A beautiful, top-level condo in Kenmore is waiting for you.

We're expecting our second child and so we're looking for a larger home. After more than decade of wonderful years in unit 202 of Northlake II Condominium, we felt this great place—and its neighborhood—deserved a bit more than a paragraph on the MLS. Please read a bit about the unit, the building it's in, and the neighborhood and its benefits (including its great schools), and e-mail our Realtor Nisha with any questions. Of course, we'd love for you to come take a look in person, so just give Nisha a call at 425-269-5902!

Unit 202: Take a look at home

Photos are the next best thing to being there, so let's take a little tour.

Please note: We added crown molding and granite countertops, refinished the cabinets, and replaced all our appliances in 2010. But some of the photos were taken before that.

Entry and
living area In 2007 we installed bamboo flooring. It looks great and it's easier to clean than carpet. The unit has thermal pane windows and a gas furnace make this home very economical.

Sitting area
and deck The deck overlooks flowering trees in neighbor's yard, and fits a BBQ nicely. There's a gas fireplace next to the sitting area (we used it for arts and crafts). Utility closet is the unit's own water heater (new in 2006) and furnace.

Hallway The hallway runs the length of the unit, from the living room down through the master bedroom.
Digital thermostat on the left controls the gas furnace that heats with forced air.
Full-size, stacked washer/dryer (new in 2010) in hallway closet is included. The closet has its own fan and ventilation system.

Note: the older, white appliances and cabinets are visible in this older photo →

Second Bedroom The second bedroom has a large double closet and overlooks the trees of the neighbor's side yard. We've used it as a home office and more recently as a nursery and kid's room.

Kitchen, pantry beyond Looking at the galley-style kitchen the bamboo flooring is visible through to the pantry and guest bathroom. New energy-efficient appliances installed in 2010, along with real granite countertops covering lots of countertop space. Refaced cabinets with slide-out racks. The dining room situated between the kitchen and living room.

Guest Bathroom Both bathrooms feature full tub, under-sink storage, Toto toilets, and tiled counters and backsplashes.
Note: we use compact-florescent light bulbs so if you come to visit, give the bathroom (and hallway) lights a minute to warm up.

Master Bedroom Very spacious master bedroom features a wall of closets. It's a bright room with a full master bath adjoining.

Master Bedroom, Closets The big master bedroom has a full wall of closets with sliding, 6-panel doors. A lot of storage in this unit!

Master Bathroom Full master bathroom features tile counter, backsplash and shower all in excellent condition. It's the same as the guest bath, but it's nice that it's private and doesn't have to be shared. Not visible in photo: new, large-tiled floor in both bathrooms.

Northlake II Condo: The Building

When looking for a condo to buy, we wanted a small building that felt like home. We had friends in condos with multiple large buildings and speed bumps in the parking lot; we knew that wasn't for us. Here are some things you should know about the building:

• Good condition and healthy reserves - The homeowner's association (HOA) takes good care of the building; it's our shared home. We completed a Condominium Reserve Fund study as required by Washington law. The results showed the building is in good shape, and our reserves are building up for anticipated maintenance.
• VERY New roof - We've just (May, 2012) replaced the building's roof with 30-year, warrantied materials.
• Fresh paint - The entire building—including the garage, interior, and exterior—has been repainted between the fall of 2009 and the summer 2010.
• Super quiet - The building is very well-built and that means it's quiet. We never hear our neighbors when we're in the unit, and in fact every unit shares only one wall (in the living room) with the adjoining unit. It's a smart design.
• No pool, weight room, etc. - Though some might think this is a disadvantage, we never have. The building is small and therefore doesn't need these common areas. Most folks living in complexes that have them don't use them anyway but pay for them in maintenance and insurance costs.
• Pets not restricted - In years past, some owners have had small dogs and our downstairs neighbor has a cat. The HOA bylaws are purposefully vague, but potential owners should know that they are expected to keep animal noises and other pet-related inconveniences to a minimum for their neighbor's sake. But in over a decade we've never had a pet problem and don't expect any.
• Power station next door - Though you see it when you approach the building, it's really not an issue, especially for units on the building's north side (which ours is). You can't see or hear it. Our windows overlook the neighbor's nice back yard. An electromagnetic scan conducted by PSE this month reported no increased fields in the unit..
• Auction house - The building's across from James G. Murphy auction house, which isn't a big deal except for an occasional weekend when they have an auction: things get busy! Lots of people and cars, but it's only for a few hours. And it's kinda fun.

A great place to live: The Neighborhood

• Walk to (just about) everything - We're very close to a ton of services on Bothell Way (see the map above) and so much is within walking distance:
  • 1 minute to a Metro 306 stop right across the street that goes right downtown Seattle!
  • 2 minutes to new Kenmore city hall just down the street
  • 5 minutes to Safeway shopping complext with a Rite Aid, cleaners, Jet City Pizza, and more (east side of 68th & Bothell Way)
  • 5 minutes to great busline to the UW (Route 372), downtown (Routes 306, 312, 522), or the eastside (west side of 68th & Bothell Way)
  • 6 minutes to the Burke-Gilman Trail (south side of Bothell Way)
  • 8 minutes to Kenmore Park & Ride (east side of 71st & Bothell Way)
  • 8 minutes to Kenmore Library (west side of 67th & Bothell Way)
  • 10 minutes to Wallace Swamp Creek Park (east side of 68th & 191st)
  • 20 minutes on the Burke-Gilman Trail to Lake Forest Park Towne Center, 3rd Place Books, etc.
• Schools - The building is in the terrific Northshore School District. Click to see each of these schools on the map above:
  • Elementary School: Kenmore Elementary
  • Junior High School: Kenmore Junior High
  • High School: Inglemoor High