Tag Archives: vacation home

Amazing Views of Hales Passage from Ready-to-Build Fox Island Lot!

Have you been thinking of view property on beautiful Puget Sound in Washington State? Look no further than this: the development has already been done . . . so bring your plans and get going on the water-view house you’ve been dreaming of!

From your vista on desirable Bella Bella Drive on Fox Island, you’ll enjoy unobstructed views of Hales Passage and the Fox Island Bridge. The over 1/4-acre lot is level and has been fully cleared; a three-bedroom septic has been installed and water and electricity are already to the property.

$299,950

Offered by Doug Lawrence and Keller Williams West Sound
MLS#1358855
224 B Bella Bella Dr, Fox Island 98333.

Call for showing; listing agent must be present at initial viewing to highlight all the incredible amenities of this exclusive property. 253.341.5287
dlawrence@kw.com
www.douglawrencerealestate.com

Offers: Seller intends to review offers upon receipt.

Doug Lawrence is a Fox Island resident whose motto is “Love Where You Live!” He especially enjoys the opportunity to offer others a chance at the “island living” enjoyed by residents on Fox Island. You can find out more about Doug and Fox Island living at www.foxisland.net and www.visitgigharbor.com.

The Best Place in Washington to Retire

Welcome to the Best Place in Washington to Retire!

Gig Harbor is proud to enjoy the distinction of having been named first on a list of “Best Places to Retire in Washington,” according to a study released by financial technology company SmartAsset. Gig Harbor scored a whopping, state-high score of 87.60 on SmartAsset’s Best Place to Retire index, edging out Sequim (84.93) for the top spot. Not only that, SmartAsset’s recreation index also placed Gig Harbor at the top among Washington cities!I

What makes Gig Harbor such a great place to retire? The study cited, among other things, the benefits of Gig Harbor’s 12 percent tax rate, 11.5 doctor’s offices per 1,000 people, and 23.6 percent of the population at senior age.

But besides the facts and figures, the retirement lifestyle in The Maritime City offers all kinds of delightful opportunities.  Make new friends or meet up with old ones over coffee or a happy hour; both the Uptown area and the downtown waterfront offer multiple enjoyable options. Many Gig Harbor retirees also enjoy the all-ages, fitness-oriented environment at the Tom Taylor Family YMCA in Gig Harbor North, where they can take a walk indoors, make waves in a Silver Splash water aerobics class, or volunteer and become part of the fun and dynamic community. They can also join the Active Retirement & Senior Club of Gig Harbor, a membership-based organization offering a full slate of recreational and cultural activities.

Outdoor opportunities are plentiful, rain or shine, including “walking the harbor” (what locals call a stroll or jog on the waterfront) or the Cushman Trail, kayaking or paddleboarding, boating, fishing, and more. The arts are alive and well in Gig Harbor’s monthly Art Walk and the many local galleries and annual Art Festival.

Have a bit of the wanderlust? If you’re wanting to venture beyond Gig Harbor’s relative peace and quiet, opportunities for outings abound. The big city amenities of Seattle and Tacoma are not far away, nor is the unsurpassed beauty of coastal communities and mountainous national parks to the east and to the west. Whether your bent is concerts or camping, a delightful variety of entertainment and recreation options lie at your doorstep, and the time to enjoy them is . . . now!

Doug Lawrence is a licensed real estate broker with Keller Williams West  Sound in Gig Harbor. Give him a shout for all your buying, selling, and investment in real estate needs; he’s here to serve and make your transition to or within Gig Harbor (and the surrounding area) as smooth as possible! www.douglawrencerealestate.com

Visit the Gig Harbor Marina and Boatyard

Recently we had friends from out of town stay at the The Gig Harbor Marina and Boatyard, giving us an opportunity to see up-close-and-personal what a cool place it is!

A long-time fixture in the Gig Harbor community, the Marina dates back to the early 1900s. These days, however, it provides much more than simply boat moorage and repair. Today’s GH Marina is just as well-known as an event venue, training facility, and hospitality suite, and is a hub of daily activity on the waterfront.

Customers will find well-maintained docks and moorage slips, haul out and repair services, technology and vehicles to maintain every caliber of boat, high-speed Wi-Fi, and a up-to-date and responsive website for convenient payment and service requests (we always find a good website to be a big plus!). The Marina is also a sought-after event location, offering a gorgeous, covered, open-air venue (hello weddings, concerts, receptions; you name it!) as well as a beautifully-renovated apartment with two private decks overlooking the waterfront, available for booking through VRBO.

There are also boats available for booking as hospitality suites, including The Eagle, originally built for musician Steve Miller. Our friends stayed a few nights on The Eagle and it was fun to play Steve’s keyboard (original to the boat) and listen to his record albums (yes, real old vinyl) on the stereo. It was blast from the past and had us humming, “Fly like an eagle … to the sea . . . let my spirit carry me . . .” for days afterward!

Perhaps one of the most fun aspects of the Marina is the little red trolley car nestled on the lawn out front. It’s technically not affiliated but it’s certainly a fixture on the premises, and serves up delicious food for guests and passersby alike. You should check it out: stop by for some fish and chips or fish tacos or any of its other tasty offerings, and enjoy a “taste” of this iconic Gig Harbor gem!

(c) 2018 Doug Lawrence Real Estate. All Rights Reserved.

Doug Lawrence is a foodie, travel junkie, and 80s music fan who supports his adventures by working as a real estate broker based in Gig Harbor, Washington. Give him a shout if he can help you with your real estate buying, selling, or investment needs, not only in Gig Harbor, but anywhere around the world. http://www.douglawrencerealestate.com

 

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Love Where You (Sometimes) Live

trittincondoview

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!).

roastpig

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.

tandembike-2

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.