Gig Harbor Undressed

Good to tour Gig Harbor again

It’s interesting when you live in an area how easy it is to forget what makes it special.  You tend to get into your little routine, travelling the same routes, doing the same things, seeing the same people, and while it’s comfortable and nice, you can miss what else your town offers.  When I lived in Park City, Ut, I took the skiing for granted.  When I lived in Santa Barbara, Ca, the beach was just kind of there.  Now, living in Gig Harbor, Wa, I can tend to miss the true beauty of our neighborhoods and the kindness of our residents.

I had the pleasure of touring Gig Harbor again this weekend, as I had some clients in from out of state.  It was busy (we had 34 homes to tour, added 2 more to the list, eventually crossed 16 off the list, but saw 4 homes twice!) but it was a lot of fun for me (and my clients too, I hope!).  I runjog or walk through Canterwood nearly every day, but driving through it and seeing it through the eyes of a potential resident, it just jumps out at you again how nice Canterwood is.  I’ve loved the Millbrooke neighborhood off of Rosedale ever since it was built about 4 years ago, but visiting there with potential residents made me that much more aware of the impeccable condition of those homes and their yards.   Driving through Cromwell Woods and Trillium Park, and so many other fantastic Gig Harbor neighborhoods just re-invigorated my love for the whole Gig Harbor area.

I also had some interesting interactions with several of our residents.  How do you schedule appointments for 36 homes?  How do you give ample notice and maintain minimal inconvenience?  I guess I found out that you don’t.  I cancelled 16 appts (and by cancelled I pretty much mean didn’t show up for) this weekend.  With one exception, every seller whom I had requested a showing and then ended up not being able to make it was very gracious.  That’s not an easy thing to do, as the process of getting your home ready to show, vacating the home for a period, and getting your hopes up that these might be the people who will want your house, is a very taxing process.  I truly appreciate all of those sellers who made their homes available and accepted our inability to visit their homes.  I apologize to the one seller who was angry…it’s just the way it goes.

In addition to getting to speak with gracious Gig Harbor residents, it is always fun to have conversations with amiable sellers as you schedule the appointments.  Many ask about my business, some ask about the buyers, a few leave out candy or bake cookies.  It’s really a fun way to “meet” the folks in our community.  There’s one home in particular, in a great gated community in a very good location, that I really wish I could find a buyer for.  The yard is fully fenced and huge, the house is spotless and very large, and the seller is just plain kind.  She made a baby cap for some buyers of mine a few months back (my clients were pregnant at the time of showing), and she had fresh snicker-doodles made for us this time.  I’ve never met her, she doesn’t know me, but she’s always fun to talk to and makes her home extremely inviting.  Unfortunately it just hasn’t worked for either client to whom I’ve shown it.

As a resident of Gig Harbor I can tend to get stuck in my routine rut.  Spending a weekend like this past one, driving through so many of Gig Harbor’s fine neighborhoods, seeing yards decorated for birthday parties, passing picnics in the City Park, watching the Gig Harbor Little League field covered with excited young future Mariners, speaking with residents whom I’ll most likely never meet but still feel as though I know, is a real treat.  If you haven’t visited Gig Harbor recently, or if you’re a resident of Gig Harbor stuck in your routine, take a weekend and just tour the town.  Maybe go to some open houses or call a Realtor and go view that home for sale that you’ve been wanting to see.  It’s a great way to reconnect with our community!