Times change and so much of what we know about life continually morphs into a newly discovered sensibility. Case in point, it was just Columbus Day last Monday and many of us are no longer all that impressed about it (if I’m reading all the ‘tweets’ right). We were taught in School to celebrate the day, the discovery of America. Yet, now, history is rewritten and we realize the fact it was a conquest (with many to follow) and millions of indigenous peoples were compromised, murdered, and basically ripped off to the max. Mr. Columbus didn’t even discover 'here'. He was looking for a different place and mistook it for 'here'… I think that’s why I love Halloween so much… It’s one of those polyglot holidays that’s difficult to rewrite because we don’t really remember or care where it came f... 10/13/2010

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my next door neighbor, Cheryl. She was 3 or 4 years ahead of me in school and even though I was a punk kid to her we shared a special connection; we both played the French horn. We also shared a huge curiosity for the changes starting to take place in pop music. I spent many wonderful hours in her home listening to vinyl records on her portable record player.Cheryl had a friend in England that would send her the latest UK releases. Because of her I was one of the first in the US to Meet the Beatles. She was a catalyst to discovery for me and without her influences I probably never would have explored some of the musical paths I chose to.Our claim to fame in the Northwest at the time was The Ventures (from Tacoma and a totally awesome instrumental guitar... 09/19/2010

Residential property transfers in Renton, WA 98055 & 98057.July 1, 2010 through August 23, 2010... Green = sales by Warranty Deed. (16) (38%)Blue = sales by Bargain & Sale Deed, REO or Short Sale. (7) (17%)Red = sales by Trustee Deed, Foreclosures. (19) (45%) In this 54 day window of time in Renton's central core there were a total of 42 sales. 62% of these title transfers were distressed, made up of Short Sales, REO Sales, and Foreclosures. Out of the 16 Arms Length transactions which were 38% of the total sales in this market, 7 of them were sold at a loss with a purchase price lower than the previous owners who bought in or near the peak in 2004 - 2006. View Renton WA 98055 & 98057 in a larger map 09/14/2010

Shamrock Heights Renton - 2-Story w/ Basement Overview Maps Photos Features Description Market Stats $550,000 Single Family Home Main Features 6 Bedrooms4 BathroomsInterior: 3810 sqftLot: 5,108 sqft Location 701 Mt. Baker Ave. NERenton, WA 98059USA To get updates on open home dates and other property events, please click the "Like" button below: Marie Bumback Evergreen Global Real Estate(425) 495-0394MarieBumback@comcast.nethttp://www.Redmond-Washington-Homes.com Our recent listings Upgraded Wedgewood TownhouseTrilogy Homes - Trilogy Redmond RamblerWoodinville Luxury Home - High Tech EleganceLake Union view Condos Subscribe to our listing feed See more Renton, WA real estate for sale 09/12/2010

Saturday chores, grocery shopping, pick up my shirts at the cleaners, etc. Headed downtown Renton and looked up at the intersection. I did a double take. What did that sign say? So I can avoid this season's flu, and the bleach does what for me? And, if I buy the Arizona Tea I get the flu shot 2 for $1.00? Did I get that right? The Blackberry Chronicles © ARFCO MEDIA 2010 08/28/2010

Putting a Wrap. On Rap.So - I am white.And old.But I still like all kinds of music,Including rap.It always fascinates me how they can make up rhymes spontaneously, on the go.So it was a Friday night, and I was driven to distraction with all the traffic.The slow, maddening traffic.It drove me to rap. So here is: A BPO in Renton - At least its not in Trenton... 08/02/2010

Grandma’s House… We moved from the Renton Highlands to the Earlington neighborhood in 1958. Grandma and Grandpa moved that same year. Grandma just couldn’t bear to leave the neighborhood where she was surrounded by relatives and friends of so many years. Grandpa acquiesced, and they moved across the street. The high school was expanding their campus and building a tennis court. George and Pauline had to go. (circa 1958) Outside Grandma's House on Tobin Ave...Grandma Pauline, Uncle Georgie, Grandpa George, my DadSteve, me, Terry... Of course as an 8 year old I was oblivious to what was going on with them. We were moving from the projects. The Highlands then was mostly tiny homes built to house people who came here to work for Boeing to build airplanes for the WWII effort. After living in... 08/01/2010

If I were a rich man... Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum. Remember those lines? I do... ----------------------------------------------------------------------- I'd build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen, Right in the middle of the town. A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below. There would be one long staircase just going up, And one even longer coming down, And one more leading nowhere, just for show. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A story, in comparison, far more compelling than a recession for sure... Remember the story... When the weight of the world became overwhelming (and in the story that was often), Tevye had long conversations with God. He never answered, but God did listen, and that was more than the mil... 07/26/2010

When the recession hit here in Renton, Washington a couple of years ago the evidence was immediate in old downtown. In less than a year it seemed every 4th or 5th door was closed and there was a For Rent sign in the window. My heart went out to these small shop merchants. I use to be one. Back in a different recession in the 70's I had a small music store, Renton Guitar Studios. I didn't make a ton of money in those days, but as a young man in his early 20's I was the proud owner of my own business.   As I drove past the empty storefronts I'd wonder where the owners are. What do you do after you close up shop? Good jobs are tough to get out there, so what do you put on your resume? "I had a small shop downtown for a few years, went broke because of the economy, and had to close." (Ouch)... 07/18/2010

1:00 to 4:00 P.M. Saturday July 3rd  17782 134th Lane SE, Renton 98058 Price: $169,900Bedrooms: 2Bathrooms: 2Year Built: 1998Square Feet: 1,139Lot Size: 4.963 ac/216,197 sfMLS: 88450 Two bed two bath with attached garage, private entrance and patio. Ground floor end unit with no stairs. Master bedroom with large walk-in closet and full bath. Gas fireplace. Community has a clubhouse, weight room, pool and spa. Nicely maintained complex. REO home ready to go! Buyer to verify all information as listed.  For more information visit: www.davidjedwards.com/43041.asp or Call 425-636-0296 http://www.flyinside.com/tour.php?id=43041 Driving Directions: From east bound on Petrovisky, turn R on 134th Ave SE, take third Right on 134th LN SE Unit is middle garage and entrance is to the right on side o... 07/01/2010

My upbringing was a little unusual for a kid growing up in Renton, Washington in the 1950's and 60's. Renton was a 'blue collar' town then and most everyone in those days worked for Boeing or PacCar, the cities two largest employers. One made airplanes, the other railroad cars, military tanks, and Kenworth Trucks. Our family made music.                         Dad and brother Steve, circa 1959/1960. My Dad was a professional musician and played clubs (and just about every other event you could possibly imagine) for over 46 years. He often worked 5 and 6 nights a week and taught music lessons during the day in his home studio, Monday through Saturday. He tried not to work Sundays, often his only day off, yet that depended on the jobs. We moved across town to Earlington in 1958. I remembe... 06/20/2010

Seattle Waterfront Real Estate Tour: Renton's Lake Washington Waterfront in Kennydale7023 Ripley Lane N, Renton WA 98056 Easy Living on Kennydale's Lake Washington Waterfront I spent the day touring the Eastside waterfront with clients yesterday, from the North end of Juanita down to this final home in Kennydale, the Northern tip of Renton on Lake Washington. Every neighborhood exudes its own distinct feel, and the essence of Kennydale is laid-back living. While the homes are gorgeous, well-built, and have views of some of the calmest waters on Lake Washington, there's also no pretense or ostentatiousness. The homes and the streets are well-maintained, but not gated. Home styles vary, but most have a traditional lake house feel-no columns, towering chandeliers, or formal double staircas... 06/05/2010

I was collaborating a few weeks back on a project with my good friend Scott Cowan, Keller Williams, Gig Harbor, Washington. He's developing a marketing and information strategy on the Stadium District in Tacoma, Washington. We were kicking around a few ideas on how to quickly and easily present sold's or particular properties in the neighborhood. I immediately thought of BatchGeo.com. It plots properties on Google Maps and let's you embed the map on your blog or website for public or private viewing. The maps are stored on the BatchGeo site and you can come back to them and change parameters and update at anytime. You can also create KLM files for Google Earth and create street views.   All you need is any kind of spreadsheet like Excel, Google Docs, Open Source etc. Use headers in your... 04/24/2010

Release from Susan Alberti, from Docusign, about digital signatures in real estate businesses. The Gary McNinch Team uses Docusign to allow our clients to sign contracts without faxing. I used this in the last week to complete an offer and get it accepted for our clients, just before another offer was received.This is a great time for eCommerce and real estate in particular.  April 8, 2010, the FHA released a mortagee letter stating its position regarding electronic signatures.  Below is a quick note from DocuSign, chief legal officer, Ken Moyle, who worked so hard to get the mortgagee letter published so you can better implement technology into your real estate business and streamline your processes to provide even better customer service. "As the chief legal officer at DocuSign, I'd ... 04/12/2010

Good afternoon all! It's cold up here again with snow expected in the foothills. I wanted to tell you about Renton, WA. This city is definitely ahead of the curve! I am a relatively new member of the Renton Chamber of Commerce and have been attending the Business Development Committee meeting held every first Tuesday morning of the month. To me, it's amazing how much Renton has grown and how business friendly it is. The Chamber is strong (over 700 members) and I've felt very welcomed by the membership. There are numerous events and goings-on in Renton on a monthly basis. The business development committee in conjunction with the city is privy to all the business activity in Renton. A little more than a year ago, The Landing opened to considerable fanfare. Along with big-box retailers su... 04/08/2010

I often think about a section on my profile page here on Active Rain that I have never completed. I think about it a lot and I admit, it kind of haunts me sometimes. To this day I haven't added a single word here, yet I continue to contemplate as I stair into the empty space set aside for it. I've been an active participant here on AR since November of 2008. The section I am referring to is My Active Rain Success Story. My dilemma (as I find or define it) is, I'm not a Realtor®. So, in my mind I disqualify myself and procrastinate putting something in that space. I can't claim nor brag that blogging on Active Rain brought me a ton of real estate business selling homes. Yet, I have made many friends here and have had my fair share of referrals from this community. I guess it all depends ... 03/27/2010

Do your dogs have cabin fever and no clue what to do about it?  Consider taking them to the Cedar River Dog Park. There's an area for shy dog's as well as plenty of space to frolic with all of the dog's in the park. Take advantage of the beautiful weather that spring has to offer by visiting the park. Click here for reviews at Yelp: http://www.yelp.com/biz/cedar-river-dog-park-renton Their website is: www.rentonoffleash.org/ Their Address is: 1715 Southeast Maple Valley Highway Renton, WA 98058 Driving Directions: From I-405 South: Take Exit 4 (Maple Valley exit) on to Sunset Boulevard NE. Go right at the second signal light, which is Bronson Way N. Get into the left lane, cross the Bronson Bridge and turn left onto Mill Ave. Proceed to the end of Mill Ave S., cross over Houser Way S. t... 03/26/2010

Face it, Someday's are just way more cooler than others... This morning I was on a great conference call, mostly about RE Bar Camp Seattle with all the volunteers putting this amazing event together. While on the call I was gazing out the window from my office at The Talon Group on Eastlake Ave. E. Seattle looking at the Space Needle thinking, "how cool is that?" It's all going to happen just over there. I was also thinking about all these wonderful people I'm talking with that just like all of us, they live very busy lives and are yet so willing to chime in and volunteer to do the work that makes events like this happen.    “Gazing out the window at the Seattle Center." Here’s our opportunity… Most attendees carry many of the same questions. Yet, many in our industry have boldly gone f... 03/10/2010

Why do you choose one particular person to be your Renton Realtor?  Take a look at the latest survey of buyers and sellers completed by the National Association of Realtors. It is a personal and business relationship, NOT driven by a brand name or insignia.   Our relationship with every one of our past, current and future clients is important to our team.  We enjoyed every home purchase and home sale that we worked on.  The fact that our satisfied clients have become our longtime friends makes me proud and thankful. From the Gary McNinch Team to all of you, A HUGE THANK YOU.  We are looking forward to helping you and your families and friends with all your real estate purchases, sales, questions, investments and we like to keep up on how your family is doing too.  We are proud to be aff... 02/28/2010

DR Horton Homes For Under $260,000. Seattle, WA   Photos, Videos and Graphics by    Sonny Kwan  Realtor® with John L Scott Real Estate Seattle, WA. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted in any way. When you plan to buy or Sell your home  Visit my website www.johnlscottwa.com     to search all homes on the internet. DR Horton Homes For Under $260,000. Seattle, WA  © 2010  By Sonny Kwan All Rights Reserved 02/24/2010