BellevueBellevue utility services & safetycommunitysafety July 6, 2023

Bellevue Has A New Earthquake Resilient Reservoir

The City of Bellevue Utilities Department has completed construction of a new 1.25 million gallon reservoir. The new reservoir replaces an aging one million gallon steel reservoir.  The new concrete reservoir, which is earthquake resilient, provides essential water to all of Bellevue and also supports fire protection to residents of the Bridle Trails, Pikes Peak and Cherry Crest neighborhoods. Bellevue Utilities has owned, operated and maintained the Pikes Peak Reservoir for over 50 years.

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condominiumsDowntown Bellevueeconomyhome property valueshousing marketreal estateRobin Myers/Condo SpecialistWindermere February 22, 2023

What’s the Expected Local Impact of Recent Tech Industry Layoffs?

There’s been a lot of media coverage in the last six weeks relating to local and national tech industry layoffs. The Pacific Northwest has a significant tech industry presence, not just all the major players but also many smaller but successful start-ups What impact can we expect in the Seattle and Eastside economy and housing market as a result of these layoffs?

Matthew Gardner, Windermere’s Chief Economist, doesn’t anticipate significant change as we move through 2023. Take a look at his thoughts on the local economy and housing market.

 

 

 

 

BellevueDowntown BellevueEast Link Light Raillight railtransportation February 10, 2021

East Link Light Rail Progress

While shops and restaurants were closed throughout 2020, construction progress for Sound Transit’s East Link Light Rail continued moving forward. Tracks have been installed across I-90 and throughout the Eastside, stations are under construction, the Bel-Red maintenance facility is complete and  landscaping is beginning to frame the tracks and stations. Driving through the Bel-Red neighborhood last week it was exciting to see trains parked outside the maintenance building.

Great news for commuters . . .parking at the South Bellevue Park-and-Ride will be available to bus riders later this year. The East Link South Bellevue Station garage will open to bus service in September 2021, nearly two years before train service begins.

When East Link opens in 2023 riders will have access to nearly 40 miles of light rail from the Eastside to downtown Seattle, Northgate and Sea-Tac Airport. Trains are scheduled to run every 6 minutes at peak hours. Estimated travel time from the Redmond Technology station to Bellevue Downtown is 10 minutes  –  South Bellevue to Sea-Tac just under 50 minutes.

Building light rail that travels on solid ground and a floating bridge has never been done before. It has taken years to design a safe and dependable system that will integrate with the I-90 floating bridge and continue to sustain auto traffic. Learn more in this video about the design and construction process.

buying a homecondominiumseconomyfirst time buyershome property valuesinterest ratesreal estateselling a homeworking from home February 8, 2021

2021 Housing and Economic Update

Every year Matthew Gardner, Windermere’s Chief Economic, provides his forecast for the coming year. As always, he includes a variety of topics that relate to the national economy, housing trends, mortgage interest rates and home price appreciation. This year he also addresses the impact the 2020 pandemic had on the economy and housing and what we may expect to see in 2021. It will be fun revisit this in 6-12 months and see how Matthew’s thoughts compare with what happens as we move through the year.

 

condominiumshome property valuesmortgage interest ratesreal estateRobin MyersWindermere December 8, 2020

2021 US Housing Forecast – What to Expect Next Year

This week Matthew Gardner, Windermere Chief Economist, takes a look at the US housing forecast for 2021. Topics include mortgages, existing home sales, existing home values, new construction, the impact of homes in forbearance  and the urban condo market. Overall the outlook is positive for a continuing strong real estate market and low interest rates.

condominium speciaistcondominiumshousing marketreal estateRobin MyersWindermere Real Estate November 25, 2020

Matthew Gardner’s Housing & Economic Update

This week Matthew Gardner, Windermere’s Chief Economist, shares his thoughts on the latest US home sales data.

Single family and multi family home values continue to rise while available inventory levels continue to decline. What’s the news for condos? Condo prices are trending higher nationwide, up 10% year-over-year. It’s difficult to know how long this trend can be sustained as we close 2020. What could impact values next year? We may hit an affordability issue, which could push some buyers out of the market, and increasing inventory levels may create more selection for buyers but more competition for sellers.

I specialize in Bellevue’s condo and townhome communities. If you have questions about the market or what’s been happening in your community, call, text or email.

Happy Thanksgiving. While this year may be very different from years past, if you have an opportunity to safely share the holiday with family, enjoy the day. Be safe and stay healthy.

condominiumsproperty tax exemptionsproperty taxesreal estateRobin Myerstax payer assistanceWindermere September 17, 2020

Are You Eligible for a Property Tax Exemption or Deferral?

property taxes

courtesy flickr/401(K) 2012

Did you know . . . there are King County real estate property tax relief programs for qualified senior citizens, disabled persons and veterans. It is estimated that many qualified seniors and disabled persons are not registered for available exemptions and only 1 in 100 of those eligible for deferrals are enrolled.

The application process is fairly easy. There are income, age, disability and ownership/occupancy guidelines that must be met. Details can be found on the King County Assessor’s Office website.

There is also a tax relief program that may assist those who own property damaged in the recent wildfires. The program assists homeowners of properties damaged or destroyed by flood, storm or something beyond the property owner’s control. Owners may be eligible for a reduction of assessed value resulting in lower property taxes. Information and forms for the destroyed property tax relief program are on the King County Assessor’s site.

 

Detailed information, forms and instructions for applying for all tax exempt or tax deferral programs are  available from the King County Assessor’s Office. Applications for the 2021 tax year may be submitted starting in January 2021. Contact the King County Assessor’s Office at 206-296-3920 or on line at www.kingcounty.gov/depts/assessor/taxrelief.

 

 

Robin Myers is a Realtor® with Windermere Real Estate/East, Inc. specializing in Bellevue’s urban condominiums and townhomes.

 

condominium speciaisteconomyreal estateWindermere Real Estate August 4, 2020

Understanding the Case Shiller Home Price Index

This week Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist with Windermere Real Estate, explains the Case Shiller Home Price Index which has accumulated data over the last 130 years of home prices in 20 major cities in the United States.

 

 

buying a homecondominium speciaistproperty valuesreal estateselling a homeWindermere Real Estate July 29, 2020

How’s the Real Estate Market?

townhomesHow’s the Real Estate Market?

This is a question I hear a lot. Real estate was dormant this spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. Since mid-May the housing market has made a robust and positive rebound.

The number of buyers currently in the market far exceeds the available inventory of homes for sale. Why are so many buyers searching for homes? Record low interest rates give buyers more purchasing power. They’re taking advantage of those low interest rates to purchase a first home, move up to a larger home or, since we’ll be working from home/learning from home for many months to come, find a home that is a better fit for changing live/work/learn lifestyles. We are fortunate to live in an area with a strong economy. Local and national companies continue to grow and recruit employees, but that growth is bringing more home buyers to the area who want to purchase a home.

Lifestyle needs change . . . job and workspace needs change . . . housing needs change. Right now housing inventory is the biggest challenge for buyers looking to purchase a home. It’s a competitive market. The shortage of homes is definitely tipping the scale in favor of sellers, and that trend is expected to continue through the end of the year.

If there’s a change or a move in your future . . . how can I help?

 

 

 

 

condominium speciaistcondominiumseconomyreal estateWindermere Real Estate July 28, 2020

How Much Are Home Values Expected to Increase in 2020?

This week Matthew Gardner, Windermere Real Estate’s Chief Economist, provides an update to his 2020 housing forecast. Interesting economic information relating to the local and nationwide real estate market.