We’re welcoming a new WSB sponsor, Dan DeSantis, who is the agent for 4325 1/2 Thistle, a home in south West Seattle which he calls an in-city retreat. The home features unbroken mountain and Puget Sound views, as it is perched above the tree line, so you are looking over treetops instead of roofs. The home features a newly remodeled kitchen with stainless-steel appliances, two separate view living areas, wood fireplaces on both levels, and a bed/bath on each level.There’s a wrap-around deck and garden patio that includes a hot tub. It’s located near the Morgan Junction business district as well as Westwood Village. Lincoln Park and Lowman Beach are nearby as well; nearby schools include Gatewood Elementary as well as the Denny-Sealth campus. See photos of this home at thistletreehouse.info.

Dan DeSantis has been a multi-million-dollar producer in West Seattle for more than 30 years as a Residential and Investment Real Estate specialist. He says, “Knowledge and negotiating skills are the basis for client satisfaction and success; I get the best for my clients. I most often hear from my clients that I gave them great service. I listened to and met their needs, while being a great negotiator. 90 percent of my business is from referrals and repeat customers.” He also is involved in the community as a board member for the West Seattle YMCA. You can reach him at 206-947-4773 or by e-mail at dandesantis.re@comcast.net.

We thank Dan DeSantis for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

We welcome Amy Carey, a new WSB sponsor, who has this message for you:

“When buying a home, it’s critical to have ethically sound, highly informed representation and someone who puts your interests above all else.
As a Buyers Only Agent, I never list properties and I never represent a seller.  This is real estate with a twist – something new and different, and so unique that there are only a handful of us nationwide.

And, I’m the only Buyers Only Agent working in West Seattle. A rare bird indeed. So, what’s the advantage of working with a Buyers Only Agent? First, it eliminates the conflict of interest present when a buyer uses an agent working for a brokerage that also lists properties. For example, if a real estate office holds a listing and one of their agents brings a buyer to the sale, the office itself is legally bound to continue to represent the seller’s interests as well.

Homebuyers come to me because they know I represent only them and that I work tenaciously to make sure their needs are met. I show them all the appropriate houses on the market and research properties to provide facts, good and bad, about a home. And, when the time comes to put in an offer, I negotiate the best price and terms possible – making sure their interests are front and center.

It may sound corny but doing the right thing is at the heart of how I lead my professional and personal life.  I’m downright fierce in my passion for helping people – both in buying homes and in the community and environmental work I do that is very dear to me.I’m also a bit unconventional when compared to what folks might conjure up when they think “real estate agent.” My shoes are not shiny, and you will never see me in a pantsuit. I wear jeans and boots because you can’t look under a crawlspace with dry clean only clothes. And, you’ll never catch me in a typical “real estate” office with plaque filled walls and marketing materials.  Most of my meetings are with clients at their own kitchen table or favorite coffee house.

Most importantly, I love West Seattle with full abandon. I swoon over the red velvet cupcakes at Cupcake Royale and adore perusing the junction and strolling Alki. I thrill over the Farmers’ Market, the prominence of backyard chickens and the uniqueness of the neighborhoods that make West Seattle such an amazing place.

There are few things as important as “home”. It’s where we raise our children, celebrate friends, ponder new ideas and bring gardens into bloom. It is where our lives unfold. For me, to be a part of that, to help people find their “home” is a pretty remarkable experience and I consider myself lucky to be working to give folks the opportunity to lay down roots in this fabulous community.”

We thank Buyers Only Agent Amy Carey for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news via WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

(WSB photo by Patrick Sand)
Thanks to Jana for the tip that this century-old waterfront house is being torn down today in the 4800 block of Beach Drive. We had noticed a for-sale sign some time back – then a sign suggesting the home, distinctive for its brick/stone exterior, could be bought and moved. Then, we noticed the bricks/stones being removed the other day. Now, the whole house is coming down. According to the DPD website, the site has been split into two parcels. Here’s the county’s photo of what the house used to look like:

The site has an online listing, too.

ADDED 2:30 PM: Jana just sent that photo – while we were there earlier (top photo) the crew was breaking for lunch, but they’re back in action and bringing down the rest of the house. Note that some of the masonry/stone was left on the south side, visible from this angle.

Two years after the city started allowing them everywhere, “backyard cottages” continue to generate buzz. Our partners at the Seattle Times featured them in a story this past week. One of the companies mentioned in the story is West Seattle’s own Ncompass Cottage Company (WSB sponsor), which is putting on a free workshop next week to demystify backyard cottages, with information about everything from design to construction to financing. Not only will Ncompass’s team (and other experts) answer questions about backyard cottages, you can even ask one of the people for whom they’ve built one, Sean McClintock, who is featured in that Times story. The workshop is at the Community School of West Seattle at 7 pm next Wednesday (November 9th), 9450 22nd SW. RSVP by e-mailing stefan@ncompass-llc.com or calling 206-933-5961. (City of Seattle photo)

If you’re considering remodeling or rebuilding – there’s something new about this month’s edition of the free workshop offered by Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) … it’s happening on a weekend afternoon instead of a weeknight, for those who just haven’t been able to get to it before. Not only will Ventana team members be there, so will an architect (from Goforth-Gill Architects). It’s at 2 pm Saturday at 5458 California SW; RSVP by calling 206-932-3009.

At Fauntleroy Church this morning, representatives of seven West Seattle (and vicinity) retirement communities teamed up for a Town Hall-style event to answer questions – both about their individual properties, and about big-picture issues such as “When is the time to sell your house and move to a retirement community?” That one was answered during our short stop at the event, and the reply was a strong “Now” – the economy may be down, but affordability is up. A related question was “what if you can’t sell your home?”; turns out, there are special programs, as well as agents who specialize in helping – talk to your retirement community of choice. The Q/A was moderated by Karen Sisson from the Senior Center of West Seattle; participating communities included WSB sponsors Merrill Gardens at Admiral Heights, Merrill Gardens at West Seattle, The Kenney, and Daystar Retirement Village, as well as Providence Mount St. Vincent, Arrowhead Gardens, and Boulevard Park Place.

P.S. The Kenney is having a meeting of its own next Wednesday night (October 5th), 6:30 pm, with an update on the Memory Support Unit that it’s adding. All welcome.

P.P.S. Helping out at the door for this morning’s event was a rep from Friend to Friend‘s West Seattle chapter. They appreciate volunteers and donations, to make sure nobody’s lonely in a retirement/assisted-living center. Call 206-246-5150 to find out how to help.

Daystar Retirement Village in Westwood is one of our newest WSB sponsors, and as per our tradition for new sponsors, today is their chance to let you know what they’re about:

Welcome to Daystar Retirement Village. We are a locally owned and operated retirement community with independent- and assisted-living apartments, located in the south end of West Seattle.

Independent living at Daystar does not mean you do not have any available services. Our independent residents have amenities you might find in a fine hotel included in the monthly rent at Daystar. Things like scheduled transportation, zero-maintenance apartments, full appliances in independent units (including washer and dryer), and well-being checks throughout the day, are some of the services our independent residents benefit from.

For those residents who need a little extra assistance to maintain their independence, we can provide Personal Assistance Services that include numerous medical and non-medical tasks for an additional monthly fee.

For all residents, we have 24-hour staffing, flexible meal plans, housekeeping, free parking, emergency call system, locked front doors with surveillance cameras, and we’re pet-friendly!

Daystar Retirement Village offers a variety of diverse activities. It is your choice whether you want to participate but we truly have something for everyone. Art and history classes, trips to tourist sites and local shopping, Tai Chi, Wii games, ice cream socials, comedy clubs, movies, barbecues, and wellness classes are just a small sample of what you’ll find here.

Daystar‘s location is another great advantage. We are just across the street from Westwood Village, which offers multiple restaurants, a gym, a US Post Office, Starbucks, Rite Aid, Target, and numerous other amenities. We have been a member in this community since 1988; we hope you will come visit us (2615 SW Barton). We have someone here to give you a personal look around Daystar every day of the week. After your visit you will understand why the smart folks who live here often say: It’s so good to be home!

We thank Daystar Retirement Village for sponsoring independent, community-collaborative neighborhood news on WSB; find our current sponsor team listed in directory format here, and find info on joining the team by going here.

Making a decision about a family member’s retirement/care – or your own? A rare opportunity to meet/hear from representatives of our area’s major retirement/assisted-living centers, all in one place, is coming up a week from tomorrow. This announcement just came in:

Eight retirement and assisted living communities of West Seattle are coming together on October 1, 2011 for a Town Hall Meeting. Local community members may attend this free event which will be held from 10 am to 12:30 pm at Fauntleroy Church.

SHAG Arrowhead Gardens, Boulevard Park Place, BridgePark, Daystar, The Kenney, Merrill Gardens at Admiral Heights, Merrill Gardens at West Seattle and Providence Mount St. Vincent will all be present. This forum will allow community members to gather information from each community at once and learn about the similarities and differences they share.

Attendees will enjoy breakfast bites prepared by each community while they visit the information booths. Karen Sisson, the Director of the West Seattle Senior Center, will MC the event. Presentations will be given by each community and there will be a question and answer period to follow.

Reservations for this event are requested at 206-937-6122, but are not required.

(Our standard disclosure note: Daystar, The Kenney, and both local Merrill Gardens communities are WSB sponsors.)