Apartment Look

When it comes to condominium development , Cascadia’s two largest cities couldn ’t be more different. Last year nearly 60 percent of new housing starts in the city of Vancouver, BC , were condominiums; meanwhile, Seattle saw no new condominium buildings open . And that’s not changing anytime soon: less than 10 percent of all building slated for downtown Seattle in the next three years will be condos. What’s the difference—why the blossoming of condominium construction in one city and the almost complete dearth in the other? The short answer is economics. In Vancouver, apartments are saddled with an unfavorable tax code , making condos the more lucrative multi- family housing investment even despite high rental demand . In Seattle’s skyrocketing rental market , one that’s climbed even faster than the condo market in recent years, apartment buildings are much more financially attractive, while condos come with bigger risks and, typically, lower returns. Compounding this profit differe...

Property transfers CHARLOTTESVILLE JUNE 23 » Fornecker, John P. and Fornecker, Mary G. to Welch, Caitlin Elizabeth and Wiemer, Gavin Scott, lot one block 36 at intersection of Montrose Avenue and Meridian Street in Belmont, recorded at consideration $236,000, tax value $149,400. » Smith, Beverly H. to Gustafson, Adam R.F., 1006 Park Street , recorded at consideration $325,500, tax value $276,900. » Zee, Rebecca S. and Walls, Michael to Spector, Matthew I., 159 Brookwood Drive, recorded at tax value $267,200, consideration $259,000. » Kelley, Eric Daniel and Kelley, Lora Elaine to Marks, Emerson R., Jr. and Marks, Laura E., lot K on Harris Road in Evangeline subdivision , recorded at consideration $475,000, tax value $392,500. » Barzun, Charles L. to Welch, Conor T. and Coccomo, Danielle, lot 4 on 8th Street NE, recorded at consideration $385,000, tax value $293,200. » Scott, Robert Adam and McGanney, Juliana K. to Lazaro, Anthony P. and Lazaro, Emily E.H., lot B on Che...

The latest phase of Staley Hills is now open featuring a new community entrance off of N. Woodland Avenue and 63 spacious homesites, many of which back to trees or greenspace. “This has been a highly anticipated new phase in the community,” explains Sara Stucker , community manager and ReeceNichols real estate agent . “Treed homesites are always very popular and this phase offers plenty for home buyers to choose from. We’ve taken a number of reservations already and expect that these lots will not be available for long.” A red- hot housing market and new home construction in Staley Hills have kept Stucker, her partner, Deb DiPonio, and the homebuilders they work with busy this spring and summer. “Our buyers are finding that their current homes are selling within hours of coming on the market, often times with multiple offers over the list price,” said Stucker. “This fast- paced housing market has driven up the demand for new homes and our builders have been pushing to keep availabl...

Allen Township has cleared the way for the first step of moving the clubhouse and pro shop at Willow Brook Golf Course as part of a mixed-use development of 700 homes and a village center. The Fuller Family Trust was granted approval Tuesday by township supervisors for the transfer of a liquor license from the existing clubhouse to a new one planned to serve the golf course. Board approval of the transfer was necessary because it crosses municipal boundaries – the present clubhouse falls within North Catasauqua while the new one will be within Allen Township . Under the development plans , Willow Brook Golf Course would be reduced to nine holes. Plans call for an existing “L” barn used for boarding horses during equestrian events at Willow Brook Farms to be converted into the new clubhouse and pro shop, said Christopher Lloyd, a trustee for the Fuller Family. The 2,000-square-foot structure, located in the middle of the farm, will be re-purposed in order to provide seating for...

Known for strip malls and shopping centers and rows of single-family homes, the Valley is often thought of as somehow separate from Los Angeles—though most of its communities have been part of the city for over 100 years. But that perception may start to slip away as new transit options and LA’s rising cost of living draw in new residents and development dollars. In advance of some of these changes, we caught up with several active community members in the Valley to get their take on the region’s future. Here’s what we learned: Don’t call it a suburb The Valley may not be as dense as Downtown LA or Koreatown—nor as walkable—but it’s still plenty urban. “If the Valley is a suburb, I don’t know what you’d call Santa Clarita or Simi Valley or the Thousand Oaks area ,” says lifelong Valley resident Zachary Rynew , who founded the CiclaValley blog to promote bicycling events in the area and advocate for better bike infrastructure . Yvette Lopez-Ledesma, deputy director of Pacoima Beaut...