Self Portrait Masterpieces...Or Not!

Self Portrait Using Your Phone's Camera
By the way...this is NOT a HOW TO post. Has anyone mastered the art of self portraits using the camera in your phone? Seems like the more I try the weirder my pictures get. Like this one at Wrigley Field in Chicago. Yikes! "Hey, Down in Front Man!!"
And here is one from Miami. Does it look like I just ate a lemon to you? Either that or I'm snarling at the photographer...wait, I think I'm the photographer.Some folks are better at taking these self portraits than others. Take my daughter for example. She just seems to have the natural ability to take a great picture of herself. Oh yeah, it probably helps that she is a much cuter subject than lemon man above.

No that is a pretty darn good self portrait! Let's take a peek at one of my son's self portraits.
Oops! Maybe just a bit too close to the camera man! Ok, this next one is not a self portrait but it is such an awesome phone picture I just had to share it. Jeez how did we ever take cool pictures before they started putting them in our phones?Now here is an example of how much fun you can have with your camera/phone when Mommy goes out for the evening. Rock On Dudes!Speaking of Mommy. How about some "couple shots". Here are a couple of examples...one while sitting on the Herron Island Ferry and one at a restaurant called Sip here in Gig Harbor. How come she looks so pretty and I look like I'm concentrating really hard. Maybe I think I'm trying to build a rocket or something??!!



Alright. Let's see what else I have stored here in the ole phone. Oh yeah, this is one of Cage and I taking one last bike ride by the Spokane River...just before we moved Gig Harbor. Why does my nose look SO BIG?
This one kind of makes me sad because it reminds me of my quest for a salmon here in Puget Sound. So far I've hooked a couple but have not landed them. Maybe tonight :-) I took this while my family was visiting friends in Spokane and I had to leave the next day for Orlando.
Are you getting tired of these yet? Speaking of Orlando here is a wonderful self portrait in front of my hotel. It is kind of bright in Florida.
Wanna see something scary? Probably not but here goes anyway. This was taken in front of Lambeau field in Green Bay,WI. OMG...where have I seen those sunglasses before?
I think the picture below is a self portrait. If so it ranks right up there with Kennedy's portrait above. Good Job Kids! The awesome thing about this picture is that now those two front teeth are missing.
Here is one more for the road. Say Cheese! I took this just before publishing this post. Have a Great Day everyone! BTW the sunglasses are next to me on the desk. I took them off just for you :-)

Ahhh...the sweet fragrance of grass and shooting under Par

Golfing and Fragrance
When I arrived at Madrona Links Golf here in Gig Harbor, WA on Wednesday afternoon the first thing I noticed was the smell. Kind of a wet dirt, grassy, fertilizer fragrance. I say fragrance because that is what it was. Not a smell, or an odor...but a fragrance.

Normally most folks would not associate golfing with fragrances...but I do. Maybe it was because I had not stepped foot on a golf course for over a month. Maybe it is because my sinuses are still trying to adjust to Western Washington instead of Eastern Washington. Or maybe it is because since I've been buzzing around the US in planes lately my whole "smeller" is off. Whatever it is, the smell of the golf course Wednesday night gently rolled over me like a wave of sweet sustenance. I think I missed being on a golf course!

Strange But True
The wave of sweet sustenance had a funny effect on me. It kind of chilled me out...made me relaxed. Kind of like how you feel when you return home after a trip or vacation. You know that feeling...when you are thankful and peaceful..."Glad to be Home" we always say.

I was so freakin' happy to smell a golf course it felt like I had returned home from a looooong trip. I was so excited to be at the course that I fumbled around getting my bag and push cart out of the trunk. I tried to put my socks on over my flip flops and forgot to untie my shoes. I dropped my balls ~ golf balls, that is... tripped over my bag and stumbled over to the practice chipping area. Whew...with these kind of nerves I was not sure what was going to happen when I actually hit my first shot.

And Then!
I dropped 3 balls on the ground and set up to hit some practice chips. First one...good contact right distance but a bit right of the pin. Second one, great contact right at the pin...perfect speed and just short of the hole. Third one...just past the hole.

Hit a few more chips from all the way around the practice area and then over to the putting green with my golfing partner from the office Dave. Putts were rolling pretty good too...I was starting to feel pretty good given that I was beginning to think that trying to play after such a long "break" would be ugly.

Main Event - Under Par
So here 's how it breaks down. After shooting 73 last summer, several mid 70's rounds, several high 70's rounds and a few rounds in the 80's ( HATE THOSE )...

I shot my first round under par.

Hole 1 Par 5 - Par
Hole 2 Par 3 - Par
Hole 3 Par 4 - Par
Hole 4 Par 4 - Par
Hole 5 Par 4 - Birdie
Hole 6 Par 3 - Birdie
Hole 7 Par 4 - Par
Hole 8 Par 5 - Par
Hole 9 Par 4 - Bogey

Front 9 Par 36 - 1 Under

Hole 10 Par 4 - Birdie
Hole 11 Par 4 - Par
Hole 12 Par 3 - Par
Hole 13 Par 4 - Par
Hole 14 Par 4 - Birdie
Hole 15 Par 5 - Birdie
Hole 16 Par 4 - Par
Hole 17 Par 3 - Par
Hole 18 Par 4 - Bogey

Back Nine Par 35 - 2 under

18 Holes Par 71 - 68

So there you have it. I finally did it. For you non golfers out there...this probably just does not make sense. But for us golfers...this is a milestone. In fact even breaking 80 is a feat to master. I don't know how accurate this is but I saw this article and it refers to how many golfers can actually break 80.

Golfing and Fragrance
So what was it? What kept me so calm and in control of my game? I don't know but I hope I can find the "secret sauce" the next time I play.

I think I was just happy to be there. I'm still stunned by how great the grass smelled. It made me feel welcome...like the course was saying "C'mon Dude...where ya been?"

I played smart...hit fairways and hit greens. I did not go for the pins but aimed for safe places on the greens. I putted with confidence and was able to play at a good pace which always helps me. I kept reminding myself that golf is a game of misses and that I had to accept the outcome of my shots. The thing is since I have not been able to play golf...I've been thinking about golf. Here are some Words of Wisdom from golfers of the past. I guess I could sum it up like this... It is like not caring what happens but paying attention to what you are doing when setting up and then swinging.

Thank You
If you've stayed and read this...thank you for indulging me.

See you on the golf course!

Peterson Water Park...in Gig Harbor

Peterson Water Park
Seems like we kind of had a reputation for our Peterson Water Park back in Spokane. We are bummin' because we are not there to invite everyone over for some wet and wild waterworks, but we took the time to set up the ole slide here in Gig Harbor and took sliding to a new level.

Older Cousins
Funny thing about older cousins...they tend to inspire younger cousins to experiment with "new ideas". Here's an example: Instead of just sliding down the big balloon slide, lets get some sleds and surf down it! Fortunately we had two pretty killer sleds that we've used for winter recreation in Spokane. The best part is they go fast, look like a surf board and fit perfectly into the slide.

No ER Visits
We managed to survive surf sliding the entire week with no visits to the ER!! Actually, the kids were great and I'm pretty impressed with our new tradition. And, the waterslide survived too.

So Spokane visitors, next time you come over...bring your sleds!

ePropertyData

ePropertyData - Real Estate Technology Solutions for Commercial Real Estate

Who is ePropertyData: For years we’ve taken complex technology and simplified it for the commercial real estate professional. ePropertyData™ is an industry-leading, Commercial Information Exchange “CIE” solutions provider that is owned by the National Association of Realtors® “NAR”—on behalf of the commercial real estate industry. Since 1998, our company has provided associations with robust CIE solutions that are custom designed to meet the latest media-rich, data-driven demands of the industry. We are a broker and client-centric group of technology and real estate professionals dedicated to providing commercial associations and their members the highest quality products and services.

We Offer The Commercial Real Estate Industry A New Vision

ePropertyData’s CIE Solution provides your association with a robust marketing and information system that empowers your members and provides you and your leadership with a paradigm-shifting service package. Bottom line, we partner with you to help grow your membership while helping you develop new revenues for your association.
Commercial Information Exchange ~ Commercial Multiple Listing Service Solutions
ePropertyData has several options available to deliver CIE/MLS Solutions. Our resume includes two of the largest CIE/MLS organizations in the US. Commercial Brokers Assocation in Seattle and Commercial Gateway in Houston. We are currently working with other organizations around to US to launch their CIE/MLS solution.

A True Property-Centric System—The core element of a researched marketplace is a complete building directory. Once this is achieved you can start making history. When you start tracking transactions you will produce great property sales and lease comparables that your members own forever. The Industry’s Latest Property Search Technology—State-of-the-art map based searching give your members the ability to create their own “polygon” searches representing the specific market areas they wish to research. ePropertyData brings geo-spatial “GIS” tools to the commercial practitioner everyday. Market Researched Platform at an incredible Price Point—We provide you with all the tools to support a fully researched marketplace along with a pricing structure that will save the industry millions of dollars annually. This puts control back in your members’ hands. Analytics and Custom Reports at Your Fingertips—Because of our property-centric structure, we provide intuitive and meaningful reports that brokers need in order to add consultative value to their clients—in just a few clicks. Powerful Networking and Marketing—ePropertyData provides your members with powerful networking and marketing distribution venues. First, a public-facing external website connected to your CIE system, next a seamless distribution of listings to CommercialSource.com The power of distribution continues to grow by syndication to a new investment channel on REALTOR .com. For each venue, your members decide whether to keep their listings private or distribute publicly.
Commercial Source - NAR's National Listings Marketplace
Commercial Real Estate Professionals need a platform to showcase their listings too! Over a year ago, NAR launched CommercialSource.com - operated by ePropertyData.

Key Points:
Full Control of Your Data
Real Estate Industry Owned
No Road Block's to browsing listings
Only licensed real estate professionals can post listings
Visitors can sign up for a FREE account, giving them additional search tools
Many Marketing options and tools available for Commercial Real Estate Professionals

Recently version 2 was launched and the feedback has been exceptional. Improved search tools and new features make CommercialSource a commercial real estate destination. You quickly search for properties by map or a text based search. Search for a broker anywhere in the US and sign up for automatic e mail notifications or save your favorite commercial properties.

How Can We Help You?
For more information on ePropertyData or CommercialSource please contact me!

MORE INFORMATION

Life In The Harbor

We Are Here In Gig Harbor
Wow...moving sucks! But being together is pretty cool! I guess we have a lot of stuff because it took a long time to pack the 28' trailer and a long time to unload it. Ummm...and the entire container was packed floor to ceiling with only about 2" to spare for the bulkhead boards.

Since we have some "projects" to complete inside our new home the garage is stuffed with all the stuff. I would take a picture but I can't move in there.

Actually the move has gone quite smoothly and it feels good to be landed. We've started to enjoy our new home in between scraping popcorn off of ceilings, pulling weeds, digging up shrubs, watering the dried out lawn, switching out toilets, cleaning, unpacking, etc.

Here is one of our movers :-)

THANK YOU

A great big thank you to all our friends and family who helped us load this trailer. We could not have done it without you. Now get on over here and hang out with us!

Good Life
Here is a glimpse of the "good life" from our new backyard. Our backyard is actually pretty cool. We have tiers and quite a bit of space. Plus there is a large green space between us and the neighbors. Lots of privacy and tons of trees and shrubs. It is VERY green here.

I'll try to post some more photos in the future.

Roasty toasty marshmallows sure taste good after a long day of pulling weeds!

Randi has scraped the popcorn from ceilings in two rooms. The family room also has been scalped of carpet and pad. We are living on sub floor until we can get some new flooring! Here she is in action fixing up our new family room.

New Grill
OMG...don't ever try to assemble a BBQ grill. Buy it assembled if you can. After it takes you two evenings to assemble it you hopefully will be able to enjoy it...kinda like this.

And Finally
It is good to be here. Over the next few weeks we plan to have new carpet installed. We also have a huge shed coming from Costco. We are going to need it because this garage is much smaller than our garage in Spokane.

Also an electrician and a chimney expert to make some repairs. We have the phone, wireless and satellite up and running...but no putting green, yet. So on a final note...I'm going to go sit by this :-)

Have You Been To Montana Lately??

Montana Adventures
A couple of weeks ago we loaded up the carriage and headed to Big Sky Country. I was raised in Hamilton, Montana and we try to go back and visit as much as possible. I still have lots of family and friends there and it seems like each time we go back we create more awesome memories! We had a great time visiting with family and friends...and my daughter got her first tattoo!

KCP with her first "Henna" tattoo

My son, was able to fire off about 7,000,000 rounds with his cousins' .22 rifles. At one point, he turned around and said "Dad, I Love This!"

CCP with his favorite rifle the Chipmunk. He looks Happy!

Momma and I supervised both activities with raised eyebrows until she got a tattoo too and I fired off about 6,000,000 rounds! You just have to love Montana.

What's Up?

Moving

Sold our home. Bought a home in Gig Harbor. Plan to Move the middle of June. Anyone want to help us unload when we get there??? Things have gone pretty darn smoothly with the sale and purchase. Thank you to Trevor Windhorst and Allison Skibbs for their hard work!

New Home In Gig Harbor

Working
Lots going on here. We were able to launch CommercialSource version 2 a couple of weeks ago! We have been traveling around the US visiting with commercial real estate professionals who may be interested in partnering with ePropertyData for CIE solutions. It is pretty cool to be involved in these projects. We truly do have the best solutions in the marketplace for our customers :-)

Golfing
Still working on finding some consistency here. Golf remains the most difficult sport I've ever played. Its been really good this year and its been really puzzling this year.

Fishing

Went fishing this past weekend and landed some nice Large Mouth Bass in Newman Lake, WA. Here's the evidence. Below you can see ME and my buddy Trevor Windhorst showcase our bass fishing expertise.

Carl and one Newman's finest!

Trevor with his fish!

So What's New?

Ok...It's been a while...but we've been busy!
First: Our house sold! If you were thinking about making an offer...too late! Yeah...there is nothing like Spring in Spokane. Once that grass starts to turn green and the little buds start popping out on the trees...the natives get restless and start to buy homes!

Second: And I'm not complaining here, but ~ why am I stuck on 78 when golfing? 6 rounds this year and all of them 78 but one...a 77! Today it was the par 3's and the 30 mph wind with a little rain and sleet mixed in. This year is starting like last year's golf season...WET.

Third: I just got back from a tour of the northern mid west. I flew into Grand Rapids, MI and then rented a car for a road trip to Green Bay, WI. Just a heads up...there is a ton of traffic in Chicago. Oh yeah, if you ever drive around that area be prepared to pay tolls. I had to stop at 5 different toll booths while cruising through Indiana.

Also, do you really realize how big Lake Michigan is? I flew over Chicago and made a wide bank over the lake and then back into O'Hare Airport. It felt like I was over the ocean! I started to think about it and even though Lake Michigan is only the 3rd largest Great Lake...it is longer than the drive from Spokane to Seattle.

Fourth: If you have never been to Green Bay...you have to go just to see Lambeau Field. I'm not even a Packers fan but there was something special about seeing Lambeau. It was an interesting sensation seeing that stadium up close after watching the "battles on the frozen tundra" in front of a TV on a cozy warm couch. Tons of history within those walls and lots of pride for the folks in Green Bay. Pretty cool. Just been a sports fan and getting to see it was impressive! The stadium just kind of rises out of the earth and looms over Green Bay like an enormous watchdog.

To get to my hotel I drove down Lombardi, crossed Holmgren and Favre's Ways, turned on Reggie White Drive and then turned on Tony Canadeo Run!

I also went to Brett Favre's Steakhouse for dinner. That was a cool experience too. They had all kinds of Brett Favre memorabilia there. They even had license plates from all over the country with Packers and Favre slogans.

Spring Break?

Spring Break
I remember a time when Spring Break actually kinda felt like Spring. The family and I are in Gig Harbor/Tacoma for a few days and...WHAT??? It does not feel like Spring. Today I flew to Denver, CO where there is SNOW on the ground. Does anyone know when Spring will actually be here? I remember last year when Spring did not come to Washington until June!!

On Saturday I played golf in Tacoma at North Shore...a great golf course. But it rained and it was cold. And, the golf balls did not go straight for some reason.

On Sunday we went into Seattle to see my good buddy Tom, his honey Bonnie and their little baby girl Klaire...oh yeah, I'm going to show you a picture. She is gorgeous and the weather was amazing! 50 + degrees, sunny and warm. In fact, it was so nice I had to get a pass from Randi and the kids to go hit some golf balls.

It was amazing the same golf course I played the day before looked totally different in the sunshine...and I hit the balls SO much better.

Anyway, I'm in Denver to talk about Commercial Source tomorrow morning and I'm staying in a great hotel in Downtown Denver...Hotel Monaco. If you are ever in Denver you must check it out.

Klaire
Here is a picture of the lovely Klaire!

Hmmmmmmmm.

Personal Blog
Guess I'm going to be using this blog address for more personal information and not business.

Stay tuned for more information on the "Official Blog" for RCA and Commercial Source.

Anyway...
Since it has been awhile, I have a few things to share I guess my kids are going to make it to their next respective grades. We just returned from conferences and my daughter is going to make it to 6th grade and my son to 3rd grade! Yahoo! Now if we can just do something about our snowman....oops he already melted.

Will Someone Please Buy Our House?
With my new career already in motion...we've put our home on the market. We will be moving to Gig Harbor, WA this summer. But we have to sell our home in Spokane. You may remember a previous post where I highlighted all the things we have done over the years to take it from a house to a home.

Well now it is on the market. For a stunning look at the completed project please take a peek at our photo gallery.

I promise I will be back soon...

New News

News!
As you can see my blog will be changing to have new discussions. I've recently taken a position with eProperty Data the operator of the National Association of Realtors website for Commercial Real Estate.

Future
In the near future I will be posting news and information about Commercial Source. Hopefully you will visit often to view cool new tools and announcements as they take place.

In The Meantime
Please feel free to contact me for more information!

Spokane Real Estate ~ Brand New Website

It is finally here! The launch of my new website. I am so excited to have this up and running. Hopefully you will enjoy it as well. Not only does it have all the tools you need to search for homes in the Spokane, WA area...it has to be one of the best looking real estate sites I've ever seen.

Here are some highlights.

• Search by Map
• Radius search around the school(s) you desire
• Search by Neighborhood
• Weekly Top Picks for New Construction, Condos, Featured Homes and Land/Acreage
• A Free Relocation Report for those moving to Spokane from somewhere else

Please make time to visit the site and let me know what you think!

Carl

Spokane Real Estate - Still Waiting?

Spokane Market Data
December sales totaled 285 compared to 252 for November. The average price this month was $201,065 and the median price was $179,000. As a side note, here are the average sales prices since August. August 2008 = $203,493; September 2008 = $201,372; October 2008 = $201,797; November 2008 = $200,086 and then December $201,065. I'm not seeing any dramatic downward spirals here. That is not to say that there are not some fantastic buys out there. With a little bit of research and a great buyer's agent at your side...you can find some great buys.

The total sales for 2008 were 4,911 compared to 6,935 in 2007. The average sales price for the year was $206,291 and the median price was $184,000. The average sales price is down 2.6% compared to last year while the median price was down less than one percent.
The inventory as of this report stands at 2,488 listings compared to 2,925 last month and 2,553 in the December report last year. Sales of newly constructed homes reported to the SARMLS ended the year at 804 sales compared to 1,245 in 2007.

Analysis
More homes sold in December than November?? I've already mentioned that our numbers for January 2009 are far greater than they were in January of 2008. I think buyers are finally realizing now is a great time to get out there and check out some homes!

Here is some information that ran in the Sunday Real Estate section of the Spokesman Review this weekend.

Spokane's median price for residential home sales rose 62 percent over the last 5 years. Five-year median price appreciation places Spokane as one of the top 12 markets in the United States.

Rates are low, low, low. Interest rates are appearing at the lowest points in years and the supply of homes for sale is plentiful. Normally we don't have these kind of buying conditions. Buyers can be choosy and get a great rate on their mortgage.

Most Americans still believe buying a home is a good investment. Nine out of 10 consumers consider homeownership to be a sound financial decision. Over the last 40 years, real estate has delivered the most consistent positive return over any investment.

The FHA single-family loan program is alive and well. Nationally the FHA market share is expected to jump from just 6 percent in 2007 to as much as 40 percent in 2009.

$7,500 tax credit goes away July 31, 2009. The new first-time buyer tax credit amounts to a 15 year, interest free $7,500 loan, but it is only available through July 2009.

Send me a note today to get started on making your next move.

Spokane Real Estate ~ Great Buys!

Looking for a Great Buy?

WOW....we just returned from touring new listings this week and I have to say the new homes at PRASADA PLACE are amazing. Prasada Place is a brand new development in the Spokane Valley.

The fully furnished model home is available to see and they are Open daily from 11 am to 5 pm. This past weekend was the Grand Opening and they have some special incentives that you will want to take advantage of.

The model's floor plan is fantastic ~ A grand entry with high ceilings and open railing wrapping around the entry staircase up to the spacious loft on the second level. Generously-sized bedrooms with large closets ( one of my favorite features ) a master suite with tiled soaking tub, raised vanity and sinks and an awesome kitchen with a large center island.

Here are some highlights of this development:

~ Prices ranging from the $180's to the $260's
~ Fully finished homes for under $100 per square foot
~ 50% off all upgrades up to $10,000 for the first 4 homes sold this year
~ Award winning in-house-design by Viking Construction to help you personalize your new home to your lifestyle
~ An extensive list of included amenities
~ 18 lots available

I think you will have a hard time finding comparable homes at this price in such a great location. We have marketed other Viking Homes at Sonata Springs, and Hunters Run, which is sold out ~ and and they tend to sell very quickly.
For more information, or to arrange a showing e mail us at valley@windermere.com

Photos courtesy of Mike Hollingworth of Northwest Photographics, LLC http://www.mchollingworth.com/ as provided to the Spokesman Review for the January 11th, 2009 real estate cover story on Prasada Place

Spokane Real Estate ~ December 2008 Data

Spokane Association of Realtors December 2008 Market Data

December sales totaled 285 compared to 252 for November. The average price this month was $201,065 and the median price was $179,000.

The total sales for 2008 were 4,911 compared to 6,935 in 2007. The average sales price for the year was $206,291 and the median price was $184,000. The average sales price is down 2.6% compared to last year while the median price was down less than one percent.

The inventory as of this report stands at 2,488 listings compared to 2,925 last month and 2,553 in the December report last year.

Sales of newly constructed homes reported to the SARMLS ended the year at 804 sales compared to 1,245 in 2007.

Make sure you check out windermerenewconstruction for new construction information.

Spokane Real Estate ~ Opportunity Knocks

Happy New Year
We've made it into 2009. What journey 2008 was...whew! My gut "usually a pretty reliable resource" tells me that 2009 is going to be a better year for all of you home buyers and home sellers out there.

Market Data
I'm still waiting for the Spokane Association of Realtors to publish December Market Data. As soon as I have it I will post it here. I did some preliminary research and it looks like there may have been more closed sales in December than November. I'm pretty sure you are just as interested as me to see where our average and median sales prices ended up. For the last several months we've stayed pretty close to $200,000 for the average sales price. I'm wondering if we've "hit the bottom" of our pricing decline.

Resources
I found a great piece from the National Association Of Home Builders that I am going to share with you here. This site has a great CONSUMER section that you may want to check out. I like this piece because it really summarizes the buying opportunities out there. It talks about tax advantages and also building wealth through home ownership. Take a peek and let me know what you think.

Concerns
My biggest concern is that some will miss out on this age of opportunity. I strongly encourage you to research our market. Talk to your Windermere agent. Get detailed information on neighborhoods you are interested in. I've heard all kinds of predictions about the real estate market in 2009. Take this time to research your timing. Here are some folks who have taken advantage of current market conditions.

Since I've misplaced my crystal ball, and cannot see into the future...we have to look at the facts. Our supply of homes is about the same as it was last year at this time. That means you have good options in choosing a home. Interest rates are phenomenal...in the low 5% range. Yes, you can get a mortgage. And, the snow started melting today!!

Cheers in the New Year!