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About Me
Hi, I’m Dugald Allen and I am proud to be associated with Windermere Real Estate based out of Bellevue and serving the Greater Seattle area.
Born stateside, I grew up in Australia (of all places!) and I have lived up and down the west coast of the US and Canada for a number of years, finally settling in the Seattle area; closer to family, and loving it.
With a long history in sales, marketing and general management positions on the entrepreneurial side of the high tech industry, I have successfully applied the knowledge and concepts gained there to real estate. I am absolutely committed to ensuring that my clients get the best service and experience possible in real estate.
I am on the board of directors of one of the nation's largest and oldest professional associations for individual real estate investors, the Real Estate Association of Puget Sound (REAPS President in 2007) and teach classes on ethics and fair housing (among others) for the Professional Housing Provider designation.
Family, sports, music and real estate dominate my home life and you will routinely find me on soccer, football and lacrosse fields yelling and screaming (in joy) as my two sons run, bump, cut and bruise themselves in the pursuit of ever more dangerous pursuits. Married to an artist, I’m lucky to have someone to cultivate the softer side of a house full of boys and tone down my normal, politically incorrect side.
My business is focused on the greater Seattle area helping people realize their dream as it revolves around real estate. Check outhttp:// www.dugaldallen.com for more!
Born stateside, I grew up in Australia (of all places!) and I have lived up and down the west coast of the US and Canada for a number of years, finally settling in the Seattle area; closer to family, and loving it.
With a long history in sales, marketing and general management positions on the entrepreneurial side of the high tech industry, I have successfully applied the knowledge and concepts gained there to real estate. I am absolutely committed to ensuring that my clients get the best service and experience possible in real estate.
I am on the board of directors of one of the nation's largest and oldest professional associations for individual real estate investors, the Real Estate Association of Puget Sound (REAPS President in 2007) and teach classes on ethics and fair housing (among others) for the Professional Housing Provider designation.
Family, sports, music and real estate dominate my home life and you will routinely find me on soccer, football and lacrosse fields yelling and screaming (in joy) as my two sons run, bump, cut and bruise themselves in the pursuit of ever more dangerous pursuits. Married to an artist, I’m lucky to have someone to cultivate the softer side of a house full of boys and tone down my normal, politically incorrect side.
My business is focused on the greater Seattle area helping people realize their dream as it revolves around real estate. Check outhttp:// www.dugaldallen.com for more!
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Dugald Allen's Answers (8)
Dugald Allen answered:
Dana,
Some things to consider about coops:
1. Co-ops are great places to live. They are (more often) a community within themselves and in many coops, you'll be required to participate in cleaning of the common areas, setting out the garbage etc.
2. Coops are more restrictive (generally) than condos. In most co-ops, renting out rooms or the unit itself is very restricted. Some may allow a one-time rental to family members only. Others allow no rentals at all.
3. Co-op loans are more expensive. There are only a couple of coop lenders in Seattle and loans have a higher interest rate than your typical condo loan. Co-op ownership isn't actually ownership of a unit, it's actually a share in a company that owns the unit. Your particular share number allows you to occupy a specific unit.
4. Co-op ownership dues include property taxes. Since you're not actually an owner of real estate, the coop itself owns the building from end to end. All the property taxes are included in yoru home owners' dues.
5. Co-ops are almost always old buildings. I don't know of any new buildings being bui;t as coops (I will be happy to be contradicted on this point) so most co-ops are older buildings and you need to be aware that older buildings sometimes have higher maintenance costs that newer condos.
If you are thinking about a co-op, then it's a great alternative. You'll typically get more for your money, but at the expense of a smaller buyer pool when it comes time to sell.
I hope that helps.
Some things to consider about coops:
1. Co-ops are great places to live. They are (more often) a community within themselves and in many coops, you'll be required to participate in cleaning of the common areas, setting out the garbage etc.
2. Coops are more restrictive (generally) than condos. In most co-ops, renting out rooms or the unit itself is very restricted. Some may allow a one-time rental to family members only. Others allow no rentals at all.
3. Co-op loans are more expensive. There are only a couple of coop lenders in Seattle and loans have a higher interest rate than your typical condo loan. Co-op ownership isn't actually ownership of a unit, it's actually a share in a company that owns the unit. Your particular share number allows you to occupy a specific unit.
4. Co-op ownership dues include property taxes. Since you're not actually an owner of real estate, the coop itself owns the building from end to end. All the property taxes are included in yoru home owners' dues.
5. Co-ops are almost always old buildings. I don't know of any new buildings being bui;t as coops (I will be happy to be contradicted on this point) so most co-ops are older buildings and you need to be aware that older buildings sometimes have higher maintenance costs that newer condos.
If you are thinking about a co-op, then it's a great alternative. You'll typically get more for your money, but at the expense of a smaller buyer pool when it comes time to sell.
I hope that helps.
Dugald Allen answered:
Ken, I have a great book that I will be glad to send to you. It covers all the areas around the Greater Seattle and has great neighborhood descriptions etc.
Contact me using the web site below if you are interested.
Good luck!
Contact me using the web site below if you are interested.
Good luck!
Dugald Allen answered:
Jim, it all depends.
Right now, the absorption rate for zip code 98112 (Madison Park and Capitol Hill) is about 5.5 months of inventory - down from a 3-month average of approx. 17 months. What that means is that there have been some recent sales in the area and buyers have cut loose a little. Inventory absorption rates are always in arrears and are a general look a the neighborhood.
However, a "$2 million home" is too general a description of your home and one would need to see it and compare it directly with other $2 million homes to make sure that's the right price point.
If your home compares with homes in the area that are sellin at $1,800k, then you will take longer. It's not jsut about the square footage, but includes the layout, flow and clors of the home as well as just how big is the view or how busy the street. What's the parking situation like? These are all questions we take into account when pricing a home for sale.
Right now, aggressive priving is what is necessary to make things move. Of course (like the others) I'd be glad to assist with an analysis of your home's value. :)
Dugald Allen
Right now, the absorption rate for zip code 98112 (Madison Park and Capitol Hill) is about 5.5 months of inventory - down from a 3-month average of approx. 17 months. What that means is that there have been some recent sales in the area and buyers have cut loose a little. Inventory absorption rates are always in arrears and are a general look a the neighborhood.
However, a "$2 million home" is too general a description of your home and one would need to see it and compare it directly with other $2 million homes to make sure that's the right price point.
If your home compares with homes in the area that are sellin at $1,800k, then you will take longer. It's not jsut about the square footage, but includes the layout, flow and clors of the home as well as just how big is the view or how busy the street. What's the parking situation like? These are all questions we take into account when pricing a home for sale.
Right now, aggressive priving is what is necessary to make things move. Of course (like the others) I'd be glad to assist with an analysis of your home's value. :)
Dugald Allen
Dugald Allen answered:
Heather,
The best public schools are on the eastside: Bellevue, Redmond/Kirkland and Mercer Island.
Check out http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2007/1… for US News' take late last year on schools around the country.
Bellevue School District was represented at #5 with its International School and #44 was Newport High School
Lake Washington School District was represented at #17 with its International Community School
Mercer Island is also considered an excellent school district.
For Neighborhood School Finders and district information, head to http://www.dugaldallen.com/links and click on "Schools"
The best public schools are on the eastside: Bellevue, Redmond/Kirkland and Mercer Island.
Check out http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/high-schools/2007/1… for US News' take late last year on schools around the country.
Bellevue School District was represented at #5 with its International School and #44 was Newport High School
Lake Washington School District was represented at #17 with its International Community School
Mercer Island is also considered an excellent school district.
For Neighborhood School Finders and district information, head to http://www.dugaldallen.com/links and click on "Schools"
Dugald Allen answered:
Daniel,
You may not have been workin with the bank's agent - rather the seller's agent. The seller is the one who was going through the foreclosure. The bank would not have had an agent until after the auction sale.
So, it appears that you were probably working directly with the seller's agent. I would suggest that working with a good buyer's agent may help you navigating these kinds of mine fields in the future.
I hope that helps.
You may not have been workin with the bank's agent - rather the seller's agent. The seller is the one who was going through the foreclosure. The bank would not have had an agent until after the auction sale.
So, it appears that you were probably working directly with the seller's agent. I would suggest that working with a good buyer's agent may help you navigating these kinds of mine fields in the future.
I hope that helps.
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