Sounds like an oxymoron, right?  One evening in early fall the family took a trip to Tacoma to ride the new (at the time, anyway) trolley into the Museum District, across the street from the University of Washington, Tacoma campus.  The area has many restaurants, pubs (many with their own micro-brews), shops, and of course museums.  I think the Museum of Glass (MOG) is the most photogenic of them all.    The Museum of Glass Hot Shop was fashioned after Tacoma's past.  On the site of the museum a pulp mill once stood.  The cone shape is in the form of ‘sawdust burner' (at least from my memory and for the lack of a better term).   The cone now is home to the museums Hot Shop.   09/14/2007

Streetcars part of Tacoma's history are the focus of the website Tacoma Streetcar Dedicated to bringing back the historic streetcars "trolleys" of our past. Tacoma Streetcar is looking for people who share a similar interest and passion to help bring the message to the masses. As Tacoma continues on the path of renovation and growth we need to make sure our city has adequate transportation to handle the growth. A fantastic method to help move people between neighborhoods is the streetcar. Imagine neighborhoods connected via public streetcars that provide reliable and affordable transportation options to our residents. A meeting will be held September 26, at 6:00 in the Tacoma Public Library Conference Room.  Topics to include Progress Update How to work with the City Discuss projects a... 09/14/2007

Historic Tacoma has just mailed out the following press release. If you are interested in learning more about the challenges and opportunities that facing the congregations of these churches I extend an invitation to attend any or all of the lecturesAdditional coverage of the event can be found by following this link      Tacoma is home to a number of architecturally and culturally significant church buildings, each one a powerful presence and anchor in its neighborhood.  Across the country, urban ministries are struggling to maintain their historic structures, in light of declining membership and decreased revenues.    A number of Tacoma congregations, all stewards of architecturally important churches, are facing similar challenges.  In February, Historic Tacoma initiated discussions ... 09/13/2007

Today in the Tacoma News Tribune Read Article Here the public has been asked to help locate missing items from the downtown Elks Lodge building.  The new owners are looking to restore the once grand lodge hall and are hoping that the public will step forward and return some of the missing pieces. The lodge has been abandoned since the 1980's and is quite run down. However, the hope is that with some hard work (and lots of money) the lodge can be returned to condition close to its' past glory.   Historic Tacoma has agreed to accept donations of items that individuals believe came from the lodge. The items can be donated and the donor will receive a tax credit for their donation. Please visit Historic Tacoma's web site for more information and some great photos of the Lodge Hall.   It is... 08/29/2007

I am going to make a confession that I do not actively campaign to become anyone's preferred lender.  I would prefer to be one of your three recommended lenders to provide your borrower's with a very aggressive rate and cost quote so that they can be absolutely confident that you were looking out for their best interest.  It's been my experience that some Real Estate agents seem to want more than just good service for their referrals and I think that presents a challenge to RESPA policies, ethics and the value that we should be providing our clients.  I'd like to see DFI clean house in lender/Realtor relationships in the same manner that they did with Title and Escrow companies.  Once this happens, the real winner becomes our clients.  It would be fantastic if service actually became th... 08/23/2007

July 2007 Real Estate Sales Stats for North TacomaFrom July 1st to July 31st, 2007, 27 homes sold in the North Tacoma from Proctor Street to Commencement Bay and Sixth Avenue north to Commencement Bay.  In 2006, there were 32 sales in the same period and same geographic boundaries.  2007 averages are as follows:Average Sales Price- $441,782Average Days on Market (DOM)- 71 daysAverage $ per Sq Ft- $196.12Average Sq Ft- 2380Low Sales Price- $251,500High Sales Price- $1,600,000Homes sold for 95.34% of their asking price. 08/21/2007

July 2007 Real Estate Sales Stats for Tacoma's North Slope Historic DistrictFrom July 1st to July 31st, 2007, eight homes sold in the North Slope Historic District in Tacoma. In 2006, there were 13 sales in the same period. 2007 averages are as follows:Average Sales Price- $649,563Average Days on Market (DOM)- 132 daysAverage $ per Sq Ft- $180.47Average Sq Ft- 3838Low Sales Price- $289,000High Sales Price- $1,600,000Homes sold for 92.20% of their original asking price. Average sales price to assessed value ratio- 1.3587 Summary- Today it is not only about location, location, location but almost more importantly it is about price, price, price. As Tacoma continues to experience a buyer's market, the DOM is increasing unless homes are priced aggressively. Of the eight homes, the longest D... 08/21/2007

 On Sunday July 15 2007, the second Tacoma Narrows Bridge opened amid much fan fare...  even Darth Vader made an appearance.  On a rare sun filled day, thousands came to enjoy the new bridge and the views of Puget Sound.    The bridge took over 3.5 million work hours (5 years and 700 million dollars) to complete.  08/21/2007

I was reading the Tacoma News Tribune today and there is an article on the Old City Hall being converted into Class A office space. For those of you who were not aware the Old City Hall was purchased for the purpose of conversion into condos. For multiple reasons the developer has decided to not pursue the condo conversion but will now renovate and turn the historic building into quality office space. You can read the article here. I am excited to see that the building will be upgraded. This is easily one of the most photographed buildings in Tacoma. It is a shining example of the historic architecture that downtown Tacoma has so much of. Residential condos would have been very nice but would have reduced the opportunities for the general public to see the interior of the building. As o... 08/17/2007

A report in the Tacoma News Tribune today shows that prices and sales are up in the Pierce County region.The report can be found here. I find this to be good news for everyone in the real estate market. Buyers benefit as there are more homes/condos to choose from. Sellers benefit from increased demand and increased value for their properties. Best wishes, Scott   08/15/2007

Hello everyone,  Just an update to include a couple of links to articles written in the local papers about the home tour. It is not too late to pick up tickets for the tour! Please join us! Tacoma News Tribune Article. Tacoma Weekly Article.Tacoma Then and Now Blog Post.  For Immediate Release                                                   Contact:  Scott Cowan 7/22/07                                                             Historic Tacoma:  253-219-1194   Historic Tacoma 2007 Old House Tour: Classic Craftsman Saturday, September 15th, 10am-5pm   Historic Tacoma has selected a Craftsman theme for its 1st Old House Tour.  Seven Craftsman homes open their doors displaying a range of size and detailing that make this style a favorite in the Pacific Northwest.  Each home showcases un... 08/14/2007

Tacoma Washington's Museum of Glass has many Chihuly's on display.  These were taken looking at a display in a tunnel looking up on a sunny day. The Museum of Glass is part of the Museum District in Tacoma Washington which includes the Washington State History Museum and the Tacoma Art MuseumDale Chihuly is a native to the Tacoma area, graduating high school and attending college in the area.  His work can be seen all over the US and abroad. 08/06/2007

Today is the last day you can be included in the North Slope Historic District Annual Garage Sale this Saturday July 14th from 9am to 3pm.The form must be turned in to Judy Martin today. You can drop the form off at her house at 515 North M Street. If you have any questions, you can call her at 572-3059.Include a check for $5 or cash with your form. This covers advertising and flyers. Checks need to be made out to NSHD. The flyers will include a map of all participating homes. This will be handed out on the day of the sale at 9am. To get a copy of the Garage Sale Form visit http://www.tacomanorthslope.com/ 07/11/2007

June 2007 Real Estate Sales Stats for North TacomaFrom June 1st to June 30th, 2007, 23 homes sold in the North Tacoma from Proctor to Commencement Bay and Sixth Avenue north to Commencement Bay.  In 2006, there were 32 sales in the same period and same geographic boundaries.  2007 averages are as follows:Average Sales Price- $385,000Average Days on Market (DOM)- 72 daysAverage $ per Sq Ft- $188.61Average Sq Ft- 2400Low Sales Price- $226,000High Sales Price- $982,000Homes sold for 99.10% of their asking price.   07/11/2007

June 2007 Real Estate Sales Stats for Tacoma's North Slope Historic DistrictFrom June 1st to June 30th, 2007, five homes sold in the North Slope Historic District in Tacoma. In 2006, there were 10 sales in the same period. 2007 averages are as follows:Average Sales Price- $554,000Average Days on Market (DOM)- 49 daysAverage $ per Sq Ft- $178.34Average Sq Ft- 3001Low Sales Price- $285,000High Sales Price- $810,000Homes sold for 97.99% of their asking price. Average sales price to assessed value ratio- 1.4754The DOM is a pleasant , positive change! Obviously homes were priced right! In today's buyer's market, pricing is more important than ever. The longest DOM was 87 days. That home was the most expensive sale in the month at $810,000. Demand for homes has been on average only 4% of the ... 07/11/2007

Old Town Blues Festival TodayCome join us!Tacoma's Old Town Business District is hosting a Blues Festival today from 9am to 6pm. You can find the festival in Old Town Park located on South 30th between Steele and McCarver streets.The event will be kicked off this morning at 9am with a Blueberry Pancake breakfast. The breakfast will run until noon at the Slovenian Hall. Donations are encouraged please.Then from noon to 6pm you can listen to great music in the park for FREE!Then after 6pm you can continue the fun continues at paid venues at various local businesses. 07/07/2007

Sunday, June 24th is the 3rd Annual Urban Art Festival. This year the festival will be held at Fireman's Park in downtown Tacoma. The Festival will run from Noon until Dusk (or about 8pm).Fireman's Park is located at 803 A Street, Tacoma, WA 98402.The Urban Art Festival is a festival for all ages! The festival features music, DJ's, hand crafted goods, glass blowing and an eclectic car & bike show. Over 50 NW craft vendors will be represented. The event is free and will go on rain or shine. (Note: There is a traffic advisory for this event. Currently the A Street exit off Hwy 705 is under construction. An alternate route is to take the 15th Street exit.)For more information, visit http://www.urbanartfestival.net/. Have fun! 06/23/2007

The following open houses are scheduled in Tacoma for June 24th-   15 North Summit     12:00-2:00 pm    3 Bedrooms / 2 Baths / 2988 SqFt    $629,950Directions to Property:  From North 21st St & Union go East on North 21st. Left on North Fife. Right on Yakima. Left on Summit to home on right. * 3221 North 21st Street      12:00-3:00 pm      4 Bedrooms / 3 Baths / 3500 SqFt     $429,000Directions to Property:  From Schuster Parkway through Old Tow. Left on Alder. Right on North 21st. Please park in alley. To get there take immediate right past house and then another immediate right into alley.*    3011 North 33rd Street     1:00-3:00pm     3 Bedrooms / 1.5 Baths / 2586 SqFt     $769,000Directions to Property: From Union, go East on North 30th. Go north on North Alder to North 33rd St. Tur... 06/23/2007

The following Open Houses are scheduled in Tacoma's north end on June 17th.     714 North L Street      1:00-4:00 pm    2 Bedrooms / 1.5 Baths / 1212 SqFt    $275,000Directions to Property:  From 6th Ave go West (left) onto N. Sprague, N. Sprague becomes N. 7th St, West (left) onto N. L Street to home.     702 North I Street      1:00-3:00 pm      4 Bedrooms / 1.5 Baths / 4150 SqFt    $774,900Directions to Property:  From I-5, take 705 thru city cntr, Stadium exit, straight across Stadium St, G St, Yakima. Take R @ I. Hse on L in 700 blk. 06/15/2007

When I first started highlighting the area churches last month, I thought I would call the post "Church Of The Week".  But North Tacoma does not have enough churches to make this possible, so I altered my thinking to have the feature called "Church Of The Month".This month's church is Immanuel Presbyterian Church. Immanuel Presbyterian Church is located at 901 North J Street in Tacoma. Worship services are held on Sundays at 10:30am.Immanuel Presbyterian has a long history in Tacoma.  It was chartered on January 28, 1888! In 1888 it was called the Second Presbyterian Church of Tacoma. And it had 22 members including the first pastor, the Reverend Thomas MacGuire.  In 1892 the name was changed to Immanual Presbyterian Church. In 1909 the church was built and the school building was added... 06/13/2007