Belfair, WA

Yesterday before writing an offer with some dedicated clients, the curious mans question came up. "So Josh, how many days a week do you get off, I mean every time we call you, and you are always there...do you ever take time off?" I chuckled.

Well...

I answered this question strategically. Well, I get time off as I need it, but generally, I am working 7 days a week, if I have work to do. I might not be working all day, but normally 7 days out of the week, there is something for me to do.

This surprised him, then he realized, that was what would give him the best representation when doing real estate, an agent that is available all the time. Now I have my limitations, but I rarely make myself unavailable. Some one always knows where I am, and if I am completely unavailable, there is an agent I have available to answer clients questions.

How many days a week do you work?

______________________________

Josh Murphy

North Shore Hood canal Waterfront Homes~The Bounty of the Sea at your Feet!

Not to mention all the fun you'll have swimming, boating, kayaking, kicking back - all those things we love to do and CAN DO whenever you want when you own your own North Shore Hood Canal waterfront home.

Doesn't that sound good right about now as we bake in the unsual hi 90 degree heat for our area??

Just think - dinner from the beach - clams, oysters - mm,mm.mmm.. yum yum yum....

Try cooking those oysters in the shell on the barbie......yummy!

Here's my husband's recipe for them:

• Place on bbq in shell on med lo heat.
• When they pop open they are done .
• Open the shell loosen them from the shell.
• Put them back on the barbie on the half shell.
• Top them with mozarella, parmesan cheese and pesto sauce. Let heat til the cheese starts to melt and

oh boy are you in for a treat!

We are in the middle of a heat wave here on the North Shore Hood Canal and surrounding area. Our summertimes generally keep us in the 80's or less - not near 100 degrees like it is today. So we are probably all looking for and heading towards any body of water for a reprieve!

Here along the North Shore of Hood Canal, life tends to glide along at a little bit slower pace.... Unlike the South Shore of Hood Canal, the North Shore is a little bit quieter with very little traffic... The South Shore of Hood Canal is very popular and well know as a destination spot, but the North Shore keeps its secrets pretty well hidden...

Great beaches, deep waterfront lots, private settings, convenient to town and other recreational amenities as well as areas beyond. North Shore Hood Canal Waterfront Homes for sale are many this year. Right now there are currently 18 North Shore Hood canal waterfront homes for sale. With many choices and prices to fit just about any budget or style.

Check it out - come out and explore the great North Shore Hood Canal Waterfront Home opportunities.

If you would like more information drop me a line, or give me a call. I would love to help you achieve your real estate goals. Remember real estate is LOCAL.

I also offer a FREE comparative market analysis for sellers tailored specifically for your home or property. If you would like more information on selling your home in this market, please give me a call, drop me a line, or stop on in! I believe in building relationships for life... YOUR SUCCESS IS MY SUCCESS!

Homes are where memories are made and living takes place!

• Belfair homes for sale
• Grapeview Homes for Sale
• Hood Canal Waterfront Homes for Sale

~~Valerie~~

Associate Broker

Windermere Peninsula Properties : www.windermerepeninsulaproperties.com

My Belfair WA Real Estate Blog : www.BelfairWARealEstate.com

My Website : www.valspaulding.mywindermere.com Email : vlsallyn@windermere.com

Direct Cell : 360-710-5622 Fax # 360-277-5006

Localism is a great way to promote yourself, your community. Consumers are not searching for agents, they are searching for HOUSES.

They way to have clients find you is to talk about and promote the area that they are trying to research. Be the one to tell them what they watn to know. People searching for a house online do not care how many houses you have sold, or how much money you make, the kinda car you drive, how big your house is, or how cute your dog is. Period.

Tons of agents are having success using the new Localism Feature.

Ideas for promoting your neighborhood.

Advertise the homes in your community for sale, this is your golden ticket and where the consumer will find you!

* Talk about community features and the wonderful things that your community offers.

* Community events are a great way to inform people of whats going on.

* Share and enjoy the market statistics of what the community market is doing.

Please, take a second, leave me some feedback, What do You think?

Josh Murphy

Windermere Peninsula Properties

SOoOoOoO..... your eyes are open, but are you really SEEING?

What am I talking about? I'm talking about what is going on around you? Are you really processing what you are seeing or are you running on auto-pilot - you know - remote control?

My previous close encounter started me thinking about what you DON'T realize or see in our normal every day routines - especially while driving your car.

I didn't notice the difference or realize it until I started riding a motorcycle and went through the motorcycle safety course.

Your eyes are open while you are driving, but what are you really seeing? How aware are you of your surroundings? Or are you a statistic waiting to happen? Do you drive home on remote thinking about your days events, or talking on your cell phone - just totally lost in thought?

Try this and See what you have seen:

Right now stop reading and sit and think about the last time you were driving. See if you can remember "seeing" the answer to these questions (AND BE HONEST!!!):

1. Do you REMEMBER the drive?? ALL OF IT?? Everything you SAW?? Or were you in deep thought about the day or the upcoming meeting or something else?
2. How many cars were at the first intersection you came across? One? Many? Or did you just drive through the light without even looking because it was green?
3. 4 way intersection oncoming traffice and you are making a left - was there a car in the opposite direction coming to make a right?
4. How many driveways did you just pass with cars in them waiting to pull out? Or side streets?
5. Was there anyone coming from the other direction waiting to make a left hand turn?
6. Was there someone behind the guy trying to make a left or trying to go around them?
7. Do you look for something around a corner or do you assume it's nothing but road?
8. Did you see the 3rd car in front of you put their brakes on? Did you anticipate why?
9. How far ahead of you do you look?
10. Did you see any wildlife or dogs on the side of the road?
11. Is there a car behind you?
12. Did you look over your shoulder or in your mirror as you passed an "on ramp?" Were there any cars merging?
13. Is someone coming up fast behind you?
14. Were you riding too close to the guy in front of you because you were deep in thought about dinner (or whatever else you were looking forward to....;-) ......
15. Did you see the motorcycle while you were waiting to pull out?

These are just a few of the many, many things that I as a motorcycle rider am looking for. I am always on the defensive with each and every sense in tune with what is going on. Read to execute if I need to.I am constantly scanning ahead and to the sides.

The first time I got in a car to drive after the course, I was AMAZED and how much I did not SEE! We become oblivious to our surroundings because we are so relaxed and comfortable in what we are doing, we don't SEE what we are really seeing...

The next time you are out driving - even though your eyes are open -really pay attention and take note of your surroundings and what others are doing as well.

Hey thanks for listening! Soooo how well did you do? Do you "SEE?"

~~Valerie~~

Government Insured Loans... Let me start off by saying I am a HUGE fan of them.

The majority of my clients are First Time Home buyers, looking to get their $8,000 tax credit.

These government loans in my opinion are GOOD loans. They provide stable loans with major incentives to help ease these first timers into the process of home ownership, often for zero money down, which is important to these buyers. It makes their offer stronger when they can afford to pay their own closing costs.

The BAD thing about these loans is that with the popularity of them comes some pretty lengthy turn times... try a month in USDA underwriting.

This my friends, is where it gets UGLY. Last week a smoking deal of a house came on. My anxious buyers and myself headed to check it out. It wasn't a bank owned, it wasn't a short sale, we had a feeling this was it. We spent about a half an hour in the home. They raced to their lender to secure their financial prequalification, and I raced to the office to write up the offer. The home had come on the market the previous day, and already had an offer in. We ended up in a multiple offer situation, and we had a VERY strong offer.

The Problem... A 60 Day CLOSING. Now we could have wrote 45, but the other agents no dummy. He would have seen right through that.

What could we have done different?

Does your dream home qualify for USDA Financing?

Josh Murphy

Windermere Peninsula Properties