Chuck Cady & Associates Seattle Real Estate Blog

Refacing Your Kitchen Cabinets: The Options and Costs

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Refacing your kitchen cabinets includes covering the exposed frames with a thin veneer of real wood or plastic laminate. Doors and drawer fronts are replaced to match or complement the new veneer. New hinges, knobs, pulls, and molding complete the transformation.

Kitchen cabinet refacing pros

It’s about half the cost of a total cabinet replacement. You’ll also save the time, cost, and hassle of tearing out your old cabinets.

520 Tolling Set To Start, December 29th!

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If you have not ordered your Good To Go pass, you can view and purchase all of the information you need at:

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/goodtogo/

Home Energy Tax Credits Expire December 31st!

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

There are only a few more days left in the month to take advantage of tax credits for energy efficiency home improvements! Tax credits up to $500 are available for home owner’s to claim until the end of the year, but they better hurry. Congress has yet to renew the tax credits for 2012.

You can read the full article by Melissa Dittmann Tracey, by clicking here.

You can get further information regarding the tax credit by reading the General Instructions for Form 5695 - Residential Energy Credits from IRS.gov.

Interested in Owning a New Construction Home?

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If you're interested in New Construction homes then check these out!

We have compilied a list of all homes built since 2010 that are currently for sale from Seattle all the way up to Everett as of today's date - 12/9/2011.

To view these homes simply click here.

If you are interested in viewing any of these properties, please contact us today!

North Seattle and Shoreline Open Houses for 12/10-12/11

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Attention home buyers, sellers and curious neighbors alike - get out there and take a look! Simply click on the link below for the complete list of all the open houses taking place this weekend in the North Seattle and Shoreline neighborhoods.

North Seattle and Shoreline Open Houses

Open House 12/8/11 re: Northgate Light Rail Station - Urban Design Study

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Northgate Light Rail Station Area – Future Urban Design and Development Options

Source DPD Seattle.gov;

Community Design Study for the Northgate Light Rail Station Area Open House #2

The City of Seattle has drawn up options that illustrate future urban design and development possibilities for the Northgate Light Rail Station area south of Northgate Mall. They include interesting ideas for creating urban plazas, active and green streetscapes, and a more complete neighborhood district near the light rail station.

The public is invited to view these options and provide feedback on the ideas, which will make a difference in the future planning for:

Pedestrian and bicycle connections to the station
Public spaces in the vicinity – parks, plazas
How to create an active neighborhood near the light rail station
Connecting bus and rail service
Creating a healthy and sustainable community

Help influence the future of this area south of Northgate Mall by attending the Community Design Study for the Northgate Light Rail Station Area Open House #2.

Meeting Details
Community Design Study for the Northgate Light Rail Station Area Open House #2
Thurs., Dec. 8, 2011
6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Brief presentation at 6:30 p.m.
Aljoya Senior Apartments at Thornton Place
450 NE 100^th Street

To learn more about the Northgate Light Rail Station Area Development project, please visit: http://www.seattle.gov/dpd/Planning/NorthgateStationAreaDevelopment/
Overview/default.asp

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Posted: December 1st, 2011 under Building Connections, Long-Range Planning, Top News Stories.
Tags: light rail, Northgate, open house

North Seattle and Shoreline Open Houses for 12/3/11 - 12/4/11

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Attention home buyers, sellers and curious neighbors alike - get out there and take a look!

Simply click on the link below for a complete list of all the open houses taking place this weekend in the North Seattle and Shoreline neighborhoods.

Click Here: North Seattle and Shoreline Open Houses

Fast Fixes for Common Gutter Problems

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Maintaining gutters is the most important thing you can do to prevent water damage to your home.

Gutters are designed to do one thing—channel water away from the foundation—and they’re critical to protecting the structural integrity of your house. But in order for gutters to do their job properly, they have to be kept in shape and free of clogs, holes, and sags.

Luckily, most common gutter problems are easy for homeowners to fix themselves. And it’s worth the effort. “Gutters are one of those things where routine maintenance and inspecting them can really prevent bigger problems down the road,” says Jason Stutzman, director of home maintenance and repair for Brothers Redevelopment in Denver.

Here are the gutter problems that the pros see most often, and the recommended solutions.

Clogged gutters

This is the most common problem of all. Left untended, gutters and downspouts get so clogged with debris that they’re rendered useless. The excess weight of leaves, twigs, and standing water can also make them sag and pull away from the fascia.

Clean them at least once a year, and twice a year if you have a lot of trees nearby. Gary Mindlin, managing partner of New York City-based Top Hat Home Services, schedules gutter maintenance four times a year, with additional checks after big storms.

You can clean your own gutters if you’re comfortable on a ladder, don’t mind getting wet and dirty, and don’t have an extremely tall house. After you’ve cleared the muck, flush them with a garden hose to make sure they’re flowing properly. If you’d prefer, you can hire someone to do the job for you for between $50 and $250, depending on the size of your house.

Another option for dealing with chronically clogged gutters is to outfit them with gutter covers. These include mesh screens, clip-on grates, and porous foam. They still need regular maintenance, though, and the cost can be more than the gutters themselves.

Sagging gutters and gutters pulling away from the house

This is usually a problem with the hangers, the hardware that secures the gutters to the fascia. They might have deteriorated over time, the fasteners may have backed out of the wood, or they’re spaced too far apart to support the weight of full gutters. The cost to fix it yourself is cheap; hangers generally cost $10 or less apiece, and the fasteners run about $1 each.

Leaks and holes

Leaky gutter joints can be sealed by caulking the joint from the inside with gutter sealant, says John Eggenberger, vice president of training and corporate development for the Mr. Handyman franchise of home repair companies. A tube costs about $5. Very small holes can be filled with gutter sealant. Larger holes will require a patch. If you can’t find a gutter patching kit at the hardware store, you can make a patch from metal flashing.

Improperly pitched gutters

Gutters need to be pitched toward the downspouts for the water to flow properly. You want at least a quarter inch of slope for every 10 feet. Get on a ladder after a rainstorm and look in the gutter; if there’s standing water, it’s not pitched properly.

To correct this yourself, you’ll need to measure from the peak to the downspout. Snap a chalk line between the two and find the spots where the gutter is out of alignment. You might be able to push it up into place by bending the hanger. If that doesn’t solve the problem, you might need to take a section down and re-hang it. If you have seamless gutters, call the company that installed them to correct the problem.

Downspouts draining too close to the foundation

Downspouts need to extend several feet from the house, or they’ll dump right into the basement. Gutter extensions attached to the bottom of the downspout will discharge water well beyond the foundation. They’re inexpensive and easy to install. Cost: less than $20 per downspout.

Missing gutters

If your house has no gutters at all, consider investing in a system. The cost depends on the material. Most residential gutters are aluminum, which is lightweight and durable. “Unless an aluminum gutter is damaged by something, it will last forever,” says Scott McCurdy, vice president of Jacksonville, Fla.,-based disaster repair contractor Coastal Reconstruction. Vinyl, galvanized steel, and copper also are available options.

Aluminum gutters range from about $4.50 to $8.50 per linear foot installed. On a 2,000-square-foot house with about 180 linear feet of gutters, that’s roughly $800 to $1,500.

Information obtained from houselogic.com

Chimney Inspection Cost and Types

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

With an annual fireplace chimney inspection—and possible sweeping—you can improve fireplace performance, and snuff out chimney fire and carbon monoxide concerns. Here are the types and cost of each.

The byproduct of enjoying a crackling flame is creosote buildup (the major cause of chimney fires) and soot, which can restrict air flow and damage the fireplace chimney. Even a gas fireplace chimney can become blocked by a bird’s nest or other debris. Prevent problems with an annual chimney inspection.

What does a chimney inspection cover?

An annual chimney inspection looks for buildup and blockages, followed by sweeping to remove problems inhibiting performance.

Most chimney inspectors/sweeps offer three levels of service:

A level-one chimney inspection includes a visual check of the fireplace and chimney without any special equipment or climbing up on the roof.

The inspector/sweeper comes to your house with a flashlight; looks for damage, obstructions, creosote buildup, and soot; and tells you if the chimney requires sweeping. If so, the chimney sweep will use brushes, extension poles, and a vacuum, and do it on the spot.

Cost: $79 to $200.

A level-two chimney inspection is vital if you’ve experienced an earthquake or a dramatic weather event, like a tornado or hurricane; if you’ve made a major change to your fireplace; or bought a house.

This includes a level-one chimney inspection, plus the inspector’s time to visit the roof, attic, and crawl space in search of disrepair as well as the use of video scanning and other special tools. It concludes with a sweep, if necessary, and information on what repair is needed.

Cost: $100 to $500.

A level-three chimney inspection is considered “destructive and intrusive” and can resemble a demolition job. It may involve tearing down and rebuilding walls and your chimney, and is usually done after a chimney fire.

Cost: $1,000 to $5,000, depending on the size and location of the chimney.

Information provided by houselogic.com

GO VOTE!!!

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Don't forget to mail-in your vote!

Ballots for the Nov. 8 general election need to be in the mail today or dropped off by 8:00pm at a King County ballot box at one of the following locations:

Ballard Library
Lake Forest Park City Hall
Magnuson Park
King County Administration Building

The Edmonds Library is also available for drop-off's for the South Snohomish residents.

Make it count!

Daylight Savings Time this Sunday 11/6!

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Don't forget to turn your clocks back (easy way to remember: Spring-Forward...Fall-back) this Sunday 11/6! Daylight Savings Time goes into effect at 2:00 am Sunday morning, so doing it Saturday night is best!

Chuck Cady & Associates SOLD / Closed Homes Since 10/20/2011

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Chuck Cady & Associates SOLD & Closed on the following propeties in the last two weeks; two of which were short sale properties! If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, contact us today to find out how we can assist you.

(SELLER) Maple Leaf / North Seattle Property SOLD in 6 Days:

(SELLER) Queen Anne Co-op SHORTSALE:

(BUYER) Bitter Lake / North Seattle Condo SOLD 10% Under Asking Price:

(BUYER) Northgate / North Seattle SOLD, Multiple Offers:

(BUYER) Ballard SHORTSALE:

(BUYER) Bellevue:

Property Tax Payments Are Due!

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Don't forget, your 2011 second half property taxes are due and must be postmarked by October 31, 2011 to avoid delinquency charges.

You can pay your King County property taxes online at:

http://payments.kingcounty.gov/metrokc.ecommerce.propertytaxweb/PropertySearch.aspx

Snohomish County property taxes can be paid online here:

http://www1.co.snohomish.wa.us/Departments/Treasurer/Services/Web_TaxPayments.htm

Upcoming Events - Haller Lake Halloween Party & Earshot Jazz Festival

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

There are a couple of upcoming events that we wanted to make you aware of.

HALLER LAKE COMMUNITY CLUB'S 3rd ANNUAL HALLOWEEN PARTY! 10/29/2011

First off, on 10/29/2011 from 5:30pm-7:30pm the Haller Lake Community Club is having their 3rd Annual Halloween Party! This is a FREE event for the whole family.

Costume Contest
Games, Crafts and Prizes
Snacks and Treats
Pizza $2
Photo Booth and Face Painting

Located at the Haller Lake Community Club, 12579 Densmore Avenue North - Seattle, WA 98133.

__________________________________________________________________

EARSHOT JAZZ FESTIVAL! 11/2/2011

The next event we wanted to get the word out about is the upcoming EARSHOT Jazz Festival where our very own Ann Babb-Nordling will be tearing it up on her Bari Sax with SWOJO, The Seattle Womens Jazz Orchestra!!

Wednesday, November 2
Seattle Art Museum, 8pm
SWOJO Plays
the Music
of Robin Holcomb
$22 general, $20 members/seniors, $11 students BUY NOW
RSVP on Facebook

The Seattle Women’s Jazz Orchestra (SWOJO) features many of the finest female jazz artists in the region. Showcasing high-intensity jazz, tight harmonies and lush dynamic sounds, the band performs with a fresh energy, stemming from over ten years of thrilling audiences on two continents.

You can visit the website here: http://www.earshot.org/Festival/artistinfo/swojo-robin-holcomb.html

Chuck Cady & Associates Gardener's Corner

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 10:52:00 GMT

OCTOBER

There’s nothing like the gorgeous red, gold and orange leaves against a bright blue October sky…unfortunately though, one good windy day could have most of them covering the ground. You’ll want to keep up with raking to prevent the leaves from matting, this will suffocate your lawn.

While you're at the nursery, scope out end-of-season clearance sales on most plants. West of the Cascades, pleasant days, cooling nights and still-warm soil temperatures promote strong and rapid root growth; you'll be amazed at the growth even a little 4-inch perennial can put on over the winter. By next summer a plant could easily double in size.

Spiders and moths will be looking for warm winter abodes now. To discourage them, spray insect repellant around your foundation, windows and vents (while closed, of course).

Roll up your hoses, bring them inside and get ready to wrap your pipes for the winter!

Pending home sales up strongly from one year ago

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 12:31:00 GMT

Pending home sales declined in July but remain well above year-ago levels...

Sunday 9/25 OPEN HOUSE - Come say Hi!

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

11742 Meridian Ave N, Seattle

Click here to view this home's details and full pictures. We hope to see you there on Sunday 9/25 from 1-4pm!

Fed to lower long-term interest rates in an attempt to stimulate the economy

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Press Release

Release Date: September 21, 2011

For immediate release

Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in August indicates that economic growth remains slow. Recent indicators point to continuing weakness in overall labor market conditions, and the unemployment rate remains elevated. Household spending has been increasing at only a modest pace in recent months despite some recovery in sales of motor vehicles as supply-chain disruptions eased. Investment in nonresidential structures is still weak, and the housing sector remains depressed. However, business investment in equipment and software continues to expand. Inflation appears to have moderated since earlier in the year as prices of energy and some commodities have declined from their peaks. Longer-term inflation expectations have remained stable.

Consistent with its statutory mandate, the Committee seeks to foster maximum employment and price stability. The Committee continues to expect some pickup in the pace of recovery over coming quarters but anticipates that the unemployment rate will decline only gradually toward levels that the Committee judges to be consistent with its dual mandate. Moreover, there are significant downside risks to the economic outlook, including strains in global financial markets. The Committee also anticipates that inflation will settle, over coming quarters, at levels at or below those consistent with the Committee's dual mandate as the effects of past energy and other commodity price increases dissipate further. However, the Committee will continue to pay close attention to the evolution of inflation and inflation expectations.

To support a stronger economic recovery and to help ensure that inflation, over time, is at levels consistent with the dual mandate, the Committee decided today to extend the average maturity of its holdings of securities. The Committee intends to purchase, by the end of June 2012, $400 billion of Treasury securities with remaining maturities of 6 years to 30 years and to sell an equal amount of Treasury securities with remaining maturities of 3 years or less. This program should put downward pressure on longer-term interest rates and help make broader financial conditions more accommodative. The Committee will regularly review the size and composition of its securities holdings and is prepared to adjust those holdings as appropriate.

To help support conditions in mortgage markets, the Committee will now reinvest principal payments from its holdings of agency debt and agency mortgage-backed securities in agency mortgage-backed securities. In addition, the Committee will maintain its existing policy of rolling over maturing Treasury securities at auction.

The Committee also decided to keep the target range for the federal funds rate at 0 to 1/4 percent and currently anticipates that economic conditions--including low rates of resource utilization and a subdued outlook for inflation over the medium run--are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels for the federal funds rate at least through mid-2013.

The Committee discussed the range of policy tools available to promote a stronger economic recovery in a context of price stability. It will continue to assess the economic outlook in light of incoming information and is prepared to employ its tools as appropriate.

Voting for the FOMC monetary policy action were: Ben S. Bernanke, Chairman; William C. Dudley, Vice Chairman; Elizabeth A. Duke; Charles L. Evans; Sarah Bloom Raskin; Daniel K. Tarullo; and Janet L. Yellen. Voting against the action were Richard W. Fisher, Narayana Kocherlakota, and Charles I. Plosser, who did not support additional policy accommodation at this time.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/press/monetary/20110921a.htm

Chuck Cady & Associates Gardener's Corner

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:36:00 GMT

SEPTEMBER

There are some very important chores in this busy gardening month. You’ll need to pull up dying summer annuals, plant new fall annuals and sew spring seeds and bulbs. In flowerbeds, add amendments such as compost, gypsum, iron, etc. for good soil next spring. Soil tests can tell you what your soil lacks.

This is also a good time to look over the tools and patio & lawn furniture. Get ready to put them away in good condition by the end of September. Repair, grease and sharpen tools as needed before storing them for the winter. You’ll thank yourself next spring!

Most experts agree that September is the best month to aerate, dethatch, overseed and fertilize your lawn. Cooler weather and fall rain promote root growth before hard winter sets in. If you do all the steps listed above, DO NOT use a regular fertilizer…use a lawn-starting fertilizer formula.

Stay tuned for October gardening tips!

I-90 Closures through the weekend...the Blue Angels are here!!

Thu, 04 Aug 2011 10:55:00 GMT

Ahhh, it's that time again! Gearing up for the Hydroplane races and Airshow this weekend...can you smell the sunblock and hear the hum from all the boats on Lake Washington? It's a beloved staple of summer for us Seattleites!

Here are the times that I-90 will be closed between Island Crest Way in Mercer Island and I-5 in Seattle:

Thursday: Blue Angels practice from 9:45am-Noon & 1:15pm-2:30pm

Friday, Saturday & Sunday's Performances: 12:45pm-2:40pm

For more information, click here

Enjoy!