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Seafair: Bridge Closures starting this Thursday

August 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Seafair

I always enjoy Seafair Weekend, the rush of the F18’s (There is NOTHING like it when they are passing over your head, the energy rush it leaves behind) and the excitement of the Hydro-planes!!!

And with that comes the Bridge Closures too…

So with that being said, I thought it might be of interest to have the Bridge Closure information, as well as pertinent websites, so you can make an informed decision as you navigate the area:

2012 – I-90 Seafair and Blue Angels Closures

The annual Seafair festival begins when the pirates land the first week of July and ends with the Blue Angels flying over Lake Washington in a spectacular display of aeronautics. The Washington State Department of Transportation’s (WSDOT) role is to make sure drivers and pilots are safe during the annual event.

The Federal Aviation Administration requires WSDOT to close Interstate 90 while the Blue Angels perform for the safety of both drivers and pilots.

Which roads and ramps will be closed?

Interstate 90 will be closed to all vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists, eastbound and westbound, mainline and express lanes, between Interstate 5 in Seattle to Island Crest Way on Mercer Island:

  • Thursday, Aug. 2:  9:45 a.m. – noon & 1:15 – 2:30 p.m., (Practice)
  • Friday, Aug. 3:  12:45 p.m. – 2:40 p.m., (Practice)
  • Saturday, Aug. 4:  12:45 p.m. – 2:40 p.m., (Full show)
  • Sunday, Aug. 5:  12:45 p.m. – 2:40 p.m., (Full show)

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/northwest/king/seafair/

Boeing Field will be closed to private pilots during the Blue Angels performances. For information about specific closure times: http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr2/list.html

Here’s where can I get more information: http://www.seafair.com/

Have a SAFE and FUN weekend

Filed Under: Blog, Random Thoughts Tagged With: ,

Housing Market Lifts Off From the ‘Bottom’

August 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

off the bottomRecent housing indexes have shown single-family home prices are on the rise, providing more evidence that the “bottom” of the market is already behind.

"We’re wiping out just about all of the decline,” Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors, told NBC.com about recent housing data showing home prices inching up. “It indicates the market has turned the corner on the pricing side.”

Some recent housing indexes suggest that the “bottom” of the market was reached in January 2012. Since that time, housing prices have been picking up in many housing markets.

But "the turnaround in home prices was unexpected," says Patrick Newport, an economist with IHS Global Insight. "The conventional wisdom in February, following that landmark agreement [of the $26 billion mortgage settlement with the nation’s five largest banks], was that we would see a surge in foreclosures of some size that would lead to lower home prices. This surge never materialized and home prices have turned.”

Newport points to several signs of a housing market on the mend. For one, housing starts are up, after reaching a low in the fourth quarter of 2011. Also, he says the FHFA monthly House Price Index shows a 3.7 percent increase in May year-over-year, which he notes is higher than inflation and “means that real housing wealth, a consumer spending driver, was also up.”

The increase in home prices is also leading to a fewer number of home owners who are underwater on their mortgages, owing more on their mortgage than their home is currently worth. The number of underwater home owners fell from 12.1 million at the end of 2011 to 11.4 million at the end of the first quarter this year, according to CoreLogic data.

Source: “Evidence Mounts that Home Prices Hit Bottom Last Winter,” NBC News

Filed Under: Blog, Economy, real estate financing, Real Estate Updates Tagged With: , , , ,

Where Home Ownership Rates Are Highest

July 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

monopoly-houseThe national home ownership rate has held mostly steady this year, standing at 65.5 percent for the second quarter, according to recent U.S. Census Bureau data. The rate is 0.4 percentage points lower than the second quarter of 2011, but 0.1 percentage point higher than the first quarter of this year.

The home ownership rate has steadily fallen over the last few years since last peaking in the first quarter of 2005 at 69.1 percent.

Home ownership rates are highest in the Midwest at 69.6 percent whereas home ownership rates are the lowest in the West, at 59.7 percent, according to the Census data.

Here’s a closer look at the home ownership rate among different demographics, according to the second quarter U.S. Census Bureau housing data:

  • The home ownership rate is highest at 81.6 percent for those ages 65 years and over.
  • The home ownership rate is lowest at 36.5 percent for those who are under 35 years of age.
  • Non-Hispanic whites have the highest home ownership rates among the races at 73.5 percent, while the Hispanic home ownership rate was 46.5 percent and 43.8 percent for African Americans in the second quarter.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau

Filed Under: Blog, Real Estate Tagged With:

Kitchen of the Week: Streamlined and Smart in Montreal

July 31, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Appliances, Architecture, Blog, Home Remodel Tagged With:

The 10 Home Remodeling Projects You Should Not DIY

July 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

TyvekThere are easy and affordable ways to upgrade and decorate your home. Small upgrades can go a long way to create more space. However, not all upgrades and remodeling projects are safe for you to do on your own. Stylist Home created a great top 10 list for remodeling projects that are better left to a professional.

1) Paving Your Driveway
Paving stones can turn a boring driveway into a focal point. And while they look relatively simple to install, the reality is that the measuring and positioning of paving stones can be tremendously time-consuming. (Think of it as a game of Tetris on steroids.) But a team of professionals can cut installation down to a day, depending on your driveway size.

2) Tree Removal
Cutting down trees, or even removing branches requires climbing and working with dangerous tools from a high distance off the ground. This is disaster waiting to happen, and definitely something better left to professionals who are trained and paid to do this!

3) Electrical Work
It’s one thing to flip a fuse switch to the power in your home on or off, but another to attempt to repair faulty wiring or any other electrical issues without professional help. Working with electrical wires can be deadly and the proper precautions and knowledge are crucial.

4) Home Additions Or Structural Changes
Knocking down walls might seem like a simple task, but behind those walls could be electrical wiring, gas pipes and plumbing that can cause huge problems in your home. Rather than taking a chance, consult a contractor first!

5) Plumbing Repair
Unless it’s something simple like unclogging a toilet or fixing a drain, messing with plumbing can cause major dilemmas (Just think about an overflowing toilet or unstoppable burst in a pipe…not fun). It’s always better to ask a plumber before trying to tackle any plumbing issues on your own.

For the full list check out The 10 Home Remodeling Projects You Should Not DIY by Stylist Home.

Image via Stylist Home

Filed Under: Blog, Home Remodel Tagged With: , ,

How to Design a Kitchen Island

July 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Architecture, Blog, Home Remodel Tagged With:

How to Pick a Mailbox That Really Delivers

July 29, 2012 By Leave a Comment

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The Continued Rise of Mobile [Infographic]

July 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

email-mobile-phoneAccording to Online Media Daily, this year the mobile payment transactions will exceed $171.5 billion which is a 62% increase from last year. As of Feb. 2012, 74% of smartphone users have used their mobiles for location related services. 50% of people who shop on smartphone use a GPS/mapping app to locate the address of a retail store.

By this year end, approximately 116 million people in America will use a smartphone at least once in a month, an actual increase from last year’s 93.1 million. It is a fact that 47% of smartphone owners will rather rely on their smartphones to find more information about a product. 36% read product reviews on their mobile devices about retail websites.

The-Rise-Of-Mobile-New

VIA: [Source]

Filed Under: Blog, New Media, Technology Tagged With: , , ,

Olympics: Then vs. Now [infographic]

July 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Olympics

Filed Under: Blog, Random Thoughts Tagged With:
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