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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Prices Down, Inventory Down, Sales Up For Condos

Seattle Heights Views  Prices Down, Inventory Down, Sales Up For Condos

I’m currently in NYC. Yep. I’m touching base from my hotel room. Not playing at the moment, just working – go figure!  I had some important news to share with you guys.

I caught word yesterday that November condo sales were up BIG.  As I was investigating this morning I ran across an article citing the listing service statistics published yesterday and titled “Home sales outpace number of new listings for first time in five years”.  According to Eric Pryne of the Seattle Times King County condo sales this month were up 70% in comparison to November of last year. Prices have continued to slide but so has inventory levels. The article also added that  units for sale were down 25% from a year earlier.  If you read the entire piece, you’ll also notice a few other interesting facts. For one, the number of bank owned listings in our market is now 20% of our total inventory.  In my opinion that number could go up as banks continue to purge their bad assets. In doing so, it will continue to put some pressure on pricing.  I wouldn’t expect prices to fall for an extended period of time. Seattle has strong employment and pent-up demand for home buying.  As sales continue to increase and inventory falls, simple economics will prevail. As supply shrinks and demand increases, pricing will increase. I’m already noticing a huge impact in the Downtown Seattle market.  Inventor is really starting to move and units that are new and priced well are selling quickly.  I’ll provide some examples towards the end of the week.  I’m off to grab a cup coffee.  Cheers!  

 

Bank Owned Condo At Washington Square, West Facing

 

 


Washington Square 703 Bank Owned Condo At Washington Square, West Facing

I just noticed this bank owned condo that came on the market yesterday.  It is on the 7th floor at Washington Square. In January of 2008 it was purchased for $420,000.  It’s now listed at $274,900.  That is a 35% reduction since the last market sale.  The unit is 640sf.  For more info, check out the listing below.

If you are wondering why there are so many bank owned properties in this building, there is a simple explanation.  It is a combination of market pricing when they originally sold and that the developer placed very little exclusions or limitations on investor financing.  You see this in the Seattle condo market as well (Cosmopolitan, 2200 Westlake etc….)

WASHINGTON SQUAREINFORMATIONUCS PROJECT GRADE GRADE
ADDRESS10650 NE 9TH PL, BELLEVUELOCATION A
DEVELOPERWasatch GroupAMENITIES A
ARCHITECT Collins WoermanPRICE B
BUILT 2008LUXURY B
STORIES 24 and 26BUILDING CONSTRUCTIONA-
UNITS 353UNIT DECOR B+

 

Here is a look at the listing:

WS 703 Bank Owned Condo At Washington Square, West Facing

 

 

Top Floor Condo Sells For $110,000 At Foreclosure Auction On Friday

belltown.court  Top Floor Condo Sells For $110,000 At Foreclosure Auction On FridayCosmopolitan Night Top Floor Condo Sells For $110,000 At Foreclosure Auction On FridayAvenue One Blog Top Floor Condo Sells For $110,000 At Foreclosure Auction On Friday

I thought I would share a quick update from this weekends foreclosure auction.  There were a number of units that I had been following leading up to Friday morning: A studio at Belltown Court, a 19th floor unit at Cosmopolitan and a penthouse unit at Avenue One in Belltown.

Belltown Court #728:

Unit #728 was on the mls just last year.  It is a 579sf top floor studio with a private view deck.  It last sold in August of 2007 for $292,000.  On Friday the minimum bid for the property was $101,489.  I was told that the final sale price was $110,000.  wow.  Considering that one-bedroom studios can rent for as much as 1,400 per month in Belltown, this could be a pretty sound investment for the new owner.

Cosmopolitan #1907:

Many of the one bedroom units at the Cosmopolitan selling at Foreclosure have been successful. Especially the north facing units.  This particular unit, like many other west facing condos in the building is heavily encumbered by the 1918 office tower next door.  With that being said it is a 800sf unit on the 19th floor.  One would think that an investor at the auction would have paid the $240,000 for it when it became available.  It sold in June of 2007 for $445,000.  Suprisingly, it never received a bid.  It reverted back to the bank and we will likely see it as a REO/Bank Owned listing soon.

Avenue One Penthouse #PH02:

For those of you unfamiliar with Avenue One, it was built in 2005 by Intracorp and is located at the corner of 1st and Clay in Belltown.  I’m always surprised to see penthouse units on the auction block.  This unit was purchased in 2005 for $980,500.  It never received a minimum bid and therefore wasn’t available for sale at auction.  It was postponed by the bank.  I will continue to monitor the situation.

Lake Washington Waterfront, Once Listed At $3,700,000, Now 1,695,000

 

 

GetMedia e1312686271562 Lake Washington Waterfront, Once Listed At $3,700,000, Now 1,695,000

Bank owned Lake Washington waterfront?  Yep.  The crash in the housing market has hit some of the most coveted real estate in the Seattle.  Check this place out!  It’s located in the highly desired “West of Market” neighborhood of Kirkland.  Now owned by Washington Trust Bank, it was once listed at $3,700,000 in May of 2008. Now just 3 years later its being re-introduced at $1,695,000!

Referred to as the “Lake Pad”,  this 1,420 sq. ft. home sits on nearly a 1/3 of an acre with big west facing views.  Even catching the top of the Seattle skyline on a clear day.  It features a dock, boat house and plenty of space for your friends to park their boats. For any of you hoping to see the inside, you may be disappointed. No pictures of the interiors.

You can check out the listing here: 515 5th Ave W

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Photo courtesy of L. Williams John L. Scott

Bank Owned Eastlake Townhomes Headed To Auction

Eastlake Auction  e1311717226656 Bank Owned Eastlake Townhomes Headed To Auction

Have you seen these townhomes in Eastlake?  As some of you may know, they came back on the market as banked owned over the last 30 days (Sterlings Saving Bank). Recently Kennedy Wilson Announced that 8 of them would be going to auction.  So they are now a part of a 46 property auction on August 7th in Seattle.  I spoke with a representative today and it sounds like they may only have to auction 2 out of the 8 properties.  Number 41 and 42.  See the brochure here: KW Auction. Just last week, some of the properties were put on the market and had multiple offers. If all those homes go under contract, there would be just 2 remaining (consistent with what I heard today). It is important to note that these remaining homes can sell before the auction.  So if you think you may be interested in buying one before August 7th, you can get in touch with the listing agents or the Kennedy Wilson rep.

AUCTION DETAILS:

Auction website:  http://PugetSoundAuction.com

WHERE:  Grand Hyatt Seattle 721 Pine Street, Seattle, Wa 98101 (August 7th, 2011)

Fannie Mae & The Seattle Condo Market

FannieMae SeattleCondos 1024x335 Fannie Mae & The Seattle Condo Market

Have you noticed that Fannie Mae is actively unloading their inventory in the Seattle condo market?

For those of you unfamiliar with Fannie Mae, it was founded in 1938 during the Great Depression.  It is a government sponsored enterprise (GSE).  Its purpose is to expand the secondary mortgage market by allowing  lenders to reinvest their assets into more lending.  Thus creating space for more lenders in the mortgage market.  So why are we seeing them selling so many homes and condos?

Fannie Mae buys (bought) thousands of loans from approved mortgage sellers.  They were given initiatives to expand home-ownership to low and middle income families.  As borrowers began missing payments and the financial market collapsed in part to a growing number of foreclosures, losses mounted for GSE’s like Fannie.

Now with an abundance of inventory from foreclosed homes and failed banks it appears that Fannie is actively adding some of their inventory to the market. In doing so, they are offering incentive programs for both buyers and real estate agents.  I’ve seen offers to buyers that include a 3.5% credit.  They are also offering agents “selling bonus’s” for closings before a certain date.

We will be watching the inventory closely and will update as much as possible.  Hopefully this post added a little clarity to the relationship between Fannie Mae and “bank owned properties” in Seattle.

Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell

Urban 1809 Living Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell

I was just about to leave the office when I noticed a familiar townhome that is back on the market.  I’m sure a few of you will recognize it as well.  We posted about these homes months ago (Urban Architecture ) when profiling the architect of the project. The address is 1809 24th Ave, Seattle. Listed at $579,000 in 2009, this home is now priced at $429,000!   It is banked owned (Sterling Savings) and clearly priced to sell.  Sterling seems to be adding quite a bit of their inventory to the market.  They actually have a real estate specific website that shows all their available inventory.  Including, commercial, condos, multi-family and more.  What an interesting time we live in.

If you were to ask me if this particular home is worth a look, I would say Y-E-S.  Love the architecture, it’s obvious given the examples below that it is a deep discount and the bank is currently offering 3.5% in a closing cost credit.

Urban 1809 Exterior 300x200 Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell Urban 1809 Living 300x200 Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell Urban 1809 Stairs 300x200 Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell Urban 1809 Bath 300x200 Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell

photo and listing credits to Scott Anderson

In this particular project, there were 4 homes built.  Three of them sold within the last 8 months.

Here is a list of the three other sales within this development:

Unit C 300x199 Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell

$509,000
1807 24th Ave Unit C | 1,863sf
Sold | Jan 11, 2011

Unit D 300x199 Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell

$490,000
1807 24th Ave Unit D | 1,794sf
Sold | Jan 14, 2011

Unit A 300x216 Cool Architecture, Bank Owned, Priced To Sell

$537,000
1807 24th Ave Unit A | 1,755sf
Sold | Dec 09, 2010

Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla

Cristalla View 300x225 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla

Examining the property history on Unit 1807 at Cristalla takes some work.  Bottom line is, this unit was listed as high as $1,045,000 in February of 2007.  Now this Southwest facing condo on the 18th floor is selling at $594,900.  It is bank owned, currently being serviced by Bank of America.

If you remember back to a post I wrote about the popularity of Cristalla (Why Is Cristalla So Popular), at that time (October 2010), the average price per square foot for the building was $599.  This unit is priced at $506 per square foot.  Almost $100 less than the average that was calculated just over a month ago.  So is it a good deal?  Considering the views, the class “A” building and the opportunity to potentially negotiate more, I would say YES.

Cristalla Quick Facts:

  • 23 floors
  • 197
  • Built in 2005
  • 24 hour concierge
  • On-site managment
  • Pool
  • Sauna, wet and dry
  • Owners Lounge
  • Screening Room
  • Mutiple View Decks
  • Workout facility

Building Photos

Cristalla.Ext  150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla Cristalla.Condos 150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla 4195426149 2550a1b7fd o 150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla

Unit 1807 Photos

Cristalla View 150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla Cristalla View 2 150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla Cristalla Interior 2 150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla

Cristalla Interior 1 150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla Cristalla Bath 150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla Cristalla Balcony 150x150 Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla

If you want to see this unit, click the button below to schedule a tour.

Schedule a Tour Once $1,045,000, Now $594,900 At Cristalla

Mosler Lofts Bank Owned Update

photoGallery051 Mosler Lofts Bank Owned Update

Ok, so I have a GREAT update on a good buy at Mosler Lofts.  You may recall a post I wrote a few weeks ago about unit #403 at Mosler Lofts (Foreclosure at Mosler Lofts).  Well, it did not sell at foreclosure auction, but is back on the market “Bank Owned”.

What I mean by that is; if a bank doesn’t get what it wants at auction, they will take the property back on their books and will sell it at a price that they see fit.  What is amazing about this situation is that the bank is now selling the property at $85,000 less then what they wanted at auction.  In my opinion this is showing the commitment that Fannie Mae has to get this property off their books.  Although this unit is on the small side (644sf) it is selling at 427psf .  I would consider this a good buy.  Keep in mind you don’t have to offer the list price of ($275,000).  It is in a class “A” project (Mosler Lofts), with good upside. The only downside to Belltown at the moment is the well publicized crime. I don’t think that will last forever. Plus, this is on the North end of Belltown.

Quick Facts:

  • The average cost per square foot of SOLD units at Mosler is $458.73 (See below. Over the last 180 days)
  • Mosler is a steel and concrete building
  • 148 units
  • Amenities include concierge, grand entry, fitness studio, business center, library and rooftop deck.

Screen shot 2010 11 26 at 9.47.21 AM Mosler Lofts Bank Owned Update

I love these Panoramics.  I took them last year form the rooftop deck.

Inland View Pan Mosler Lofts Bank Owned Update

Water View Pan Mosler Lofts Bank Owned Update


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