Archive for December, 2007
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Dec
30
Posted by Matt Thomson
Seems like everybody is doing a year in review series at this time of year. Makes sense, since the year is over. I was going to do the 2007 Gig Harbor Year in Review, but realized I didn’t keep any good notes and I’d be sure to leave something out, so I figured I’d let you all do the Year In Review for me!
I’ll get you started. I think Gig Harbor’s biggest 2007 story can be titled “Grand Openings.” In July, the LONG awaited opening of the 2nd Narrows Bridge occurred. Many weren’t happy, but I for one am perfectly willing to pay the toll in exchange for not having traffic. Besides, it was fun to watch it being built.
This summer also saw the opening of our own Gig Harbor YMCA, which is a facility that my family has come to love (my wife can take our newborn around the indoor track in her stroller, getting exercise without having to deal with the elements). We also opened the Gig Harbor Costco, another Thomson family favorite. Seriously, hotdog and a Coke for $1.50! Large pizza for $10! Men’s jeans for $12.96! 32 pounds of mustard for $8! Can’t be beat (that last one is a joke, by the way).
We also saw the opening of the new medical center on Pt. Fosdick, and the new Gig Harbor Borders Bookstore, Panera Bread Co, and others in the Uptown Center.
So what are your area news stories?
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Dec
28
Posted by Matt Thomson
I think New Year’s is one of the oddest holidays we celebrate. We’re not really celebrating anything. Christmas celebrates the birth of Christ; Easter is Christ’s resurrection; Veteran’s Day honors those who have so bravely served our country; Memorial Day those who died serving our great country. New Years? 12 months have passed! I don’t drink, and I love my job, so I guess I don’t get excited about another excuse to drink lots and skip a day of work. But that’s not what bothers me about New Years.
It’s the resolutions. Seems that everybody you run into, whether you know them or not, asks you what your resolutions are for the new year. Then there are the jokes about how long you’ll be able to keep those resolutions. Then the wise guy creatively comes up with the witty, “I resolve not to make any resolutions this year.” Seems more like GroundHog Day than New Years…the same thing over and over again.
That being said, I do like the “fresh start” of a new year. New goals (aren’t those just resolutions?), fresh slate in my P & L statement, another chance to have my “best year ever.” So what am I looking forward to in ‘08 (in no particular order)?
- Hearing the media say that the real estate market is making a comeback
- Gig Harbor High School winning a 4th straight state title in girls’ cross country
- My daughter’s first birthday…and first lots of other things
- Buying a rental property as my daughter’s college fund
- Watching Keller Williams Realty continue to grow and become the 3rd largest in the US
- Personally introducing other agents to Keller Williams and seeing that decision change their lives the way it has changed mine
- Putting more clients in their dream homes. Honestly, this business is not about commissions but about relationships.
- Making more friends through business…There are 4 families that I now consider good friends that I never would have met if not for real estate
- Helping my church, Believer’s Fellowship, tangibly impact the lives of several more Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula residents through heartfelt outreach…sometimes organized sometimes spontaneous
- Electing a new president…not so much a political statement as a desire for something new
- Carrying this blog to new levels…this is fun for me
I’m sure there’s much more I’m looking forward to, but those are what came to mind for me now. Anything you care to share in terms of what you are looking forward to in ‘08?
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Dec
26
Posted by Matt Thomson
I snapped this picture the day after Christmas. Beautiful sunshine soaked the Harbor, and this guy was lucky enough to be out and enjoy the day.
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Dec
26
Posted by Matt Thomson
My wife and I got to celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary last week. My wife’s sister was in town visiting her niece, so we got a free night of babysitting. My wife and I listed off all of the fancy restaurants we could visit, and decided on El Pueblito (I can almost hear our friends groaning at this point…”Try something new, will ya?!”).
El Pueblito is the best Mexican food restaurant I’ve ever been to. I lived in Santa Barbara, CA for 4 years, my dad lives near San Diego, my wife is from the Riverside, CA area, and I had to come to Gig Harbor to find great Mexican food. It’s not just that the food is great, but the service is unbelievable. Remember the show Cheers, when Norm would walk in and everybody yelled his name and even the song made you feel welcome? El Pueblito is our Cheers. We feel like part of their family.
After dinner, we circled the Harbor and found dessert at The Harbor Kitchen. Located right on the water at the far end of the literal Gig Harbor, just across from Finholm Market, The Harbor Kitchen is a great little eatery. Great views of the entire Harbor, good food, and a nice little atmosphere make this a great spot. We had a chocolate/white chocolate/peppermint cheesecake for dessert. For less than $5, there was enough for both of us and left overs to bring home to my sister-in-law. If you’re looking for an affordable meal or great, inexpensive dessert, Gig Harbor’s The Harbor Kitchen may be just the place for you!
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Dec
26
Posted by Matt Thomson
Yesterday was a perfect Christmas at our household. Our 3 month old daughter experienced her first Christmas, and we got a few hours of gentle snow to whiten the landscape a bit.
Now, it’s back to work. Supposedly, home sales pretty much dry up around the holidays then kick back in to gear at the start of the new year. But take at look at these Gig Harbor home sales. I’m going to run a 3 month consecutive to make the numbers make a bit more sense. In December of 2005, 62 homes sold in Gig Harbor. In January of ‘06, 34 homes sold, and 48 sold in Feb of ‘06. December of ‘06 saw 53 homes sell in Gig Harbor, followed by 24 in January of ‘07 and 54 in Feb of ‘07.
One thing to keep in mind with these numbers is that many of the homes sold in December probably were written under contract in October or November. Homes sold in January were written up end of November or December, most likely, and February home sales were probably seen by the buyers around Christmas time or early in the new year.
So what’s my point? Homes sell year round. Buyers are in town at odd times of the year. What’s the best time to put your home on the market? About 3-4 months before you want to be moved (taking into account our average days on market). Time of year means very little to me. The timing has to make sense to the seller.
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Dec
21
Posted by Matt Thomson
Recently one of this blog’s readers made mention of all of the new construction that is taking place in Gig Harbor. I thought I’d take a look at what has been happening in new home sales in Gig Harbor this year.
There are currently 124 homes on the market that list 2007 as their year built. These homes have an average list price of $833,503. 6 homes built in ‘07 are currently pending a sale, with an average price of $646,698. Only 20 homes built in ‘07 have sold in Gig Harbor this year (that number jumps to 81 if you count houses built in 2006). Of the homes built in ‘07 that have sold, their average sales price has been $664,835 (those same houses had an average list price of $685,313). When you look at both ‘06 and ‘07 built homes that have sold during 2007, those numbers jump dramatically to $731,517 for the average sales price, and $745,132 for their average list price. It’s pretty typical for homes built in a particular year to not sell until the following year, as you must take into account the time it takes to complete the house, so I believe that looking at the ‘06/’07 numbers for solds is more telling.
If you are interested in seeing our new construction inventory or touring any of these homes, please visit my website or contact me directly.
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Dec
21
Posted by Matt Thomson
Condos aren’t a really big part of the Gig Harbor real estate scene, but for those looking to buy a vacation home or second home in Gig Harbor, there are some condos that would be a great buy.
YTD in 2007, 51 condos have sold in Gig Harbor, ranging from $185,000 to $1.295M. Currently, there are 74 condos on the market ranging from $185,500 to $2.3M. Our condo market includes new construction units such as those found in McCormick Ridge, condo conversions such as the Harbor Glenn condos, established popular complexes such as Narrows View condos, and waterfront units like Herron Pointe and Edgewater Condos.
For a full list of condos for sale in Gig Harbor, you can visit my home search website or contact me directly. As a full service Realtor, I’d be happy to introduce you to Gig Harbor’s diverse, though sparse, condo market.
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Dec
20
Posted by Matt Thomson
A friend shared this video with me today. Following this advice is a sure fire way to get yourself out of debt. In this day of foreclosures, bankruptcies, out of control consumer debt, this is worth the 2:21 it takes to watch.
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Dec
20
Posted by Matt Thomson
Each year I give my clients a 12-month calendar featuring photos of Gig Harbor that I have taken throughout the year. If you are interested in a full size, high quality Gig Harbor calendar, I would be happy to get one to you. I would need $15 to cover printing costs, plus any shipping if you’re out of area. If you’re in the area, I’d be happy to drop one by for you. Just email me at mthomson@kw.com or give me a call at 253-226-7595 if you want one!
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Dec
19
Posted by Matt Thomson
I was chatting with some guys today who were lamenting no affordable homes in Gig Harbor. I quickly chimed in that I have a great rambler for sale for only $329,000. It wasn’t long before we all laughed at how $325,000 is now considered “affordable.” Only 7 years ago I bought my first home for $113,000, and that was a huge stretch for me.
So I wanted to take a look at what is available in our area for under $300,000. I knew that there weren’t many homes for sale in Gig Harbor in that price range, but I wanted to find out just what you could get.
There are 21 homes for sale in Gig Harbor for under $300,000 (I didn’t include condos or manufactured homes). They average 3 bedrooms, 1.75 bathrooms, with 1248 square feet as the median. Just south of Gig Harbor, 84 homes are for sale on the Key Peninsula for under $300,000. They also average 3bds, have 2 baths, and 1340 square feet. Just a few miles north, you can find 210 homes for sale in Port Orchard for under $300,000. On average, you have 3bds, 2baths, and 1592 square feet.
So is $300,000 affordable? Are those homes too small for the average family? This discussion could go on and on, with arguments on cost of living, taxes, jobs, etc. I hope Gig Harbor real estate never gets to the point where average families are priced out of the market. There is so much to enjoy here, and it is such a great community to raise a family in, that it’d be a shame if it became completely unaffordable. When I went to college in Santa Barbara, families were priced out of the market. Schools were shutting down due to under enrollment. We called it the town of the nearly wed (lots of college students) and the nearly dead (lots of retired folks…I know it’s politically incorrect, sorry). I don’t foresee Gig Harbor ever getting to that stage.
