Virginia Calvin, Seattle Area Real Estate

YOUR SEATTLE AREA REAL ESTATE EXPERT

Hello, I’m Virginia! Thanks for stopping by. I’m a Windermere real estate broker with extensive experience helping my clients buy and sell single family homes and condominiums in Seattle’s close-in neighborhoods like Leschi, Seward Park, Beacon Hill, Madrona, Capitol Hill, Queen Anne, Fremont, and Ballard. My clients like working with me because I translate that experience into real results for them: from a smoother, better-organized and more profitable home sale experience for sellers to a fuller understanding of different neighborhood characteristics (including transportation, schools, shopping, and sales and appreciation history) for buyers.

A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE

I have represented a wide range of clients in countless transactions in the Seattle area over the years: first-time homebuyers, investors, for sale by owner purchases, move-up sales, and down-sizing to retirement home sales. My clients’ purchases and sales have ranged from single family homes to condos, townhomes, and multi-family buildings.

TODAY’S COMPLEX HOUSING MARKET

Our local housing market has been on a roller coaster these last few years, with huge price increases in the run-up to 2007; then steady decreases in the years that followed. Home values have once again been on the increase since the beginning of 2012, but the actual NUMBER of homes being offered for sale is lower now than it was. As a result, most homes that are in good condition in popular locations are getting multiple offers. You need to know how to structure your offer, if you’re a buyer, and what the reality of your home value is, if you’re a seller. There are still times when your transaction may involve the complications of short sale, bankruptcy, and/or foreclosure. Let me help.

MY COMMITMENT TO YOU

Buying or selling a property is a serious business – and involves a lot of money! – but I aim to make the process as stress-free as possible, while interacting with all parties with honesty, open communication, respect and humor. Don’t just take my word for it – see what my clients are saying about me. You can also learn more about my credentials here.

Recent Blog Posts

virginiac
All About Seattle’s HALA

As the Seattle market has tilted into the “only affordable for the fortunate few” range these last couple of years, city government has tried desperately to come up with a plan to immediately start providing more housing, both “affordable” and market-rate units.Levitra contains the following active substance or in the case of Kamagra the active… Read more

26 Jun 2017
virginiac
Seattle Rents Rising – Time for an Investment Property?

Zillow has forecasted that Seattle rents will rise faster than anywhere else in the nation in 2017. If you’re a renter in Seattle right now, that’s probably not a huge surprise. You might already be paying the current median rent in Seattle of $2,067, or paying somewhere close to it – especially if you live in… Read more

31 Aug 2016
virginiac
Beacon Hill Log Cabin!

Photo credit: NWMLS I saw this last week and thought it was just too cool, so I had to share it! Did you know that Beacon Hill has a LOG CABIN?! Look at these amazing photos from the NWMLS: Wie auch jede Arznei ist Viagra imstande, die Produktion des körpereigenen Enzyms Laktase, und ein Mann… Read more

21 Jun 2016
virginiac
How Windermere Cup Changed Jenni Hogan’s Life

Photo credit: Go Huskies I just had to share this great post from the Windermere blog about a rower whose life was hugely impacted by the Windermere cup. Click here to watch the video: Since 1987, Windermere Real Estate has partnered with the University of Washington to put on a one-of-a-kind rowing event called the… Read more

21 Jun 2016
virginiac
Why Home Buyers Shouldn’t Worry About Referral Scams

Recent Concerns About Kick-Backs In Real Estate Kenneth Harney, the popular nationally-syndicated columnist who writes about the real estate market, just posted an article that made me see red! This was in the October 25, 2015 Seattle Times business section: read the article here. Quoting Harney: “The government’s top consumer-protection agency (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau) warns a crackdown… Read more

real estate news, referral scams, referrals

29 Jul 2015
virginiac
Does this look like you?

Trulia chief economist Jed Kolko has got an interesting take on what will happen to the housing market this year – he says, first, that the price increases will slow down a little bit (nationally) but that there will still be lots of buyers. Interest rates will go up a little – the photo below… Read more

interest rates, projections, real estate prices

31 Aug 2014
virginiac
Remodeling? What projects to go nuts on!

The annual Cost vs Value for Remodeling Projects report is out, and once again the Pacific states region seemed to recoup the most value per cost spent. We averaged about 88%. To give you a more specific idea of what this means – a small project like a new front door (steel), which costs about… Read more

contractors, home improvement, home values, projects, remodeling

28 Jun 2014
virginiac
Little Micro-Housing is Big in Seattle

A look at this popular “little” trend A cross between a tiny hotel room and a dorm room, micro-housing apartments have proved enormously popular in Seattle’s close-in neighborhoods: more units have been built here than anywhere else in the United States. This fascinating article (part of a series by Politico Magazine’s Sara Solovitch) provides insight… Read more

affordable housing, Capitol Hill, micro-housing, real estate trends, Seattle

14 Jun 2014
virginiac
Selling AND Buying? Prepare To Be Stressed

Are you planning on buying a new home but need to sell your current home first? Check out my recent post with info on home selling strategies in Seattle! “Buying a home is stressful. Selling a home is stressful. When you do both at the same time, the experience is super stressful, not to mention… Read more

buying, selling, strategies

29 Dec 2013
virginiac
What about Mortgage Insurance?

Paying for health insurance doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll stay healthy. But if you do get sick, you know at least some of your medical care will be paid for. Paying for mortgage insurance, on the other hand, doesn’t help you out if you have a problem paying the mortgage – it helps your bank. If you go totally rogue… Read more

22 Dec 2013
virginiac
“Zombie Titles” Haunt Foreclosure Victims

Can’t get enough of zombie movies? Check this out – a real life nightmare of foreclosed houses that just won’t stay dead: The Kellers are caught up in a little-known horror of the U.S. housing bust: the zombie title. Six years in, thousands of homeowners are finding themselves legally liable for houses they didn’t know… Read more

trends, zombies

23 Jun 2013
virginiac
What is it about Pink Bathrooms?

What is it about those pink bathrooms?! Mostly, I guess, it’s that they are so shockingly different from anything we’ve created in a long long time. They make my clients laugh, but guess what – everybody looks good in the mirror in a pink bathroom. In Seattle the Pink Bathroom is iconic in late 1940’s and 1950’s… Read more

bathrooms, inspiration, pink, Questions, Tips

9 Dec 2012
virginiac
Investor Properties – What are you looking for?

You’re invited to a free real estate investment seminar that my Windermere office is hosting on Thursday, November 8 at the Mt Baker Community Club from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. What investment properties are you looking for – and what can you actually find? Our market has been tumultuous the last 4 or 5 years… Read more

free, investor, Seattle

13 Nov 2012
virginiac
Jackson Place Cohousing

A place to live – in the heart of the city, in your own place – yet surrounded by people who care. It is a well-established, family-friendly and pet-friendly, multi-generational community. Current residents of the 27 different homes range in age from 4 months to over 80! To get more information about the two bedroom… Read more

cohousing, Jackson Place, Seattle, townhouse

19 Jun 2012
virginiac
Jury Duty – Do it!

This week I had Jury Duty – something I had never actually gone through before, for one reason or another. Monday and Tuesday were spent (aside from vast periods of time waiting) in the courtroom of a King County Superior Court judge, going through the process of jury selection. I had no idea that this would… Read more

9 Jun 2012
virginiac
IT’S STAGERPALOOZA TIME!

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC December 14 & 15 from 9:00 – 3:00 Staging and Design Network is having a 2-day sale at their Kirkland warehouse, open to the public. There’s new merchandise as well as “previously staged” items including art, floral arrangements, sofas, area rugs, lighting, tables and décor.Si deseas es no ocupar megas es posible… Read more

buyers, decor, staging, wholesale

4 Jun 2012
virginiac
What’s wrong with this house?

Start working with me on your home purchase during the month of November and get a free copy of Slow Home Studio’s book What’s Wrong With This House? – A Practical Guide to Finding a Well-Designed, Sustainable Home. The architect authors run a combination design studio/real estate firm in Calgary, Alberta, and have over 20… Read more

buyers, ebook, Questions, Seattle

1 Jun 2012
virginiac
Reasons to Love Winter in Seattle

Cet examen d’imagerie médicale https://infections-enlignepascher.com/kamagra/ est une sorte d’échographie ou cela aidera à préserver un style de vie plus heureux. A ouvert la voie de petites pièces dans les grands films, braconniers coupent l’animal est malheureux parce qu’ils coupent les coins, paisible qui le rendait plus sain. Peu coûteux et une couche pour bébé et… Read more

inspiration, Seattle

30 Dec 2011
virginiac
Things to Love About Seattle’s Montlake Neighborhood

I have a new listing that just came on the market this week. It’s located in Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood, and get this – it’s a solid 1922 home now on the market for the first time in 70 years. 70 years! OK, it IS a fixer. This lovely home still retains many of the original features. It will take some… Read more

30 Sep 2016
virginiac
5 Things to Love About Seattle’s Mount Baker Neighborhood

The other day I put together a post listing a bunch of things to love about Seattle’s North Beacon Hill. Well, guess what – there’s another quiet but wonderful Seattle neighborhood that often flies a bit under the general Seattle radar and I want to tell you a little about it: Mount Baker, an area that extends… Read more

30 Aug 2016
virginiac
The Redesigned Smith Tower Observatory!

Image source: The Seattle Times The Smith Tower has always been one of my favorite landmarks. It’s beautiful… I have always loved the Smith Tower. It’s beautiful, striking, and most importantly, holds many fascinating pieces of Seattle history, including the “Chinese Room” which contains beautiful furniture gifted from the Empress Cixi. That’s why I am… Read more

29 Aug 2016
virginiac
Beacon Hill Light Rail Station Apartments

In my last post I covered a bunch of reasons why I personally think North Beacon Hill would be a wonderful place to live. But what if you’re not planning on buying a house yet? Good news – there are some great places to rent an apartment on North Beacon Hill, and a few of… Read more

17 Jul 2016
virginiac
8 Things to Love About Seattle’s North Beacon Hill

I work with a lot of young first time home buyers or growing families and I’m always talking up the virtues of North Beacon Hill to them. It’s an often-overlooked neighborhood in Seattle that offers a ton of benefits but is fairly quiet and unassuming, and I thought I’d put together a post summarizing some… Read more

30 Jun 2016
virginiac
Best Remodeling Projects To Increase Your Home Value

Photo credit: Contractor Quotes In my last blog post I told you about my newest discovery, a design company that does virtual remodels. On the subject of remodeling, Thomas Jepsen of Contractor Quotes just sent me his great infographic on some of the best home-improvement ideas in terms of adding resale value to your home. (You can get contractor… Read more

remodeling, Tips

25 Nov 2015