9. Seattle, WA
Want to raise a book lover? This hotbed of reading is the place, named one of the most literate cities in America.

Seattle gets a bad rap for its rainfall, but the steady precipitation results in lush vegetation, earning Seattle the nickname “the Emerald City” and serving up plenty of locally grown goodness. And when the sun comes out, the weather is mild and perfect for heading to the nearly 5,500 acres of parks.

Companies like Starbucks and Amazon fuel the job market, and expectant parents are in luck because the state of Washington has expanded the Family Medical Leave Act to include businesses with only eight or more workers.

Read the rest of the article: HERE

Seattle Real Estate Tyler Freed

America’s Most Walkable Cities

By WILLIAM PENTLAND

The relentless rise of gasoline prices is likely to encourage many people to pound the pavement this summer to save a buck – or several thousand bucks. Some aspiring pedestrians will fare better than others depending on where they live and work, according to a recently released ranking of the most walkable cities in the United States.

Walk Friendly Communities, an organization devoted to promoting safe walking environments in U.S. cities, recognized the top towns and cities in America according to a wide range of metrics affecting the safety, mobility, access and comfort of the pedestrian lifestyle. These metrics include factors like whether walking is integrated into the city’s overall urban planning process, the extent to which parking rules and regulations provide adequate space for pedestrians and local programs for promoting walking.

Here is the list of the top 10:

Seattle, WA

Population density: 6,703 per square mile

Ann Arbor, MI

Population: 114,024

Area: 27.7 square miles

Population density: 4,116 per square mile

Arlington, VA

Population: 213,300

Area: 25.8 square miles

Population density: 8,267 per square mile

Hoboken, NJ

Population: 50,005

Area: 1.3 square miles

Population density: 38,465 per square mile

Santa Barbara, CA

Population: 114,024

Area: 21 square miles

Population density: 5,430 per square mile

Charlottesville, VA

Population: 41,225

Area: 10.3 square miles

Population density: 4,002 per square mile

Decatur, GA

Population: 18,147

Area: 4.1 square miles

Population density: 4,426 per square mile

Austin, TX

Population: 757,688

Area: 302 square miles

Population density: 2,509 per square mile

Charlotte, NC

Population: 709,441

Area: 286 square miles

Population density: 2,481 per square mile

Flagstaff, AZ

Population: 63,505

Area: 64 square miles

Population density: 992 per square mile

Seattle Real Estate Tyler Freed

Seattle Washington

Seattle, WA

Population: 3,407,848

Unemployment rate today: 9.3%

Forecast job growth for 2011: 2.1%

Clean technology, health care, hospitality and information technology will lift employment in the Seattle area by more than 2%, following a recession hit of nearly 8%.

Boeing is adding to its workforce each month and electric utility Seattle City Light’s energy efficiency program, aimed at businesses and homes throughout the city, will create about 1,000 jobs by increasing local contractors’ business.

Data are for Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metropolitan area. Unemployment rate is not seasonally adjusted.

Read more:

Seattle Real Estate Tyler Freed

Market Update January 2010

Last month showed more signs of a bright future for months to come. Of the seven cities in Washington reviewed all showed tremendous year over year growth.

Auburn, WA has had a 5.1% increase in sold properties in the last twelve months, including an 86% increase of homes in escrow. The inventory has decreased by 25.5% in the last year and the average price of a sold home in Auburn is $261,000.

Renton, WA has seen more significant gains. Sales have skyrocketed 72.3% and homes in escrow have increased by 84.1%. The average price of homes in Renton, WA is $346,000. Inventory has also dropped 24%.

Bellevue, WA has seen the largest increases in sales and homes in escrow the last month. There are 214.8% more homes in escrow and 180% more homes closed in December 2009 then there was in December 2008. Inventory has decreased 22.7% in Bellevue. The average sold home is $622,000.

Seattle, WA has also seen an increase in sales, approximately 28.8% from December 2008 to December 2009 stats. The pending homes have increased 88.8% and inventory has decreased 21.9%. The average sale price in Seattle, WA for the month of December 2009 was $480,000.

Puyallup, WA has a current sales average of $228,000. Inventory has dipped 19.4%. Sales have showed steady growth of 11.5%, and pending are also above the 80% at 85.9%.

Lastly Tacoma, WA is revealing the lowest average closed price of $189,000 for a single family home. Inventory has decreased 20.2%, sales have jumped 63.1% and homes in escrow have increased by 60.8%.

The statistics show that a lot more homes are selling. The reason for the gigantic increases in pending, or homes in escrow, is due to the flooding of short sale inventory in Washington. These homes are listed below market, get offers signed by sellers, then sit in escrow until the bank approves or counters the contract price. Hence, the large amount of homes in escrow. These short sale systems used by banks are heavily regulated and should improve through out the first part of 2010.

Starbucks Trivia Question:

What is the scientific name for Alabama’s State insect? Good luck!

Seattle Real Estate Tyler Freed

Seattle, WA (PRWEB) June 11, 2009 — Adaptiva today announced that Union Bank, N.A. has http://www.adaptiva.com/products_companion_power.html [reduced PC energy use __title__ Save PC Energy] by 58…

Seattle Real Estate Tyler Freed

(Seattle, WA (PRWEB) December 17, 2008)– In a time when experiences are taking center stage over things as potential holiday gift ideas and plasma screen TVs are among the few electronic items still…

Seattle Real Estate Tyler Freed