The Amazon “Effect”, Seattle Growth

C VWLU The Amazon Effect, Seattle Growth

I came across an article this morning that sums up the Seattle growth story and the impact that companies like Amazon are having on our local economy. It is a lengthy piece, but well worth the read. We often talk about the Amazon impact on South Lake Union and Seattle as a whole. This particular piece really delves into the growth story and shares the intimate details. I’ve included a few excerpts, but I highly encourage you to read this article. Bottom line is, as a condo owner in Seattle or someone looking to buy, this kind information is priceless:

Even with increased competition for talent, Amazon is growing at a remarkable rate. Last year, the company’s employment base grew 67 percent to 56,200 employees worldwide. Just 90 days later, Amazon’s head count had jumped again, to 65,600—a hiring rate of more than 100 people per day.

Head to South Lake Union any weekday morning, and you can see it in the flesh. On sidewalks where hardly anybody walked five years ago, Amazon employees are everywhere. They come from every direction—pouring out of buses, crowding the street corners, and streaming down the sidewalks, wearing the telltale light-blue ID badges. They tend to move quickly, and don’t spend a lot of time chit-chatting. Amid the most significant corporate expansion this city has seen in years, there’s work to be done.

For me, articles like this just validate my bullish outlook on owning real estate near South Lake Union in the downtown core.  It will be exciting to see how new developments that are underway will continue to shape the future of Seattle.

Art Stable SLUT e1336554797289 The Amazon Effect, Seattle Growth

Curt Woodward of Xconomy Seattle, posted “Amazon Takes Over: How A Flood of People Could Remake Seattle”

Bank Owned Loft, Once Listed At $2.45 Million, Now Selling At $1,549,000

Banner Building 403404 web Bank Owned Loft, Once Listed At $2.45 Million, Now Selling At $1,549,000

Do you remember this unit?  We wrote about it back in October of 2011 just before it went to the public foreclosure auction. It is a 3,798 square foot loft in the Banner Building in Belltown.  It was once listed as high as $2,450,000 and now is selling it for $1,549,000.

This unit is insane. Although the pictures don’t reveal much, I can promise you that the unit itself would blow away your expectations. It is truly one of a kind and now at a price of $1,549,000 (407psf) it should attract plenty of interest. This type of unit in San Francisco or New York would sell for well over 1,400 per square foot (depending on the neighborhood my guess would be $4,000,000-$6,000,000).

GetMedia 4 Bank Owned Loft, Once Listed At $2.45 Million, Now Selling At $1,549,000
(picture c/o windermere)

UNIT FEATURES BUILDING FACTS
3,798sf (2 story plan)7 Floors
3 bedrooms, 2.75 baths28 units
Private DecksConcrete and Steel
Subzero,Gaggenau,Elan,& Miele Award Winning Construction
Spiral StaircaseCorner Location
Massive Windows 95 on Walkscore

Although the Banner Building doesn’t offer too much in terms of amenities, this unit certainly looks like a good deal when you look at a few other sales in the 3,000 sf category. There have only been 4 sales of properties that offer over 3,000 square feet in the last year:

Building Square Footage Selling PricePrice Per Square Foot Date Sold
Waterfront Place3,711$1,250,000$33611/09/2011
Escala 3,562$2,200,000$61711/04/2011
Millennium Tower 4,589$2,690,000$58609/14/2011
1521 Second Ave 3,600$4,250,000$1,18003/14/2011

A different perspective on the building:


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PB Elemental Designs Another Gem (Pictures)

Exterior  PB Elemental Designs Another Gem (Pictures)

My love affair with Pb Elemental continues. Check out this incredible design that was recently completed in the Leschi neighborhood of Seattle. According to design-milk.com, it was the makings of a Seattle couple that just couldn’t find what they were looking for. Instead of continuing their search, they bought a tear-down, contracted PB and Modern Shelter and ended up with a gem.

Whats not to love? It has a thoughtful floor-plan and incredible design elements. It comes with 3 bedrooms on 2 levels and a stunning interior. See the pictures below.

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2 Bedroom Condos Priced Below $500,000

 

Pomeroy View1 2 Bedroom Condos Priced Below $500,000

I’m still hearing complaints from buyers looking for 2 bedroom condos in downtown Seattle. There are only 15 two bedroom units priced below $500,000. Sales have been steady and I believe inventory will be limited for the months to come. If you are a 2 bedroom owner and you are thinking about selling, feel free to contact us or click the image below to join our list of prospective sellers. We would love to connect you with qualified buyers. Per our policy, we will never share your information without your consent. Have a great week and happy condo hunting!

Click here to see the list of downtown Seattle condos under $500,000.

Selling Seattle.Fin  2 Bedroom Condos Priced Below $500,000

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Investors Are Buying Seattle Condos, Trust Me

Cristalla ext e1334591404196 Investors Are Buying Seattle Condos, Trust Me

We wrote a post a few months back about rising rents in Seattle and how the increase is attracting investors back to the market. We actually received some feedback from a few readers that didn’t believe this was the case  - I thought I would share a few examples (see below).

We hear from investors almost daily that are looking for condos to hold long term. I believe this trend will stay in place until too many rental units are built, or until we see an significant increase in pricing that starts to slow down investor demand.

On a national level, investment purchases nearly doubled in 2011 from a year earlier.

For those of you interested in buying a rental investment, we have a rent matrix we use to estimate a 5 and 10 year return. If your interested in learning more, contact us.

Escala – 1920 4th Ave 1705
Escala Lobby 300x202 Investors Are Buying Seattle Condos, Trust Me
Purchase price was $869,000
Now Renting for $3,950

 

Cristalla – 2033 2nd Ave #1107
Cristalla Views 300x188 Investors Are Buying Seattle Condos, Trust Me
Purchase price was $312,000
Now Renting for $2,450

 

The PARC – 76 Cedar Street #808
The Parc Exterior 300x199 Investors Are Buying Seattle Condos, Trust Me
Purchase price was $320,000
Rented for $2,400 

Only 14 Condos For Rent In Downtown Seattle, 50% Decline From October 2011



Downtown Seattle Condos For Rent

Looking for a reason to rent your downtown Seattle condo right now?  How about this…..There are only 14 condos listed for rent in all of downtown – just 14 units. I’ve provided a breakdown below that shows the asking rent. Obviously this doesn’t count apartment buildings and other units that are not listed on the MLS, but from my perspective, this is a significant reduction in whats available.  Just last October when I pulled the same market report there were 28 units available for lease.  That is a 50% decrease in inventory in just 6 months.

There are a lot of Seattle residents that prefer renting condos over the typical apartment building. With only 14 units available, anything that hits the market will likely go fast. With such limited supply, look for landlords to raise their rental rates until more units become available.

Downtown Seattle Rental Inventory April picture Only 14 Condos For Rent In Downtown Seattle, 50% Decline From October 2011

Waterfront Deal of the Year…..So Far

 Waterfront Deal of the Year.....So Far

One of our favorite readers brought this home to our attention a few months ago. It is insanely cool. Check it out.

This home is 4,949 sq feet located on Fox Island (50 mins from Seattle). It has 3 bedrooms and 3.75 baths. It has over 100 feet of waterfront, a shared deep-water dock and spectacular views from its perched location. The builder used re-claimed materials with the help of superior craftsman from a number of locations and found a way to blend casual, modern and luxury at the same time.  I was blown away when the property was listed as a short sale. Before I knew it – it had sold.

The final sales price – $1,500,000.  That is $303 per square foot!

Talk about an incredible buy on the water.  I’m not suggesting that there were a lot of buyers that could afford this, but I what I am telling you is that this is one INCREDIBLE value for the price. Kudos to the new buyer!  Maybe they will invite us to a summer BBQ?!?

 Waterfront Deal of the Year.....So Far

 Waterfront Deal of the Year.....So Far

 Waterfront Deal of the Year.....So Far

 Waterfront Deal of the Year.....So Far

 Waterfront Deal of the Year.....So Far

pictures c/o Kimberly Gartland

Just 19 Condos For Sale Under $300,000 In Downtown Seattle

GetMedia 5 e1333216002432 Just 19 Condos For Sale Under $300,000 In Downtown Seattle

There are just 19 condos for sale under $300,000 in downtown Seattle. As new inventory hits the market in this price point, we will continue to see increased activity and multiple offers. The Seattle condo market as a whole tells a pretty interesting story when you look at the February numbers year over year.  As you’ll see below, the months supply of inventory is down (60%) from the same time last year.  I’m expecting big sale numbers for the month of March.  Thus decreasing the number of active listings even further.

February Market Stats Condos 1 e1333215823919 Just 19 Condos For Sale Under $300,000 In Downtown Seattle

 

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Are Million Dollar Condos Selling In Seattle?

 

1521.Condos Are Million Dollar Condos Selling In Seattle?

YES.

Over the last 120 days, million dollar condos in Seattle are selling at a record pace. Nearly 4 units per month. In addition to the 14 sales,  6 other units are pending (under contract) as we speak.

We’ll focus on sold data.  Out of the 14 sales, the average square footage was 2,064. The lowest priced unit sold for $1,062,500 and the most expensive unit was $4,250,000. The average sale price was $1,742,816 ($815 per sq. ft.) All 14 sales were in buildings that were 2006 or newer. Clearly new construction or “like new” condition was a trend. The average time on market before these units sold was 215 days and sellers received 89% of their asking price (average).

I’ve included the project, price and square footage information below

Million Dollar Condo Sales In Downtown Seattle

BUILDING STATUSSQUARE FOOTAGE SALE DATEPRICE
1521 SecondSold 3,60003/14/12$4,250,000
1521 SecondSold2,65812/19/11$3,045,000
Olive 8Sold2,22403/07/12$2,250,000
1521 SecondSold1,89003/12/12$1,796,930
1521 SecondSold1,96802/02/12$1,700,000
1521 SecondSold1,64403/16/12$1,550,000
Escala Sold2,44212/29/11$1,525,000
1521 SecondSold1,96803/20/12$1,400,000
Olive 8Sold1,53412/31/11$1,250,000
1521 SecondSold1,96803/20/12$1,200,000
Madison TowerSold1,76912/23/11$1,200,000
Olive 8Sold1,53412/01/11$1,150,000
1521 SecondSold1,96801/05/12$1,100,000
1521 SecondSold1,72901/09/12$1,062,500

Here is a list of the pending sales (million dollar units under contract)

Million Dollar Condo PENDING sales In Downtown Seattle

BUILDING STATUSSQUARE FOOTAGE DAYS ON MARKET PRICE
Madison Tower Pending Inspection 2,850696$4,495,000
1521 SecondPending 2,658195$3,950,000
Olive 8Pending Inspection 2,22427$2,595,000
1521 SecondPending1,890303$1,695,000
1521 SecondPending 1,968122$1,649,000
1521 SecondPending1,644263$1,175,000

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photo c/o Realogics

South Lake Union and Amazon’s Urban Campus

South Lake Union South Lake Union and Amazons Urban Campus

In my daily reading today, I came across a post from the folks at South Lake Union on Facebook.  I was thrilled to have taken the time to read it. Kaid Benfield of The Atlantic wrote an incredible piece on Amazon’s Urban Campus located in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle. It talks about how Amazon, Vulcan and South Lake Union designed a thoughtful, walkable and attractive campus right in the heart of the city.

I was blown away at how quickly and effectively Benfield described the neighborhood and the benefits behind a well designed corporate/urban model. He touched on Apple’s campus in Cupertino and how it simply falls short when comparing its campus to Amazon’s new design. I particularly like his emphasis on transit and the pedestrian friendly footprint.

As many of you know, I’ve been a big fan of South Lake Union and the impact its having on Seattle. As it continues to develop, the residents of our city stand to benefit the most. From a Seattle condo perspective, I would love to see more opportunities to own in new buildings. Unfortunately, I just don’t see that happening – at least for 2-3 years.

For now, I would encourage anyone interested in living in South Lake Union to check re-sale opportunities (2200 Westlake, Enso, Veer), rental units or find something that is close enough to walk or use transit (Eastlake, Westlake, Downtown, Capitol Hill etc…).

Interested in learning more about how to invest in SLU – Feel free to contact us.

SouthLUT South Lake Union and Amazons Urban Campus

Popular Seattle Condo Projects Featured In Bloomberg News


Seattle Condos Back In Focus  Popular Seattle Condo Projects Featured In Bloomberg News

Bellevue Towers, Escala and Olive 8 are all featured in a Bloomberg News article that posted this evening. The long and short of it is, that condominiums in Seattle and Bellevue are back in focus. I pulled some of the most interesting parts of the article and have posted them below:

Lower Pricing Fueling Sales

Falling prices and a scarcity of new buildings are helping fuel home sales in the Seattle-Bellevue region, with condo transactions rising seven times faster than the average of 20 large metropolitan areas in the U.S. With evidence growing that housing is improving after helping trigger the last recession, lenders are chipping away at losses from projects created prior to the financial crisis.

Inventory

The national inventory of unsold existing condos and cooperative units fell 32 percent in 2011, to 291,000 units, from 429,000 units in 2010, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Seattle-Bellevue Condo Sales Outpacing Many Other Large Cities

While there aren’t any official statistics for sales of new condos, sales of existing condos show that turnover in the Seattle-Bellevue area is outpacing many other large cities. Sales of existing condos in the area rose 14 percent last year, to 6,916 units, or seven times the average 2 percent increase for 20 large metropolitan areas, including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Phoenix and Las Vegas, according to DataQuick, a San Diego-based provider of property data.

Escala On Fire

Escala expects 220 of its 269 condos to find buyers by the end of this year, and the rest probably will be sold in 2013, Mehr said. Often the most expensive are the last to sell. “They’re all losing money — anybody who built at the peak and has all those carrying costs,” said Mehr. “Maybe instead of losing $100 million, you’re losing $30 million. That’s a lot better.”

 

Read more of the article here

 Popular Seattle Condo Projects Featured In Bloomberg News

Downtown Seattle Condo Market Shows Improvement, Cristalla Benefits

Cristalla 1909 View Deck e1315504484679 Downtown Seattle Condo Market Shows Improvement, Cristalla Benefits

The first quarter of 2012 will be very impressive for Seattle condo sales (downtown). I think we are on the cusp of a robust recovery and possibly a sellers market under the $400,000 price point. One building in particular is on fire – The Cristalla.

It really shouldn’t come as a surprise. Cristalla has a great reputation, a massive following and is often recognized as one of Seattle’s best condo buildings. Its located at 2nd and Lenora, has 197 units on 23 floors and features an impressive list of amenities – 24 hour concierge, grand lobby, business center, yoga/pilates studio, screening room, fitness facility, terrace, dog run and rooftop deck.

As the market recovers, so too have the “class A” buildings (see Escala sales as well).  In just the last 30 days, Cristalla has had three 1 bedroom units hit the market and immediately go under-contract. I’ve included the units below. Consider this, in that same time period, 30 condos under the $400,000 price point went under contract.  In the 30 days before that, just 11 had found buyers (went under contract).  That is a 172% increase in just 30 days.

LAST 30 DAYS AT CRISTALLA

UNITSTATUSLIST PRICE ***DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOTDAYS ON MARKET
809Pending $369,000$445.527
1210Pending $399,000$449.836
1501Sold $397,000 ***(Sold for $394,000)$509.704

BUILDING FACTS AND STATS FOR CRISTALLA

CRISTALLA CONDOS INFORMATIONUCS PROJECT GRADE GRADE
ADDRESS2033 2nd Ave, Seattle LOCATION B+
DEVELOPER Murray FranklynAMENITIES A
ARCHITECT Weber + ThompsonPRICE B
BUILT 2005LUXURY A
STORIES 23BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONA
UNITS 197UNIT DECOR A-

 

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Seattle Condo Rentals Are Luring Investors Back To The Market

1521 View Deck Seattle Condo Rentals Are Luring Investors Back To The Market

It is old news that Seattle rents are rising, but as developers scramble to get new units delivered to the market, condo owners are renting out their units with ease. I’ve been watching the market activity for rentals and as supply has shrunk, units are getting scooped up quickly. I’ve provided a list below of recent rentals that have leased in the last 2 weeks. The price per square foot really puts the rental market in perspective. For owners hoping to offset their mortgage, now may be the time to put your condo on the market. For investors, a purchase now could help secure a 4-6% return. When new construction projects are getting $2.50 to $3.00 per foot in rent, I’m not surprised, but when condo owners are getting the same as new developments it begs the question…. Are investors going to be getting back in the market?  I think so.

Don’t forget about the big Amazon news. This project alone will make a huge impact on Seattle rents.  In summary, if you are an owner (put your condo on the market), if your a prospective renter (secure something quickly) and if you are an investor, pull out your checkbook (it is time to buy).

PROJECT ADDRESS RENTAL PRICE DOLLAR PER SQUARE FOOTDAYS ON MARKET UNIT PHOTOS
Belltown Court2414 1st Ave #620$1,400$2.2 psf6GetMedia 2.ashx  300x225 Seattle Condo Rentals Are Luring Investors Back To The Market
Newmark Tower 1415 2nd Ave #701$1,425$2.3 psf6 Terrace.Newmark.Tower  300x225 Seattle Condo Rentals Are Luring Investors Back To The Market
Enso Condominiums 820 Blanchard St$2,895$3.6 psf27GetMedia.ashx  300x225 Seattle Condo Rentals Are Luring Investors Back To The Market
Counterbalance Queen Anne424 Queen Anne Ave N #302 $3,000$2.6 psf45GetMedia 4.ashx  300x225 Seattle Condo Rentals Are Luring Investors Back To The Market
1521 Second Ave 1521 2nd Ave #1201$5250$2.6 psf701521 View Deck 300x225 Seattle Condo Rentals Are Luring Investors Back To The Market

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Increased Parking Hours and Fees During The Recession Has Hurt Seattle Business…..Duh.

Parking Meters Increased Parking Hours and Fees During The Recession Has Hurt Seattle Business.....Duh.

Mayor Mcginn and the Seattle City Council - I’d hate to tell you that “I told you so”, but…………… I TOLD YOU SO!

Raising parking rates and extending parking hours in certain parts of Downtown Seattle was not just ill-timed, but idiotic. Everyone realizes that the city has budget issues, but during the recession, when the city decided to raise parking rates and extend the “paid” parking hours to generate revenue, many residents of our city were scratching their heads like me. Now the repercussions of that decision are starting to surface.

I don’t know specifically who broke the story, but both the Seattle Times and Komo News Radio covered it today. There are 7 community groups and over 70 restaurants that have written the Mayors office to beg for a retraction of the increased hours/fees. To be honest, I don’t blame them.  According to the Seattle Times, some business owners are citing as much as a 50% decline in business. I can’t imagine that much of an impact, but lets be honest, does the increase in revenue for the city outweigh the health and stability of Seattle’s restaurant community?  Even Tom Douglas, a famous Seattle restaurateur is at odds with the city over the parking change.

Speaking from a condo perspective, as I said before, I think this has hurt our community. Higher rates and longer hours were a bad idea. You may recall a post I wrote last year that highlighted the differences between Downtown Bellevue and Downtown Seattle.  Seattle is headed in the wrong direction, while Downtown Bellevue is laughing all the way to the bank.  Healthy business = Healthy tax revenue.  Do the math.

 

Amazon To Buy 3 Blocks In The Denny Triangle, Market Mover For Seattle Real Estate

Amazon Seattle Times  Amazon To Buy 3 Blocks In The Denny Triangle, Market Mover For Seattle Real Estate

News just broke through the Seattle Times (Eric Pryne) on a groundbreaking real estate purchase in the Denny Triangle. According to the article, Amazon is under contract with Clise Properties to purchase 3 blocks of property along Westlake that will soon become new office space for the local technology giant. Many details have yet to emerge, but in terms of real estate, this news is a market mover. Each block will be home to 1 million square feet of office space. For Seattle condo owners , this should be music to your ears. Imagine the impact on property values. For buyers, now is the time to take advantage. With an already limited inventory, purchasing a unit in the downtown core will be more expensive by the day.  I would expect a large influx of  investor demand as the development of the property takes place.

This could be a major catalyst for improvements to the city as well. Especially in transportation and entertainment. All in all, this is incredible news for all Seattleites and our local economy. More to come tomorrow in regards to the impact on some of our condo buildings and how their views will change.

Link to the article

A big thanks to one of our favorite clients for sending us the article just after it broke.  


Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc.
3933 Lake Washington Blvd NE #100 Kirkland Wa 98033
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