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Maximizing your Home's Sales Potential
Most of us decorate through the process of accumulation. My home is a marvelous example. I live with my husband, two children, two cats, two fish and a parakeet in a contemporary Craftsman in Matthews Beach. It is furnished eclectically; a few special pieces, along with a few too many from graduate school days, and a couch that taught us that leather and cats don’t mix (but is very comfortable). There is art from the kids throughout, with blank walls awaiting the perfect find.

Do I like living this way? Well, most of the time. Everything has a memory and as I walk through my home, I walk through my life. Would I sell my house this way? No way! I know what buyers see when they look at homes. I know that if they are looking at my son’s prolific artwork or my favorite trinkets they are NOT seeing the window looking out towards the garden, or the lovely new kitchen counters.

This is where Staging comes in. Most people who have heard of staging think of it as expensive and invasive—take everything out, repaint and bring in new furniture. This level exists, and in vacant homes I’ve seen it pay off, even when the initial cost seemed high. But you don’t need to go that far, and it is quite possible to stage your home with what you already have. It’s just a matter of applying some simple principles before it comes on the market.

1. De-Clutter. The goal is to help buyers see your home, not your possessions. Storage units are a convenient solution.
2. Focus. Find a focal point of each room and consider how to accentuate that feature.
3. Clean. Deep clean that is. Consider splurging on support if it’s too overwhelming to do yourself.
4. Color. Just some. Paint is an option, as are plants or pictures.

Matthews Beach: HOT Neighborhood in 10 Years
Seattle Magazine's "Best Seattle Neighborhoods" issue predicts the Matthews Beach neighborhood as becoming "hot" in next 10 years, citing its proximity to the lake, parks and freeways and its relatively modest price range. Other "hot" neighborhoods to come included Victory Heights/Alicia Park, Lake Forest Park, and Sheridan Heights. Wondering what they report as currently "hot" neighborhoods? Bryant, Montlake, Sunset Hill, North Beach, Blue Ridge, Olympic Manor, Phinney Ridge, Greenwood, North Admiral, and Westwood.

Matthews Beach Park History
Matthews Beach park is named for pioneer John G. Matthews, who had his homestead on the site in the 1880's. The outline of the original cove is suggested by the Burke-Gilman Trail, which was once the tracks of the Northern Pacific Railroad.

According to Brandt Morgan's Enjoying Seattle's Parks, in the 1940's the area south of the main beach was the site of Pan American World Airways' offices, and the dock for Pan American's "Clipper Ships"- the world's first amphibious commercial air transports over the ocean. The City purchased the first ten acres of Matthews Beach in 1951.

Today the park is a popular destination to swim, stroll the paths, enjoy the playground, bird watch and even see an occasional beaver. The Argosy Christmas Ship Festival comes to the waters of Matthews Beach on December 20, broadcasting a Northwest choir performance via speaker to the shore where people gather around the bonfire and sing along. It is also a location for the Annual Polar Bear Swim in which those daring enough take a dip on New Year's Day!

Midyear Sales Outpacing Year-Ago by Wide Margins
For the first six months of 2003, pending sales are up almost 24 percent from a year ago. Members have reported 45,566 pending sales from January through June, which is 8,771 more transactions than the same period a year ago. On average, it is taking about a week longer for sales to close this year compared to 2002. The average time on market this year is 67 days, which compares to a total of 62 days for sales that closed during the half of 2002. For June's closings, the average time on market was 66 days; a year ago, the average was 59 days.