Sue Rand

Windy in Gig Harbor!

Gig Harbor didn't get a lot of rain this weekend, but it sure was windy. I can't believe that there are ANY leaves left on the trees. This photo was taken from the east side of Wollochet Bay, which is typically nice and calm - it's a great area for kayaking, water-skiing, fishing, crabbing, seal-watching, and beach-walking. As you can see, there are whitecaps out there today!

I didn't notice any sailboats, but if there were any out there, I'll bet the ride was exciting - a little TOO exciting for me. Can you imagine what the waves were like under the Narrows Bridge.?

It'll be fun to take a walk and see what washed up on the shore tomorrow.

Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol in Gig Harbor!

Yesterday while taking advantage of the beautiful day to get some new photos, I started chatting with another "photographer" standing beside me. We were down at the old ferry landing trying to get the perfect shot of a sailboat making its way across Gig Harbor Bay.

As it turns out, Andrew, the other photographer was visiting from New York and was here on a very special mission. He and his associate, John were members of the Prize Patrol from Publisher's Clearing House and had come to Gig Harbor to award a prize to a local resident. How cool is that!?

Now I'll admit, I've always been a tad skeptical about whether these prizes ever actually existed. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone here.... But as I talked to Andrew and John, I learned a little about the various regional contests. There are contests based on your first name, initials - all kinds of fun little things. So they award many more prizes than just the big one in February. Who knew?

To see a winner in Gig Harbor assured me that there indeed is a Publishers Clearing House Prize Patrol. In fact Andrew and John are headed to Seattle to award another prize today.

What a fun job that must be!

Tax Credit Extended!

Last President Obama signed a bill which extended and expanded the tax credit, into law.

Here are the details:

The bill that was to originally expire on November 30, 2009 has been extended through April 30, 2010.

In addition, there will be a tax credit of $6500 for qualified buyers who are NOT first time-home buyers and purchase a home with a sales price of up to $800,000.

The buyer's income limits have been increased to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for couples for both of these tax credits.

Homes purchased must be used as a primary residence.

There are other additional provisions, so as always, I recommend that you check with your tax attorney to see if this tax credit will work for you.

But if you've been thinking about "moving up" and using your current home as a rental, this could work out nicely for you. With low interest rates, great home prices and a $6500 tax credit, this may be a golden opportunity to add to your real estate portfolio. We may never have this chance again!

Should we buy now? Or just keep renting for awhile?

Those are important questions for a lot of folks now.

This short video illustrates the pros and cons of homeownership. So if the question "Should we buy now or just keep renting for awhile?" is haunting you, taking a couple minutes to watch this video may be helpful to you.







Don't have money for a downpayment? Did you know that there are several downpayment assistance programs available in our area? One of them may be just right for you!

Halloween in Gig Harbor

One of the cool things about living Gig Harbor is the abundance of local activities. With Halloween only a few days away, I'd like to suggest a few fun things you might want to participate in.

Start off your Halloween in Gig Harbor with the Monster Dash, an 8K run with proceeds going to the Jamie Moyer Foundation. Check out all the Kid's movies at Galaxy Theater, visit Peninsula Gardens and Patterson's Pumpkin Patches, taste some wines at Harbor Greens and The Keeping Room, and be very afraid at Paradise Theatre's "Theatre of Lost Souls" haunted house.

For trick-or-treaters, the Halloween in Gig Harbor fun continues at both Uptown and Harborview Dr. beginning at 3:00. For those of us too old to trick or treat, how about getting involved in the Murder Mystery Dinner Theater at Brix 25? Make reservations now...

More information on these events can be found at www.gigharborguide.com. Check it out and have fun on Halloween in Gig Harbor!