Alisha Harrison ~ Allyn, Belfair and Hood Canal real estate expert!

Approximately 400 Realtors from across Washington State descended upon Olympia last month for the annual Washington Realtor Association (WR) Legislative Day or Hill Day. I was one of them! In fact, we had 13 members of our small association in Mason County attend. That's almost 10% of our membership!

It was a rewarding day. We met with legislators from our district and presented them with our Legislative Priorities for 2009. The response from the legislators was extremely positive. Relief even, not only were we not there asking for money, but we were also there to provide solutions. And - best of all - they listened!! Our goal was to impress upon lawmakers that the real estate industry has to recover before the overall economy can prosper. Many state funding programs depend on the real estate industry such as supporting public schools, providing critical roads and public infrastructure as well as protecting the vulnerable.

It's painfully obvious that Washington State's economic health depends on a healthy and vibrant housing market. The real estate industry as a whole accounts for 24% of the state's employment and is responsible for a large percentage of state tax revenue. Additionally, the housing market provides social benefits such as community stability and wealth creation.

Therefore, in order to stimulate the economy, you MUST stimulate the housing market! This requires paying attention to both the supply and demand side of the market.

We asked that the legislature take steps to stimulate demand by assisting first time home buyers. This can be accomplished by expanding the state run program of home-buyer education and by opening up down-payment assistance programs as well.

In order to address the supply side of the equation, we have asked the legislature to help struggling families so they are able to keep their homes. Provide refinancing options and assist with education for people in danger of being foreclosed upon.

The Realtors are at work for you. We are protecting the rights of homeowners, and helping to create opportunity for more Americans to become homeowners! I am proud of the work we are doing, and happy to be a part of such a positive and proactive group!

Yes, I read the newspapers. Yes I watch the news. But, to be honest, I had forgotten. So this morning, as I was reading blogs on Active Rain and checking Tweets on Twitter, I was surprised to hear cannon fire. Yes, you read correct, cannon fire. I went to my sliding glass door, opened the blinds and saw smoke rising from the signal guns protruding from just beneath the flight deck of the USS Kittyhawk and was reminded that today is the day that we say thank you to her for her 47 years of service to this nation. Today is the day she is decommissioned in Bremerton, WA.

I feel as though I am spoiled, enjoying views of these magnificent ships from my windows, but to see an aircraft carrier dressed in colors is a rare treat; truly a sight to be seen. She has a line of colorful signal flags reaching from bow to stern and a line of past crew members and their families stretching across the flight deck.

This is then end of an era. The Kittyhawk was the last of the conventional aircraft carriers. She was originally commissioned in 1961 and her home port was San Diego, CA for most of her life. She has been in combat in Vietnam, Somalia, Iraq and Afghanistan. She was relieved by the USS George Washington last year before sailing to Bremerton to prepare to be decommissioned.

Those that served on her will miss her. A former crewmember said "A part of me will never forget the wonders of a ship like the Hawk."

Alisha Harrison is a member of "Your Dream Team," dedicated to providing the highest level of customer service to clients, creating customers for life! Helping people buy and sell real estate in Mason, Kitsap and North Pierce Counties. Email me or call today! 360.649.0374

I woke up on Tuesday morning much the same as I usually do. At about 6:15am my eyes popped open and I sauntered upstairs and into the kitchen. I made a smoothie for my husband and myself and waited until 6:30am when my daughter informed me she wanted out of her crib.

She played with her Daddy for a few minutes before he headed off to work, and I set about my day. I fed her, and as I was settling on the couch to check emails and such, I noticed the chop, chop, chop of helicopter blades outside. I opened my blinds and suddenly remembered that today was the day the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) was deploying for a scheduled 7 month WestPac.

There were news helicopters circling as well as Navy copters for protection. There were 2 Coast Guard ships standing guard as well as many small boats maintaining a perimeter around the massive aircraft carrier. And also the tugs, both forward and aft, pushing and tugging the ship out of harbor so it could set sail.

No matter where you stand on the war in Iraq, no matter how you feel about the past administration or the incoming one, no matter what affiliation you may or may not have with the military - you have to stand in awe at such a commanding sight.

But it's so much more. There are people stationed onboard that ship; men and women. They are mothers and fathers. Husbands and wives. Sons and Daughters. Friends and loved ones. Leaving for at least 7 months. They are strong. They sacrifice for our freedom, as do their families.

So, stand strong sailors. Be safe. Good luck and Godspeed!

Alisha Harrison is a member of "Your Dream Team," dedicated to providing the highest level of customer service to clients, creating customers for life! Helping people buy and sell real estate in Mason, Kitsap and North Pierce Counties. Email me or call today! 360.649.0374

I had an interesting start to the New Year.

We spent New Year's Eve much as we usually do. Hanging out with friend's at a friend's house on Tee Lake. For those of you familiar with Mason County, you know that Tee Lake is up on the Tahuya Plateau. We tease our friends who live up there that they live in a snow vortex. It seems that if the lowlands get an inch, Tee Lake gets 5. And if it's raining in Belfair, it's snowing at Tee Lake. This held true on New Year's Eve.

While there was still a large quantity of snow on the ground, there was no snow in the forecast. We should have known that that didn't matter, we were going to Tee Lake after all.

We arrived at their home around 8 o'clock in the evening. We began our merriment with good food, great wine and even better company. We lit fireworks, played some Wii and danced 2008 away.

The snow started about 10:30pm. A nice, light powdery snow at first. Just barely dusting the decks and freshly cleared walkways. After toasting in the New Year, we noticed the ground was covered. When I finally retired to sleep in the guest bedroom at about 2:30 in the morning, I just stared out the window at the huge flakes tumbling to the ground - and groaned. I was not looking forward to dealing with the snow in the morning.

Fast-forward to 7:30 in the morning when I awoke to look out at the near 6" of snow covering the ground. My truck, which arrived completely clear of snow - covered. The roads that were bare and dry - covered. The walkways that were just showing a dusting the night before - covered!

So, we trekked through the piles of snow and brushed the accumulation off the windshield and climbed into the truck. We started our drive out to the main road, only to be met by a car stuck and vacant in the middle of the road. There was no way around! So, we backed up (yeah, that was fun) and turned around and went the long way around the lake, where we ran into another car stuck in the snow. This one was NOT vacant. A family was inside, a family that included an 18 month old baby. As it turns out, they had been stuck in the snow since about 1:30am, and were forced to sleep in their car. And after running the engine all night long trying to keep themselves warm, they had run out of gas. Being a parent myself, my heart absolutely broke for them. We loaded them up in our rig and headed down the road to take them to the home of someone they knew, as their own home was way off the grid and inaccessible.

During our trip back down into town, we spent sometime getting to know our new friends. They were down on their luck, but a loving and grateful family. They didn't have much. Lived simply as they put it. But they made the best of what they had. They loved each other very much, and were extremely grateful for what they had. They didn't complain. Not about their car getting stuck in the snow. Not about running out of gas. Not about not having enough diapers for their young boy. Not about being wet from shoveling snow all night long trying to free the car from its snowing entrapment. Not about being unsure of where they were going to stay for the next few days or how they'd deal with the car still stuck in the snow. They were grateful that we came along after only 6 hours. They were grateful they had gone to the grocery store that evening and had milk for the baby. They were grateful that they had friends in Belfair that had a spare room and told them to come on over.

We treated them to breakfast. We bought diapers and wipes for their baby. We gave them the cash we had on hand, and we thought we walked away receiving the best gift for the New Year - a refreshing new attitude on life.

I hope for the best for our new friends. I hope they receive the blessings that they so richly deserve. I wish them luck - and I thank them for what they gave to me and my husband. We thought we were paying it forward, but we learned that we were the ones receiving the blessings on New Year's Day!

I resolve to be the best person I can be. To be honest and kind and loving to others. To face life head on. To do my best in all things. To be dependable. To be fair.

I resolve to be the best mother I can be. To love and care for Avery. To provide for her needs. To raise her to be the person I know she can be. To teach her values and morals and principles by which to live her life. To show her the importance of fun.

I resolve to be the best wife I can be. To love and care for my husband. To support him and be there for him in all things.

I resolve to be the best Realtor I can be. To be honest and ethical in all of my transactions. To return calls and emails promptly. To treat my customers and other Realtors with respect. To make superior customer service my primary goal.

And yes, I have many of the old stand-bys as well, but those are more personal than I care to get into here!

Good luck and Best Wishes to all in 2009. May it be a prosperous year for all of you.

And if your plans for '09 include buying or selling real estate, give me a call. I'd love to help make your real estate dreams come true! Call me at 360.649.0374. Email me. Check out my website. Contact me today!!