03/17/2010

Perched right on the shores of Budd Inlet is the studio for one of the oldest radio stations in the Northwest.  KGY began in 1922 when the call letters were issued to one of St Martin College's monks, and the station originally broadcast from the college campus.   After several successive moves around town, the station sold in 1939 to Tom Olsen, a native Olympia resident who had been active in journalism of the print variety.  In the early 1960's, KGY adopted the format that still works for it today - a mixture of music and lots and lots of local news & sports.  (For years the listening audience has skyrocketed on those mornings when you really NEED to know if the snow has caused schools to be late or closed for the day!!). In 1991, a KGY FM  was added and its studio is the one situated... 03/16/2010

03/10/2010

Is Washington State getting out of the liquor business? If Senator Rodney Tom, a Medina Democrat and chief budget writer for the Senate has his way, the industry will be privatized. Tom has introduced a bill that would have Washington completely out of the liquor industry, allowing a unlimited number of people to buy licenses to sell liquor. Other lawmakers have introduced measures taking small steps toward privatization. This would create bill that would auction off franchise agreements for stores like Costco, or would also allow a limited number of smaller contact stores to sell alcohol. National Alcohol Beverage Control Association (NABCA), spokesman Steven Schmidt says, "This year we're seeing more efforts to privatize then in the past. The NABCA represents states that are directly... 02/28/2010

Dirty Dave's Pizza in Olympia One of the most unique pizza places you will ever step foot in, Dirty Dave's Pizza is legendary in Olympia. Don't let the name fool you. Officially known as Dirty Dave's Gay 90's, there are obvious assumptions that could be made. I think ol' Dave purposely named his place something mysterious in order to drive away patrons lacking a sense of humor. There is nothing dirty about this place, other than the looks you might get if you come in with a bad attitude. And though Dirty Dave has a great sense of humor, there is nothing funny about the food. Dirty Dave's menu is loaded with options. The pizzas are classic thin crust pies with Dave's special sauce. If you're going the pizza route, you have to try the Gay 90's Special. Toppings on the Gay 90's Special inc... 02/24/2010

Even though we are making our way from recession to recovery, there may be a few obstacles for the real estate market - nationwide and right here in Olympia. Chief Economist Arun Raha expects the residential housing market to improve in 2011, while the commercial real estate market may take until 2012 to see recovery. Helping both will depend on the pace of economic recovery and some areas of the economy that still need to show improvement, he said. Large, national banks have begun lending again, however, credit is still tight at state-chartered community banks because they are "disproportionately" exposed to the slower commercial real estate market, he said. Consumers are also largely influenced by unemployment rates and the price of gasoline, Raha said. Another issue is the lack of ne... 02/24/2010

As many of us are enjoying watching the Winter Olympics, I have been thinking back to May of 1984 when Olympia, WA hosted the first ever Women's Marathon Trials.  Olympia has always had an active running community, and the excitement of watching that marathon race in our town spurred many more of us to try to become runners (not necessarily marathon runners, mind you, but runners.  OK... joggers). Joan Benoit Samuelson ran this 26.2 mile race just about 2 1/2 weeks after having arthroscopic knee surgery, but she won the trials - & went on to win gold at that first women's marathon race in the Los Angeles Olympics.   Olympia turned out in large numbers along the race course to marvel at these women running very, very long distances.  The three women who finished first and qualified for t... 02/23/2010

  Photos, Videos and Graphics by    Sonny Kwan  Realtor® with John L Scott Real Estate Seattle, WA. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted in any way. When you plan to buy or Sell your home  Visit my website www.johnlscottwa.com     to search all homes on the internet. 1618 Bigelow Ave NE. Olympia, WA 98506  © 2010  By Sonny Kwan All Rights Reserved 02/22/2010

When I am shopping for my grandchildren - or for any gift for a child - my favorite destination is the family owned store in Olympia called Wind Up Here.  The name is perfect since the store carries a wonderfully large selection of wind up toys that are pretty irresistible to all ages!    After the lead paint in childrens' toys scare a few years back, I became especially conscious of and happy that Wind Up Here carries high quality products, including many organic & Fair Trade items.  There is a great selection of just the perfect toy for pretty much any age, whether you are hunting for a baby's chew toy, a puzzle, a musical toy, games of all varieties, art supplies, educational offerings etc etc.  And don't forget those fascinating wind up toys!!     The knowledgeable staff is also ver... 02/22/2010

Things to Do in Olympia WA Looking for things to do in Olympia WA but don't know where to start? Here are some ideas that will not only open your eyes to the beauty of Olympia, but they are totally free! The shining sun and bright blue skies these last few days have been a sight for sore eyes here in Olympia. While it feels like April, the bare trees and flowerless beds serve as a reminder that we are still very much in February. Being that we are in Western Washington, there is no predicting how long this stretch of seemingly tropical weather will last. So, be sure to find a reason to get out and enjoy it while you can! I was fortunate enough to receive a call on one of my listings today, which gave me a great excuse to get up from my desk and go cruise around town for awhile after sho... 02/18/2010

Even though we are making our way from recession to recovery, there may be a few obstacles for the real estate market - nationwide and right here in Olympia. Chief Economist Arun Raha expects the residential housing market to improve in 2011, while the commercial real estate market may take until 2012 to see recovery. Helping both will depend on the pace of economic recovery and some areas of the economy that still need to show improvement, he said. Large, national banks have begun lending again, however, credit is still tight at state-chartered community banks because they are "disproportionately" exposed to the slower commercial real estate market, he said. Consumers are also largely influenced by unemployment rates and the price of gasoline, Raha said. Another issue is the lack of ne... 02/18/2010

Thurston County's unemployment rate rose from 7.2% from November to 7.6% through December, 2009, but it still remains well below the statewide average of 9.5 and the national average of 9.7%. Potential homebuyers can approach the market with increasing confidence. There is a bad news/ good news dimension to the statistics, as illustrated by the example of Mark Ritter, 42, of Olympia.  After a 17-year career renting and selling construction-related equipment to commercial and residential building sites, he lost his job in November.  "A $100,000-a-year job went down the drain," he said. Ritter, a single parent, said he is living off savings and plans to collect unemployment. He is hopeful about finding another job, although he expects to take a cut in pay. In Thurston County, the total nu... 02/14/2010

Olympia Homes for Sale: Gorgeous Upgraded Rambler Overview Maps Photos Description Home Search Neighborhood $339,000 Single Family HomeFor Sale Main Features 3 Bedrooms2 BathroomsInterior: 1977 sqftLot: 0.23 acre(s) Location 2830 Edinburgh Dr. SEOlympia, WA 98501 Mike Conner City Realty, Inc.(360) 970-4408mike@cityrealtyolympia.comhttp://activerain.com/mikeconner Listed by: City Realty, Inc. Our recent listings Gorgeous Olympia RamblerOlympia Home in 55+ Park - Clean & Comfortable!Rochester Rambler - Disabled Access & Multi-Room Chair LiftRare Westside Olympia Building LotBeautifully Upgraded Lacey Starter Home Subscribe to our listing feed See more Olympia, WA real estate for sale 02/03/2010

The city of Olympia is going through their process to update the city comprehensive plan, and inviting input on your vision for the Olympia of the future.  There are plenty of issues to weigh in on - how does the city encourage more housing close in?  Should building heights near the waterfront be increased?  Should provisons be made to protect the low lying areas from possible rising sea levels?  What about transportation, parking, downtown vitality, public perceptions of safety, etc etc.  You get the idea! And now is the time to let your voice be heard on these issues and more.  You can find more information about the process at www.imagineolympia.com.  This will list times and places where you can come to share your thoughts, or you can comment right on the website. 02/03/2010

If you love live theater or a chance to see big name performers in music, dance, comedy etc - you will be thrilled with the choices right here in Olympia!  We are so lucky to have several great venues to choose from.  These three are all downtown or nearby, so you can easily make an evening of it with dinner out and/or dessert or a drink after you enjoy the performance. Washington Center for the Performing Arts (www.washingtoncenter.org) offers everything from symphony to quilt exhibits.  Located in downtown Olympia, there is bound to be something to appeal to everyone on the calendar for the year. Harlequin Productions  (www. Harlequinproductions.org)  produces live theater, also with a wide-ranging calendar whether your love is Shakespeare or the music of the 60's.  The productions ar... 01/31/2010

Olympia Home in 55+ Park - Clean & Comfortable! Overview Maps Photos Features Description Search Homes Neighborhood $26,000 Mobile HomeFor Sale Main Features 2 Bedrooms2 BathroomsInterior: 1344 sqft Location 3244 66th Ave. SW40Olympia, WA 98512 Mike Conner City Realty, Inc.(360) 970-4408mike@cityrealtyolympia.comhttp://activerain.com/mikeconner Listed by: City Realty, Inc. Our recent listings Rochester Rambler - Disabled Access & Multi-Room Chair LiftRare Westside Olympia Building LotBeautifully Upgraded Lacey Starter HomeOlympia South Capitol Neighborhood CraftsmanRochester Rambler Loaded with Upgrades Subscribe to our listing feed See more Olympia, WA real estate for sale 01/29/2010

New FHA rules announced January 15, 2010 offer a new approach to mitigating the foreclosure crisis by temporarily suspending a long standing rule against "flipping" that could making it even more difficult to flip a home in the Olympia area. Last year, Washington State made it more expensive for the Average Joe to do a "Flip." In order to flip a house you have to be a licensed and bonded General Contractor.  Some of the reasons given for the changes were the rampant problems with non-licensed contractors doing sub-standard work, and no recourse for the people who hired them. 18.27 is the RCW which regulates the business of Contractors, and requires licensing and fines of non-licensed contractors. When the homes, often barely renovated, were then financed with high interest loans, buyers... 01/26/2010

Anyone shopping for a home mortgage in Olympia will now get some help from the government. A federal rule went into effect January 1, requiring mortgage lenders and brokers to give consumers a better estimate of the costs when obtaining a home loan. The new rule mandates there be a standard three-page good-faith estimate that urges home-buyers to shop around for a loan and compare rates. These rules, announced by the Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2008, are an update of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, a 1974 law known as RESPA. Jack Guttentag, financial writer and retired Wharton school finance professor, feels this new rule is going to be helpful although he feels it has come too late for the millions of Americans who have made poor loan choices already. Ther... 01/19/2010

Tomorrow we celebrate Martin Luther King's birthday with a federal holiday, but I want to challenge you to consider this more than a day off from work/school/usual routine.  Think about what your dream is for your community - and how you can help make that dream come true. Can you volunteer at a local school?  Become involved with Big Brothers/Big Sisters?  Gather donations for your local Food Bank?  Donate some of your time to help at that Food Bank?  Help create a community garden?  Pick up litter along the road near your house?  Volunteer for one of the multitudes of community service organizations that interests you?  The list of ways you can help your neighbors, your community, your state, your country is a very long one - so think about where your passion and someone else's need o... 01/17/2010

Olympia South Capitol Neighborhood Craftsman Overview Maps Photos Description Olympia Homes for Sale Neighborhood $289,000 Single Family HomeFor Sale Main Features 2 Bedrooms1 BathroomInterior: 2196 sqftLot: 0.11 acre(s) Location 1715 Capitol WayOlympia, WA 98501 Mike Conner City Realty, Inc.(360) 970-4408mike@cityrealtyolympia.comhttp://activerain.com/mikeconner Listed by: City Realty, Inc. Our recent listings Olympia South Capitol Neighborhood CraftsmanDecked Out Custom Home in SheltonBeautifully Upgraded Lacey Starter Home2 Lots Zoned Multi-Fam Near Downtown OlympiaStylish New West Olympia Condo Subscribe to our listing feed See more Olympia, WA real estate for sale 01/14/2010