Anacortes, WA

Here are some interesting points from the National Association of REALTORS. If you are getting ready to buy a home, give yourself every advantage in the deal. It's easy to forget the basics when you are busy with househunting, inspections and negotiations. And when your ready to start looking in Anacortes - go to www.goseagull.com!

Common First-Time Home Buyer Mistakes

1. They don't ask enough questions of their lender and end up missing out on the best deal.

2. They don't act quickly enough to make a decision and someone else buys the house.

3. They don't find the right agent who's willing to help them through the homebuying process.

4. They don't do enough to make their offer look appealing to a seller.

5. They don't think about resale before they buy. The average first-time buyer only stays in a home for four years.

Source: Real Estate Checklists and Systems

reprinted from National Association of REALTORS

Here's what's on the holiday schedule in Anacortes...

Town Tree Lighting - this Friday, December 5th, downtown. Enjoy an old fashioned tree lighting complete with carolers from the high school, hot cocoa and Santa, who sometimes shows up in a limo and sometimes on a fire truck! Starts at 6pm.

Afterward - hang out downtown and go on the Art Walk - the holiday art walk is always the best one of the year - everyone is open late and there are plenty of holiday goodies around!

Breakfast with Santa is the next morning at Fidalgo Center from 8 to 11:30, followed by the annual Lions Club Christmas Parade downtown on Commercial at 11:00. Parades are awesome in general, and this one does not dissapoint in the small town charm department! There is a good possibility that the majority of our population has been in the Christmas Parade at one time or another as a scout, preschooler, volunteer, car driver, or band member. So grab your latte and a goodie from the Calico Cupboard (and maybe your umbrella) and get your spot on the sidewalk.

Later that night is the Island Hospital Foundation Celebration of Trees auction event at the Port Dock. Tickets include dinner and lots of holiday festivities - and you get to look at and hopefully bid on, some amazingly beautiful trees and wreaths. Don't miss it!

For more details on all of these events, go to www.LawsCraig.com and in the links section, click on Anacortes Chamber of Commerce.

The Anacortes Eagles will be providing a Thanksgiving Dinner to those in need in Anacortes. Meals will be delivered in the morning hours. The sit down dinner is available from noon until 4:00pm at 901 7th street in Anacortes.

If you wish to have a meal delivered call 360-293-3012. If you would like to donate and item for the dinner or Turkeys, please contact kelly -360-288-2746.

www.AnacprtesHomeTeam.com

www.AnacortesRealEstateBlog.com

We all know that people are flocking to rural areas to escape traffic, crime and pollution. In Anacortes we have what baby boomers today are looking for.

This is reflected in our market stats, but to give you an idea of how quaint our town is, I thought I would let you know that this week Anacortes Amercian has an article on the front page of the paper about a major issue that was discussed at the City Council meeting ... people that drive to fast through our neighborhoods.

This is a serious issue as it can endanger children and pets...but don't you wish you lived in a beautiful quiet town where people driving too fast through 25 mph neighborhoods was front page news?

For more information on Fidalgo Living in beautiful Anacortes, WA go to www.JeanGroesbeck.com

www.AncortesRealEstateBlog.com

www.AnacortesHomeTeam.com

WI FI is available on the ferries through BOINGO.

If you have tried to log on at an airport you might have gotten a pop up screen that said Boingo. Boingo Wireless, Inc., is the global market leader in Wi-Fi with over 100,000 hotspots worldwide.

The cost at the time of this writing is to purchase Boingo AsYouGo day passes for $7.95, or unlimited use for $21.95 per month.

If you are wondering how long the Ferry wait is check out the Ferry Cam.

To view the current ferry schedule click here

www.AnacortesHomeTeam.com

www.AnacortesRealEstateBlog.com