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Sequim Real Estate Market Report 2017

2017-10-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

In a most recent report in the Sequim Gazette Managing Broker Doc Reiss came up with some really interesting numbers. Let's just pick up a few relating to our blog post "Sequim House Sales are soaring", which will be helpful for those who have not given up on finding the perfect house to buy in Sequim at the current house sales slowdown this September and October.

In August, 77 home sales were down 30% from the level at the same time in 2016 but up from the number sold in July. The average house purchase price of $357,507 is definitely of interest for potential home buyers which is 20% up from 2016. The lack of inventory has buyers scrambling to buy the house they want reflecting our market observation expressed in our blog post. Last August the average home that sold was 75 days on the market. This August houses lasted just 36 days on the market. Looking at the year so far, the average home has gone from 76 days on the market to only 54. Bottom line: Home Buyers be aware. Homes are selling 35% faster than last year.

Our personal opinion is that sales might not slow down over this fall or winter season with climate change and weather reports of devastating hurricanes, century floods and wild fires becoming the regular norm across the United States. The nice, sunny weather all over the Olympic Peninsula this summer
attracts lots of home searchers looking for moderate weather.

Sun over Sequim and dark rain clouds over Seattle in the East and Port Angeles in the West produce the most impressive double rainbow over Sequim town

Sequim House Sales are soaring

2017-08-12T09:18:00.000-07:00

One of the most recent issues of the Sequim Gazette tells us and Sequim house hunters all about it. Looks like the Sequim housing market is following now the Seattle trend, which even during the house bubble burst did not seem to be affected by the down spiral of the national market but instead continuously proved solid and stable in its trend.

The recent surge in house sales led to low inventory with 270 homes for sale a month, the lowest second quarter inventory since 2005 according to Team McAleer and an increase in prices. In the second quarter 204 homes were sold, which is the highest amount ever sold in the second quarter. Since 2007, that's when we bought our house in Sun Meadow at a high real estate market, the median price sale went from $290,000 to $300,000. A lot of Sequim home buyers are coming from the Seattle area - selling their Seattle homes for a decent price and buying in Sequim to retire for half the price.

Our own observation of the fast real estate market in Sequim these days was proven by "Sales Pending" signs showing up without there ever have been a "House for Sale" sign. Realtors have their own waiting list and jump in right away when something new shows up on the market. Sequim house hunters often noticed, when they had their act together to move forwards with an offer, the home was already sold or they were at the end of a line of home buyers' offers.
Bottom line at the current Sequim Real Estate market is, if you want a house, you'd better move fast.

One last word by loan officers. They seriously recommend to be preapproved by an underwriter: "When we get into those multiple offers on homes, cash is always going to be king. Team McAleer reports that on August 1st Sequim has 181 homes for sale at a median price of $375,000, 105 are under contract.

USA Today picks Sequim as Best Northwestern Small Town

2017-05-09T16:43:00.000-07:00

What a surprise to see Sequim get chosen as the Best Small Town in the Northwest among 20 others in WA, OR, AK, ID, MT and WY. This win will definitely influence people's decisions to visit Sequim or even to move to this lovely small town with big town amenities as we did 10 years ago.

The last snow before spring 2017

It seems Sequim received this precious award just at the right time. Sequim's Irrrigation Festival Grand Finale continues on this weekend with multiple events:
Grand Parade on Saturday, Logging Show, Hot Rod & Harley, Strongman Show and more.

Sequim Irrigation Festival 2016

Not only that we celebrate Sequim's 122nd Irrigation Festival and got awarded with the Best Western Small Town, Spring is in full bloom with the lovely sweet
scent of Lilacs and colorful Rhodies everywhere after tons of daffodils in Sequim residents' front yards.

Real Cherry Tree promises big 2017 harvest

The run for a nice house in Sequim to buy, keeps realtors already very busy with several bets on houses for sale. Inventory is low and the competition is big for what's available. Ask our friend Tom Blore whose "pending" signs are all over town. Do what we did, research the area, make a list of houses you are interested in and then set up a vacation for a real visit. Don't buy 'unseen', even if it sounds more than tempting.

Cherry Blossom Trees everwhere

The first snow in Sequim

2016-12-25T15:27:00.000-08:00

No, we didn't have a White Christmas' but over a week ago we got our first snow to the delight of the kids and the dismay of the retired elderly generation of Sequim. Luckily for us the snow did not last long - 24 hrs at the most. However, it was definitely a surprise, after our last two winters didn't have any snow.

The special location of Sequim in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains provides us with plenty of blue holes in the sky and mild moderate weather throughout the year which attracts more and more people to the area. As said in our most recent blog post the reopening of our Sequim Aquatic Center (now under the management of the YMCA) is a nice compensation for the cold weather with gym, saunas, jacuzzi, FREE fitness classes and so much more. Those who have shown up at the Center to try it, get hooked up for sure.

Wishing everybody a Merry Christmas 2016!

Sequim Y is open

2016-11-06T18:16:00.000-08:00

The long waiting time of about 1 year for all of us active Sequim senior citizens is finally over with the soft and Grand Opening of the Sequim Y which has taken over the place of former SARC (Sequim Aquatic and Recreation Center). I can't emphasize enough how much we all missed our 'full work out' with the lap swimming, water aerobics, saunas and jacuzzi. The immediate sign-up of by over 2000 members proves this more than anything else. Finally, we can reunite with kindred spirit friends because 'Anytime Fitness' and 'Sequim Gym' had split our fitness community. Long story short, we are very happy to be back in our familiar fitness and aquatic center.

We are well aware of the changes the Sequim YMCA had to take in order to make this a smooth operation and a long time financial survival possible. In the long run we see the close cooperation with the Olympic Medical Center' Rehab and the Y as a big plus. We also welcome the openness of the Y management to our feedback as former SARC members. As senior citizens on a fixed incomer we love that all fitness classes are FREE and included in the membership. I have joined the Tai Chi class with Michael, who has been teaching Tai Chi for 40 years. I love it. However, the are many more fitness classes to choose from like: Zumba, Water Aerobics, Yoga, Active Older Adults and more. Why not giving it a try? Stay happy and healthy in Sequim with the Sequim YMCA.

Sequim Gyms & Fitness Centers

2016-06-06T13:04:00.000-07:00

A while ago we reported here on our Sequim town blog that our beloved Sequim Recreation & Aquatic Center had to close its doors in October 2015. Basically because of mismanagement. Many months later we can finally share the good news with our blog visitors that the Olympic Peninsula YMCA in coordination with Olympic Medical Center, Clallam County and City of Sequim agreed to an alternative with the Y taking over management of the facility when reopening will happen In September 2016. SARC commissioners are using a$731K grant from the county's Opportunity Fund to replace the defunct air handler.

An additional grant by WA State Department of over $273K will be given if the Sequim Y (SARC) switches from propane to a heat pump system which would allegedly save gallons of propane and some $60,000 annually in money expenses. One wonders why PUD recommended a few years ago to switch to propane in the first place?! I assume with the anticipation of the expected savings, we'll soon see a consensus regards installing the heat pump system which might actually extend remodeling time into the middle of September.

Ever since SARC closed we joined, like the majority of senior citizens, the other available Sequim fitness centers. Keoki joined Anytime Fitness because his secondary health insurance AARP (United Healthcare) pays a considerable part of his membership fee.

As my secondary Health insurance Premera does not offer such a great benefit, I joined 'Sequim Gym' with their affordable rate and easy walking distance from our house. BTW, Sequim Gym efforts regards improving fitness, health & fun are very impressive: the gym offers over 30 classes a week at no EXTRA cost as part of the membership. Recently, some special classes were included (for an extra fee) addressing health issues like Parkinson's and Balance problems.

It's great to see how understanding, compassionate and helpful Sequim Gym instructors are. Feeling right at home there, will make it harder switching gyms another time in September but being an active swimmer the use of the lap pool is something I and many other seniors miss currently the most. Honestly, we are very much looking forward to finishing our gym workout again with swimming some laps in the pool, and relaxing in the saunas & jacuzzi plus reconnecting and socializing with all our SARC friends.

Photos from the Sequim Irrigation Festival 2016

2016-05-15T17:07:00.000-07:00

The entire week we had the nicest summer weather in Sequim. Then Sequim Irrigation Festival weekend with the Grand Parade comes up and the weather changed totally around. It did not take away the spirit and enthusiasm of Sequim residents and visitors. Have a look for yourselves at the Downtown Sequim Parade in Washington Street:

Looking forward to seeing you at our next year's 122nd Sequim Irrigation Festival.

Sequim started its 121st Irrigation Festival

2016-05-09T11:08:00.000-07:00

When Washington's longest running festival started Friday May 6th in Sequim, I was right there 'downtown' - not that Sequim visitors can get lost in our downtown area! I was actually going for one of my visits to the Sequim Gym, when I noticed the many tents already set up across Washington Street for the Saturday Farmer's Market with arts and crafts and many green veggies in pots - some still teeny tiny and others nice, big and juicy looking ready for harvesting.

Photo of cherry blossom trees in Sequim before the Irrigation Festival

For more information on the festival events this week, visit IrrigationFestival or SequimGazette. The Grand Finale Weekend this week includes the carnival, Sequim History Walking Tour, Logging Show, Truck and Tractor Pull, golf tournament and more. My favorites are the Fireworks on Friday night May 13th 9:30pm and the Grand Parade the next day May 14th 12 noon - 2pm.

Get an impression of the Grand Parade with our Sequim photos from previous parades:

To all our Sequim visitors 'Happy New Year 2016'

2016-01-12T11:11:00.000-08:00

Happy Healthy New Year

May all your plans moving to Sequim work out the way they are supposed to

The early morning sun is hitting the clouds building up behind the Olympic Mountains.

A few minutes later the sky cleared up and the snow on Hurricane Ridge - our most visited sight on the Olympic Peninsula - sparkles in the sun.

Sun rise view from Sequim over another part of the Olympics - a feature which every home seller likes to list. The ever changing sun shine and cloud cover make the mountain views unique and special. We prefer those over the water views.

Sequim Town blog loves to hear from you. We are happy to answer your questions about a vacation in Sequim, life on the Olympic Peninsula, moving here, anything beyond our categories on the side bar. Scroll down the list: Sequim Relocation Resources, Moving to Sequim, Vacation rentals and B&Bs, Sequim Hotels, Vacation Highlights and more and you will find a lot of answers about Sequim.

Lucky we live in Sequim

2015-12-28T10:56:00.000-08:00

Dear Sequim town blog visitors,
We can't believe it, our 10th anniversary of our life in Sequim is coming up on January 12th 2016. Time to celebrate! For all those of you who seriously consider to move to the Olympic Peninsula now or in the near future, let us tell you, we never regretted the move here one bit. Reading the news about nasty weather reports like tornadoes, snow storms, floods, icy roads and more in states like Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico make us even feel better. Visit Sequim, check it out and make your decision. We welcome new arrivals on a daily basis. Realtors are happy about the 'rush'.

New Railroad Bridge

We are closing the old year 2015 with some good news. In February the rain and high winds from a passing through storm damaged the Railroad Bridge at Dungeness River Auduborn Center and resulted in the closure of the bridge. As the bridge is part of the Olympic Discovery Trail and is frequently used by Sequim residents - we love our bikes past Sequim Airport to Robin Hill Park - and visiting bikers as well, the closure caused lots of inconvenience and detours. After about a 10th month waiting, the new bridge is completed (see my photos from Christmas Day). There will be a Grand Opening of Railroad Bridge steel truss trestle on December 30th at 1pm at the Railroad Bridge Park. See you there!

New riverbed of the Dungeness River

Location of Dungeness River before storm

Another big event negatively affecting the lives of hundreds of active, health oriented Sequim senior citizens happened when our beloved SARC Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center closed at the beginning of November - totally unexpected, we were promised by the board members that SARC will stay open at least till August 2016. Prior to the closure we attended a final meeting at the City Hall about the necessary closure. Hearing that SARC was working on its last reserves of about $20K(!), we were totally shocked and especially surprised when people in charge did not take responsibility for the failure by resigning from their position. This failure did not happen from one day to the next. No private business could have done that.

To cut a long story short, after lots of discussions and meetings of all the different entities - such as Clallam County, City of Sequim, Olympic Medical Center, Sequim High School - which realize how important SARC is to the healthy life styles of Sequim residents is, finally joined forces and a solution for SARC's reopening is in sight. Please, follow the discussions at the Sequim Gazette and at the Peninsula Daily News We are all very happy that a reopening of SARC has become feasible but we are very disappointed about the set time frame for July 2016. Til' then we signed up for two different gyms: Anytime Fitness offers AARP members (United Health) an affordable alternative but I signed up with the general affordable fees of Sequim Gym. Last but no least, forget about doing your swimming at the William Shore Pool in Port Angeles - they raised the daily fees FOR SEQUIM RESIDENTS from $3.50 to $10.50, which we consider totally unethical because the majority of Sequim residents are seniors on a fixed income.

We are looking forward to reuniting with all our kindred spirit Sequim friends at SARC soon.

Moving to Sequim Olympic Peninsula

2015-10-18T13:09:00.001-07:00

Relocating to Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula has become a very attractive idea for many vacationers who spent a vacation in Sequim this summer 2015 for different reasons:

Why moving to Sequim?

Baby boomers are looking for the perfect place to retire...

Sequim offers the most moderate weather: mild winters & moderate summers

No EXTREMES!

Tired of living in a big city?

Sequim located between the Olympic Mountains and the Straits of Juan de Fuca

offers country living with the amenities of big town box stores like Costco,

Walmart, Home Depot, Pennies and more.

Housing

There is a wide range of homes, condos, manufactured homes available at a

reasonable price compared to the rest of the nation.

Taxes

There is no income tax! But sales tax of a bit over 8% on all non-food purchases

can add up easily. Property tax is a little over 1% of assessed value.

Utilities

The City of Sequim provides water, sewer, electricity by PUD and trash pickup

within city limits. Be aware that private wells and septic systems in rural areas

in the Dungeness Valley can be a costly expense for construction and maintenance.

Employment

Sequim is foremost a retirement town with needs for tourism, recreation and health

care. There is plenty of work to do for handy men, gardeners, yard & house

work or nurses and nurses aids for home care or in rehab or assisted living

facilities. Experienced realtor companies always look for independent co- workers www.clallam.org

Education

Sequim High School offers quality education till 12th grade. Peninsula College

offers adult classes in Sequim and Port Angeles.

Churches

The over 20 churches in Sequim represent most of the major denominations.

The Sequim churches are a center for many social events around the year.

Fitness Clubs & Golf Clubs

Sequim senior citizens love an active life-style socializing with retired friends at SARC, Sequim Gym or Any Time Fitness . Sequim residents may play golf in

Sunland on the weekends or at any time at the 7- cedars resort golf course. See

golf rates here.

We love to answer your personal questions about 'Moving to Sequim' right here on the Sequim Town Blog when we feel our answer will be helpful for the big Move!

Sequim Doubles Tennis Tournament

2015-08-09T17:22:00.000-07:00

The tournament is sponsored by the Peninsula Tennis Club with proceeds to the Sequim High School Scholarship Fund

Come enjoy a day of fast paced social doubles

WHEN: Saturday, September 12th, 2015 10 am -3 pm

(Rain date Sunday 9/13/15, noon til 5 pm)

Where: Sequim High School tennis courts.

Who: Men and Women, all skill levels, No set teams.

Format: Doubles format, but everyone enters individually

Cost: PTC Members, $10.00 and bring a snack

Non-Members, $12.50 and assigned snack

ENTER EARLY - LIMITED TO 30 PARTICIPANTS

CALL JULIEN AT 681-3301 TO ENTER & GET ASSIGNED SNACK

Sequim Lavender Festival 2015

2015-07-16T08:57:00.003-07:00

Welcome to all our visitor to the Sequim Lavender Festival 2015!

As usual Sequim residents get excited when the week of the festival is here. So here it is. Best news for the lavender growers, vendors and our Sequim visitors: the weather turned nice again with showing the fairly warm summer weather, which is much preferred to the unusual hot summer days in June and the beginning of July, which made the lavender bloom much earlier this year. No worries you will find still plenty of lavender to take home from Sequim with you.

Purple Haze Lavender Farm

What is new at this year's Lavender Festival?

***There won't be a Lavender Festival in the Park this year,

which we think is totally OK because the farm tours and the street fair will take all our visitors' attention anyways.

***Farm tours will be FREE this year! Seven great lavender farms are included in the tours.

***The Lavender Street Fair in Fir St will be the big attraction as usual with its abundance of stands by lavender growers and vendors of plenty of arts and crafts products. Not to forget plenty of food selection and entertainment will be available over the three day festival. Sequim is hosting the largest lavender event in North America. We are proud of it!

There will be fun for everyone. Come and and see!

Impression of the street fair

Olympic Discovery Trail at Railroad Bridge closed

2015-06-28T09:57:00.000-07:00

Discovery Trail at Railroad Bridge

If you love biking and hiking the Discovery Trail leading through Sequim - just as we do - you know by now that one of our big outdoor attractions, the Railroad Bridge crossing the Dungeness River, got severely damaged by a big winter storm in February 2015 and has been closed ever since.

Bikers and walkers lane up the bridge

View of Railroad Bridge still impressive

Damage to Olympic Discovery Trail in Sequim

James Town tribe is the owner of the Bridge and considers a short term or long term plan for fixing the bridge. Alas, nothing has been done so far. We - and probably many other residents and visitors - loved to bike beyond the Railroad Bridge all the way to Robin Hill Park or just to Sequim Airport watching small planes take off and land. Now our ride has become a short one from Carrie Blake Park to the Railroad Bridge because the detour available via Old Olympic Hwy is more for the serious bikers. Nevertheless we feel our blog is a good place to list it in addition to the Olympic Discovery Trail site

Old Dungeness River Bed covered with trees

Damaged Railroad Bridge from high flood waters

Closed part of Railroad Bridge

Bikers' Detour to circumvent Railroad Bridge Closure

The route (east to west) leaves the trail in Sequim at 5th Ave, goes north on 5th to Old Olympic Hwy, turns west across the river on the Hwy bridge, then south on Heath Rd to rejoin the trail. See Trail Status

Visit to Railroad Bridge in Sequim

Old riverbed of Dungeness

Most parts of the bridge are still accessible

General Discovery Trail Information

The route of the Olympic Discovery Trail (ODT) traverses almost 130 miles of lowlands, bordered on the south by the Olympic Mountain Range and on the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It starts in Port Townsend and ends on the shores of the Pacific Ocean. The trail is a wide, paved pathway designed for bicyclists and hikers with a shoulder for equestrians where appropriate.

The Olympic Peninsula is Washington State’s premier destination for non-motorized touring, filled with views of snow capped peaks, ocean vistas, fast flowing rivers and pristine lakes, and everywhere the majestic forests of the Pacific Northwest. The presently completed trail winds through fields and farms, parks and towns over creeks, rivers and ravines, past beaches and national recreation areas.The trail exhibits a wide diversity of fauna and flora of natural beauty.

Sequim 120th Irrigation Festival

2015-05-02T09:55:00.000-07:00

Hello again to all our Sequim town blog visitors,
The lovely month of May is here with spring blossoms everywhere. Ever since we moved to Sequim, we've fallen in love with its two big Festivals: the Lavender Festival in the middle of July with Lavender in the Park, Lavender Farm Tours and the most amazing Lavender products in the street market...

and the Sequim Irrigation Festival at the beginning of May starting today.

The Sequim Irrigation Festival is the oldest festival in WA state. It's held downtown Sequim with its tons of vendors and competitions in Carry Blake Park. The 2015 festival will be from May 1st through 10th under the motto "120 Fun a Plenty".

Among the many fun events of interest for you and the entire family are:

Family Fun Day Saturday, May 2, 2015, 9am – 5pm Washington Street between Sequim Avenue & 2nd Avenue Businesses and Non-profits from around Sequim will have booths along Washington Street and offer activities and events for kids and their families.

Kids Parade Saturday, May 2, 2015, 10am Downtown Sequim Parade for kids 12 years and younger. Prizes are awarded.

Sequim Arts Juried Art Show May 1 - 30, 2015 Reception during the First Friday Art Walk Location Sequim Museum and Arts Center Sequim Arts

Sequim Farmers Market Saturday, May 2, 2015, 9am - 3pm Corner of Washington Street and Sequim Avenue

Grand Finale Weekend Thursday, May 7, 2015 to Sunday, May 10, 2015

Logging Show, Truck and Tractor Pull Friday, May 8, 2015, noon - 10pm Saturday, May 9, 2015, 10am - 5

Fireworks Friday, May 8, 2015, 9:30pm Blake Avenue Lot - our favorite!

120th Irrigation Festival Grand Parade Saturday, May 9, 2015, Noon Downtown Sequim - our favorite!

We are lucky to live in sunny Sequim just as our current Sequim vacation rental guests are to be just 5 minutes away from all the fun events of the 120th Irrigation Festival. See you in town!

Sequim vacation rental - Peaceful & private location - 1Bd/1Ba w/FREE Wifi + long distance phone + cable TV

Walk through the Park - 5 minutes from Sequim vacation rental

Exhibition of drift wood sculptures available in the Park

Winter in Sequim 2014

2014-12-26T16:44:00.000-08:00

Climate change in Sequim, yes or no?

We didn't have a White Christmas this 2014 winter, which we actually didn't during our 8 years living in Sequim. Remember Sequim is located in the 'Banana Belt' meaning even in winter temperatures in Sequim are mostly very moderate - hardly ever under zero - and the weather feels more springlike.

However, climate change seems to have caught up with Sequim this fall season. It was officially still 'Fall' season when the 'Arctic Vortex' had us in its frosty grip of temperatures between 30 F and 22 F. at the beginning of November. And 2 inches of powdered snow turned Sequim into a magical winter wonderland.

Believe it or not, the white scenery lasted at least a week before warm 'Chinook' winds took care of the snow and reminded Sequim residents and plants with temperatures around 60 - 66 F more of spring time than of upcoming winter.

Well let's see what Sequim weather will be like the first months of this new Year 2015.

For everybody, who is already planning their Sequim vacation for summer 2015, our fully equipped 1Bd/1Ba vacation apartment is available for monthly stays in Sequim at the same cheap 2014 rental rates. First available date is July 1st, 2015. Summer rate of $950 (dbl. occupancy). Remember July is the most desired vacation month in summer in Sequim because of the Lavender Festival 2015. We recommend to inquire early.

Happy, Healthy New Year 2015 to all our Sequim visitors!

Sequim weather in October

2014-10-07T14:38:00.001-07:00

"What's the weather like in Sequim in September and October?"

Potential guests often ask us when making plans for a monthly Sequim visit at our vacation rental. We always give them the same answer: Next to the summer months July and August, September and October are beautiful fall months here on the Olympic Peninsula. Perfect for hiking the Olympics, visit Sol Duc Hot Springs, kayaking the Straits, joining other visitors on a whale watch boat trip or enjoy an outing to Seattle or Victoria B.C. on Vancouver Island.

OK admittedly, we have to wait a little longer in May for comfy warm spring weather when our friends in Canada in the Okanagan Valley (desert climate) already brag about some warmer temperatures but to tell you the truth, Sequim's moderate summer temperatures and the Indian Summers in September and October make all up for it. It feels like a never-ending summer at this time of the season: blue skies, lots of sun, warm pleasant temperatures after 10am with lots of bikers runners and walkers out on the Olympic Discovery Trail. And yes it's true, Sequim residents still greet each other!

Like the rest of happy Sequim people, we enjoy the extended summer - on Sunday it was a bike ride via the Railroad Bridge to Sequim Airport - as much as we can and as long as we can. Don't forget sometimes the 'change' in weather to the colder season can happen without much ado. Well, and for those, who want to find out what Sequim weather is like in November and December during the holiday season, here is the good news. We had a cancellation at our fully equipped vacation rental for November. The apartment is now available starting November 11, 2014. If you are interested and/or have any questions, please, email us. We are looking forward to hearing from you.
p.s.
Thanks Erin & Kevin for your wonderful photos from the Pumpkin patch.

Is Sequim the best town to retire in US?

2014-08-30T12:52:00.002-07:00

Sequim best retirement city?

Yes, for us definitely. For all those who have followed our blog "Sequim Town" over the years or even for the many guests who stayed with us at our Sequim Vacation Rental over the last few years - by the way, an impressive 50% of those ended up moving to Sequim and live here now for good - this is nothing new.

View from Bell Hill over Sequim Bay, the Straits and Cascade Mountains

But now the 'Huffington Post' and 'Fox News' individually named Sequim as best retirement city in the USA, which makes our little town really stand out among retirement options. However, we can't agree with all the reasoning of those two - like pot is now legal in WA and therefore in Sequim on the Olympic Peninsula, which might be the biggest attraction for some - we love best the closeness to the ocean (Straits de Juan de Fuca) and the mountains (Olympic National Park), the moderate temperatures all your round with a very average of annual rain fall between 12 - 15 inch. One can't beat small town living with big town amenities - Costco and WalMart on the top of shopping opportunities.

View over Sequim Valley, with the Straits and Mt.Maker in back

SARC Sequim Aquatic Recreational Center including modern work-out equipment, big variety of exercise classes, Olympic size swimming pool, steam and hot saunas and wonderful jacuzzi has become the morning meeting place for seniors, "competing' with our top notch Senior Center, to socialize and stay in best shape ever.

Coming back to the fact that Sequim got named in the top of best national retirement cities, this development is not welcome by everybody in town. We all love our peaceful living, wonderful natural environment and neighborhood watches to keep us safe. So some consider more retirees as 'intruders', even though most of them have been one not far ago.

John Wayne Marina

We all got to realize that only change can make things happen. Wouldn't we all like to see the value of our real estate property going up or see our health care system further improve?! So let's embrace change and welcome the new retirees to Sequim!

Sequim Jamestown Golf Course views

Come for a visit and you might want to come back to stay!

Sequim Vacation Rental 2014 Revisited

2014-01-20T10:54:00.001-08:00

Dear Sequim Visitors,

We are so happy to see the first inquiries for a 2014 Sequim visit coming in. Since summers are getting hot in AZ, TX, CA or others, Sequim is perfect for visitors who want to escape the heat. If you have never been here before but heard all the good things about little Sequim town, consider staying with us for a month and see for yourselves. If our blog did not tell you what you wanted to know BEFORE your visit, your questions are most welcome at SequimRental.

When looking for a nice Sequim vacation, 'Bell Hill View' vacation rental might just be what you are looking for. 'Bell Hill View' Sequim vacation rental home is a fully equipped 1Bd/1Ba located in a peaceful upscale Sequim setting, yet in walking distance to shopping, restaurants & park. Sequim Vacation Rental features top amenities like FREE wireless Internet access + long distance calls. For peace of mind, read a few Sequim guest reviews from our guest book.

2014 Sequim vacation rental rates - Same affordable rates as 2013

1Bd/1Ba Sequim Vacation Rental Monthly Rate (all-inclusive, sleeps 2)

2014 Low Season Rate (May - June) $850/mo.

2014 High Season Rate (July - August) $950/mo.
2014 Fall Rate (September - October) $900/mo.

Sales tax is included. Sorry, no pets allowed.

Sequim Vacation Rental

‘Bell Hill View’ is a charming, affordable Sequim vacation rental in a peaceful setting in an upscale neighborhood of sunny Sequim with lots of amenities, in walking distance to shopping, restaurants and Carrie Blake Park. Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center SARC with Olympic size lap pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, fitness center and more is a short 5-minute drive away. Experience Sequim on the North Olympic Peninsula at your own Sequim vacation home, home away from home.

‘Bell Hill View’ in Sequim is the perfect vacation destination when hiking the Olympic National Park, sailing or boating at John Wayne Marina with Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, walking or biking the Olympic Discovery Trail, playing golf on Sequim golf courses, visiting the Dungeness Spit National Wildlife Refuge or spectacular hiking in Olympic National Park.

This Sequim Vacation Rental affords top privacy at your 1Bd/1Ba 525 sq ft vacation suite with beautiful views of Bell Hill and glimpses of the Olympic Mountains. For your utmost comfort, amenities include free wireless high speed Internet access for your laptop and free long distance Vonage phone, which is great for staying in touch with Sequim realtors or your home business.

Choose from 90 cable channels, when relaxing on your recliner love seat after a day of adventure on the Olympic Peninsula or your search for a Sequim home to buy. Select comfort beds with dual control provide you with a restful sleep.

No need to fear that your dream vacation will become a budget nightmare. For less than the cost of the hotels, you can steal away to your own fully equipped, comfortable, private Sequim vacation rental only minutes away to the beauty and adventure of the North Olympic Peninsula with the Pacific Ocean and Olympic Mountains.

Get ready for your Sequim vacation on the Olympic Peninsula. Contact us today for your monthly stay with subject line ‘Sequim Vacation Home’. Looking forward to hearing from you. Greetings from Sequim

Sequim vacation rental amenities:

-Free high speed Internet for your laptop with wireless card
-Free local + long distance phone calls (US, Canada) with Vonage

-HD TV with DVR for recording your favorite programs
-Over 100 cable channels + 45 music channels to choose from

-Select Comfort Bed with dual control
-Recliner love seat, Wall to Wall carpet in living room and bedroom
-Fully equipped kitchen w/fridge + deep freeze, microwave, stove

-A portable cooler + re-freezable ice packs are available for day trips
-Convenient, comfortable zone heating for colder months

-Nice private outdoor garden sitting area for hot summer days
-Beautiful views of Bell Hill
-Downstairs apartment w/private entrance - no stairs to climb
-Off Street parking
-Washer/Dryer for your convenience on vacation
-Walking distance to Shopping + Carrie Blake Park
-Great central location, next to Carrie Blake Park, for exploring Sequim, John Wayne Marina, the Olympic Peninsula & Olympic National Park.

Note: This is a non-smoking apartment. No pets allowed.

***No extra cleaning fees charged!

Sequim Town Attractions

Sequim Aquatic Recreation Center SARC

Carrie Blake Park

John Wayne Marina

Sequim Area Attractions

Olympic Discovery Trail

Dungeness Spit with Sequim Lighthouse

Olympic National Park

Crescent Lake

Visit Sol Duc Hot Springs

Sequim Vacation Activities Things To Do

Hiking, Biking, Kayaking, Bird Watching, Swimming, Relaxing

Places to visit in the Sequim area and North Olympic Peninsula area:

Seattle, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Gig Harbor, Ocean Shores, Whidbey Island, San Juan Islands, Columbia River Gorge, Hood Canal, Victoria BC, Vancouver Island

More Sequim Vacation Rental photos

Related Articles Sequim Vacation

Things to Do on Sequim Vacation
See Sequim Area photos

Elks are roaming on Sequim's meadows

2013-10-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

We told our Sequim Town visitors before about the herd of Roosevelt elks roaming in Sequim. Much to the delight of our visitors, not always welcome by the farmers who have to protect their crops from the seemingly always hungry elks.

Recently we read in the Peninsula Daily News that the connection between the collars and the signs on Hwy 101 does not always work right. We had noticed that in the past too but figured it cannot hurt to pay a bit more attention in case the elks are really close-by.

Our friends Erin & Kevin took some nice photos of the elks this summer and shared them with us. Enjoy the photos. Hope you can plan a Sequim vacation for summer 2014 and can take photos of the herd yourselves. Remember you don't won't to get too close to the elks. They can become quite aggressive, especially the bulls 'protecting' the herd.

If you have any questions about Sequim or a vacation in Sequim or moving to Sequim, Just leave a comment and we will answer you.

House for Rent in Sequim - Peaceful location, Walk to Downtown - RENTED!

2013-09-08T09:22:00.003-07:00

Dear Sequim town visitors,
You loved your summer vacation in Sequim a lot and consider now seriously to move to Sequim for good but don't know what life will be like for the rest of the seasons, your best first move is to rent a house for a year! This allows you to get to know all the facets of the Olympic Peninsula and find the house of your dreams at the same time.

Sorry, this Sequim Townhouse is now rented.

The 2Br/2Ba Townhouse (1290 sft) is conveniently located in the center of Sequim town, yet in peaceful neighborhood bordering Pioneer Park within walking distance to shops, restaurants, medical offices & gyms. The townhouse features open floor plan, skylights, computer nook off dining room, kitchen with Maple cabinets, granite tile countertops, stainless steel appliances, hardwood & carpet flooring. The modern heat pump supplies tenants AC in summer & saves money on electricity in winter. Electric fireplace in living room. Large master bedroom with walk- in closet. Covered front porch and back patio. Attached 2-car garage.

Contact us at SequimRental

Our lunch at the Black Bear restaurant in Sequim

2013-07-26T20:17:00.002-07:00

Eating out in Sequim

All our guests at Sequim 'Bell Hill View vacation rental' or visiting friends from out of town, want to know what's a great restaurant to eat out in Sequim.

Well, tastes and favorite meals for dining vary a lot, especially so when it comes to name what is Sequim's best restaurant. So at our vacation apartment we keep all the Sequim town restaurant menus in a folder and let guests decide which restaurant offers their favorite food and the want to try out. Read why the Black Bear diner menu has become a great addition to our Sequim town restaurant menus.

Recently, we heard more and more great feed-backs and reviews about the new 'Black Bear' restaurant next to 'Holiday Inn Express' in Sequim. When my birthday was coming up, it was time to check out the new popular diner on our own. Big surprise when we showed up at an early lunch time 11:30am and found the restaurant parking lot already filled. One space was open just right for us.

We were warmly welcome by a big bunch of carved cute black bears at all kinds of of places. Blooming flowers in hanging baskets and containers were everywhere. And with the blue Sequim summer skies as a backdrop, we did not not know where we should start taking photos. We'll share some with you right here on our Sequim Town blog.

Long story short, when we had settled down at our outdoor table and the waitress showed up in now time, we felt we were at the right place. And we did not get disappointed a bit. Keoki had 'French dip' with a load of crispy French fries - once a year we can indulge! - and I had 'Pecan Crusted Trout'. During our not too long waiting time, we learned more about Sequim in 1969 from the 'Black Bear Gazette', which interestingly served as the menu. We also learned that there are 58 (!) other Black Bear restaurants along the West Coast.

Visiting Sequim? We can definitely recommend a visit to the Black Bear restaurant. Great ambience, fast service and delicious food! We'll be back for dinner.

Happy Fourth of July in Sequim

2013-07-02T12:12:00.002-07:00

Exciting events for this year's Independence Day celebration. Sequim residents won't only celebrate 4th of July but as we all know this is Sequim's centennial year. Yes, the city of Sequim of Sequim was incorporated 100 years ago, to be precise on October 31, 1913.

Reason enough for us to celebrate big time:

The Old Fashioned Town Picnic from 10:30am - 4pm at Carrie Blake Park - just a short 5-minute walk from 'Bell Hill View Sequim Vacation Rental'

All Sequim residents are invited to pose for a community photo at 10:45am in the park

The family friendly picnic will include live music, relay races, horseshoes, croquet and much more. Picnic food will be available for purchase.

For more information on our 4th of July Sequim events of music, food, free contests, other activities visit the SequimWA site.

Happy Fourth of July in Sequim to all Sequim visitors and our resident friends! See you in the Park!

Sequim berry picking season 2013 has started

2013-06-08T20:49:00.000-07:00

Yes, our favorite Berry farm Graysmarsh in Sequim has started for this summer season. It's strawberry picking time. Bring your own container and have it weighed before you start picking berries, unless it's really light and the weight does not matter. The sunny weather in Sequim for the last week has definitely helped to ripen the strawberries. Next will be raspberries & blueberries, which we love to pick. U-pick in Sequim at Graysmarsh Berry Farm is open 8am - 4pm Monday - Saturday, 10am - 4pm Sundays.

Remember Lavender Season is coming too. Most of our lavenders at the house are already blooming just the special Grosso lavender is waiting for July to be in full bloom for the Lavender Festival July 19 - 21, 2013.

Last but not least, we have some good news for guests who would like to escape hot summer in Arizona or Texas and spend July at our fully equipped 1Bd/1Ba Sequim 'Bell Hill View' Vacation Rental. July has become available for your monthly stay. If you are interested, email us with subject line 'Sequim Rental July'.

Early Summer in Sequim in 2013

2013-05-12T13:43:00.000-07:00

Dear Sequim blog visitors,
You would probably would like to know how we are approaching summer in Sequim this year. Sequim was pretty lucky with no snow during all the winter months. Moderate winters and moderate summers are features which attract people to visit or to move for good to this lovely retirement town.

This year 2013 brought a very early SUMMER - yes summer, not spring - to the Olympic Peninsula and Sequim. Residents couldn't believe it when early May temperatures broke all the high records for decades. The summerly weather had everybody working in their gardens, getting on their bikes and walking Carrie Blake Park or the beautiful Discovery Trail.

Well, today the spell seems to be broken by some fog and drizzle rains. Flowers, bushes and new veggie seeds can need the wet sprinkles from the sky instead of the sprinkler system.

Here are a few photo impressions from this year's early summer in Sequim:

Carrie Blake Park

A geese couple built their nest on the little island in Carrie Blake Park. 'Papa' goose watches on land that the mother does not get disturbed when sitting on the eggs.

Lilac bushes at the holiday rental

This early Sequim summer, we paid for the first time close attention to the many colored lilac bushes, as seen in this photo. The scent of Lilac is in the air in entire Sequim town. Reminds us of Lavender season and scents in July for the Lavender Festival.

View of Olympic Mountains

Lots of aahs and oohs from Sequim visitors when walking through town or going west on Olympic Discovery Trail with all the different views of the Olympic Mountains. Despite our early summer spell, they still carry loads of snow sparkling in the sun.

More Mountain views in May

Going for a walk through Carrie Blake Park scenery

Hanging basket at 'Bell Hill View' vacation rental

Sequim residents have a long time tradition of hanging baskets all along Washington Street and of course on their own houses as well. It was time to hang our basket with those beautiful flowers indicating that 'Bell Hill View' Vacation rental is open for business for the summer season. Please, email to Sequim Rental.