King County Rental Market Recap: March 2014

*Synced from Seattle Luxury Rentals Blog
The King County rental market saw an increase in leased properties in March,  with 641 rentals, versus 611 leased properties in the same month last year, according to statistics from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service (NWMLS). While the NWMLS is a good gauge, it is only a portion of the real estate market.  Nonetheless, it shows rentals continue to be in high demand, especially in Metro areas.   Developers are following suit with big apartment buildings popping up in Ballard, Downtown, and South Lake Union and   according to an article from PSBJ, Seattle ranked the 7^th best market for rental property investing.
There are 268 current active rentals per the NWMLS in King County, 72 of which are in Seattle neighborhoods within about 6 miles of the downtown core and primarily made up of apartments and condos.  Rents continue to be competitive in the real estate market.

Do you Have Loud Neighbors? Tips for Dealing With the Noise

If you’re renting an apartment, the reality of dealing with possible altercations from neighbors is always a possibility, and the reality of having to deal with a noisy neighbor at some point is very likely. Here are some helpful tips to dealing with the noise:
Confront your neighbor directly- and nicely- that you can hear their late night noise through your walls, and that you would appreciate it if they could keep the noise at a comfortable level after hours. It’s likely that your neighbor might not even know that they are being loud, and by bringing it to their attention, might resolve the issue right then and there. If you feel comfortable bringing it to their attention, it’s a good idea to come up with a compromise, so that you both feel comfortable for the outcome. Give them a heads up of your schedule, and when you’d like quiet hours, and ask them what their schedule looks like too so it feels like a two way deal. If you don’t feel comfortable confronting your neighbor directly, contact your management- if the noise is too much for you to deal with, it is a responsible decision to leave it to them to resolve the issue; after all, your landlord is the only one authorized to fix the situation. You should also check your lease, as most apartments have quiet hours in the evenings, and if your neighbors are breaking those rules, you’ll have even the more claim to contacting management. For more information on Seattle rentals, contact your local real estate agent today.