From terrorist blockade to PSNS Memorial Plaza.

After the September 11 attacks security for military installations around the country implemented new security measures, and bases in Kitsap County followed suit.  The Navy proceeded to purchase land in downtown Bremerton adjacent to the Bremerton Puget Sound Naval Shipyard entrance for a security buffer.  Instead of looking at some jersey barriers along the sidewalk the City of Bremerton had a vision that would lead to the creation of PSNS Memorial Plaza. 

The now complete park prevents vehicles from driving into the shipyard fence and its gorgeous with lots of plantings, fountains, cut and polished boulders, a ship's bow and a history lesson! 

The bow is from the Guided Missile Cruiser USS South Carolina. 

The park is a history lesson of the shipyard.  There are three sections, women workers of WWI near Burwell Street, in the middle World War II history and at the bottom the area honoring today's shipyard workers. 

On Sunday I went down with my video camera to capture this unique and gorgeous Bremerton feature.  I had been down a few weeks ago but hadn't carried my camera.  Sunday was a gorgeous day and I really enjoyed my time there.  While video taping a Navy Veteran stopped me to ask some questions. Lots of Navy Veterans visit Bremerton and the shipyard probably because they served here at one time in their career.

One of the reasons I relocated to Bremerton WA was because of the history and early century architecture.  I love older homes.  Maybe it is because of one home I remember as a child that was in Puyallup. A true craftsman with a huge front porch and built in buffets, along with a really unique floor plan that included a kitchen breakfast nook and closets so large we made them into playhouses. 

Anyway, the home we purchased here was built in 1941, it isn't a craftsman but a Cape Cod Bungalow. It has a steep roof with side gables, a small roof overhang and is 1 1/2 stories on a daylight basement.  I have wide clapboard type T&G siding on the front and raked shingles on the other 3 sides.  The appearance is symmetrical with the door in the center.  A Cape Cod Bungalow is different than a Cape Cod Craftsman because of no dormers.  I have all oak flooring on the main level which is about 1/2 inch think and gorgeous!  I also just found several bundles of unused oak flooring in the attic.  Enough to install it in the 3/4 bath in the basement!

The home had been occupied by the same person since 1946 and to my amazement hadn't had any remodeling done!  Sometimes over the years older homes have had so many owners and so many DIY projects that they are just ruined! Mine was just left original until the owner had to be removed and some relatives decided to "flip it".

I was living in California and my husband was in Iraq when we bought the home.  I had only been to the property once for about 15 minutes.  I saw what I saw.  Of course I had an inspection done and of course there are times that an inspector just can't possibly find it all. That is our story - he didn't find it all. But I have.

I have found that the fireplace was ruined by a wood stove insert. I just ordered a new insert to be installed along with a new liner and chimney chase.

I have found that some of the sill plate and rim joist had dry rot because of water damage probably by a gutter issue.  We had a contractor out last week to fix those problems without having to jack the house up!

I have found that there was really no insulation in the attic.  Back in the day they would put insulation in the floor joists and use the attic as additional whatever space.  Our attic was converted to two large rooms and a sitting area.  I turned one into a huge walk-in closet and one into the master bedroom.  Those areas were insulated around them but the area above the main living area didn't have any insulation.

This past week I layed the insulation on one side and will video it when I am totally complete. Installing insulation in an attic is really easy. I have done it all myself - the entrance to the area is only 15" wide so it had to be me - haha!

Here is my video - have fun watching, my husband thinks I am crazy.

If you want to purchase a Craftsman or a Cape Cod in Bremerton you want to make sure you are working with an agent that knows about the product.  I have fireplace inpectors, contractors and yardbirds (lumber yard associates) that are a part of my team.  There is more than a home inpsection that needs to take place when purchasing these homes.

This is an investment but it also is our home.

Market tough? Maybe. We do have several home owners in the Kitsap County area that may owe more than what they could sell their home for. I have taken several phone calls over the last couple of weeks asking about seller closing costs. SELLER CLOSING COSTS? Yes, sellers have closing costs. If you are a first time seller this might be news to you.

Of course you remember when you were a buyer that you had closing costs listed on your final closing statement. Not being able to see the sellers side of the closing statement you probably didn't realize what the seller was paying.

Here is a quick list of these items

• Real Estate Commissions - for seller's agent and buyer's agent
• Escrow Closing Fee ( you as a buyer paid 1/2 of this fee0
• Title Insurance
• Courier Fees
• Reconveyance Fee
• Recording Fees
• and the huge chunk of change the local City/County/State want from you - its called Excise Tax 1.78% of the sells price of your property
  

Here is a fictious net proceeds for a Ms Bremerton Home Seller....

If you have any questions on selling your home in this market just give me a call, or send an email, or text me with your questions!

When I first entered the real estate profession back in 1994 I was told that in order to survive in this business you must become a listing agent. You must go after the listing; a listing is like money in the bank. So that is what all of us newbie's did, we went after the listing. Then one day I was asked to help out at a new construction development, which really meant "we need a warm body" to sit an open house.

Being the new agent that I was I felt honored that they wanted me to sit the open house. I had so much fun interacting with potential buyers that buyers became my new obsession.

I (gasp) became a buyer's agent! Sure I still listed homes and was successful at it but buyers were my passion, my obsession, my addiction. It was like being on a scavenger hunt or a treasure hunt when working with buyers. We "hung out" on the weekends or on weekday evenings, hung out getting our fix of homes on the market.

You don't spend that much time with sellers - buyers get to become part of your family. They know you and you know them. You know they like lemonade in their coke, you know they don't want pickles on a sandwich, you chat about neighborhoods and schools.

Buyers are fun!

In the State of Washington real estate professionals are bound by "The Law of Real Estate Agency". Please see section five ::

"Duties of a Buyer's Agent." Prescribes the additional duties of a licensee representing the buyer or tenant only.

DUTIES OF A BUYER'S AGENT.

(1) Unless additional duties are agreed to in writing

signed by a buyer's agent, the duties of a buyer's agent

are limited to those set forth in section 3 of this act

and the following, which may not be waived except

as expressly set forth in (e) of this subsection:

(a) To be loyal to the buyer by taking no action

that is adverse or detrimental to the buyer's interest

in a transaction;

(b) To timely disclose to the buyer any conflicts of

interest;

(c) To advise the buyer to seek expert advice on

matters relating to the transaction that are beyond

the agent's expertise;

(d) Not to disclose any confidential information

from or about the buyer, except under subpoena

or court order, even after termination of the agency

relationship; and

(e) Unless otherwise agreed to in writing after the

buyer's agent has complied with section 3(1)(f) of

this act, to make a good faith and continuous effort

to find a property for the buyer; except that a

buyer's agent is not obligated to:

(i) seek additional properties to purchase while

the buyer is a party to an existing contract to

purchase; or

(ii) show properties as to which there is no

written agreement to pay compensation to the

buyer's agent.

(2) (a) The showing of property in which a buyer is

interested to other prospective buyers by a buyer's

agent does not in and of itself breach the duty of

loyalty to the buyer or create a conflict of interest.

(b) The representation of more than one buyer by

different licensees affiliated with the same broker

in competing transactions involving the same

property does not in and of itself breach the duty of

loyalty to the buyers or create a conflict of interest.

In the current market buyers are gold! All those real estate agents that wouldn't work with buyers before sure are working with them now. The reason is it's a BUYER'S MARKET here in Kitsap County! You the buyer, the person in the driver's seat want to make sure you are working with a Buyer's Agent that is looking our for your best interest.

I want my buyers to be my best piece of marketing so I make sure that it is all about them - the buyer! What better marketing plan can you have then lots and lots of buyers running around town telling all their friends about "their Buyer's Agent"!

My buyers are my friends, they are my neighbors, they are my neighbor's friends and family and all receive total quality service from me.

I am sure you have heard all the doom and gloom from a million different news reports concerning the lending industry mess, how several loan programs once available are no longer, how zero down loan programs are almost non-existent and how hard it is right now if you have little to zero money available for a down payment.

But wait; are you a military member or a veteran? If you are the news isn't as bad. With your VA Guaranteed Home Loan benefit you can still obtain a loan with no down payment and a fixed interest rate that is as good as or better than a conventional mortgage rate. This is the time for a VA Loan! What a great benefit to those of you that have served our country!

I want to make sure you understand what a VA Guaranteed Home Loan is. There are still several myths out there about VA Loans and there are still some real estate professionals that don't understand how it could be the best loan for military members and veterans.

What is a VA Guaranteed Home Loan?

Many have the misconception that the military is the organization loaning the money. No they are not. Your VA Guaranteed Home Loan will be made by a private lender, such as your bank or a mortgage company of your choosing that has VA lending approval. The guaranty means the lender is protected if you fail to repay the loan. This is also why you will not have to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) for a zero down loan (if you could find one). Normally a lender would require a down payment and/or PMI to obtain a loan, since the VA Home Loan has a guaranty which replaces these you will be able to obtain your loan without, but with the same financial terms as if you had made a down payment. The risk is removed for the lender when the VA gives them that guaranty.

Of course you still must meet income and debt requirements, your credit reports will be used and if there are items in your history that are derogatory you can be denied a loan even though you have your Certificate of Eligibility. The VA cannot demand a lender make a loan to you that would violate their lending practices. Lenders also must comply with the VA rules and policies when it comes to income and credit standards. Just having the benefit is not enough, you must be credit worthy.

If a lender is unwilling to approve you for a loan the only thing the VA can do is suggest that you try other lenders.

It could just be the perfect time for you to purchase a home with your VA benefits. Where else can a person get a 100% home loan these days?!