Real Estate Brokerage for the Arts

As the former Executive Director of the Seattle Arts Commission, I understand the need for creative and alternative living and working space for practicing artists.
That is why I am starting a division of my real estate brokerage for working specifically with the arts and other creative class members.

ArtHaven will secure Seattle properties for artists, small arts groups, and cultural workers to rent, lease or purchase for cultural use.

We seek out the kinds of residential and commercial spaces that work well for adaptive re-use as live/work space, assembly halls, music and choral stages, offices, studio and production space.

We can buy properties in either pristine or “as is” condition, as my prospective clients and I have experience in fixing up and improving properties. To us, that is a great way to contribute to the neighborhood and earn sweat equity by investing time and energy in restoring or converting a building to a cultural use.

We are especially interested in properties that could be purchased “as-is” with seller financing, down payment assistance, contract for deed (installment payments), or even long-term leasing, preferably with the option to purchase. This helps keep the costs affordable for our "creative class" clients.

If you are looking for space to buy at an affordable price, or have space to sell or lease that might work for artists, small arts groups, or other cultural workers, please contact Wendy Ceccherelli at www.ArtHaven.us or 206-355-1706.

Please leave comments below if you have suggestions, or are interested in working with us.

Government Programs for Real Estate

I had dinner with and listened last night to national speaker Sean Carpenter at the Real Estate Association of Puget, talking about government funding programs for real estate development. Sean Carpenter has done over $500M in real estate transactions over the past 12 years using government programs to put tenants in his properties, cover down payments, fund entire rehabs, and paying out millions in tax credits. These are OUR tax dollars, and the federal government makes these funds available to fuel economic growth and redevelop blighted neighborhoods.

Government funding is available through such programs as Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Neighborhood Stabilization funds, Community Development Block Grants (which just celebrated its 40th anniversary!), Home Program, Section 8 housing vouchers, Federal Home Loan Bank funding, and FHA programs such as FHA 221(d)(4) for new construction, and Sean's favorite FHA223(f).

Some of these government funding programs offer 0% interest, no payments, and loan forgiveness within 15 years.

As a former government employee, I know that these programs are out there, and that they exist to stimulate economic development, eliminate blight, encourage economic growth, and to achieve other public policy goals such as affordable housing. Tax incentives and tax credits can make an otherwise unprofitable venture more attractive to a developer/investor.

Last night's talk rekindled my interest in developing artist spaces, an opportunity to marry my 25 year career as a government arts administrator with my new career path as a real estate entrepreneur. If any of my readers are interested in pursuing this angle of development, let's talk!