Welcome to NAVAL BASE KITSAP on the Beautiful Kitsap Peninsula between the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges in Washington State.  NAVAL BASE KITSAP belongs to Navy Region Northwest  and consists of Bremerton, Bangor and Keyport.  Naval Hospital Bremerton of Navy Region Northwest is also located in the region as is PSNS (IMF).  If this is the first time you have been stationed in the Puget Sound area, you are in for a treat.  The Kitsap Peninsula area offers some of the best views of mountains and water as well as some of the best boating and recreational opportunities in the Greater Puget Sound Area. Within a mile radius you have several attractions and facilities to visit and explore.   Below you will find the specific NAVAL BASE KITSAP amenities information and resources. It is a... 03/13/2008

When most property managers and landlords interview a prospective tenant, they run a credit report, verify income and references, etc.  However, there is one important background check that many landlords and property managers forget about -- the criminal background check.At Realty Station, we run criminal background checks on each adult that will be living in the home, immediately after receiving the completed application, just as you would a credit report.  For convenience and to save costs, we use a company called Accusearch.  Accusearch has the ability to run criminal histories nationwide. This is especially useful if a propective tenant has just moved from another state.If running a criminal background check is not part of your sreening process, please add it!  If you need assistan... 03/12/2008

 Congratulations to Jo Soss for her winning Week One post, Naval Base Kitsap |Online Relocation Package | Week One | Kitsap County Homeownership.  Your 500 points for winning Week One are in the mail!The judges decision was unanimous, yet there were many other fine posts including close runner-up, Sally Cheeseman, with Military Relocation- Schofield Barracks & Wheeler Army Air Field-Honolulu County HawaiiOther top bloggers for Week One are Lawrence Yerkes, Julie Neerings, Mark Ryan and John S. Murphy.  By the way, John is a new member and this is his first ever blog post on ActiveRain! This is really a fun contest, with different judges each week, and all scores carrying forward for a cumulative score to determine the overall winner(s).   It's not too late to participate - Just read the... 03/11/2008

Come join me for wine tasting at the Manette Sidebar in Bremerton!  The 2nd Tuesday of every month, the Sidebar will be hosting a wine tasting party.  $10 buys you 7 tastes of the beautiful nectar of the vines! also...all very tasty appetizers will be 1/2 off!  ADDRESS:2113 E. 11th Street; Bremerton, Wash. PHONE: 360-792-0801 HOURS: Monday-Friday 3 p.m. - 2 a.m. Saturday 4 p.m. - 2 a.m. Closed Sunday Manette is a great neighborhood for an afternoon walk along the waterfront and sunset views at the park.  03/11/2008

I've been a navy spouse for eight years now, and was a navy brat for more than, well, I won't tell my age.  I like to think I am a pretty well-informed military spouse, but I had no idea how easy it was to get over-the-counter meds free from the Bremerton Naval Hospital until recently!I had heard that you could get certain meds free, but I always assumed that it would be a huge pain in the rear to do so, like so many "benefits" of the military are.  But my good friend, Barbara A., told me to go check out the drive-through refill pharmacy at Jackson Park, near the Bremerton Naval Hospital.Sure enough!  It only took ten minutes, and I didn't even have to get out of my car.  A really cool thing, especially since I am on crutches right now and had my three year old son in the car.Take the s... 03/10/2008

      Having been stationed at a Marine Corps base in the middle of the Mojave Desertin the land of "nothing", 29 Stumps is what most would call it I have realized what a pleasure it is to have the barest necessities around when it comes to shopping.  I am not a shopper; on the contrary, however after spending 3 years without everything but a Wal-Mart I want to know what the shopping is like in any new area. I really don't care if there is the largest, newest, best mall around, I just want one.I want to be able to drive to a Target, Bath and Body Works, Best Buy, Circuit City, Kohl's or Lowe's instead of ordering on-line. I spent 3 years either ordering on-line or driving 60 miles to Palm Springs through nasty hot California traffic just to shop.       Here in the Naval Base Kitsap area... 03/10/2008

  Be sure to make plans this weekend for the 2008 Peninsula Home and Garden Show.  After the St Patrick's Parade downtown Bremerton why not head out to the Kitsap County Fairgrounds to see the biggest home show west of Seattle.  Presented by the Home Builders Association of Kitsap County andco-sponsored by Parker Lumber, Wave Broadband, The KitsapSun and the Kitsap Federal Credit Union there will be several other vendors available to talk with you about building green, your next remodel project and how to get your garden and yard in shape for spring.    March 14th, March 15th and March 16th. Click here for times and a discount coupon.         If you have any questions about real estate in Bremerton Washington, contact Jo Soss with Skyline Properties, Inc. at (360) 990-1433 or visit her ... 03/09/2008

  There have been 5 cameras installed at 3 intersections in Bremerton to STOP those of you who don't know how to STOP! Or at least try.  The fine for running a RED LIGHT is $124.00. However, this fine will not be enforced during the 30-day "warning period".  The following intersections have received the "eye in the sky" with 3 more to be installed in the future.   Callow Ave at 11th Wheaton Way and Sylvan Way Warren Ave at 16th   When the other cameras arrive the city might use one in the school zone at Naval Avenue Elementary.   It's all about following the law and being a smart and good driver. Let's keep our streets safe!       If you have any questions about real estate in Bremerton Washington, contact Jo Soss with Skyline Properties, Inc. at (360) 990-1433 or visit her personal web... 03/09/2008

More publicity for Bremeton this month of March.  The Cover of Washington CEO Magazinefeatures Bremerton with the title "Bremerton Rising".  Click the link and read the article "Welcome to Boomertown".   There will be a couple of nice pictures of Mayor Bozeman and of former Seattle Seahawks kicker Norm Johnson who is now a local Bremerton real estate agent. You are going to read words like "bummertown", "boomertown" and "forgotten step-child".   I think there are several people looking at what is beginning to be our "turn around". Years ago Forbes listed Bremerton as one of the bests places to start a business. I hope that some smaller "niche" shops see the value of locating in the downtown sector.  With the new marina's completion soon we are going to see some new tourist traffic this ... 03/09/2008

Welcome to Kitsap County on the Beautiful Kitsap Peninsula between the Olympic and Cascade Mountain ranges in Washington State.  The Kitsap Peninsula area belongs to Navy Region Northwest with Naval Base Kitsapwhich includes Bremerton, Bangor and Keyport, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (PSNS & IMF), and Naval Hospital Bremerton .        If this is the first time you have been stationed in the Puget Sound area, you are in for a treat.  The Kitsap Peninsula area offers some of the best views of mountains and water as well as some of the best boating and recreational opportunities in the Greater Puget Sound Area. Within a mile radius you have several attractions and facilities to visit and explore.  I always say I can be to the beach or the mountains in under an hour!     Public Schools     Wh... 03/09/2008

Statistics we refer to are for that part of Bremerton encompassing the downtown core and west to Kitsap Lake. The market for other parts of Bremerton and its suburbs should have approximately similar trends. Homes in Bremerton were selling for a YTD median price of about $180,000 at the end of February, about 13% lower than a year ago. The February median price for closed sales was about the same as the median for last month. Kitsap County median prices have fallen 6% over the past year. The YTD number of closed sales is down 7% from a year ago (compared to a Countywide drop of 19%), and the YTD number of pending sales is down 37% from last year. The number of active listings (242) is up 49% from a year ago. The listing inventory has 8.5% since January. The inventory turnover (total hom... 03/09/2008

As a military member relocating to Naval Base Kitsap do you purchase a home? It is a very complicated process which needs some investigation and education before making a decision. You should ask yourself some questions like these at the minimum.  Do I have upfront money to buy a home? Can I get financing? Is my tour of duty going to be longer than 2 years before the next PCS? Will I have the opportunity to do another tour here or will I have an opportunity to come back? If I had to be a long distant landlord would I have the time or recourses? Could I afford a property manager? What if I had to pay the mortgage for 2-3 months while the home is waiting for new renters?   So after you have considered all the possibilities, searched the internet for information and asked around your shop.... 03/05/2008

Schedule of Events sounds better than organization - RIGHT!?      For a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) relocation, you have three choices on how to move your household goods:  commercial movers hired by the military, a DITY (do-it-yourself) move, or a partial DITY move which is a combination of both.  I have never done a full DITY move and don't think I ever would.  However, a partial DITY is a very smart choice if you know you won't be going over your weight limit when the commercial movers package and load your HHGs.  You must have permission for a DITY and a partial DITY so don't assume you can hire a moving van, pack all of your HHG's and then after you arrive go to the finance office and request reimbursement. It doesn't work that way.  I am sure you knew that, but every year I ... 03/01/2008

  LOCATIONNaval Base Kitsap is located in Kitsap County of West Puget Sound on the Kitsap Peninsula.  Naval Base Kitsap is composed of Naval Base Kitsap - Bangor and Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton. Naval Base Kitsap is part of the Navy Region Northwest.  Bangor is the submarine community and Bremerton is the Ship community.  Bremerton is also connected to Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (IMF).  Bremerton is located in the city of Bremerton and Bangor is located closely to the town of Silverdale.  Centrally located to both bases is Naval Hospital Bremerton which also falls under the Navy Region Northwest. NHB sailors and families use the facilities on Bremerton and Bangor.  Naval Hospital Bremerton is a fully accredited acute care and obstetrical hospital.  My husband was stationed at Naval Hosp... 03/01/2008

Here is the Real Estate Market Activity for January - February 2008. Check back each month to see the monthly 2008 trend for Bremerton WA.  If you would like to find out the value of your home please feel free to contact me via phone or email. I would be more than happy to supply you with a FREE Market Analysis. If you would like to purchase a home in the Bremerton WA Real Estate Area please give me a call or contact me via email. We can discuss your future plans and I can set you up on an email campaign to receive the hot new listings quicker than YOU can find them. If you have any questions about real estate in Bremerton Washington, contact Jo Soss with Skyline Properties, Inc. at (360) 990-1433 or visit her personal website Puget Sound Real Estate Today where you will be able to sear... 03/01/2008

When I say "Take Charge" I mean it.  There are so many military members that have no clue on what the move process is even though they have been threw it.  A few months down the road they find out from speaking to someone else that they missed out on some huge entitlements. Remember it is your responsibility to request all of your benefits and to receive the full value of your entitlements. First you want to educate your self about the basic relocation reimbursement programs.  Remember not to listen to rumors when it comes to your allowances.  Allowances change from time to time and even if you are doing research on the internet there are a few .dod sites that are not update and do have the incorrect information.  You need to physically check with the finance office on your installation... 03/01/2008

  Every year it is estimated that one third of Active Duty Military members have to plan and execute a permanent change of duty station or PCS in military speak.  The most important part of a PCS is to take charge, it's your PCS!! There's lots of help available but you are going to have to find it and ask for it.  The military will also help with the moving expenses but you are going to have to know your allowances and your entitlements and you are going to have to request them and follow all the rules.  When it comes to a PCS you will find lots of people are going to want to tell you how to do it, they will tell you what the rules are, they will tell you what they could or couldn't do. As with anything else even though there are strict rules overseeing the military PCS process each com... 03/01/2008

What is the absorption rate in your area?  Do you know?  Do you use them in your listing presentations?The absorption rate is the percentage of homes on the market that sell in any given month.  The absorption rate assumes that no other homes will be listed before the current inventory runs out.  Therefore, make sure your sellers realize that the absorption rate is used as a guideline, that other homes will come on the market in the meantime.  When used in a listing presentation, the absorption rate will give sellers a good idea of how long they can expect it to take before their home sells.  It may help sellers realize that their home needs to be priced in the lower end of their price range.  Agents, if your sellers need to lower the price of their property but are reluctant to do so, ... 02/27/2008

The Bremerton Main Stream Association is hosting the 18th  St Patrick's Day Parade.  On Saturday, March 15th 2008 in Downtown Bremerton.       Schedule of Events 10:45 a.m. to 11:00 a.m  |  Sign In at Westsound Bank (Sixth and Pacific) 11:30 a.m.  |  St. Patrick's Parade This will be the 1st Bremerton St Patrick's ParadeI will be attending.  Last year was my first year back in Bremerton and March 17th, St. Patrick's Day was on a Saturday and since St. Patrick's Day is my birthday I was spending the day with my two grown sons.  My boys didn't really want to go to a parade. This year I am going!!! I love small town fun stuff like this!!  The parade begins at Westsound Bank at 6th and Pacific.  You know if you want you can even "march" in the parade! How fun that would be. I know when I wa... 02/25/2008

Let me ask you this:If your financial advisor suggested you buy a certain stock and the company tanked, costing you tens of thousands of dollars, would you keep asking the same financial advisor for his advice?  What if your financial advisor declared personal bankruptcy? Would you rush to purchase the next stock he recommended?Let's say you had your car in the shop getting the brakes changed.  The day after the new brakes were installed, your new brakes failed and you almost hit a mack truck head-on.  Would you take your car back to the same mechanic for new brakes?So why would you use a real estate agent that has screwed up for you already?  Twice in the last week, I have had people tell me that even though they aren't happy with their Kitsap County real estate agent, they don't want ... 02/25/2008