JR McGee

Olympia real estate experiences ups and downs

2010-03-03T05:07:00.000-08:00

Although some areas in Thurston County were popular destinations for buyers last year, this year will be a year of transition for Washington’s housing market.
Depending on the pace of economic recovery and the future of some areas of the economy that still need to begin improving, some economists expect that the residential housing market will improve in 2011. Although there are high hopes for improvement in residential real estate, there are predictions that it could take until 2012 for the commercial real estate market to improve.

However, this all depends on a few factors, such as the easing of credit from community banks, consumer confidence and the absorption of excess housing.
While large, national banks have begun lending again, state-chartered community banks are still experiencing tight credit.

In addition to this downfall for local markets, consumers continue to be strongly influenced by unemployment rates and the price of gasoline; therefore there is still a lack of confidence on their end. According to state Employment Security Department data, this is largely due to Washington’s unemployment rate hitting 9.5 percent as of December.

As if the current housing market didn’t have enough problems, the formation of new households has also slowed due to college graduates moving back in with their parents due to a higher than usual unemployment rate. Economists say that this will have to change and excess housing will need to be absorbed before there is a self-sustained growth in residential real estate.

On the other hand though, certain areas of the Olympia real estate market saw increases in homes sold despite Thurston County home sales falling 7.5 percent in 2009.

According to preliminary year-end Northwest Multiple Listing Service data, of the 2,938 single-family homes and condos that sold in Thurston County last year, 1,425 were in suburbs of Olympia.

The Olympia metro area has spots that have done well recently in real estate sales as well. These are neighborhoods such as South Capitol, which has historically been a destination for government and other white-collar workers. In addition, the data shows that the median price in the Boston Harbor Road area of Olympia, which is popular due to its location near the water but has high prices due to the low quantity, increased in the past year, as did sales. The year-to-date median price for the area rose to $367,500 in 2009 from $354,950 in 2008. Sales, meanwhile, increased to 50 units last year from 40 in 2008.

Olympia Real Estate

2010-03-02T06:15:00.000-08:00

Located on the southern part of the Puget Sound region, Olympia is the capital city of the state of Washington. It is the administrative seat of the state and thus an important center of activity. Olympia also serves as the seat of the Thurston County, Washington. The city was incorporated in 1859 and houses a population of approximately 42,514.

Olympia is connected to different parts of Washington via the Amtrak rail network. Intercity Transit operates bus services in the area as well. Olympia is served by the Olympia School District. There are a number of academic institutions of repute offering quality education in this area.

The numerous parks and recreational areas of Olympia, Washington, offer people the opportunity to indulge in activities like hiking, biking, and so on. Some of the popular parks are Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area, Watershed Park, Percival Landing Park, and many others.

The city of Olympia is a well-known center of arts and culture. Music, art and sculpture are integral units of the city’s culture. The different theater companies like the Olympia Family Theater, the Capitol Playhouse and others are popular for their productions. Olympia also hosts a national film festival every year.

The pleasant living conditions in Olympia make it one of the popular destinations when it comes to real estate investments. The reasonable prices of Olympia real estate are also another factor for the popularity of the region. The average listing price of Olympia homes for sale is $312,996 as recorded in the week that ended on February 10.

There are a number of options available when it comes to Olympia WA homes for sale. You can buy a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom single family home for something about $199,000. But for a 3 bedroom 3 bathroom apartment in a popular neighborhood you need to pay approximately $1,695,000.

Before you start looking for your dream home, it is essential to take note of certain things. It is necessary to know your requirements before you start a property search. You also need to fix a budget. This way you could narrow down your search and look for a suitable Olympia house.

It is advisable that you contact an Olympia real estate agent if you want to buy or sell a property. You could check out the property listings and find a house that suits your needs and budget. An expert real estate agent would also be able to help you with negotiating a deal and completing the formalities.

You need to choose a real estate agent carefully. Opt for someone with experience. You could also check out the client testimonials and referrals to know their area of expertise. Assistance from a reputed real estate agent would make a property deal a hassle free experience.

Lewis County Real Estate, WA Market Report

2009-12-11T06:31:00.000-08:00

Like all other places in the country, Lewis County Real Estate, WA has also suffered from the effects of the recession. Most of the property listings in the county are concentrated in the county seat located at Chehalis. The biggest city in the county is Centralia so this explains the fact that most buyers are looking for properties in the region in and around this city.

According to the available listings of Louis county real estate properties of approximately 1389 sq ft are priced around $ 190,000. An 1800 sq ft Lewis County home comes around $184,000. Lewis county properties with even a larger sq ft area, i.e. around 2320 sq ft cost around 385,000. These are the average prices and are subject to change from time.

The economic downturn has had an adverse effect on the Louis County real estate, WA. The prices of properties have gone down considerably. One other indicator of the deteriorating market condition was the increasing number of foreclosures. However, the worse seems to have been over and the local real estate market is once again looking up towards a brighter future.

It is important to study a real estate market report of a particular area if you are keen on buying a property there. This holds true for Lewis County homes for sale. It is important for a prospective buyer to study the trends of the market in the past quarters. You can consult profession real estate agents at JR Mc Gee for doing the same and get a clear picture of what the county holds for you.

Centralia, Washington Real Estate Market Report Analysis

2009-12-03T03:39:00.000-08:00

Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington. The contract activity for pending home sales is at an all time high over the last six months. Due to the contract signs the pending homes for sales in Centralia are moving up. The affordability of the first time buyers is at a record high. The buyers are taking the low price rates in account when they buy properties. The $8000 tax credit measure taken by the U.S. government has had a boosting effect on the home sales. This has made it so that the home sales are getting completed in approximately 2 months. According to the mortgage plans the payment for mortgage accounts is only 25 percent of the families’ monthly income. If the homebuyers stay within their budget, the payments would be manageable.

Many market analysts are of the opinion that the worst is over, but the path to recovery is a long, continuous process. The steps taken by the government is a relief to the homebuyers as they can take mortgages at lower interest rates. A major problem in the real estate market is that there are many sellers but very few buyers. So for sellers to sell their property they have to lower their prices, which means less gain for them. The property sale can increase if the government provides this tax credit until the second quarter of 2010. The home sales pending index is one of the yardsticks in the real estate sector for that particular place. The gradual absorption of inventory is providing a general stability in the pricing factor of homes in Centralia, Washington.

As the market is speeding up, the realty sector is also showing a speedy recovery. If anybody is trying to invest in this sector, now is the right time. The pending home sales rose to almost 7 percent, which is a good sign. Not everything is positive as many of the properties are sold at giveaway prices, which are products of foreclosure and short sales. This on the other hand is hitting the rental market badly as the properties are sold at giveaway prices; people are buying homes rather than moving to rental apartments. According to the recent reports, rental unit vacancies have risen to almost 7.5 percent throughout the nation, which is all time high in the last 22 years. As the financial market is recovering from the recession it is expected that the realty sector will recover in the near future.

Washington Real Estate Offers Something for Everyone

2009-11-15T19:05:00.000-08:00

Washington is one area in the United States that is favored by most people in search of a dream home or property. It lies in the northwest part of the United States and has a population of 6,549,224, most of which is based around the Seattle metropolitan area. This area is renowned for its cultural, business, transportation and industrial center.

Good job opportunities coupled with an easy commute to jobs, supportive government, physical beauty, host of activities for recreational purposes and quality entertainment makes it one of the top states of the country to live in. Home prices in Washington and the value of real estate in Washington are quite reasonable at the moment, when compared to some of the big and popular metropolitan areas of the country at large.

Washington has something to offer to everyone- whether you prefer city life or a home that is far away from the madding crowd, nestled in the bucolic charms of the countryside, or are looking for some adventure. The cities of Olympia, Snohomish and Seattle in the state of Washington have exactly what you are looking for. On the other hand Seattle and its downtown metro areas offer homes, penthouses, town houses, condominiums, studio apartments and single family homes.
Real estate statistic reports on Washington homes and Washington properties point out that, homes and properties in the state of Washington are among one of the most in demand in the realty market at present times. The effects of the downturn are waning with a positive recovery in the value of Washington homes and Washington real estate properties.

Real estate Olympia, WA - Market Report

2009-09-25T03:11:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for homes for sale in Olympia it is important to judge the trend of the real estate market in here. Reviewing the trends would definitely give you an idea about what kind of a home you can buy in Olympia and how much you need to spend.

At present there are around 1,041 new homes and resale in Olympia. This includes nearly 4 open houses along with 286 other homes in the auction stages, pre-foreclosure stages or bank-owned stages pertaining to the process related with foreclosure.

The average price for listing homes for sale in Olympia was around US$ 360,913 for last week of the previous month and there was a decrease in 0.6% or US$ 2,097 in terms of value if the records are compared to the records of the week before.

The usual price quoted per square foot for homes for sale in Olympia is US$ 132 which has experienced a decrease of around 3.6% in comparison to the same period in 2008. The median sales price for homes for sale Olympia for the beginning of 2009 was US$ 227,222 which is according to the sale of 24 home. In comparison with the same period in 2009, the median sales price for homes was increased by 5.3% or US$ 11,407 in terms of value. The number of home that were sold there was a decrease of 52%.

The popular neighborhoods within Olympia consist of the Eastside and the North East side where the average price for listing ranges from US$ 250,237 to US$ 345,557.

Houses for sale Washington - Market Report

2009-09-25T03:07:00.000-07:00

Reviewing the present trends of the real estate in Washington is important if you are trying to find a suitable house. To check you can go through the listings on the web for options, prices, information of all the neighborhoods. This will help you go through the options and buy a house which would permit your pocket.

Though for the last one year, the market had been badly hit by sub-prime crisis, yet real estate had yielded a reasonable turnover. In different counties of Washington State, the listings show a lukewarm response to the real estate activities. The average homes for sale Kent, as per the listing has been priced US$ 325, 465 though the median sale price is much lower at US$ 259,950 which is a decrease by nearly 18% from the previous year.

If you go through the trend of homes for sale Snohomish County, there is a rise in the average price of listing from the previous week’s listed price. The median sale price homes from November 2008 to January 2009 had been US$ 368,919. The median sale price for the homes in Olympia over the same period time is US$ 227, 222. The available land for sale Olympia is priced US$ 132 per sq feet

The houses for sale Washington had been showing a mixed response. In some counties the rate of decrease is much lower, which is a good sign. The listing is gradually exhausting and the number of foreclosed houses is reducing as well. The average price of houses in Washington is US$ 461,043. The average price of condos listed in Washington is US$ 350,000.

Real estate Olympia, CA

2009-09-25T03:02:00.000-07:00

Olympia in California is experiencing a big boom in the field of real estate in recent times. The city of Olympia has diverse cultural neighborhoods with a good scope for jobs. Real estate Olympia, CA is offering homes for everyone who is thinking of moving to the city. There are different kinds of properties available in Olympia California. If you have a large family and wish to take a big house, then the real estate Olympia, CA can offer you stylish bungalows with sprawling lawns and all the modern amenities. Other than these lavish bungalows there are small homes for sale in Olympia too. You can also get condominiums and apartments too.

With the city experiencing more influx of people from all over the country and residing, Olympia is offering a great cultural diversity. Some of the most liked places in the city of Olympia happen to be Monroe, Everett and Waterfront. If you are planning to buy a property in one of these places you can get in touch with a good real estate agent. Homes for sale waterfront and other places differ in prices. So if you are looking for a house in Olympia you need to plan your budget beforehand.

Houses for sale Washington

2009-09-25T02:54:00.000-07:00

Looking for a dream home of your choice? Why not consider some of the major areas of the world like Washington. Residing in one of the largest states of the United States make it much easier for you to get the best always in terms of good living, environment, transportation, lifestyle and others. Homes for sale WA are popular with buyers who are searching for new places to have their own new home.

The state of Washington brings about a lot of options to have your home. At present, Olympia and Kent forms to be two of the hot favorites in the State of Washington. Homes in Olympia enable you to enjoy a great weather, diverse population and a great lifestyle as a whole. For those who want to make their new home the way they like it to be, they can essentially contact a realtor a purchase a land for sale Olympia and get started with their plans.

The Washington real estate market continues to draw a large number of families of different sizes and shapes looking for homes in the heart of United States of America. One of the biggest perks of those homes for sale WA is that they include a dependable public transportation offering commutes to other major areas.

2009-07-23T10:47:00.001-07:00

Have you joined the revolution? http://ping.fm/BRf6D

2009-07-23T09:12:00.001-07:00

If you can see this then Ping.fm works

Roadmap to Rebound: Housing

2009-03-23T10:42:00.000-07:00

If anyone thinks they can predict where this housing market is going, be careful.

Here are four, "Experts, and three totally different opinions."

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Real Estate Bailout Eligibility

2009-03-20T12:40:00.000-07:00

You might not be a massive bank, insurance company, or manufacturing company, but they claim 7,000,000 - 9,000,000 home owners will qualify for the latest round of help during this economic crisis.

Click to see if you are eligible

You may be able to refinance, or even modify your current home loan. As always, if you have more questions please contact me personally. Details below.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

History Repeats Itself

2009-03-17T23:00:00.000-07:00

After World War II it was discovered that the Allied bombing, the invasion, and looting had destroyed much of the video footage of Hitler with his personal council. Fortunately a video has surfaced that reveals how similar the current real estate crisis is to the crisis that hit Nazi Germany.

It is true, history repeats itself.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Real Estate Roller Coaster

2009-03-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

This is a fun visual showing how real estate prices have grown and dropped in relation to inflation year by year starting from 1890 to 2007.

Be sure to take note of the year shown on the bottom right corner, notice the amazing growth we have seen in the past 12 years nationally, and keep your hands in.

Enjoy your ride on the Real Estate Roller coaster. Oh yeah, if you need a real estate agent to sit with you on the ride down, just contact "Your Personal Realtor: JR McGee"

JR McGee

"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com

Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Are We Made For More?

2009-03-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

Today a truth has been revealed. Even if we are highly educated and have a great job, it might not be there tomorrow. Even if we tuck as much as we can into our retirement funds, it might be gone tomorrow. Even if we live to retirement, our lives might be gone tomorrow. With so much uncertainty, why would anyone spend their strongest years giving 8-12 hours a day to something that we bare or hate.

I must be admit, "I absolutely enjoy working in real estate." I love what I do. Providing a service at a very high level. Serving friends, and new clients who also become friends. Connecting people to each other. Protecting the interests of my clients. Seeing people accomplish a major goal in life. I get a rush... a sense of purpose everyday being a part of the real estate industry.

Purpose? Does everyone have purpose? Looking at Jaymin, and thinking about all the children with Down's Syndrome or other special needs, I had to wrestle with the purpose for these children. Jaymin has only been in our home now for 4.5 months, but he has a purpose in our family ... already! Then I started finding videos like this one below. I am sure many have seen how this autistic boy did the impossible, but I can watch this a hundred times.

What we do or did, should NOT define us. Before J-Mac had he historic night in 2006 he

was an inspiration. An "opportunity" special needs children have is they have less expectations put on them by many of us so they get to focus on their strengths: and worry less about being like everyone else.

I have come to the conclusion that "special needs" children are labeled incorrectly. They might be less likely to win a spelling bee, or a gold medal in the olympics, but they often live life fully; whereas many "normal" people are depressed, hate work, spend their life earning money, working jobs they hate, for the purpose of spending money so they can impress the people they don't like.

What is the point? We all have purpose. God engineered us at birth with strengths to complete our purpose. We are not defined by what we do, but we are defined by our purpose. Schools these days often incorrectly teach us to learn skills so we earn money. Is our purpose in life to earn money? How stupid. Do we go to work these days just for money? Shouldn't there be more to life than making money? If you think there is more to life than making money, check out this video:

If we don't get killed along the way or get a terminal sickness we could live 70-100 years.

Why not live a life using strengths to live a purposeful life. After all, a man gaining great wealth, but not using his skill to accomplish his God given purpose would be like having a beautiful $100,000 car and never driving it, but turning it into a home. It would be a waste. I have to think God is more concerned about us living to fulfill our purpose, rather than doing a job we hate just to earn money.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Why Kids Misbehave

2009-03-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Big Brother, Big Business, Award Winning Documentary

2009-03-14T21:17:00.000-07:00

It is logical, benificial, and makes great business sense for information technology to grow. There are many benifits, but this outstanding documentory by David Fabor of CNBC is interesting.

It reminds me of the Jurassic Park movie quote by Dr. Ian Malcolm: "Your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should."

Like I said, our progress is logical, benificial, and I enjoy using it daily, but where are we going with it all? Character, morals, and ethics will only become more important in leaders from this point forward.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Still A Great Time To Sell Your Home!

2009-03-13T14:53:00.000-07:00

Many are saying this is a bad time to sell. I disagree. When the stock market was at 10,000 it was a great time to sell even if even though the market was at 14,000. Now the stock market is below 7,000, so those 10,000 prices are looking pretty good now.

In relation to the stock market, we are now doing the same thing in real estate. Todays prices could look very high in the future. This video is very interesting if you are considering the possibility of selling in the next couple of years. You may want to sell now.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Reports Say, "America is Less Religious Now"

2009-03-13T05:26:00.000-07:00

This week a report was published that has made it to the national media in print, radio, TV, and all over the Internet. A pretty big deal.

I have often asked the question, "What did Jesus really want from us?" because it seems like we have lost focus. If you are also curious about, "What Jesus wants", this video could be very interesting.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.JRMcGee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

The USA Doesn't Have a Housing Problem

2009-03-12T11:22:00.000-07:00

A little reality check is good. Sometimes we listen to the voices in the media and lose our minds. The USA is still an amazing place. We live in the top 10%. Our poor live in the top 20%. Yeah times are tough, but here are how some people are dealing with the current economy.

Ready to trade?

Give your children a taste of reality and send them with us to visit China or Africa.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

9 Wise Things To Do In 2009

2009-03-11T21:58:00.000-07:00

If you would like to take Financial Peace University with Dave Ramsey, JR can help. Just email JR below

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Today's Real Estate Advice

2009-03-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

A Wise Eeal Estate Plan

Should you buy or should you sell? Or Maybe both! Personal Financial Advisor Dave Ramsey is a man of common sense and wisdom. Sometimes a bit of perspective will take teh edge off all the bad news.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Home Mortgage Rescue Plan

2009-03-05T21:40:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to find out if you actually qualify for the Home Mortgage Rescue Plan

Contact the current holder of your loan. You may have set up your loan through Wells Fargo, Washington Mutual, etc... but look on your monthly mortgage bill to see who is the current owner of the mortgage. Contact them to start the process.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

USA Mortgage Relief Plan

2009-03-05T21:32:00.000-08:00

See the Video and CNBC Explanation

Some key points to tell you about:

You can get paid bonuses for staying in your home, making payments ontime, and not forclosing
Can reduce your interest payment to as low as 2%
Extend time of loan to 40 years
Possibly forgive some principle
Designed to help over 9 million homeowners

Still no info on who to contact about the plan if you are interested, but will keep you updated.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

What Could Happen To The Economy?

2009-03-04T21:15:00.000-08:00

Click Above Title or Cut and Past below link to Watch Video

This guy just makes sense. In the end of the video he talks about the need for Americans to have an internal government. "Do the right thing." If we don't, our democratic experiment called the "USA" will end before its 250th birthday.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Get $8,000 For Buying Before April 15, 2009

2009-03-03T21:10:00.000-08:00

For those who buy a home this year before April 15, 2009, you can qualify for $8,000 this year.

The amount will be used to pay for your taxes first and the balance remaining will be sent to you.

Click to get the facts about the $8,000 buyer gift.

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

CNBC's Special "House of Cards"

2009-02-26T16:53:00.000-08:00

So many questions about real estate and the economy:

Why is the economy so bad?
Why did real estate go up so fast and come down faster?
Who is to blame?
How can we prevent it from happening again?
How bad is it going to get?
When will it get better?

I need simple explanations to complex problems. The video link below might help you understand what has happened.

Many "experts" are saying this video by CNBC "House of Cards" is one of the best explanations.

Click the video above to learn a little about how we got into this economic mess

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Realtors Can Now Help Near Foreclosure Home Owners

2009-02-25T16:43:00.000-08:00

Today, Wednesday, Feb. 25th, the Washington state Senate passed SB 5221, the Senate version of the fix to the distressed properties law, by a unanimous vote of 48- 0!

The bill's prime sponsor, Sen. Rodney Tom, told us today after the bill passed, "It's really important in these economic times that those sellers that find themselves in the unfortunate situation of being forced to sell their home will now have the service of Realtors to help them maneuver through a difficult selling environment to minimize a very difficult situation."

HB 1132, the House version of the bill, passed the House unanimously last week. Both versions of the bill will now be sent to the opposite chamber (House bill to Senate, Senate bill to House) to be considered.

We'll continue to keep you posted as key milestones are reached with these very important bills.

Thank you to Greg Wright, President of Washington REALTORS® for this news!

JR McGee
"Your Personal Realtor"
(360) 623-2388
http://www.jrmcgee.com/
JRMcGee.com@Gmail.com
Real Estate: Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Centralia, Chehalis

Twelve Questions About Our 10,531 Mile Move

2008-01-07T06:06:00.000-08:00

1. What Does It Mean to Change Your Home Base?

2. Why We Run A Non-Profit Without Marketing?

3. What About the Children in China / South Africa?

4. How Did We Make The Decision To Move?

5. How Will JR Support His Family?

6. How Will Gift of Joy Money Be Used?

7. Can Teams Come and Help With Flood Relief?

8. Will You Lead Teams to China and South Africa?

9. Status of Building School Computer Labs?

10. What’s it like Picking-Up the Boys in a Township?

11. How do Anita and the kids feel about moving? You can ask her by emailing her at anita@giftofjoy.org

12. Do You Have Other Questions? Email me at jr@giftofjoy.org

1. What Does It Mean to Change Your Home Base?

2008-01-07T06:05:00.000-08:00

As of February 2008, we will no longer be FULL time – OVERSEAS. We will be based in Centralia / Chehalis, WA,

USA

. This amazing community has sent us out to enable other communities, but now it is time to give back. A few weeks ago, the Pacific Northwest of the

United States

was attacked by a massive storm that destroyed 1000 homes around Centralia and 7000 in the region. At first the reports said the area was devastated. After a closer look, we have found that was an understatement.

We are welcoming teams to come join us to help with the mass

ive cleanup. Centralia is a giving community that has sent multitudes around the globe to help others in need. One family returned from assisting us in

South Africa

for 5 weeks and now everything they have is lost. Even the best of families find the stress overwhelming when everything they have is covered with mud, water damaged, or missing. Add to that situation – they are homeless. We want to contribute to rebuilding this generous community of amazing families.

As we have traveled around the world one thing is clear. We miss and love our family and friends from home. Grandma June Bug is turning 99 soon! Amanda and Josiah are now school aged and it is time to have a stable home. Some people are fortunate to have 2 close friends their whole life, yet we have a whole community of the best … most supportive friends, and we miss them.

Another benefit of being based in Centralia, WA USA: it’s my home land, so it is much easier to build a long lasting business. Yes, you will find our family rebuilding our real estate business at Coldwell Banker Kline & Associates with my great friends Craig and Connie Kline. Man, that statement gets me excited!

But now Centralia will be our base of operation. Once we get our business profitable it will not only support our family but also be a long-term financial base for supporting teams in the future. We will also continue offering the tools that have enabled so many in China and South Africa. “Financial Peace University”, “Dream Builder”, “Character Training”, and “The Kingdom of Heaven”.

God is truly sending us to Centralia, WA USA!

But leaving does come at a cost. Amanda and Josiah don’t want to leave the boys, and I just received a phone call from them because they realized we are not taking our 2-year-old Golden Retriever or our 7-month Labrador retriever. The kids have had some good crying sessions.

(Watch More) You can watch a news report on the devastation in Centralia, WA USA

(Back) To the List of Questions

2. Why We Run A Non-Profit Without Marketing

2008-01-07T06:03:00.000-08:00

We take the things Jesus says very seriously. One of the things He said was,

“Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do–blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.”

For the last 10 years we have been running Gift of Joy as employees … for God. When we needed money we said, “God this was your idea, so you better pay your bills if you want your idea to succeed.

When we depend on God and not others, it is great! All our friends are true friends, NOT donors! Some of my best friends have never given a cent, but their friendship is priceless. Some have spontaneously given generously without prompting, and once again, their friendship is priceless. Some have had to stop giving, and once again, their friendship is priceless.

There is an amazing fact that we can ALL celebrate. In June 2006, we ran out of money. What did we do? We didn’t worry, because this work wasn’t our idea. We said, “God if you want us to do this, it requires some resources.” Result: We may have had to work really hard, and at times wait longer than we wanted, but we have never been without. Actually we have lived in surprising abundance. We have seen this for the past 10 years and 10 years is not luck. We have never had to appeal to men. God is faithful to his ideas! We can all celebrate and say, “God always pays His bills! We just need to do the things on God’s mind.

At the same time we want to say “Thank You” for all of you who have believed in us sent resources, encouragement, and visited! God works through people. In the same way many children have seen God through us, we have seen God through you and you enabled those children to see God through us!

(Watch More) You can watch a video of one of our heroes

(Back) To the List of Questions

3. What About The Children in China / South Africa?

2008-01-07T06:02:00.000-08:00

What will happen now that we are not present in China or South Africa? Great question! We feel like we are in a maze and discovering opportunities around each corner. We just keep moving forward.

In China, most of the children will finish high school this year and three of them Karen, Jace, and Kelly are qualified to attend university overseas. My dream is that they could study at Centralia Community College, but we will see. Steven is continuing his study in South Africa. Others will work and study in China. Lucy had some of the best opportunities to study overseas but God spoke clearly to her that she needs to stay in China, work, study and make a difference there. The children in China have turned into adults.

Now they want to start their own training center helping children who come from the same conditions in which they started. We have seen them almost every six months since leaving and spent excellent time with them. We are honored by the honor they show us. They are regularly approaching us though email and SKYPE asking for advice as if we are their parents.

The 20 boys here in South Africa are: Cameron, Jawhan, Estephlyn, Curtley, Clivan, Hershal, Eljoran, Christophan, Lushane, Salvadore, Godwyn. Baloyi Rito, Netshiya Muengedzi, Ndou Lindelani Rueben, Tshivhase Rolivhuwa, Nevhulambe Fightwell, Mondlane Fumani Given, Baloyi Mashudu Simson, Tshavhudi Rendani, and Silimo Aneaho. Their ages range from 6 – 13 years.

What you need to understand is that we have gone through a multitude of boys to find these 20. These are outstanding boys. The very best! Unfortunately if they are not given any input or fathering these boys will become like the environment in which they are residing.

When we started with these boys the lessons were almost laughable: How to use the toilet, the benefits of closing the door to the toilet and how many should use the toilet at the same time. Now we have progressed to bigger and better topics like:

1. Be careful what you see, because you become what you see.

2. Work hard and become a leader. Be lazy and become a slave.

3. Every moment you make choices. Choices create your legacy. What legacy do you choose?

4. Character Training: Attentiveness, Orderliness, Virtue, Forgiveness, Obedience, Truthfulness, Sincerity, Generosity, & Gratefulness

5. “The Kingdom of Heaven” and “Dream Builder”

Our plan is to bring teams back to South Africa to hold camps for these boys. If you would like to join the upcoming trip in July 2008, please let us know.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR2b7WurHSI

(Watch) Here is a news report about a boy similar to ours

(Back) To the List of Questions

4. How Did We Make The Decision To Move?

2008-01-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

Simple answer: Two years ago we planned to invest a year, and hand the work over. But we fell in love with South Africa. If you ever get a chance to join one of our teams to South Africa you must do it. The cultures, the people, the natural beauty, the mix of first and third world, the “wildness”, and the most amazing part … the children.

As things developed in South Africa we became so encouraged that our desire was to keep working with the boys and see them mature into men. With all the optimism we pushed forward, however, the more determined we got and the more we pushed, the clearer it became, “A change was coming.”

There were so many road signs pointing us to Centralia, WA, USA. But we didn’t want to just quit and leave South Africa without a powerful win! We spent the last year testing every door and checking under every stone. The work with the boys has been a huge success, but something inside us has been stirring us to base in Centralia.

Anita and I finally got away for a three day retreat in November to seek the wisdom and heart of Jesus. It quickly became clear that our season of FULL TIME overseas was ending and a passion developed inside me for building my real estate business again.

A month later the Pacific Northwest of the USA was attacked by a massive storm that wiped out 1000 homes in the Centralia area, and 7000 homes in the region. The people in that community have supported my business and Gift of Joy for years. Now it is my turn to support them. While based in the USA we will host teams for the relief effort there and lead teams to South Africa and China.

(View Centralia Newspaper) Centralia WA USA Flood Coverage

(Watch) See a video about the great development in South Africa

(Watch) See a video about a township in South Africa

(Back) To the List of Questions

5. How Will JR Support His Family?

2008-01-07T05:58:00.000-08:00

In 1998 JR left an established Real Estate business to go to China for a year. When he told an older retired mentor in real estate about his plans of going to China, the response was, “What the #!?% are you thinking! You are at the top. Don’t stop now.” But one year turned into ten.

After ten years:

150,000 miles of economy air travel
3 children: born on 3 different continents
Only one wife: a really great one
Learning to speak Chinese
Caught in the midst of anti USA riots in China in 1999
Making friends with 41 Chinese secret police in 2005
25 fully committed children in China and 20 in South Africa
Training over 1000 children in Asia and Africa
Speaking before thousands of university students in China
Building the “Dream Builder” system
Doing things that most people only dream about

Now we are excited to announce that we are back in real estate! The scary thing is … we are entering a horrible real estate market … but once again, if this is what God is leading us to … He must pay His bills. At the same time, I am happy to work a second job for a while until I get my business profitable again. Just let us know how we can serve.

We want to use our real estate business as a platform to serve and give back to the community: friends, family, and clients. We have five very practical and powerful tools:

1. Inviting teams to come help relieve families recovering from the massive floods.

2. “Financial Peace University”

3. “Dream Builder: Choices For Your Legacy”

4. “Character Training” and “The Kingdom of Heaven”

5. A pursuit of excellence in real estate service.

Oh by the way … if someone you know would appreciate the level of enthusiasm we have in any of those areas, just contact us.

(Watch) See a short clip from “Financial Peace University”

(Watch) See a short clip related to “Dream Builder”

(Back) To the List of Questions

6. How Will Gift of Joy Money Be Used

2008-01-07T05:55:00.000-08:00

First of all: “Thank you” to all of you who have faithfully supported the children of Gift of Joy! You have been partners with us in greater ways than we will ever be able to explain.

Since we left for South Africa in April 2006 we have discovered so much! First: South Africa is very complex! Far more complex than anyone could begin to imagine. There are cultures, emotions, attitudes, mentalities, politics, habits, and … habits are hard to break.

Before we left for South Africa we were given the impression that the local people would be involved in our efforts. We were tremendously disappointed when we finally realized that we are actually alone here.

During the last two years we have met with numerous leaders in government, education, business, computer industry, Rotary, churches and missions to develop a workable plan. We have poured massive amounts of effort into numerous week-long camps throughout South Africa for the leaders mentioned above.

For the local people we have held a course called “Financial Peace University” which had a tremendous impact on families in the townships. Through our camps the teachers located numerous boys who attended camps at our home. Now we have focused in on the camps for the 11 most exceptional boys.

To keep a child in school in South Africa is relatively inexpensive. As little as $30 (USD) a year! But sending the children to school is not really making a big difference in the children. Recent pass reports for the Jeffreys Bay region were only 56%. YET! the boys we are selecting are thriving in a nightmarish situation. We want to keep them pointed in the most powerful direction. We don’t want to just keep these boys alive but provide them with world-class opportunities.

Many times we felt pressured to give or spend money on students because you had been entrusting us with your money, and we felt on obligation to show something for it. But so many organizations come and DUMP millions in Africa. Now the African people have stopped working because they know people will come and GIVE money. I get phone calls all the time from people asking for money, but when I ask why they need the money the root is often laziness. So we have become highly selective on whom we will help.

Our theme has become “Work hard and become a leader; be lazy and become a slave.” Proverbs 12:24

We also rediscovered … adults like things the way they are … so don’t mess with the adults. Children are teachable. But even with children we became very selective. With our limited time, manpower and resources, only the best children in difficult situations qualified. Teachers in the township schools selected the boys and then the boys attended our camps.

During our weekend camps boys were placed into 3 groups:

“A” group – Excellent! Highly motivated, teachable, accept discipline. Spend as much time as we can with them. “A” group boys attend all the camps.

“B” group – Have potential to become “A” group, but not 100% convinced they belong in “A”. Keep inviting them on occasion to the camps, but keep your eye on them.

“C” group – Just don’t qualify for “A” or “B” groups. If there is something a large group can be involved in, invite them, but continue to focus on “A” group.

Now we have 11 boys in “A” group, 9 in “B” group and too many to count in “C” group.

The transformation of these boys has been spectacular. We had to start by teaching them to bath properly and even use the toilet properly. Now we focus on: Working Hard vs Laziness, Guarding their eyes, Making choices and Quality character. All principles based out of the Bible.

Now that we moving to Centralia, WA USA, our plan is to continue supporting the children: School costs, school supplies, books, clothing, blankets, shoes, food, additional classes, character training material, and miscellaneous emergencies..

We also hope to return regularly with teams to host camps during the school holiday times. If you would like to join one of those teams, we would like to talk to you.

For those who like numbers, here is what is costs to run a camp:

Housing $955 (USD)

Food $441

Training / Activity Costs $352

Transportation Costs $133

Total $1881

Monthly cost per boy for weekend camps was $171 (USD)

Annual support for each boy:

School Fees $30 (USD)

Coats, Clothing, Uniforms, Shoes $50

Backpacks and School Supplies $12

Food $22

Computer Class $18

Boys Youth Bible $30

Total $162

(Watch) See a short video about Gift of Joy South Africa

(Back) To the List of Questions

7. Can Teams Come and Help With Flood Relief?

2008-01-07T05:53:00.000-08:00

Imagine the stress of being a mom, dad, husband, wife, son, daughter and having a thief break into your home. Not only does this thief steal all your stuff, but covers everything in your home and property with a thick 4-6 inches of mud, destroys the house and you become homeless. This happened to 1000 homes in the Centralia, WA, USA area and 7000 in the region.

The President of the United States has declared the area a disaster area. This doesn’t mean the government will repair your life, it just means the military, federal, state, and local government have been sent to step in and fix major problems like destroyed roads and bridges. Like in hurricane Katrina, the government can only do so much. Now individuals need to get involved. Amazingly, during hurricane Katrina the Centralia community stepped up and contributed tremendous amounts for its small size.

Now is an opportunity to get a generous community back on its feet again. If you would like to bring a team to adopt a family, please let me know. Of course this is not a job offer, but we will do our best to provide you with housing. More importantly you will build friendships with some of the greatest people on the planet that will last a lifetime.

Email us about sending a team at jr@giftofjoy.org or anita@giftofjoy.org

(Back) To the List of Questions

8. Will You Lead Teams to China or South Africa?

2008-01-07T05:51:00.000-08:00

Yes. If you are interested in going to South Africa or China in 2008, please let us know. Trying to describe what we are doing with the children in China and South Africa is like someone who has never tried an orange asking you, “What does an orange taste like?

” It would just be better for them to try an orange, because no matter how diligently you describe the experience of eating an orange it never matches up the actually eating an orange. So just come and experience the incredible opportunity of being a part of these outstanding children in these amazing countries.

Email us at jr@giftofjoy.org or anita@giftofjoy.org to get more info.

(Back) To the List of Questions

9. Status of Building School Computer Labs in South Africa?

2008-01-07T05:49:00.001-08:00

A year ago back in Centralia, WA USA, the Lewis County government and Chehalis School district donated over 400 computers. Two hundred of the 400 qualified to be sent to South Africa, and a local Seattle company took the broken computers which saved us a large sum of money in garbage removal fees. The community came together with the goal of helping Gift of Joy build computer labs in South Africa!

Here in South Africa we saw so many people come together. Technicians for setup, computer training schools to teach the teachers, an internet company for … internet, Rotary clubs were in the process of evaluating schools, and we could put a computer in a school for a fraction of the costs. We could save the schools 88% on building a computer lab.

It was all very exciting until we ran into culture and bureaucracy. It reminded me of a starving person asking for food, yet after providing an orange, they asked to have it peeled. After it was peeled they asked to have it placed in their mouth. Then mumbling with a mouth full of orange slices they said, “Can you help me chew this?” So you take hold of their jaw and move it in a chewing motion.

Another problem has been funding the shipment costs to South Africa from the USA. US$ 3000 had been donated, but we need an additional $5000. We even have a plan for the schools to help us recover the shipping costs so that we can use the initial $8000 over and over to fund following shipments of computers. But no funds from the USA or South African schools came.

Now … a couple of days ago … after 4 months of the government regularly assuring me this project would be endorsed they informed me these computers would not be allowed into South Africa! Can you believe it? This is even after getting help from some of the top leaders. We can now take an appeal all the way to the Supreme Court of South Africa, but I don’t think I have the time, energy, or finances for that.

I am so sorry for putting all the people in Centralia, WA USA through all the effort to prepare these computers. But now we are looking into helping families hit by the massive floods in the Centralia region.

(Back) To the List of Questions

10. What’s It Like Picking Up the Boys in a Township?

2008-01-07T05:45:00.000-08:00

One of my best memories is driving through bumpy dirt township roads with 15 boys and their stuff packed into my 1996 Jeep Cherokee. Usually the boys like to sing … well … shout with David Crowder’s song “We Win.” That is a great memory.

To get to that point … “OH the effort!” Faxes to the schools. Text messages to the teachers. Forms for the parents to sign. Specific instructions for the boys to prepare for the camp. When and where to wait for us.

Now I have learned. Just because we have confirmed multiple times with the school and teachers that the boys have received our information, it does not mean a thing. Now as I drive up I usually see a handful of boys ready. The others were not told by their teachers or the school. So I get to spend the next two hours locating boys scattered throughout the township. At first I was a bit scared, but now as I drive or walk around I hear people yell, “JR is here! Where is (boy’s name)?” I have become local!

I often shake my head as little boys aged 3 – 4 years of age jump into the Jeep and guide me around the township to search for the boys, and they know exactly how to find the boys. Then these little ones jump out and walk all the way home passing stumbling drunks, and no one thinks this is strange.

Once we find the boys, step one is complete. By the way … I always find the boys in positive activities. Now I take the boy to his house and he gathers his stuff because they are always excited about our camps. But the problem is their teacher didn’t give them the information to give their guardian or parent. So if I take them, no one knows where they are … this is usually not a problem for the people in the township … but we are encouraging responsibility, so they need to sign a permission slip. Now we need to find the guardian or parent.

The good thing is there is a reason these boys are outstanding. Their guardians or parents are usually pretty good people, they just live in a crazy environment. But we do have to go find them. Sometimes we have brought all the boys back to our house, waited a couple of hours, returned in the dark to the boys’ homes, found the parents, loaded up the boys and their things and celebrated.

Once we find the boys, packed their stuff, permission slips signed, then we drive for about 15 minutes to our house, and camp starts with everyone taking a shower, dinner and bedtime!

Good Times!

(View) an article about Street Kids learning to surf.

(Back) To the List of Questions