Okay, my friends, let's be smart and stay safe out there! The snow is beautiful but can be dangerous too on our hilly roadways.  Use the link to WA DOT to see if your route is clear or closed.

Happy and Safe Holidays to ALL!
Reba

It's been a while since I've posted on MySpace, mostly because I've learned that other online tools tend to be a better use of my blogging time. So, if you want to keep up on our real estate posts, I highly recommend checking out www.TeamReba.com/blog instead. 

But, to answer just about every other person's question to me these days, "yes, we ARE staying busy!"  Even when 5000+ other agents have fallen out of the business in WA State this year, we are still thriving and hopefully now growing. I'm working on bringing in an additional agent to work with us and we're very close to having a contract in place. We are also about to begin working with a long time Seattle area builder to help him get his brand better known and provide a consistent message across their product lines.

Add to that the fact that we are now also involved in a great investment group called Done Deal Solutions which helps homeowners who are in short sale positions, we've got a LOT going on.  If you know someone who is in need of these kinds of services, please feel free to forward them to us for a review of their situation. We may be able to purchase the home and work out the negotiations with the bank to allow for the sale.

Besides all of this activity, we are also humming along with new listings on a pretty regular basis and buyer clients are beginning to come out of the fear level that has permeated the market for the past several months.  Just this weekend we got 2 new contracts under way - both for sellers of ours, but I was also showing houses all weekend from Gig Harbor to Snohomish.

Things just keep pumping along and I think we're close to breaking wide open with new opportunities!

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You've got to see the photo that is part of this blog post! It is too funny. :) I just can't imagine that someone didn't think this naming through a bit more.

A friend of mine started a wine club called Seattle Uncorked which is focused more around wine events than about wine sales.  If you've ever signed up for a wine club before you may know already that most are set up to give you access to wine info from a particular winery or wine store and are definitely geared for sales. Not that you won't spend money on these events, but if you're going for the more social aspect of enjoying and learning about wine, this may be the right fit for you.  They've also just expanded to create Portland Uncorked as well so you folks "down south" a few hours can get in on the action too.

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If you love sushi or other Asian style foods, you'll want to check out this new restaurant in Renton! It's affordable and looks fantastic. Nothing on the menu over $10!!!!

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Mortgage fraud is no joke and WA State is cracking down even harder on not only buyers and sellers who get involved, but they're making it tougher on agents too. Check out this recent post from our Team Reba blog to learn more about the law and an example that comes a little too close for comfort.

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Check out our gorgeous new $1.41M listing in Seattle's lovely Seward Park neighborhood. With serene views overlooking Lake Washington and the park, you'll be feeling refreshed every day.

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Gerald Grinter of G2 Insurance makes some valid points in this article about condo unit insurance.

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Gerald Grinter of G2 Insurance writes a great article about individual unit condo insurance - something all condo owners should have. Not sure why YOU should? Read the article!

So, saving animals is not something I think about doing on a regular basis although all of my pets have come from shelters and such.  But, right now my house is beginning to look like pet rescue central.  We usually have 2 Jack Russells, our Flat Coat Retriever, and a very old orange tabby cat. 

In the past few months our household has become overflowing with the addition of a cat that ended up having 3 kittens (the dude that had us take her is not on my well liked list of people) after we were told that she was fixed.  Apparently she arrived in the household a few weeks pregnant. And, then today we had a golden retriever follow us home as we were out walking our regular dogs. Tonight my partner and I went around to about 30 houses and asked if anyone knew or recognized the dog.

By doing this we did find out that one dog, with the name Jedi, seems to be very well known in the neighborhood.  But this isn't that dog.  Oh, if only the golden retriever wasn't one of the most owned dogs in the land!

If you live in the area around Victoria Park in Renton, give me a shout, we might have your dog.

It's not just a joke about swamp land in Florida. This article is perfect in its timing as we embark on a new co-listing in East Wenatchee that also has potential for many more acres of developable land for RV and a resort vacation golf/winery residential development. Team Reba is excited to partner with Michael Miller also of RE/MAX.

I just found out the other day that there is an upcoming home owner association picnic in my neighborhood.  Apparently for at least the past 30 years there has been a big get together as well as a kid's parade complete with decorated bicycles and wagons on display. I'll be interested to see the level of involvement of this highly diverse neighborhood of Renton that I live in, as well as the foods that are shared at the event.

Happy summer BBQ's to you!

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This is a great article from an estate attorney friend of mine that chronicles the problems or issues to consider of multiple marriages and estate planning. Since at least half of all marriages end in divorce and many get remarried - and since children are often in the mix, this is a great article to check out.

Someone else took this photo, but this is my nephew - the first of 12 nieces and nephews in my happy life. He is recently back from Bucca.

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For baby boomers looking to find alternative investment options and to help their kids get started on a first him, check out this new loan program.