Monthly Archives: February 2010

Splash! Flutter! Wiggle! And Whoosh! Mercer Island Afterschool Nature Classes Starting New Session March 1st

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Calling all elementary school aged nature lovers! Nature-inspired fun ,will be happening Mondays, March 1st-29th, 2:30 – 4:30pm, at the Community Center at Mercerview. The class fee is $77.00 and is geared toward children ages 4 to 9. A Nature Vision Naturalist conducts each session, which will explore a new nature topic, and include story time plus a snack. Snacks are provided by Friends of Luther Burbank Park.

Here’s the list of topics for March’s afterschool classes:

March 1st: Amazing Arthropods
March 8: Insects
March 15: Bug Safari
March 22: Toadally Amphibians
March 29: Pond Dipping

Remember: the kids need to come to class dressed for rain or shine!

Spotlight on Luther Burbank Park

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Luther Burbank Park is a 77 acre park along the shores of Lake Washington situated on the northern tip of Mercer Island.  The park provides local residents with access to three-quarters of a mile of waterfront and a variety of recreational activities.

Before Luther Burbank was a park, it was the site of a parental school where troubled boys from Seattle were taught to farm.  From 1904 to 1966 students learned to grow crops and raise cattle on the shores of Lake Washington while living in the two-story, brick boarding school that still stands in the center of the park. 

The agricultural school was named for Luther Burbank, a famous Massachusetts horticulturist who pioneered plant hybridization and tree grafting and who created the baking potato.  Burbank’s legacy can be seen today not only in the name of the park but also in his creation, the Himalaya blackberry, that grows throughout the park.  While many demonize this plant for its invasive qualities, it is also well loved by the people who gather in the park each fall with baskets for berry picking.

Today children come to Luther Burbank Park not to work but to play on the swings, slides, monkey bars and tunnels of the playground that stands beside the former school.  The park also offers many recreational activities for adults, including 3 tennis courts and a half basketball court.  For theatre lovers, a nearby amphitheatre with tiered seating hosts Shakespeare in the Park in the summers.

The southern end of the park features a sandy beach and a public swimming area where lifeguards supervise swimmers from late June through early September.  Nearby picnic tables and grills overlook the beach, making this an ideal spot to gather with friends and family for a weekend BBQ and a swim in the lake.  Other tables and grills are scattered in scenic locations throughout the park.  Some are available on a first come, first serve basis, while others can be reserved for larger get-togethers.

Slightly north of the swimming area, along a picturesque, wooded path, is a secluded pier popular with local fishermen.  Several more boat docks can be found nearby, providing ample lake access for fishing enthusiasts and boaters alike.

Near the northern tip of Luther Burbank Park is a fenced, off-leash dog area.  As one of the only off-leash areas in King County with access to Lake Washington, this dog park is extremely popular.  Dogs can enjoy a swim while their owners toss a tennis ball for a game of fetch in the lake. Nearby the ruins of a former cow barn serve as another reminder of the park’s history as an agricultural school.

West of the dog park is a wetland and conservation area.  This wildlife habit can be viewed from a boardwalk that runs alongside the wetland.   Much of Luther Burbank Park remains an undeveloped refuge for the many wildlife species that live here, including rabbits, beavers, raccoons, muskrats, tree frogs and 135 species of birds.

From children to athletes, dog owners to fishing enthusiasts, theatre aficionados to nature lovers, Luther Burbank Park has something to offer every resident of Mercer Island and the nearby Seattle and Eastside communities.

Mercer Island Wants to Hear from You Regarding Annual Leap for Green Event

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Share your opinion about the annual Leap for Green event. The city of Mercer Island is conducting an online survey about Leap for Green until March 1st. The survey is brief and only takes a few minutes to fill out.

The Third Annual Leap for Green will be held on April 24th, 2010 from 10 am to 2 pm. It is Mercer Island’s annual Earth Day celebration and will be located at the Community Center at Mercerview. Stay tuned— more information about the event will be available soon!

Reverse 911 for Mercer Island Residents

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Is your main home phone a cell phone or Voice Over Internet Phone (VOIP)? If so, you must register your phone number with the city if you’d like to be part of the Mercer Island Reverse 911 system.

You can register your phone number online or by calling (425) 577-5700. If you call to register your phone, you will need to leave a message that includes your phone number(s), name, your address (including zip code), email address (if applicable) and what type(s) of phone(s) you are registering.

Here’s the definition for a Reverse 911 system from the City of Mercer Island website:

“Reverse 911″ is a communication tool that utilizes a database of telephone numbers and addresses, which are associated with GIS Mapping technologies to deliver emergency notifications to the community via telephone.

The type of emergencies which prompt Reverse 911 notifications are situations like contaminated water, city flooding, evacuations, major road closures, severe weather and a major crime in progress.

If your home telephone is a landline, your phone number is already part of the Reverse 911 system for the city of Mercer Island.

Last Minute: Mercer Island Activities for Saturday February 20th

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Have an enjoyable, fun weekend.  The weather has been so lovely lately. Sunshine really highlights all the reasons why the Pacific Northwest is an awesome place to live!

Mercer Island Pending Sales Up for January 2010

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Market Statistical Summary for January 2010

 

King County

King County Pending Sales were up, year over year, 91.6% to 1675 units from 874 in January of 2009

The average dollars per square foot index was down 1.6% to an average of $201/sq. ft

The average List to Sales Price Ratio was 96%

The Average Sales Price was down 0.4% from the prior year to $449,000

The Median Sales Price was down 1.3% to $375,000

Months of Inventory currently for sale based upon Closed Sales was down 37.2% from January of 2009 to 9.3 months

The monthly Absorption Rate based on Pended Sales is up 114.9% to a rate of 21.7%

Eastside

Eastside Pending Sales were up, year over year, 117.3% to 539 units from 248 in January of 2009

The average dollars per square foot index was down 5.9% to an average of $218/sq. ft

The average List to Sales Price Ratio was 95%

The Average Sales Price was down 3.2% from the prior year to $598,000

The Median Sales Price was down 5.3% to $500,000

Months of Inventory currently for sale based upon Closed Sales was down 47.6% from January of 2009 to 10 months

The monthly Absorption Rate based on Pended Sales is up 163.3% to a rate of 20.8%

Mercer Island

Mercer Island Pending Sales were up, year over year, 325% to 17 units from 4 in January of 2009

The average dollars per square foot index was up 12.6% to an average of $310/sq. ft

The average List to Sales Price Ratio was 91%

The Average Sales Price was up 6.7% from the prior year to $962,000

The Median Sales Price was down 19.7% to $735,000

Months of Inventory currently for sale based upon Closed Sales was down 23.7% from January of 2009 to 20 months

The monthly Absorption Rate based on Pended Sales is up 290.3% to a rate of 12.1%

Seattle Metro

Seattle Metro area Pending Sales were up, year over year, 61.1% to 501 units from 311 in January of 2009

The average dollars per square foot index was down 2.1% to an average of $229/sq. ft

The average List to Sales Price Ratio was 96%

The Average Sales Price was the same as the prior year at $464,000

The Median Sales Price was down 0.5% to $397,000

Months of Inventory currently for sale based upon Closed Sales was down 39.8% from January of 2009 to 6.5 months

The monthly Absorption Rate based on Pended Sales is up 75.4% to a rate of 24.9%

 

Definitions

Active Listings: All homes currently for sale but not yet sold.

Pending Sales: Homes under contract but not yet closed for that month.

Sold Listings: Homes sales closed in a given month.

$/SqFt: The price per square foot determined by dividing the sales price by the square footage of living space.

Average Sales Price: The average price of all homes sold that month.

Median Sales Price: The price that represents the mid-point of all homes sold that month where 50% of sales prices are above and 50% of sales prices are below.

List to Sale Price Ratio: Represents the comparison of sold price and list price of the homes sold (sold listings) as a percentage.

Months of Inventory: Represents the number of months of inventory on the market based upon the number of homes for sale (active listings) and the number of homes pended that month. For instance, if there are 1,000 active listings and 100 of them sold in a given month, it would take 10 months to sell the current inventory of homes for sale.

Rate of Absorption: Represents the percentage of the current active listings that are being absorbed (or pended) each month. For instance, if there are 1,000 active listings and 100 of them sold in a given month, the rate of absorption would be 10%. 10% of the market is being sold in that given month.

   

Valentine’s Day: Visit Mercer Island Open Houses with your Sweetheart

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Pondering your dream home with your special person is a wonderful way to spend  time together on Valentine’s Day.  Twenty-five homes are being held open Valentine’s Day on Mercer Island. One home is being held open today, 2/13/10.  The home prices range from $574,900 to $2,350,000.

Fifteen of the homes are below $1,000,000. Many of the homes feature beautiful views. Gorgeous, updated kitchens are well represented in this week’s open house list.  Interested in outdoor entertaining?  There are several homes being held open on Valentine’s Day that feature lovely yards, patios and decks.

If you would like more information about these open houses, please pick up a list with map at Windermere R.E./Mercer Island. The office is located at 2737 77th Ave. S.E., Suite 100, Mercer Island, WA 98040.  If you have any questions, please give us a call. The office phone number is (206) 232-0446. We are open 10am to 4pm on the weekends.

We have free coffee available.  Stop by for a list and a cup of java.  We look forward to seeing you!

Mercer Island School District Announces Non-Resident Enrollment will be Discontinued

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Mercer Island School District announced that it will no longer allow non-resident students to enroll in Mercer Island schools beginning this Fall with the 2010-2011 school year due to increasing enrollment levels. Mercer Island School District enrollment reports anticipate that enrollment will increase by nearly 800 students over the next 10 years. More information is available on the district’s website at:
http://www.misd.k12.wa.us/