Tour of Urban Living 2008

7 comments

• K Krysta at BCPA October 8, 2008

  Just so ya’ll know, the Tour’s ‘Welcome Area’ is at the Pantages lobby (well, the Jones bldg lobby, right next to the Pantages box office) there will be maps, info & coffee, etc…

  We’ll be doing a tour at noon, and giving discounts to some upcoming shows, too…

  See ya this weekend!

• T Thorax O'Tool October 9, 2008

  Hey hey… my opportunity to get that picture of the classic car place for RR.

  Brilliant!

  Does anyone know if any units in the Esplanade are sold? Hell, I really ought to go there on the tour and see if the prices have come down. A few months ago they were starting at almost $300K

• D drizell October 9, 2008

  I won’t be attending this year, mostly because the majority of the participants have already been featured on the Tour for several years. Thankfully, the Reverie at Marcato will not set a new record for most years on the Tour. That it’s taken over four years to sell just 93 units is insane.

  However, the Tour has been successful in years past by getting interested buyers out and leading to some units going into contract. I wonder if this year’s Tour will have the same success.

  I think there’s a big disconnect between the marketing effort and materials of the Tour of Urban Living and the people that actually show up and are in the market for new living spaces. For example, the Tour’s brochures have always featured 20-somethings purchased from Getty Images set in vibrant urban places—not Tacoma. Unfortunately, most people that come to the Tour of Urban Living are retirement age, who have a lifetime of savings and investments in real estate. Most young people under 30, myself included, cannot afford the exorbitantly priced units featured on the Tour.

  Thorax @ 2: The Esplanade used to show which units were in contract on its website. At one point, I think they were about 25% sold, but then they must have started losing deposits, because the number of “SOLD” banners on the website started dropping precipitously. They then decided not to share such information anymore.

• B boomer7 October 10, 2008

  The total units sold at Esplanade thus far? = ZERO

  The Tribune just had an article today about the Tacoma condo market.

  http://www.thenewstribune.com/business/story/504440.html

  Whoever built and priced these condos were REALLY out of touch with the market here. This isn’t Seattle!!

  They are trying to market to the 20-30yr old demo but that isn’t who can afford or even want to live there. For $300k you can still get a nice house in Tacoma. Why would anyone want to pay $300k+ for a 1-bed when you can get a decent 3-bed, 2-bath house??

  Do you know why condos are so popular in Seattle for young people? Because they are affordable! You can’t buy a decent home for under $500k in Seattle. Plus, you have MANY amenities nearby that can easily reached by a few minutes of walking.

  Tacoma doesn’t really have much of a downtown to enjoy. When I moved to Tacoma from Seattle I could actually afford a house! Why the hell would I want a condo?? I would have bought one in Seattle instead for the same price!

• I I'm for Change (for tacoma) October 10, 2008

  Boomer @ #4 —

  You are correct, Tacoma is not Seattle — our condos are much cheaper! Guess I don’t know where you were condo shopping, because I haven’t seen any in Seattle under $485k. If there are decent condos for $300k, please share.

  I’ll tell you who would like a 1-bed condo over a house – ME and my neighbors. Why live in a house with the maintenance, yard, commute, etc. Yes, I’ve owned houses so I know what I’m talking about and no I’m not retired or soon-to-be.

• B boomer7 October 11, 2008

  @ I’m for Change

  Really? You haven’t seen any condos for sale under $485k in Seattle??

  If you search on Windermere right now there are 60+ condos UNDER $299k in the highly desirable neighborhoods of Queen Anne, Magnolia and Belltown alone.

  I used to live just down the street from this building that has one listed for only $250k (MLS#: 28169505)… awesome views of the city and walking distance to everything on lower Queen Anne.

  I was shocked at how much condos are listed for when I first moved down here compared to Seattle. No wonder they aren’t selling any…

• T Thorax O'Tool October 13, 2008

  Condos are listed higher for that reason!
  It’s assumed they’re cheaper here. So the unwitting buyer is thus snared.

  MY opinion?
  Walker should be in the 100s, not the 300s. Esplanade should be in the mid 150s to low 200s (it does have water views), not in the 300s.

  And 505 Broadway… well, as much as I like the building, no condo on this planet is worth over a million.