Lake Washington 130 Homes Review – Sam DeBord

Sam DeBord posted an excellent review of Lake Washington 130 Homes.

“When I'm not spending my time working with clients, I still love to take my family down to the waterfront whenever possible. Viewing Lake Washington waterfront homes, whether by boat or visiting open houses has always been one of my favorite pastimes (I know, I should probably have a little more division between business and leisure).

“One of the best publications I've read in years is David Dykstra's Lake Washington 130 Homes. It's a virtual guide to the stars in the Greater Seattle region, with waterfront photos, history, personal stories and background on his "Top 130" homes on Lake Washington. While you can see satellite photos and "for sale" listings online, you rarely get this kind of an up-close look at these kinds of properties.” (plus much more)

Since late December 2010 DeBord’s Seattle Waterfront Homes blog has been featuring a “Lake Washington Waterfront Home of the Day” from Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Sam DeBord is a Realtor® and Managing Broker with SeattleHome.com and Coldwell Banker Danforth. His research and writing focus on Seattle Waterfront homes, as well as the Seattle luxury real estate market. His Seattle Waterfront Homes blog is an excellent source of news and information about Lake Washington homes and real estate activity.

Darren Berg Update

Berg’s Former Home and Yacht

The Seattle Times published an extensive article Sunday 1/16/11 by Rami Grunbaum about Darren Berg (prior post). The article starts: “Financial scandals have trailed Frederick Darren Berg across the Northwest for more than 25 years – each linked to his unusual lifelong fixation on tour buses.”

Berg is charged in the biggest Ponzi scheme ever prosecuted in Washington state. Through his company, Meridian Group, he is accused of defrauding hundreds, some of whom their life savings, of more than $280 million.

The article details Berg’s history of fraud going back to his 1980s fraternity days at the University of Oregon.

My prior post on 12/30/10 included information on $5.9 million sale of his Mercer Island north-end waterfront home. I will post a picture of the mansion taken from the water when the weather gets better. (Updated 12/30/11, 5/22/11)