One of my favorite buildings in Renton is the Historical Museum on the east end of old downtown. This beautiful Art Deco building, built in 1942 under Roosevelt’s WPA program, was originally Fire Station #1. As synchronicity would have it I was just thinking about fashion as uniforms. I was driving by when it struck me, “perfect blog topic!” and pulled into the parking lot. Wouldn’t you know it, the new exhibit through February 2, 2013 is A Uniform for Every Purpose. The exhibit features several uniforms in the museum’s collection including an Army “Doughboy” uniform and a “Campaign Hat” with a “Montana crease” from WWI, a Renton High School drum major uniform (I remember well) from 1960, a Marine Cap worn by Juanita Leighton known as a “Barracks Cover” in WWII, and several others. Ther... 09/07/2012

  DOWNSIZING? MOVING TO A SMALLER RENTON HOME? Are you considering downsizing?  Have all the kids moved out? Gone to college or now in places of their own?? Our team of professionals will meet with you, assist with staging your home, have professional photos taken allowing future buyers to see the beauty that is your home. With over 35 combined years of experience in real estate in the South Sound area Gary, Annie and China are the perfect team to personally take care of you and make downsizing a positive experience. We can also assist you in locating the ideal smaller home whether it be in the South Sound area or clear across the U.S. We have qualified referral partners near and far and we will follow through to ensure your needs are met. 09/05/2012

Up and at 'em, Rise and Shine! September 1, 2012... Saturday, Labor Day weekend. Funny how certain seasons beg us to reflect on our lives in different ways. After all these years September still pulls me towards memories of school when the last lazy days of summer cross over to autumn with a different routine. I remember the pear tree out front of our home in Earlington. They're ripe and begin to fall. The yellow jackets love them and the air is abuzz while they harvest the sweet succulent fruit before winters long sleep. Mom will pickle some yellow and green for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the basement cellar smells wonderful, full of Grandpa’s garden bounty. Soon the leaves will turn and the mornings chill with fog. The warm sunny afternoons will fade to gray and life will turn in... 09/01/2012

The Library Over the River... The Renton Public Library was dedicated in 1966 and opened its doors in 1968 to replace the former out grown Carnegie Library, Renton's first official Public Library built in 1914. (See below: The Library that Neva Got Built.) I'm intentially avoiding politics today yet suffice it to say the local politics, the State, and the fine citizenry of Renton, Washington have been of differing opinions and quite divided about a proposed location for yet another new library more centrally located in very downtown near the Piazza and the Metro Transit Depot. The current Renton Public Library (The Library Over the River) exists on the SE corner of Liberty Park, Renton's oldest Park, at the very eastern edge of old downtown. It's a typical 60's building right out of the... 08/30/2012

The Carnegie Library, Renton, Washington. Neva Bostwick left Seattle in 1906 and moved to the Earlington neighborhood of west Renton. She must have been a bookworm, because I've come across several accounts of her being a dedicated student and an avid user of the Seattle library. Ironically 1906 was the year the new Carnegie Library opened in Seattle and served over 20,000 locals its first year. Yet, Neva could have made the 12 mile trek north by catching the new Interurban electric rail. Renton had just incorporated in 1901 and was an industrious little blue collar town with nearly 3,000 citizens. If you lived here in 1906 it was likely you worked in the coal mines, the Denny Renton Clay and Coal Company, then the largest paving brick manufacturer in the world, or at the Pacific Car an... 08/27/2012

MICROSOCIETY AND INNOVATION AT TALBOT HILL ELEMENTARY While we hear the naysayers daily decrying our education system Talbot Hill Elementary in Renton is forging ahead giving our future business people and leaders the skills they will need to compete. This is absolutely the type of "hands on" learning that I support. As a business owner  for over 11 years I see tremendous value in our children learning real world lessons. Take a minute and view the video about this great Talbot Hill Elementary program.  Let the Gary McNinch Team help you find just the right home for you in Renton or any of the surrounding towns. We live in this area and know it well. Call, text, tweet or e-mail us to get started buying or selling your Renton or other Puget Sound area home. 08/26/2012

If you know my little burg of Renton, Washington then you know we’re the unofficial HQ of antique stores in the area. We have a dozen or more in old downtown alone. I love peering through the windows and rummaging around the shops. I’m no big antique collector, but I’m fascinated by what I find, imagining what it might be worth, then looking at the price tag to see how I did. It feels like time travel gazing over stuff I remember from my childhood. “We had one of those!” I ponder the meaning of antique. The dictionaries online all use explanatory phrases like “belonging to or lasting from times long ago”. I can’t relate to that. It wasn’t so long ago at all. My eye caught this old bass drum in one of the store windows and the first thing that popped into my head, PRICELESS! Now that’s w... 08/24/2012

"Homework Comes First", a bronze sculpture by Martha Pettigrew at the Renton Public Library on the Cedar River. The sculpture is very popular with kids, especially the little one's who can't resist patting and rubbing the top of his head. With all that loving attention over the past 10 years, the top of his head is slightly lighter in color than the rest of the sculpture. "Homework Comes First" sits at the southeast entrance to the library which also serves as an entrance into Liberty Park. It's a great location and a wonderful statement to all the foot traffic passing by every day of the week. Pettigrew's headliner on her website is "sculpture that expresses strength, dignity, and serenity" and her work certainly demonstrates that aesthetic. She has a very impressive body of work using... 08/23/2012

AWESOME!!!! No more having to fight traffic to Fremont for some good Bavarian fun!!!! SWEET!!! Thanks to Berliner Pub for helping this get off the ground here in Renton. :) Who's with me on joining in for this new, annual event????   You can find the FACEBOOK link to the event here. 08/22/2012

Of all the stuff going on in our world, the thrill of the 2012 Olympics, the heartbreak of recent and senseless shootings, and all the bad news from around the planet, one of humankind’s greatest achievements just happened a few days ago when NASA managed to successfully land the largest man made craft ever on the planet Mars. I’ve been a space geek since the very beginning. Yes I’ve been around that long and I remember October 4, 1957 when the Russians launched Sputnik. I remember the X-15, The Mercury Project, Gemini, and the Apollo missions. It really came alive for me when John Glenn orbited Earth on the Friendship 7. My brother Steve and I were so inspired by those 3 earth orbits of the Mercury-Atlas 6, that launched on February 20, 1962, we made a spaceship out of the box our new ... 08/09/2012

What causes your frustration level to escalate? Is it a schedule that is too full? Is it that new home you are trying to buy? Or is it the short sale home you are trying to sell due to a transfer? Is it the babysitter that bailed on you? Or the car battery that chose today to give up the ghost?     My wife’s frustration factor went into the stratosphere today due to “technology issues.” She loves all the things she can do with the new gadgets - her  Mac and her iPhone have made life much easier, that is WHEN they work according to her plan! Today there was a password issue. The Mac recognized the password but the iPhone stubbornly insisted it was incorrect. After 1 1/2 hrs on the phone with technical support the issue still wasn’t resolved and then the worst news was discovered! FACETIM... 08/08/2012

Interested in buying Renton investment properties? The Gary McNinch Team can help you even when you run into unforeseen circumstances. Recently I accompanied one of my investor clients to the Trustee Salel/Auction in downtown Seattle. The goal at these auctions is always to buy a house low thus enabling the purchaser to repair, remodel and otherwise “fix-up” affordably prior to putting the home on the market for resale. Weather was great that day which is a plus as the auctions are held outdoors. Several people were bidding for the same house as my investor and about 15 others were watching. They ultimately dropped out and my investor won the bid.    Following the auction, the first order of business (after the Trustee documents were signed and the money exchanged hands) was to secure ... 08/05/2012

Siri? Where's the best place in my Town? I was thinking back about 100 years and what modern communication was like. No, I wasn’t there 100 years ago, I’m not speaking from personal experience, just using a little imagination. I preach the advantages of networks and being on line where everyone is going. Why market to the empty room, right? What many (without help) don’t get, or don't want to get is the fact that “social media” means just that, social. In this realm the laws of attraction rule. It far outweighs advertising and/or any kind of push marketing. We are searchers (and that's all of us who get online.) Social is about you. I want to get to know you first and I want to know what others are thinking and saying about you before I buy whatever it is you’re selling. Yet, I’m not he... 08/04/2012

Did you know Coulon Park hosts free Music In the Park on certain Wednesdays throughout the summer months? Coulon Family Concert Series features a variety of styles so you can plan to attend all or choose your favorites. Last night the sun was shining and the park was alive with diners, boaters, walkers, swimmers and concert goers. Just another reason I enjoy living in Renton. I would like to have the opportunity to help you find a home in this great city. Call the Gary McNinch Team today. Prices are inching upwards but interest rates remain low, creating a great opportunity for the buyer. Come out, enjoy the water, the sunshine and the activities. See you at the Park! 08/02/2012

Give Me Your Left! Cadence please! 1 2 3 Give me you left, your left, your left your right your left. Give me you left, your left, your left your right your left... I’m in a moment of introspection thinking life's a lot like a parade. I’m looking over the 350 some photos I took at the Renton River Days Parade last Saturday morning (July 28, 2012) when my attention is suddenly seized by this one pic. I’m startled and find myself surprised. I’m embarrassed. I can’t remember my old Boy Scout Troop number and it's really irritating me. My impatient me, myself, and I try to sort out this little personal irony. No, it's not a senior moment and I finally calm down, get out of my head, find my quiet place, and the memories come marching in. Give me you left, your left, your left your right your... 08/01/2012

  Schedule a Showing/Request Info Search All Homes For Sale - NWMLS Market Insider Free Data on Your Neighborhood What is your home REALLY Worth NOW? Seattle, WA Homes for Sale Homes Close to Where You Work   Gary McNinch Better Properties Real Estate 206-696-2329 Questions?Schedule a Showing! Licensed In:WA License #:WA DOL 2365 Information valid for the date of this posting only. Please contact us for the most current information and status of this property. 108 South 49th PlaceRenton, WAScan with your smartphone & take me with you. Description Photos Maps & Local Schools     Top Quality gated community for your $ Click for current price2 BEDROOMS2.5 BATHROOMS (2.5 full) 1460 Square Feet Top Quality gated community for your added security, an elegant home built by Burnstead. Great ro... 07/28/2012

The Game Did you ever see episode 106 of Star Trek: The Next Generation, called The Game? Long story short: The crew of the Enterprise is seduced into playing an alluring game (that #1, Wil Ryker brought back from his vacation/romance with a Ktarian on the pleasure planet Risa). The Game, created by The Ktarians, is a secret weapon designed to make anyone who plays it susceptible to the power of suggestion. After the entire crew is mesmerized the Ktarians will take control of the ship. Meanwhile... young cadet Wesley (on break from Starfleet Academy) realizes something's a miss and shares his suspicion with new girl friend Ensign Robin Lefler (Ashley Judd) and they pretend to play the game to escape detection so they can find others unafflicted and rescue the ship from the Ktarian takeo... 07/27/2012

As summer heats up we are all looking for ways to beat the heat in Renton. When you call the Gary McNinch Team we can help you find just the right home to beat the summer heat! Looking for an air conditioned home? Looking for a home with a pool?  Looking for a large yard to accommodate your family? Browse current listings at www.rentonhomefinder.com       Just a few options to beat the heat in Renton can be found at Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, Renton City Pool, the multitude of parks and trails to be found along the river, the cool comfort of Renton City Library or you could enjoy a show at Regal Landing Cinema or your own backyard complete with lawn chair and pool (big or small) after the Gary McNinch Team helps you find your dream home. 07/27/2012

I feel very lucky to have the myriad of choices afforded to me by living and having a great real estate business in Renton. Buy a home in Renton and you immediately are afforded all the activities of the Puget Sound area at your fingertips. Want to see a Broadway show? Want to ride the new Ferris Wheel at the waterfront? Want to go to top notch art museums? All this and more will be your choice when you call the Gary McNinch Team and let us help you buy a Renton home.   Our choice last night was dinner on the water. We met a great friend at Duke’s on Alki and enjoyed dinner, conversation and a fabulous view. As we were leaving we had an opportunity to see the Pacific NW Tribal canoes as they rested on the beach for the night before proceeding to their yearly South Sound gathering. A bea... 07/25/2012

3401 NE 12th St , Renton, Washington Single Family available for rental Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 1 full Living Area Approx: 990 List Price: $Get Current Price Schedule a Showing Free List of Foreclosed Homes For Sale What is your home worth? Bellevue Homes for Sale Seattle Homes for Sale Kirkland Homes for Sale Issaquah Homes for Sale See Property Details Call 425-443-5668 for more information on this or any other property. Visit Property Website Need a large yard for your special needs?Here is your opportunity: a totallot size of 26,208 sqft, fully fenced single family home.Brand new kitchen with real wood cabinet, granite countertop, newer appliances including washer/dryer.3 bright bedrooms, brand new carpet and deck.Located in a peaceful private environment with good schools, easy acc... 07/24/2012