Tag Archives: real estate

Love Where You Live: Place Attachment

harbor

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?

foxisland

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

foxislandbridge

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.

peninsula-2

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.)

peninsula-1

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.

peninsula-3

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!

movingtruck

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.

WallaWalla-Doug

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.

DungenessSpit

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.

applepancake

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?

neighbors

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.

SaveSave