Diva Dwellers Sean, Hiromi, and Emi

Sean, Hiromi and their freaking adorable daughter Emi were introduced to us through my former co-worker (and Diva Dweller) Megan and her husband Cody. The Divas instantly fell in love with Sean and Hiromi’s little girl Emi. She is so freaking cute. During our search we watched her go from a baby who could not talk or walk to a proper rambunctious toddler who soon learned the word “House.”

Our search was not an easy one. First we had a disastrous short sale turned bankruptcy. And several houses that ended up being in a super high crime areas. But in the end we found a super cute house in West Seattle that is rock solid. Little Emi is waiting for her brother to arrive and has one freaking fabulous yard to call her own.

Here is Sean, Hiromi and Emi’s Diva Dweller Story:

How did you meet the Divas? The Divas were recommended by our friends Cody and Megan who worked with the Divas to find a great house in the Central District. We were on the fence about whether we could buy a house, and they told us how easy and fun the Divas made the process – no harm in at least checking them out!

What type of home did you purchase? A two story Cape Cod (I’m told) in West Seattle… it’s a cute, older (late ’40′s) home in a great neighborhood with a nice yard and lots of potential.

Diva Dwellers + UBER Divotees Rassamee + Isaak

Isaak and Rassamee are in the original Diva Dweller fan club. In many respects when we are asked what our typical Diva Dweller looks like we think of our pals – super smart, financially savvy, strong support for marriage equality, love to socialize with our Dwellers, refer us so many awesome people turned Diva Dwellers, and so much more. Team Diva Real Estate is forever grateful to Isaak and Rassamee as they were the first kids to leave us a review on Yelp. Isaak and Rassamee sparked a Seattle Divas revolution without even knowing about it. This year alone close to 40% of our business as a result of the fabulous reviews we have on Yelp. And all of this was really started by Isaak and Rassamee who inspired us to be on Yelp. Which is now a critical component of our success.

Kim and I are even more lucky to include Isaak and Rassamee in our inner social circle of pals. One of my favorite memories of our pals is the Christmas of 2008 when we were all snowed in our homes and the kids made the trek to Chez Diva for Christmas fun. Or when Rassamee made Raja a pie that he barely touched but the rest of us devoured it like feasters at Thanksgiving. Or the time Isaak and Rassamee were one of the few people to join us at the Bear Broadway house holiday party where the all of guests wore Christmas sweaters (in a non-ironic way) and drank hot chocolate made out of sweetened condensed milk. We hovered in the corner and plotted our escape from the party. Now the kids now live in Oakland, CA but are still Diva Dwellers in our hearts!

Here is Isaak and Rassamee’s Diva Dweller Story

How did you meet the Divas? Kim was screened by Rassamee’s dad’s real estate agent down in Pierce County and connected us. We hit it off right away. Kim was savvy and smart and we love that! We met Chavi soon after and knew we had met an amazing power couple. Our friendship soon deepened to the point that when we were relocating to Oakland, CA, Rassamee became a Diva roommate for 4 months. Good times!

What type of home did you purchase? We have purchased two houses through the Divas. A 1919 Craftsman style bungalow in Columbia City and a greenbuilt modern townhouse from Greenleaf Construction in Judkins Park.

 What was your first “OMG” house moment? At the Dawson house it occurred in the process of getting down and dirty and pulling up the old carpet ourselves, tearing down vertical blinds, and removing ugly wallpaper and realizing there was a lot of shit to do to make our home what we wanted!

 What is your greatest home extravagance? Buying our 2nd home a beautiful green-built townhouse and then realizing we would have to leave it to move to California. Our choice, but oh, how we wish we could have taken it with us.

 What is in your junk drawer? Isaak is firmly against junk drawers and junk in general. So we really don’t have one. The closest we have is the drawer that has birthday candles, twist ties, paper plates, and plastic utensils.

 Would you rather:

• mow lawn / paint the fence – Rassamee would mow the lawn. Isaak would paint the fence.
• untangle computer cords / sort socks – Sort socks.
• test the smoke detectors / fix squeaky doors – Fix squeaky doors.
• plunge the toilet / clean out the refrigerator – Plunge the toilet.
• clean the gutters / take down holiday decorations – Isaak would clean the gutters. Rassamee would take down holiday decorations.

What is your favorite Hood hangout spot? Columbia City would have to be Geraldine’s Counter – the spot we miss the most. Judkins Park would be Cheeky Café on Jackson St. or That’s Amore in the Mount Baker neighborhood. In downtown Oakland, we like Modern Coffee, Buttercup Grill, and Bocanova. Seattleites are welcome to come visit!

What is your favorite local organization/non-profit? BikeWorks in Columbia City and Hidden Genius Project in Oakland

What do you love the most about your house? We love that even that our houses are being rented to great tenants after we made the move to California. But seriously, buying our houses helped get us to be in the financial position where we could make the move to the Bay Area – and we will always be grateful for that and the fact that they helped bring the Divas into our lives. Friends forever!

Thanks for being such awesome supporters of the Divas. God knows that our success is built on the strength of our friendship, sass, and by us just knowing two of the most wonderful people ever!

Piper Doodle and her Human Athena

Athena is a testament to sticking it out in this crazy market – poor girl. We had her house listed three times, scheduled two photo shoots, and had to rearrange of all of her furniture before we could finally sell her North Capitol Hill condo at the Ives. Then we immediately turned around and had to go through just as many multiple offers before we finally found and won another multiple-offer on the most adorable house in Columbia City. Whew – and then right when we were about to close on the Ives the selling agent for the condo went missing and almost jeopardized the purchase of the Columbia City house. In the end it was soooo worth it to see Athena and her cute little pup Piper walking through their new neighborhood!

Here is Athena and Piper’s Diva Dweller Story »

How did you meet the Divas? The gals were mentioned in a newsletter from 826 Seattle, a nonprofit writing center for kids where I was looking into volunteering. Their willingness to donate a portion of their proceeds to that community organization jived with my sensibilities, so I called. Plus they turned out to be super savvy with just the right amount of sass.

What is your favorite Hood hangout spot? While I haven’t had a ton of time to hang out just yet, walking the dog is a must. We recently discovered that it’s possible to start out down the street by the community center and end up at Lake Washington without leaving the park system. Now that’s what I would call a parkway. I never knew this was here before moving into the ‘hood.

What is your favorite local organization/non-profit? With so many worthy causes out there and amazing organizations and people working to improve our community, it’s hard to pick just one. But I appreciate the mission of Real Change and have a soft spot for the men and women who navigate all the institutionalized prejudices around us to work as vendors.

We here at Diva HQ wanted to send out a huge thank you to all who made it out to our Diva Hoedown. You all did it up like Dolly (maybe even outdid Dolly) and had a root-tootin’ good time at the rowdiest summer BBQ in the West. We loved seeing everyone done up in plaid, denim, hats, and even a couple pairs of chaps to come celebrate the people that make Team Diva special - our Diva Dwellers and Divotees. It was fantastic having a chance to chat and catch up with all of our cowboys cowgirls while sipping on some sweet tea lemonade and chowing down on little Western-inspired nibbles. The event really was the perfect reminder of how special, fun, and inspirational all of you can be. Thanks for being awesome!

Check out pictures from this year’s Diva Hoedown on the Team Diva Facebook>>

Every summer in July, Team Diva celebrates our Diva Dwellers and Divotees. Why? You sold them a house – is that not enough? Simply put, no, it’s not. Here at the DivaHQ we not only adore our clients, but we believe that they are the cornerstone of our success. Referrals from our Diva Dwellers and Divotees make up at least 45% of our home buying and selling transactions every year. Beyond just the business numbers, our Dwellers and Divotees are our friends who invite us over for dinner after work, our fans who allow us to celebrate New Year’s eve in their homes, our supporters during the tough times, and a constant reminder of why we have such a deep passion for being the best brokers we can be in this crazy world of real estate. Simply put, these “kids” mean the world to us!

Make sure you join us this season at our annual client party – The Do It Like Dolly for the Diva Hoedown and be part of the Diva Fan Club!

If you would like to learn about some of our fabulous Diva Dwellers, read more after the jump>>

To check out what our clients are saying about Team Diva, take a look at our Yelp!

Justin & Adam in Iceland After Winning Tickets to See Bjork

Justin and Adam just finished up being one of our incredible sponsors at this year’s Divas Take the Hill event where we raised $2,500 for Washington United for Marriage. Although Justin and Adam supported the event, in many ways our event was actually inspired by them as well. Early on in the creation stages of their Cellar Door Mercantile project, they started donating funds to Washington United For Marriage. The space where they are creating these amazing tongue in cheek posters, t-shirts and cards is tiny and their profit margins are small, but despite the facts, still managed to donate a percentage of their profits to Washington United for Marriage to protect marriage equality in Washington State. The way they have utilized every square inch of their home for creativity and philanthropy is an inspiration. Here is their Diva Dweller story:

Diva Dwellers Justin and Adam
Hood: First Hill

How did you meet the Divas? We met the Divas via fellow Diva Dwellers, the Allred family.

What type of home did you purchase? We purchased a “garden-level” studio condo in the Old Colony, a classic brick apartment building constructed in 1909. The apartment is three-quarters below ground, with windows facing Boren Ave. Just like in Rhoda, we can watch the feet of people as they pass by.

What was your first “OMG” house moment? Justin bought at the height of the market and the options in his price point were limited. He looked at a handful of apartments that just weren’t quite right. As soon as he walked in the Old Colony, he knew he wanted to live here – a classy, century-old building with fantastic curb appeal. When Adam moved in a couple of years later, we wondered how we — and three cats — were going to fit. All our friends thought we were nuts, but five years later, things couldn’t be better. 

The Boys with the Allreds at the 2008 Client Party

What is your greatest home extravagance? Despite being in the very heart of the city and on a major road, our home feels like a secluded, quiet oasis. With creative lighting and layout, Adam has really created a versatile space that can be a functional art studio, an inviting party pad, or a warm and relaxing retreat.

• Mow Lawn / Paint the Fence: Hmmmm – mow a lawn if we had one!
• Untangle Computer Cords / Sort Socks: Adam – cords and Justin – socks.
• Test the Smoke Detectors / Fix Squeaky Doors: hire a handy man!
• Plunge the Toilet / Clean Out the Refrigerator: Clean out the refrigerator.
• Clean the Gutters / Take Down Holiday Decorations: Take down Holiday decorations.

What is your favorite local organization/non-profit? Justin works in the non-profit sector; there are so many great non-profits doing such great work. Its hard to support just one! Justin has worked at 826 Seattle, a writing and tutoring center for seven years and believes strongly in its mission. He also supports Bike Works, a non-profit teaching kids about bike repair and promoting this sustainable sport. Adam adores Alleycat Acres, an urban farming collective aiming to reconnect people to healthy, fresh food.

What do you love the most about your house?  Our home may be small, but it is very versatile and unique. Not only do we and our cats fit quite comfortably, we also use our space as an art and screen printing studio and operate our home-based business. It is a crucible of creativity; the ample wall space is covered with inspiration.

Justin and Adam are some of the most creative people we know. Their art hangs on our walls at Chez Diva. Their studio makes you feel like you live in a real grown up city. And more importantly they make vegan food that is down right scrumptious. Thanks for being our Diva Dweller Hall of Famers for June!

Kaz invited Scott and Dion to a Chez Diva event
right after they just arrived in town. They were so sassy and fun that they quickly integrated with into the Diva social scene. Now several years later they have officially made it from the Divotee circle into the Diva Dweller realm. Here is their story>

How did you meet the Divas?  In October of 2010, we moved to Seattle from Fort Lauderdale, Florida as part of a very fast corporate relocation.  After some house-hunting with the alleged “relocation specialists” we still had no place to live and our moving truck was already en route.  It was a stressful situation.  On the referral of a colleague, we were introduced to Kaz Maras at Team Diva.  Since we were not buying a home right away, assistance with finding a rental was all that was needed.  Even though rentals are not normally what they do, Kaz was eager to help.  A fast and enduring business relationship and friendship was formed, so when the time came for us to buy a home recently, we knew there was only one call to make.  We made an appointment with Kaz and Team Diva immediately began working hard for us.

What type of home did you purchase?  We purchased a townhouse in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood.

What was your first “OMG” house moment?  Upon walking upstairs to the main living area, we saw granite countertops, a fireplace, crown molding, and other goodies…  We knew this was the place.

What is your greatest home extravagance?  Upon moving in and getting settled, we decided to make the bedroom adjacent to the master suite into a giant walk-in closet and dressing room. With the help of California Closets, it became our very own RuPaul’s Drag Race “Interior Illusions Lounge.”

What is in your junk drawer?  Our junk drawer is filled with owner’s manuals for all of the new appliances that we don’t yet fully know how to use.  There may also be a battery or a chap stick rolling around…

Would you rather:

• mow lawn / paint the fence: Scott would rather mow the lawn, Dion would rather not do either.
• untangle computer cords / sort socks: Dion would rather sort socks, Scott would rather not do either.
• test the smoke detectors / fix squeaky doors:  Dion would definitely rather not do either…
• plunge the toilet / clean out the refrigerator: We’d both choose to clean out the fridge, and Dion would throw away all of Scott’s junk food…
• clean the gutters / take down holiday decorations:  We’d both choose to take down decorations.

What is your favorite Hood hangout spot?  Lottie’s Lounge… Homemade flavor-infused vodka seals the deal!

What is your favorite local organization/non-profit?  PAWS and the annual “Paws Walk.”

What do you love the most about your house?  The house has great light.  Since it faces southwest and we have the end unit, we get light at all times of day on three sides.  It is never gloomy.

Welcome to the hood and congrats on your new Diva Dweller status!

Diva Dwellers Michael + Karin

Karin & Michael are some of our favorite Diva Dwellers. Not just because we have been through 3 deals with them but because they are fearless home buyers. I (Diva Kim) loved working with Karin and was amazed when she decided to buy a cutie pie cottage in Rainier Beach that was in grave need need of  love and attention, which Karin gave it with much creativity and ingenuity. A few years later, Karin met Michael and it was time to make the their next move together. I knew these two would not shy away from work so we tackled the process of finding them a perfect but “not too perfect” home in Beacon Hill.

Here is Karin + Michael’s Story

Dia Dweller's Zeke and Shanna

Selling the Lorington Co-Op and helping Shanna and Zeke find their super cute Townhome was an amazing experience for the Divas. We met Shanna, Zeke, and their freakin’ adorable pup Oskar during the early summer of 2010. Shanna and her boyfriend Zeke were living in a little one bedroom in the Lorgington, next to Cal Anderson park on Capitol Hill. The two of them and the kitty and Oskar were bursting from the seams and we knew we had to make it work.

Shanna, Zeke and the Divas stuck it out and we sold that little cutie. It took three photo shoots, a prepping it for the sale refresh and kitchen remodel, and shooting the short film A Diva’s Adventure on Capitol Hill.  And just when we thought it was tough, Shanna and Zeek  found a super inexpensive Modern Townhouse on west side of the Mt. Baker neighborhood. They had to take advantage of this buy and we had to sell the Lorington.

Now the whole family is tucked into their new home. I know many of you have probably met Shanna at various Diva Dweller events. We totally adore these two and here is their Diva Dweller Story:

Hood: Leschi /Judkins / Mt. Baker – we have an identity crisis

How did you meet the Divas? Through our good friend and fellow Diva Dweller, Roz. Roz is another connection through our pals and Diva Dwellers Jon and Alex.

What type of home did you purchase? 3-bedroom townhouse with a super cute back yard. Landscaping happening this summer!

What was your first “OMG” house moment? When we first saw our new master bathroom – it was larger and nicer than any we’d seen during our search, with cathedral ceilings, huge windows, glass shower and a Jacuzzi tub – we fell in love with it instantly.

What is your greatest home extravagance? Our artwork… our walls are covered with art from all over the world, local Seattle artists, and friends. Shanna and Zeke are amazing supporters of the visual arts. It is really fun to walk through their home and see their collection.

What is in your junk drawer? Hammer, nails, picture hangers, scissors, chewing gum, and the pet hair roller.

Would you rather:

• mow lawn / paint the fence: We both agree: mow the lawn, even easier since we don’t have one!  But we do love to be outside in our little outdoor space.
• untangle computer cords / sort socks:
  Shanna:  Sort socks..as long as they’re mine.
  Zeke: Untangle computer cords.  I work in IT, so I’m used to doing this.
• test the smoke detectors / fix squeaky doors: Fix squeaky doors (which will happen one of these days).  Our dog, Oscar, runs and hides every time we turn on the oven because the smoke alarm is a bit sensitive and has freaked him out more than once.   He is our smoke alarm tester.
• plunge the toilet / clean out the refrigerator:
  Shanna: Plunge the toilet, once again, as long as it’s mine.
  Zeke: Clean out the fridge.  I had enough of plunging toilets in the Navy.
• clean the gutters / take down holiday decorations: Take down holiday decorations, because that means spring is on the way!

What is your favorite Hood hangout spot? Sam Smith Park. It’s just a couple blocks from our house, and the fall colors were stunning this past year.  Oscar loves to explore in the park and neighbors gather in the big, flat, grassy area during summer.

What is your favorite local organization/non-profit? The Rainier Valley Food Bank – wonderful community partner!

What do you love the most about your house? Our new house has become our sanctuary of peaceful repose.  We love to come home and watch the sunset from the bedroom balcony, enjoy the dozens of birds that frequent our backyard feeder and get warm in front of the fireplace.  Our townhouse is set in the back and quite private, is located on a quiet street, and the inside is welcoming and cozy.  We each have our own personal office space which uniquely defines each of our styles and personalities and allows for “me” time, and a comfy couch which can suck us in for hours, hanging out with Oscar and surfing the web.  Almost every day we say how much we adore our new home.

Diva Dwellers Aaron + Elena

Last fall, Diva Kaz had the pleasure of helping Seattle newbies and first time home buyers, Aaron and Elena find a new home. The kids were looking for a home and neighborhood that fit their active lifestyle and could store their collection of bikes and outdoor gear. Aaron and Elena contacted the Divas after researching real estate agents online and reading comments from all of our happy Diva Dwellers on Yelp.

After a couple of home tours, Elena and Aaron found a mid-century loft style condo on the north side of Queen Anne. Knowing that they would be competing against another offer, Diva Kaz suggested that they write a personal letter to the seller, expressing their attachment to the home and their desire to maintain its many unique features. The letter worked, and even though the competing offer was higher, the seller chose Elena and Aaron’s offer, knowing that they would love and take care of her home.

The Divas were super excited to learn that Elena works for Second Use, an organization that reclaims building materials and hardware and makes it available to people looking for unique and eco-friendly features for their homes. Many of our Diva Dwellers already know of and use Second Use as a resource when remodeling their homes, or just looking for that one decorative piece that you can’t find anywhere else. For those of you who haven’t explored using reclaimed materials, we highly recommend you stop by Second Use and discover the amazing things you can do with recycled decor.

Here is Aaron and Elena’s Diva Dweller Story:

• How did you meet the Divas? We found them on Yelp. We were impressed by the glowing reviews and happy to learn their office was only a few blocks from our old Capitol Hill apartment.
• What type of home did you purchase? We bought a small two bedroom and 1.5 bath condo. It’s in a 1960s building with five other units. The unit needs some work, but it has a lot of wonderful existing features.
• What was your first “OMG” house moment? Hands down, replacing the broken angle stops in our bathrooms! We were cursing everyone who told us it was a great time to buy.
• What is your greatest home extravagance? Ha! I can’t say we have any real extravagances in our home, yet!  Ask us again in five years, when we’re not poor, first-time homeowners.
• What is in your junk drawer? Tape measure, pens and bike lights.
• Would you rather
  1. Mow lawn/paint the fence: Mow the lawn
  2. Untangle computer cords/sort socks: Untangle computer cords
  3. Test the smoke detectors/fix squeaky doors: Fix squeaky doors
  4. Plunge the toilet/clean out the refrigerator: Clean out the fridge
  5. Clean the gutters/take down holiday decorations: Clean the gutter
• What is your favorite Hood hangout spot? One of the closest businesses to our condo is the Book Bindery. It’s a little restaurant and wine tasting room that is tucked away off of Nickerson Street. We drove by it several times without even seeing it but were glad when we finally did! It’s a nice spot for a special occasion.
• What is your favorite local organization/nonprofit? I work for a community business called Second Use Building Materials. When someone is, for example, remodeling his/her kitchen, Second Use goes in and takes the cabinets, sinks, countertops, etc., to prevent them from going in the landfill. Then, we sell the materials in our store at a discount. We also put our inventory online and update it daily http://www.seconduse.com/catalog. The whole concept is a great win-win because it reduces waste, but it also helps people save money.
• What do you love the most about your house? Easily our favorite things about our condo are the vaulted ceilings, the two balconies, our view of Ballard, the mid-century fireplace and our reading loft. Those things make it feel like a unique, special space.

The Divas want to give a special congratulations to Elena and Aaron, who got engaged during a recent trip to the Caribbean. A new house and a new stage in your life together – what an amazing way to start off 2012! We look forward to following the kids as they redo their home (using materials from Second Use, of course!), get married, and build their life in the city we love so much.