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Natalie Malin
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    CRS: Certified Residential Specialist

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Archive for June 2009

Mercer Island Summer Celebration–Have You Heard?

Monday, June 29th, 2009

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT OUR GREAT SUMMER CELEBRATION?

mercer-island-around-the-world

19th Annual Summer Celebration! July 11 & 12

It’s all about celebrating diversity and learning about different cultures at Summer Celebration! 2009. This year’s festival will be filled with the sights, sounds and smells of foreign lands. It is sure to be a WORLD of fun for the entire family! Find event details at the festival website: www.misummercelebration.com

Saturday July 11 Highlights

8 am to 5 pm Youth 3 on 3 Basketball Tournament
10 am “It’s a Small World” Grand Parade
11 am to 7 pm Street Fair along 77th & 32nd
11 am to 7 pm Mercerdale Park Festivities
11 am to 7 pm MIVAL Junior Arts Show
11 am, 1 pm & 3 pm Boat Ride Around the Island
2 pm Shakespeare in the Park, Luther Burbank Amphitheater
6:30 pm to 10 pm Fireworks Festivities, Luther Burbank Park
8:30 pm Fireworks Cruise Departs from Boat Launch
Approx 10:15 pm Fireworks Show, Luther Burbank Park

Join us Saturday night at Luther Burbank Park for an International Fireworks Celebration! Hawaiian music and dance from 7 to 8:30 pm. West African performance from 8:30 to 10 pm. Food vendors, music, inflatable bounce toys, and more. Shuttles available from City Hall…avoid the after-event traffic and hop on a shuttle for ease and peace of mind.

Sunday July 12 Highlights

8 am to 12 pm Rotary Annual Pancake Breakfast
10 am to 3 pm Car Show
10 am to 5 pm Street Fair along 77th & 32nd
10 am to 5 pm Mercerdale Park Festivities
10 am to 5 pm MIVAL Junior Arts Show
12 pm to 4 pm Teen Scene: Amps & Ramps
Summer Celebration! Hotline 206.275.7857

Hope you can attend–I look forward to seeing you there! Please come up and say “Hi” or introduce yourself if we haven’t met. I know you and your family will have a great time there!

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Posted in Community | No Comments »

What a Time to Buy a Home on Mercer Island!

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

What a good feeling! I was fortunate to sell my own listing, and I just returned from getting it ready for the new buyers. It’s such an exciting time for them to start life anew in their wonderful new location. And the sellers are thrilled that the new buyers will enjoy the home as much as they have. And they know that the neighbors will welcome these great new buyers.

Homes here are starting to sell again, some with multiple offers, albeit with prices considerably less than they would have been a few years ago. If you have been waiting for the ideal time to buy in order to maximize your investment, that time is now before prices go up. We have many great values, and interest rates are still relatively low, although they seem to be trending upward.

Contact me for a list of available homes–with interior as well as exterior photos–in your price range in your preferred neighborhood. I will be happy to show you any of the homes/condos/vacant land you wish to see and if none of them will work for you, that’s fine. I understand that you have to start somewhere, and I don’t believe in hounding you until you buy. I want all my sales to be “win-win” for all parties. Granted you can now see photos of all the properties for sale, but the 1st hand experience of standing in the home and seeing if it meets your needs, and if it feels right for you, is quite different from glancing at photos.

Last Sunday we attended Mercer Island’s wonderful Farmer’s Market-the first one of the year (from 11:00 – 3:00), and found great fruits, vegetables, and flowers, as well as wonderful food and entertainment. And it’s so much fun to get to visit with our fellow Islanders that we don’t get to see that often. The Mercer Island Sunday Farmer’s Markets will be held every Sunday through October, and they’re well worth attending!

Remember also that our fantastic Mercer Island Summer Celebration, complete with fireworks and boat rides around the Island, is fast approaching. The dates are July 10th through July 12th. There are also great activities for the kids, and a parade that is always enjoyable to watch. For more information about Summer Celebration, contact me and I’ll email you all of the information.

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Posted in Buy House | No Comments »

EXCITING NEWS ABOUT AN UPCOMING “ONE STOP SHOP” FOR FINDING YOUR DREAM HOME AS WELL AS PLANNING YOUR DAY…OR YOUR WEEKEND ACTIVITIES!

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

I am in the process of re-energizing my web sites; they should be revamped within a few weeks.  Although they are very helpful now with all types of pertinent information–everything from weather, great restaurants and parks, to what’s happening throughout the area–it will be a “one stop shop” where you will only be a click away from any Real Estate information you ever wanted to know about Mercer Island as well as other surrounding areas.

The web site “MercerIslandViewHomes” will then connect you directly to all of the view homes for sale on Mercer Island by price range and location on a map, with exterior and interior photos of all the homes, along with all of the information.  It will be as easy to use as “Google”, where you’ll be able to find your dream home within your price range, in your desired neighborhood, and you’ll be updated daily as new listings come on the market, or the prices are reduced.   Plus there will be a separate section for waterfront properties as well, and one for condominiums.  I’m excited to be able to bring you this service-it’s one more way that I can help to make your life a little easier.

I’m so pleased that my beautiful Mercer Island condominium listing has now closed escrow, and I have other sold listings in escrow also.  It’s rewarding to know that my unique marketing methods, along with my hard work, have succeeded in this difficult real estate market.  Please contact me for a consultation regarding the sale of your current home and information about homes that would be ideal for you and your lifestyle.  I would love to help you!  Living here is so enjoyable; we’re having another neighborhood block party tomorrow evening-what fun!

For you current waterfront owners, let me inform you of a free workshop for Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish shoreline owners on Tuesday, June 23rd. There will be light refreshments from 5:30 to 6:00, and the workshop will be from 6-8 PM at the Mercer Island Community Center at Mercer View.

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Posted in Housing Market | No Comments »

Mercer Island Properties are Selling Now

Wednesday, June 10th, 2009

If you live on Mercer Island, take advantage of this market to sell your home and buy that dream property before interest rates get any higher!

If your home sells for less than it would have at the peak of the market, the home you buy will also go for less than it would have. And your monthly mortgage payments will be less than they would have been – possibly the same amount you are paying for your present home. This is the ideal time to sell and buy on our beautiful Island. And it’s also the ideal time to help purchase property for your adult children. If they are first time home buyers, or if they haven’t owned a home within the last 3 years, they will be able to use the $8,000 tax credit as a down payment. You will be able to supplement that with your gift to them, and you’ll even have the option of buying down their interest rate. They will be better off than if they just rent a home, since they’ll get the deduction and the appreciation not available to renters. And they’ll also be able to customize the home to their lifestyle – also not possible for those who rent. If you want a complete itemization of the benefits of owning versus renting, please contact me and I’ll be happy to send it to you.

We have such an incredible assortment of homes available now – there is something for everyone! We have amazing waterfront properties, where you can moor your boat, have a refreshing swim after work, and enjoy gorgeous lake and mountain views from your home. We also have great view homes (Lake, city, sunset, and mountain views), newer homes, and homes with fantastic play yards, fruit trees, and outdoor entertainment areas. Living here is such a pleasure! Last night we enjoyed a wonderful block party BBQ, with our great neighbors and their adorable children.

Since my listings here have sold – I have an excellent track record of getting my listings sold even in difficult markets — I’m looking forward to marketing and selling your home for you. Over my 30 years of selling Mercer Island and Eastside properties, I have developed unique methods of bringing a home to life, highlighting your home’s unique “personality” and target marketing to your potential buyer.

Please contact (phone, text, email) me when you are ready to make your move.

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Posted in Community, Condos, Homes, Property | No Comments »

Enjoy The Sunshine on Our Beautiful Mercer Island

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009

We have three wonderful public beaches, plus numerous “Street End” beaches which are open to the public. Groveland Beach on the west side boasts a great swimming beach, picnic area, and play equipment. Clarke Beach on the East side also has a wonderful beach and picnic area. While Luther Burbank beach on the North end has a day dock, beach, trails, an “off leash” dog area, a performance stage, and lots of room to play.

Our clubs with regulation pools and tennis include the Mercerwood Shore Club in the north end with a dock, the Mercer Island Country Club with its amazing tennis programs for all ages in the south end, and the Scenic Mercer Island Beach Club–where one overlooks the beautiful pool to boats gliding across Lake Washington–with its sandy beach, play equipment, BBQ picnic area and tennis courts.

And, starting June 21st, we’ll have our ever popular Sunday Farmer’s Markets at Mercerdale Park, with “heirloom” varieties of local fruits, vegetables, and flowers. The “heirloom” produce is naturally pollinated to create their fruit, and take it from me they are all incredibly delicious. If you would like to volunteer, the kick off meeting is Thursday June 4th at 7:00 in the north end Fire Station.

Here is a video of a new listing. It was built by an excellent Mercer Island builder, who was raised on the Island, for his family’s year-round enjoyment at Snoqualmie Pass. And fortunately for the lucky buyer, it’s now on the market at a great price!

I have compiled a list of Mercer Island properties that have sold in the last few months-an amazing number have sold, along with all the statistics. Please let me know if you would like that report and I will email or send it to you. Our Island is always popular with excellent schools, and a myriad of activities for all ages. Want a tour of Mercer Island? Just contact me-I’ll be happy to show you the many benefits of living here!

Posted in Condos, First Time Home-Buyers, Property, Real Estate | 1 Comment »

Market Recap

  • Avg. Sales Price: $1,893,471

  • Avg. Days on Market: 160

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