Black Eyes and Boostie-Ayyyys! ([info]alicatastrophe) wrote in [info]seattle,
@ 2009-01-03 19:30:00
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Would you rent a 3bdr for $1400
This is a test, and only a test.

Come february 1st my aunt is going to have a three bedroom apartment for rent in North Seattle/Shoreline right off of 145th and Lake City.
- 1175 square feet
-Full size washer and dryer/ with laundry room
-Two full size bathrooms, one connected to the master bedroom
- W/S/G all included
-Locked/Gated front/private entrance 
-Ample parking (three cars)
-Covered back porch
-Gas appliances
-Gas heat

Well mannered pets are welcomed. No deposit.

I am asking because my aunt doesn't believe that it is marketable, and thinks that she will have a problem renting it. I am trying to avoid her jumping into a rental agreement with someone. I am hoping to get enough responses that I can show her she doesn't have to rent to said person. 

TIA!
(PS, anyone need an apartment?)


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[info]misanthropicsob
2009-01-04 03:48 am UTC (link)
That far north?

I wouldn't do it. I could find that much more downtownish for that type of price. At least I could about a year ago.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]alicatastrophe
2009-01-04 04:02 am UTC (link)
Thank you. Pretty much everything is negotiable with this apartment so I am trying to figure out what it should be listed at, under what conditions, so on and so forth. I guess the plus is that it is rather new. Thanks for the feed back.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]storychick
2009-01-04 03:52 am UTC (link)
We paid $1150 for a duplex in North Kirkland 6 years ago, so that doesn't sound bad to me at all.

(Reply to this)


[info]torquemada
2009-01-04 03:58 am UTC (link)
With the pets/no pet deposit, I'd say that's a decent deal. In the current economy she may have a bit of a wait to find someone worth renting to, but she should stick to her guns. She should also advertise which bus routes it's convenient to; North Seattle apartment/duplex listings usually do, seems to help.

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Bus Routes
[info]craftyasparagus
2009-01-04 06:23 am UTC (link)
OP: The 41 goes downtown from there, and it's not a bad ride. You can also transfer off of the 41 to other express routes.

Oops, I was thinking 125th and Lake City Way. My bad.

Edited at 2009-01-04 06:31 am UTC

(Reply to this) (Parent)
(no subject) - [info]faithful_summer, 2009-01-04 10:41 am UTC

[info]mordyn4
2009-01-04 03:59 am UTC (link)
If it's in a nice area, which it sounds like it could be, and the carpet/appliances/fixtures are within a few years old.... I'd go for it. Carpet would have to be light tan, though. :P

Look at apartments.com for the same thing and see if 1400 is competitive.

(Reply to this)


[info]m0rbidm00n
2009-01-04 03:59 am UTC (link)
For the area, its too high.

I live about a mile north of that and for a 1000sq ft two bedroom only pay $990/month, with almost identical amenities.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]alicatastrophe
2009-01-04 04:07 am UTC (link)
I kinda figured $1400 would be too high, but I figured I would ask high and see what people thought of it. Thanks for the feedback

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]madamecacoon
2009-01-04 04:05 am UTC (link)
I was paying $1200 a month for a two bedroom, 700 square feet, no utilities included three years ago. $1400 for a three bedroom with no deposit is a steal. Just see what 3 bedroom apartments are going for on Craigslist for yourself.

(Reply to this)


[info]retardomantaban
2009-01-04 04:20 am UTC (link)
Considering I paid 1800 for a 2 bedroom condo, that sounds reasonable. ALTHOUGH this condo was on SLU with a view of downtown from every window and all the same amenities.

(Reply to this)


[info]miss_tami_lee
2009-01-04 04:26 am UTC (link)
I can only jump on the band wagon and say that (to me) the price is too high for a place so far north

(Reply to this)


[info]winter_a_go_go
2009-01-04 04:32 am UTC (link)
Just a little high.

(Reply to this)


[info]oolong
2009-01-04 04:34 am UTC (link)
Count me in the 'I personally wouldn't rent that far north but I think that's reasonable for the area' bandwagon

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]rhonan
2009-01-04 06:35 am UTC (link)
It's actually not so bad because of the 41. I worked downtown with a friend that lived in Ballard, and I was always home long before he was. From that location, if they have a car to get to the Northgate Transit Center, they have a quick and easy commute to downtown.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]alicatastrophe, 2009-01-04 07:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]gomezticator, 2009-01-04 08:06 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]rhonan, 2009-01-04 07:52 pm UTC

[info]mcfnord
2009-01-04 04:40 am UTC (link)
it is unlikely that i would pay that much, that far north. oh wait, water, sewer, and gas are built into that price? that changes things. why do people do that? i don't think it's wise to provide utilities at a fixed rate.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]acapuccina
2009-01-04 04:48 am UTC (link)
I think it's water/sewer/garbage.

(Reply to this) (Parent)
(no subject) - [info]gomezticator, 2009-01-04 05:56 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mcfnord, 2009-01-04 06:16 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]gomezticator, 2009-01-04 06:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mcfnord, 2009-01-04 06:59 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]gomezticator, 2009-01-04 07:13 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mcfnord, 2009-01-04 07:21 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]flybaristawoman, 2009-01-04 08:13 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]clango, 2009-01-04 08:17 pm UTC

[info]acapuccina
2009-01-04 04:50 am UTC (link)
I might pay that much. It's 3 bedrooms with a washer/dryer, parking, and no pet deposit.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]acapuccina
2009-01-04 04:51 am UTC (link)
Oh, and especially because water is included with the washer...that is unusual.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]agentdanak
2009-01-04 04:59 am UTC (link)
if it were june (when my lease ends), my housemates and i would likely be all over it, especially if bus access is decent.

(Reply to this)


[info]alicatastrophe
2009-01-04 05:14 am UTC (link)
Bus access is excellent tons of express busses from this area.


(Reply to this)


[info]nicolemarieh
2009-01-04 05:23 am UTC (link)
its definitely marketable, as long as its not crappy or on a craphole street.


as recently as a month ago i was working in newspaper classifieds. she could rent that place for $1250 in a heartbeat, and possibly at $1400 if she had patience. she should start advertising around jan. 7th and kept it going. if she were my customer i would have advised her to list at $1350 and give it a couple weeks, or $1290 if she wants to see more action. you drop down if the market doesnt respond. if she can go as low as $1300, she definitely shouldnt feel pressured to rent to the first person she comes across - but as a landlord she does need to be careful about how shes discriminating against potential renters. (if they have bad credit, ok to turn down. if they are young and she doesnt want young people, too bad - cant legally turn down.)


like someone else said, advertising the bus routes, along with anything else its near, is a great idea. extra parking is a good plus. any additional garage or storage space? if the apt complex is small, thats another pro she should include. pet friendly is a huge benefit - i think she should strongly reconsider no pet deposit though.

a pet deposit not only protects her from (often inevitable) pet damage, but more importantly (in my opinion) weeds out those who are less responsible for their animals. the last thing a landlord wants is someone who does not keep their pet from getting in to trouble, and someone who is willing to pay even a $200 pet deposit is going to be more likely to have the requested well-mannered pet. i say this as an animal-lover who has rented several places in the area with a cat and a dog, and happily paid upwards of $500 for being allowed to have a pet. in return, i made sure that my animals caused no damage so that id get the deposit back :p not asking for a pet deposit is practically inviting an irresponsible person in. yes she COULD get lucky, but odds are against her.




as a side note, in my opinion, this community wont help you as much because most of the people who are active here are very downtown in-city types. they are younger, technology-inclined types with, on average, a bit more money. there are plenty of families or other folks who are not looking to be right downtown who would love a place like what you describe. the best idea is to surf craigslist every few days for what sounds comparable (make notes of ones that sound very similar and check how long the ad stays up). North Seattle/Shoreline is actually a pretty popular area for people who could use a 3bd/2ba size place.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]nicolemarieh
2009-01-04 05:26 am UTC (link)
oh and w/s/g should definitely be highlighted - i didnt catch that at first and $1400 with that included is not that bad. however some of my customers had a lot better success by offering a lower rent and tenants then being responsible for their own utilities, or offering something like "$1290/mo + $100 for all utils." many would see that as a steal. (people tend to pay attention the most to just the number of the rent, and all the benefits with it come afterward.)

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]alicatastrophe, 2009-01-04 06:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]nicolemarieh, 2009-01-04 10:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]nicolemarieh, 2009-01-04 10:55 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sonder, 2009-01-04 05:47 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]frogger414, 2009-01-04 06:31 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]nicolemarieh, 2009-01-04 10:49 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]craftyasparagus, 2009-01-04 06:30 am UTC
My two cents - [info]frogger414, 2009-01-04 06:30 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]exiledfromtribe, 2009-01-05 04:26 am UTC

[info]perdita_dream
2009-01-04 05:29 am UTC (link)
I lived right in that area up until two months ago. For everything you include, I would have been willing to pay that much, assuming it is clean and nice.

I wish I still lived in Lake City. The u-district sucks.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]flybaristawoman
2009-01-04 08:37 am UTC (link)
personally I loved Lake City compared to U District in terms of renting. I always felt safe there and everything is right there in terms of stores, banks etc...A lot of buses as well!

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]sonder
2009-01-04 05:44 am UTC (link)
Not in north seattle. Maybe In seattle.

(Reply to this)


[info]gomezticator
2009-01-04 05:51 am UTC (link)
It's a reasonable price for a 3 bed, especially given it'll welcome pets and has a garage plus W/D. However, as the others mentioned, the fact it's still a bit far from Downtown and other neighborhoods drives down the value some.

The location is more Lake Forest Park-ish. It's just a bit too far north for most of Lake City's regular bus service, though it does have the 306, 312 and 522 commuter routes to Downtown and back. That might be a selling point. There's also the Fred Meyer on 125th.

(Reply to this)


[info]doglander
2009-01-04 05:57 am UTC (link)
I live in a condo community in that very neighborhood--and we have two units renting for 1400 and 1500 respectively. Those units are a little bit bigger (1500 feet) and have private yards, but 1400 is right in range.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]alicatastrophe
2009-01-04 06:23 am UTC (link)
Hmmm, you may be my neighbor then. If you ever see a little min pin named running around, he's mine. That bastard.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]habituallydaft
2009-01-04 06:30 am UTC (link)
I pay 1590 + flat rate of 75/person/month for utilities for a 4 bdrm house 20blocks south of there. Same amenities plus yard and a little more square footage. No deposit for cats cause lanlord said they only ruin personal items, not structural ones and security deposit of 1200, no last months rent required.

Maybe it's cause I live close to there, but 145th and lake city way don't seem that far out there.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]gomezticator
2009-01-04 08:12 am UTC (link)
The key difference is the bus line. Two key routes, the 41 and 72, terminate at 130th and 135th. I lived in Lake City for a year, and yes, the difference between 125ht and 145th is quite large if you want to use the bus. At 125th, you're 1-2 blocks from four different routes aside from the 306/312/522 commuter buses, and you're right next to Fred Meyer and QFC. But at 145th, it's a long walk to the key transfer points, and the closest amenities you have are McDonald's and... Deja Vu.

If you commute by car or commute Downtown by bus, it may not make a huge difference. But otherwise, it can make a large difference.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]butterflywillow
2009-01-04 07:22 am UTC (link)
My roommates and I are renting a 3 bedroom house on 145th and 31st, and we are paying $1100 a month.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]alicatastrophe
2009-01-04 08:50 am UTC (link)
That is good to know. The other scenario is that I move into the space and find roommates. In which case it would be $1200 a month which I think would be pretty good.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]octalpussy
2009-01-04 07:26 am UTC (link)
I'm renting a 3 bedroom house which used to be a duplex (so there's 2 kitchens, 2 living rooms, etc) on a half acre in Northgate for $1650. No way would I pay that much for half the space, shared walls, and farther out of town. Just got this place in October, so I think my expectations for the area are pretty reasonable. I found quite a few 3 bd/2 ba houses in Northgate and Shoreline for $1300-1500... apartments should go for less, I would think?

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]alicatastrophe
2009-01-04 08:45 am UTC (link)
I suppose it is further out of town, but not in the boonies. I used to live on capitol hill which was fantastic and dreaded moving out here, but the busses run thick and I am a mile from 3-4 major grocery stores. I called it an apartment, but it is really a upper level duplex. It is renting for less now, I just think that the owner has an unrealistic idea of what she has. She was going to turn management over to me so I am doing a little research. When the time comes I want to be able to tell her "Listen, you don't have to settle with renting to so and so, there are (or aren't for this matter) people out there that would pay more for this."

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
don't cheat her is all. - [info]jsl32, 2009-01-04 08:54 am UTC
Re: don't cheat her is all. - [info]octalpussy, 2009-01-04 09:29 am UTC
Re: don't cheat her is all. - [info]alicatastrophe, 2009-01-04 11:40 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]octalpussy, 2009-01-04 09:23 am UTC
people are complaining about the price to get a deal.
[info]jsl32
2009-01-04 07:43 am UTC (link)
it is quite reasonable for the area and in general and you should have no trouble finding quality renters given the specs.

(Reply to this) (Thread)
Re: people are complaining about the price to get a deal.
[info]blueroo
2009-01-05 03:55 am UTC (link)
Really? All the people complaining about the price who already have homes and rentals are trying to get a deal?

(Reply to this) (Parent)

[info]flybaristawoman
2009-01-04 08:05 am UTC (link)
I used to rent a 1 bedroom in that general area for $855 a month and the 2 bedrooms were around $950. $1400 may be slightly high for Lake City but a lot of buses to University and the 522 and 41 are on 130th/Lake City Way! With the amenities and gas it'd almost be worth it...

I'd think more around $1200 she'd get more interest but if I were her I would ask for a deposit seriously!!!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]gomezticator
2009-01-04 08:14 am UTC (link)
I lived there and trust me: 145th is a lot farther from 130th on foot than you would think. It's isn't like the U District where, say, 45th and 43rd are very close together. The blocks get farther apart as you head north.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)
(no subject) - [info]flybaristawoman, 2009-01-05 02:52 am UTC

[info]ariata
2009-01-04 08:16 am UTC (link)
I think that's pretty reasonable, especially with the built in utilities. Though I'm curious, is the gas built in as well? With us it is, which surprises me a bit, but I like it. Also there's easy bus access and very convenient bus routes. The 41 takes about 20 minutes to get downtown if I remember correctly, plus it's super easy to get to the UW (we're all current/former students).

We have a similar pet situation- we knew the landlord didn't mind us having pets and would charge us a pet deposit, but once we told him we'd gotten a cat, he didn't charge us the deposit because "they really only ruin personal furniture". Our house is a bigger and more expensive, but we also have an extra room...

(Reply to this) (Thread)

[info]alicatastrophe
2009-01-04 08:48 am UTC (link)
Gas isn't built in. I.don't.think. I'll have to find out for sure. I can't wait for January 31st though. That is for sure.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

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