- Click here to view more details and photos!

A lot of good things are in the pipeline for Spring 2008 and over the past month I have been cranking away on new projects, taking on more listings and trying to balance all and everything in between. Obviously I have had a little trouble keeping up with the posting, but the clouds have parted (except for one dark cloud- aka ?the tax man?) and I can get back into my routine once again!

Sales-
5th and Madison: I have to say that I definitely fell in love with 5th and Madison. As the ?hidden gem? in the heart of downtown, I love the location, finishes and floorplans and have been eyeing #405 myself (currently at $425k/ 808SF). The 05 floorplan is on the southeast corner of the building and has a very open view of the city, park and the First United Methodist Church? on 5th, with 808 square feet, wall-to-wall windows, lots of storage (beware- you build out your own closets!), high ceilings, spacious bedroom/living rooms and an open kitchen? One of my clients is set to close this Friday on #205 and I am sure he will love living there!

Watermark Tower: We gave it a try last September but this time around, #1005 sold to #1004- a perfect combination for one gigantic residence on the northwest corner taking up nearly half of the 10th floor!

Escala: Homeowner?s at the Escala are in the process of selecting their finishes! I went with one of my clients to choose their package and I was really impressed with the standard options. A couple upgrades to look out for?cable/outlets- a whopping $600 each to install them above the fireplace or at the built-in desk and the fireplaces are electric not gas, prices to be determined.

The Parc #328: Just Listed! If you are looking to get into the market, this condo is perfect for your first home. Not to big ($), not to small, very useable square footage throughout, a HUGE deck, brand new and priced to sell. Check it out!

New Website-
I am in the process of launching a new website- SeattleCondoExperts.com! The concept is to be announced on a later date as I am still working on creating the perfect resource for both agents and the public eye.

Seattle Rental Group/ NW Property Group-
We have hired a couple new agents, so being that I am #1 in charge of training, I have been working very hard to create little ?UrbanAshies? for everyone. Everyone is falling into place- Alexandra established a website of her own and has found a focus in sales/leasing of multiplexes, whereas Lillian and Adam are just getting started but good things are surly to come!

Additional Education-
This Spring I will also be working towards my Associate Broker license completing a total of 120 hours of classroom time in real estate law, brokerage management and business management. I am sure completing the coursework and continuing with my day to day operations is going to be a challenge but it is either now or never?

So, apologizes for the neglectful behavior?definitely not my typical A-type personality to leave people hanging!

Photos- Michelle Moore Photography, Madison Tower #1503

If you are thinking about purchasing at the Escala, this coming month is your last chance to customize the home interiors! Selections will be starting on January 20th and will continue through mid-February?

Also, there are a lot of specials going on right now. Just to name a couple?

- I previewed Trio last week with a client and they have been running weekly specials (?Home of the Week?) every Friday dropping prices more than $30k for select units. If you are interested in this building, I recommend contacting sales manager, Jackie Daum for more information.

- The Parc also has several floorplans available and the developer is offering to cover homeowner?s dues for up to 2 years on select floorplans (the units facing WAMU & Avenue One).

With all the availability and specials out there, you may increase your chances of getting a better break if you have your agent draft up a purchase and sale. It was strongly hinted that the developers are open to reviewing all offers?hey, it never hurts to ask!

- Moving on…200 West Highland has updated their website and revealed all 25 floorplans ranging from 1,500 SF-2,800 SF with prices starting at $1.23M to just under $4M. Completion is scheduled for this fall and their showroom is located at 2025 1st Ave #420.

Have a wonderful weekend!

It looks like I did miss some exciting news while I was away?

NEWS
Seattle-based REIT, The Schuster Group, launched a $100 million private real estate investment fund called Schuster Realty that will focus on the Seattle area.

Zillow.com signed a real estate advertising deal with 282 U.S. newspapers through 11 major publishers

CONDOS
The Cosmopolitan Community Committee wrote a letter to Mayor Nickels

Mosler Lofts will get certificate of occupancy on the 16th of November

The Parc now has two model homes and a 360 degree tour of the units, lobby and homeowner?s lounge on their website- check it out!

Ben Kakimoto?s update for Seattle condo sales performances in October

EVENTS
IREM?s 22nd Annual Forecast Breakfast (11/29, 7:30-9:30am, Meydenbauer Center) - I really enjoyed last year?s breakfast so I will be attending again this year. Martin Selig, Mayor Degginger, Mike Scott, John Curley and Jamie Moyer are a few of the speakers this year, click here to reserve your spot!

23rd Annual TRENDS Rental Housing Management Conference and Trade Show (12/11, all day, Convention Center) - This year we are not sponsoring a booth but I will still be volunteering and attending seminars throughout the day. AGENTS: You can earn clock hours! Click here for more information.

I have officially entered The Parc with my first listing for lease!

The building is coming together nicely and the common areas are set to be completed at the end of this month. I was very relieved to see that the lobby is now fully furnished and the concierge is already getting things together for the new residents.

Right now it looks like there are a couple other units on the market for lease and 12 are listed on the MLS for sale.

Let me know if you are interested in unit #711!

This Saturday and Sunday, don?t forget to drop by the 2007 Seattle Urban Condo Tour at Fisher Plaza! The two day event is FREE and will give you the opportunity to tour 20 of the newest condo projects in Seattle.

There will also be seminars that will cover topics on securing financing, adding value to your condo, agent secrets and what our cityscape/economy will look like in 2011.

Some of the properties that are participating:

For more information, visit the official website!

I had the honor of walking through the north tower on a hardhat tour today and I must say- The Parc is coming along! The ambiance of the hallway décor is strikingly similar to that of Avenue One but the full-service amenities of the 24-hour concierge, fitness center, roof top deck and owner?s lounge will be tough to compare.

I previewed a 7th floor, 2 bedroom/ 1.75 bath corner unit with an amazing private terrace and gorgeous view of Elliott Bay. The unit itself still needs some TLC but isn?t too far off from completion- the first homeowner in the north tower is set to close at the end of this month and continue through October 31st.

So much excitement- I love NEW construction!