Do cool things in Tacoma and you might find yourself featured here. Take Irina Rasputnis, for example. I met Irina when she needed a drummer in her outlandish marching band. More on the band later. First, I must bring rapidly approaching Porchfest to your attention! She created the event last Summer. Porchfest Porchfest, according to the website, “is a free,... Read More »
Real Estate Market Update Updated July 27, 2023 Some years July 4th marks the end of the crazy spring real estate market and slows a bit as buyers and sellers take vacations. This year, so far, things seem busy. Our spring season really got a late start, so maybe that shouldn’t be a surprise. Here are some interesting stats... Read More »
Spring is nearly here… a time of rebirth… a time when Realtors remind you to set your clocks ahead and offer generic home maintenance tips beneath a cheery stock photo. Here’s something gleaned from a real life experience… It had been more than a decade since I last bought a lawn-mower. Times have changed! The store was stocked with electric... Read More »
Free Trees There are countless good reasons to plant trees on your property and/or in your planting strip, which is why Grit City Trees, Tacoma’s street tree program, offers free trees to eligible Tacoma residents. As explained at the Tacoma Urban Forestry website City of Tacoma – Grit City Tree, trees improve human health by capturing and reducing air pollutants,... Read More »
When it comes to aging parents and family members, few of us want to think about the potential challenges associated with caring for them in the future. As a result, we often kick the proverbial can down the road, waiting until we’re faced with an emergency of some kind—a broken hip, a sudden onset of dementia—before making difficult decisions. And... Read More »
I find it interesting to reflect on the shifts in consumer wants and needs after a sudden societal upheaval. I don’t suppose I need to tell you what societal upheaval I mean. At first toilet paper was scarce. I still cannot make sense of that one. You could not buy a Nintendo Switch last spring because apparently everyone wanted to... Read More »
You have probably encountered the Elephant House on North 30th just above Old Town even if you didn’t know it at the time. Even at a glance it stands out from your average north Tacoma residence. It is beautiful for starters; Dutch Colonial architecture, notable for extensive use of Wilkeson sandstone and stately columns. Perhaps you did a double take... Read More »
Job Carr’s famous cabin in Old Town was not the first home here but it was the first home built by non-native permanent settlers to our area. Carr arrived in Tacoma and claimed a big chunk of the Ruston Way waterfront. He was actually late to the party. Someone grabbed that real estate first. In 1853 Peter Judson claimed roughly... Read More »
Some Tacoma buyers recently found a house they loved and got it under contract subject to inspection. The inspector said it was a creampuff (a 100 year old creampuff) but he later emailed a list of scary-sounding findings in his report. The foundation showed signs of settling, the roof was nearing the end of its useful life, etc. There were... Read More »
ADUs On May 1 the City of Tacoma began allowing detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on residential properties. These are also known as in-law apartments and granny flats. The purpose is to address housing choice and affordability. Should you build one? The short answer is that it depends on your intended use. Portland Already Allows ADUs An agent friend in... Read More »
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