"better do it right"

The first year I volunteered.
 Christmas 2009, to be a realtor was almost like being unemployed, but not. You had a job, but you didn't.
 My broker, being the true leader he is, even in tough times was going to throw a christmas party for his agents to show his appreciation and have a fun night. The band he had hired for the 2009 Christmas party had a scheduling problem or who knows what. So when I heard our company needed music and this being 2009, back when I think america was learning to live "on the cheap" as my wife and I call those years, I suggested to Jim (my broker) "why don't we rent a sound system and I'll play DJ for the party ?"  Realtors figure shit out. It's what we do. So, Jim says sure and I'm now hired to play the music for the annual christmas party.
I have never DJ'd in my life. Actually DJ is a bit strong of a title. They needed someone (sober) to tend to the music. But for me and my ego, I got to feel like they were flying in this bigshot DJ from Miami that charged alot of money to make special appearances. NOT !
I had a blast putting that playlist together. That evening the food and drink flowed and by 3:15 am, when the volume was awfully high, the broker and his wife had left several hours earlier, fellow agents were still requesting songs, still dancing into the wee hours of the morning, and for me it was one of those nights you hope never ends. My first DJ experience was one of the funnest nights I have ever had.



The next year 2010, we all still had jobs, but didn't.
So true to form my broker was putting together the annual Christmas party and I'm pretty sure I either told him I would DJ or invited myself to DJ. Doesn't matter. I was in.
2010 the 2nd year, the dancing was minimal and the emphasis was on playing alot of really fun games. But I had a blast preparing the perfect christmas playlist. 

Last year 2011, the christmas party was in a barn. My management team had booked me on a 10 city tour and regrettably I did not DJ. I fired my agent, and my management team on the spot, when I heard I they had not booked me for the Greene Realty annual Christmas party.

I have been invited back this year to DJ for the annual company christmas party. I'm making my playlist and checking it twice.
If this party cranks up and needs dance music and folks want to dance. I am personally going to see to it that they get way more than great christmas music.

Thanks Jim and Kris

It's a Great Life!


Have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/

GuadaLaHabra

I drove to sea tac to drop my oldest daughter off at the airport to catch her flight back to Los Angeles. We had spent almost 6 days with her over the thanksgiving holiday. Her flight was at 12:45 pm and I was on the road back to Olympia by noon.
 I spent the afternoon catching up on my real estate affairs and pacing myself for a return trip to Tacoma later that evening. I have been "north" to the airport, Tacoma, and Seattle 6 times in the last week 6 days.
Our evening engagement was a "going away, drinks and dinner affair" tucked under the Tacoma narrows bridge at a pretty cool little eatery called, Boathouse 19.
My wife had been telling me about a young couple who both worked for her. She kept saying to me, that they reminded her of us when we had first come to Olympia to start a life of our own.
I had never met Kevin and Wendy, I was tired and cranky when we jumped in the car to make our way to dinner and send off Kevin and Wendy.
The turn out was maybe 20 people, all fellow work employees and I met Kevin and Wendy when we first walked in the door.
Let's see if I can explain their situation.
They came to Tacoma in April of this year from southern California. They both got hired on at Trader Joe's and had a 2 year old son. Lars, I believe is his name. They are both from southern California and I am guessing in their mid twenties. A month after getting here, Wendy finds out she is pregnant with their 2nd child.
Later in the evening, Wendy was wandering around mingling with her guests and stopped by to have a chat. I said "so you and Kevin are from southern California, where exactly ?" She she said she was from Whittier and my comeback to Whittier is always, Oh shittier, which is right up the road from garbage grove. She said "yeah shittier, but I went to school in GuadaLaHabra". I laughed from the belly because I had not heard GuadaLaHabra before.  Kevin grew up in Yorba Linda, which I don't have a cynical slang name for (yet).

Her newborn 1 month old son was being passed around the table as we chatted and I was so impressed with their story.
Kevin wandered over later, so I had a chance to speak with him.
He started talking about the townhouse where they lived, in what he called, the 2nd toughest crime ridden area of Tacoma. He said his calls to the police department alone, had raised the crime stats on Trulia's roughest crime areas of Tacoma. He was a real gentleman. Kevin and his wife were a very spirited young couple.
He had to work the next day until 1:00 pm. Then head home to pick up his family,  they were catching a red eye flight that night to Charlotte North Carolina, to start a new life, again.
They got here in April and are now leaving at the end of November. 8 short months in Washington. They won't see the mid winter months and just how long it can rain up here before we see signs of summer.
They both have jobs at Trader Joe's in Charlotte waiting for them and have secured housing.
I don't know if I'll ever see them again and sometimes that is just how life is. But, I felt their spirit and I couldn't help reflect on our bold move to the northwest 24 years ago.
So much irony here.
That same day, earlier, I could not get my own daughter on a plane and back to Los Angeles fast enough. Jill and I couldn't get out of southern California fast enough.
As for Kevin and Wendy, my wife was right, they did remind me of us when we were young. So nice meeting you Kevin and Wendy ~ I like your chances.

Best Wishes Kevin and Jill

It's a Great Life !



Have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/

'02 VW Beetle

Wednesday November 21, 2012

My wife kissed me good bye at 4:00 am this morning for her last of a 6 day haul of 10 hour shifts, which doesn't include the daily 2 hour commute to a very busy Trader Joe's. We americans like to stock up for a holiday.
I will then typically go back to sleep until 6:00 am, then rise to get teenage girls to school.
I could not go back to sleep and got up to start my day. Today is worth taking note.
There is something very exciting and peculiar about being in my mid fifties. It's like, I know I'm going to die, I just don't know when or how but just that it's closer than it used to be. So wake up and enjoy each and every precious moment that is unfolding. I say that out of pure gratitude.
My day starts with a crisply made bed which I realize I have done ALL my life. My Dad was a marine, so chores and order went with the territory and it was how a family of 10 operated.
My faithful dog Gypsi follows me out to the coffe pot. What's up with that kind of unconditional love?  I swing open the frig to grab my cream for coffee, but there is a quart of egg nog in front of the 1/2 and 1/2. What the hell. Cheers !
By 7:00 am this morning I will have my 19 year old son up, (he is usually getting to bed by 6:00 am).
The two of us are making our way up north of Seattle. A car dealer is advertising a 2002 VW Beetle with low miles. Looks too good to be true online.

My amazing son has been working since last February and has been saving for his first car with a discipline with money that is quite impressive, and his research of which car he was going to purchase has just been as much fun as ANYTHING I've experienced in my lifetime. It's so fun to experience this whole process with him. This is one very wise shrewd young man.
So I rattle his cage at 6:08 am. He said he didn't sleep much, too excited.

We're in the Lake City district of Seatte just before 9:00 am. Not an area I thought I knew, but had sold a home very close by a few years back to a wonderful female Seattle cop. We find and park at the Bill Pierre Ford lot. It turns out, Bill Pierre has a Chevrolet lot, a Ford lot and a used car lot. We decide to park at the Ford lot which was the lot in the middle. We get out and start walking the lots to find the advertised yellow 2002 VW beetle. We did not see it and we had now walked nearly all 3 lots. I start saying things like " well maybe it sold yesterday". I am watching my words very carefully as to not break his heart, if it had sold.
It's now 9:00am and a salesman comes out and by now we (OK me) are quite frantic. My son is always as cool as a cucumber. The salesman walks us over to the car and there it was. A 2002 bright yellow VW Beetle (with very low miles). Alec starts beaming with joy as the saleman opens it up then hands him the keys for a test drive. Off we go. We are not a mile down the road and he is           S O L D. We go back to the lot and I'm hoping to have this transaction wrapped up in record time. This is the day before Thanksgiving and probably one of the worst days of the year to be on the roads. Alec has to work at 2:00 pm and I had financing, insurance and all ducks in a row for the sales force at Bill Pierre. By 10:20 am we are done and back on the I-5 southbound back to Olympia. Alec right behind me in his new bright yellow slug bug.
I can only imagine how excited he was in his new car behind me. I was sure beaming ear to ear. The rain started coming down in buckets and it became quite the adventure just getting back to Olympia.The rain let up and the bulk of the trip was over so I pulled over in DuPont and bought him some lunch before he had to go to work. As we dined, I realized I had brought a boy to Seattle but a young man was now sitting with me at lunch.
 My first vehicle was also a slug bug. A  tan 1969 VW beetle I bought in 1973. 39 years ago.
39 years ago and it seems like a few days ago. Time is a funny thing.

Later that evening our oldest daughter flew in from Los Angeles to spend 6 days with us for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have not seen her since Easter sunday back in April, I plan to figure out a way to make time stand still so I can enjoy every single moment of this stage of my life.

It's a Great Life !

reporting from the Dad trenches

• Gutters cleaned
• Garage doo dah'd
• Cute little holiday lights hung

red,red,white,green ~ repeat.

I spent both Saturday and Sunday at home getting (trying) my house in order for the winter holidays.
I have been sneaking down to play golf the last few weekends which I didn't anticipate doing this late into fall. By Labor day I was thinking golf season was over. But I started playing really good and the weather was cooperating, so why not.
I watched the weather forecast nearing the weekend, because I would have found a way to play. But this is Olympia in November and there was no way playing a round of golf was an option. The rain has been coming down sideways since friday evening and I don't think we've even seen daylight since October.
So saturday morning I threw on my wet gear and got busy.

• Gutters;

If you have them ~ clean them !
I've had waterfalls spilling over my gutters in 2 choice locations. Directly over our front door/entryway and right out my back slider.

nice hat

You're going to get wet, dirty and buns of steel with the ladder climbing. But when you start unclogging the downspouts and the flow kicks in, it becomes very rewarding to see all that water begin to flow. Next thing I know I'm on the roof with my favorite spray nozzle hose and my gutter system is now ready for action.

• Garage;

It's like a man cave to me. A man cave in the wrong location, but a man cave none the less.
Every project starts in the garage and my garage is a filthy family "catch all' between cleanings, so I figure I'm good for a few garage cleanings a year. At the very least once in the summer (camping gear) and once in the winter (holiday gear)
So to clean some gutters and get down the christmas gear, the garage is going to be whipped into shape also. I should be good now until I need the camping gear in June.

• Holiday Lights;

Not sure why, but I frickin' love hanging holiday lights. There is something extremely anal/OCD about it that pushes all my buttons.
I have a 16 year old daughter and sad but true, about the only bonding time I receive with her since she turned teen is our annual light hanging time together. I know she really loves doing this project together.
Anyway, as we were taking the lights down last season we decided to create a new pattern in the lights for this season because it is getting harder to replace orange and blue bulbs. And I am not ready to start ordering shit like orange holiday bulbs on EBay.


So, a very productive, very wet weekend indeed.
Our oldest daughter flies in wednesday night, friday we chop down a tree, and friday night I will flick a switch (drum roll please) and the Lynch holiday season will be under way.

It's a Great Life !










Have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/

a cancelled listing

a buyer in from Alaska for the day,
a cancelled listing, being so close to the holidays,
 a seller in eastern washington,
a son working in Tacoma who has a key to the cancelled listing, but the key is back at his house in Olympia, but he's in Tacoma,
so his girlfriend, a dental assistant goes home on her lunch break to grab the key for the cancelled listing and drives it over to the cancelled listing to stash for myself and the agent on his way over with our visitor/buyer from Alaska.
Everyone meets by 3:00 pm.
The buyer stays an awfully long time then leaves with their agent.
I think they like it !
 I stay after to secure the home, re~stash the key.
I call my seller in eastern Washington to update him with how his showing went,
 call the son in Tacoma and thank him for the effort and to make sure he thanks his girlfriend for stashing a key during her lunch break.


The buyers agent just called to thank me and is requesting utility bills for the cancelled listing.

It's a Great Life !


Mark Knopfler ~ Silvertown Blues





nearing 4:00 minutes in, harmonies with mr tilbrook from "squeeze"

Thurston County Home Sales Snapshot ~ October 2012

Thurston County

Kevin Lynch’s Home Sales Report ~ October 2012

Thurston County  ~ areas  441-455

 the numbers for October :

• Homes for sale ~ 1,171 homes are currently listed

                  Low $22,000 ~ High $6,088,800

siri rocks my world. But siri who's HAL ?

                  Median $245,000

                   Avg. days on ~130

• Pending ~ 139 homes are in escrow

                  Low $45,900 ~ High $685,000

                  Median $234,950

                  Avg. days on ~ 132

• October Sales ~ 279 Homes sold in October 2012

                 Low $60,000 ~ High $790,000

                 Median $222,500

                 Avg. days on ~91

• October  2011 ~236  Homes Sold in October 2011

                 Low $35,053 ~ High $835,000

                 Median $212,750

                 Avg. days on 117

 A very handsome +4.5% increase to the median price Sold properties in October 2012 compared to October 2011. 43 more homes sold/closed this October. The sold market time is balanced at 91 days.  This is the best month of reporting since I began reporting back in August of 2011.

"Happy is the man who finds a true friend, and far happier is he who finds that true friend in his wife."Franz Schubert


Have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/

                                 Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

 

Olympia Home Sales Snapshot ~ October 2012

Oly NE/SE

Kevin Lynch’s Home Sales report

Olympia  ~ SE / NE  ~ area  445,447 & 448

 the numbers for the October 2012 :

• Homes for sale ~ 149 homes are currently listed

                  Low $139,400 ~ High $4,750,000

                  Median $269,750

                  Avg. days on ~152

• 
  Pending ~ 23 homes are in escrow

                  Low $89,900 ~ High $595,000

                  Median $249,990

                  Avg. days on ~ 92

• October Sales ~51 homes sold in October 2012

                 Low $77,700 ~ High $593,000

                 Median $ 235,000

                 Avg. days on ~ 122

• October 2011 ~ 36 homes Sold in October 2011

                 Low $125,000 ~ High $835,000

                 Median $247,450

                 Avg. days on 89

 

A -5% drop in the median price in October 2012 compared to October 2011. 15 more homes sold this October. More evidence that buyers are out there. The October 2012 pending avg. days on market is telling me the well priced sellers found buyers for their homes.

 "Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you're living?" Bob Marley

Have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/

                                Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

 

 

Tumwater Home Sales Snapshot ~ October 2012

Kevin Lynch’s Home Sales report

Tumwater  ~ SE/SW area 443

 the numbers for 1^st October  2012 :

• Homes for sale ~ 137 homes are currently listed

                  Low $130,000 ~ High $699,000

                  Median $264,900

                  Avg. days on ~142                    

 

•   Pending  ~ 22 homes are in escrow

                  Low $129,000 ~ High $319,950

                  Median $237,445

                  Avg. days on ~ 80
 

• October  Sales ~ 29 homes sold in October 2012

                 Low $60,000 ~ High $580,000

                 Median $ 215,950

                 Avg. days on ~187

• October 2011 ~20 homes Sold in October 2011

                 Low $114,500 ~ High $320,000

                 Median $215,000

                Avg. days on 174

 Nearly unchanged median price in October 2012 compared to October 2011. 9 more homes sold this October than last October.

 "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does."William James 

 

Have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/

                                 Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

 

 

 

parental perks

I saw and read more hate than normal this week  ~  not good !


Dad; kid's turn that shit down !

Kids; but Dad it's Little Dragon

Dad; Little Dragon ! ~ well turn that shit up







thanks biggest sis like in the whole wide world


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Lacey Home Sales Snapshot ~ October 2012

Lacey WA 

Kevin Lynch’s Home Sales report

Lacey  ~ SE area 450

 the numbers for the October 2012:

Homes for sale ~ 82 homes are currently listed

                  Low $86,900 ~ High $459,900

                  Median $219,900

                   Avg. days on ~ 76

Pending  ~ 17 Homes are in escrow

                  Low $103,000 ~ High $399,000

                  Median $207,990

                  Avg. days on ~ 74

October  Sales ~ 33 Homes sold in October 2012

                 Low $65,000 ~ High $717,000

                 Median $187,500

                 Avg. days on ~ 105

October 2011 ~ 32 Homes sold in October 2011

                 Low $90,000 ~ High $310,502

                 Median $183,500

                Avg. days on 75

A +2.1% increase to the median price in October 2012 compared to October 2011. Lacey "gets it". Those are some great numbers. The average market time in ALL categories rock. Way to go Lacey !

 

"Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions."Dalai Lama

Have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/

                                 Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

 

It's only money

If it's money that caught your attention to this post, I'm sorry this is not a post about money.This post is actually about the "It's Only" mindset.

My daughter has landed a dream job in the fashion industry in Los Angeles.
She described the interview as very exciting. There she was with this big shot in the fashion industry and his daughter who apparently runs her Dad's company. While conducting the interview the big shot Dad calls my daughter over to his desk and pulls out his check register. She found it very random and unusual. So she stands up and walks over to his desk and leans over his shoulder to peer at his check register and under every large check he writes for his business, is a quotation just under the amount,


um elle ~ it's only shoes

"IT'S ONLY CLOTHES"

When telling me the story she said "Dad you would really like this guy." I told her she was right. I do like this guy.
IT"S ONLY !
I'm the type that can get pretty wrapped up in whatever the heck it is I'm doing. Real estate, golf, money, you name it. It is so easy to do. When there is passion behind whatever you're doing, the intensity seems to accelerate and before you know it we can be completely consumed to the point of missing out on meals, loved ones, health and just overall balance to our lives.
I will ask my wife how her day went at work ? and when her reply is "well ya know it's only ????. She is more balanced and has left work at work. I admire that about her. I have a little more trouble being that way with just about everything.
LIFE OR DEATH ! ~ really ?
Nah, I just think it's life or death. It was only a round of golf.
Stick a few "It's Only's" in front of whatever consumes your day. It will bring clarity to what the heck you are doing with your time. It will bring more joy to whatever you're doing because you will shift your mindset/attitude.
It will also help prioritize what is REALLY IMPORTANT in your life.
Think about it. We wouldn't go around saying; it's only our kids, it's only my life, it's only my marriage.

It's a Great Life !

Delphi Hills Home Sales Snapshot ~ October 2012

Delphi Hills ~ SW

Kevin Lynch’s Home Sales Report

Delphi Hills  ~ SW area 442

 the numbers for October  2012 :

• Homes for sale ~ 34 homes are currently listed

                  Low $149,000 ~ High $1,750,000

                  Median $361,950

                  Avg. days on ~151

• Pending  ~ 4  Homes are in escrow

                 Low $68,500 ~ High $350,000

                 Median  $168,500

                 Avg. Days on 76

• October  Sales ~ 9 Homes sold in October  2012

                 Low $125,0000 ~ High $492,000

                 Median $249,950

                 Avg. days on ~ 128

• October 2011 ~11 Homes Sold in October 2011

                Low $38,000 ~ High $310,000

                 Median $217,000

                 Avg. days on 98

A strong +15.1% increase to the median price in October 2012 compared to October 2011.

 "Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected."Steve Jobs

Have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/

                                 Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.

 

West Olympia Home Sales Snapshot ~ October 2012

Kevin Lynch’s Home Sales report

West  Olympia  ~ NW area 444

 the numbers for October 2012 :

Homes for sale ~ 128 Homes are currently listed

                  Low $141,075~ High $2,500,000

                  Median $ 279,945

                   Avg. days on ~ 159

Pending ~ 10 Homes are in escrow

                  Low $120,000 ~ High $649,500

                  Median $239,900

                  Avg. days on ~ 198

October Sales ~ 19 Homes sold in October 2012

                  Low $85,000 ~ High $580,000

                  Median $229,900

                  Avg. days on ~ 148

October 2011 ~ 20 Homes Sold in October  2011

                  Low $112,000 ~ High $435,000

                  Median $251,500

                  Avg. days on 169

A - 8.6% fall in the median price in October 2012 compared to October 2011. The average market time is brutal, in all categories. You could darn near put a child through college in that amount of time. A little league season at the very least.

"You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get."Michael Phelps

                                 Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. 

have you seen us at http://www.thurstonliving.com/
 

 

set my clock back 46 YEARS ~ oopsy

I don't own the rights to either of these videos   


 ~    in joy












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uma music

the Bel Airs "bedlam"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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