Last fall, Diva Kaz had the pleasure of helping Seattle newbies and first time home buyers, Aaron and Elena find a new home. The kids were looking for a home and neighborhood that fit their active lifestyle and could store their collection of bikes and outdoor gear. Aaron and Elena contacted the Divas after researching real estate agents online and reading comments from all of our happy Diva Dwellers on Yelp.

After a couple of home tours, Elena and Aaron found a mid-century loft style condo on the north side of Queen Anne. Knowing that they would be competing against another offer, Diva Kaz suggested that they write a personal letter to the seller, expressing their attachment to the home and their desire to maintain its many unique features. The letter worked, and even though the competing offer was higher, the seller chose Elena and Aaron’s offer, knowing that they would love and take care of her home.

The Divas were super excited to learn that Elena works for Second Use, an organization that reclaims building materials and hardware and makes it available to people looking for unique and eco-friendly features for their homes. Many of our Diva Dwellers already know of and use Second Use as a resource when remodeling their homes, or just looking for that one decorative piece that you can’t find anywhere else. For those of you who haven’t explored using reclaimed materials, we highly recommend you stop by Second Use and discover the amazing things you can do with recycled decor.

Here is Aaron and Elena’s Diva Dweller Story:

• How did you meet the Divas? We found them on Yelp. We were impressed by the glowing reviews and happy to learn their office was only a few blocks from our old Capitol Hill apartment.
• What type of home did you purchase? We bought a small two bedroom and 1.5 bath condo. It’s in a 1960s building with five other units. The unit needs some work, but it has a lot of wonderful existing features.
• What was your first “OMG” house moment? Hands down, replacing the broken angle stops in our bathrooms! We were cursing everyone who told us it was a great time to buy.
• What is your greatest home extravagance? Ha! I cant say we have any real extravagances in our home, yet!  Ask us again in five years, when we’re not poor, first-time homeowners.
• What is in your junk drawer? Tape measure, pens and bike lights.
• Would you rather
  1. Mow lawn/paint the fence: Mow the lawn
  2. Untangle computer cords/sort socks: Untangle computer cords
  3. Test the smoke detectors/fix squeaky doors: Fix squeaky doors
  4. Plunge the toilet/clean out the refrigerator: Clean out the fridge
  5. Clean the gutters/take down holiday decorations: Clean the gutter
• What is your favorite Hood hangout spot? One of the closest businesses to our condo is the Book Bindery. It’s a little restaurant and wine tasting room that is tucked away off of Nickerson Street. We drove by it several times without even seeing it but were glad when we finally did! It’s a nice spot for a special occasion.
• What is your favorite local organization/nonprofit? I work for a community business called Second Use Building Materials. When someone is, for example, remodeling his/her kitchen, Second Use goes in and takes the cabinets, sinks, countertops, etc., to prevent them from going in the landfill. Then, we sell the materials in our store at a discount. We also put our inventory online and update it daily http://www.seconduse.com/catalog. The whole concept is a great win-win because it reduces waste, but it also helps people save money.
• What do you love the most about your house? Easily our favorite things about our condo are the vaulted ceilings, the two balconies, our view of Ballard, the mid-century fireplace and our reading loft. Those things make it feel like a unique, special space.

The Divas want to give a special congratulations to Elena and Aaron, who got engaged during a recent trip to the Caribbean. A new house and a new stage in your life together – what an amazing way to start off 2012! We look forward to following the kids as they redo their home (using materials from Second Use, of course!), get married, and build their life in the city we love so much.