Burien, WA

Looking for someplace fun to take the child in your life next Saturday? With so much to do, you'll have a hard time deciding which event to participate in!

Here's a list of local Egg Hunts:

Saturday, March 22nd

Burien - Easter Eggstravaganza(Burien Community Center, 4th SW and SW 146th ST)

Bunny Breakfast, 9 - 10:45 a.m.($3/person, children under 1 yr FREE), Egg Hunt 11:00(broken into age groups); also the Easter Bunny will be here! $3/photo

Shorewood - Annual Egg Hunt sponsored by Shorewood on the Sound Community

See link above for more info about the event. Registration begins at 10:30 at the top of the hill on 30th SW. Wear shoes that won't slip on the beach rocks. Volunteers needed!

Normandy Park - Annual Easter Egg Hunt at the Cove(1500 Shorebrook Drive)

11:00 sharp at the Cove. All are welcome - bring your baskets!

Sea-Tac - Egg Hunt at Angle Lake Park(19408 International Blvd S)

Starts at 9:00 a.m. sharp! Bring a basket or bag to collect eggs.

Des Moines - Spring Egg Hunt at Des Moines Beach Park

From 9:00 a.m. till 11:00 a.m. Candy and prizes for every child! Pics with the Easter Bunny are $2.

Tukwila - Easter Egg Scramble & Hunt, Tukwila Community Center, 12424 42nd Ave S.

Breakfast, 9:00 - 10:30 a.m., Hunt begins at 10:00 a.m. sharp! Also, the 2nd Annual Kid's Closet will take place. Shop for kids items or reserve a table for $15 and sell yours.

West Seattle - West Seattle Thriftway

9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Bring your kids aged 0 - 10 years of age for a great time at our annual easter egg hunt (It's West Seattle famous!) there are not only goodies hidden in those eggs, prizes too, maybe even a Wii! Make sure to get here early, the lot gets full quickly and the line gets long!

Also in West Seattle: Egg Hunts at the following community centers: Alki, Hiawatha, Delridge, High Point and Southwest start at 10:00 a.m.

Sunday, March 23

IKEA - Head over to Renton for Easter events and prizes from 10:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

**If you time it right, perhaps you can make two or three of these events! Have a blast!

I just made some cookies for my Open House, and, not to toot my own horn but - they are dee-licious!

I love baking cookies just before Open Houses because a) have something to offer to people walking in; b)it fills the house with the aroma of baked goods, since the cookies are still cooling off; and c) I'll have something to do(eat) in case no one shows up!:)

Here's the recipe...if anyone has a problem with my posting a recipe here, then...no cookie for you!:)

Kissables Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 cup margarine or butter

2 eggs(OR, I substituted 1/2 mashed banana for the eggs and I think that's why they are so good!)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup chocolate chips

3-4 Kissables pressed into the top of each cookie before baking

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix sugar, eggs(or mashed banana), shortening, and vanilla in large bowl. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to creamed mixture and blend well Add the chocolate chips.

2. Drop dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet. Slightly push a few Kissables on top of each cookie.

3. (Optional) To further prevent spreading I put the prepared cookie sheet in the freezer for 5-10 minutes.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes.

I'm off to the open house now - ENJOY!

Yesterday I dropped my son off at his friend's house for his weekly Lego Club. As part of being in Real Estate, we do have to ask those we come into contact with this question every once in a while: " Do you know of anyone who is interested in buying or selling Real Estate in the near future?"

Her answer to me was, "No, not at this time". She then went on to explain that sometimes she and her husband(both in their mid-30's) would like to move to a larger more updated home in a better area. However, when they consider the fact that their home will be paid off in 10 years, the thought of starting over again in a new mortgage with higher expenses really discourages them from making a move.

They did a very smart thing 5 years ago - they refinanced to a low rate, 15 year loan. She admitted that she enjoys watching more and more of her payment going to principal every month. I know I would! Now, people can argue all they want about how you can just get a 30-year loan and pay more principal, or utilize other ways to pay off your mortgage sooner. But not too many have the discipline to do this month after month. For this couple, it is working out quite well.

As I was listening to them, I started to think of how refreshing it was to hear that someone, especially in her age group, can put off their desire for fancier digs in the name of future financial security. Then I started seething a little with jealousy over the fact that they will be completely debt-free in ten years!(In all seriousness, I am extremely happy for them). They will finish paying their mortgage off just in time to see their oldest child off to college.

Perhaps as a result of our economic instability living modestly will start to come back into style, and people will stay put in their homes a little longer to build equity; maybe it's time to go back to the basics.

First thing this morning, I wake up to the national news on the radio, blaring out more alarming news in the housing market: "Housing Slump Takes A Turn For The Worst!", "Median Prices Fall To Levels We Have Not Seen In Ten Years!", blah-de-blah-de-blah.

I could (and will at a later date when I'm not pressed for time) pull up some local stats, but for the present moment I am just going to stick my finger straight up into the air and say, "Waitasecond - I don't think so!" to all this media hype.

Why? Because:

a) All real estate is local. I truly do feel for people having anything to do with real estate in other parts of the country, where prices are indeed falling as quickly as they rose the past few years. But our situation in the Pacific Northwest is different. We have a much more robust housing market here.

b) I'm suddenly seeing "SOLD" strips on signs all over the place.

c) I had 14 people at my Open House yesterday - yeah!

d) I actually had multiple offers on a property that was PRICED CORRECTLY FOR THE MARKET last week.

e) In our office, I am seeing lots more contracts being written, lots more showings scheduled, conference rooms filled with buyers and sellers.

Yes, interest rates are in flux, but heck, they are still LOW, people. And prices are leveling out for the most part.

Like I said, there's no scientific substance to this particular "market analysis", just my feelings and observations. But I just wanted to let you know that the sky is not falling!

I was perusing the City of Burien website today when I saw that there was going to be a meeting this coming Monday regarding the design for the new Burien Library. it is expected to be completed in early 2009, and is being built in conjunction with the new Burien City Hall, which will keep the costs of construction, materials, taxes, etc down for us taxpayers in Highline.

(Tangent alert!) For that reason alone, you gotta love Burien. Ever since I moved my business here from Seattle, my taxes are considerably less and the paperwork is a breeze!

The new, 32,000 square foot library will of course be much larger than the current library, and will share some space with City Hall. As with all newly constructed or renovated King County libraries, green standards will be adhered to; while it is extremely expensive to build to the highest of green standards, the new library will be built to be environmentally friendly and cost effective.

The building permit should be issued any day now. I believe that the old library will house the new Highline Senior Center.

Interested in attending the meeting? Here are the details:

Public Meeting:
New Burien Library
Monday, February 25, 7pm
Burien Library
14700 Sixth Avenue SW
Burien, WA 98166