Archive for October, 2007
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Oct
31
Posted by Matt Thomson
To the delight of some Gig Harbor residents and the dismay of others, Borders Books is now open in Gig Harbor’s new Uptown Shopping Center on Pt. Fosdick Drive. Borders is the first store to open in the new shopping mall that some say is long over due and others argue is out of place in our little community.
Borders should provide a great place for residents to not only purchase books, magazines, and music, but also provide a great gathering spot as well. The Harbor’s smaller, privately owned bookstores should still be able to flourish due to their waterfront locations (high foot traffic) and quaint, tourist-friendly atmospheres.
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Oct
29
Posted by Matt Thomson
Here’s a quick look at home sales over the past six months in our area. For a quarterly look, please visit my other website.
Market Overview
Area Homes Sold Med. List $ Med. Sales $ DOM High $ Low $
Gig Harbor 370 $459,500 $454,500 66 $3.1M $109,000
Port Orchard 483 $294,950 $293,500 66 $900,000 $65,000
Key Peninsula 167 $239,900 $239,950 75 $1.575M $81,000
Olalla 35 $325,000 $310,000 67 $1.1M $133,394
*DOM refers to median days a home was active on the market
*Statistics taken from NWMLS
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Oct
27
Posted by Matt Thomson
This week’s featured Gig Harbor neighborhood is Whitley Hills. Whitley Hills has consistently been one of Gig Harbor’s most highly sought after non-gated communities. Perhaps it’s the classic neighborhood feeling, the quiet cul-de-sacs, the close proximity to schools, or the wide territorial views that make this such a desirable area to live.
The majority of homes in this neighborhood were built in the early through mid 1990’s, although the Madrona section of Whitley Hills was being developed in the early 2000’s. Homes in this neighborhood have a very Northwest feel to their design, and are situated on 1/3–3/4 acre lots for the most part. Pocket cul-de-sacs scattered throughout this neighborhood keep a quaint and neighborly feel despite the large size. There are two entrances to Whitley Hills off of 40th Street, just west of Artondale Elementary School.
Currently there are only six homes for sale in Whitley Hills, ranging from $399,950 to $590,000, with a median price of $544,500.
Main benefits include:
- Quiet, low traffic streets
- Well maintained homes and yards
- Some territorial views
- Close to schools and Fox Island boat launch
- Friendly, neighborly atmosphere
For information on homes for sale in Whitley Hills, please email me at mthomson@kw.com or view the homes on my website.
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Oct
27
Posted by Matt Thomson
If you’re looking for fun, safe options for trick-or-treating this Halloween, Gig Harbor has several good options. If the weather is good, one of the most popular spots is Trick-or-treat in the Harbor. Merchants all along the downtown Gig Harbor waterfront will be ready to pass out treats to the kids. In addition, the Gig Harbor Police Department will have cookies, cider, and hot chocolate for the kids at Skanskie Park. This event runs from 3-6pm on Halloween night.
One of Gig Harbor’s newest housing developments, Harbor Crossing, will be hosting a trick-or-treat on the 27th and 28th from 3-6pm. Harbor Crossing is located right behind the Target shopping center in Gig Harbor North. Look for homes with pumpkins on the porch for your kids to get their treats.
If you’d rather stay out of the elements, the Best Western Wesely Inn will be hosting their inaugural Boo-Bash on Halloween night from 4-7pm.
Believer’s Fellowship church (located on Hunt St directly across from the TCC campus) hosts their annual Harvest Party from 6:30-8:30pm. This is a great time for games, contests, and lots of candy.
All of these events are free and open to anybody. Be safe and have fun!
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Oct
25
Posted by Matt Thomson
Last December my wife and I found out what a Gig Harbor winter can do. The photo below is of a 110 ft. fir that toppled through our master bedroom during the windstorm on December 15th. Fortunately, our dogs roused us from our sleep just before the tree hit, so we were out of the room. This year, we’re preparing by having our trees trimmed up and made safe. Here are some thoughts that Matt Sorensen of West Coast Home Inspection has on making sure your home is ready for the elements.
“It seems that I woke last week and fall was here. The summer season came and went so fast that it doesn’t seem possible that October has almost come and gone but the calendar never lies. I hope that you all had a great summer season as we did here at WestCoast Home Inspection (thanks in large part to you). It is once again time to do some home maintenance items as well. After the wind storm last week, it is a great time to get up on the roof and check for damage, and remove debris from the roof and gutters. At my house the wind blew so hard it pulled the attic cover up and blew insulation throughout the upstairs hall. Up into the attic I went to re-spread the insulation and reset the cover. While I was up there I checked the exhaust fan ducts and looked for any signs of leaking. Then it was down into the crawlspace to check the under side insulation and look for any signs of plumbing leaks and infestation. Not much fun (in fact a lot like work for me) but necessary. Our homes are our biggest investments by and large, maintaining them is money in the bank.”
Contact Archon Tree Service if you have trees that you are concerned about.
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Oct
24
Posted by Matt Thomson
Gig Harbor may not be among the nation’s most recognized spots for fall colors, but our falls here are beautiful. As you can see, it doesn’t rain here all of the time! There’s no place more beautiful than the Harbor’s waterfront on a sunny fall day!
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Oct
23
Posted by Matt Thomson
Keller Williams Realty’s Gig Harbor branch hosted a Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Awareness luncheon today at their Burnham Drive office. The lunch, which was supplied pot luck style by the KW agents, drew a crowd of realtors from several offices, title and mortgage reps, as well as agent clients and community members as a whole. $5 got the attendees all they could eat, and there was some good eating!
At Keller Williams, part of our mission statement is to create lives worth living, and we believe that means making a very real and positive impact on our community. This past winter, the Gig Harbor KW office hosted their first ever auction, and raised $20,000 for the Boys’ and Girls’ Club that hopes to open soon in the Harbor. Today’s luncheon had a goal of raising $500 to support breast cancer research.
It is events such as this that make me proud to work and live where I do!
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Oct
22
Posted by Matt Thomson
Gig Harbor’s newest grocery store has set itself apart from their competition. Harbor Greens is a local success story in every aspect. Co-owners Chad Roy and Scott Teodoro are both locally raised, and they like their produce that way as well.
If you are looking for the best, biggest, and least expensive produce, Harbor Greens is the place to find it. Even the experience of wandering through the market, sampling their fruits, veggies, and cheeses, is worth the trip.
You may want to visit the market during your lunch hour, as their made on the spot sandwiches are quite literally in a league of their own. The freshness, quality of products, and size of a Harbor Greens sandwich will keep you coming back, I’m sure.
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Oct
20
Posted by Matt Thomson
Each week I’d like to take a look at the local real estate market. There are many different ways of analyzing a market, and I’ll employ many different ways over the weeks. This week I’d like to look at our housing inventory. Gig Harbor real estate expert and fellow Keller Williams agent Mike Esteb taught me the formula used here that shows our market conditions as a “buyer’s market,” “seller’s market,” or “balanced market.” By looking at the ratio of homes with pending sales vs. homes actively for sale, we can determine what our market conditions are. A ratio of 0-45% of pending homes vs. homes for sale indicates a buyer’s market. 46%-55% indicates a balanced market, while 56% and above indicates a seller’s market.
Below you can see that Gig Harbor is firmly in a buyer’s market both with homes and condos. This is great news for buyers, as it provides the best opportunity in several years to invest in Gig Harbor real estate. It’s not bad news for sellers, though. Homes are still selling, and prices are still rising. It simply means that sellers must price their home right initially and make sure their home is getting full exposure to the most amount of buyers. For more information on this chart, what it means, how to read it, and other ways of evaluating our market, please email me at mthomson@kw.com.
|
Price
Range |
Homes for
Sale |
Homes Pending
Sale |
Ratio
|
|
$100,000-$199,000
|
3
|
1
|
33%
|
|
$200,000-$299,000
|
27
|
8
|
30%
|
|
$300,000-$399,000
|
101
|
7
|
7%
|
|
$400,000-$499,000
|
97
|
6
|
6%
|
|
$500,000-$599,000
|
77
|
8
|
10%
|
|
$600,000-$699,000
|
75
|
5
|
7%
|
|
$700,000-$799,000
|
76
|
3
|
4%
|
|
$800,000-$899,000
|
49
|
3
|
6%
|
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$900,000-$999,999
|
27
|
0
|
0%
|
|
$1M-$1.5M
|
55
|
1
|
2%
|
|
$1.5M–↑
|
39
|
0
|
0%
|
|
TOTAL
|
626
|
42
|
7%
|
|
Price
Range |
Condos for
Sale |
Condos Pending
Sale |
Ratio
|
|
$100,000-$199,000
|
1
|
1
|
100%
|
|
$200,000-$299,000
|
35
|
1
|
3%
|
|
$300,000-$399,000
|
10
|
0
|
0%
|
|
$400,000-$499,000
|
13
|
1
|
8%
|
|
$500,000-$599,000
|
8
|
0
|
0%
|
|
$600,000-$699,000
|
3
|
0
|
0%
|
|
$700,000-$799,000
|
1
|
0
|
0%
|
|
$1.5M–↑
|
1
|
0
|
0%
|
|
TOTAL
|
72
|
3
|
4%
|
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Oct
19
Posted by Matt Thomson
I was recently asked “Where is the best place in Gig Harbor to live?” That’s sort of like taking me to an ice cream store and asking me what’s good. Gig Harbor has many neighborhoods that will appeal to all different types of buyers. Waterfront, waterview, gated, family-oriented, there’s really a place for everyone.
I’m going to introduce one of Gig Harbor’s premier neighborhoods each week, and let you choose where the best place to live is! This week I’ll feature Canterwood.
Canterwood is an exclusive Golf club located in the North side of Gig Harbor. With 4 gated entries, 3 requiring gate openers and 1 that is staffed, Canterwood exudes privacy, saftey, and luxury. Hundreds of homes surround the 18-hole championship course on this 700+ acre site. One of my favorite aspects of this great community is that the homes here are not “cookie-cutter.” Styles, sizes, building materials, landscaping, and lot lay-outs vary from home to home, providing a residence for any taste.
Canterwood is very conveniently located in the booming Gig Harbor North. Residents are within walking distance of the new YMCA, the soon to open Costco, Target, Home Depot, grocery stores, and more. Despite this proximity, the lush grounds of Canterwood make you feel like you are miles away from anything.
There are currently 50 homes for sale in Canterwood, ranging from $470,000 through $2.595M! The median asking price is $907,700, which gives a nice glimpse into the exclusivity of homes in Canterwood. For a full list of all of the homes listed for sale in Canterwood, you can email me at mthomson@kw.com or search on my website.
Top Canterwood Benefits:
- Gated entrance
- Large lot sizes
- Unique homes
- Golf course community
- Located near many ammenities
