Downtown

How Cool is Seattle?

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For those of us from the Seattle area, it’s easy say we think our city is the best. Now, however, we have scientific, data-driven proof, as Forbes published its list of the Top 20 Coolest Cities in the U.S., and our gorgeous Emerald City ranked #2! 

Image Courtesy of RSIR

The Seattle PI, who reported on this achievement, explained that Forbes considered “entertainment, number of restaurants and bars, recreation, diversity and population growth, especially in the 20-34 age group,” which speaks to the growing millennial population in the city, often correlated with the high number of technology companies that dwell here. Other factors that elevated Seattle to the near-top? Forbes notes its “abundant outdoor attractions” and its “foodie culture” as the “city has a relatively high preponderance of farmer’s markets, breweries, & CSAs per capita, compared to other metro areas, and 81.6% of its restaurants are local rather than chains.”

Market Highlights: Growth and Competition in the Seattle Market

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The RSIR Blog writes, "when looking at the Seattle real estate market these days, growth continues to emerge as a key factor. Chris Daniels and Jake Whittenberg from King 5 newsreport that Seattle grew 2.8% in the last year alone, citing Leonard Garfield, the Executive Director of the Museum of History and Industry, who told King 5 he attributes growth to Amazon and other tech companies that are looking for “cheaper property outside the Silicon Valley and Bay Areas.” In addition, many neighborhoods have already exceeded their 2024 growth targets. One notable neighborhood is Ballard, which has already soared to 317% of its target.

Growth means home prices have surged, a trend Sanjay Bhatt from The Seattle Times describes. He says that in March, Seattle posted “the biggest gain among all metro areas except San Francisco” and adds that home prices have risen 11.6% in the last year and are expected to rise continue to rise by another 6% in the coming year."

Photo Courtesy of RSIR

"So what does all this mean? For one thing, growth and higher home prices make for a competitive real estate market in Seattle. Sam DeBord from the Seattle Pi describes the difficulty many first-time homebuyers are experiencing in a climate where homes sell for an average of 102% of their list price. DeBord’s solution? He says home buyers must find ways to stand out from the crowd, which may mean having an approval letter from a reputable lender, maintaining availability and flexibility, or including a personalized home buyer’s offer. Extra touches that really do make all the difference and speak to our method here at RSIR as well."

RSIR Mentioned in March 2014 Editorial in Alaska Airlines Magazine →

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Realogics Sotheby’s International Realty was featured in the March edition of the Alaska Airlines Magazine, thanks to the professional insight offered by Owner and President Dean Jones. He said, “Millenials are time sensitive and really prefer to walk to work,” and describes that we’re seeing condo-high rises in the city because they accommodate employees who’d prefer to live near their workplace but aren’t ready for a single-family home yet. A home the article says will likely be desired in the future and means the move may be, “just four blocks” away.