{"id":859,"date":"2013-07-12T19:13:29","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T02:13:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/?page_id=859"},"modified":"2018-03-22T11:22:28","modified_gmt":"2018-03-22T18:22:28","slug":"how-to-research-seattle-area-real-estate","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/seattle-home-buying-tips\/how-to-research-seattle-area-real-estate\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Research Seattle and Eastside Real Estate"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright wp-image-3677\" src=\"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/checklist280b.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"227\" height=\"170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/checklist280b.jpg 280w, https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/checklist280b-240x180.jpg 240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 227px) 100vw, 227px\" \/><strong>When you buy a Seattle or Eastside home it&#8217;s a good idea to research\u00a0neighborhoods early on so that you can prioritize some areas and eliminate others.<\/strong> Look at things like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Commute times.<\/li>\n<li>Proximity to amenities such as shopping, schools and parks.<\/li>\n<li>How \u201cwalkable\u201d a location will be.<\/li>\n<li>Anything that could affect your view, noise level, traffic situation, etc. either\u00a0now or in the future.<\/li>\n<li>Anything else that\u2019s important to your quality of life.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Exactly where you end up buying a home will depend on your personal needs, preferences, and price range, but<strong> here are some neighborhood features you will probably always want to take into account:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3>Seattle and Eastside Area Home Research Checklist<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Commute time to work.<\/strong> If you love a home that you\u2019ve seen on a weekend, try to test\u00a0the commute on a weekday at rush hour. If that seems too painful, consider a reverse commute so you can at least see what things look like for people going the other direction.\n<ul>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wsdot.com\/traffic\/seattle\/flowmaps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Seattle Area Traffic Flow Map<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Proximity to public transportation.<\/strong>\u00a0Research available bus routes.\n<ul>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0<a title=\"Link to Seattle bus trip planner.\" href=\"http:\/\/www.soundtransit.org\/tripplanner\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Sound Transit Trip Planner<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>How good is the school district?<\/strong> Check the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.greatschools.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Great Schools website<\/a> to see parent reviews, test scores, and ratings. (Even if you don\u2019t expect to have children in school soon, being in a good school district is often still important for resale value.)\n<ul>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/seattle-homeowner-resources\/seattle-and-eastside-school-information\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Our School Research Page<\/a>. \u00a0However, just keep in mind that these days everyone seems to go by\u00a0Great Schools ratings, which don&#8217;t always correlate with school scores.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Are there any potential development or zoning changes<\/strong> in the works that would affect your use or enjoyment of the property?\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Top Tool: \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.seattleinprogress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Seattle In Progress interactive map<\/a> of construction in Seattle<\/strong> &#8211; extremely useful.<\/li>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.seattle.gov\/dpd\/codesrules\/codes\/zoning\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Seattle zoning<\/a>\u00a0maps.<\/li>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0Proposed <a href=\"http:\/\/www.seattle.gov\/dpd\/cityplanning\/completeprojectslist\/default.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">changes to Seattle zoning<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mybuildingpermit.com\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The MyBuildingPermit\u00a0website<\/a> covers much of the Eastside, as well as Snohomish County.<\/li>\n<li>Tool: Individual city websites. (Search online for the city name + &#8220;planning&#8221; or &#8220;permit&#8221;.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check an aerial map view<\/strong>, especially in the more rural areas. Just past the hill behind the house you love could be a dirt bike track, a private lake used for speed boat training, or a landfill. In Seattle, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seattleinprogress.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Seattle In Progress<\/a> tool might alert you to an upcoming high-rise that could block your view in a year or two. Even if something is\u00a0unlikely, it&#8217;s always better to check and know for sure.\n<ul>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/maps\/@47.6426605,-122.1370443,11z\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Maps<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is it in a flood zone?<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Tool:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kingcounty.gov\/environment\/waterandland\/flooding\/maps.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">King County flood plain map<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Tool:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/gis.snoco.org\/maps\/permits\/viewer.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Snohomish County flood plain map<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Have their been systemic problems<\/strong> with sewers, crime, or anything else the neighbors would know about? Don\u2019t be afraid to ask them. Spend time in the area\u00a0on a weekend to catch people in their yards, or even knock on doors. Most people are happy to answer a few questions, and it also gives you a feel for what it would be like to live there.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What is the local crime rate?<\/strong> Contact the local police department and ask for information on reported crimes within a certain radius of that address.\n<ul>\n<li>Tool: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.seattle.gov\/seattle-police-department\/crime-data\/crime-dashboard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Seattle Police Department Crime Dashboard<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Tool: <a href=\"http:\/\/web6.seattle.gov\/mnm\/policereports.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Seattle Crime Map<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Tool: The <a href=\"https:\/\/spotcrime.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">SpotCrime website<\/a> lets you review crime stats in any area.<\/li>\n<li>Tool: Individual city website crime stats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check sex offender registries.<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Tool: The\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.icrimewatch.net\/index.php?AgencyID=54473&amp;disc=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">King County<\/a>\u00a0sex offender registry.<\/li>\n<li>Tool: The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.icrimewatch.net\/index.php?AgencyID=54487&amp;disc=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Snohomish County sex offender registry.<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.familywatchdog.us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Family Watchdog<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Walk the neighborhood after work and\/or on a weekend day.<\/strong> Does it feel comfortable? If you\u2019re considering a specific home, this is an opportunity to find out if the neighbor kids have a garage band, or if there\u2019s a chronically barking dog. (Again, neighbors can be great source of information for this kind of thing.)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check the walkability.<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Tool:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.walkscore.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Walk Score<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Map the home on your smartphone<\/strong> and enable whatever app feature will display nearby parks, coffee shops, grocery stores, bus stops, schools, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/web5.seattle.gov\/mnm\/default.aspx?tabId=1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-867\" src=\"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/seattlemap2.jpg\" alt=\"seattle neighborhood research map\" width=\"560\" height=\"369\" srcset=\"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/seattlemap2.jpg 560w, https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/seattlemap2-300x197.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Seattle map with museums, dog parks, beaches, and site development permits enabled.<\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Research local neighborhoods online.<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Tool: \u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/web6.seattle.gov\/mnm\/default.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Seattle My Neighborhood map<\/a>\u00a0shows you up to 67 service layers &#8211; click &#8220;See All&#8221; and select options in the left hand menu, including hospitals, playfields, and off-leash areas.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Evaluate potential noise issues.<\/strong> Traffic noise tends to rise, so a home that is on elevation will be more affected. Try to check it during busy traffic times, and keep in mind that a shift in wind direction away or towards the property can make a significant difference. We don&#8217;t have many snowy days, but just know that in snowy conditions\u00a0traffic noise will be muted.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Check the property information and tax records.<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Tool: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kingcounty.gov\/operations\/Finance\/Treasury\/PropertyTax.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">King County Property Records<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Tool: <a href=\"http:\/\/snohomishcountywa.gov\/2934\/Assessor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Snohomish County Assessor&#8217;s Page<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><strong>Click here to go to the \u201c<a title=\"How to Buy a Home in Seattle\" href=\"\/seattle-home-buying-tips\/\">Seattle and Eastside Home Buying Tips<\/a>\u201d page.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"Contact Us\">\n<div class=\"Contact Us\">\n<div class=\"contactinfo-inner\">\n<p class=\"name\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-1278\" src=\"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/07\/irene150.jpg\" alt=\"Mike and Irene Nash\" width=\"129\" height=\"130\" \/><strong>Irene Nash, Seattle and Eastside Real Estate<\/strong><br \/>\nBroker, Allison James Estates &amp; Homes<\/p>\n<p>Direct: 206-335-3335<br \/>\nEmail: irene@nash4homes.com<\/p>\n<p class=\"phone\">You can email me via the website\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/contact-us\/\">using the Contact Form<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you buy a Seattle or Eastside home it&#8217;s a good idea to research\u00a0neighborhoods early on so that you can prioritize some areas and eliminate others. Look at things like: Commute times. Proximity to amenities such as shopping, schools and parks. How \u201cwalkable\u201d a location will be. Anything that could affect your view, noise level, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3677,"parent":802,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/859"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=859"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/859\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/802"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nash4homes.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=859"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}