Molly A. Cartwright

Seller Leaves Belongings Behind. You've been patiently waiting to move into your new home. The day has finally arrived! You turn the key to open your new home only to find the seller's belongings left behind. And I don't mean a cool lampshade or a piece of art you could work into your decore'. I mean three queen size mattress, old cleaning products under the sink, and a broken desk. What does a buyer to do? The home is technically yours now but the seller's Realtor has promised to remove the items his client left behind.

Has this happened to you? What's your recourse? In the Purchase and Sale Agreement in residential sales, the Optional Clauses states that any personal property, fixtures, or other items remaining on the property when property is transferred shall become the property of the buyer. However, seller agrees to clean the interiors of any structures, and remove all trash, debris, and rubbish on the property before buyer takes possession.

Even conducting a walk through of the property before closing unfortunately cannot prepare you for what could happen: three queen size mattresses in the garage that were promised to be removed. Bottom line: what's in the house when the buyer takes possession is the new home owner's responsibility. And although it's an extra trip to the dump for you, getting the crawl space dug out or the electrical panel to code at the expense of the seller is far more important than that broken desk discretly discarded in the driveway of your new home.

Green Lake Real Estate For June 2010: Ah yes, July 2nd is already upon us. To most that means the 4th of July holiday right around the corner. For me, it means the end of another month = stats time!

Let's take a peak at what Green Lake Real Estate in Seattle did for June 2010. Wow! 19 homes sold just in the month of June 2010. I usually see around 12 to 15 homes per month.

The lowest = $275,000 for a lovely 2 bedroom/1 bath/640 square feet (yikes - tiny!) home.

Highest bidder went for $770,000 for the lovely home on Bagley Street (to die for!) sitting pretty at 4 bedrooms/1.75 bath and 2475 square feet.

What does the median get you in Green Lake? A one of a kind 1920-something craftsman charmer at about $443,500 for a two or three bedroom 1.50 bath home. You're looking at paying about $260.00 per square foot. All these 19 homes sold in June got 99% of asking price and 29 days on the market, I might add.

What does this tell us? Prices are holding steady. Homes must be in top shape to get the serious buyers. I see many homes that have potential if they just would have put forth a little more effort. This is where I plug a helpful article entitled 5 Top Selling Improvements On A Budget.

And make sure your Realtor uses a professional photographer. I'm not even a home buyer but I can look at one or two badly represented photos on a listing's website and opt out to preview it for my clients.

Okay, so getting back to real estate in Green Lake, you're aware of the solds now so what's active? These are active listings just for June 2010. These are fresh listings only. 31 new listings and it's consistent with the sold activity. Average list price is hovering arond $483,000 but there is some high ticket homes that raised the list price for June. Lowest priced home on the market in Green Lake is $240,000 and highest rings in at $1.300,000 on Green Lake Way North. The average price per square foot is $265.00. Compare this to the sold price per square feet of $260.00 tells you there is some wiggle room there for buyers.

Loads of fun happenin' this summer in Green Lake! Check out all Green Lake listings at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate!

I wrote a blog earlier about Backyard Cottages in Seattle or Detatched Dwelling Units. Since then, I've had numerous questions about them.

Whether you are considering a Backyard Cottage on your at least 4,000 square foot lot as a rental property, for an elderly family member, or a grown child you need to know the max square footage the structure can be is 800 sq ft. This includes any carport, attached garage, or storage.

You can decide to go through a contractor and architect or get a panelized or modular fabricated design. Fabricated is the fastest, and designed much like building blocks. Panelized takes a little more time and can be more customized.

It's no secret adding a Backyard Cottage on your property can add extra monthly income. However there are some costs involved. Here is a link to a handy worksheet that breaks down Hard Costs and Soft Costs. Example of a Hard Cost is demolition or site preparation. A Soft Cost is a mortgage, or fees for utility hookups. Which aren't cheap, by the way! Seattle City Light recommends separate electricity meters. This will save you way more money in the long run.

Make sure you save room for a parking space for your Backyard Cottage - this is a requirement!

For more information regarding Backyard Cottages and self help steps to diagrams, permits, and more - this site wins, hands down.

Check back frequently to www.cooperjacobs.com for our Backyard Cottage listings in Seattle City Limits.

Top 5 Selling Improvements On A Budget: You should know putting a new roof or stainless steel appliances in the kitchen won't necessarily sell your home faster and you definitely won't recoup the cost.

So what does help improve our home when it's up for sale that won't cost an arm and a leg?

Number 1: CLEAN UP. I mean take your home to the next level. Hire a pro and give it a deep cleaning. Remember how great it looks and smells afterwards? Keep that up with a weekly clean (either you or a pro) and it will really pay off with first impressions. Also make small repairs, ie: broken outlets, door latches, flaws that the buyer views as signs of deeper problems.

Number 2: STORE YOUR CLUTTER. $100 a month for a storage unit (or a good friend or relative's use of their garage) to store those holiday decorations, extra kitchen pots and pans, arts and crafts, and extra clothes in the closets. It will make your house look bigger, brighter, and more valuable.

Number 3: TIDY THE YARD. Again, first impressions and curb appeal. It's not necessary to uproot the junipers and jack hammer the cement pathway. Simple put color spots or planters in empty places, rip out any weeds and mow any grass.

Number 4: PAINT. Interior and exterior. It's likely to cost less for you to do it before selling. You'll recoup more in the long run.

Number 5: REPLACE HARDWARE: Instead of remodeling that kitchen, just paint cupboards and pick out new hardware.

For most, the value added is a mere fraction of the cost. So it's in your best interest to do these small steps above by honing in on attention to detail for a greater return.

For more tips on selling or buying your next home feel free to contact us at Cooper Jacobs Real Estate!

It's about that time! June 21rst marks summer solistice. And if you live in or around Seattle, you know the Fremont's nude solstice cyclists are gearing down for a little exposure. Arrive early because it brings in quite the crowds and it's always been blessed with great weather. Nudies cycle in at 11;45am but locals will tell you get there at 11:00 to capture an umm...cozy seat along the sidewalk streets for this one-of-a kind parade. Just remember: no printed words, logos, animals or motors. It's packed with people-powered floats and creative folks!

Fremont is not only known for this once a year parade. Nope, it has much to offer! You can bank on some funky antique stores (looove deluxe junk), visit the Troll under the Aurora Bridge, or the Garden of Everyday Miracles. Bonus: You do not want to miss the Fremont Sunday Market. A perfect mix of a lively outdoor street fair and fresh local produce and crafts every single Sunday year round. Plus there's Hale's, killer microbrewery, Canal Park, People Waiting for the Interurban, oh yeah and don't miss the statue of Lenin. Yep, Fremont is full of public art displays. Even folks who frequent Fremont appreciate all the goodness Fremont has to offer.

Who lives in Fremont? If you like water, art, free thinking, quick commutes, the Burke Gilman Trail (bicyclist paradise) and stylish homes then you want to live in Fremont. Its Walkscore is out of this universe!

29 active and wonderful homes for sale in Fremont ranging in price from $319,000 for 1460 square feet to $889,000 for 3280 square feet. On average it takes 36 days on the market for these to get snatched up. More homes are in the $450,000 to just under $500,000 range Depending on quality of the build and location (view?) then I'd say you're looking at about $264.00 per square foot for a home at or under that popular price tag of $400,000 which has been the majority of the 36 homes sold in Fremont.

An abundant of condos are available too! Prices start at $164,000 for a cozy 370 square feet up to $415,000 for just shy of 1200 square feet.

36 homes have sold in the last five months. Prices have sustained in Fremont due to the simple reasoning that prices generally don't drop unless the vacancies far outweigh the occupied units. Likewise, prices won't raise until units of vacancies decrease. Average price of these 36 homes = $400,000 selling in less than 3 months.

Much more to experience in Fremont than homes prices. It's a feeling, a flavor, a spark that you can only enjoy when you're here.

For more details Fremont homes for sale go HERE.