Gig Harbor Undressed

Must be a full moon in Gig Harbor

I don’t think this is a good sign, but I haven’t written a post in 3 days and nobody’s said anything to me or asked if I was okay.  Oh well.

I am amazed, still, at the staunch hold incorrect information has on so many home buyers in our area.  It doesn’t matter how many times I show people actual numbers, the real numbers on home sales in Gig Harbor, there is still a collection of folks who insist that our housing market has collapsed.  In ‘06, Gig Harbor’s median home sales price was $450,000.  In ‘07, the number dropped a whopping $2000 to $448,000.  The number of home sales has slipped slightly, while the number of homes for sale in Gig Harbor continues to climb.

If you are looking to sell your Gig Harbor House, this is not the best time in the past 3 years, but it’s still a fine time.  You just need to make sure that you are priced right, in tip-top showing condition, and have a very comprehensive, well thought out marketing plan in place.  If you are looking to buy, how is this not the right time?  Whether you believe the national media that says the sky is falling, or you believe the actual numbers that show prices leveling, it is still obvious that price appreciation has slowed drastically compared to the previous few years.  There is no indication that prices will fall further, which means that home prices in Gig Harbor are most likely as low now as you’ll ever see.  Interest rates are as low now as we’ve ever seen.  According to the dooms day criers, many people moving to Western Washington are choosing to rent rather than buy, some due to the mortgage crunch, others due to fear of the housing market.  Sooo…if home prices are down, interest rates are down, housing inventory is up, demand for rentals is up, isn’t this a great time to look into buying some rental properties?  Isn’t this a great time to move into your dream home or the next home on the ladder to your dream home? 

Many folks say I only talk like this because I’m a Realtor, and I have to say this or I won’t get paid.  How many referrals do you suppose I’ll get from the family to whom I sell a home that declines in value?  How much repeat business do you supposed I’d get if all my clients had to foreclose due to bad advice I gave?  Selling people on hype and lies won’t gain me business, it would destroy my business. 

Anyways, enjoy the photo I took of the full moon while I was walking through Canterwood.