About Seattle's Capitol Hill

Blue Bird Ice Cream and Tea Room on Capitol Hill in the Heart of everything cool and happening right now in Seattle is a big HIT in my book.  I just walked the 10 blocks there to sample some of their most interesting flavors (Elysian Stout anybody?) and ended up with the Blue Bird Ice Cream Stumptown Coffee flavor.

There were enough Stumptown Beans in this thing that you could actually feel the texture of the beans as you ate the ice cream.  After the Hot Hot Hot week we have had here in Seattle, Blue Bird Ice Cream was such a great treat. 

You know what hit me like a nice cold blast of Blue Bird Ice Cream on the pallett?  This Pike/Pine neighborhood is changed A LOT in just the past year - and this being a very 'down' year for people moving and selling.  Well if the Pike/Pine corridor is any indication of what awaits our other currently moderately depressed neighborhoods then I will gladly wait till the day when there is not just one 'HIT' spot for some great ice cream in Seattle, but perhaps there will be three or four Blue Bird Ice Cream parlors to choose from! 

Yum Yum! - I'm a fan now.

Joseph R Hill

Your Capitol HILL Real Estate Agent

Capitol Hill Seattle Short Sales and Foreclosures are today's HOT BUYS!

If you are interested in scoring the best deals in todays great buyers market in Capitol Hill Short Sales or in Capitol Hill Seattle Foreclosures, you gotta come with the best Short Sale and Foreclosed Home Tour Team in the area on our FREE Tours of Bank Owned, Pre-Foreclosures, and Short Sales!

You need to sign up as SPACE IS LIMITED. Easy to do from our homepage at www.FreeForeclosedHomeTours.com

Here are two examples of the types of properties we will be viewing:

1 - $350,000 Short Sale in Seattle South Capitol Hill / Central Area Tudor is a Capitol Hill Short Sale with 4 bedrooms / 1.75 baths, secluded and private high off the street with turn of the century mill work and high ceilings intact - substantial systems upgrades and entertaining spaces make this a great find!

2 - $450,000 Short Sale in Madrona / Leschi / Central Area true Craftsman home right on a beautiful open park. RARE to see such pride of ownership in this 2 bed 2.5 bath with updates throughout, original fixtures and moldings make this Capitol Hill / Central Area Short Sale a HOT BUY!

Both of these homes are priced SUBSTANTIALLY below market value and below current tax assessed valuation.

My Team of Certified REO Property and Short Sale Specialists Realtors can help you navigate the complex Short Sale offer process and also make sure you are Pre-Approved so there is no doubt in the Sellers mind that you can qualify for the purchase! Contact the Free Foreclosed Home Tours Team today to get started on your way to the best Capitol Hill Short Sales and Foreclosure deals around!

Fun Seattle Local Blog -

Dana Landon writes a really entertaining Seattle blog filled with amazing fun fashion and food around Seattle - her latest post was on the July 4th Vegan BBQ at Quickie's on Capitol Hill in Seattle.

Some might not know I am a vegetarian, but I also grew up on meat and the idea of a BBQ without having to worry about the meat juice or smoke getting on my food sounds heavenly.

Quickies also has a location in the U District, and I would recommend the visit if you get the craving... Nothing like vegan home style meals.

Capitol Hill has so many awesome places to be entertained, but even just a walk down the street makes you really feel like you are living the Seattle dream.

Some of my favorite spots -

Portage Bay (Roanoke Park), Volunteer Park, Byzantion Greek

Looking to Live In Seattle's Capitol Hill?

Capitol Hill homes are beautiful - especially the old historic Seattle mansions, but I also love all the Green townhomes they have been building lately. Some of the condos in Capitol Hill are also very cool because many are old houses converted or old 1930s apartments that have been upgraded and converted. Check out Capitol Hill and make sure to check out some of these spots and Dana's blog:)

Seattle's own, Press Condominiums, are holding an auction to sell the remaining 18 units that are still unsold. Beverly Hills-based real estate auctioneers Kennedy Wilson, will be conducting the auction, held at the Grand Hyatt Seattle, 721 Pine St. on December 13th.

The starting bids for many of these units are nearly 50% less than what comparable listings are selling for. Minimum bids range from $185,000 for one-bedroom units and $255,000 for two-bedroom units. (http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/realestatenews/archives/154792.asp) For all the details on the minimum bids, the process by which to put in a bid, and the floor plans of the units available, check out the Press website at; http://www.presscondos.com/auction.html.

Capitol Hill offers a truly unique experience that is hard to replicate anywhere else in Seattle. The Press Condominiums is surrounded by many bars, restaurants, and shops that are sure to fill your hearts desire.

It is a very good idea to look at the co-op or condo board meeting minutes as soon as you are thinking you maybe interested in a property. That way, you can find out what the association is looking at in the way of repairs which could mean some very expensive special assessments. You can also see how the reserves look and how well run the association is run.

For you Listing Agents, I would suggest you get the bi-laws, and board minutes scanned so that you can send them out as soon as someone shows an interest in the property. This can save everyone a great deal of time.

Wallingford, Green Lake, Capitol Hill, Fremont, Ballard, Queen Anne, Magnolia, Laurelhurst, View Ridge, and Windermere, Washington Real Estate Property Listings. Just click on the blue "homes search" button and then click on the area you wish to view. You can also search by street address or the MLS number.