Spoken Gently's Blog: All Categories

Despite the lethargic pace in many U.S. housing markets, the Tri-Cities Washington housing market continues to experience gains. Could it be all those scientists/engineers moving into the area? Could it be the distinguished school districts found here? Uh, the beer garden? Nope, it's got to be quality Tri-Cities Realtors® like Joe and Colleen Lane. Joe and Colleen are making all of Tri-Cities Washington happy, one customer at a time!

Tri-Cities Washington closings through May, 2007.

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Tri-Cities Washington is passionate about its basketball, and encourages its youth to embrace the sport. To support youth involvement in sporting activities the City Councils has developed Youth Basketball Clinics. These free clinics have been run for 28 years, and are available for all girls and boys aged 7-14 years.

Each player is placed randomly into a small group that is determined by their age. A 90 minute instruction into the fundamentals of basketball is then presented with opportunities for each player to model the advice given. The instructors for the clinics are High School coaches in the Pasco, Kennewick, and Richland school districts, as well as varsity players. The clinics are held in local gyms throughout the year. Contact the local city…

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Do you think you have what it takes to sing the National Anthem at a Dust Devils game? The Tri-City Dust Devils are looking for people to sing the National Anthem prior to games during the 2007 season. No appointment is necessary, just stop by Dust Devils Stadium. Singers who are able to perform the Canadian National Anthem are also encouraged to audition. Those who are unable to attend tryouts can contact Kelli Walter at 544-8789 to set up another time to audition or send an audition recording to the Tri-City Dust Devils at 6200 Burden Blvd., Pasco, WA, 99301.

The Dust Devils open the 2007 season at Vancouver before returning to the Tri-Cities for the home opener versus Everett. Opening Night festivities include a magnet schedule giveaway courtesy of…

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Little ones can be a source of joy; and a source of concern when their curiosity gets the better of them. Child safety around the home is a critical issue in the 21st century. Many household cleaning products are poisonous if ingested, and some are corrosive if they make contact with skin or mucus membranes. And with rapid advances in technology, there tends to be an abundance of potential electrical hotspots throughout the home.

Child-proofing your home can be a simple process of common sense, and attention to detail. Take the time to instruct your child on home safety, especially upon moving into your new home. This is a preventative measure and helps children to understand cause and effect of their behavior.

Be sure that all poisonous items are out of…

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Within each home there are private, service and communal living spaces. Use some drawing paper to map out a flowchart that interconnects rooms that are related in these rooms when considering a home purchase. The kitchen and dining area are often near each other as they both function to provide sustenance. However, people tend to keep bedrooms away form service areas due to their tendency to have higher noise levels. Who wants a bedroom next to a pool area?

On your diagram list the activities that you and your family engage in regularly. This will give you an idea of the ambiance to give to your home that will reflect your lifestyle and values; for example, vibrant and open or secluded and peaceful. Now for each room in your flowchart repeat the process…

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The Tri-Cities area of southeastern Washington has long been a prime example of a fast growing, modern, attractive area and it seems that engineers and scientists can particularly feel at home amidst the growth. The labor force in an area is of course a great indication of the kind of economic vitality and education opportunities the area might have and Richland, Kennewick and Pasco can be proud as they have been named the top metro area for scientists and engineers in the United States by Expansion Management.

That magazine put out a study called the Knowledge Worker Quotient, an annual exercise for the magazine that ranks metro areas around the United States in terms of their ability to retain and provide new companies with a sophisticated, highly…

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The Tri-Cities Wa region is holding its 2007 Tri-Cities Great Golf in Wine Country Getaway offers right now! “Stay and play” as they say – with up to thirteen different packages to choose from. Each package incorporates one of the best public golf courses in the Columbia Basin; Canyon Lakes, Columbia Point, Horn Rapids Golf and Country Club, to name a few.

Each package includes a one night stay for two people, as well as 18-holes of golf for two complete with a golf buggy. Upgrading can get you a full breakfast with tee time confirmation and a shuttle service.

The rates are excellent, starting at just $155. Individual rates are available on request as well. However, there is a cancellation policy, so take note! When you make your reservations for a…

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The cost of living in a particular real estate area can dramatically affect a decision to purchase a home. It is clear the cost of living varies diversely across suburbs and neighborhoods, and between cities and towns. Many factors effect living costs, the main one being geographical location – such as rural, urban or metropolitan areas.  Wikipedia writes:

"A cost-of-living index measures the cost of maintaining a certain standard of living over time. Price indexes, such as the United States Consumer Price Index, use cost-of-living as their conceptual basis."

The cost-of-living index has been developed to determine the minimum costs in North America to maintain a household in terms of sustenance and their income purchasing power. To work out the likely…

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