Comparables in the Neighborhood

Update 5/27/2017: Circling back, I see that both these houses sold:

12023 9th - Ask: $1,225,000 Sold 5/18/16: $1,188,000 (3% under asking)
13017 3rd - Ask: $849,950 Sold 3/24/16: $819,000 (3.6% under asking)

13017 3rd before flipping:


I toured an open house Wednesday, 2/10/16, around the corner at 12023 9th Ave NW. It's a well-done contemporary right off the street with a driveway to a flag lot next to it. The house downhill in the back (the flag) is for sale, too, perhaps because the new house looms menacingly over it.

They did a lot of things right with this house, though--10' ceilings in the basement and first floor, 8'-9' on the second floor. Hydronic heating throughout, with mechanical air circulation to supplement. The garage opens to the great room right next to the kitchen with no steps--the realtor, Chuck Cady, pointed this out. The coming home experience is just right--park in your garage, close the door, step through a single door and put down the groceries.

By comparison, the house at 13017 3rd Ave. NW is overpriced junk. I took a lot of pictures during construction and saw shoddy work at every turn. It's a slab on grade on a busy arterial with hardly any yard. It's not surprising that it hasn't sold. Listed at $884,500 on September 12, the price dropped to $849,950 on September 30. And there it sits, 152 days on Zillow. The Zestimate is $572, 33% below asking. $347/SF.

4 BR, 2.5 Ba, 2450SF, Lot:8,158 - almost a tear-down of a 1948 house bought for $340 9/2014.
5 BR, 4 Ba, 3831SF, Lot: 7,497 - built new 2016

The new, well-done house, by the way, has a Zestimate of $958, 22% below asking. It seems like it should have a sound view, but it doesn't. $320/SF.

There's another new contemporary, 720 NW 125th Street, that isn't listed on Zillow, Trulia or Redfin. I watched them build this one, too, with radiant heat in the slab. It's extremely well done and it does have a gorgeous sound view. No yard, unfortunately, and 125th is a busier street than some--the new house is across from a bus stop. I think they're asking $1.2, but I'm not sure where I got that.

From city records, I see its an 8400 SF lot, 3765SF. The architect was Novion Group (206) 361-6188, 8634 3rd Ave NW. Structural by SSS. Built by Kohary Builders, 5600 Kirkwood Place N, Suite A, (206) 784-4505.