Street paving begins on Madison tomorrow

Four the next four days, through sometime Thursday afternoon, road crews are scheduled to repave a section of E. Madison Street near City People's in Madison Valley. This is the area where pipes were laid under the street during the spring as part of a surface-water mitigation project unrelated to the Madison Valley Stormwater Project. As a result of this planned repaving, parking will be removed from the south side of the street in the area to the east of City People's (parking is already prohibited on the north side).  The removal of additional on-street parking further complicates the already difficult parking situation in Madison Valley, but this new deletion of parking spaces should be a temporary imposition. At the conclusion of the repaving, the City is promising the parking will be restored on that section of the street.

It is not anticipated (at least by the Seattle Department of Transportation) that traffic will be disrupted through Madison Valley during the repaving.  The purpose of eliminating parking in the area is to allow for two-way traffic to maintained on Madison Street during the construction period.

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Second Quarter Real Estate Report 2011

Are we on a roll?  Pendings skyrocket

As the second quarter got underway, things looked pretty dismal for the local real estate market.  In fact, during the entire month of April there was only one house sold in Madison Park (Broadmoor and Washington Park included).  While two condos also changed hands, the combined monthly volume of three total sales was the most depressed level of activity since the two-sales-per-month suffered by the market in the first quarter of 2009.

Fortunately for sellers, the pace picked up dramatically during what passed for spring here in the Park, with a more-robust monthly total of ten sales recorded in both May and June.  Moreover, at the end of the quarter a stunningly large number of houses and condos were pending sale: 24.  As we noted in our last real estate posting, we have been averaging 11 pendings per month over the past year, with 63% of these pending sales ultimately closing.  Of the 19 houses and five condos currently pending, therefore, we should expect 15 or so to appear as sales in future months.

Even so, this year may still not shape up to be as strong as last year in terms of total volume.  Through the end of June there have been 41 sales, compared with 57 sales at the same point last year, a 28% decline.   But the number of listings is also much lower this year, just 81 properties on the market now versus 102 in June 2010.   That’s a 21% smaller universe of available homes.

Here’s where the market stood at the end of the second quarter in terms of inventory:

Houses

Listings:  62
Median List Price:  $1,550,000
Median Sq. Ft.:  3,490
Median Price per Sq. Ft.:  $444
Average Days on Market:  116
Percentage with Price Reductions:  42%
New Listings:  12
Pending Sales:  19

Condos

Listings:  19
Median List Price:  $550,000
Median Sq. Ft.:  1,025
Median Price per Sq. Ft.:  $537
Average Days on Market:  147
Percentage with Price Reductions:  47%
New Listings:  4
Pending Sales:  5

In June of last year the average number of days on market for sold properties was significantly lower than the current situation: 126 days for houses last year versus 172 days this year and 166 days for condos last year versus 598 days this year.  A significant outlier skews that last number, however.  One condo sold during the second quarter had been on the market for 1,572 days, the sellers finally agreeing to take a 32% discount from their original listing price of $1,700,000.

Here is how the sales played out in the market during the second quarter:

Houses

Sales:  17
Median Sale Price:  $1,160,000
Average Sq. Ft.:  3,501
Average Price per Sq. Ft.:  $416
Average Days on Market:  172
Average Discount from List Price:  12.4%

Condos

Sales:  6
Median Sale Price:  $735,000
Average Sq. Ft.:  1,766
Average Price per Sq. Ft.:  $418
Average Days on Market:  598
Average Discount from List Price: 11.2%

It is interesting to compare the median price of houses sold during the quarter with the current median list price for houses in our market, $1,160,000 versus $1,550,000, a difference of 25%.

The most expensive house sold in the quarter was a 5,780 sq. ft. residence in Broadmoor, which went for $3,367,500, a ten percent discount from the initial asking price.  The least expensive house sold was a 1914 cabin in Washington Park, one of the original houses built in the area.  With only 1,000 sq. ft., it went for $410,000, 9% above the asking price.  It will ultimately be slated for redevelopment.


Is spec-house building finally done?

And speaking of redevelopment, it seems that we overstated the case a few months ago when we reported that there were no uncompleted speculative houses under development in Madison Park.  We missed the one on 39th Avenue E. pictured above.  The house was under construction at the time of we reported that speculative building in the neighborhood was a thing of the past. It became obvious that we were wrong on that point when this house was completed and immediately listed for sale.  It sold quickly, perhaps giving hope to any speculator who's still waiting with a property ready to develop.

On the other hand, there are currently at least three spec houses for sale in the neighborhood, two of which have been awaiting buyers for several years.  One of these is this 5,800 sq. ft. Washington Park mansion, built in 2008 and recently re-listed at $3,495,000:

At this point it may really be true that there is no speculative housing under development in Madison Park, but we will only know for sure when several existing construction projects are completed (we're watching one major development on 39th Avenue E. very closely). There's still a fair amount of residential construction underway in the neighborhood, a subject we will explore in detail in our next monthly Real Estate Report.

[Thanks to Wendy Skerritt of Windermere Real Estate for her help in compiling the sales data.  Listing data courtesy of Redfin, using information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. Lower photo of house at 819 33rd Avenue E. courtesy of Windermere Real Estate via Redfin.]

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August happenings

Blue Angels encore

Assuming that the weather cooperates (a by-no-means certain proposition), the U.S Navy's Blue Angels will be doing their regular Seafair thing this year, which means practice sessions and performances over the Lake and, not incidentally, very-low-flying jets above Madison Park.  For those of you who need some advance warning so you can brace yourselves (and your pets) for these noisy forays, here's the Blue Angels' flying schedule while they're in Seattle:

• Thursday, Aug. 4: 9:45 am - noon/1:15 - 2:30 pm (Practice)
• Friday, Aug. 5:  12:45 pm - 2:40 pm (Practice)
• Saturday, Aug. 6: 12:45 pm - 2:40 pm (Full show)
• Sunday, Aug. 7: 12:45 pm - 2:40 pm (Full show)

Note also that if you are planning to use I-90 during any of these times you can think again.  The bridge will be closed to traffic (including that of pedestrians and cyclists) while the Blue Angels practice and perform. Pedestrians and cyclists will actually have to be off the bridge 30 minutes earlier than the starting times posted above.

Of course we love those Blue Angels, loud as they may be.  They always put on a spectacular show, one that brings a lot of people to Madison Park to watch from many vantage points, including the waterfront road ends.  Expect traffic flow and parking to be impacted on the days of the shows.

Swim for Life

The Puget Sound Blood Center's Swim for Life Across Lake Washington will arrive at Madison Park Beach on Wednesday, August 17, with literally hundreds of swimmers (and escorting kayakers) scheduled to participate.  Last year there were 80 teams involved, each with a maximum of four swimmers plus one kayaker.  More than $50,000 was raised for the PSBC through their fund-raising efforts.

Though registration is still open for this year's event, there are only 30 swimming spots left; so you better move fast if you want to get in on the swimming or kayaking side of this charitable endeavor (more information is available here).  And if you still need a reason for swimming, kayaking, or contributing money to the cause, a good synopsis of why this is a worthy event is provided by a two-time Swim for Life participant here.

The 2.2 mile Swim begins at Medina Beach at 7:30 am and should begin arriving at Madison Park Beach about an hour later.  Since it's a staggered-start affair, teams will be arriving here throughout the early morning.

As was true last year, this year's event specifically benefits the national Be the Match bone-marrow donor program.

Music in the Park returns

It's now a tradition that in August there is a weekly musical celebration in the Park, open and free to all.   This year is no exception, with a different group performing on each Thursday evening during the month, beginning at 6:30 pm.  Three of the four groups slated as part of the Music in the Park series are popular performers from the past, and one (The Ben E Band, shown above) will be presenting their music here for the first time.

This is the weekly lineup:

• August 4 - Two Scoops Combo  (blues, boogie woogie, swing)
• August 11 - The Ben E Band  ("soulful" covers)
• August 18 - SuperSones  (Cuban son)
• August 25 - Jonathan Kingham  (folk, pop, country, and jazz)

The Music in the Park series is presented by the Madison Park Business Association.  The concerts are held on the grass in the area by the tennis courts on east side of the City park (42nd Avenue E. and E. Howe Street).

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An excellent day for Fat Salmon!

The weather really cooperated with the 12th Anniversary Fat Salmon Open Water Swim yesterday, which culminated at Madison Park beach.  Last year's event was cold cold cold, but substantially better conditions prevaled on the course this year. Here's the commentary from one of the swimmers, Kirk, concerning conditions on the course: "Perfect day for a race! Temps probably in the low 60s at race time. The water was a little choppier than I would have thought, but not bad. The cold water made competitors choose the wetsuit division by about a 3:1 ratio. I toughed it out and went without. Honestly, the water was cold, but it wasn't that bad. I did wear a neoprene cap and that probably helped somewhat."

Fat Salmon is actually two races, a 1.2-mile swim from Denny Blaine Park and a 3.2-mile swim from the area North of the I-90 Bridge.  We missed the Swim itself, but everyone seemed to be having a good time when we arrived for the awards ceremony featuring, naturally, several fat salmons.  This is Haleigh Werner, winner of the long-course wetsuit event, receiving hers:

[Photos by Barbara Nelson, courtesy of Kirk Nelson on Flickr.]

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Road-end death remains a mystery

Since the body of Michael Michel was discovered in a parked vehicle at the Lee Street road end earlier this month, his friends and family have been left to wonder how and why.  So far, the Medical Examiner has only been able to confirm that his death doesn't appear to have been a homicide, though the results of toxicology tests will not be known until September.  Perhaps then there will be some closure for those who knew Mike and for those in the neighborhood who have been affected by his death.

In the meantime, several people have made pilgrimages to the spot near the Lake where Mike died, leaving flower bouquets and, earlier this week, a toy fire engine. It seems that Mike Michel was a fireman (the picture above is taken from the union website of the Woodinville Fire Department) and had graduated from Mariner High School in Everett, where he apparently served as student body president in 1987. Many who knew him have left remembrances in a guest book affiliated with the Everett Herald's website.

Mike's mother, Sharon Sievers, made an appeal on this blog last week for information concerning her son's death, asking anyone who knew something to contact her (ssievers1190@gmail.com). But to date, no one has come forward.  "Michael was the absolutely wonderful son and I cannot say how I or his family feels except we are devastated," she wrote us in an email.  "My thinking is that he was there [in Madison Park] because he loved the beauty of the neighborhood, the area, the lake, and all that it surrounded.  He loved nature and all that it possessed."

She remains mystified by his death, noting that "according to [the Medical Examiner] it does not look like a suicide, but maybe an unfortunate accident."   When anything definitive is known about the cause, we will of course report it.  A memorial service has been scheduled for 3 pm on July 28 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 2301 Hoyt Avenue, Everett.

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Anyone missing a parakeet?

This colorful parakeet arrived this morning in the backyard of neighborhood raconteur and Madison Park Times columnist Dick Lehman and his wife, Karen. The bird is currently hanging out in a mock orange plant at the Lehmans', but Dick and Karen are planning to get a cage and, hopefully, capture this little stray.

If it's yours, please contact us and we'll try to arrange a reunion.

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Police Blotter 7/15/11

Car break-ins on the increase

There were at least ten car prowls in the neighborhood in the three weeks since our last Police Blotter, though this number probably understates the true extent of the problem since many people do not bother to report these incidents to the police.  The thinking of the non-reporters, apparently, is that once the break-in has happened there is little likelihood that the police will be able to do anything about it.  That might be an accurate assessment, but the failure to report this kind of petty (though often costly) crime results in an understatement of the overall crime figures for our neighborhood and--potentially--less in the way of police coverage relative to other areas within this police beat.

Here is some first-person reporting, from an MPB reader, concerning one of the car break-ins that recently occurred:

"My husband and I live on McGilvra Blvd. E near Newton. At around 2:10 [on the night of July 13], we were awakened by the sound of our car alarm going off.  My husband went outside and saw that the back, street-side window of his car had been broken and his briefcase had been stolen. Nothing else was taken. There were no items of value in the briefcase, just a work file. 

As he observed the scene, he heard the sound of shattering glass and a car alarm coming from a little over a block down on McGilvra, on the other side of Newton and closer to Starbucks/Madison, in front of the another home.  Apparently it took the thieves (three  of them)  longer to break into [that homeowner's] car, so the family had time to get a description of the guys and call 911 right then and there. Apparently the SPD caught the three perps and [the car's owner] got his stolen items back, although we haven't heard about whether the police have ours as well. At 8:30 this am there was a cop driving around looking to see if any other cars had been hit."

These are the other eight other car-prowl incidents reported:

On the 1500 block of Lake Washington Boulevard E. on 6/26
At the intersection of 43rd Avenue E. and E. Howe St. on 6/27
On the 1500 block of Lake Washington Boulevard E. on 6/27
On the 3300 block of E. Ford Place on 6/29
On the 2000 block of 42nd Avenue E. on 6/30
On the 1100 block of 38th Avenue E. on 7/1
On the 600 block of Lake Washington Boulevard E. on 7/9
On the 800 block of 31st Avenue E. on 7/13.

In addition, autos were stolen from the 200 block of E. Galer St. on 7/3, from the 2500 block of Canterbury Lane E. on 7/6, and from the 3900 block of E. Garfield St. on 7/7.

There were also two burglaries reported during the period, including one on the 4th of July in which a significant amount of valuable jewelry was taken from a Washington Park home by a thief apparently knowledgeable of the house's interior.  The homeowners had left their residence at about 12:30 pm, and two SPD officers responded to an alarm at the house which occurred at about 5:30.  As reported by one of the officers, "Upon our arrival we found that the front door was open. We checked the inside of the house and were unable to find any signs of a break in.  [We] cleared the call as a false alarm."  Although the homeowners checked the house when they returned at 10:00 pm from an Independence Day celebration, nothing appeared to be amiss.  The next morning, however, they discovered they had suffered a major loss.

Quoting again from the police report: "It appears that an unknown suspect first tried to break a window on the west side of the house to gain entry.  The suspect then gained entry through the garage door. Once inside the garage, the suspect kicked a locked entry door to gain entry into the main part of the house.  When he kicked open the door it set off the alarm.  We arrived 15 minutes later to find the house empty.  It appears the suspect had a working knowledge of the jewelry location...and was able to search for the jewelry, obtain the jewelry, store the jewelry and leave before our arrival to the scene, all in 15 minutes.  I did a search for fingerprints and found no useable prints.  I believe the suspect cut his hand while trying to break out the window on the westside of the house.  I located drops of blood from the suspect on the bathroom counter.  I recovered a blood-stained mattress skirt from the bed and placed it into evidence."

According to a later report to neighbors by the homeowner, the police apparently were able to obtain DNA evidence from the blood left at the scene.  Two neighbors reportedly saw the suspect as he left the house by the front door, describing him as a black male in his 20s. According to the victim, however, the police told her that the perpetrator was "too savvy to be that young."

The second burglary took place on the 3200 block of E. Mercer St. on July 11.  In that incident, the victim returned home to discover that the back door was open and that a window to her bedroom had been pushed open.  The suspect had apparently used a bucket to stand on and then gain entry through the window.  "A few items were stolen," according to the police report.

[Solid cars on crime map above represent auto thefts and un-solid cars represent car prowls.]

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