Olga Diaz Potter, Associate Broker, CRS, ASP, ePRO

July 4th, 2009. It was a beautiful night in the Northwest and the place we call home, Pullman, WA. I wanted to share these pics as I watched my daughter taking pictures of the Fireworks Display that was held at Sunnyside Park. There is something magical about children and fireworks. Their eyes are wide open, their faces awestruck as they see the display of lights above them. Some children are sitting on their parent's laps while others run around with sparklers wanting to feel like they're part of the action. It's really a special treat. There is so much to celebrate, our Independence Day, but for children and especially mine, it is a night she wants to capture and hold onto for a while to come.

What a great night last night in Pullman, WA. The Palouse Habitat for Humanity held the first fundaraiser in our area for this great cause. It was held at the Schwietzer Engineering Event Center and drew a nice crowd to this inaugural event.

The Event included Dinner and both a Silent and Live Auction. Many wonderful items were included in the auction and small groups of people could be seen gathered around the tables making their choices. Glenn Johnson, the Pullman Mayor, did an excellent job as the emcee and it was super having Brian Funke, as the Auctioneer. Large Live Auction items included a Scenic Flight Tour over the Palouse and Island Paradise Getaway in Kona, Hawaii. The last and most appropriate Live Auction item was a beautiful Playhouse built by the Students of the WSU Construction Management Department.

Here's a twist to the night...I now have an Outdoor Fireplace/Chimenea sitting on my deck! It was my favorite item of the night. I just didn't think I would end up getting it! A lesson in the Live Auction process was learned very quickly. Fun night! Lots of laughs, good food, and sweet entertainment as the guests enjoyed music provided by the Hog Heaven Band. Looking forward to the beginning of the home building for a special family.

WHAT A SPECIAL NIGHT BENEFITTING SUCH AN INCREDIBLE CAUSE.

There is so much buzz, and rightly so, about the 2009 Homebuyer Tax Credit, that I went searching for more information myself. It almost seems like a "too good to be true scenario," but it's not! I am not an accountant, so I am not going to try to summarize all the details, instead I am just going to link a presentation in pdf format from the National Association of Realtors that sums up the tax credit.

http://warealtor.org/images/tax-credit-details.pdf

It's a snowy day in Pullman, WA....again! It's beautiful and peaceful, but I thought Spring might be around the corner....not on the Palouse. It's a jolt back to reality!

Great day for blogging, emailing, and catching up on paperwork....not so great for driving. There have been accidents all around our community, and even though we are supposed to be used to this weather, it has caught me off guard. I've decided to watch the snow fall from my office and work from home. I've decided to stay inside and not venture out in the craziness of winter driving. I've decided to enjoy the view from my home window. Let it Snow...again!

Anyone in Pullman knows how long winter can be, sometimes through June. I am not kidding. As me and my family were looking out into our snow covered yard yesterday, we decided to get out of town and head 40 minutes south to Lewiston/Clarkston. Although there is not that much to do down in the Valley, that is the closest Home Depot, Costco and Pier 1. And guaranteed to almost always be at least 10 degrees warmer. Yesterday was not different. We left the 31 degree weather in Pullman for a balmy, sunny 45 degrees in the Valley. Amazing. We took our little guy to the park, which we all needed!


So if you are feeling stuck in Pullman...I encourage you to take a short trip to Lewiston, get your shopping done and then soak up the sun!

~Sharae