There are over 14 re-sale properties on the condo tour representing 10 of Belltown’s most desirable condo buildings including The Vine, Bellora, Pomeroy, the Concord and Seattle Heights. The units range from a $199,000 studio to a spacious $1,900,000 3-bedroom home.

Just park your car once (it’s free on Sunday), then walk and tour Belltown’s best places to live.

Click image for larger, printable map (pdf):

Did you know you can search open houses on SeattleCondosAndLofts.com?

Just start a Seattle condo search and in the “Open House” search filter on the left hand column, select the appropriate day option.

Marselle Condominium
The Marselle Condominium has surpassed the 100 unit sales mark and is now over 75% sold. The new construction condominium near the Seattle Center still has a number of great single level flats and two-story townhome penthouses available. Prices start from $219,990.

One Main Street Condominium
The One Main Street Condominium near Downtown Bellevue recently reduced prices up to $30,000 on select one-bedroom plus den homes, which now begin at $379,900. Regular one-bedroom homes start from $299,900.

Land Use Action
The Seattle DPD approved a couple of notable proposed apartment developments in Belltown. This morning the DPD approved the 27-story development next to the Seattle Heights Condominium at 225 Cedar Street. The current proposal is for a tower at the NE corner of the block at the site of the American Lung Association building. Eventually, the development will encompass the entire east half of the block. Across the street, the Alto apartment building is currently under construction. View decision (pdf).

A few weeks ago, the Schuster Group’s Joseph Arnold Lofts project received conditional approval. The proposed 13-story apartment building will be adjacent to the Bellora and Klee Condominiums. Virtually all of Bellora’s southern views will be obstructed as well as the west views of the Klee’s south building. View decision (pdf).

Queen Anne High School
The Puget Sound Business Journal reported that developer of the Queen Anne High School Condominium is battling its insurer after loosing a $9.4 million lawsuit brought on the homeowners association.

According to the article, the homeowners association filed a lawsuit alleging breach of contract, implied warranty, and violation of the Consumer Protection Act in its marketing of the property, among other issues.

Developer, insurer now at odds over $9.4M ruling on Queen Anne High School via Puget Sound Business Journal

This is one that I’ve been following and it finally sold. The smaller north-facing penthouse at 81 Vine Building in Belltown closed yesterday.

Unit #504 is a gorgeous two-level open loft penthouse with a large terrace. It was once listed as high as $599,000 in early 2010 and sold for $404,700.

That reflects a 26.4% decline in value from its previous sale in 2006 for $550,000. View additional property details.

The Fairview

The Fairview Condominium in Mukilteo is looking towards closing out the development soon. There are three luxury condo homes left, including two penthouses, located next to the Harbour Pointe Golf Course. www.thefairviewcondos.com

• Unit #203: 2-bedroom + den, 1,444 sq ft home with 10′ ceilings. Listed at $369,500.
• Unit #507: 2-bedroom + den, 2,489 sq ft home with 20′ ceilings w/exposed Pine beams. Listed at $799,500.
• Unit #501: 3-bedroom + media room, 3,146 sq ft w/20′ ceilings & a rustic fireplace feature. Listed at $998,500.

The current list prices of these three homes reflect a 40-44% reduction from their original prices.

Burien Town Square

The Burien Town Square Condominium development’s revival turned out to be a bit premature. Plans were in place for an August 1st re-launch of the project (see ad on the right), but its new owners seem to be second guessing the vitality of the region’s condo market. From the B-TownBlog:

And Aug. 1 turned out to be too soon for this mega condo seller to pencil out numbers that work. “I’m still not convinced the [real estate] market is settled today,” David Ploger, first vice president of ST Residential, told Burien City Council members Aug. 15.

But ST Residential is looking toward a public launch of condo sales, “although I can’t guarantee it will happen yet this year,” Ploger added. Still, he voiced confidence in their product and the marketability of the condos.

ST Residential and my sources anticipate the project will re-launch this year with prices 35% below their original levels in 2007. Stay Tuned! www.burientownsquare.com

The Decatur

The Decatur on First Hill is making a push to sell its remaining 22 homes reducing prices last week by approximately 15-17% from last list prices (around $30,000). Overall, the current prices are about a 35-40% below their original 2007 pricing levels. www.ownthedecatur.com

View listed Decatur units for sale.

Marselle Condominium

The Marselle Condominium near the Seattle Center just realized a mini-surge in sales – 5 homes went under contract in the past 3-weeks per the MLS, passing the 70% sales mark. Homes are available from $229,990. www.marsellecondos.com

View listed Marselle condos for sale.

Disclosure: Burien Town Square, Marselle and Decatur are advertisers of Seattle Condos and Lofts at the time of publication.

With the exception of the abandoned Volta project, Gallery is Belltown’s final condominium to sell out from the last construction cycle. This is definitely good news for Seattle’s condo market.

Unit #120 is a street-level two-story loft townhome unit available at $399,900. The spacious 1,142 square foot unit features a loft-style bedroom, a separate den area, and exterior and interior building access. This unit was the former on-site sales center for the project and can be permitted for live/work loft use.

Gallery is FHA approved and the final buyer is eligible for a buyer bonus up to 3%. The unit also includes a mounted flat screen tv and a wired speaker system.

Interested? Let us know and we’ll schedule a private tour of the unit.

Disclosure: Gallery is an advertiser of Seattle Condos and Lofts.

Olive 8 had 8 additional sales in the past month bringing the total to 33 sales so far this year. Additionally, Olive 8 still have several “Sky Suite” homes available, which are full-furnished open one-bedroom homes by Alchemy Collections, and are a perfect downtown pied-à-terre.

>> View Olive 8′s active listings
>> Visit the Olive 8 website

Escala Condominium – Downtown Seattle

Escala fared a bit better with 12 sales in the past month and is now approximately 42% sold per MLS figures. Slow going, but moving forward.

>> View Escala’s active listings
>> Visit the Escala website

Bellevue Tower- Bellevue

Neither Olive 8 nor Escala have anything on Bellevue Towers, which closed its 200th home last week. That’s over 80 closed sales so far this year, bringing the twin-tower 539-unit complex to 37% sold.

>> View Bellevue Tower’s active listings
>> Visit the Bellevue Tower website

Enso Condominium – South Lake Union

Enso reported 4 sales in the past month and is now down to its last 8 homes, priced between $400,000 and $1,295,000. As a special for Seattle Condos and Lofts readers, we are offering a rebate up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new Enso home (by July 31st) through our condo specialists.*

>> View Enso’s active listings
>> Visit the Enso website

Gallery Condominium – Belltown

Gallery had 4 additional sales since our last update, which leaves 10 homes left. For homes purchased (under contract) before July 31, 2011 and closed by August 30, 2011, Gallery is offering:
  1.   A buyer bonus up to 3% of the purchase price
  2.   Choice of an optional wall, slider or closet combo build out

>> View Gallery’s active listings
>> Visit the Gallery website

Disclosure: Olive 8 and Gallery are advertisers of Seattle Condos and Lofts at the time of publication.

* Half of the selling agent bonus, dependent on lender eligibility and approval

Part of its appeal to buyers is its location – Marselle is situated at the apex of Belltown, South Lake Union and Queen Anne. Residents have easy access to work downtown or SLU and to the numerous shopping, eating and entertainment venues in Belltown, nearby Capitol Hill and Queen Anne. It has a 97 WalkScore and a perfect 100 Transit Score.

On the other hand, conventional wisdom would question its allure considering it is right off Aurora Avenue and highway noise is discernible. Yet, most of the homes sold have been on the Aurora side of the building. Eventually, that portion of Aurora will be lowered and covered. Many of units currently available are on the west side of the building, a number of which face the Hyatt Place Hotel while others have great Space Needle views.

Other attractions are its value and availability. It is one the last remaining new construction condominiums in the city core offering spacious, yet affordable, quality finished homes. Its frame construction also helps to keep the price down.

Prices range from the low-$200,000’s for a 557 square foot open one-bedroom to the low-$500,000′s for a two-story, 1,284 square foot two-bedroom + den penthouse suite with a semi-private roof top deck. Additionally, all two-bedroom homes come with two parking spaces.

Home finishes include natural walnut flooring, slab granite counter tops, stainless steel appliances and in-unit washer and dryer. Building amenities feature a billiard/lounge room, fitness center with a yoga studio, an enclosed dog patch and a roof top deck offering spectacular city, Lake Union and Space Needle views.

For additional information about Marselle, please visit their website, Facebook page or contact us for a private showing. Disclaimer: Marselle is an advertiser of Seattle Condos and Lofts at the time of publication.

View current listings of Marselle condos for sale

Photos courtesy of Matrix Real Estate

Received an email today about an upcoming single property auction at the Cristalla Condo in Seattle.

Unit #1807, which is bank-owned, is scheduled for auction on Tuesday, April 19th at 3:15 pm by Williams & Williams, a professional auctioneer. The opening bid is $100,000 for the 18th floor, 2-bedroom, 2-bath, 1,174 square foot southeast corner unit. Expect that it will go for much more.

The unit was most recently listed for sale as a bank-owned/foreclosed property at $554,300 a couple of weeks ago, which was quite a bit less than the $939,200 it fetched back in 2006.

According to the auction website, the auction will occur on-site and on-line with two public preview/inspection dates on April 10th and April 17th from 1 pm to 4 pm. The Cristalla is located at 2033 2nd Avenue.

View the auction website

At the root of the issue, apparently, is few qualified buyers due to tighter credit and loan qualification requirements. It sounds as though, had they proceeded with the auction, the likelihood was high that they’d have too few bidder and that the winning bidder’s financing could fall through making the auction a bust, so they’re opting for a one-day “Buy Now” event. With the new format they’ll provide home sale opportunities to buyers individually on a first-come, first-served basis, which sounds similar to the what Veer Lofts initially tried. This will also ensure that buyers are financially qualified and will complete the sale.

The Buy Now event is open only to those who had previously registered during the auction campaign; it is not open the public and will take place at the Gallery Condo building in Belltown.

Hat tip to Matt who’s got more details at Urbnlivn.com.

Schnitzer will auction 25 additional open one-bedroom units at their Gallery Condominium building in Belltown on March 5, 2011 at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Seattle. This auction follows a similar format as Schnitzer’s previous auction of 43 Gallery Condo units back in September 2009.

Auction website: www.auctionthegallery.com

Update: adding press release info & table of homes

SEATTLE (January 26, 2011) – Gallery Condominium, LLC has saved the best inventory for last of its new Belltown condominium homes. Accelerated Marketing Partners (AMP) will launch the final close-out of the new home inventory. The auction will be held on March 5, 2011 at the Grand Hyatt in downtown Seattle, providing a rare opportunity for prospective homebuyers to purchase a new condominium at steeply discounted prices. Gallery is currently more than 80 percent occupied, due in large part to the highly successful auction AMP conducted in September of 2009.

Situated at 2911 Second Avenue, Gallery offers outstanding views of Elliott Bay, the Space Needle and Mount Rainier. Several homes slated for auction at this one-day event are the open, one bedroom/one bath plans with a variety of square footage layouts. These homes are ideal for the professional, empty nester, and as well as the perfect pied a terre for very special “city” living. The innovative designs offer maximum use of space, ranging in size from approximately 571 to 672 square feet. Buyers can choose from a number of configurations to define living areas and bedroom areas. Included in this sale is also a new one bedroom/one bath plus den at approximately 883 square feet with exceptional views of Elliott Bay.

Prior to the auction, prospective buyers will have an opportunity to view all available auction units as well as fully furnished models and examples of the partitioned, open floor plans. The Auction Information Center and models will be open daily from 10 am to 5 pm with extended hours on Thursdays until 7 pm. Additional information is available at www.AuctionTheGallery.com or through Gallery’s auction concierge services at 1-888-982-8988.

“This exciting auction opportunity will be the last chance to allow homebuyers to determine value within this successful new residential Seattle condominium development. Home buyers can feel comfortable and confident they are participating in a transparent bidding process,” said Ken Stevens, west coast CEO of Accelerated Marketing Partners, a national, full-service real estate firm that conducted the previous launch auction events at Gallery and its sister property, Brix.

Ideally located at the north end of Belltown, Gallery is perfectly situated to capture Space Needle views to the east and Elliott Bay panoramas to the west. Gallery features abundant amenities within its concrete and steel frame construction, customized floor plans and upscale finishes. Features of these homes include European-styled kitchens with custom cabinetry, slab granite or microcrystal countertops and premium stainless steel appliances; floor to ceiling windows; hardwood floors; and generous balconies.

Amenities include a full-service concierge staff, a two-story lobby, Owners Lounge, an exclusive Supper Club and Sky Lounge. Whether entertaining a large crowd or hosting an intimate dinner for eight, Gallery is designed to accommodate.

Auction brochure (pdf)

This is a great, low-stress way to view and compare numerous condo units that are within blocks of each other. The properties on tour include studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes that are offered from $225,000 to over $1 million, so there’s something for everyone who is looking to live urban.

Click image to download a pdf version of the map:

Where available, click on the unit # for more info.

81 Vine:
#300: $725,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 1,847 SF

Alexandria:
#310: $315,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 750 SF

Arbor Place:
#2207: $429,900, 1-bd / 1-ba, 855 SF

Avenue One:
#902: $729,950, 2-bd + den / 1.75 ba, 1,338 SF
#1007: $689,000, 2-bd / 2-ba, 1,117 SF

The Bellora:
#505: $294,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 636 SF
#1201: $1,200,000, 2-bd / 2-ba, 1,961 SF

Belltown Court:
#733: $350,000, 1-bd / 1.5-ba, 773 SF

Concord:
#304: $299,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 584 SF
#1001: $509,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 949 SF
#1216: $310,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 629 SF

Ellington:
#319: $619,950, 2-bd + den / 1.75 ba, 1,400 SF
#719: $825,000, 2-bd + den / 1.75 ba, 1,400 SF
#1101: $850,000, 2-bd + den / 1.75 ba, 1,400 SF

Gallery:
#514: $286,500, Open 1-bd / 1-ba, 603 SF
#714: $309,000, Open 1-bd / 1-ba, 603 SF
#1115: $363,000, Open 1-bd / 1-ba, 583 SF
#1207: $460,000, 1-bd + den / 1-ba, 883 SF

Grandview:
#1007: $260,000, studio / 1-ba, 470 SF
#1306: $350,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 611 SF
#1705: $249,500, 1-bd / 1-ba, 557 SF
#2004: $695,000, 2-bd / 1.75 ba, 1,254 SF
#2104: $650,000, 2-bd / 2-ba, 1,254 SF

Harbour Heights:
#1003: $374,950, Open 2-bd / 1.5 ba, 1,023 SF
#1703: $449,000, 1-bd / 1.5 ba, 1,023 SF

Market Place North:
#A2: $525,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 1,306 SF
#B4: $799,000, 2-bd + den / 2-ba, 1,420 SF

Mosler Lofts:
#316: $388,000, 1-bd + den / 1-ba, 991 SF
#513: $400,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 703 SF
#603: $288,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 585 SF
#713: $375,000, 1-bd + den / 786 SF
#900-901: $1,395,000, 2-bd / 2.5-ba, 2,055 SF
#1007-08: $898,000, 2-bd / 2-ba, 1,546 SF

One Pacific Tower:
#1901: $900,000, 2-bd / 2-ba, 1,523 SF

The Parc:
#530: $379,000, 2-bd / 1-ba, 903 SF
#1109: $499,950, 2-bd / 2-ba, 1,100 SF

Royal Crest:
#2104: $225,000, studio / 1-ba, 578 SF

Seattle Heights:
#517: $425,000, 2-bd / 1.5 ba, 1,141 SF
#1908: $339,950, 1-bd / 1 ba, 637 SF

Site 17:
#504: $225,000, 1-bd / 1-ba, 650 SF

The Vine:
#303: $300,000, 1-bd + den / 1.5 ba, 947 SF
#508: $447,000, 2-bd / 2-ba, 922 SF