Seattle - Photo Credit Diva Dweller Chris Hafner

Diva Real Estate Market Report – June

A client recently dubbed us Diva gals the “Queens of Capitol Hill.” We do not know if that is because of the company we keep or just the amount of fabulous real estate clients we have on Capitol Hill. As such, we are extra excited about the upsurge in home sales in our home turf. Homes and condos are selling like hotcakes according to the June resale report.

Condos: Although the condo market is still suffering from weaker market values, the number of condo sales in June on Capitol Hill increased by 94% compared to June 2010. Wow!

Single Family Homes: The sale of single family homes on the hill have almost tripled compared to sales in June 2010. Year to date, single family home sales have increased by 69% throughout the neighborhood. Prices are still low, but with sales numbers like this, demand will soon be driving the market values back up.

Seattle Overall: The number of sold homes surged from June of 2010 to this past June. The price points are still low but the number of buyers in the market is much greater than any other time during the downturn.

For more information on your neighborhood’s market, search for your zip code in the resale reports.

King County – Single Family Residences

King County – Condominiums

Capitol Hill has always had a rich and diverse history in Seattle. Its central location to downtown has attracted urbanites, hipsters, old money, the gays and just about everyone in between. For us personally the hood is where we spend our days and where all of us have lived sometime in our youth. Team Diva’s mother ship/central offices are on the hill. Our favorite small business owners are on the Hill. And when its time for us to hit the town – we return to Capitol Hill.

Let’s just be honest – Capitol Hill is our home away from home. You can walk out of our office and, in a hot Seattle minute, you will find fabulous foodie spots, local fashion stores, amazing coffee, artists, hipsters and more. All of this is snuggled amongst stunning older homes, condos and apartments. There is always something to do on the Hill. Looking for some wall decor? Stop by our favorite artist studio, Local 1520, during the monthly Capitol Hill ArtWalk and get some fabulous art for your home. Need to find the perfect bottle of wine to bring to a party? Vino Verité has a great selection, including their very own Capitol Hill Red.

Team Diva hooking up with some of our favorite Woman Owned Businesses on Capitol Hill to celebrate 2011 Gay Pride month in style. The Divas Take the Hill event on Wednesday, June 15th kicks off our Pride. We will be releasing the official map of Divalicious approved businesses. Join us and see why we adore this fabulous neighborhood!

Shop Local Spot: Retail Therapy

Local Hood Blog: CHS Capitol Hill Seattle

See the whole Divas Take the Hill list below:

16th Annual BIG ArtWalk in Phinneywood

This Friday, May 13th the Greenwood and Phinney Ridge neighborhoods will be hosting their 16th Annual BIG ArtWalk. Over seventy local businesses will be participating in this neighborhood event, including Diva Deals partners, Hip Zephyr and Tasty. Join Team Diva Real Estate in supporting the Phinneywood community, and the over 150 participating ArtWalk artists. Hope to see you there!

Event Details

What: 16th Annual BIG ArtWalk Event
Where: Phinney + Greenwood Avenues (between 60th & 85th)
When: Friday, May 13th, 6-10pm

Isabel with her ever present tennis ball.

Anyone who has met my dogs knows two things – they are the cutest things EVER…and they are a wee bit crazy. Having two high energy pups means I have to find a lot of ways to keep them entertained and expend their energy. Luckily, Seattle is a city friendly to dogs and their owners. It seems like every store I visit has a container of dog treats on the counter and a water dish outside the door. This means I can take my pups more places and spend as much time with them as possible – which leads to happier pups.

Now that Spring is making an appearance, my dogs and I are spending more and more time outdoors. I am fortunate enough to live near Genesee Dog Park. This park provides a variety of environments for dogs to play and explore. The large dirt area where dogs can chase balls and, more often than not – each other, is surrounded by grass, trees, logs and large boulders. Dogs can climb and explore, sniff and dig to their heart’s content. When the weather is super hot, we drive over to Magnuson Park, where the off leash area has water access for dogs to splash and swim. Splish splash!

Some days, mama needs her exercise too – so we head over to one of the many parks with walking paths. Greenlake is always a favorite of ours, and we can usually get friends to join us for a little stroll. If we want some scenic variety, West Seattle’s Lincoln Park has wooded trails leading down to a path along the waterfront. Both places are popular with dogs and their owners, and opportunities to meet new four-legged friends are plentiful.

All this outdoor fun can lead to two very dirty pups. When it’s time for my dogs to get their Diva style on, I take them to Dog Mania (a Diva Deals partner) in the Mt. Baker neighborhood. Dog Mania is kennel free, so pups are allowed to roam and play when they are not being bathed and groomed. There is nothing like bringing my freshly styled dogs home and having them pass out after a long day of fun. If you are a more do-it-yourself kind of dog owner, Rub-A-Dub Dog offers the equipment and supplies to wash and groom your dog, and they clean up the mess for you.

My pups are like me and can use a cocktail at the end of a long, busy day. Since they are looking fabulous, why not treat them to a night out on the town. The Dining Dog in Edmonds is the perfect place to treat my pups. This restaurant offers doggy cocktails, appetizers, entrees and desserts for your pampered pet (and nibbles for humans too). Throwing a party for your pooch? The Dining Dog also hosts private parties to celebrate the dog in your life.

Diva Dweller Shanna takes her little guy Oskar to Norm’s Ale House in Fremont. Amazing environment that allows the humans to have a beer while their puppies hang out. Oskar loves the hang out part!

Here’s to all of us dog (and other pet) owners! Throw a ball and raise a glass in honor of the four legged friend in your life!

Special Note: Dog Mania is a Team Diva business partner. Check out our Diva Deals page to find out about special discounts.

Isabel, Diva Kaz & Ky

Hip Zephyr - fun & fashion forward styles for every Diva!

Phinney Ridge boutique and Diva Deals partner, Hip Zephyr, will be hosting a Girls Night Out event tonight, Thursday, April 14th at 6pm. Join Diva Kaz in supporting one of our favorite local businesses. Meet and mingle with other fabulous women, enjoy some champagne and find new Spring/Summer fashions for your wardrobe.

Yummy linen jacket by Michael Stars

I’m coveting this jacket – will definitely be trying it on!

Soiree Details

What: Girls Night Out
Where: Hip Zephyr - 6421 Phinney Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98103
When: Thursday, April 14th, 6-9pm (or until everyone goes home)

Sounders Fans Tifo

Anyone who knows me knows this – I love the Seattle Sounders! Not just an I’ll wear the jersey, catch a few games, watch the rest on television kind of love. It runs deeper than that. I am a season ticket holding, ECS card carrying, blog reading, song singing, scarf raising fan of the Sounders. From March ’til November, I live and breathe footie…Sounders footie! And there are 36,000+ fans like me, cheering for a Sounders victory at every game.

The following video conveys a fraction of the passion we Sounders fans have:

Why do I love the Beautiful Game? Soccer/Football/Futbol/Footie is the world’s game…the great equalizer. Anyone can play. The sport doesn’t require expensive equipment, just a bit of land and something to use for a ball. This is reflected in the makeup of the players. The Sounders have players from the DR Congo,Ghana, Columbia, Cuba, Switzerland, Sweden and from right in our own back yard. Soccer is a universal language, connecting people from all over the globe, creating a way to communicate when words aren’t available.

The pure athleticism of the game is beautiful in itself.  I ask you how can you resist the actual play. Depending on the position, players can run an average of ten miles per game (less for the goal keeper, of course). On top of that, they are tackling, dribbling, controlling and shooting the ball. And those shots…well, see for yourself: Inaugural Season Goals.

Most importantly, I love the Sounders because of the effect they have on the community. Recently, Forbes announced that Seattle is the most miserable sports city in America. Ask any Sounders fan if they are miserable…I guarantee the answer is NO! We are passionate about our team, proud of our players and excited by our victories, and our passion is expanding throughout the city. This city has embraced the sport and a new sense of community is being created. People meet up to watch matches at their neighborhood pub. Strangers will see someone wearing a Sounders jersey and strike up a conversation, or simply greet them with “Go Sounders!” I’ve made some of my best friends through our mutual love of the game, people I would never have met if it weren’t for the Sounders.

Sounders Favorites

Favorite Player: Osvaldo Alonso (midfielder)

Favorite Game: Tie between the Inaugural Game and 2010 US Open Cup Final

Favorite Goal: Roger Levesque’s first minute goal against Portland in the 2009 US Open Cup tournament

Go to a game! Support the Boys from Seattle! Cheer for scissor kicks and hat tricks! Join the Sounders Nation!

Sounders ’til I Die!

Diva Kaz

Green Built with Reclaimed Materials in Wallingford

Last month I attended the Phinney Ridge Neighborhood Center’s “Home Design & Remodel Fair.” Since then, I’ve been obsessed with the idea of using reclaimed materials for my home projects.

Team Diva Real Estate love a good Green home – whether they are new-built or remodeled homes. We aren’t the only ones. Seattle home buyers are increasingly attracted to homes that are either built with or have incorporated green materials into their construction. More and more home stores are offering materials and fixtures that are earth friendly, making green design more accessible to homeowners. One option that home owners aren’t as aware of is using reclaimed materials for their home.

While at the Phinney Ridge Neighborhood Home Design and Remodel Fair, I had the chance to talk to the guys from The RE Store, a community-based non-profit organization that offers high quality used building materials, salvage services, community education and workshops. The RE Store, and other stores like it, offer a wide variety of lumber, furniture, fixtures and hardware. You can put in hardwood floors without the need to cut down any new trees, or you can use vintage hardware to replace the door knobs throughout your home, giving it a unique look.  Whether it’s for big projects or for small ones, the variety of reclaimed materials and fixtures available enable you to find that one-of-a-kind piece that will make your home express you.

The RE Store – Seattle Location

1440 NW 52nd St.

206.297.9119

Photo by Abiel Hoff

Phinney Ridge is a north Seattle neighborhood, located on the hill that runs north to south between Ballard and Greenlake. Established in the early 1900s, Phinney is full of vintage architecture and is a Craftsman home-lover’s paradise.  The neighborhood is probably best known for its main attraction – The Woodland Park Zoo. Located at the south end of Phinney Avenue, the zoo and surrounding park have been drawing families to the area for decades. Don’t have kids? Phinney also has attractions for adults. The many neighborhood shops, restaurants, galleries and pubs make Phinney a neighborhood where you can live, work & play.

Eat Local: Mae’s Phinney Ridge Cafe

Shop Local: Hip Zephyr

Hood Blog: Phinney Ridge Blog

2010 was definitely a mixed bag when it came to housing prices and number of closings. Some neighborhoods showed an increase in sales (over 2009) and others are still finding their footing. In Single Family Residences, Montlake showed a 19% increase in the number of closed sales and an 18% increase in home prices. Capitol Hill condominiums made the strongest gains in value in 2010. Although the number of closings were down, prices showed an increase of 22%.

Single Family Residences

Condominiums

Join Tasty Delectable Collectibles and Team Diva at the opening night to “Tickled Pink,” an art show featuring art by women only.

Winner of Team Diva’s “2010 Best New Local Store Opening” award, Tasty Delectable Collectibles offers a fabulous mix of unique art, jewelry and collectibles. Find that painting that will finish your room perfectly! Get that piece of jewelry that no one else has but everyone wants when they see it!

Bring your Diva Deals card to get 10% off amazing hand crafted art, clothes & other local Diva-licous items!

Event Details

Day: Friday, February 11th

Time: 6:00pm – 10:00pm

Location: 7513 Greenwood Ave N – Phinney Ridge