Author Archives: Arlyn Lawrence

The Biggest Room in the House

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Someone once told me that the “biggest room in the house is the room for improvement.” This is a pretty profound statement if you pause long enough to consider it. It can certainly be humorous when applied in the right situations but, at the same time, it can have a profound impact on a given situation or even on a life when applied with careful thought and consideration.

In light of our current climate, immediately following the presidential election, I am reminded of this little phrase and the potential it holds. How have we become a nation of finger pointers and name callers, all the way to rioters and looters? Have we lost sight of who we are, what we were, and how far we have come? And, where we have the potential to go?

(You may be thinking, Isn’t this supposed to be a real estate blog? Well, yes it is, and if you have a need to buy, sell, or invest in real estate—or know someone that does—then I am your guy. There, I got that out of the way.)

That little phrase about the biggest room in the house being the room for improvement is a philosophy I have tried to make a part of my everyday life. It’s a principle I always want to consider again and again in a pursuit to be the best me, in a pursuit to be the best dad, the best husband, the best citizen, and so on. Whoever you are and whatever you do, I think we all have this inherent responsibility to be the best us—the best teacher, actor, delivery driver, parent, or leader, etc. we can be.

I was struck this week by the story of a young lady (and first-time voter) who was very emotionally affected by the outcome of the election. She ranted at first, maybe even shed a tear. But then she allowed herself to be challenged. How could she improve herself? How could she make her room, her campus, her world better? She took action; she volunteered for an overnight immersion program sponsored by her university where students spend time with the homeless in their community, serving, eating and talking with them, and experiencing the same living conditions they experience. This young lady is endeavoring to make her “room for improvement” a reality. She is, in her way, making a difference.

What is your room for improvement? Do you need an attitude adjustment? How can you start or continue to make a difference in your corner of the world? We may not be able to change the nation all by ourselves, but we can affect our small portion of it. What this nation needs now more than ever is unity. It needs understanding and true tolerance and peacemaking. We need to challenge ourselves as neighbors, as citizens, as parents and friends and employers and employees. Change a perspective, change a tire for a stranger. Listen instead of being the first one to speak. Volunteer or support those that do.

Come on, people; let’s make a real difference. Let’s effect change for the positive. Let’s start a renovation in the biggest room in our house!

Doug Lawrence thinks a lot about houses, being a real estate broker with Keller Williams Realty. Doug lives on Fox Island and has been a Pierce County resident since 1990. He would be happy to help YOU find YOUR perfect house; you can contact him at dlawrence@kw.com or visit his website, http://www.douglawrencerealestate.com.

 

Love Where You (Sometimes) Live

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Recently I had the pleasure of traveling back to the Midwest—my first foray into that part of the country. Fortunately for me, I was in good company. We spent four fabulous days in Door County, Wisconsin with dear friends who are fortunate enough to suffer from place attachment to two distinctly different places (for an understanding of what place attachment is, please see my two previous posts).

Door County is the thumb of land that rests between Green Bay and Lake Michigan. It is comprised of several small but quaint towns and is somewhat of a vacation Mecca for people who live in the Midwest. Each of these little towns has its own nuance, and is filled with its own unique delights.

Our discoveries were extra special because we were the beneficiaries of a built-in tour guide with a severe case of place attachment. You see, our friends have a much-loved vacation home in Door County in the quaint town of Egg Harbor, which has a whopping year-round population of 201. We happened to be there on one of the biggest weekends of the year: the annual Pumpkin Patch celebration. They closed down the streets of the village, and filled them with arts and crafts and fresh food vendors (think caramel apples, homemade butternut squash soup, corn on the cob dripping with butter, deep fried cheese curds, and even a roasted pig!).

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Our hosts took us on a tandem bike ride through Peninsula State Park, where we stopped at the charming lighthouse overlooking the Strawberry Channel. We enjoyed amazing homemade fresh bread in sandwiches from the Macready Artisan Bread Company in Egg Harbor, and laughed hilariously at the down-home Wisconsin humor of “Guys and Does,” a musical production by Northern Sky Theater.  And, we ate one of the best steak dinners we’ve ever had at Donny’s Glidden Lodge on Lake Michigan.

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We saw a lot in a short amount of time because our host is so attached to his home away from home. It got to me to thinking, if I could pick anywhere to be place attached to, besides where I live now, where would it be? What would it be like to not just visit there, but to actually live there part time?

Obviously, many people who are snowbirds live out this scenario, annually fleeing cold northern winters for the warmth and sun of the southern parts of the world. Some people like to have a lake house, a place by the seashore, or perhaps a cozy cabin in the woods or a ski chalet in the mountains.

If I were to have a second home, I would like a waterfront retreat within driving distance of where I currently live—far enough away to feel like a get away, but close enough for us and our adult kids to easily reach it. I even have my eye on a place! I envision a small picturesque home on a saltwater beach with plenty of indoor and outdoor space for our active family. When the timing is right, I hope to make that a reality.

How about you? Where can you see yourself loving a new place to live—without giving up your first home? If the timing is right for you to start looking for that place, I encourage you to give me a call, whether your destination is close by or far away. If your chosen location is out of state, I can help you make the right connections. I understand and celebrate the joy of place attachment, and would count it a privilege to help you find your own “home away from home.”

Doug Lawrence loves to travel and find new places to love, although most of the time he makes his home on Fox Island in Washington State. He has been a Pierce County resident since 1990 and is a huge fan of the Pacific Northwest. Doug is a real estate broker with Keller Williams Realty and would be happy to help YOU find YOUR perfect place, too! Contact him at dlawrence@kw.com or visit his website, http://www.douglawrencerealestate.com.

Love Where You Live: Place Attachment

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In my last post, I talked about how much I love the beautiful part of the country where I live. I enjoy it. I brag about it. And I miss it when I’m away.

Apparently, I’m suffering from a syndrome called “place attachment.”

Yes, it does exist (you can look it up). And it ‘s a good thing. “Place attachment” basically means exactly what it says: you are attached to the place you live. An article in Psychology Today explains it, “It’s a love for your city, a belief that this, right here, is your place. It’s a sense of local belonging. It’s an emotional bond based on mutual history, responsibility, and affection.” People who experience place attachment:

  • are generally happier
  • are less anxious
  • have more friends
  • live longer
  • are more involved in their communities

How do you know whether you’re truly attached to the place you live now? Start by answering these three basic questions:

  1. Does where you live say a lot about who you are as a person?
  2. If you could move anywhere right now, would you stay in your town?
  3. Does your city feel like home?

If your answer to any of these questions is yes, you’re likely place attached.

But what if you’re not attached to where you live, and you want to be? Well, you could move (and if that’s the case, please give me a call!). But that option aside, there are some things you can do to increase your sense of rootedness and grow more attached to the city where you live. My wife and I moved our family to Gig Harbor around seven years ago, so our place attachment has grown over time. Here are some ways we were intentional about getting to know our community:

  • we attended high school football games on Friday nights (where we established some great friendships)
  • we joined a church
  • we joined a gym
  • we tried some new things (for us, that included kayaking, paddle boarding, and hiking)
  • we attended local activities, events, and attractions (annual town parade, free concerts in the park, museums and art shows, etc.)
  • we shopped local and got to know business owners
  • we ate out at local restaurants
  • we got to know our neighbors

With such potential for happiness, health, and longevity, I encourage everyone to aspire to love where they live. Truth be told, it has less to do the with the place than it does to do with us and the way we view it.

“To foster attachment, your town doesn’t need to be the platonic ideal of a city, just as you don’t have to be particularly gorgeous, clever, or wealthy to love and be loved by others. You can adore a town that everyone else hates and still accrue the physical, emotional, and social benefits of place attachment. Your town just has to make you happy. When it does, you want to stay.”

–Melanie Warnick, This Is Where You Belong: The Art and Science of Loving the Place You Live

Do you love where you live? If not, what are you going to do about it?

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Doug Lawrence loves living on Fox Island in Washington State. He has been a Pierce County resident (on both sides of the Narrows Bridge!) since 1990 and is a huge fan of the Pacific Northwest. He is a real estate broker with Keller Williams Realty and would be happy to help YOU find YOUR perfect place, too! Contact him at dlawrence@kw.com or visit his website, www.douglawrencerealestate.com.

Love Where You Live

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I love where I live. I realize that’s not the case for everyone; in fact, on more than one occasion I’ve been accused of overselling my community. People will remark, “Your city can’t be THAT great,” or, “You make it sound like you live in Paradise!”

Truth be told, I DO think it’s a little bit of paradise.

I love where I live for many reasons: it’s beautiful. It’s what I consider to be convenient. It has a great sense of community.

“Where I live” happens to be Fox Island, Washington, a quaint bedroom community that’s part of the general Gig Harbor area. I often comment that when I cross the bridge to our island, it feels like I’m on vacation. Being on vacation every day—what’s not to love about that?

Another thing I appreciate about my community is how active people are around here. And it’s rubbed off on me! Gig Harbor just happens to be the “Gateway to the Olympic Peninsula,” a veritable smorgasbord of natural beauty and opportunities to enjoy the outdoors. One opportunity my wife and I took advantage of this summer was to hike the Dungeness Spit up near Sequim.

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Five miles in length, it is North America’s longest naturally-occurring spit. At its far tip is a charming, historic lighthouse. Once manned and operated by the US Coastguard, its light is maintained today by a corps of volunteers who join the lighthouse association and serve a week at a time as lighthouse keepers. Arlyn and I have put that on our bucket list! (In the meantime, the 11-mile round trip hike was challenge enough for us.)

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That foray to the Peninsula also led us to Sol Duc Falls, up past Port Angeles and Crescent Lake in Olympic National Park. This comparatively short hike yields extremely high rewards as you walk through the lush, old growth forest and come out on the breathtaking Sol Duc River as it carves its way down the mountain. Yep, paradise.

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Can you see why I love where I live? These are just a couple of examples of what I’ve got in my own back yard. What’s in yours?

Doug Lawrence is professional real estate broker who is delighted to earn a living helping people live where they love and love where they live. You can reach him at dlawrence@kw.com or at his website www.douglawrencerealestate.com.

 

 

 

Military Relocation? You Need a VAMRES!

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If you’re a member of the military, you know the importance of making a move quickly, efficiently, and with as little fuss necessary for you and your family. Getting settled comfortably and quickly into a new community is a frequent and important part of the military lifestyle.

As a former Marine and one who has experienced military moves in the past, I was excited for the opportunity of earning a VAMRES certification to my real estate broker’s license, to enable me to be a resource to relocating military personnel. It’s a great opportunity to serve those who serve!

A VAMRES-certified broker (VA Military Relocation Specialist) has the expertise and experience necessary to help you navigate some of the more finer-tuned components of a military move, and the ability to refer you to VAMRES-recommended Loan Expert.

Interested? Here are 5 steps to buying your new home with a VA Military Relocation Specialist team (VAMRES Realtor and Home Loan Expert):

  1. Determining eligibility – connect with your VAMRES Agent and Home Loan expert to get your eligibility quickly and identify the kinds of loans for which you qualify. Many times you can use your VA loan eligibility to purchase your home with no money down (and you can use your entitlement more than once).
  2. Viewing, selecting, and inspecting the home – locate an experienced VAMRES Realtor who is well-connected the local real estate market and can help you find the best neighborhood and home for you. With VetMove.com,  you may also quality for a free home inspection!
  3. Requesting the loan – work closely with your Loan Expert to get pre-approval before submitting an offer. In a hot market, this is a big advantage!
  4. Appraising the property – Once your offer is accepted, your VAMRES Home Loan Expert will order the appraisal and start the full loan process.
  5. Closing the sale – Your VAMRES Home Loan Expert and Realtor will help you navigate the process and confirm the closing transaction once your loan has been approved.

The Puget Sound area is home to a number of military bases, including the Bremerton Naval Shipyard and Joint Base Lewis McChord, covering the span of Pierce, Thurston, and Kitsap Counties. There are many fine communities and neighborhoods in these counties, and I’d be happy to show you around!

Doug Lawrence is a certified broker with Keller Williams Realty in Gig Harbor, WA.

Photo credit: Stuart Miles and freedigitalphotos.com

A Taste of Washington

2014 may possibly go down as the busiest year ever in the Lawrence household. It began with a Seahawks SuperBowl victory and celebration, and included a wedding, a move, and a back injury (all in the same month). And it seems like a steady flow of guests ever since. After all that, Arlyn and I did carve out some time to explore some of our own beautiful State of Washington. We explored the Yakima Valley and the gorgeous hidden jewel that is Walla Walla and all the sites and tastings that the east side of our state had to offer.

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A nice meal in downtown Walla Walla, WA (which is on Fodor’s List of the 10 Best Small Towns in America)

We toured the Westside’s urban landmarks with our amazing British friends and we explored the pebbled shore of the Dungeness Spit in the wind and rain.

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We also took delight in sharing some of Washington State’s culinary treasures. Have you ever been to the Oak Table Cafe in Sequim, WA? As we speak they are opening a new location in Silverdale to replace an existing location in Kingston, WA. However, to get the true, authentic experience you MUST try the original location in Sequim. And as part of the experience you must try the apple pancake. It is a huge, molten, puffy delicacy of apples and brown sugar that will remind you of an apple fritter on steroids. It is far to large for most people but order one for yourself because the leftovers are amazing.

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Friend Peter visiting from the UK tackled an Oak Table Apple Pancake!

If you don’t have the time to drive to Sequim, I do have a suitable substitute that I am willing to share with you for the right price: Free, of course. 🙂

I have used this recipe a couple of times and it is easy to adapt if you are so inclined, I like the fact you can put it all together the night before if needed. I made this a couple of weeks ago for a house full of high schoolers and it received great reviews. Click on this link for Baked Cinnamon Apple French Toast.  You’re in for a treat.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

What Makes a Good Neighbor?

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They say “good fences make good neighbors,” but is that the only and best way to make sure you have a great relationship with your neighbors? Not so!

While not every neighbor will turn out to be a BFF, knowing and enjoying your neighbors can have a litany of benefits. Someone to watch the house and pick up the mail when you’re out of town. Extra security. Playmates for your children. And yes, sometimes friends with whom to enjoy dinner or a barbecue, or to chat with over that “good fence” on a summer day.

What does it take to be a good neighbor? Here are some tips to help you enjoy the best of relationships with the people who live closest to you:

1. Simply say hello. Do you see your neighbors mowing their lawns or collecting your mail? A friendly wave and a smile can be a great way to reach out.

2. Do your part to keep the neighborhood looking good. This should be a no-brainer and I am shocked when it surprises people. Yes, your neighbors have the expectation—ad rightly so—that YOU will help contribute to the well-being of the neighborhood by keeping your yard up, raking your leaves, not leaving garbage or run-down cars laying around in the driveway, toys in the yard, etc. If this is a challenge for you, consider enlisting the help of your family, hire a yard service, or come up with some other creative way of keeping your place tidy and well-kept.

3. Keep the noise down! If you plan on entertaining and think it will be loud and/or late, let your neighbors know ahead of time and keep it to a reasonable volume. You would appreciate the same consideration, wouldn’t you?

4. Don’t let your dog bark on and on and on and on … If you leave your dog in the yard while you are away at work, ask a neighbor who is home during that time period if they ever hear your dog. There’s nothing more annoying than a barking dog that just won’t quit (trust me, there’s one in our neighborhood, so I know!)

5. Reach out. Hospitality shouldn’t be a lost art. If it is in your neighborhood, you can be the one to reinstate it. Invite a neighbor over for a drink or a meal. Invite a few neighbors over for a holiday party in the winter or a backyard BBQ in summer.

Investing some time in developing relationships with your neighbors will help keep relationships harmonious, increase the feelings of safety and goodwill in your neighborhood, and provide a solid foundation for communication if any problems do arise.

Bottom line: Don’t wait around for the others to initiate–it can all start with you!

(c) 2013 Doug Lawrence. All Rights Reserved.

If you are in the Washington State Pierce-Kitsap-Thurston county area, and think a new neighborhood might be in your future; please give me a call or send me an email (dlawrence@kw.com).  I’d be happy to give you a free market analysis of your home and discuss your options with you.

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An End to a Good Thing

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Greetings to both of my blog followers and to my wife as well.

You know when you know you should either do or say something and you don’t and the longer you wait the more awkward the whole thing becomes? Well, that is me and blogging. So, putting my awkwardness aside, here is my final update for my reluctant-landlord-turned-frenzied-flipper adventure.

I believe my last post ended with something about finding the right buyer. Well, we did. Twice. We finally got the house on the market on July 12th and were under contract by July 14th at near full price. Not bad, mission accomplished! With a projected close of mid-August, the frenzied flipper and clan were starting to dream, plan, and plot what the next chapter was going to look like.

But wait, not so fast…..

On August 23rd, after having already signed all the documents and having had a sneak peek at what our net proceeds might look like, we were informed that the transaction had just fallen apart due to buyer financing. So, here we go again! Instead of cashing a hard earned escrow check we were going back to writing them!!

Here is an abbreviation of what transpired next: Change of lenders (50% chance), 50% becomes 10%, buyer sends seller recision. Seller stalls, 10% just became 1%, divine intervention requested, divine intervention received! Extension given, buyers sign, deal closes, blessings given, keys handed over and much rejoicing…

It is actually hard to put into words what this last half year has been like. Scary, satisfying, rewarding, trying, consuming, and yet freeing at the same time. We endured nicks and bruises, disappointments and expenses. We enjoyed the fellowship, sense of accomplishment, jobs well done and the helping hands of neighbors, family and friends.

A chapter of our life is now closed.  A fine ending to a good thing.

Running with Endurance

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Okay. So you have not heard from me in a while.

With two jobs and a flip with the finish line in view, time as been a scarcity as of late. It is crazy how things multiply when you get knee deep into a project and a planned thing leads into two unplanned things or maybe into three. You paint the walls and trim in a bathroom and then decide the faucet is corroded and the mirror is outdated, thus the two for one special you never counted on. Look how much money you are going to save (not).

Anyways, that is were I have been,  preoccupied 15 to 18 hours a day, which doesn’t leave a whole lot of time for writing in your diary.  (I realize now that blogging is a way of getting a man to write in a diary.)

The paint is done, carpets are in, and the yard is looking fantastic  (thanks to Art and Tim). Doors have been re-hung and the closet organizers are ready to assist the new owners with–what else?–keeping organized.

It has been a long journey to this point, an odyssey that  could not have been accomplished without so much help along the way, let alone all the words of encouragement. With all the big jobs done, only the small and smaller tasks are left to be checked off the list and, of course, the biggest and potentially most challenging task is left: to find the right buyer at the right price.

At this stage of the project I have no regrets. I enjoy challenges and I enjoy finished challenges even more. So, if you are one that has been following our adventure and who has maybe wished you could be part of the process now, is your chance. Spread the word: our house is now for sale (or rather as of Monday, it will be) and we need to sell it!!! That’s the part you can play:  when we post the link, put your networking and social media skills to work and use your voice. We would be most grateful!

Thank you and that’s all for now. 🙂

No Cutting Corners

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No cutting corners.

Well, actually, just the opposite is true. For the last several days, I have cut MANY a corner (and angles, too) in my last big push to get this flip around the final turn and onto the home stretch. We are so close to market-ready, with only a few “bigger” jobs left to do.

Installing laminate floor in the kitchen is by far the largest task left to my immediate responsibility. Having already established that I am a second generation consummate do-it-yourselfer, have I also mentioned that there are other men out there who like to say, “It’s easy!” when it comes to doing a rather labor intensive task while they sit comfortably in an office somewhere else. Ah! There’s that word again–“easy.” They throw it to you like a life preserver. Supposedly all I have to do is just grab it.

Well, ninety minutes of  YouTube videos, a couple of boards cut too short, one cut backwards, a few nicked and dinged up corners, and the life ring comes into view. It’s finally starting to get easier, now that it’s almost done.

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So, here I sit, with 14 empty flooring boxes, five or so still to go, surrounded by bits and pieces and ends and scraps of laminate. I have convinced myself of the existence of my own personal “easy” button. Yeah, I am close to the end and feeling perhaps a bit smug because I have tackled and completed something new and it looks and feels pretty good. The only problem I have now is that three of my family members have remarked that the former family home turned rental turned flip  is “nicer now than when we lived here.” I guess that is a good thing.

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