Alan Burwell

Call McHugh Realtors for all your real estate needs. Alan, Paul, Rochelle, Jane, Patrick, and Erica are ready for your call. If you are looking to retire or relocate, Sequim is a great place to live. With 300 sunny days a year, every day is a good day!

Home sales in May increased over April and prices continue to zero in on what the buyers are looking for. Numbers are average.

Homes Land

• Selling Price $277,769 $114,685
• Original List Price $292,176 $139,629
• List to Sale Ratio 95% 82%
• Days on Market 111 148
• Total Sold 46 7

I love reading meme's. I've wondered what I would write if ever I were tagged. Now, I can answer this question as I was tagged by Jo Soss. Who in turn was tagged by ARDELL who was tagged by Rosemarie Hicks. Further up the line are Rebecca Levinson, Kathy McGraw, and Jason Sardi. This geneology is very important and I will explain why later.

This Super 8 meme has questions for me to answer, thus making it a little bit easier for me to complete this mission. Now, in the immortal words of the extras in Monty Python's Holy Grail "Get on with it!"

1. Who is my favorite musical artist?

This is a tough question for me as I'm a lover of all music. (Except rap) So I can't really pick an artist, let alone a genre. But in my lifetime, I was and still am a great fan of Journey. I picked up on them in my teen years. (of course) Now that I'm older, I've moved through my music choices and find myself listening to new country most all the time. Having teen boys, I'm hearing more and liking some of the new rock that is out. And thanks to American Idol, I can say for certain that I will be purchasing David Cook's next album. He's a great musician, he's from Kansas City, and he's cute.

2. Who is my favorite artist?

I'm naive when it comes to artists so I can't say that I have a favorite of the more commonly known names. I know of Van Gogh and Monet. But I have to say that the art that gets the revered space in my home (the refrigerator) is my boys work. Of course, they are teens now, so their work is mostly put away, but I do love it and it is my favorite.

3. Who is your favorite blogger?

I don't have an answer for this, so in honor of Jennifer Bukaty and her Super meme, I am changing this question. Jennifer's rule was that everyone down line from her was to change one question for the sheer fun of changing things up. I'm not down line from her, but I am from Jason Sardi. That's just as good. :)

So my new question is.....What is your favorite city you have ever visited?

My answer for this is Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. I was an exchange student when I was in high school and I lived in Victoria, Australia. I would get to visit Melbourne a few times and I really enjoyed each visit. I'd travel by train from my host family's country home into the city. From there, I'd either walk or take the trolley to the many places I would visit. Melbourne is a beautiful city and I hope to someday go back again.

4. Who would you want to meet dead or alive. What is the most interesting thing about them.

I'd like to meet my maternal grandfather. He died long before I was born. He is an interesting person because he was a Master Sergeant in the US Army. He was stationed at Ft. Leavenworth in Kansas. I would have liked to hear his stories of WWII and what he did during that time.

5. What did you want to be growing up?

I really don't recall what I used to tell my parents when I was a child. But once I hit Jr. and Sr. High school, I was all over computers and programming. Remember the Commodore 64? Or the first Apples? Long before there were PC and Mac, I learned how to program Basic on an Apple in high school. My first year of college was studying more programming languages. I soon grew bored with de-bugging and sitting in front of a computer all the time and switched my focus to Accounting and Teaching. That lasted quite awhile, but now, I like working in real estate. I would love to get into the escrow side of it.

6. What is the most interesting piece of trivia you know?

I am exactly the same age as the St. Louis Arch. On Oct. 30, 1965 the arch was dedicated and officially opened to the public and I was the interruption in my parent's night out.

Another bit of trivia. This item can be found in 80% of US homes, yet only 20% of those owners say they actually use it. It is the piano.

7. If you could live in any point in history what would it be and why?

I had a hard time with this one. There are so many other periods in history that I've been interested in and thought I'd like to live then, but the question asks for only one. I'm going to stick with my now. I like my now. Which means I grew up in the 70's and 80's. I wouldn't trade those days for nothing.

8. What is the most interesting job I've ever held? Paying or volunteer.

This is an easy answer. I love my job as the Advancement Chairman for my sons Boy Scout Troop in Port Angeles. I've been involved in BSA since my 17 yr old was a tiger cub. I have always believed that scouting is one of the best ways to teach boys character, honesty, and living right. The Scout law are words to live by. (A scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.) By working behind the scenes in the troop, I get to watch my boys and the other boys or our troop grow into young men who know how to lead and to serve. I'm proud to say that my 17 yr old son was just inducted into the Order of the Arrow by completing his Ordeal. And my 13 yr old son just advanced to 2^nd Class.

I hope you enjoyed this little glimmer of me. I'd like to tag some others, but all the people that I read have already been tagged. There are a couple of folks I'd like to know more about.

Fran White and Doc Reiss

Mother Nature threw a couple snowballs at us in Sunny Sequim with some extra snow for the year. Spring took just a little longer to arrive. But arrive it has. Buyers are starting to step out into the sunshine and look to buy some real estate. And as the average sales prices show, the buyers are calling the shots. Looking at April compared to March the average sold prices are down $50,000.

Homes Land

• Selling Price $259,720 $131,644
• Original List Price $280,437 $153,724
• List to Sale Ratio 93% 86%
• Days on Market 133 161
• Total New Listings 86 89
• Total Sold 35 17

Come see us at McHugh Realtors for all your real estate needs. Our agents can help you buy or sell without worry.

Photo courtesy of Charles Beull

In 1895, bringing water from the Dungeness River to the parched plains of the Dungeness Valley and Sequim, Washington was the dream of 4 pioneer settlers. They all agreed that "Water was Wealth" and worked together to convince the other farmers and settlers of the area that irrigation ditches were needed. After a year of convincing and hard work digging and building a flume, the headgate was opened.

For the past 113 years, Sequim has been celebrating the spirit of those 4 pioneers and their vision of irrigation to the Dungeness Valley. "Water is Wealth" has been the mantra all these years and irrigation waters are still in use through various irrigation districts. "The Sequim Irrigation Festival celebrates the initiation, development and support of the irrigation ditches which brought water to the once dry prairies of Sequim."

You can Discover the Treasure of Sequim at the 2008 Irrigation Festival. Make plans to visit the week of May 3 through 11. Many events are held prior to and during festival week.

Our festival royalty was crowned on March 1, 2008. Queen Jennifer and her court will preside over the festival and will be seen in many other parades and events throughout the summer. The girls have already won a 1^st place Float award at the Daffodil Days Parade in Tacoma.

Festival week starts off with the Arts and Crafts Fair on May 3 - 4. This street fair is fun for all and is held on Cedar Street. Live entertainment all day each day helps keep the mood festive. Local classic car owners have a car show and the Happy Tymers clowns will be around to put smiles on your face.

Also on May 3 is the Kids Parade. This parade is for children 12 years and younger. Prizes are awarded and everyone has fun. After the parade, head over to the Boys and Girls Club for face painting, games, and model making and crafts.

For the fitness fans, the Marunde Invitational Strongman Competition will be held. This event was started by Jesse Marunde, Sequim resident and International strongman who placed 2^nd in the 2005 Worlds Strongest Man competition. This year the competition will continue in his memory as he was suddenly taken from us last year by a heart attack. Jesse was 27. Logging competitions, Goldwing motorcycle display, Treasure car Show ‘n Shine, and a Tractor pull. Also a carnival is held on the school campus grounds.

And topping it all off, the Grand Parade. The parade will be on May 10. Groups from all over the Pacific Northwest come to Sequim to join in and watch the parade.

At 113 years young, The Sequim Irrigation Festival is the longest continuously running festival in the state of Washington.

McHugh Realtors is proud to be a sponsor of this year's Irrigation Festival.

Logo courtesy of the Sequim Irrigation Festival

Sequim Real Estate numbers in March has picked up over February. The sold average is up approximately $50,000. The List to Sale ratios also improved.

Numbers are average.

Homes Land

• Selling Price $307,813 $206,125
• Original List Price $339,933 $246,800
• List to Sale Ratio 91% 84%
• Days on Market 194 230
• Total New Listings 81 35
• Total Sold Properties 30 8

Spring is a great time to look and buy a new home or land to build your dream home. McHugh Realtors has been serving Sequim's Real Estate needs for over 40 years.