This 3,062 square foot, 3 or 4 bedroom, 3 bath home features three levels of innovative design.

Pacific Ridge has another unique new home plan I’d like to share with you. Let’s take a walk through the Barclay.

This 3,062 square foot, three or four bedroom, three bath home features three innovative levels of usable space. Come inside through the 2-car garage or the covered front porch to a spacious hardwood floored entry area. Immediately behind the entry you’ll find a convenient powder room and large private media room. We’ve designed this space for a home theater but it could also double as a private den/office.

The living room in our Barclay plan offers a variety of fireplace option including this stack-stone design prewired for a flat screen television.

Head up the stairs to the main floor and you’ll be impressed with the large open floor plan. The family room with optional gas fireplace and connecting den face the back yard. Pass another charming powder room and head to the other side of the home for more open space. On one side you have the corner kitchen, complete with eating bar, tons of counter space and a walk-in pantry. Adjoining the kitchen is an additional area that is perfect for a dining room, eating area or more living/family flex space. A door from the kitchen leads outside to a unique balcony that overlooks your front yard.

The Barclay boasts a spacious kitchen with ample room for even the most demanding gourmets chefs.

Up one more flight of stairs you’ll find three large bedrooms, two full baths and a spacious loft that can be easily converted to an optional fourth bedroom. Laundry facilities are also conveniently located on this floor. The master suite is designed for privacy and relaxation and features a large walk-in closet, soaking tub, separate shower and his/her vanity.

The master bath of the Barclay features his/her vanity, soaking tub, and a separate shower with glass surround (seen in mirror).

If you’d like to see this new home in person, we have two models available for viewing as well as quick move-in at our exciting Larimer Highlands community near Mill Creek.

Stop by and see this innovative new home!

Pacific Meadows is a beautiful 160-home community in Marysville. Located just minutes away from all the great shopping and entertainment opportunities at Seattle Premium Outlets, Lakewood Crossing, and the Tulalip Casino, Pacific Meadows brings all of the big city amenities to an exciting new suburban community.

And right now the prices can’t be beat.

At under $83 per square foot, this 3,662 sq ft Chelan II at Pacific Meadows is currently the lowest price per square foot home in Snohomish County. Even more amazing is that this home features both a full master suite on the main floor PLUS a second master suite upstairs!

Price per square foot is a great way to measure a home’s value and after we searched the NWMLS for the 10 lowest price per square foot new homes under $310K in Snohomish County we found that all ten of them are at Pacific Meadows! Coming in #1 is our 3662 square foot Chelan II with two master suites and loaded with upgrades for under $83 per square foot.

We have 18 homes available for quick move-in and all are quipped with generous features and amenities like hardwood flooring, granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, various mater bath upgrades and millwork upgrades.

Best of all, Pacific Ridge is offering a $10,000 Builder Bonus on these move-in ready homes along with up to a $2,500 Lender Bonus from our preferred lenders.

Just one of the three private parks at Pacific Meadows - Pacific Ridge's new home community in Marysville.

Pacific Meadows features six acres of parks with two basketball courts, a small soccer field, barbeque and picnic area, and a large field. Green belt homes are available and there are Cascade mountain views from many areas in the neighborhood. All of the streets are lined with flowering plums and maples and offer plenty of extra parking.

I would encourage everyone to come out and see what this exciting new community has to offer. The sales office is open Mondays through Fridays from 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. at 5611 116^th St. NE in Marysville.

Lynn Eshleman Manager of Land Acquisition and Development, Director of Government Affairs, Manager Pacific Ridge Homes

Lynn Eshleman has had her finger on the pulse of the home building market since she learned the ins and outs of home construction from her grandfather and father, both of whom were local builders. She’s been with Pacific Ridge since it’s inception back in 2000 and is a vital part of the company specializing in land development, financing and government affairs. She’s also the immediate past president of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish County. One of her proudest achievements to date has been being named Builder Member of the Year in both 2009 and 2011.

Join us in congratulating Lynn on her continued successes in the local building industry. You can read the full article at: Eshleman builds on a lifetime of building ]]> http://blog.pacificridgehomes.com/2012/04/lynn-eshleman-profiled-in-snohomish-county-business-journal/feed/ 0 http://blog.pacificridgehomes.com/2012/04/lynn-eshleman-profiled-in-snohomish-county-business-journal/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pacificridgehomes/~3/LQWibi-c_LI/ http://blog.pacificridgehomes.com/2012/04/spring-is-heating-up-the-greater-seattle-new-home-market/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 17:53:41 +0000 Alicia Goff http://blog.pacificridgehomes.com/?p=574 Well gang, the market is H-O-T, hot!  We are getting offers submitted at a fever pitch right now.  Sales are up all over King and Snohomish Counties and it is getting national media attention.  MSN reported recently that Seattle, Bellevue, and Everett are in the top 10 markets for inventory shortage.  Our local market is down 36% in inventory from less than a year ago. Less homes on the market mean more competition and quicker sales than we’ve seen in a long time. You don’t have to take my word for it. See for yourself in this article:

http://realestate.msn.com/going-fast-strong-demand-has-melted-away-inventory-in-some-housing-markets

We have seen in influx of relocation buyers hired on at Boeing and Microsoft and they all are interested in a new home.  This strong demand has made it important for buyers not to sit on the fence very long.  If you wait, you may very well miss out on your first choice.  Last week at Larimer Highlands we signed four sales and we have already signed three this week and it is not even the weekend yet!  Our sales team has been doubling up on weekends to meet the high demand and sheer number of visitors that come through to see our homes.

Not only are we seeing a large increase in the number of offers, we are now, once again seeing multiple offers on many homes.  The competition is fierce for quality homes in desirable communities. With prices at their lowest level since mid 2004, affordable interest rates, and some seller’s still willing to negotiate closing costs for buyers, the market has come back at a very fast pace in our area.

Indicators point to the return of a seller’s market in the very near future. There are still great values to be had, but doesn’t sound like for long. Don’t wait and miss your opportunity to make the purchase of a lifetime. Read for yourself here:

http://www.seattlepi.com/realestate/article/Seattle-house-prices-up-again-3462799.php

It’s true what the experts have been saying these last few months. There’s never been a better time to buy a new home in greater Seattle!

Welcome to Spring! Spruce up your lawn and garden with these tips from Natural Concept Landscape.

It’s official. Spring is here in the Pacific Northwest. And with the change of seasons comes some things to do to wake up your yard and gardens from their long winter slumber.

Let’s start with your lawn. Remove leaves, sticks and other debris, rake out any dead grass and thatch, and set up a consistent fertilization schedule. As a general rule, you should fertilize your lawn five times each year. Start in the spring and apply a good general turf building fertilizer every 5-6 weeks through the growing season. This will encourage root growth and provide a green lush lawn all year long. It’s also a great time to apply a moss control product and overseed any bare spots as well. Your grass should be showing signs of growth now so plan on mowing once a week to an approximate two-inch length.

Spring is also an excellent time to prune woody-stemmed plants and trees. These plants are coming out of winter dormancy and will experience the least amount of shock when pruned right now. It will also make any new growth look more natural later in the season. Spring pruning also decreases the risk of fungal or insect attacks when compared to summer or fall cutting.

Take a close look at your flower and garden beds and re-mulch if the ground looks bare. This will help save water in the drier months, keep weeds down, provide additional nourishment for the plants and, best of all, make your beds look new! For your flowers and shrubs, apply a general Osmocote fertilizer to give them a kick-start into the growing season. You can find this at any home or garden center.

Spring is the season for planting as it gives young shrubs and flowers time to establish their root systems and thrive through the growing season. If you’re looking for late season color, plant your fall flowering bulbs now. Pay attention to frost advisories if you are putting in delicate plants that are sensitive to cold temperatures.

Finally, check over your irrigation system and make sure it’s ready to keep new plants moist and water the lawn as things dry out.

The long, cool wet months are behind us. Follow these simple tips and you’ll have a great looking yard all summer long.

As a final note, we’re proud to announce that our company, Natural Concept Landscape, was recently honored at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show with the People’s Choice Award, the Fred Palmer Garden Creator’s Award, and a silver medal. Read the full Everett Herald article: Snohomish designers take garden show awards.

The furnished model at Belle Meadows is open from 1:00-6:00 Mon, Thurs, Fri and 11:00 - 6:00 weekends and also for private showings by appointment

I want to tell you about Belle Meadows, an exciting new home community of Pacific Ridge Homes in now open in Lynnwood.

Located on a quiet cul de sac close to Alderwood Mall and Paine Field, this new 33-home neighborhood is about one mile from both I-5 and I-405, making all the amenities and opportunities of greater Seattle and Snohomish County readily accessible. Boeing workers will surely appreciate the close proximity to the Everett plant for a commute to work that’s short and sweet! And with the Alderwood Mall and all of its outstanding dining, entertainment and shopping right out your back door, you’ll always have something to do or a great place to eat.

This 1916 sq ft Jefferson plan is just one of the eight new home plans available at Belle Meadows in Lynnwood.

Belle Meadows features eight different and unique new home plans in three and four bedroom configurations ranging from 1,484 – 2,377 square feet. As with all Pacific Ridge homes, there are hundreds of customizable options to choose from to put your own personal touches on your new home. Upgrade your kitchen cabinets, add some engineered hardwood flooring, or opt for a cozy gas fireplace in your family room. You dream it and we’ll build it.?

The kitchen in our furnished model - the Shasta II: 2377 sq ft, 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths

Standard features on all Belle Meadows homes are impressive. Items like high quality black GE appliances, warm toned birch kitchen cabinetry with concealed hinges, chrome Moen and Olympia faucets, state-of-the-art cabling and network wiring, high-efficiency forced air natural gas furnaces with programmable thermostats are all included with every home in the community. You get a lot for your money with Pacific Ridge.

This wrap-around view of the master bath in the Shasta II model featuring seperate his-hers vanities, soaking tub and separate shower enclosure. The large walk-in closet (not shown) is also accessed from inside the master bathroom.

Prices in Belle Meadows start at $221,195 and that is pretty impressive, given the location of the community and the quality of the homes.

Our furnished model home is open Thursday-Monday until 6:00 pm but, I encourage you to give me a call at 206-734-4226 to schedule a private showing.

Maintaining community parks, like this one at Pacific Meadows in Marysville, are just one of responsibilities of the neighborhood Home Owners Association (HOA).

Today, a Home Owners Association (HOA) governs many new home and established neighborhoods. Most Pacific Ridge developments have an HOA in place for their residents. For those new to this arrangement I’d like to provide an overview of what these associations do as well as how to maximize your involvement.

Generally, HOAs are set up to take care of any common areas in a neighborhood. These may be parks, play areas, nature trails, entry monuments, storm water ponds and facilities, etc. These areas are owned in part by everyone in the community and are there for all to enjoy. The association arranges care and maintenance of these areas and collects the necessary funds to do so.

Another role of the HOA is to keep tabs on the general appearance and upkeep of the neighborhood. Each community is different, but there may be rules in place for pets (leash guidelines, waste pick up, etc.), parking, noise restrictions, yard maintenance, trashcans and the like. The HOA has the right to cite homeowners who don’t comply with the rules and impose fines if necessary.

Many associations have Architectural Control Committees (ACC’s) in place to review any plans from residents who want to make changes to their home or property. The ACC has the power to approve home additions, large landscape projects, fences, sheds, etc. and generally looks at how each project fits in with the overall look and feel of the community.

HOAs are set up with articles of incorporation (non-profit), Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&R’s), and a set of bylaws. Most associations have a Board of Directors consisting of 3-5 residents, a president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Dues are collected from each homeowner to cover any costs involved in maintaining the common areas. Association insurance premiums and reserves for future projects also come from everyone’s dues. Make sure you read and understand the CC&R’s, bylaws and HOA dues structure of your community before you finalize a home purchase in the neighborhood.

I always encourage new residents in our communities to get involved in their HOA. Attend the board meetings, volunteer for a project or committee, join a neighborhood watch group, or just go to a community picnic or BBQ. It’s a great way to meet your neighbors and learn more about what’s going on in your area.

Remember, it’s your community. Get involved and take pride in it!

Interested in a great upgrade for your new home? Check out the strength, beauty and durability of engineered hardwood flooring.

Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular upgrades we offer in our new homes. It can transform the look of a kitchen, dining area, family or living room from ordinary to extraordinary. Engineered hardwood is a great product that I highly recommend to all of our buyers. Here are some key benefits as well as what’s hot in this exciting new product.

Engineered hardwood flooring consists of 3-12 multiple ply layers that are cross-layered, glued and pressed together. The inner layers are made of either a hardwood or soft plywood type of material and use a tongue and groove system. The top veneer or wear layer is thicker than the other layers and made of the hardest wood. It is glued and pressed onto the top surface of the inner core layers.

This flooring comes in a wide variety of widths ranging from 3 – 7 inches and is generally between 3/8 – 3/4 inches thick. It is also available in an incredible variety of domestic and exotic hardwoods. Many are even available in the popular hand scraped styles that show more of the character and grain patterns in the wood.

Some of the most popular styles our buyers are choosing are the wider, more rustic looking boards. I always tell people there is no right or wrong look. In general, a narrower board provides a more traditional look while a wider board feels a bit more relaxed and informal. It’s truly whatever you like best.

The main advantage of engineered hardwood is its lifespan – an average of 20-30 years depending on traffic! Some of the thicker floors can even last up to 80 years before needing replacement. Other benefits include more resistance to moisture than traditional solid wood flooring and the ability to be glued down directly over concrete slabs or stapled over a wood subfloor.

As with any flooring in your home, your main concern should always be what the demands and traffic will be in that particular area. High traffic areas that receive a lot of rough use like kitchens and entries require an engineered floor with a thicker wear layer that can be refinished later if needed. Areas that receive less frequent use like a formal dining room can have floors with a thinner top layer.

The durability of these products is incredible. Engineered hardwood is used in many shopping malls and stores that receive a ton of foot traffic, so if you choose the correct product, you will have years and years of great looking floors with very little maintenance.

Related Posts

What’s Hot in Baths – Upgrade Ideas for Your New Home

What’s Hot in Showers and Bathrooms

What’s Hot in Countertops

What’s Hot in Kitchen Cabinetry

What’s Hot in Hardwood Flooring

This 4 bedroom Cascade is currently available at Larimer Crossing

I wanted to take the time to walk you through one of our most popular Pacific Ridge new homes, the 3,277 square foot Cascade.

This home is available in a four or five bedroom configuration with two and a half baths and a two-car garage. You come inside either from the garage or the covered front porch into a hardwood floor foyer and pass the formal living and dining rooms on your way back to the main living space. We worked very hard to create a large open feel to the floor plan and all of the “rooms” are more like individual areas in one large open space.

The gourmet kitchen in this Cascade can be found at Larimer Highlands.

The kitchen, dining nook, and family room are all adjacent to each other, so wherever you choose to be, you’re never far from all of the action. The kitchen is in the corner and features an island with eating bar, plenty of counter and cabinet space, a walk-in pantry, and a “butler” area with additional space and quick access to the formal dining room. Sliding glass doors lead outside to the deck/patio from the eating nook.

A D12 stack-stone fireplace (pre-wired for flat screen tv) in the family room is a very popular choice with Cascade buyers.

The family room is spacious and has a full wall that’s perfect for an optional gas fireplace, home entertainment center, and additional cabinet configurations. As with all of our homes, the room is pre-wired for a flat panel television to hang over the fireplace. A powder room rounds out the main floor.

Head up the central staircase to the second floor where you’ll find four or five bedrooms and two full baths. With the four-bedroom configuration, we’ve included a loft area that is left open for additional space to spread out. This can be enclosed with a walk-in closet to create the fifth bedroom. We’ve also placed the utility/laundry room on the second floor for convenience.

The master bathroom in this Cascade features a large soaking tub surrounded by architectural columns and tile floor that extends up into a half wall. Also included in this same bathroom but, not shown, are a second vanity, separate shower with semi-frameless glass enclosure and a large walk-in closet.

The master suite is one of the main showcase areas of this home. It features an optional gas fireplace in the bedroom area and a huge bath. There’s a large corner soaking tub, separate shower, his/her separate vanities, and a walk-in closet. It’s a great place to escape and relax.

You can check out the Cascade in person at Larimer Highlands in Everett and also at Larimer Crossing in the Mill Creek-Snohomish area.