Port Angeles Vision

Question: Chuck, I’ve been looking at a few areas to invest in a single family home, not to live in for myself but as a rental. I might want to use it part of the year as a getaway for myself and my family, too. Port Angeles has some great prices and water views. How would you compare Port Angeles to other areas in the state or the country for investing like this in real estate?

Answer: Excellent question Adam. Here’s what I think generally about investing here and owning a home as you describe it.

You could buy a property that would be a great getaway for you and your family, and that could make a sweet vacation rental the remainder of the year. It is amazing how much short term rentals get here. But there are several options here, short term and long term rentals.

Right now the Sequim and Port Angeles areas are definitely good places to buy for future appreciation. I could tell you stories of properties I’m helping clients buy at incredible prices right now, and some are as much as $100,000 below 2006 prices.

As a buyer, you are in a very strong position to negotiate here with sellers. Sellers just don’t have many buyers, especially, by the way, west of Port Angeles. There are almost no buyers for properties west of Port Angeles to Salt Creek. Of course, that also is a factor when investing, because that means it will probably be harder to sell a property out there in a timely fashion.

This area on the Olympic Peninsula is much more stable in the long run than real estate prices in King County or Pierce County (Seattle and Tacoma) areas. It is very unpredictable as to what is going to happen in the larger metropolitan areas for single family homes, not only because of the uncertain economic future, but because of the larger number of foreclosures that will continue to be added to the inventory of homes for sale.

We don’t have that situation in Sequim and Port Angeles. We are a much more stable long term real estate market for investing in single family homes. We also have a small but steady stream of retirees with money who come here and pay cash for properties. For many of these buyers, the state of the economy is almost irrelevant. I think that will be true many years from now.

I hope that is helpful Adam. Ask anything, and if I can help or send more information, I certainly will.

Chuck E. Marunde, J.D.
Broker/Realtor
Sequim & Port Angeles Real Estate, LLC
618 South Peabody St., Suite I
Port Angeles, WA 98362
360-775-5424

For our safe highways, thank the boys in blue. Enjoy recent group photos taken at George Washington Inn near Port Angeles.

From the left are troopers Mark Hodgson; Grant Clark; Russ Sanders; Allen Nelson; Sgt. Brett Yaklin; and troopers Ken Ahrens; Don Field; John Ryan; and Keith Nestor.

Family Bundles produced its first TV commercial in Sequim, Washington today, May 30, 2009. It was an exciting event as is evident in this video. Many participants from Sequim and Port Angeles were involved in the filming of the commercial, and many local businesses are participating in the Family Bundles business for local businesses.

Filming started at 3:00 in the afternoon and continued for many hours with numerous takes and re-takes. Who said Hollywood was easy? This video represents short segments of the afternoon filming. This video is about a video being produced. The professional film crew will piece together a beautiful commercial which will be aired on local cable TV.

You can learn more about how Family Bundles helps small business owners by reading our previous article on the Sequim and Port Angeles Family Bundles opportunity.

Port Commissioner Jim McEntire did a very interesting interview with the Sequim and Port Angeles Online Newspaper.  It’s worth reading to get Jim’s insight on where Port Angeles is and how we can meet the challenges of the next five to ten years.

Go to:  Sequim and Port Angeles Online Newspaper

This is part two of a series of day trips provided by a local Bed and Breakfast.

The sparkling lights of Victoria beckon guests at George Washington Inn to take a relaxing ferry ride across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to explore this enchanting Canadian city. Victoria has long had a reputation of being one of the most beautiful cities in Canada. This City of Gardens is also known as “a city for either the newly wed or nearly dead”, a popular honeymoon destination and a place where every Canadian wants to live out his or her sunset years. During the summer months, gorgeous hanging flower baskets adorn the antique lamp posts. This pedestrian-friendly city prides itself in its British charm and boasts a rumor that Queen Elizabeth once exclaimed on a visit, “It’s more British than London!”

The Inner Harbour and the Empress Hotel

The Inner Harbour bustles with sail boats, water taxis and ferries as they deliver eager visitors to the ivy-covered Empress Hotel for afternoon tea or to stroll the grounds of the stately Parliament Buildings. The carillon chimes throughout the day in front of the Royal BC Museum which is a world-class showcase of native Indian history and artifacts.

The British Columbia Parliament Buildings

Other sites worth exploring on your day trip, in addition to the numerous downtown shops, are the Royal London Wax Museum, the Craigdarroch Castle, the Butchart Gardens, and the Pacific Undersea Gardens.

Victoria has many fond memories for us. My first posting out of the RCMP Academy was to the nearby Sidney detachment where we spent our first three years of married life together. As we would drive into the city on a Sunday morning the church bells would be ringing out old hymn favourites (notice the British spelling). The magic of this city is amazing. You don’t want to miss an opportunity to experience it for yourself.

Victoria's Inner Harbour

Hiking Trail in the Olympic National Park

Influenced by mountains and sea, the park has a wide range of climate conditions. About twelve feet of rain falls each year on the west-facing valleys, sustaining the temperate rain forest. On the northeast side of the mountains lies a “rain shadow”, with only 25 inches of annual rainfall and much dryer conditions.

The park divides neatly into three major areas—the glaciered mountains and highcountry of the interior; the lush rain forest of the west-facing valleys; and the rugged wilderness coastline. It’s a landscape that renders a quick visit nearly impossible. Since no road cuts all the way through the vast interior of the peninsula, the park remains a vast and subtle wilderness.

Wildlife in the Olympic National Park

Magnificent waterfalls, wide alpine meadows sparkling with avalanche lilies, larkspur and Indian paintbrush, eerie moss-bearded forests dripping with fog, and cliff-lined beaches await today’s adventurous explorer, just as they have for thousands of years.

“Neither Europe or Asia or South America has a prospect in which sea and woods and snow mountains are so united in a landscape” …a quote from the Kroll Map Company about this “Evergreen Playground” (c. 1940s)

Hiking excursions in the Olympic National Park.

More on day trips to the Olympic National Park.

More on winter activities at Hurricane Ridge.

Enjoying both mountain and sea vistas, Port Angeles is a natural stepping off point for day trips. As the proprietor of a B&B which brings in guests from all over the world, my wife and I are always giving out info on what makes a great day trip. Lately, I’ve been running a series on my inn blog and thought they might bear repeating here on PA Vision. Often we take the usual for granted and fail to look through the eyes of others. So here goes.

Most entrepreneurs are so busy managing the day-to-day activities of their business, putting out fires and responding to emergencies throughout the week, they have little time to become marketing and sales experts.  Mastering your profession and becoming an expert on that subject is one thing:  becoming an expert at marketing and sales is another thing altogether.

Read the full article on marketing for Sequim and Port Angeles businesses here.