Monthly Archives: April 2015

Bainbridge Windermere office changes hands

WindermereLogoColorWindermere Real Estate West Sound, Inc. recently bought the Bainbridge Island Windermere office from longtime owner Jim Laws, according to a news release.

Windermere West Sound is owned by Carter and Tori Dotson, and Mike and Molly Pitts, all island residents. They have offices in Kingston, Poulsbo and Silverdale.

The Windermere West Sound owners expect few changes at Windermere Bainbridge, which is home to 33 agents and five staff members. The office reported 485 closed sales last year, according to the release.

Windermere Real Estate Bainbridge Island is located at 840 Madison Ave. N. and can be reached at 206-842-5626.

Strong jobs numbers carry through February

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Kitsap County enjoyed a strong start to the year on the employment front, with more jobs and more county residents working in January than in previous years.

That momentum carried through February, with solid, if less robust, employment numbers.

Jobs in Kitsap

The number of people working for Kitsap employers in February dipped slightly from January, but was still 2.5 percent higher than in February 2014, according to preliminary data from the Employment Security Department. 

Both private companies and government agencies in Kitsap employed more people in February than at the same time in 2014.

Here’s a graphical look at jobs in Kitsap County:

 

Labor force and employment

Overall employment numbers for Kitsap residents were less encouraging. haggen

The labor force — the total number of county residents working or actively looking for work — shrank between January to February, and was smaller than in February 2014.

Employment followed a similar trend, sliding from about 108,800 Kitsap resident working in January to 108,070 in February.

Here’s a graphical look at labor force and employment trends:

U-Haul moving into Gorst location

U-HAUL LOGOU-Haul is rolling into Gorst.

The moving and storage giant recently bought Bayview Mini Storage, at the intersection of Highway 3 and Highway 16. (The $1.8 million purchase was part of my February commercial sales roundup).

The 4-acre property includes seven one-story self-storage buildings and a 500-square-foot office. There are also 79 RV spaces. The company will offer truck and trailer rentals, storage and U-Box moving and storage services.

U-Haul is touting the purchase as part of its “building green initiative,” which emphasizes infilling existing buildings rather than constructing new facilities.

For more information on U-Haul Moving and Storage of Bremerton and Gorst, call (360) 377-8900 or visit the website for the location.