Wendy Leung's Seattle Condo Blog

Seattle Condo Boards

There was an interesting article on Co-op/Condo boards this weekend in the NY Times.  One quote that caught my eye was:

The people who run for a board seat, he said, tend to fall into three categories: “Some people love the power and they like the respect it gives them; some people do it because they feel it’s time to do something for the community; and some people have a personal agenda.”

It reminded me how little attention some buyers pay to the quality of the condo associations.  Granted, condo boards turnover pretty frequently but in terms of the culture, expectations, and history, some buildings seem to have it down better than others.

Seattle Home Show 2

The 10th Anniversary of Seattle Home Show 2 is here again this year from October 16-19. This year the focus will be on money saving tips for homeowners. The show will include exhibitors for products and services such as home improvement services, kitchen gadgets, furniture, and green products.

Location: Qwest Field Event Center, 800 Occidental Ave. S., Seattle.

Time: Friday (10am-8.30pm), Saturday (10.00am-8.30pm) and Sunday 10am-6pm)

Cost: $9/adults, $6/ages 60 and older, $3/ages 7-15; show visitors can register to return a second day for free, ID required.

Looking for a portable fireplace?

For those who are growing bored by concrete and steel, tall windows, extravagant front entrances, and stainless/granite open kitchens, there's something new to catch your eye.  Check out the Eco Smart Fireplace.  This portable, environmentally-friendly fireplace is one of the latest home products and is also featured in 5th and Madison condos.

This Eco Smart Fireplace runs on renewable corn-based ethnol, which can be purchased by the can at any paint or hardware store.  There is no installation or utility hook-up required.  Ethanol burns completely clean so there is no need to worry about harmful chemicals or unpleasant smells.

This fireplace is ideal for homeowners who don't have the option of installing a traditional fireplace and who may not like the aesthetics of an electric one.  While it can be built-in to look more traditional, the Eco Smart Fire is designed to operate safely and function just as well standing alone.

The portability of the fireplace means you can use it as a room divider, easily move it around when rearranging your funiture, push it out of the way when you need more space or move it between different rooms of the home as needed.  It also comes in variety of styles and can be designed to match any color.

-Wendy