Bremerton Boardwalk The "HEART OF DOWNTOWN". On quiet days you can sit on a bench and watch the ferries come and go, on others days you can participate in local activities such as the Blackberry Festival or the summer Concert series, either way it is a fun place to be.  The Blackberry Festival is held over Labor Day weekend and the "Concerts on the Boardwalk" series are held on Fridays starting in July.  My husband and I have spent the 4th of July there watching the fireworks.    Located at the Boardwalk is the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Memorial Plaza commemorating 100 years (1891-1991) of service.  The memorial consists of symbolic work by Washington artist Larry Anderson and there are thousands of personalized bricks which were purchased by the community for the celebration.     ... 10/31/2007

  EVERGREEN ROTARY PARK One of the reasons I chose to live in Bremerton was because of the water. I love being around water and if I can't be on an ocean beach I will take any beach.  This is why Evergreen Park is my favorite park in Bremerton.  This must be a lot of "Bremertonites" favorite too!!  Evergreen Park is the city's premier park with the highest use rates.  The location is just amazing. I love just walking the trails and being able to just sit and watch people, birds and weather.  If you need a place for a family picnic this is the place.  There are 5 shelters and 39 picnic tables.  The park encompasses 10 acres and had 1900 feet of shoreline.  And can you believe - A boat launch!  If you want to BBQ there are 4 located at Evergreen Park.  If you want to have some games you c... 10/30/2007

  USS TURNER JOY (DD-951)Whenever we transferred to a new location we turn into "tourists".  We call it our new "Navy" vacation.  How many families get to live all over the country and "vacation" without leaving home?  The first year at a new duty station we spend most of our free time searching out the local area attractions.  However, that isn't the case with the USS Turner Joy; we visited the USS Turner Joy prior to leaving Bremerton the first time.  In fact I think it was a "Saturday Date".  I had never been around the Navy and so I was very excited to be going on a "ship".  I hope you have the time to head down to the Bremerton Boardwalk some day and visit this very unique historical Navy "museum".  Self tours are always the best in my opinion and that is how they have designed the... 10/30/2007

Good for you!!  Are you ready? Do you know what you need to do?   This is a big step in your future and you will be making some very serious decisions but there is no need to be intimidated by the process.                 Here it is in 5 easy steps.     •1)    Contact a Real Estate Professional In most market areas this is a free service to home buyers so take advantage early in the process.  Important qualities to look for in a real estate agent is their knowledge of the market area you are looking in, their willingness to help and make sure that you feel comfortable spending time with them.  Choose an agent you trust.   •2)    Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage This will help you and your real estate agent, and will also give any offer you submit a better chance of being accepted.  Your ... 10/24/2007

    You know what I say? - WHO CARES!!!    In this day and age with all of the instant stats, instant news, instant whatever we sometimes forget that without action all of this information doesn't matter, it only stands in our way of pursuing the American Dream. What matters is you want to buy a home and guess what?  Someone out their really wants to sell a home. I am so over all of the mumbo jumbo about Seller's market, Buyer's market and vise versa that I just council my clients on the facts. FACT 1:  You want to buy a home FACT 2:  You want to make a deal FACT 3:  You want the best possible financial outcome for your family So what is keeping you out of the Market? Are you waiting for prices to decrease? Are you waiting for that perfect interest rate? Well if truth be told either of... 10/24/2007

LEAVING ON A JET PLANE......   That's the song that I sing when my husband heads out on a deployment. Yep, he is in the Navy but I have never had the pleasure of being involved with a Navy command.  We have spent all of our years together hanging out with the Marine Corps. Deployment can be a very difficult time in a military family's life so; we have to find the positives. Saving all the deployment pay is one!  The first tour to Iraq that my husband went on was my first deployment experience as a military spouse.  I knew a little about the extra pays and was eager to learn more. I did pay attention at the Deployment Brief. I took all the pamphlets and brochures I could carry.  I remember the LtCol standing at the front of the meeting room leaning on the overhead projector and emphasizi... 10/22/2007

        With the lure of high salaries in the private sector the Pentagon had to do some "wheeling and dealing".  The Pentagon has paid out more that $100 Million - yes I said MILLION in bonuses to veteran Green Bret and Navy SEALS alone.  On every military chat board you see the post about bonuses. So what to do with all that money? We have never had to answer that question in our household, we just say "CHOOSE YOUR RATE, CHOOSE YOUR FATE"  and laugh a little. In my husbands 12 years he has never received one.                        But for those that do what better an investment than                                                                                          REAL ESTATE!!!   How much did you get for your bonus? What was the tax rate withheld? Is this your first bonus? Di... 10/22/2007

I am sure as a military member you have heard this phrase about a million times in the last several years.  Interest rates have been so low for so long that home ownership has been easier than ever before for anyone and this especially includes the military population, who until recently didn't feel like they could or should purchase properties.    Never before has the military population owned a higher percentage of homes. The days of base living has changed drastically. With most installations switching over to PPV the climate has changed.  The thought of waiting until retirement to purchase a home has become a scary thought with the way housing prices in most areas have skyrocketed.   So as a military member do you purchase a home? It is a very complicated process which needs some in... 10/22/2007

Growing your wealth with real estateIf you can relate to this question, congratulations! You are on your way towards building a Real Estate "Portfolio". Almost all of America's most affluent people are heavily invested it real estate. It is a cornerstone of many asset-building strategies. Real estate investments are historically stable and safe. Kitsap County real estate in particular has shown itself to be the perfect wealth-building vehicle for many Washington homeowners.The thought of owning two homes in Kitsap County can be exciting. The thought of having two mortgages on the other hand can be rather intimidating. One of the first questions many folks ask is "Will the bank allow me to have two mortgages at the same time?". The answer fortunately, is "yes". Banks are just careful abo... 09/02/2007

I've been in Brazil and now I've been to Bremerton. This doesn't make me an expert on either place, but what a Brazilian business man told me about Brazil on the plane to Sao Paolo also appears to apply to Bremerton: "Brazil always had a future and always will."While I visited Brazil as the "corporate taste bud" (branding czar) for TRW in 1984, my ferry trip to Bremerton last Saturday was part of a more modest mission. I was showing a home to a Brio-generated buyer lead. I agreed to do this for several reasons: I had been to many places of the Puget Sound islands and peninsulas but never to Bremerton. The home I was showing was built in 1900 and had been used as a Bed & Breakfast. The potential buyers sounded like nice people. And I was right. Taking the ferry is always a "photo-op." I ... 04/07/2007

Take one step inside, and you're transported back to a simpler place in time! The Big Apple Diner near Kitsap Lake in Bremerton WA is a fun 50's style diner, complete with checkered floors, padded booths, soda fountain, and a Jukebox!Whether its Big Burgers, fries, and a thick shake, or their popular Breakfast menu, the eating is good! For more information of this great local restaurant, go to SoundBiteBlog  Rich Jacobson, Your Professional Real Estate Agent on the Kitsap Peninsula 01/26/2007

Is there EVER a good time for a flat tire? It's happened to all of us at some time or another. And it always seems to happen at the most inopportune time and place, right? You're cruisin' around out in the middle of absolute NOWHERE and "POP!" your tire blows! (This is when you discover that your spare is also flat or is missing altogether) After walking several miles in the blazing Sahara, you find the closest local gas station, "Jimmy Joe Bob's Friendly Gas & Repair." Jimmy turns out to be a 300 pound WWF reject who is anything BUT friendly, and informs you that the only tire within 100 miles will cost an arm, a leg, and your first-born child.Well, if you're a newcomer to the Kitsap Peninsula, your tire troubles are finally over!Welcome to the Discount Tire Company!Located in East Bre... 01/11/2007

Kitsap County Washington is a beautiful area of the country. Inhabitants of the county are blessed with sweeping ocean views, hundred foot evergreens and two incredible mountain ranges. If you live in Kitsap you are drawn outdoors. The views are incredible.One of the most notable things about the county is the sheer number of parks. In Bremerton, Lions Field, on the Washington Narrows is one of the most popular of the parks for families, health enthusiasts, softball players and amblers. The park was originally donated by the local Lions Club in the 1960's. It has grown and been improved substantially since then.Lions Field, also know as Lebo Field and Lebo Park by the locals, is a waterfront park with hundreds of feet of salt water shoreline. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife. Bi... 12/27/2006

If you're looking for a unique and enjoyable dining experience, look no further than "The Boat Shed Restaurant & Bar!"Serving Kitsap County since 1979, The Boat Shed is a family restaurant located under the Manette Bridge on the North shore of the Washington Narrows, across from Bremerton, near the quaint artisan town of Manette.Whether you are looking for something casual and classy, or intimate and cozy, The Boat Shed offers fine dining with spectacular views of the Bremerton waterfront. In the summer months, take full advantage of the incomparable weather and sit outdoors on the waterfront deck.Dinner entrees include certified Black Angus prime steak, Dungeness crab, Pacific salmon & halibut, fish & chips, poultry and pasta dishes. Lunches feature creative salads, savory sandwiches, ... 12/23/2006

12/01/2006I received information about active rain today....and I have joined.  With our daily schedules sometimes meeting new people in our community can be hard.  I am always looking for new ways to meet with new people.I wanted to take a minute to say Hi - read more about me and invite you to contact me.  If I can help you with a loan - great - if you want to say Hi back - great - if you want to tell me about yourself - greatI have spent the last year learning the loan business - and I have to say that public awarness on what goes into putting a loan together is lacking!  Before my transition into loans I was an insurance agent...and I used to think that people needed more education on that - but THIS - wow.  Every time I receive a referal, or get a new lead I am as excited as my ver... 12/01/2006

Not many people in this day and age are in the financial position to pay cash for a piece of real estate. If they are, they're definitely among the few. In ‘normal' situations people require a mortgage in order to buy a house or any property. Mortgages for Bremerton Washington Real Estate are no different from any other mortgage. There are procedures, plenty of papers to sign, interest rates to consider. The list goes on until, one day, your mortgage is paid off. It's nice to dream.When looking for Mortgages for Bremerton Washington Real Estate, it might be good to start with your personal bank and banker - someone you are used to dealing with and are comfortable handling your financial needs. Another excellent suggestion is to find someone who had been recommended by a friend  or famil... 11/19/2006

If there was ever a time to invest, now would be that time. Investing in Bremerton, Washington Real Estate is a definitely wise choice for the future. With the rate of growth in Kitsap County, the demand for real estate will be growing also. Right now while prices for property are relatively competitive, it would be a sound judgment call to invest in Bremerton Real Estate. Bremerton, Washington is an example of rural life in the US. On the west coast of Washington, Bremerton is close to the Pacific Ocean. The ocean alone is enticing for many people. Add the quiet setting, the low crime rate, the sense of security and it's the equation for the ideal location to live. At the present time Bremerton is a delightful little spot, a terrific getaway. As time goes on and Kitsap County grows and... 11/16/2006