We are pleased to announce our luxury real estate services now are available in Barcelona, Spain, with the opening of Barcelona Sotheby’s International Realty.

The office is jointly owned by Markus Thoene and Christoph Toelle, who also operate Costa Brava Sotheby’s International Realty, which serves the high-end real estate market in the coastal region of Girona.

Download the press release for more information and join us in welcoming Barcelona Sotheby’s International Realty to our network.

Other Northwest MLS report findings:

• Single family homes accounted for about 87% of sales volume and about 90% of dollar volume.
• About half the homes sold last year had 3 bedrooms, about 3/4 of condos had 2 or less.
• Prices for 3 bedroom homes built before 2009 vary widely ranging from $112,375 in Grays Harbor County up to $408,500 in San Juan County.
• Average active listings per month reported in 2011 was 34,000.
• Of 860 million-dollar-plus sales of single family homes more than half was in Seattle’s Eastside. Of those, 145 were west of I-405 including Bellevue and Beaux Arts Village, Clyde Hill, Hunts Point, Medina and Yarrow Point.
• The highest priced single family home in the Northwest MLS sold last year was in Hunts Point on east Lake Washington for $14,750,000. The highest priced condo was sold in Kirkland for $3,249,000.
• Comparing median prices of homes sales within school districts the most expensive were in the Mercer Island School District ($824,000), followed by Bellevue ($550,000) and Issaquah ($530,000).
• 81,019 pending sales were shown during 2011, an increase of about 10.5% over 2010.
• The pace of sales measured by month’s supply and how long it would take for all inventory to sell at the current pace assuming no new inventory added showed an improvement over 2010. By this measurement, Snohomish County had the lowest supply followed by King County.

The firm, owned by the Pignatti Morano family and managed by Lorenzo Mercolini, joins our existing firms in Venice and Rome, Venice Sotheby’s International Realty and Rome Sotheby’s International Realty.

Please see the attached press release for more information, join us in welcoming Milan Sotheby’s International Realty to our network!

The channel features three categories of video: the Spotlight section provides candid views into some of the Sotheby’s International Realty^® network’s most exceptional properties and their lifestyles; the Property section contains videos on the many homes represented by the network; and the Destination section spotlights the many luxury markets served by the network around the world.

The YouTube channel also showcases the latest news from the brand’s Facebook and Twitter pages, offers direct links to the Sotheby’s Auction House’s videos and the Sotheby’s International Realty brand’s official website, and provides a lifestyle and amenities video search.

“Video is not a unique medium in real estate marketing but we are leveraging it in an innovative way,” said Wendy Purvey, chief marketing officer, Sotheby’s International Realty Affiliates LLC.  “Our YouTube channel was designed to provide consumers with an inside view of some of the world’s most extraordinary properties by focusing on the distinctive lifestyle and amenities they offer at any price point.  Consumers are looking to video now more than ever before as a research tool in the home-buying process, and YouTube, the No. 1 online video website, is where they are searching for video, with 60 percent of video streams happening there.”

The Sotheby’s International Realty network currently has more than 11,900 sales associates located in approximately 590 offices in 44 countries and territories worldwide.

“Now consumers in the Bellevue and Seattle market can get an inside glimpse of the exciting lifestyle and amenities found in some of the world’s most exquisite homes,” said Joseph Brazen.  “The Sotheby’s International Realty YouTube channel enables us to offer our clients another powerful tool to market their homes.  According to YouTube, 48 hours of video is uploaded there every minute.  When you consider that, this new channel substantiates the consumer demand for video.  As well, those looking to learn more about the Bellevue and Seattle market and what we have to offer can experience it firsthand here.”

We are pleased to announce that Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty in Princeton, N.J., has merged with N.T. Callaway Real Estate, LLC to create Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty with its headquarters in Princeton.

N.T. Callaway Real Estate, LLC was one of the brand’s first affiliates in 1976, and we are proud to welcome them back.  The newly combined firm will operate five offices located in Princeton, Pennington, Cranbury, Montgomery and Lambertville.  Pete Callaway, Norman Callaway, Karen Callaway Urisko, Jud Henderson, Matt Henderson and Jane Henderson Kenyon all will maintain leadership roles.

Please see the Press Release for more information and join us in welcoming Callaway Henderson Sotheby’s International Realty to our network.

“All over we are seeing healthy marketplaces emerge as the inventory levels drop”, said J. Lennox Scott. “As you get closer to the job centers of Seattle and Bellevue, the marketplace is looking strong again. The outlook for 2012 is the continuation of a strengthening marketplace, especially in the more affordable to mid range priced homes.”

The combination of shrinking inventory and favorable financing is causing some areas to become a seller’s market if measured by the supply of homes. Area-wide there’s about a five month supply of homes, generally considered to be a balanced market favoring neither side.

Snohomish County inventory of active listings is down more than 28 percent from a year ago. Sub-areas of King County, including Renton, Federal Way, Ballard, Sand Point, Lake City and parts of Bellevue have an even shorter supply of properties on the market in relation to demand.

A slight increase in sales activity in the high-end market (up to a million dollars) around Seattle and Bellevue is anticipated due to higher FHA loan limits, which in turn can increase sales activity in mid-price ranges as existing homeowners move up in price range. Well priced homes are still receiving multiple offers, and interest rates in the “3’s” will contribute to the momentum.

OB Jacobi believes the market has undergone a shift. “Where we’ve been during the past year is a place of transition. It has been a slow recovery, but the housing market has finally turned a corner, albeit a soft one with some bumps along the way” he commented.

Click here to download the NWMLS report that includes December 2011 Market Activity Summary and Puget Sound Region Pending Sales for 2000-2011 monthly comparison chart.

On page 5 is a photo of the Global Networking Event that includes Randi and Joseph Brazen along with Cindy Paur of Brazen Sotheby’s International Realty, all of them listed in the photo tagline.

In the “Seen & Heard Around the Network” section on page 9 you’ll see Joseph’s participation on the Leadership panel at the annual StarPower Conference in San Diego highlighted.

Joseph and Randi’s participation, networking and commitment to their specialty and brand gets results!

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Mary Nelson is a lifetime resident of the Pacific Northwest, attending eastside schools and the University of Washington.  She worked in Administration and Marketing in the broadcast and travel industries, and serves as an assistant for a Seattle based corporation and private foundation, with properties in California and Washington.  Mary and her husband Mark raised their children in Medina, where they attended local schools and participated in local sports.  Mary has been an active community volunteer in schools, local sports organizations, and on the board of Bellevue Town Hall.

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