Gig Harbor Undressed

Photos on Gig Harbor’s waters

Erin, one of the contributors to this blog, sent me these photos of the Gig Harbor area.  Some are from land, others from boat.  She mentioned something that I probably should have months ago…the boat she took these photos from was rented.  Gig Harbor Rent-A-Boat, located right downtown between Anothony’s restaurant and The Waterfront Inn (Gig Harbor’s best bed and breakfast in my opinion), rents boats for a very reasonable price.  My wife and I took her youngest sister out last summer.  All the speed boats were rented, so we got the “Party Pontoon” boat…a big old thing that holds 16 people or there abouts.  Pretty funny for the 3 of us, but as Erin mentioned in her email to me, worth every penny.

This is from the waters of the Puget Sound, with Tacoma’s Pt Defiance Park the land to the right, and Vashon Island the land in the background. 

This is the lighthouse that welcomes boaters at the mouth of Gig Harbor Bay.  You can access it from private homes at the mouth of the harbor, or by kayak (or other boat).  I don’t know if it’s public or privately owned, however, so I’ve never stopped by.

Probably the most photographed shot in all of Gig Harbor, but I never grow tired of it.  Pictures of Mount Rainier over Gig Harbor rarely look alike, as the mountain and sky are always changing.

I love what black and white can do to the same image.  Mt Rainier, assuming it doesn’t blow anytime soon, is just a gorgeous mountain to look at.

How does this Gig Harbor Realtor handle the “down market?”

I keep hearing bad news about the real estate market.  People approach me as if my dog just died when they ask, “How’s the market?  How’s your business doing?”  I appreciate the concern, as things have slowed down a bit…slowed down to a normal market.  With 2 great sales this past week (by great, I mean perfect homes for the buyers…I love seeing people realize that they’ve found “the home”), I can hear the doom and gloom and just…

Shake it off!  Both homes I sold this past week were in the Rosedale area of Gig Harbor.  Yes, the market has changed.  But this is one real estate agent who won’t participate in the pity party.  Does that make me tough or defiant?  Nope…it means I have a company of leaders around me at Keller Williams who can guide me, remind me that this market is normal, and support me as I move on.

Great Gig Harbor Photos

I’ve posted several photos of Gig Harbor in the past several months, including many of these.  I don’t think you can ever get enough of the beautiful Gig Harbor photographs, so here are some of my favorites.  For more incredible photos of Gig Harbor (and any area for that matter), log on to Flickr.com and type in “Gig Harbor” under search.  You’ll be amazed at some of the photographers that find priceless shots in Gig Harbor.

If you’ve thought of relocating to Gig Harbor, and these photos have helped to convince you, please give me a call!  To see my posted Gig Harbor photos, click here.  Don’t forget to check out “Gig Harbor” on Flickr.com…Jim Nelson and John Pleau are two of my favorite local photographers, but there’s too many to mention!

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!

Amazing Gig Harbor Wildlife Show!

Gig Harbor has some beautiful scenery, and some exciting wildlife as well. One thing I love about selling homes in Gig Harbor is hearing back from my clients about all the great things they love about their new home. I’ve featured photos from John Pleau before, but these may be the most remarkable. John’s a good friend, great photographer, all around good guy, and was a pretty good client, too.

Check out these photos he took from the deck of his Ray Nash waterfront home today. He assured me the baby ducklings all came out safely, and some large geese jumped in the fray to chase off the eagle. Amazing what you can view in Gig Harbor…who needs a TV?

Bald eagle swooping in for a snack.

DUCK duckling!

Momma duck trying to protect her ducklings.

Spring in Gig Harbor, Washington

I’ve lived in some beautiful places in my lifetime.  Growing up in Park City, UT; going to college in Santa Barbara, CA; living for a semester in San Francisco; then moving here to Gig Harbor, Wa.  I enjoyed all of those places, but I believe that Gig Harbor is the most beautiful of all the places I’ve ever lived or even visited.

Spring time in Gig Harbor, and most of the South Puget Sound region, is gorgeous.  I’m not much of a gardener.  As I’ve said before, about the only thing I can keep green year round is the moss that gathers in my yard.  Here are a few photos I snapped today.  As I pulled into my driveway, I was struck again by the beauty of Gig Harbor and all that grows here.  I know the red flower is a Rhododendron, but I don’t have a clue what either of the blossoming trees are.  I’d be interested if any of you green thumbs know.

Gig Harbor’s weather is doing what? Snow way!

Hey Seb, why the long face?  That’s not dandruff on my loyal dog, that’s snow.  Those of you in colder parts of the country may not have any sympathy (and may not consider this real snow), but for those of us in Gig Harbor, Wa, this stinks.

It’s the end of March, it’s not supposed to snow in Western Washington in March (unless you’re in the mountains).  Gig Harbor has had amazing weather this spring, warm and sunny and beautiful.  So where did this come from? 

…and then, 3 hours later!

Spring is in bloom in Gig Harbor

I know I wrote an article about a month ago that it felt like spring was coming, but it still feels like spring.  We’ve had some rain, and the temps have cooled a bit, but it’s still be amazingly beautiful weather for Gig Harbor this time of year.  You can really tell it’s spring now, though, as the flowers are blooming which means allergies for me!  It also makes it really pretty, though.  Below are a few attempts at me being artsy with a tree flowering out my front window and a flowering shrub on the downtown waterfront.

Beauty of Gig Harbor and Fox Island

I wanted to share a couple of photos with you. These are courtesy of Joseph Becker. You can view more of his amazing shots at his website, www.seldomseenphoto.com.

The top photo is looking at Mt Rainier and Fox Island. That is the view you would have from the Fox Island bridge, which is the only way to get onto Fox Island unless you have a boat.

The bottom photo is the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge, taken prior to the second bridge being built.

If you lived on Fox Island and worked in Tacoma, you’d get both of these views each day!

More fun photos

A friend of mine, who also happens to be my preferred lender for those of you who are looking to buy a home or perhaps refinance a home, sent me these photos that he took.  Thanks Bill!

A group of harbor seals bum a ride on a log jam as it gets towed underneath the Tacoma Narrows Bridge!