Chuck Marunde, J.D. Sequim and Port Angeles Real Estate

Sequim and Port Angeles home sales activity for the first three months of this year compared to last year is instructive. Here we have a graph of the number of single family homes listed for sale in the local MLS and expired or withdrawn in the first three months for 2008 and 2009 (only the Olympic Listing Service has all MLS listings for our area, the NWMLS only includes some of our local listings, so be sure you are searching with the OLS MLS).

That we have so many listings that have not sold, but have been removed from the market should be no surprise when we look at this graph showing how the actual sales of single family homes in the first three months of this year compares to the first three months of 2008.

Want to help Sequim and Port Angeles grow in the right direction? Ever wonder what you can do to make a valuable contribution toward that end? Are you passionate about some issues but not others? Do you want to make your opinion count with hundreds or thousands of other Sequim and Port Angeles residents?

Complete this survey and we'll enter you in our monthly drawing for the $100 cash giveaway! (Sequim & Port Angeles Residents Only, see survey for details)

This survey seeks insight into what drew you to move here, what you love most about living here, and what you would change. You'll have simple multiple choice and a couple of essay questions you can choose to answer or not. Tell the truth about how you feel, and identify yourself or remain anonymous. It's up to you.

Now you can help by taking this easy online survey, and the results will be made available to you and shared with decision makers who will hear your voice. The survey consists of 28 easy questions and you can probably take it in 5 to 10 minutes.

Take the Sequim and Port Angeles Community Survey

Results can be emailed to you and will be subsequently compiled here for analysis. This is another community service from your friends right here at Sequim and Port Angeles News Online.

I finished raising my children in Sequim from 1994, and prior to that we lived in Las Vegas for five years, and prior to that seven years in Spokane, and prior to that 22 years in Alaska where I grew up. I hereby testify that the weather and climate in Sequim is precisely between the two extremes found in Nevada and Alaska.

I do not miss 70 degrees below (Farenheit) in Tok, Alaska, nor the ice fog that greatly reduces visibility on the streets of Fairbanks at 50 degrees below. We burned 10 cords of wood every winter, and guess who had the privilege of cutting and splitting the wood? I loved it.

Nor do I miss 115 degrees in the sunny climate of Vegas. I've been a jogger my whole life, and running daily in the desert heat at 90 to 110 degrees was . . . well, it was sweaty. But I loved it.

But there's nothing like the in-between. We have the Olympic Mountains, we have the rain forest, and we have sunshine down here near the water. Talking about water, we have more beautiful water front property here than any place I lived in Alaska or Nevada.

My son, Bristol, who is a professional mixed martial arts fighter, now lives and fights in Vegas. He called me today to tell me how nice and warm it was there, about 70 degrees. I talked to my folks who still live in Tok, Alaska, and it was 65 degrees below. That's a 135 degree difference on the same day.

What was it in Sequim? About 50 degrees, and this is winter. Home sweet home. You gotta love it in Sequim.

[Photo taken by Chuck Marunde at Four Mile Lake up the Taylor Highway just outside of Tok, Alaska. The only way to the Lake from the gravel road way off the beaten path known as the Alaska Highway was to pull our canoes over moss and muskeg for about two or three miles. We did that with four wheelers. We caught several trout and immediately went to shore and cooked them on a grate over an open fire with a little spice my sister had with her. Wow! Incredible! Anybody want to go fishing up north?]

Sequim and Port Angeles now have a newspaper online with a new and exciting look and content that is driven by local interests, stories, and helpful news. This is bigger than it may sound for several reasons. What sets this newspaper apart from the Sequim Gazette or the Peninsula Daily News? A lot. Here's the short list:

Exclusive Online Newspaper. People are using the Internet for almost everything, including reading the news and searching for information. The Internet is an amazing venue, because it doesn't matter whether a person lives in Sequim or Port Angeles, or in Santa Barbara or Phoenix, all can do the same search on the Internet and read the same news online. Now with a dedicated online news source, Sequim and Port Angeles has joined the rest of the world with an exclusive online newspaper.

User Friendly. This online newspaper is designed for consumers to be easily navigated with news well organized as well as information and classified ads easily accessed. Logical and intuitive navigation is no small thing these days. Sometimes it's hard to find what you're looking for on the Internet, but this newspaper is designed to make it easy and enjoyable to read. Readers will love our articles and the positive focus of our efforts. We seek to educate our readers with solid news, local news, national news of interest, photographs of local activities, opinions and commentaries, good advice, and a free classified ad service online only for Sequim and Port Angeles buyers and sellers. Our readers will receive valuable services, all free, including the ability to search the entire Sequim and Port Angeles MLS (multiple listing service) online without registration. Readers are encouraged to submit news and human interest stories. When was the last time a print newspaper made that offer? Our readers can email news to our editor and submit news of local events and local people. This makes this newspaper something that is essentially owned by Sequim and Port Angeles residents. You can not only read the news, you can be the news.

Free Subscription Online. While print newspapers have to rely upon subscription fees and advertising income, we offer our online newspaper to our readers absolutely free. Not only is our newspaper free online, many of the services that are packaged with our newspaper are free, including a powerful online classified ad service dedicated to Sequim and Port Angeles, MLS searches, and much more to come.

Independently Owned. Traditional business models for print newspapers are completely different creatures. Print newspapers have a lot to worry about, including high overhead and massive fixed and variable expenses, and as a result they have to chase businesses (with some high pressure techniques) to pay for expensive advertising. That is a driving force for print newspapers that a dedicated online newspaper simply does not have. You'll be pleased with our online newspaper, because obnoxious advertising isn't slapping you in the face every time you look at it. What does that mean for consumers? It means news that is focused on what consumers are truly interested in reading without artificial or hidden agendas. It also means we can publish human interest stories and positive news that inspire and encourage its readers. You may wonder who the founder and editor is. That would be ChuckMarunde , J.D. Chuck is a retired real estate attorney, real estate broker, and author. Chuck is an avid writer on the Internet and an Internet marketing consultant. This is another of the community services that Chuck is pleased to offer.

Read, learn, laugh, and enjoy. Sequim and Port Angeles Newspaper online. Let us know if you like what we are doing.

Sequim and Port Angeles seem to be escaping some of the nasty winter blizzards in Western Washington, in large part because of the rain shadow that shields our area.

The National Weather Service reports:

A blizzard warning will shortly replace the current winter storm watch for the Western Strait (from about Joyce westerly) and the North Coast in Clallam County, including Forks, LaPush, Neah Bay, Clallam Bay, and Sekiu. Blizzard conditions are expected to start Saturday afternoon and continue through the evening, moderating by Sunday morning. The NWS defines a blizzard as large quantity and/or a blowing snow with winds of 35 mph or stronger, and visibility of 1/4 mile or less for more than three hours. For Western Clallam County the NWS expects 6 - 12" of snow accumulation, and winds of 35 - 45 mph and gusts to 60 mph. This is a potentially dangerous situation for the West part of the County and citizens are advised to prepare now.

For the east end of the County, lowland areas are expected to see new snow accumulations of 1 - 3" and winds of about 20 mph. The NWS is not however declaring a storm warning for the Eastern part of the County. The shadowing effect of the Olympics is expected to make Port Angeles and Sequim one of the least impacted areas from this storm, however, I would emphasize that these forecasts are subject to change. Residents are advised to watch weather forecasts for updates. Furthermore, even in Eastern Clallam County, those living at higher elevations may experience considerably greater snowfall.

In the Olympic Mountains, snowfall is expected to be extremely high (2 - 3 feet.) Also for the Olympics the NWS has issued an Avalanche Warning. Earlier "weak" snow is going to be covered with a large accumulation of new "strong" snow, creating extremely hazardous avalanche conditions. The possibility of triggering an avalanche by mountain travel, particularly on side hills is significant. Accordingly, winter activities in the higher elevations of the Olympics should proceed only with great caution.

Plan your trip Local Radar Detailed Forecast

Plan your trip Local Radar Detailed Forecast