Realtor Jirius Isaac remarks on Seattle, "With the ocean, Puget Sound, mountains, rain forest, desert, and moderate temperatures, we have it all within 2 hours of town. August home sales and prices continued at a torrid pace around Western Washington during September, with the volume of pending sales jumping 19 percent and prices for completed transactions rising more than 17 percent from year-ago totals."

He adds, "The latest numbers from Northwest Multiple Listing Service show 11,030 pending sales (offers made and accepted, but not yet closed) for the month of August. That compares to a year-ago total 9,265 pending sales in the same areas for a 19 percent gain. Inventory shortages eased somewhat last month as members added 12,680 news listings to the selection, improving on the year-ago figure of 11,027 for the 15-county area. With the addition of Okanogan and Whatcom counties, the system-wide total number of new listings for the month rose to 13,358. The totals include single family homes and condominiums. As of the end of August, the total number of active listings in the MLS database was 23,260. A comparison of the same 15 counties that comprised the MLS service area a year ago shows 21,960 active listings at the end of last month. That's down about 13.3 percent from a year ago when the inventory stood at 25,326 listings. On a percentage basis, that is the smallest drop so far this year."

"Outdoor recreation is a way of life in Seattle. The city maintains 6,000 acres of parkland where residents bike, jog, in-line skate and hike. Two major lakes offer plenty of opportunity to boat and play on the beach. The Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, both visible from Seattle, and just a drive away. And daily ferries carry passengers across the Sound to nearby island a peninsula destinations. Professional basketball, baseball and football teams play here. Three major universities are located in Seattle. The Pacific Northwest Ballet Company, Seattle Symphony and several playhouses preform year round. Every night, a diversity of entertainment can be found in the city's clubs, bars and seasonal venues," says Realtor Jan Snook.

Realtor Denise Rochelle notes, "Seattle and its close-in neighborhoods have something for almost everyone. In these neighborhoods you'll find beautiful old mansions standing next door to much more modest homes many of which have been restored to their original grandeur. The Seattle-Metro area is a melting pot and it's all about diversity, that's what makes these neighborhoods so rich. These are great areas offering diversity, established neighborhoods and parks and amenities. Excellent bus service to Downtown Seattle is very attractive. And if you fly a lot you can be at the airport in 10 minutes. There are plenty of homes in these areas in the $200,000s and $300,000s and some properties can still be had in the $100,000s. If you're in the high-end water view and waterfront market, there's plenty for you, too."

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Published: October 18, 2005

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