Here are a few more fun photos of Gig Harbor that I just rediscovered. I took these along a beach in East Gig Harbor, just south of Sunrise Beach. These were from the day after Christmas, but I just re-discovered them recently. There are some fantastic homes for sale in Gig Harbor along this beach and with these views…let me know if you’d like automated email alerts for any homes for sale in Gig Harbor!
That last one is just for fun!
I’ve got a great view home for sale in the heart of Gig Harbor that comes with a big BONUS–a buildable view lot! If you’d like to preview the property, I’ll be holding an open house tomorrow (Thursday Feb 4) from 9:30am-1pm. Odd time? That’s the “broker’s tour” where area agents caravan and take a look at all of the new listings on the market, but anybody is welcome.
Swing by and say hello and take a first hand look at a fantastic opportunity to invest in Gig Harbor real estate.
Gig Harbor is definitely a healthy community. I’m not much of a fan of swimming, but I enjoy running and biking. Well, now I just kinda jog, but I ran at one point in my life. Regardless, this isn’t about me. If you’re into triathlons, and you live in the Gig Harbor area, check out the Gig Harbor Triathletes page. Great information on local running races, triathlons, and everything associated with the sport!
Gig Harbor and chocolate combined? WOW! I love Gig Harbor. I love chocolate. Can you imagine Gig Harbor full of chocolate? Saturday it becomes a reality. Read more about Gig Harbor’s “The Art Of Chocolate” this Saturday (Feb 6) from Noon-6pm.
Gig Harbor and salmon are connected in a variety of ways. Many Harborites still make their living from fishing for salmon, and many others rely on the fishermen’s success for their own. There’s an important decision looming on the horizon that will directly impact our salmon run. Here’s bits of an email I received from Blake and Allison Merwin of the Gig Harbor Fly Shop.
While crime rates in Gig Harbor seem to be getting in the news (from residential jewelery heists to major copper thefts from our kids’ play fields) this crime map shows that crime in Gig Harbor actually declined 11% in ‘09 from ‘08. Below is a helpful post that I found on a San Diego Real Estate blog that gives some good tips on how to prevent your home from showing up on the map!
THINGS YOUR BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU
1. Of course I look familiar. I was here just last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your new refrigerator.
2. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.
3. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste … and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.
4. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway. And I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes you to remove it.
5. If it snows while you’re out of town, get a neighbor to create car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.
6. If decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see if it’s set. That makes it too easy.
7. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom-and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.
8. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door-understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.
9. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. (Don’t take me up on it.)
10. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.
11. Here’s a helpful hint: I almost never go into kids’ rooms.
12.. You’re right: I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.
13. A loud TV or radio can be a better deterrent than the best alarm system. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a $35 device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow of a real television. (Find it at faketv.com.)
8 MORE THINGS A BURGLAR WON’T TELL YOU:
1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.
2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.
3. I’ll break a window to get in, even if it makes a little noise.. If your neighbor hears one loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. If he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.
4. I’m not complaining, but why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without setting it?
5. I love looking in your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TVs or gaming systems I’d like. I’ll drive or walk through your neighborhood at night, before you close the blinds, just to pick my targets.
6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.
7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in a little fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.
8. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and walk right in.
Sources: Convicted burglars in North Carolina, Oregon, California, and Kentucky; security consultant Chris McGoey, who runs crimedoctor.com; and Richard T. Wright, a criminology professor at the University of Missouri-St.. Louis, who interviewed 105 burglars for his book Burglars on the Job.
Keller Williams Realty Gig Harbor is participating in a shoe drive for Haitians recovering from the earthquake. Through the end of January, you can donate new or gently used shoes by dropping them by my office located at 11515 Burnham Drive NW Gig Harbor 98332. If you can pass this on to any friends or co-workers, that’d be great.
For more information on Shoes2Share, please visit their website. If you’d like more information on how to donate shoes, or if you need me to pick up shoes for you, just give me a call or comment on this post!
If you live in Gig Harbor and you are looking for someone to do a fantastic home remodel, you should give Jim Bauml of J.J. Homes, Inc. There are all sorts of reasons to remodel your current home in times like these. Maybe you’re wanting to sell your home, but it has some deferred maintenance that needs attending to. Maybe you’d like a newer home, but you are afraid that selling your current home in this market isn’t the best idea, so you decide to remodel instead. Whatever your reasons, Jim Bauml is certainly one of Gig Harbor’s best home remodel workmen.
I sold a house this summer to some folks who hired Jim to completely redo their master bathroom and kitchen, as well as some work in the powder room and laundry room. I recently went through the house (I should have taken photos!) and was amazed. Jim expanded the master bath, put in a heated tile floor, redid the shower and tub, moved the toilet, it was fantastic. The kitchen was amazing as well. Remodeling your kitchen and baths are the 2 best things you can do to add value to your home.
In addition to remodels, Jim does a variety of handyman projects. Gig Harbor homes get battered by the weather in many cases, and often times have odd sloped lots. Jim can do all sorts of concrete work, including retaining walls. He’s fantastic at tile work as well. If you live in Gig Harbor and need any home repairs (maybe you are selling and some issues came up in a home inspection) or have some remodel projects, give Jim a call at 253-970-1483.
If you’re looking for some Gig Harbor area real estate deals, I’d like to remind you of 3 that I have offered. I currently have 3 very different real estate listings…2 in Gig Harbor and one in the nearby commuter community of Fife.
As most of you know, the home buyer tax credits will be coming to an end within the next few months. You’ve probably also heard the rumblings this morning that interest rates are poised to start their rise. What’s all this mean? If you’re a first time home buyer looking in the Seattle or Tacoma markets, you may want to start getting serious. This home in Fife is a fantastic option, as you’re a quick jump onto the freeway for an easy drive up to Seattle or down to Tacoma or even Olympia. This 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home with 2069 square feet will entice you with upgrades such as a gorgeous covered back patio to enjoy the greenbelt behind your house and a newer heat pump for super efficient heating in the winter and A/C in the summer. Listed at only $285,500, this home will make someone moving to Tacoma or moving to Seattle very happy.
I’ve also got this 4 bedroom 2 bath view home listed in the heart of downtown Gig Harbor. Not only do you get a 2173 square foot view home on city sewer and water, you also get a buildable view lot! Imagine having a home in Gig Harbor that’s an easy walk down to the Tides Tavern and all of the other waterfront features, PLUS getting a valuable lot to build another view home! The home and lot together are only $450,000!
Finally, for those looking to build an affordable home in a great Gig Harbor location, I have this 1/2 acre lot available off of Artondale Drive for only $125,000! This vacant land is ready for your building plans. Gas, water, and electricity are available, and the soil has been perked for a septic design. Perfect set up for a daylight basement floorplan. You’re new home could be built just down the road from the Gig Harbor Golf Course and Wollochet Bay!
If you or someone you know is looking for some real estate deals in the Gig Harbor area, please give me a call!
The Keller Williams Realty belief system is summed up in a fun little acronym (there’s so many little phrases unique to Keller Williams they’ve been dubbed Kellerisms or Keller Speak). WI4C2TS (pronounced more like Y four sees two tees) stands for “Win Win, Integrity, Committment, Customers, Communication, Creativity, Team, Trust, Success.”
I think I’m going to do a little series here on what that means to us as a company and more specifically me as an agent. I wanted to start today with the “I”. The saying goes, “Integrity: Do the right thing.” Here’s a great blog by Keller Williams’ Mo Anderson about where this came from. It’s a great story of doing the right thing, even when it’s hard.
Personally, I’ve found that the WI4C2TS is a great guide for just about any decision you have to make in life. If you want to see a fun video of the belief systems in action, take a look!
