monorail. On Nov. 2004, Seattlites voted to keep the monorail development and construction moving forward. The plan is to have the first segment, the green line, completed in 2009.

Is there a major transit component that I’ve missed? Let me know by leaving a comment!

Books About Seattle

Are you thinking of visiting Seattle? Below are three visitor guide books to Seattle. The first is from “The Stranger“. A Seattle-only weekly that definitely gives the best inside scoop on Seattle. However, the book is not for the faint of heart as it focuses mostly on the alternative scene. The Rough Guide books are some of the most informative guide books around with info on history, entertainment, food, etc. Albeit they are geared toward the backpacker crowd. The Frommer’s Guide is one of the best all-around guidebooks.

Seattle City Walks has some fun urban hikes that will give you a pretty good idea of the various neighborhoods. I’ve got this book and have especially enjoyed the historical tit-bits they throw in.

This is a wildly popular book (Relocating to Seattle) among the people relocating to the area. I’ve not read it, but I’ve heard people say that it has given them a real insider’s perspective on the region:

UPDATE: I SOLD THIS PROPERTY FOR LIST PRICE!!! — Beautiful Sunset Hill Home

A VERY popular listing, this home has some of the best views in Ballard. On top of the cliffs, overlooking Ballard, the views are truely amazing!

In addition to unbelievable views, you get a completely restored and enlarged in the Art Deco style home with antique fixtures, original tilework and custom African mahogany woodwork throughout. The master bedroom suite includes a spacious bedroom, walk-in closet, covered patio, bonus room, and a bathroom featuring marble heated floors, double shower, and a soaking tub with rollaway etched glass panels.

Among many other features, this home also includes a custom kitchen with hidden appliances and a finished basement with separate entrance.

This remarkable home must be seen to be believed! Here is a ad I put together to market this home in a local magazine:
3420 72nd Ave Magazine Ad

Details

Address:
3420 NW 72nd St
Seattle, WA 98117

Bedrooms: 2

Bathrooms: 3

Square Feet (approx): 2680

MLS #: 24127313

Price: $ 985,000

Are you interested in learning more about this house? Contact Me!

10 Questions for Sellers to ask a Real Estate Agent

What follows are ten good questions that sellers should ask their agent before they sign a listing agreement.

1. Are you a full-time professional Realtor®? How long have you worked full time in real estate? What professional designations do you have?

  • Knowing whether or not your Realtor® practices real estate on a full-time basis can give you a piece of the puzzle in foreseeing scheduling conflicts and, overall, his or her commitment to your transaction. As with any profession, the number of years a person has been in the business does not necessarily reflect the level of service you can expect, but it is a good starting point for your discussion. The same issue can apply to professional designations.

2. Do you have a personal assistant, team, or staff to handle different parts of the sales transaction? What are their names and how will each of them help me in my transaction? How do I communicate with them?

  • It is not uncommon for high real estate sales producers to hire people to work for them or with them. They typically work on a referral basis, and, as their businesses grow, they must be able to deliver the same or higher quality service to more clients.
  • You may want to be clear about who on the team will take part in your transaction, and what role each person will play. You may even want to meet the other team members before you decide to work with the team overall. If you needed help with a certain part of your home sale, who should you talk to and how would you communicate? If you have a question about fees on your closing statement, who would handle that? Who will show up to your closing? These are just a few of the many important considerations in working with a team.

3. Do you and/or your company each have a website that will provide me with useful information for research, services, and how you work with buyers? Can I have those Web addresses now?

  • Many homebuyers prefer to search online for homes and home buying information. There are certain privacy and comfort levels that you might appreciate in starting a preliminary search this way, and often it is just a matter of convenience, having 24-hour access to information. By searching the Realtor®’s and the company’s Web sites, you will get a clear picture of how much work you would be able to accomplish online, and whether or not that suits your preferences.

4. How will you keep in contact with me during the buying process, and how often?

  • It’s a good idea for you to set your expectations reasonably in accordance with how your Realtor® conducts business. You may be looking for an agent to call, fax, or email you every days to tell you about prospective buyers who have seen your home. On the other hand, your Realtor® may have access to systems that will notify you automatically each time a new visitor tours your home (which could happen several times a day or several times a week). Asking this extra question can help you to reconcile your needs with your Realtor®’s systems, which makes for a far more satisfying relationship.

5. Can you explain one thing that you do that other agents don’t do that ensures I’m getting top dollar for my property? What is your average market time versus other agents’ average market time?

  • Marketing skills are learned, and sometimes a real estate professional’s unique method of research and delivery make the difference between whether or not a property sells quickly. For example, an agent might research the demographics of your neighborhood and present to you a target market list for direct marketing purposes.

6. Will you give me names of past clients who will give references for you?

  • Interviewing a Realtor® to help you buy a home can be very similar to interviewing someone to work in your office. Contacting a Realtor®’s references can be a reliable way for you to understand how he or she works, and whether or not this style is compatible with your own.

7. Do you have a performance guarantee? If I am not satisfied with your performance, can I terminate our listing agreement?

  • Understand that, especially in the heavily regulated world of real estate, it can be increasingly difficult for a Realtor® to offer a performance guarantee. Sometimes you may find a Realtor® who is willing to guarantee that if you are dissatisfied in any way with their service they will terminate your listing agreement. If your Realtor® does not have a performance guarantee available in writing, it is not an indication that he or she is not committed to perform. Realtors® at Keller Williams® Realty understand the importance of win-win business relationships, and that the Realtor® does not benefit if the client does not also benefit.

8. How will you get paid? How are your fees structured? May I have that in writing?

  • This is an issue that can also be related to agency. In many areas, the seller still customarily pays all Realtor® commissions through the listing broker. Sometimes, Realtors® will have other small fees, such as administrative or special service fees, that are charged to clients, regardless of whether they are buying or selling. Be aware of the big picture before you sign any agreements. Ask for an estimate of costs from any agent you contemplate employing.

9. How would you develop pricing and marketing strategies for our home? Will you commit to the marketing strategy in writing?

  • Pricing a home correctly is the single most important factor in determining if a home sells quickly, or at all. Although location and condition also effect the selling process, price is a primary factor. Access to all current property information is essential, and sometimes a pre-appraisal will help. Ask your agent where he or she obtained the information to create the market analysis, and whether your agent included For Sale By Owner homes, foreclosed homes, and bank-owned sales in that list.

10. What will you do and what will you not do to sell my home? Who determines where and when my home is marketed/ promoted? Who pays for your advertising?

  • Ask your real estate agent to present to you a clear marketing and advertising budget, and how those dollars will be spent. Ask if there are other forms of advertisement/ marketing media that are also available but not mentioned in the budget/plan, and who pays for those. Request samples of the various media that your agent proposes (such as Internet Web sites, print magazines, and local publications).

10 Questions for Home Buyers to ask a Real Estate Agent

I pulled these ten questions from a handout that the national Realtor organization published. There are good questions and, if used by a buyer, they should definitely give you a feel for the quality of the agent. So as not to be above the fray, I’m planning on adding my response to each of these questions as time permits.

1. Are you a full-time professional Realtor? How long have you worked full time in real estate? How long have you been representing buyers? What professional designations do you have?

  • Knowing whether or not your Realtor practices real estate on a full-time basis can give you a piece of the puzzle in foreseeing scheduling conflicts and, overall, his or her commitment to your transaction. As with any profession, the number of years a person has been in the business does not necessarily reflect the level of service you can expect, but it is a good starting point for your discussion. The same issue can apply to professional designations.

2. Do you have a personal assistant, team, or staff to handle different parts of the purchase transaction? What are their names and how will each of them help me in my transaction? How do I communicate with them?

  • It is not uncommon for high real estate sales producers to hire people to work for them or with them. They typically work on a referral basis, and, as their businesses grow, they must be able to deliver the same or higher quality service to more clients.
  • You may want to be clear about who on the team will take part in your transaction, and what role each person will play. You may even want to meet the other team members before you decide to work with the team overall. If you needed help with a certain part of your home purchase, who should you talk to and how would you communicate? If you have a question about fees on your closing statement, who would handle that? Who will show up to your closing? These are just a few of the many important considerations in working with a team.

3. Do you and/or your company each have a website that will provide me with useful information for research, services, and how you work with buyers? Can I have those Web addresses now? And who does the emails? Can I have the email address now?

  • Many homebuyers prefer to search online for homes and home buying information. There are certain privacy and comfort levels that you might appreciate in starting a preliminary search this way, and often it is just a matter of convenience, having 24-hour access to information. By searching the Realtor’s and the company’s Web sites, you will get a clear picture of how much work you would be able to accomplish online, and whether or not that suits your preferences. When I have a question, how quickly do you respond to emails?

4. Will you show me properties from other companies’ listings?

  • Some real estate companies do offer their buyers’ agents a higher commission if they are able to sell “in-house” listings. In such circumstances, there can be added incentive to show you a more limited range of homes than you might consider. If this is the case with your Realtor, you should be very clear on how this will impact your home search, if at all. You also should determine it this affects how much your buyer agents fee will be.

5. Will you represent me or will you represent the seller? May I have that in writing? How will you represent me, and what is the direct benefit of having you represent me?

  • The goal here is to ascertain to whom the Realtor has legal fiduciary obligation, which may vary from state to state or even locale to locale. In the past, Realtors always worked for sellers. Then the listing broker was responsible for paying the agent or sub-agent that brought a suitable buyer for the home. And even though the buyer worked ‘with’ an agent, the agent still represented and owed their fiduciary duty to the seller.
  • An additional situation in some states is dual agency. This is where the buyer decides to have the listing agent prepare the offer for him. A knowledgeable buyer may elect this situation which should be fully disclosed to all parties. In some states it also affects the broker’s/agent’s fiduciary responsibilities to the seller.
  • Although Realtors today almost always have a sense of moral obligation to buyers, this original type of seller agency still exists in certain areas. In other areas, a formal method of buyer representation called Buyer Agency exists to protect buyers. Find out what is available in your area and make yourself comfortable with the extent to which you will be represented.

6. How will you get paid? How are your fees structured? May I have that in writing?

  • This is an issue that can also be related to agency. In many areas, the seller still customarily pays all Realtor commissions through the listing broker. Sometimes, Realtors will have other small fees, such as administrative or special service fees, that are charged to clients, regardless of whether they are buying or selling. Be aware of the big picture before you sign any agreements. Ask for an estimate of buyer costs from any agent you contemplate employing.

7. What distinguishes you from other Realtors? What is your negotiating style and how does it differ from those of other Realtors? What geographic areas to you specialize in?

  • It should be important to know that your Realtor has unique methods of overcoming obstacles and is an effective negotiator on your behalf, but most importantly that your Realtor can advocate for you in the most effective ways.

8. Will you give me names of past clients who will give references for you?

  • Interviewing a Realtor to help you buy a home can be very similar to interviewing someone to work in your office. Contacting a Realtor’s references can be a reliable way for you to understand how he or she works, and whether or not this style is compatible with your own.

9. Do you have a performance guarantee? If I am not satisfied with your performance, can I terminate our Buyer Agency Agreement?

  • Understand that, especially in the heavily regulated world of real estate, it can be increasingly difficult for a Realtor to offer a performance guarantee. Sometimes you may find a Realtor who is willing to guarantee that if you are dissatisfied in any way with their service they will terminate your Buyer Agency Agreement. If your Realtor does not have a performance guarantee available in writing, it is not an indication that he or she is not committed to perform, but rather that he or she is willing to verbally promise some kind of performance standard. In fact, Realtors at Keller Williams Realty understand the importance of win-win business relationships, and that the Realtor does not benefit if the client does not also benefit.

10. How will you keep in contact with me during the buying process, and how often?

  • It’s a good idea for you to set your expectations reasonably in accordance with how your Realtor conducts business. You may be looking for an agent to call, fax, or email you every evening to tell you about properties that meet your criteria which are new on the market. On the other hand, your Realtor may have access to systems that will notify clients of new properties as they come on the market (which could happen several times a day or several times a week). Asking this extra question can help you to reconcile your needs with your Realtor’s systems, which makes for a far more satisfying relationship.

About Me

[UPDATE: The only piece of contact information in this post that is still relevant is my mobile phone number: (206) 251-3821. Everything else has changed in the past two years including my email: anna@raincityguide.com.]

A full-time Real Estate Agent with a keen attention to detail, I provide unparalleled service to both buyers and sellers in the North Seattle area. I’ve been fortunate enough to work with a variety of remarkable homes where my team members have been able to hone our Photoshop and brochure making skills.

Education and Training
As with many real estate agents, I took a circular route into the business, but now that I’m here, I couldn’t imagine working in any other field. Originally from Russia, I earned a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Urals State Technical University. Not really an engineer at heart, I worked for a while as a model and actress in Moscow before moving to the United States. Here in the U.S., I earned a Master Certificates in both Business Administration and Marketing from U.C. Berkeley. I worked for a while for a dot com before I found my passion of working with people in the real estate business.
[photopress:Dustin_and_Anna_on_greenlake.jpg,thumb,alignleft]
Professional Summary
Having decided to specialize in Ballard, I’ve found that tremendous reception to the services I provide. My goal is to always go above-and-beyond thereby earning lifelong clients.
One way I keep my clients happy is through my tremendously talented staff that excels at designing brochures, postcards, newsletters, etc. I also work closely with a professional photographer who photographs all of my homes. In addition, I have staff with extensive graphical-information systems (GIS) experience that ensures that my market analysis information is top-of-the-line.
From the overwhelmingly positive feedback I get from clients, I’m confident I’m excelling at synthesizing available technology with a personal touch. To find out how good a real estate agent can be, contact me!

Contact Information

email: anna@annaluther.com
mobile: (206) 251-3821
office phone: (206) 407-1000
office fax: (206) 407-1010

Anna Luther
Keller Williams North Seattle
12535 15th Avenue N.E.
Seattle, WA 98125

Testimonials

[photopress:Aeri_and_Mari.jpg,thumb,alignright]Have you done business with me? I would really like to get some testimonials added to my site, but rather than do the traditional thing of writing them myself, I’m hoping that my clients and business associates will take the time to write their own. If you are interested, this is the place to do that!

None the less, I thought I would start off with one testimonial, just to get the ball rolling:

I was so glad that Anna took the time to walk us through the entire buying process. I have already recommended her to many of my friends! — Olga