Tina Faust, GRI

According to Forbes, Seattle is number ONE on the Most Stable Housing Market list!  They anticipate a 3.09% price change in 2008. 

The median price for single family homes and condos combined in King County was up by 4.86% in 2007 vs. 2006.

Sellers, if you are considering a move - now is still the time.  The rise in values isn't as strong as 2005 and 2006, however the market here is projected to remain stable.  We have a good economy and strong employment.

Buyers, with the slight softening of home prices it's a good time to consider getting into the market - whether it be for your primary residence or an investment.  King County ended 2007 with just over a 7 month supply of homes on the market, up from the lowest in 2007 of a 2.31 month supply. 

New to Western Washington?  Are you considering a move to the Emerald State?  Just ask for my Welcome Home Washington booklet filled with helpful information about the area.

Thinking of buying or selling?  I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you!  I offer full time real estate expertise and advice to buyers, sellers, corporate and military relocations, new home purchases and investors.

Buyers: My services to you are FREE; Sellers: I don't get paid unless your home sells.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Tina Faust, GRI
RE/MAX Champions
Direct: 425-374-2728
Email: Tina@TinaFaust.com
Web: http://www.TinaFaust.com

Are you looking for a wooded paradise in Snohomish County to call home? Welcome to The Preserve at Lake Cassidy, located just north of Lake Stevens. Picture looking out your window and seeing the neighborhood deer (at last count there's 5 of them, up from 3 last year) walking through a neighbor's yard, going from one feeding spot to another. Or maybe you are out in the backyard playing with the kids or dogs and two Bald Eagles fly just overhead.

About the Location and Lake
The Preserve at Lake Cassidy is situated approx. one mile from the Centennial Trail and is within walking distance of Lake Cassidy, utilizing a series of wooded paths winding through the outskirts of the community. Lake Cassidy is a small fishing lake allowing 10 hp max boats with a speed limit of 8mph. It's peaceful, serene and beautiful. There is a public boat launch off 99th (west side of lake) with parking. On the east side of the lake (along the Centennial Trail - no vehicle parking) there is a public fishing dock.

About the Homes
The homes here are situated on estate sized lots, most being about 3/4 acre, while other lots could be up to approx. 1 acre. All feature at least 3 car garages, while some have 4-car garages. Some owners have built workshops or guest houses on their properties. Many properties border NGPA land with towering evergreens.

Current Market
As of 2/22/08 there are 10 homes listed for sale, ranging in price from $385,950 to $538,950 and in size from 2005 square feet to 2620 square feet. In the last six months five homes have sold ranging in price from $519,950 to $584,950 and in size from 2006 square feet to 2900 square feet. Some of the larger homes in the community are over 3000 square feet.

If you would like to see any of the homes available in The Preserve at Lake Cassidy, or any other community please call me.

New to Western Washington? Are you considering moving to the Emerald State? Just ask for my Welcome Home Washington booklet filled with helpful information about the area.

Thinking of buying or selling? I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you! Tina Faust provides full time real estate expertise and advice to buyers, sellers, corporate and military relocations, new home purchases and investors.

Buyers: My services to you are FREE; Sellers: I don't get paid unless your home sells. I look forward to hearing from you!

Tina Faust, GRI
RE/MAX Champions
Direct: 425-374-2728
Email: Tina@TinaFaust.com
Web: http://www.tinafaust.com/

Copyright 2008, Tina Faust, All Rights Reserved

Many, many, many thanks go out to Keenan at Sachi Fine Jewelry and Design in Snohomish, WA. About 2 months ago, the center diamond to my wedding set fell out. I have no idea where, I just looked down at my hand and noticed the empty prongs. I was devastated, but take some of the blame since I never had my prongs checked; the ring is 9 years old.

Since I was able to acquire a ring from my mom with a marquee center stone similar in size, I needed to find a jeweler to do the job. I had been to the common stores in the mall and wasn't impressed with the people behind the counter and just didn't feel good about giving them my business. Besides, I really like supporting my communities by doing business with local owners whenever possible.

I spend a fair amount of time in Snohomish and frequently drive or walk past Sachi, but had never been in. One afternoon, after having lunch at the Snohomish Bakery and Cafe, I asked the gal behind the counter what she knew about Sachi's. She said they've been making a really good name for themselves since moving in to that location. A customer in line behind me immediately spoke up and proudly showed me a ring that had been made by Sachi's. I felt confident this was going to be just the place I was looking for.

It's a typical jewelry store with cases full of beautiful pieces... but on closer inspection, there were some really cool items I didn't think I'd find anywhere else. After talking with the folks behind the counter I knew I'd bring my ring back to them. The very next day I met Keenan. He was SO helpful, really knew his stuff and took as much time as I needed to answer questions. He put my newly acquired diamond under the scope to show me all the details. His comment (was something like) 'It's important to know everything about your diamond' sealed the deal.

The ring my mom gave me also had two little diamonds on either side of the center stone. We started talking about what to do with those and he suggested adding them to my existing wedding set. My set already has a particular design with some smaller channel set stones, so I wasn't sure how it would look, but trusted his vision. Boy am I glad I did. It turned out BEAUTIFULLY! I couldn't stop looking at it... He did a PHENOMENAL job. I give my highest recommendation to Keenan at Sachi's. I'm so excited... and when it comes time to get a different wedding set, it will most certainly be purchased at Sachi's. I just wish I could get a good photo of the finished product to show here... but none of them have turned out yet.

For great home town, personal service visit Sachi's and check out their traditional and unique designs; I promise you won't be disappointed.

New to Western Washington? Are you considering moving to the Emerald State? Just ask for my Welcome Home Washington booklet filled with helpful information about the area.

Thinking of buying or selling? I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you! Tina Faust provides full time real estate expertise and advice to 1^st time home buyers, sellers, corporate and military relocations, new home purchases and investors.

Buyers: My services to you are FREE; Sellers: I don't get paid unless your home sells. I look forward to hearing from you!

Tina Faust, GRI
RE/MAX Champions
Direct: 425-374-2728
Email: Tina@TinaFaust.com
Web: http://www.tinafaust.com/

Copyright 2008, Tina Faust, All Rights Reserved

Yesterday we decided to go out on a little day trip to one of my (many) favorite destinations, La Conner; a small waterfront town on the Swinomish River Channel in Skagit County.

This time of year the region is home to thousands of wintering snow geese and while we were hoping to catch a few hundred of those taking flight, we were happy to watch Bald Eagles instead. As it turns out, we were a few miles away from the location where the geese did take off, but with a zoom lens I was able to capture it, albeit from a distance.

Our first stop was to the Skagit Wildlife Recreation Area where we spotted a number of adult and adolescent Bald Eagles plus a Blue Heron (or was that a crane?)

From there we headed into town and stopped at the Calico Cupboard Café and Bakery. It was love at first bite. I had an apple pastry, while my husband ordered a ham and cheese croissant with a cookie. Our friend ordered the apple cinnamon roll. We all marveled at how good everything tasted.

The next stop was to The Wood Merchant. WOW! This place is magnificent! They feature everything from wine bottle stoppers to furniture and everything in between. The pieces are all from local woodworkers, or should I say artisans. I saw things in there that took my breath away. I quickly made mental note of many gift ideas (agents - great resource for client closing gifts)! I highly recommend a visit to this shop when you are in La Conner.

Afterwards I made my way to The Olive Shoppe where they feature a number of different gourmet olives, vinegars, oils, jams, jellies and more! They offer tastings, it's also well worth the visit. I bought some salad dressing that my mom in Arizona just loves but can't find where she lives.

We continued to make our way through some of the local shops and antique stores, while also spending lots of time at the waterfront. We checked out the marina so we know what to expect when we come back by boat later this year.

Since it wasn't quite time for lunch, we drove up to Bay View State Park for a nice look out over the waters. It was a bit breezy so we didn't stay long, but I could see coming back to this location over the summer for a great picnic spot.

Once we made our way back into La Conner we stopped at the La Conner Brewing Company for lunch. The food is fantastic - and the service was just as great. It's a warm and cozy place; very inviting interiors and we thoroughly enjoyed our meal.

All nice days must come to an end at some point; though we will be back soon. The tulip festival is just around the corner.

Market Snapshot of La Conner (as of 2/11/08):
There are currently 46 homes on the market ranging in price from $209,950 to $1,350,000. The home sizes range from 800 square feet to 8,377 square feet. The current (average) days on market for all 46 homes is 230. Some of the homes are located on tribal (leased) land.