Buying a home in Gig Harbor, WA
Buying a home is a huge decision. Homes are definitely financial investments, but they are emotional investments as well. So much thought goes into buying a home. I work with several buyers who are moving to Gig Harbor from out of state, and that can make learning the buyers’ needs a little bit more tricky. Often times I’m unable to ascertain what is truly important to a buyer until we’ve walked through a few homes together and I can listen to their likes, dislikes, and concerns. Often times buyers aren’t really sure of what they want until they experience it.
Size, number of rooms, etc are pretty standard across the board. So what are some factors to consider when purchasing a home in Gig Harbor?
- Truly usable rooms. A home may be listed as a 3 bedroom, but it may actually have 4 or 5 bedrooms. Why? Nearly all of our homes are on septic systems here, and if you only have a 3 bedroom approved septic, you have a 3 bedroom house. Look in the marketing remarks for “bonus room” or “office/den.” Often times those will be clues that the home is larger than it may appear.
- Views. Gig Harbor homes have several different categories of views, including “Sound,” “Mountain,” “Partial,” and “Territorial.” I’m frequently amazed at the amount of waterfront and waterview homes that are available for sale in Gig Harbor.
“Sound” views will be looking out at one area of the Puget Sound. Take a look at any map of Gig Harbor and you’ll see that we’re surrounded by the Sound (that’s why we’re a peninsula!). “Mountain” views will either refer to the stunning sunrise views of Mt Rainier, or breathtaking sunset views of the Olympic Mountains. Both are gorgeous, and both will often have water views as well. “Territorial” views are more subjective. We have several forests, green belts, and valleys in Gig Harbor that are beautiful to look out upon. Those are “Territorial.” “Partial” views are up to the discernment of the agent. Some say if you can see a hint of blue through the trees when you’re squinting at noon time, it counts as a partial view. Others feel that if it’s even somewhat obstructed by trees or rooftops, it’s partial. If you see “View” in the remarks but there’s no photos, probably not a sweeping view! 
- Schools. All of Gig Harbor is part of the Peninsula School District, however there are certain schools within the district that are more highly sought after than others. My daughter is nowhere near school aged yet, so I have no first hand experience with the schools, but I have a hard time believing that one is that different from the others. I certainly can’t imagine moving from one area of Gig Harbor to another to get into a different school. But again, I can’t really speak to this. Check with the PSD to find out which schools have which programs, what their test scores are, and what areas those schools service.
- Commute time. Many Gig Harbor residents work in Seattle or Tacoma. From HWY 16, it’s really not that bad of a drive, and there are public transit options as well. But some areas of Gig Harbor (especially Fox Island), can be a 20 minute or more commute just to hit HWY 16. If you’ll be commuting frequently, you may want to consider living closer to freeway access. For example, the home I recently listed in Port Orchard is closer to Tacoma than a home I sold this past summer on Fox Island. If you’re not sure where a house sits, or how long it will take to get to the freeway, just ask!
Obviously these are just a few of the things to consider when buying a home. I’m not even getting into the considerations of when to buy, or how to go about making an offer. Most consumers are tired of hearing real estate agents scream “BUY NOW,” so I won’t. Remember, prices may or may not be at their low point (I don’t think that they are). However, unless you’re planning on buying with cash, I’d consider moving sooner than later. The government isn’t making home loans any easier. Despite the needs, and despite their claims, financing a home is actually getting more difficult. If you are moving to Gig Harbor, or considering a move within the area, I’d be more than happy to talk through all of the different buying options!
