A Saturday at the races!  Boy oh boy, is it beautiful today in the Pacific Northwest!  My son, daughter and grandson joined me at Silver Lake today for a day at the races.  I had added a post about the event yesterday and since it was just so awesomely beautiful out today, we took advantage and decided to enjoy the entertainment!       My favorites were the antiques!  They were loud and fast and so fun to watch.  The most interesting was a grandfather and grandson racing!  Sorry.... I couldn't tell who had won in that race since I wasn't familiar with their boat numbers - but still it was pretty cool to have the two generations racing against each other.  A fun day I had with two of my kids and a grandson.  You have no idea how absolutely beautiful it is in this area when the sun actual... 06/04/2011

Experience the energy and excitement at Everett's Silver Lake Hydro Plane races this weekend!  Come on out to the lake and bring your shades!  It's actually going to be in the 70's this weekend!  The annual event is sponsored by the Seattle Outboard Association.         Set yourself up at the beach and watch the annual races.        Where:  Thornton A Sullivan Park           When:   June 4, 2011                                                                      Time:    Noon to 6:00PM The Kiwanis Club will be there to sell refreshments.   06/02/2011

My husband, Phil, and I have just returned home from a quick, evening shopping adventure at Michael's, on Everett Mall Way. We arrived just in time to rush inside from the steady drizzle, and pick up the item I needed for a resin art project. As we were checking out, another couple came through the doors, only to be told, "We're closed, sorry folks". They probably tried Walmart, next. Walmart may be all that's left, at nine p.m. on Friday night. Fred Meyer's used to be a good place to find sewing notions, or even a few yards of fabric. Our local Fred Meyer's doesn't carry fabric anymore, so they're not on our favorite, late night shopping spree list anymore. Walmart has a good supply of miscellaneous fabric and notions, and an increasingly nice selection of beading materials and finding... 05/12/2011

  Zero Down Home Loans in Everett, Wa are still available...but for how long?   As the title suggests, Zero Down Home Loans in Everett, WA are still available...but for how long? Last year, the super popular USDA Mortgage program ran put of money toward the end of April. This was because the demand for the program was more than expected. There is no news of a similar shortfall of funds for 2011, but it is still early in the year. The USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) program for Rural Development has been key factor for helping homeowners obtain a Zero Down Home Loan in Everett, Wa. Zero Down Home Loans in Everett, WA are very hard to come by these days due to the sub-prime market meltdown. However, the USDA Rural Development program offers 100% financing (no money down) a... 03/28/2011

Ok…I know Everett Real Estate Agents ALWAYS tell you this….BUT…… “Now is the time time buy!!!!”….. screams the Everett real estate agents, who pretty much say that ALL THE TIME.To the person shopping for a home, when the deals seem lousy, they just plug their ears when they hear the Real Estate agents saying this, because they say it all the time. The  home buyers just don’t always believe it because sometimes the good deals are like looking for a needle in the haystack. They are hard to find. However, there are other times when the great deals are so plentiful, it is almost a  ”No-Brainer Market”.  Now is one of those times. You don’t need to ask me, a mortgage fella, or any one in Everett real estate agents to know that these 2 facts are true today: 1. Everett Home values have droppe... 03/24/2011

DOES YOUR BROKER SEE MORE VALUE IN COLDCALLING AND DOORKNOCKING THAN  A FOCUSED BLOG AND SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY? If the answer is yes you may want to think about trading him or her in for a new model. A Broker without adequate foresight into where the productive marketing for realestate business is headed is about to become extinct.  Trends are changing quickly and agents that are stuck with these shortsighted dinosaurs need to run to the nearest exit and seek out a supportive Leader that encourages social networking and current marketing trends. For a list of the Top Ten questions you need to ask before joining a real estate firm contact me at tbruns@skylineproperties.com or log on to www.skylineproperties-tombruns.com 03/22/2011

The city of Everett is adding a new park in the Evergreen neighborhood to the list of upcoming projects. By making use of half $1 million from the Snohomish County Conservation Futures fund, the city has acquired a 2 acre parcel at 528 Madison St. to be developed at some point into another neighborhood park. The property previously belonged to Janice Deckmann who had inherited the property from her mother. There is still a home on the property, and the city is considering renovating it and renting it out until the property is developed. 01/25/2011

Historic Habitat Near HarborToday i was called on to give a price to a bank on this beautiful classic home near the waterfront in Everett.This truly is one of my favorite areas of Everett, with a view walkway near by, a small park, and lots and lots of grand, historical homes.This historic habitat is near the harbor, and bespeaks the elegance and grandeur of a time gone by.A historic habitat near harbor.I took the pictures, and hurried to the office to give them to Liz so she could upload them, along with the other information needed by the bank to give a price opinion on this home. 12/30/2010

Clever, Collaborative Construction GalOur kids from Oregon were here over Christmas week. We spent most of one day in  the Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett, Washington. Much of the time our older granddaughter was the concierge at the restaurant. She would invite people in, help them find a seat and take their order. We agreeably went in, but the service was terrible and the food tasted like hard plastic. None of the chefs seemed to be coordinated. So we moved on. But she stayed, interacting happily with strangers as they came in.Later, when it was time for an afternoon snack, we all went down to the basement where there were real tables and real chairs and ate the snacks that the moms had wisely packed.Off from the eating area in the basement is a large room called simply, Constru... 12/26/2010

The Laser Diffusion ProjectorMy older grandson is fascinated by anything mechanical or digital.Last time he was with us he discovered Google Earth and was transfixed by exploring the world. Soon he was in outer space with Google Sky and doing things and finding things that I had never discovered.This last visit all of us spent most of a day at the Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett, Washington. Many of the places were exciting. But the place he kept going back to was this room where your image was projected on the screen. Delayed, distorted, in varying colors, with a kaleidoscope effect. It was amazing to all of us.And transfixing for him. 12/26/2010

Airplanes, Hydroplanes and Paleontological PlainsOur whole family was together for the week of Christmas. On Wednesday, the three families converged on the Imagine Children’s Museum in Everett Washington. It is an amazing place!Our oldest grandson who is 7, was fascinated by many of the areas.Here he is, playing in the mock airplane with an amazing cockpit. This is Boeing country, of course, so all the components were from real airplanes. The next display is a water feature. Of course it is decorated like one of our numerous and amazing Washington State Ferries. They even had available splash aprons for the kids. Someone was thinking!We went up to the roof of the building. It is a flat roof that had been completely utilized. We spent lots of time in the dinosaur area, especially with a... 12/24/2010

By:  Don Sieb                 If your primary goal for your personalized website to establish your creditability with clients, you don't need to do much more than making sure you are presented professionally.  It is likely the only people visiting your site are those who you contact and leave your business card with. However, if you want to use your website to drive traffic and leads your way then the cookie cutting approach is not designed to accomplish this. After years of developing real estate websites for myself, new developments and agents, I know firsthand the effort and knowledge it takes to make a real estate website successful. I have had so many people ask for help in designing a results drive website, that I have formed a sister business Results by Design Marketing. Key Elem... 12/15/2010

Take a break as the Holiday Season gets underway! $10 burgers, fries & beer  ~  Come Join Us! Windermere Serves Sunday,  November 14th 5:00  to 8:30 pm Buck's American Cafe 2901 Hewitt Ave. - Everett We've partnered once again with Buck's American Cafe to raise $$$$$ for the Windermere Foundation.  Windermere agents will take over as wait staff for the evening and will be serving up some great burgers, fries and beer!  All tips go to the Windermere Foundation and will be used to improve the living conditions for children at the Interfaith Family Shelter which serves 10 homeless families.  Your generous support makes it all possible! Reservations Requested! Call today to save your spot or for more information! 425-348-9788 11/10/2010

Open Sunday, Nov. 14, 1 - 4 p.m. 1911 Rucker, Everett 98201 WOW! Amazing historic home in stellar location. This home has the style, upgrades & attention to detail you are looking for. All the work has been done, just move in & enjoy! Gorgeous kitchen with glass tile backsplash is a cook's delight. Romantic updated bath w/claw foot tub is a tranquil place to relax. Generous master bedroom is lovely with peek views. All new paint, windows, wood shutters, lighting fixtures, water heater and so much more. Close to hospital, college & parks. Or call today to schedule a private showing!  You gotta see this one! Click HERE to see more photos and get additional information about this great home! 11/10/2010

Open Sunday, Nov. 14, 1 - 4 p.m. 3502 Rockefeller Ave., Everett 98201 Picture perfect...Is what you'll say after touring this charming home owned by the same family for more than 50 years. Located on a huge, fully fenced corner lot this home has everything you are looking for. Updated electrical, double pane windows, high efficiency gas furnace, gas fireplace insert, vinyl siding and fresh paint, make this the address you'll want to call home! Located on the same block as a city park...easy entertaining for a huge crowd. A perfect nest!!! Or call today to schedule a private showing!  You gotta see this one! Click HERE to see more photos and get additional information about this great home! 11/10/2010

  It seems that stories about the foreclosure market have taken over the news lately.  Even though they try to present information in ways so as to be understandable by most, it can still be very confusing!  Below are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about foreclosures and other types of distressed property.   What is a foreclosure?  Foreclosure can mean a number of different things depending on the context.  At its base definition, foreclosure is the process by which a lender takes possession of a piece of property when the owner has defaulted on their payments.  The foreclosure process can start as soon as the first payment is more than 30 days late and can stretch out over many months, or even up to a year.  Once the foreclosure process is complete, the lend... 11/02/2010

Here is the monthly market data update. I know I am behind on getting this out but it is still good information. You can compare the months prior to see what the actual market is doing in Everett, WA home sales. August 2010 Units Closed 136 Dn -19.0%2009 Units Closed 168 2010 Avg Price (Sale) 312,278 Dn -5.2%2009 Avg Price (Sale) 329,538 2010 Median Price (Sale) 273,975 Dn -9.9%2009 Median Price (Sale) 304,000 2010 Avg Time on Market 144 Up 47.9%2009 Avg Time on Market 75 The month of August had 1,223 active listing and sold 136. That gives Everett 9 months of inventory. Let's work hard to get this inventory down to a manageable inventory. If you are looking to purchase or sale real estate in the Everett area call on our team. You will get a team of professionals that provide top of lin... 10/19/2010

Snohomish County Foreclosure Inventory 10/10/2010 - 10/16/2010 70 new listings 53 sales pendings 21 listings sold Prices on sold properties ranged from $68,500 to $487,000. Sales to list price percentage ranged from 85% to 107%.   Days on market for sold properties ranged from 10 to 633 days. There are currently 680 foreclosures for sale in Snohomish County with 527 of those being single family homes.  Prices for currently listed properties range from $15,000 for a manufactured home in Lynnwood to $2.15 million for a custom built Tuscan villa on the shores of Puget Sound.   Looks like the recent trend of halting foreclosure proceedings and sales may be coming to an end.  Many of us thought this down time would last much longer than the two weeks that Bank of America apparently thought ... 10/19/2010

  Just wanted to take a minute to pass on some information about current issues in the foreclosure market here in Washington.  If you’ve seen the news recently, you’ve probably heard stories about “robo-signers” and about how some lenders are halting the processing and sales of foreclosures in some states.  Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna held a press conference and issued two press releases last week regarding these foreclosure issues.  He explained that the state has been investigating several foreclosure trustees since May of this year and that they are requesting that Washington state trustees immediately suspend questionable foreclosures.  Links to both press releases are below.    He is also joining a nationwide task force to more fully investigate these issues. Most major... 10/19/2010

Everett Pumpkin Patches & Corn Mazes! It's Pumpkin Patch time! Whether you're picking out the perfect jack-o-lantern or losing the rest of the family in the corn maze, there's some great options very close to home.  Run by to pick out a pumpkin or make a day of it with the whole family! Bob's Corn is always a popular place this time of year with a 10 acre corn maze and a u-pick pumpkin patch.  Biringer Farms has three different mazes, tons of stuff for the kids to do and a no frills pumpkin patch plus even more events on the weekends.  Stocker Farms in Snohomish has their usual assormtments of activities including the always popular "Field of Screams"! For a complete list of pumpkin patches and corn mazes, complete with directions, check out the Snohomish County Agricultural Tourism - P... 10/19/2010