(This is a sponsored story written by John Madrid, Managing Broker with John L. Scott Real Estate.)

There are no signs that the current trends of low inventory, rising prices, short sales times and multiple offers will be abating anytime soon.

For Northeast Seattle, including Maple Leaf, Bryant, Laurelhurst, University, View Ridge and Wedgwood, there continues to be only about a one-month supply of single-family home inventory. This tight inventory can be attributed to continued low interest rates, robust Puget Sound area hiring and a generally improved economy including significant gains in the stock market. Whether the market will become more “balanced” (defined as a 3-6 month supply of homes) will hinge on many more listings hitting the market over the coming months.

Of homes closed in Northeast Seattle in April the average sale price was a little over 102% of the most recent list price. This indicates continued multiple offer situations.

Prospective buyers also should think in terms of at least a minimum of 3-5+ year home ownership horizon and preferably maintain the option to hold onto their home through future downturns in the market. Home seller costs (excise tax, title/escrow fees, sale commissions) of approximately 9% of the sales price should also be factored into any decision to purchase.

More stats on other Seattle neighborhoods can be found at

http://www.live206.com/seattle-market-update-c22527.html

John Madrid is a managing broker with John L. Scott Real Estate – University Village and is a 2005-2012 Seattle Magazine “Five Star” Agent. His clients include both home buyers and sellers. He can be reached at 206-498-1880, [email protected] or www.live206.com.

Statistics are deemed reliable but are not guaranteed. All information should be verified to the users own satisfaction.

Since COA Mexican Eatery and Tequileria opened almost exactly two years ago at 7919 Roosevelt Way N.E., it’s been through menu changes, experiments with “street style” tacos and tacos for life, and even a merge with another restaurant.

But now it appears the biggest change is yet to come as the restaurant will be under new ownership, according to its Facebook page. Its website includes no details about the sale, but fans on Facebook are hopeful the menu will stay the same.

Rachel writes:

Don’t change the kitchen staff or ingredient quality either. I can no longer handle Mexican food that doesn’t taste like it was made by somebody’s grandma.

Does anybody have details about the sale and what Maple Leaf restaurantgoers will be able to expect in the future from COA?

On Sunday Laurel wrote us:

A short-haired, black, male cat, with one fang, no collar, a friendly demeanor and a loud meow has been hanging around our home on 14th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 113th Street. He goes away for a few weeks, but then comes back, much to the dismay of our elder kitties. Last night’s rain brought him back yowling on our deck all night. (He was covered and had something to lay on.)

She’s hoping somebody will recognize this cat and claim him. Otherwise, she says, they will try and get him to a vet to see if he’s chipped.

Update: This was posted on our Facebook page.

Make that three break-ins. Last night my wife and I returned home (15th ave ne & northgate) to find our kitchen window broken into and all our electronics stolen (plus some jewelry and a watch). We immediately reported it and the officers took prints (2:00am). But who knows what will happen… if anybody notices a Toshiba Thrive tablet or a Dell Studio 17 laptop on the market please let me know!

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We heard from two neighbors on Friday who reported burglaries.

Rachel wrote:

Hi Maple Leafers, we live near Sacajawea Elementary and our home was burglarized today. They broke open/kicked in a VERY strong door with a good solid deadbolt, and quickly took valuables out of the main floor rooms. It was clearly a quick grab job. Be careful out there with your homes, friends.

And another neighbor wrote under the header: “I hoped not to ever say this …

“I live on 80th. Looks like my house can be added to the list of ones that have been robbed recently. I have a big dog and everything.”

That one occurred just after lunch on Friday, near Roosevelt Way Northeast.

The police crime map shows right at 20 neighborhood burglaries since we last wrote about them in late March.

It’s official - the grand opening of the new Maple Leaf Playground is next Saturday, May 18th.

Friends For a Greater Maple Leaf Park made the announcement on its Facebook page. (Mai Ling had mentioned it earlier, here.)

From the Friends invitation:

Swinging, zipping, sliding, spinning, climbing, hunting, or just sitting and enjoying our lovely new park. The play area features a zip line, climbing features, slides, swings, twirly things, a sand pit, and a children’s garden & butterfly hunt.

The celebration for the playground, which seems to be variously called the Maple Leaf Playground Area or the Maple Leaf Family Terrace, runs from 10 a.m. to noon, and is sponsored by Seattle Parks.

This is for the Playground area only and will not include the grass area (which is still in the newly planted stage and is too young and tender to be compacted down with happy feet or torn up with happy paws). The ballfields and the upper part of the park will be open in late summer/early fall.

We’ll check to see where and when the annual Maple Leaf Ice Cream Social will be held. It’s typically the last Wednesday evening in July, but when last heard from might be postponed until August depending on the state of the new reservoir park.

Seattle Police say a 25-year-old driver smashed his old car into the TJ Maxx store at Northgate on Thursday afternoon, then fled the scene.

The incident occurred about 1 p.m. on May 8th, police said, in the 11000 block of Roosevelt Way Northeast.

Preliminary investigation indicates that the 25-year-old male suspect was driving his 1973 Plymouth Scamp westbound on NE 112th Street (the only other occupant of the car was an adult female riding in the front passenger-side seat). As the suspect turned south onto southbound Roosevelt Way NE he lost control of his vehicle and crashed into the rear of the TJ Maxx building. Both the suspect and his passenger then left the scene on foot and were gone upon the officers’ arrival.

While officers were on scene investigating the suspect and his girlfriend returned to the scene. Officers arrested the suspect and transported him to the North Precinct where he was investigated and processed for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs (DUI).

Damage to the building was slight. Damage to the car was substantial, police said. There were no reported injuries.

In case you missed the big rush on the first day of the Olympic View Plant Sale last weekend, you’ve got another opportunity to spruce up your yard while supporting Maple Leaf students at this week’s Nathan Hale High School Edible and Ornamental Plant Sale.

The sale takes place at the school’s greenhouse, which is located just north of Jane Addams K-8 School. From Lake City Way, turn eastbound onto 110th Street. Turn left (northbound) onto 34th Avenue NE. Drive past the school, then turn left into the driveway. The greenhouse is at the top of the hill. Dates and times are:

• Tuesday, May 7: 2-6 p.m.
• Wednesday, May 8: 2-6 p.m.
• Thursday, May 9: 2-6 p.m.
• Saturday, May 11: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The organically raised vegetable starts, perennials, hanging baskets and bedding plants for sale at the annual event all were grown by Nathan Hale High School’s horticulture students, with all vegetables started from seed. In addition to the more than two-dozen tomato varieties that will be available, veggie starts include: (more…)

Northwest Puppet Center, 9123 15th Ave. N.E., presents “The Secret Life of Bugs” weekends through May 12.

Step through a magnifying glass into the miniature world of insects. With mesmerizing blacklight puppetry, witness the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Along the way, spiders, dung beetles and dragonflies engage in daily activities such as orb weaving, nesting, and hunting. An exotic soundtrack provides the thread connecting different species in the web of life. This entertaining and educational performance has been developed with assistance from expert entomologist Erin Sullivan of Woodland Park Zoo.

Curtain is at 1 and 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets cost $10.50/$8.50 child (up to 16)/$9 Senior (65+) and are available at the box office 30 minutes before curtain, by calling 1-800-838-3006 or at Brown Paper Tickets.

Zack emailed on Friday afternoon:

Just a heads up for any updates you do…. We had our car ransacked on Northeast 98th Street between 12th/15th avenues as well as our neighbor’s car.

They didn’t take anything from my car as I don’t keep anything of value in there and I leave the doors unlocked. They just went through the glove box and left everything piled on my driver side seat.

Since our last such update on March 11, the Seattle Police crime map shows right at 21 car prowls and 15 stolen vehicles in the Maple Leaf neighborhood.

Many occurred around Northgate.

The Red Crossbills we first wrote about a month ago are still here, up and down 12th Avenue Northeast and other spots in town.

Various reports over the past week:

I was watching a flock of about a dozen red crossbills working a tree in my neighbor’s backyard here in the Broadview neighborhood of North Seattle. First sighting in my neighborhood ever, for me anyway. Beautiful, chatty, entertaining critters they are!

Crossbills-They’re Everywhere!

The crossbills are even more tolerant of people than evening grosbeaks and siskins, though they tend to be better at avoiding house/window hits. I can walk about four feet from our platform feeder without disturbing the birds.

Around 1:00 this afternoon some volunteer work for Seattle Audubon took me to a residential area near 122nd and Roosevelt in North Seattle. Noticing a cone filled evergreen I wondered to myself if Crossbills might like it when I heard birds overhead and they landed immediately over me in the exact spot. Fourteen Red Crossbills spent the next 15 minutes gorging on the cones.

Could they be nesting?

This was the scene at Fifth Avenue Northeast and Northeast 81st 79th Street Tuesday afternoon as firefighters conducted a practice burn for training purposes.

You could tell it wasn’t for real by the tents set up in the front yard.

The 12th annual Olympic View Plant Sale continues today until 7 p.m., but it appears yesterday’s beautiful weather brought out most of the shoppers, leaving much slimmer pickings than most Maple Leafers are likely accostumed to.

But that’s unlikely to keep fans from coming out for the unique selection of plants, as well as the kids’ activities from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

All proceeds of the sale benefit the students of Olympic View Elementary School. For more information, go to the Olympic View Plant Sale Facebook page.

Last night’s Maple Leaf General Community Meeting was packed with information from Maple Leaf and beyond, with presentations by interim King County Councilman Rod Dembowski, Sustainable NE Seattle and the new Licton Springs P-Patch, as well as updates on Maple Leaf Reservoir Park, the city’s new tree policy and transportation changes.

More than 40 people attended the quarterly meeting at Olympic View Elementary School, which included the election of three new executive members to the Maple Leaf Community Council: Jason Beard, Sylvia Traeger and Laurie Phipps. Donna Hartmann-Miller also was re-elected to the board, and President David Miller noted that there’s still an open council position if anybody is interested.

Some highlights from the meeting:

• This weekend is the Olympic View Plant Sale, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. April 26-27, with proceeds benefiting students at the Maple Leaf school. Miller noted the school also is holding a book sale May 31 and June 1, and it’s now taking book donations at the Northgate Community Center, Cloud City Coffee, Maple Leaf Ace Hardware, Blue Saucer and Pacific Medical Centers — Northgate.
• Also this weekend, you’re invited to a work party at the Licton Springs P-Patch, located on the southern border of North Seattle Community College (in a notable first-ever partnership between the city and state), from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Although the majority of Maple Leaf Reservoir Park isn’t slated to open until late summer/early fall, the Maple Leaf Family Terrace (aka playground) is nearing completion, with a grand opening planned for May 18. Hartmann-Miller, who leads the volunteer Friends for a Greater Maple Leaf Park, says details are still being worked out, but it likely will start at about 11 a.m. She noted that the volunteers who helped assemble the playground equipment at a work party April 6-7 deserve a huge “Thank you” from all of us for their hard work on one of our windiest, rainiest spring days.
• Speaking of Maple Leaf Reservoir Park, Hartmann-Miller also said that because much of the park is now being seeded, it won’t quite be ready for us in time for the Maple Leaf Summer Ice Cream Social, which usually takes place the last Wednesday of July. She asked attendees if they would be OK if the annual event was postponed until the last Wednesday in August, when she’s hopeful the park will be ready for hundreds (thousands?) of people to trample the grounds. If you have input on the matter, please post below or email [email protected] or any other members of the executive board.
• If you’ve been meaning to make a donation to the Maple Leaf Community Council or to become a member, Miller points out that the best day to do so is May 15, otherwise known as The Seattle Foundation’s GiveBIG. Any donation you make to the council that day, The Seattle Foundation will match - and the bigger the donation, the bigger the match. Just go to tinyurl.com/mlcc-givebig anytime in that 24-hour period.
• Miller noted that if you’re at all interested in how Northgate transportation issues will affect you, it’s important you attend the Sound Transit’s Northgate Station design and access update from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at Olympic View Elementary School, 504 N.E. 95th St.

We would also like to point out that Councilman Dembowski made a noteworthy announcement at the meeting: That night was the 27th anniversary of David Miller and Donna Hartmann-Miller’s first date. Congratulations to two of the community’s most tireless leaders, and a big thank you to them for spending the evening with the residents of Maple Leaf. Happy anniversary and thank you for all of the hard work you do for the community!

Maple Leaf’s own Seattle Seedling blogger Stacy Brewer is taking her classes to the next level. This month, the organic gardener launched the Seattle Urban Farm School, where she will be “Helping gardeners grow, one lesson at a time.”

Upcoming classes include:

• Tons of Tomatoes
• Backyard Basics – Carrots
• Backyard Basics – Greens
• Backyard Basics – Beans and Peas
• The Strawberry Series

In the future, expect classes such as Lantern Love; Fall and Winter Gardening 101; and Crazy for Canning: Pickling 101. And if you’ve got ideas for future classes, Brewer is taking your suggestions.

For more information, go to Brewer’s Seattle Urban Farm School blog, where you can sign up for classes or for the e-newsletter.

The eyesore of an empty block in the heart of Maple Leaf’s business district that was sold a year ago is likely to stay that way for the time being after the Maple Leaf Community Council’s executive board filed a lawsuit to stop the development, according to seattlepi.com.

We wrote last summer that the empty lot at Roosevelt Way Northeast and Northeast 89th Street was sold to three separate developers including Dan Duffus with Soleil Development, who explained that the group planned to build 14 to 15 units that combine live-work spaces directly on Roosevelt with town homes in the back.

But because the lot was purchased separately, the board says the buyers were able to avoid an appropriately thorough review by city planners. David Miller, president of the community’s executive board, tells us:

It should have gone through both SEPA and Design Review — with Design Review being the most important issue. Our lawsuits argue this exact point — development of this property is very welcome, but it needs to follow the rules.

He adds that because of the piecemeal review, only three parking spots will be required for the entire development, which will include six residential units and seven live-work units, wherein lies one of the other problems. He continues: (more…)