Urbnlivn - Latest Comments in Stranger Features on Views | urbnlivn on Seattle condos

Re: Stranger Features on Views | urbnlivn on Seattle condos

Chris — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 02:07:55 -0000

At one place I looked, the difference between floor 5 and 6 was 10k and 6 and 7 was 20k.

Re: Stranger Features on Views | urbnlivn on Seattle condos

Mark W — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 17:54:31 -0000

Got to wondering about Olive 8's bus station/Lake Union views featured on the Olive 8 website's 360 degree view pictures, especially with the proposal to replace the bus station site with a 51-story hotel/convention center complex just a half block to the north/northeast of Olive 8.

When I pulled up the 1/31/08 Times story to get the floor count, I saw that the developer for the 51-story is R.C. Hedreen - same developer for Olive 8.

A lot will depend on how the 51-story is sited, but seems to me that's a question prospective Olive 8 N/NE view buyers might want to ask their developer before they commit.

Re: Stranger Features on Views | urbnlivn on Seattle condos

Bob — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 14:49:46 -0000

The Olivian is building across from Olive 8. 27 floors. Ouch.

Re: Stranger Features on Views | urbnlivn on Seattle condos

Mark W — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 04:00:59 -0000

I haven't checked out the Enso "views", but I think the ones for Olive 8 are pretty misleading.

In part because they're really out of date - the view east omits the highrise that's well underway across the street, and the view southeast makes no mention of the fact that Ava is moving forward.

But while the Olive 8 site acknowledges that the use of a wide angle lens makes "views appear farther away" it also distorts the buildings that are close up. Check out the sliver that the Quest Building turns into. That building will dominate views from the southwestern units, but the camera appears to have taken its pictures from the center of the property rather than from the perimeter of where the outside walls would be - which of course is where the views actually start.

Makes me wonder what a potential buyer might think who looks at the site and sees the open east-facing views and heads downtown to see the site only to find a highrise well underway.

Re: Stranger Features on Views | urbnlivn on Seattle condos

Mark W — Sat, 05 Apr 2008 03:46:31 -0000

It happens with rent, too. My 2-bedroom floorplan varies by up to $600/month depending on what floor it's on. I did check out the different views when I was choosing my unit, but ultimately I figured I wouldn't be spending that much time looking out the window.

Even so, I was disappointed when Cristalla blocked a chunk of my Olympic Mountains view and Mosler hid my glimpse of Puget Sound. At least I've still got my "if you stand here and lean like this" view of the Space Needle.

Re: Stranger Features on Views | urbnlivn on Seattle condos

Rachel — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 19:47:32 -0000

We thought the difference at Trace was going to be $10k; Didn't find out until the final walkthrough that it was $25k. That sucked, but we couldn't do much about it. I don't know if our view is worth $25k more than Matt's...

Re: Stranger Features on Views | urbnlivn on Seattle condos

Dan L — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:37:13 -0000

I'd say in general the price per floor difference stays fairly steady, provided that it was reasonable to begin with. In general, if the view is relatively similar from one floor to the next, it's a $8-10,000 difference per floor. If there's a substantial view change, such as clearing a neighboring building or getting water/mountain views that the lower unit doesn't have it could be a $25-30,000 difference. Of course it all depends on how hot the units are and how much someone wants to get into the building.