"Are you alright?", I heard someone say. It took a few seconds to realize what had just happened and to know that I was probably alright. Still, here I was flat on my back in the icy parking lot. Getting up and brushing myself off, I thanked the inquirer and acknowledged my good fortune. "Thanks, I'll be just fine."Only moments ago I was warning other shoppers to please be careful the ice is slick and dangerous. I even offered to assist an elderly women over the ice to the front door. Maybe I was not heeding my own advice or just missed seeing the dip in the ice but I went down like a rock. This snow and ice storm that has hit the Seattle area over the last few days has wreaked havoc over the entire region. We are just not used to this much snow and are really unable to respond accordi... 12/24/2008

It's Saturday morning in the Puget Sound region and for now the sun is out and things are calm. But later today may be different when a new weather pattern develops and cold, rainy, snowy weather is predicted.This may be a good day to stay inside and find other things to do.I have one suggestion, take a ride around Mount St. Helens. A virtual ride of course. There are 3 interactive videos where you can ride around the mountain and use your mouse to direct the camera. If you're going to be inside anyway, take the ride. The Mount St. Helens video Published by Greg Saffell/South Sound SurferTake a ride around Mount St. Helens 12/22/2008

I had a few things to pick up yesterday at the grocery store so on the way back from a meeting in Federal Way I dropped by Fred Meyer. I was surprised to see the parking lot almost full and wondered why. After going inside I realized that the predicted snow storm had prompted this natural occurrence. It happens every time a well-publicized storm approaches even though the forecasters are not always right, just like our economic forecasters. Here they were stocking up on canned goods, candles and batteries as if these weather patterns lasted for weeks. I think there may be a lesson here. The store would have not seen this run on the aisles if the impending storm had not been so hyped in the media. Most people would have just stayed home avoiding the entire inconvenience. Since the great ... 12/18/2008

Recent articles in various publications suggest that the upswing in real estate foreclosures have helped to create an opportunity for homeowner scams. One recent incident in California involved a person who mailed an offer to homeowners who were delinquent on their home mortgage promising help with a fraudulent rescue plan. She claimed that her company, Community Home Saver Program, could delay or even stop foreclosure proceedings. The program involved transferring an ownership interest in the property to one of several shell companies and the payment of certain fees. Before this scam was exposed, about a dozen homeowners had fallen victum after paying the fees. They all eventually lost their homes as well.   Targeting homeowners in distress is abhorrent but may be on the rise. Any hom... 12/16/2008

There are many reasons to visit Tacoma regularly and one may be to see what's new at the Museum of Glass. I was there again a few weeks ago with friends to enjoy the developing waterfront area. The face of Tacoma is changing quickly and it is becoming a great destination for out-of town visitors and locals alike. There are several museums along the waterfront that you can visit making it convenient to see them all. Plan to have lunch either at the museum or one of the many nearby restaurants along the promenade.  Rain or shine, this makes for a pleasant informative experience. For more information and directions to the Museum of Glass and to see their live webcam visitArt Glass. Greg Saffell/ South Sound SurferThe Museum of Glass in Tacoma 12/11/2008

There are many reasons to visit Tacoma regularly and one may be to see what's new at the Museum of Glass. I was there again a few weeks ago with friends to enjoy the developing waterfront area. The face of Tacoma is changing quickly and it is becoming a great destination for out-of town visitors and locals alike. There are several museums along the waterfront that you can visit making it convenient to see them all. Plan to have lunch either at the museum or one of the many nearby restaurants along the promenade.  Rain or shine, this makes for a pleasant informative experience. For more information and directions to the Museum of Glass and to see their live webcam visitArt Glass. Greg Saffell/ South Sound SurferThe Museum of Glass in Tacoma 12/11/2008

We don't need to dwell on the faltering economy or the real estate business in particular. But problems abound in our industry and some of these difficulties are enormous. I was reading a story about a large real estate investment company that had it's humble beginnings in the grocery business. This was a generation ago but the family still controls the company, at least for now. Like many other large organizations, they grew a bit too fast loading the company with debts of more than $27 billion. The family's ownership stake in the company six months ago was estimated at about $3.2 billion, but is now worth about $116 million. Needless to say  the acting CEO and controlling family member was asked to step down by the board of directors. It's a long story that tracks the company's growth... 12/10/2008

This is an interesting dilemma. There is a guy in the Miami area that is illegally moving homeless people into foreclosed homes. He says" we're matching homeless people with people-less homes". So far, he has moved six families into foreclosed homes and has nine on the waiting list. With the housing market on the skids, squatting in foreclosed homes could be on the rise. This poses an interesting ethical problem. We know it's illegal but on the other hand, the idea has some merit. Here is a guy that's just putting people first and disregarding the legal aspects and rights of the property owners. See what you think. To read the complete article go to squatters.       Previously published by Greg Saffell/South Sound SurferShould foreclosed houses shelter the homeless? 12/09/2008

I was talking with a friend of mine in Southern California this morning. He is a real estate agent too, so the conversation included thoughts about our business as well. He asked me how things were and I told him that I had a closing on the 16th of this month. He then asked me " what kind of problems did you have with this deal". My answer surprised us both when I said that I had absolutely no problems during the entire transaction. We both have a few years of experience in this business and can only recall rare instances when a transaction was trouble free. We have spoken many times over the years sharing our experiences and the troubles we have encountered in the real estate business. It's a complicated industry and each transaction is different, so you never know what may occur. The... 12/08/2008

I remember years ago hearing people say " a million here, a million there and soon you're talking about a lot of money". It usually referenced some government program or tax proposal that was being considered. Well, these days it's billions. Tomorrow it will be trillions. But even then it was difficult to really grasp how much this truly was. So today let's consider the 700 billion dollar bailout package that Congress passed in October. How much is 700 billion dollars? U.S. Military spending has increased to $671 billion for fiscal 2008 and they could spend over $700 billionon defense in 2009, more than double that of 2001. This represents more than half of all global spending on the military and almost 20 times what the U.S. spends on diplomacy and foreign aid. The U.S. trade deficit r... 12/04/2008

All you have to do is pick up your Bible and read Proverbs. It talks about attaining wisdom, knowledge, and discipline. These are not new ideas! Greats like Henry Ford understood the power of these three words, and lived them to better mankind. The more you know, the more you are worth to yourself and your company. Start reading and start listening to what is going on around you. Position yourself wisely through attaining knowledge. 11/16/2008

Think back to when you were a teenager and you will totally relate to what I have to say. A teenager's best friend is the mirror! My kids can't go by one without stopping. my son is the worst. If there is a mirror behind you, you can see him looking past you as if you don't even exist, just to see if his hair is in the right place. He likes it even better if he can flex his arms to see if his muscles have grown since he passed by the mirror in the other room 30 seconds earlier. He also likes to run his fingers across his upper lip to see if he is starting to grow a mustache. I tell him to stay away from the dog because, if she licked his upper lip, she would take off at least a months worth of growth. I laugh when I see him do this because we all did the same thing at his age. When you'... 11/14/2008

If you're a homeowner seeing property values plummet, look to the commercial real estate market for solace. It might tell you which areas will recover fastest and which will likely remain weak.The Urban Land Institute recently asked 700 real estate professionals to name the best and worst places to invest in commercial real estate in the coming year. Those surveyed included private developers, Realtors and Real Estate Investment Trust executives. Their answers also apply to the residential market, since the single-family-home sector typically follows the economy. As wages go up and there are more jobs, more people can buy homes, pushing prices up. The best cities in which to invest are those that are considered gateways to international investment, have vital downtown's where people ca... 11/14/2008

As I progress in life, I have been blessed to have several friends, much older than me, that continue to look, act, and feel much younger than the calendar says they are. Their energy and their constant search for the next exciting adventure has always amazed me. My challenge for you is to not only find these people, but to become more like them. I think people have a tendency to sell out too quickly to old father time! Get fired up and start living! 11/13/2008

Why do people complain so much? Is it because they have nothing better to do? Does it make them feel better about themselves to prey on other's habits? Don't you just have to step back, take a breath, and  ask yourself "Does anything that person is complaining about have any relevance to what happens in my life?" Most of the time it is a tremendous waste of time and usually brings hard feelings. You wonder what they say about you. Stay clear of these types of conversations, and remember, you have so much to be thankful for in this great country.Compliment someone today. 11/12/2008

I relate this to customer call backs. I think our minds can be our own worst enemy. Why would anyone want to talk to me? My mind will make up all kinds of excuses on why not to make the call, but is really just based on the fear of failure. When I was a kid playing baseball I remember putting on my baseball glove for the first time but didn't know how to catch the ball. The coach hit a pop fly to me. I missed and took it on the side of the face. (No Comment) I learned quickly that the ball wasn't to be feared. I just needed to learn how to catch. Open up the glove!!! Once I learned to catch the ball the fear was gone. You need to be courageous and open up you mind just like opening the glove and the task will no longer need to be feared but will be mastered.  11/11/2008

A sculptor produces a master piece, not with one blow of his hammer, but by placing his chisel in the right place and then gently tapping it to make the perfect mark in the stone. Well positioned tasks can also create a master piece, one objective at a time. Treat each one as if it was the most important, no matter how small, and you will accomplish something great and noble. 11/10/2008

I got an interesting inquiry the other day when someone asked me which specific websites I use to market homes. It's a difficult question to answer, only because it depends on the property in question. So, to be specific I'll need to know more. But in this case I will try to answer the question in more general terms.   I agree that Internet marketing is important in this day and age. Most potential home buyers will search for properties on the Internet prior to actually visiting or previewing homes. So it's important that your real estate agent is adept at online marketing. But, Internet marketing is only one tool that a good real estate agent will use when marketing your home.   We first need to identify the market for the home. Is it a million dollar home or a home for a first-time bu... 10/31/2008

You may have seen the Pagoda style building in a small park in downtown Kent. This wonderful structure was a gift from from our Sister City of Yangzhou, China. The city of Kent enjoys Sister City relationships with 6 different International cities. Those cities are Castlereagh, Northern Ireland, El Grullo, Mexico, Tamba, Japan, Kherson, Ukraine, Sunnfjord, Norway and Yangzhou, China. The Sister City program recently celebrated their 50th anniversary. It was originally known as People-to-People International. This organization was established to " promote peace through mutual respect, understanding and cooperation - one individual, one community at a time ". According to the city of Kent, the relationship between Kent and Yangzhou began in 1993 with each city exchanging commemorative gar... 10/30/2008

Finally the day has arrived when our own Costco opens, here in Covington. I had to drive by it every day on my way dropping off my kids at school, so you can imagine the anticipation that built up months prior to this day. No longer do I have to go all the way to Federal Way or Tukwila(I live in the middle of Kent and Covington) shopping at Costco. So as the rest of the residents from Maple Valley, Black Diamond and all the small towns in between. I look at this day as another indication that Covington is truly an established community, with its newly revamped shopping district that includes stores like Office Depot, PetSmart, Kohls, just to name a few. Now all that is left to do is to go and shop at the brand new COSTCO! 10/25/2008