About Seattle's Ballard

It certainly isn't dead for classic bungalows in Ballard under 500k. This is one I listed on my birthday, the 23rd of October. No I'm not going to tell you the year. It sold on the 27th for full price!

Classic houses like classic cars never go out of style. Of course staging, out of the box marketing and spot on pricing go a long way to getting any listing sold in any market.

Seattle Backyard Cottages Approved: You may remember that I wrote about Seattle backyard cottages coming to a vote yesterday. The proposal was approved and city wide Seattle (unless you are in the Shoreline District) is allowed one ADU - either as a backyard cottage on lots that qualify in size (have to be more than 4000 square feet, etc.) or an ADU inside the house walls. You can only have one, but now there are more options than just your basement for an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) in Seattle!

Seattle Backyard Cottages and Real Estate: Are you interested in finding Seattle real estate that qualifies for a backyard cottage? There are already many firms stepping up to advertise their backyard cottage services. I look forward to seeing how this plays out! Density does belong in the city and this is a great way to make affordable housing as long as quality construction and design is respected! I know a perfect Greenwood home offhand that would be a great candidate and it is on almost a third of an acre!

Thinking about converting your basement or attic into rental income? Seattle has a great policy for allowing accessory dwelling units (ADU) on residential properties. This is a great way to be able to rent out part of your home and allow someone to legally live in a separate part of your home while you live there. Additionally, you can live in the ADU yourself if you choose and the renter can live in the main home. It doesn't matter as long as you stay within the city's guidelines for establishing an attached accessory dwelling unit.

Seattle ADU rules, rquirements & guidelines (you have to meet all of them although there are some variances allowed if applied for properly):

1. the home has to be occupied by one or more owners and the owner has to have at least a 50% interest in the property. Additionally, the owner occupant has to live there for at least 6 months a year.

2. Unless all residents in both units are related to each other, the limit is eight people in the entire structure.

3. One off street parking space must be provided for ADU( you can apply for a waiver on this one).

4. Only one ADU for each home (this includes backyard cottage or ADU).

5. ADU can only be 1000 square feet although there are some more details for getting around this if the ADU is all on one floor and structure was in existence prior to 6/1/1999.

6. Usually only one entrance can be located on front or side street locations. Ther eare some exceptions.

7. Window for sleeping room has to be a certain size - according to city literature:

"In sleeping rooms located in buildings constructed after Aug. 10, 1972, or in rooms converted or established for sleeping purposes after August 10, 1972, there shall be at least one operable window or exterior door approved for emergency escape or rescue. The window or door must be operable from the inside. All emergency escape windows shall have a minimum net clear opening of 5.7 square feet (grade floor openings allowed to be 5 square feet), a minimum net clear openable height dimension of 24 inches, and a minimum net clear openable width dimension of 20 inches. The window must have a finished sill height not more than 44 inches above the floor. The sill height may be measured from the top of a constructed step with a riser of not more than 7 inches."

8. The ADU has to meet all current Seattle residential standards for building, mechanical, electrical, and energy codes. (Look for good ceiling height and egress. )

9. Electrical boxes either have to be located in common areas or in the areas for the units they serve.

(Make sure and check out the city's application here: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/publications/cam/cam116a.pdf)

Seattle Mother In Law, Backyard Cottage, ADU...

These are all different! An ADU is different than a mother in law (MIL) apartment which is a separate residence within a home and allows you to rent out the MIL apartment without having to live in the other part of your home. Backyard Cottages are also different. An ADU us the best way to live in your home and have either legal separate living quarters fro your nanny or housekeeper or make extra income to offset your mortgage.

Are you interested in finding a Seattle home that you can convert part of the space into an ADU? Seattle is ADU friendly and Seattle real estate has opportunities for just this type of set up!

If you are a Ballard native like myself, you have probably noticed quite a few changes over the last handful of years and found yourself asking 'Is that you, Ballard'? We now have every little boutique you could think of, a very charming Farmer's Market, quite a few darling restaurants that come highly recommended and condos and townhouses galore! The bar scene has definitely changed over the years as well....on one hand, I don't think we would have linked Ballard with fancy bar scene before now, so that is quite an improvement! Real estate has taken flight and Ballard, Queen Anne and Magnolia are very sought-after neighborhoods to live.

The area has definitely grown over the last few years, and it has become a much marketable place to live. A lot of the neighborhoods around Ballard still have pretty high price tags on them, however, the condos in downtown Ballard are pretty decently priced if you take a look....Ballard, in Seattle WA is definitely somewhere I would be honored to raise my children, my dog, my shopping habit, and my great taste for coffee and restaurants (including my favorite bakery, Larsen's Bakery on 80th and 24th). If you try ANYTHING in Ballard, please try the Kringle here at Larsen's. It is the best pastry you will ever have. It's a crowd pleaser!!!

To see properties for sale in Seattle between 250k to 400k OR search for homes choosing your own criteria!

Well, obviously, I didn't win the Mega in August but tonight's drawing would suffice. $145 million would go far enough for most people. I would be quite happy if that winner needed help with this REALTOR!

The Mega MillIons Drawing tomorrow will be worth $325 million. I just wanted to encourage you to buy a ticket and if you are lucky enough to be a winner I will gladly help you find the "home of your dreams." While I was buying some tickets today there was a woman waiting in front of me and I asked her if she knew of anyone that needed a REALTOR and that I was one. She said "no, but I will take one of your cards." She said she has six kids and if she wins she will be buying several houses.

It would be a REALTOR's dream to help a big lotto winner! So as my coach always says "I'M HERE FOR YOU!"

It is fun to just dream sometimes.

Our broker said that if he won he would give all of his agents $20,000. His name is Ken Bell of Realty Executives BRIO in Bellevue, Washington.

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