Californians who buy a home in Sequim or Port Angeles typically close the transaction long distance.  This means you will need some serious, competent, and trustworthy help with details you will not be able to physically attend to. Between the time of mutual acceptance (offer, counteroffer, counter to the counter) and the closing date, there are many details and you definitely want someone you can count on to be your Sequim Transaction Coordinator. (Read this article on the importance of a transaction coordinator.)
Beyond the real estate transaction details, many buyers will want to have some work done after closing but before they move to Sequim and into their retirement dream home.  There may be a need for new carpet, new hardwood flooring, remodeling in the house, concrete repair, roof work, landscaping, sprinkler system repair, septic system work, hot tub repair, heating system or heat pump repairs, cabinet replacement, countertop upgrades, and so on.
So the question comes up, “Since I don’t know anyone in Sequim yet, how do I find good help in Sequim, someone I can trust to be honest with me on their fees, and someone who is really good at what they do and will do a good job even though I’m still in California?”
This is a wise question to raise for any buyer from out of state. Let’s face it, not all help, not all professionals are fair with their fees and will do the highest quality of work with you not here and no one supervising. Yesterday I met with a hardwood installer, and we chatted about the challenges we both face in our businesses. Honest and competent workers in every field can tell stories about how some in their industry will cut corners, over charge, and take advantage of out of state clients.
There are a hundreds ways to cut corners for a hardwood installer, a roofer, a siding installer, a carpet layer, a contractor, a sprinkler system man, a landscaper, and . . . well, you get the idea. The problem is that you, the customer who paid for these services, will not know if the work was done correctly until months or sometimes years later when the problems start showing up. I’ve written elsewhere about the most important issues to address if you are from out of the area, Avoiding Real Estate Nightmares.
What can you do if you need a good referral for work in Sequim or Port Angeles? I recommend doing your due diligence on the Internet. It’s a powerful free tool. But even the Internet does not answer all questions, especially on professionals who don’t have an Internet presence. I would suggest you email me or call me so we can talk about your needs and who might best fill those needs. This is another free service offered by Sequim Real Estate Broker and Realtor Chuck Marunde. It would be my pleasure to help, so don’t hesitate to contact me.
Last Updated on July 27, 2012 by Chuck Marunde
That’s so generous of you, Chuck, to give your personal time in recommending honest contractors.
I agree that the internet is a great resource in researching products and services. It’s the easiest venue for people who feel that they’ve been cheated to vent out their anger and frustration and warn others not to have the same fate (the reverse is also true with VERY HAPPY customers)…
But not everything can be found online or sometimes it’s really hard to find the information you want from all the spam and clutter. Also, you won’t really know if the statements you find are from honest people or just part of a propaganda.
There are lots of venting spaces out there but I think it’s better if there’s a website dedicated only for a region.