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)

Seattle Boat Show

Seattle Boat Show Fri 1/21 – Sun 1/30

This is the biggest boat show on the west coast. (Show hours and location map). The show features more than 1,000 yachts and boats plus the latest accessories and supplies. There are more than 200 interesting boating and fishing seminars.

I will be at the show signing copies of his book, playing on HDTV a new multi-media presentation of the Evening Magazine segment on the book plus cruising and the book’s highlights. Books will be available for purchase and I will be signing them along with an informal Q&A that may include my experiences in photographing the mansions and writing and self publishing this unique book. Please stop by anytime at Captain’s Nautical Supplies booth – Concourse 2236.

Darren Berg Home Sale - $5.9 Million

View of Mercer Island North End

Berg’s Former Home

The Seattle Times and Puget Sound Business Journal reported Darren Berg’s Mercer Island north end waterfront mansion is being sold for $5.9 million by a U.S bankruptcy court. The house is not included in Lake Washington 130 Homes. It is located between the homes on pages 42 and 43 and near the Roanoke Inn.

The purchaser is Robert M. Harris Jr., the founder and CEO of Seattle based Pacific Market International. The company manufactures and sells food and beverage containers.

Berg is accused of running a massive Ponzi scheme. His company, Seattle based Meridian Group, raised over $280 million from investors over the last ten years. The money was reported as being invested in real estate investment funds. Berg is charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and bankruptcy fraud. Meridian filed for bankruptcy and Berg filed for personal bankruptcy in July 2010.

The home has 5,400 sq ft with 112 feet of waterfront. Berg paid $5.5 million in 2007 for the property and spent over $3 million in a two year make-over. The property was listed for $8.2 million in September 2010.

(picture posted 5/20/11)
(Updated 12/30/11, 5/22/11, 1/17/11)

Paul Allen House Guide

The following is a guide to Paul Allen’s 9.6 acre multi-mansion estate/campus on Mercer Island. It is on the west side of the Island about 4 miles south of the I-90 Bridge. It is directly across from Seattle’s Seward Park.

A – 4 buildings ~200 ft from water: 10,680 sq ft main building with gym and 2 indoor tennis courts; 5,220, 4,210, and 2,050 sq ft guest houses; and 12+ car garages for an antique and race car museum and guest parking.

B – Mother’s house, ~50 feet from water, 11,300 sq ft plus 7 car garage.

C – Catamaran, Dragonfly, to drag-and-fly helicopters.

D – Main house including attached indoor pool and lakefront building to the north and wood garden/lakefront house to the south, 9,890 sq ft.

E– Concert hall theater and guest facilities, 11,560 sq ft.

F – 1,750 sq ft house with 100 ft waterfront acquired in 2006 for $5.2 million.

The mansion is on pages 64 and 65 in Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Mercer Island Mansion Sells for $6.8 Million

This Faben Point Mansion sold in October for $6.8 million. Last year when my book was published it was listed for $8.8 million. The sellers were William K. and Mary E. Buckley. The buyer was Lars Karlsson Edenkrans, a prominent clothing industry CEO from Sweden.

From the previous Internet listing: “One of a kind. 110′ wft. Killer View West, on MI’s Faben Point with birds eye view of SeaFair. Commute to Seattle or Bellevue in 5 min or downtown MI in seconds. Approx 9000 Sqft of living in main house plus separate guest house. Designed for easy, relaxed living. Main level great room includes dual media perfect for upscale entertaining or Super Bowl parties. Included in sale enjoy the golf cart, 2 Supercharged SeaDoos and 25′ Cobalt . . . Just bring your Yacht! Truly designed for FUN!”

The photograph above (plus additional information on the home) is from page 53 in my book, Lake Washington 130 Homes. This is the house on the right (southern) of the three large mansions just north of the I-90 Bridge that can be seen from the bridge. It is the 3rd home from the left in the top picture in my 12/19/10 post immediately below.

Mercer Island Waterfront Sales

View of Mercer Island from I-90 Bridge

View of Mercer Island’s south end from the water

“Mercer Island Waterfront Sales Tripling in 2010” is the headline of the blog called Seattle Waterfront Homes by Sam DeBord. He reported the island’s waterfront sales are on pace to triple the number sold in 2009. The Lytle mansion (see my 9/27/10 post below) sale for $12 million was the island’s most expensive  2010 sale. A $4 million sale on the south end of the island was recorded in November and will be the subject of a subsequent post. Mercer Island had 29 waterfront property sales recorded through November 2010 and had only 9 for the same period in 2009.

DeBord reported in his previous postings sales on the Eastside and Seattle waterfronts are also up substantially from 2009. I recommend DeBord's blog for anyone interested in the area’s waterfront sales activity.

Microsoft’s Ballmer’s Mansion

Steve Ballmer’s Hunts Point Estate

The Seattle Times reported that many stockholders at Microsoft’s 11/16/10 annual meeting “grumbled about Microsoft’s languishing stock price.” Click here CEO Steve Ballmer conducted most of the meeting and discussed Wall Street’s disconnect to the stock price, optimizing every day, new products, and Goldman Sachs’ suggestion to break up the company.

The Seattle Times also reported, in an 11/5/10 article, Ballmer is selling $2 billion of his Microsoft stock. This is about 18% of his holdings. Click here 

Compared to the other 30 present and past Microsoft executives’ homes in my book, Ballmer has a relatively modest estate. It is in Hunts Point and next door to Craig McCaw’s (formerly Kenny G’s) estate. The photograph above is from page 155 in my book, Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Mastro Mansion Sells for $9.1 Million

The Seattle Times reported Michael Mastro’s Mansion sold for $9.1 million by the bankruptcy court. The buyers used an attorney to sign the documents to keep their identity off the official records.

My previous blogs below, dated 10/11/10 and 11/12/09, provide additional information on the Mastro bankruptcy and “family and friends” investors. The photograph above is from page 126 in my book, Lake Washington 130 Homes.

Seattle Times article:  Click here

More in formation is in previous posts on 10/11/10 and 11/12/09.

LW 130 Homes B&N on sale

Barnes & Noble On-Line currently has Lake Washington 130 Homes on sale for $12.92.