Uncategorized • September 8, 2015

More Than Movies: What Makes The Grand Cinema Special

by Keryn Giguere

I have some history with The Grand Cinema. I have fond memories of walking from my apartment in Stadium, through Wright Park, down the hill to Corina Bakery located right next door to get a coffee and snack before beginning my volunteer shifts. While volunteering at The Grand Cinema I met people in my community and made friends. This theater is very special to me and if you go see for yourself, I am sure it will quickly become one of your favorites as well.

Here are some of the things that make the Grand Cinema Magical!

1. The Grand Cinema is not your typical movie theater. They play documentaries, local, independent and foreign films. I saw my first foreign film at The Grand. You will see fantastic movies here that do not get played in mainstream theatres! Do you like to discuss movies after you watch them? Attend one of The Grand's post film discussions that take place in the community area downstairs after certain movies. As a volunteer, I loved to ask people what they were there to see when they arrived and what they thought of the movie as they exited the theatre. You will frequently hear members and volunteers discussing movies in the lobby.

2. The people that dish up your popcorn, pour your soda and grab your snacks are all volunteers. When you start going to The Grand you will recognize the staff and volunteers; they care about this place immensely and want you to enjoy your time at the cinema. Want to volunteer? Besides making new friends, perks of volunteering include free movies before and after your shift, free popcorn and soda before, during, and after your shift, and a free movie pass to take with you when you are done! If you didn't know, The Grand is known for serving the tastiest popcorn in town! Seriously.

3. The Grand does more than play films, they also put on tons of fun events and programs! Some of my personal favorites include The Academy Awards Viewing Party, The Tacoma Film Festival, The Tacoma Pride Series andThe 253-Second Viewing Party. For kids, they have Tacoma Film Camp and Click! Family Flicks.

Going to The Grand is truly a unique experience that you will not find anywhere else. Become a member today and find out why this place ruined the experience of mainstream movie theatres for me, forever.

Check out their website for showtimes, events, membership benefits, and volunteer info:

http://grandcinema.com

Buying Real Estate • Uncategorized • September 2, 2015

It Costs You Nothing! And Other Reasons You Want A Buyer’s Agent

by Keryn Giguere

You have the Redfin and Zillow App, and your financing terms are set and ready to go.

Why get a Realtor?

There are numerous benefits that come from having a buyer’s agent!

First off, buying a house is complicated and can be overwhelming.

A buyer’s agent can keep you organized and be there to answer all of your questions through the entire process. We can let you know what to expect and anticipate problems that may occur along the way. We can usually gage how big of an issue something is and let you know which problems are an easy fix.

It costs you nothing!

Many people do not know that having a buyer’s agent costs you nothing. The owner of the home has already negotiated the commissions for both the listing agent (the person representing the seller) and the buyer’s agent. That means the seller pays both the listing and selling agent. It is in the buyer’s best interest to have their own agent representing only them! If you want someone to only owe you the duty of confidentiality and work just for you, you need your own agent.

We are a nexus of resources.

We realtors are in the trenches everyday working with home inspectors, lenders, title and escrow officers and fellow realtors. A realtor has many contacts that they trust and know they can rely on. This means you spend less time searching and filtering through the internet for contacts and let us refer you to people you can count on.

You already have a job!

When you add up all of the phone calls, scheduling, paper work and other tasks in a typical sale, the time adds up! Having a FULL TIME buyer’s agent allows you to focus on calling the shots and making those hard decisions, while we carry out the action steps and solve problems. It can be difficult for buyers to touch base with the other parties involved in a transaction on their own, especially those who work traditional work hours. If you have a real estate agent, you can have them facilitate the transaction while you are at work or enjoying your time off. We make all of those phone calls, appointments and manage your files for you. One less thing for you to worry about!

You make the decisions, but we advise and support you along the way.

Although you ultimately make the final decisions, buying a home can be emotional. You invest a ton of energy into finding the right place and naturally develop strong feelings around the purchase. A buyer’s agent that is trustworthy, empathetic, and who has your best interest in mind understands this and has your back! They will make you aware of your options in any given circumstance (and if they don’t know they will find out or direct you to someone who does!) and will help you figure out what the best decision is for you. An ethical realtor will not try to close you despite it not being in your best interest.

One thing that the apps don’t have?

The apps can show you what a house looks like and how much it costs. However, it won’t tell you where the best places to get coffee with friends are, which bars make the best cocktails, or where you can go for community and fun. You need a neighborhood specialist. Realtors are working and playing in their communities and if they are doing it right, building relationships with its members. Nothing beats having a person you can strategize and celebrate with and lean on during the hard times. You don’t get those things from an app.

Pick an agent who you like, trust, and who you know is competent. Whether your friend has used them in the past and can vouch for them, they have great reviews online, or you interview a few upfront and ask questions about the process! Check out my blog post about what Real estate agents do all day, here!

Uncategorized • August 11, 2015

What the Heck Do Real Estate Agents Do All Day?

by Keryn Giguere

When I decided to start a business in real estate, I thought my life was about to become extra glamorous. Touring houses, marketing my business, attending fancy conferences, dreaming up my personal brand, blogging… I was READY.

Little did I know what my day-to-day would actually be like…

Most people think real estate agents just look at houses all day long. This is not the case! We do have Brokers Tour every week after our weekly sales meeting, which allows all of us realtors to view houses during a certain block of time. During tour we give feedback on the houses we see, eat free snacks, and network with one another. We do tour homes with our buyers and check the MLS daily to keep updated on new houses, price reductions, sold homes and expired listings.

The biggest part of our job though, is to solve problems.

Real estate transactions are full of problem-solving opportunities! They also involve many different people. Typically, there is the listing agent, buyers agent, lender, title and escrow, inspectors and of course, the buyer and seller. Communication is key. In the beginning, we are mostly looking at houses but after our clients find the house they have been searching for, the real work begins! Strict deadlines, many, many phone calls, answering questions, scheduling and attending inspections, negotiations, detailed paperwork and creative problem solving are some of the tasks that keep us busy and earn us our commission in the end.

Don’t get me wrong, there are those afternoons that feel magical and make the difficult parts of the job worth it. Those Instagram moments; the days where I get view a home that really stands out or I get a couple of hours to work on a fun project like drafting a blog or video, or brainstorming ideas to make my business more fun and unique. Those days where a transaction closes, and you are left with happy clients and a job well-done.

There is much more to real estate than what you see on HGTV or in the movies!

Uncategorized • June 10, 2015

The Aroma of Tacoma: Coffee in the 253

by Keryn Giguere

One of the many reasons that I love Tacoma is the amount of coffee shops we have! If I named them all this post would be super long, so here are just a few. Maybe you haven’t been to one that I bring up? If that is the case, TRY THEM OUT. I dare you.

1. Cafe Brosseau

Located next to Source Yoga on N 21st street, Cafe Brosseau's atmosphere is warm and inviting. One great thing about this place is there is a ton of seating available. It is pet and kid friendly as well! They have a whole toy area along with an assortment of board games. When I go here I usually get a latte but I have had the French-Press before and it was on point! Hungry? They have a full menu that includes a vegan panini with a yummy balsamic, vinegar dip on the side.

2. Ubiquitous Journey

Ubiquitous Journey is not your average coffee shop. This place sells a variety of teas, spices and salts! You can choose from many unique flavored drinks that you don’t stumble across at most other places. One of my favorite drinks to order here is the Lavender/Hemp Latte. It is not only a work of art but tastes delish! If you are hungry I would recommend a grilled cheese (they have tasty vegan options) and their tomato soup is the best! Ubiquitous Journey also puts on classes through their program Free University. Anyone in the community can come teach a course about whatever they want! Classes range from free to $1-$2. If you are interested in attending or teaching a class take a look at their website! They are located right on 6th Avenue.

3. Treos

Treos has comfortable seating and large tables that are great to sit at if you need to get some work done or study! I go to the location down in Ruston, near the water. My favorite drinks to get here are their americanos (sometimes with a hint of vanilla), and their drip coffee. I hear they have live music on some evenings!

4. Corina Bakery

Located right next to my favorite movie theatre, The Grand Cinema, Corina Bakery has a ton to offer! I love Corina for it’s many vegan dessert options, soy dirty chai lattes and friendly staff. Their drip coffee is another one of my favorite drinks to order. For dessert I would recommend that you try a slice of cake (they are HUGE) or their vegan rum balls!

Uncategorized • June 3, 2015

5 Great Places to Eat Vegan in Tacoma

by Keryn Giguere

1. THE RED HOT

The Red Hot has a fun, friendly, and laid back atmosphere.

They have a full menu of gourmet hotdogs which includes a vegan section! When it comes to beer, their selection is always alternating so there is always something new to try! Don’t know much about beer? The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable and will help you make your selection. The great thing is if you are vegan or vegetarian you can sub out any of their meat hot dogs with a vegan Tofurkey hot dog! Another perk of going here is you can pop by next door to Ice Cream Social afterwards for dessert.

2. Quickie Too: A Vegan Cafe

Vegan soul food. Need I say more?

Quickie Too is an all vegan cafe which means we vegans can eat anything on the menu, woohoo! The atmosphere is bright, cheerful and you will usually hear reggae music playing. One of my favorite times to go is on Sunday when they serve “Jazzy Brunch.” Vegan breakfast can be tricky at non-vegan restaurants but not here! Their breakfast is amazing and your non-vegan friends will

agree.

3. Top of Tacoma

When I first went here, it was for brunch.

I was ecstatic to see that there were vegan & vegetarian options! The field roast breakfast tacos are enough to put Top of Tacoma in my top 5 but there are other delicious options like the vegan gyro wrap! Sitting outside here on a sunny day is my favorite.

4. The Peterson Bros. 1111

The Eleven Eleven bar serves the tastiest sandwiches, ever.

The first thing that I noticed when I went to this bar was the friendly staff. The environment is laid back and the food is addicting. I ordered the vegan melt on sourdough and it was so flavorful I craved it again later that day! Check out this place if you haven’t already- it will become one of your favorite spots.

5. Island Pizzeria

I cannot believe that I did not know about this place!

Island Pizzeria just celebrated their one year anniversary! I just discovered it in recent weeks through a recommendation by a friend. Their vegan Hawaiian pizza is on point and the sweet tofu BBQ sandwich is AMAZING! The owners plan to add vegan desserts and even more vegan options in the near future.