Chuck Marunde

After practicing real estate law for 20 years in Washington, Chuck concentrates on residential sales in Sequim and Port Angeles on the beautiful Olympic Peninsula. Chuck started in real estate as a salesman and associate broker in Alaska in the ’70′s before going to Gonzaga University Law School to specialize in real estate.   Chuck has been an adviser to top producing real estate agents for 15 years, has personally closed 100′s of transactions, negotiated many more, and litigated most real estate issues when he still practiced law.  Chuck is a full time Realtor now, and he is primarily a Sequim Buyer’s Agent.  He has written extensively on the subject of dual agency and how important it is for buyers to hire their own buyer’s agent.

Chuck is very friendly, loves working with his clients (who most often become good friends), and while he is confident as a professional, he has also learned humility through life’s challenges.  You can call Chuck anytime to interview him on the phone and see if you feel he is a personality you would enjoy working with.

Chuck has combined his love for real estate and technology to create a growing Internet presence in his market, and enjoys building his websites and blogs, including

Sequim Real Estate and Port Angeles Real Estate Blog,
SequimPortAngeles.com,
Sequim-WA-Homes.com,
SequimRealEstateAgent.com,
Sequim Real Estate Videos.com,
365ThingsToDoinSequim.com,
FreeRealEstateLaw.com.

Chuck has degrees in Economics, Law, and Education.

Chuck is the author of numerous magazine and Internet articles with a primary focus on real estate.   He is also the author of several books, including Buying and Selling Real Estate in the Rain Shadow, a 310 page paperback written specifically about buying and selling real estate in Sequim, Washington.  The book is sold on Amazon.com.  Chuck’s latest book is entitled The New World of Marketing for Real Estate Agents, and will be available on Amazon.com and bookstores as well as the Apple iTunes store and the Kindle.

As the Broker/Owner of Sequim & Port Angeles Real Estate, LLC, a branch office of Adamas Realty, Chuck shared this with a smile, “No one has the massive Internet presence that we have built.   We reach more people, more potential buyers (in California, Arizona, Texas, Oregon, Montana, the Seattle area, and all the way to Florida and Massachusetts) than any other broker in all of Clallam County.   Period.   This is why buyers find us, and it is also why sellers want to work with us to list their properties. Today’s market is all about connecting with buyers.   That’s what we do.  But our buyers love the fact that we give them more free valuable information about Sequim real estate and all the issues that effect buyers and sellers than any other brokerage by an order of magnitude.  We literally have hundreds of articles (over 950 on one blog) written for Sequim buyers, many videos, and audios, and a lot of Internet tools for buyers that are powerful and free.  No one else has these buyer resources written for buyers by a Sequim Realtor.”

“Most people don’t know exactly how the real estate business works inside brokerages and what agents could be doing, but clients do tell me all the time what their previous agents did not do.   I post articles on my Sequim Real Estate Blog giving clients and the public very specific and valuable information they can use immediately to make wise choices with their real estate.   That includes everything I’ve learned in 30 years in real estate as a lawyer and Realtor, including negotiating to get clients the best possible price, drafting unambiguous contract language, connecting with clients through the Internet with cutting edge technologies and 100′s of articles on investing, foreclosures, short sales, and tax savings.”

“I love working with people, and I love negotiating.   I’m also a technology geek, but all of this uniquely gives my clients experience and professionalism.   Pretty much all my clients end up becoming good friends.   I think that says something about me and what I do.”

Email me at chuckmarunde@gmail.com, or call me on my cell at (360) 775-5424.

A Few Testimonies about Chuck Marunde as a Buyer’s Agent:

Testimony 1

I’ve known Chuck Marunde for several years. My wife and I bought and sold one house through his services, and now have another listed through him for sale. Whether Chuck was representing us as the buyer or seller, I am confident he always had our best interests at heart. He helped us set or negotiate a reasonable price, and made sure there was a clear and open line of communication. He responded rapidly to email and phone calls and always knew the best person to contact for the various services involved in a transaction.  I have worked with quite a few real estate agents and Chuck is right at the top of my list of good ones. Actually, Chuck is first and foremost just a good person, and he carries his personal honesty and integrity over into his profession. He has the greatest depth of experience in real estate of any agent or broker I have known. His years of practicing real estate law prior to becoming a broker are evident in the meticulous care he takes with the process and documentation.  I am impressed by the way Chuck has integrated internet services into his real estate business. He probably knows more about this process than any other realtor in the country. In this tight market it is important to use every possible means to spread the word about available properties…to reach the few people who might be interested in a particular property.  Steve L.

Testimony 2

We contacted Chuck to be our buyer’s agent for our purchase of a home in the Sequim area.  Throughout the entire process he was enjoyable to work with, and we found him to be exceptionally knowledgeable, thorough and diligent on our behalf.  He was in constant contact and always readily available and responsive by phone and email.  We were buying from out of state and unable to cover the various steps in the process, so we really appreciated Chuck’s willingness to personally handle what we needed to have done.  He coordinated and attended the various inspections, followed up on our numerous questions and requests relating to the sale (including measuring rooms and sending photos), and even conducted the final walk through of the property for us.  We particularly valued his advice on a number of different issues that arose – and that he handled for us – during the transaction.   In short, we were very impressed with Chuck and would recommend him highly to anyone who is considering purchasing (or selling) in the Sequim area.  Ed and Sharlene

Testimony 3

“Chuck Marunde’s level of expertise in real estate investment is amazing. His knowledge, experience and legal training have given me a dramatic advantage in real estate investing.  He works hard to stay on the cutting edge of real estate marketing, sound advice and value-added service for his clients.”  Kirk Wald, Financial Planner

Testimony 4

“My husband and I had a serious deadline, and Chuck spent time educating us to the process of selling our home for the best price within our time constraints.  We really thought we could do it our way, but he showed us how to make it happen in our market and get where we wanted to be.  The result was we did sell our house in two weeks, and we were able to move to Hawaii in our critical timeline.  Chuck knows real estate, and he was so diplomatic with us while still telling us the truth and what we needed to hear.”  Mary Ann

Testimony 5

“When Chuck told me I not only got a Realtor with decades of experience, but I also got his knowledge and experience as a real estate attorney for 20 years totally free, I couldn’t believe it.  But it was true, and I strongly recommend Chuck to anyone dealing with real estate.”  Susan

Testimony 6

I have known Chuck since he moved to our area and established his law practice from which he is now retired.  I have depended on my personal attorney, Chuck Marunde, to assist us in keeping the covenants of the Community current and to artfully arbitrate some contracts, the contents of which were either being ignored or misinterpreted.  I am not exaggerating when I aver that Chuck has been responsible—in part, of course—for improving and maintaining my quality of life and that of my neighbours.  He accomplishes this by his intelligence, diligence, and experience, all affected, or “leavened” if you will, by his overt honesty, responsibility, and forthrightness. He and I also agree that one of our greatest satisfactions in life is to share the bounty and good fortune we both have been granted with those less endowed or in need.  For example, he is the only Real Estate Attorney of which I have any knowledge who maintains a web page of free information for everyone, not only his clients, to consult about often asked questions and frequently encountered problems in regard to buying and selling of homes, land, businesses and the like.  Apart from the professionalism of which I spoke, Chuck is also the most moral, the most ethical, the most sincere person I have ever met.  Trust me when I say that in the Real Estate history of the Olympic Peninsula, Chuck Marunde is a welcome variance from the norm and I consider myself “blessed” to have met him and to have maintained a friendship during many of the past years.  Phil

Testimony 7

“Chuck helped me and my partner purchase a building we were renting for our large business.  There were a lot of complicated issues, including legal issues, but because of Chuck’s experience as a real estate lawyer, he was able to help us get through an entangled mess.  Actually, he came up with a strategy that helped us buy our building, and we got rid of some liens, so we were able to pick up about $90,000 in equity immediately.  Where can you find a real estate agent that has that kind of experience?”  Bill

Testimony 8

We are ex-Washington residents who currently live in Arizona.  We had been searching the Puget Sound area four years for a waterfront property to build a retirement home when we first contacted Chuck Marunde through his website.  We had made multiple trips to various areas but most of the Realtors we contacted simply sent us an email, provided no follow up and did next to nothing to help us locate a property.

Testimony 9

On our first trip to Port Angeles, after connecting with Chuck, we purchased our dream property.  We now own a high bank waterfront lot overlooking the Straight of Jaun de Fuca, and are excited to become part of the Peninsula community.  Paul & Linda M.

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For those who may be interested in a more detailed Resume, here’s more reading:

Not-So-Brief-Synopsis (and more than you want to to know):

UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Alaska
Major – Economics, Bachelor of Arts, 1976
Minor – Education w/Teaching Certificate (1979),

LEGAL EDUCATION
Gonzaga School of Law, Spokane, Washington, Juris Doctor – May 1985.  Admitted to Washington Bar May 1986

LAW EXPERIENCE
Private law practice in Washington since 1986 with a four year stint as a JAG in the USAF. My private practice focused on real estate (with some time in estate planning, probate, litigation, and business development). I have advised thousands of real estate and business owners, investors, developers, builders, and Brokers.  I’ve also been intimately involved with an international technology company. I have created many businesses, their structures and long-term strategic development.

I have litigated issues around the state, drafted numerous contracts, and resolved hundreds of disputes amicably and through arbitration.  Credentials have also included Certified Estate Planner, Registered Investment Advisor (Series 7 and Series 66) and licensed in insurance and certified in long-term care.

REAL ESTATE EXPERIENCE:

• Real Estate Negotiations (100′s of transactions)
  
• Drafted 100′s of Purchase & Sale Agreements, Amendments, Notes and Deeds of Trust, Real Estate Contracts, Commercial Purchase & Sale Agreements, Residential and Commercial Leases, D/T Foreclosures, R.E. Contract Forfeitures
  
• Regular Review of Appraisals, Loan Packages, Title Reports
  
• Worked extensively with Surveyors, Appraisers, Loan Officers
  
• Advised, Taught/Trained Real Estate Investors
  
• Analysis/Interpretation of Title Defects
  
• Purchase of Property as Principal for Undisclosed Agents
  
• Purchase of an entire residential City block of many houses for a hospital as Nominee
  
• Worked with county and state governments on many aspects of property development, wetlands, easements, condemnation, and private/public water systems and sewer/septic systems
  
• Worked with numerous county planning offices and hearing examiners
  
• Attended public county/state hearings and represented clients at both
  
• Personally closed 100′s of real estate transactions as an escrow agent (Attorney)
  
• Have been an advisor to escrow agents, title officers, and Realtors (including many Brokers)Have been involved in property condemnations, adverse possessions, and easements by prescription (have both resolved cases amicably and litigated others)
  
• Have worked with and represented homeowners’ associations
  
• Have done many public presentations and talks on real estate issues
  
• Have personally managed properties and advised residential and commercial landlords
  
• Have handled commercial (and residential) evictions
  
• Have personally put together complete loan packages on residential transactions
  
• Have advised clients on real property tax issues
  
• Have been an advisor to real estate developers
  
• Have litigated many real property disputes, including specific performance, adverse
  possession easement by prescription, boundary disputes, Purchase & Sale Agreement
  disputes, lease disputes, evictions, foreclosures, bankruptcy reliefs from stay, condemnation, partnership disputes, probates involving real estate, warranty of title claims, builder disputes, and liens.
• Have handled many residential transactions as a Realtor.
• Have handled residential development and farm transactions, including my last one for $7.8 million.
  

May 1, 1991 to January 1993 – Area Defense Counsel, Nellis Air Force Base, USAF, Feb. 1989 to May 1, 1991 – Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, Nellis AFB, USAF. Positions included:   Government Prosecutor, Chief of Claims, Chief of Legal Assistance, Chief of Preventive Law.

AWARDS/RIBBONS: Training Ribbon, Outstanding Unit Award, Achievement Medal, Commendation Medal, Expert Marksman Ribbon, National Defense Ribbon. Plaque for Outstanding Performance as a Judge Advocate.  Quote from Commendation Medal, “His management skills and determination were matched by his precision as a trial advocate.”

Chuck is primarily a Sequim Buyer’s Agent.