Seattle Avenue

hot topics

More sweet n’ blue Seattle sunshine is forecast for today and Alki is beautiful. Great day for a bike ride if you have the day off or lunch and coffee breaks outside if you don’t.

Loan rates are super low. If you’re blessed with stable employment, a good credit score, have some money in the bank, don’t have a lot of debt, and have a downpayment this may be a grand opportunity for you to start thinking about buying yourself a little home or condo.

Wanna dish Seattle life, real estate, traveling around Western Washington? On Twitter you can find me @urbantweeter

Came across this excellent rap video Fear the Boom and Bust that gives the 411 on the nuances of bull and bear markets. Your economics class was NEVER this fun! (it’s an econstories.tv production)

Ok, go explore the other posts. Cheers!

Assessed Value Lags The Market - how was your King County property value determined?

Assessed value lags the market and this Assessor’s Time Frame chart shows you how that works. I’ll be adding more information about King County assessments to this post over time. If you have a specific question about the assessment of your King County home you may contact:

Ms. Barbara Sbisa Alsheikh
Assistant Tax Advisor III, Office Supervisor
King County Office of Citizen Complaints/Ombudsman
Barbara.Alsheikh@kingcounty.gov

Confession of an environmentally aware Seattle coffeeholic

A Seattle girl who loves her Chais and Americanos becomes overwhelmed with guilt about the number of paper cups, plastic lids, stir sticks, and straws she has used and decided to do something about it.

24 Rooms in 1: The Efficient Home of the Future

Hong Kong architect Gary Chang has been inspired to raise the bar on minimalism and functionality to new heights and in the process created for himself an ultra efficient and stylish home. By creating a system of moving walls he’s transformed his 340 sf apartment into 24 different rooms that provides everything needed for daily living (icing on the cake is a screening area complete with hammock). Uber Impressive Innovation!

Seattle crime map - what's happening in your Seattle neighborhood?

My Neighborhood Map is a Seattle.gov resource you can use to read police reports and see what kind of criminal activity (by category) is going on in a given area.

How To Calculate Absorption Rates

Here’s a simple formula from one of Kristal Kraft’s ActiveRain posts that illustrates how to calculate what the absorption rate is for any area you’re interested in. Think of the results as an approximation (not empirical data) for trend tracking.

Homeowners with high credit scores strategically bail on their loans

Buyers with high credit scores may be less likely to default on their loans than buyers with low credit scores but why would lenders not generalize and assume that people with higher credit scores would indeed default with purpose, intent, and financial strategy? I mean sheesh, seems common sense to me. Here’s Kenneth Harney’s July 2 Seattle Times story The vexing case of strategic defaults on the topic.

Small homes return to popularity

This story Home Sweet, Cozy Home ran on July 2 in the Seattle Times real estate section. The sensibilities of living in small homes are coming back into vogue again. Happiness!

Small Innovative Homes | environment + design + symbiosis (Lindal Cedar Homes)

environment + design + symbiosis

In the 60s Walter Lindal was granted a patent for the A-frame. Lindal Cedar Homes introduced this design, bold for its time, that’s likely influenced the design of vacation homes worldwide. Lindal Cedar Homes celebrates their 65th anniversary this year. They have over 14 new modern A-frame designs using predesigned blocks in three different sizes that are worked together in various ways. Some of these homes have a mid-century modern look but they’re all a contemporary spin on the traditional A-frame. Lindal homes can be finished with whatever energy and water conserving appliances and green and sustainable materials that you’d like.

1200sf. This is a single cube with a one-story bay. Clean, crisp lines make the most of a small footprint with a flat roof. Located off the great room, the bay is devoted to a light-filled dining room with SunWalls of glass on three sides. A flexible space off the main entry can be used for an office or guest room. Upstairs, the loft is devoted to an open master suite. Whether you build this home as a vacation home or primary residence, the open floor plan creates a sense of spaciousness that’s a daily pleasure to live in.

1500sf. Who knew a simple geometric formula could be so beautiful? This design brings together two building blocks with moderate-pitch roof lines setting off each block. Created in the spirit of the original A-frame, this design features a wall of glass that can be positioned to make the most of your view. Drama and comfort come together in the main-floor master suite. An optional deck extends your living space outdoors. The additional bedroom suite in the loft has an outstanding view to the main floor and beyond.

1200sf. This three-cube home packs a lot of punch into the luxury of a one-floor design. Two building blocks are brought together by a third smaller block which is devoted to a generous-sized entry. The master suite claims its own wing, the opposite wing includes the cathedral-ceilinged great room together with the kitchen, dining room and two additional bedrooms. A storage loft is located above the master suite and one of the other bedrooms.

This home brings together four building blocks to create a home that offers liveability on every floor whether vacation retreat or full-time home. The master suite, complete with luxurious bath, has its own wing on the main floor. Above, a second spacious bedroom suite is located in the open loft. The generous sized kitchen is located under the loft, opening onto living and dining areas that share a soaring cathedral ceiling. 1700sf.

A5-1900 Their largest home at approx. 1900sf is made up of five pre-designed building blocks, graced with a contemporary flat roof. With 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths, this home provides generous living spaces. The master bedroom is in its own sanctuary wing while the open loft bedroom is positioned to take advantage of the view. All home designs can be modified to accommodate a low-pitched roof.

And there’s always their traditional A-frame designs which can be functional and wonderful small urban homes that don’t need to be reserved for a country, wood, or lakeside vacation setting.

What cars were doing when they were involved in a fatal crash

From the Dashboard in the July issue of Wired Magazine here’s what cars were doing when they were involved in a fatal crash:

Going straight 68.8%
Negotiating a curve 14.9%
Turning left 6.1%
Unknown or other 4%
Passing 2%
Merging or changing lanes 1.9%
Starting, slowing, or stopping in traffic lane 1.5%
Turning right 0.8%

(date source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)

Chromatherapy - Using Color To Affect Mood, Feeling, Emotion

“Color is one of the most pervasive qualities around us. Artists and interior designers have long understood how color can dramatically affect mood, feelings, and emotions.” -Kendra Van Wagner

What about a deeper significance of the effect of color (or lack of color) on the physical human condition? Now we’re talking about Chromatherapy: using color to heal.

It’s a holistic practice dating back to the civilizations of Atlantis and Mu. Were you to ask the ancient mystics from China, India or Egypt about the healing power of color they’d tell you there’s something to it. Pointing to the seven chakras in the human body, deficiencies were identified and therapeutic colors engaged to bring the whole being into balance.

As a colorist, sensitive to the nuances and combinations of colors this is something of an innate sensibility. Obvious to you and me that the following category generalizations would ring true:

Red, Orange, Yellow: Energizing, warm
Blue, Green, Violet: Calming, cool

But there’s much more to it. Holistic beliefs, past and present, run much deeper and investigate the influence of color on the healing of mind, body and spirit. For example:

Red is thought to stimulate and boost physical energy, strengthen willpower, increase circulation and clear congestion.

Orange is thought to encourage joy, socializing and optimism, which is why it’s considered useful for depression or sadness.

Yellow is associated with the intellect and mental processes and is uplifting, stimulating the nerves and purifying the body.

Green is a color that’s thought to encourage emotional stability, purity and calmness.

Blue is thought to enhance verbal expression and communication, artistic expression and willpower.

Indigo is said to encourage greater intuition and strengthen the lymph system, immune system and help purify and cleanse the body.

Purple is thought to encourage spirituality, intuition, wisdom, mental strength and focus.

As with all things, TOO much of a good thing can have detrimental effects. For example:

Too much red may over stimulate and possibly promote anger or aggressiveness.
Too much orange is thought to lead to tiredness, pessimism and confusion.
Too much yellow is believed to lead to poor concentration and hyperactivity.
Too much purple is thought to promote pride and arrogance.

Where is my belief system in all this? From what I’ve studied, practiced, and witnessed the effect of hue, tone, and intensity of color can indeed adjust mood, attitude, perception and behavior. These adjustments, in turn, factor into and tip the scales when it comes to our comfort, energy levels, and general well-being.

Written by: Kelle Boyd | Landsview Interior Design | Seattle, WA | (206) 938-4796