Archive for June, 2008
-->
Jun
30
Posted by Matt Thomson
The NWMLS recently made a few changes to the terminology of home listings that will affect what buyers see when they’re searching for homes for sale in Gig Harbor, Fox Island, Port Orchard, or any other area serviced by the NWMLS.
In the past, a home that was on the market was listed as “Active,” a home that had an agreed upon contract that was subject to the buyers’ inspection was “Active-STI,” and homes that were through the inspection stage and waiting for the financing and other final details to be ironed out was considered “Pending.”
“Active” hasn’t changed, and “Pending” is still the same, but “Active-STI” has been replaced by 3 more specific terms. “Pending Inspection” refers to a home that has an accepted offer but still subject to the buyers’ home inspection. “Pending Feasibility” refers to a property in which the buyers have requested a “Feasibility period,” which generally means that the buyers want to make sure that the property can be used for the purposes for which they intend (if they want to build on a vacant lot, remodel or rebuild a home, turn a residence into a business, etc). Finally, “Pending–BU Requested” means that the home has an accepted offer, but the sellers are open to receiving back up offers. As our home inventory has risen and the mortgage market become more unstable, more contracts seem to be falling apart than in the past, so sellers want to have their home continue to be marketed until the sale is final.
Homes that were “Active–STI” used to show up on home search websites (with their status revealed), but it now appears that homes that are “Pending Inspection” and the other pendings no longer show up. Only homes that are active are showing up in the home search sites (at least the ones that I tried). If you have been tracking a home, or are interested in the status of a home in your neighborhood, I’d be happy to look up the status for you if you’re unable to find it on your home search site.
Please don’t hesitate to call or email with any real estate questions or needs that you may have. It’s my job, but it’s also my pleasure. Below is a chart that shows the total number of homes for sale in Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, and Key Peninsula in a week by week study of ‘08.
-->
Jun
28
Posted by Matt Thomson
It’s getting hot in Gig Harbor. Gig Harbor’s summers are tough to beat, with temps usually in the 70’s and blue skies and blue waters and deep green trees all around. Top that off with the snow capped Olympics on one side and snowy Mt Rainier on the other, and I have yet to be anywhere more beautiful than Gig Harbor in the summer. We’re experiencing hotter than hot now though, with temps in the low to mid 90’s. Yuck. I thought this photo was kind of neat, with the clouds looking like licking flames. Okay, maybe it’s not that hot…
-->
Jun
28
Posted by Matt Thomson
Harbor Greens Market turned one year old today. They had a great brat BBQ to celebrate, and with temps soaring near 90, it was a perfect day to be outside with somebody else at the hot grill. You’ve got until 4pm this afternoon to join them.
If you’re looking for the best in local flowers, fruits, veggies, meats, and more, Gig Harbor’s Harbor Greens Market is far and away the best market in the area.
-->
Jun
27
Posted by Matt Thomson
There are several open houses in the Gig Harbor and Fox Island area this weekend. With temps expected to hit 90, why don’t you hop into your air-conditioned car and tour some great area homes? I’ve added one home (#5 on the map) that is a bit out of the area because it’s right next to a home I have listed for sale. If you’re looking for a large, new home just minutes from Long Lake recreation area and less than 15 minutes from the Gig Harbor North area, you should check out the SouthLake Ridge neighborhood. You get way more home for way less money and lower taxes! The home I have listed there even has views of Mt Rainier and the Olympic Mountains! Click on the map below for open house details, including date and time, price, and the listing agents’ info.
The info contained here is from the NWMLS and is reliable but not guaranteed. If you ever see any homes for sale that interest you, I’d be happy to interview with you to see if I can help you in the purchase (or sale) of your Gig Harbor home.
-->
Jun
27
Posted by Matt Thomson
I read lots of blogs each day. For some reason, all the blogs I read this morning were angry and argumentative. I’m happy to note that I didn’t leave a single comment, which is sometimes hard for me. I wanted to change my mood after reading those posts, so I thought I’d post a little therapy photo from Gig Harbor. I love it here.
Ahhhh…much better. Thanks to Jan Pauw for sending this on to me.
-->
Jun
26
Posted by Matt Thomson
I attended a meeting at the Gig Harbor Civic Center last week and was reminded of a great place for kids and families to hang out. Adjacent to the Civic Center (which also houses the Gig Harbor Police Department) is the Gig Harbor skate park. I’ve seen kids of all ages zipping around the skate park. Moms and dads can take the smaller kids to play on the playground at the site as well, making it a very family friendly, and very beautiful, environment.
The Gig Harbor Civic Center, skate park, and playground is bordered on one side by a small but pretty trail system, and on the other side by the Kimball shopping center, which includes a great Teriyaki spot, Burger King, and my favorite, Kimball’s Espresso. Kimball’s Espresso recently received their state liquor license, and they are serving wine and beer in addition to their coffee drinks and the famous (in my mind) yoguccinos. If you’re looking for a great way to spend an afternoon in Gig Harbor, check out the Civic Center’s play area. Click here for a map of the area.
-->
Jun
25
Posted by Matt Thomson
I’m happy now. I love softball. I’m not sure what it is that I love so much, but I just love playing. Yesterday was the first game of the season for our team, the Believer’s Fellowship Harborites. At 6:15pm, we gathered at Harbor Ridge Middle School underneath a glorious sun filled sky. You know that picture you always see of Gig Harbor, the one with the boats on the harbor and Mt Rainier in the background? That’s the view from Harbor Ridge.
With temps in the 70’s our team met up with the folks from United Methodist Church. They can hit. They can hit far. They did hit far. At the end of 1 1/2 innings, we were down 8-0 thanks to 3 balls that they hit over the trees that make up the outfield fence. I was ready to bench our pitcher, Phil Hoffman (owner of Phil’s Landscaping in Gig Harbor; not the most creative name but certainly one of the most creative and best landscapers in Gig Harbor), but he’s a nice guy and I can’t pitch, so I figured might as well leave him in there.
I’m happy to report that even down 8-0, we were still all having fun. We’ve got a great group of guys and gals on our team this year, and while we weren’t thrilled about getting trounced, we were still having fun. To make a long story less long, Phil settled in, our defense woke up (minus my 2 errors at short), and our bats woke up (well, Steve Harlander’s bat did…he’s a member of one of our vocal teams at church and an auto mechanic who was complaining about old age, but he didn’t look too old crushing a ball over the right field fence trees and later legging out a triple to center). Steve and recent GHHS grad Brandon Mower kind of kept us in things. We entered the bottom of the 7th (we only play 7 in softball) down 10-9, and a 2-RBI double by Scott Mower gave us a walk off win. Fun stuff!
There aren’t too many good softball fields in Gig Harbor, but I think there are some proposed parks that are working on that. Harbor Ridge is beautiful, but the infield is kind of like concrete. One of my errors was a result of me being in perfect position to field the ball, then having the ball hit a rock and bounce up off of my forearm (my other error is the result of me not being able to catch a pop up…ooops). The sunshine, the folks, and the game made for a perfect day. I love softball, and I love summer in Gig Harbor! You can follow all of the league’s action at our new website, www.ghcsl.org
Lighthouse Christian School principal Tim Hoy preps to hit a 6th inning double to help bring us back in the game.
It looks like Jay Buhner’s out of retirement, but really it’s Scott Mower, on his way to hit the walk-off double that gave us the 11-10 win.
“Mommy, why doesn’t daddy catch the ball? All the other people are catching it?”
Our only fan trying to figure out this funny game.
-->
Jun
24
Posted by Matt Thomson
When I first started writing this blog, I was featuring different neighborhoods around Gig Harbor. I’m not really sure why I went away from that. In the past few weeks, I have sold two homes in adjacent neighborhoods to folks who found me via this blog. That’s pretty exciting for me, for the new home owners, and for the sellers of those homes as well. If you own a home in Gig Harbor and are thinking of selling, you may want to keep that in mind…this blog is a powerful marketing tool for Gig Harbor real estate.
Okay, back to the neighborhoods. Just down Rosedale street from Gig Harbor High School and Chapel Hill Pres Church sits two beautiful gated neighborhoods. Rosedale Ridge is a larger neighborhood, consisting of 4 streets and approximately 60 homes. Millbrooke is a smaller neighborhood, comprised of only 1 street and 16 homes. Both neighborhoods are swarming with kids of all ages, which was perfect for my two clients as one family has 4 kids and one has 2 kids. These neighborhoods are close to schools, and only minutes from Gig Harbor’s downtown waterfront area.
Millbrooke currently has 3 homes for sale, ranging from $590,000-$639,000. This is perhaps my favorite neighborhood in all of Gig Harbor. I love the way the homes sit on the lots. Sorry for taking the photo on trash day!
Rosedale Ridge is just down the street from Millbrooke, larger, and many homes have views of the Olympic Mountains. There is even a nice community play park area. There are also 3 homes for sale in Rosedale Ridge, ranging from $539,950-$679,950. There are homes in the $400k’s from time to time, offering a more affordable option.
Click here for a map of these neighborhoods.
If you are looking to buy a home in Gig Harbor, or if you have a home to sell in Gig Harbor, please give me a call. I’d be happy to discus my services with you.
-->
Jun
23
Posted by Matt Thomson
Every Monday I like to run a report on the Gig Harbor real estate market. After all, since I’m a real estate agent in Gig Harbor, it seems as though I should keep folks up to date on our housing market. 
I felt like posting a picture this week, instead. I’ll try and tie it in to real estate.
This is a shot of a worker on the new Tacoma Narrows Bridge that was sent to me by another Keller Williams agent. I didn’t think I was afraid of heights, but after looking at this picture I think that I am. I’d rather help folks buy and sell houses…in any market…than do this guy’s job. With the new bridge open, even with the $2.50 toll, Gig Harbor has become an even more attractive and desirable place to live. All of the great things that make Gig Harbor are still available, now without the awful commute. Thanks bridge guys!
-->
Jun
20
Posted by Matt Thomson
There are some really nice homes for sale in Gig Harbor, and many of them are open for viewing this weekend. A few that I’d recommend are a nicely remodeled waterfront home for only $494,000 (#7 on the map). Well worth seeing if you’re looking for a fun waterfront get away. There’s also a really cool “Green-built” home right in the downtown Gig Harbor area (#8 on the map). If nothing else, it’s fun to see how energy efficient and environmentally friendly a home can be. You may also want to check out the great new construction homes just behind the North Crescent Lake neighborhood (#13 on the map). I think you’ll like the unique floor plans of these homes.
Click on the map below to see home details, open house date and time, and the listing agent of the home. This information is from the NWMLS and is reliable but not guaranteed. If there are homes that you are interested in viewing, but the open house dates don’t work for you or the home you want to view isn’t being held open, please contact me. I’m more than happy to show folks the fine homes for sale in Gig Harbor. It’s my job as a real estate agent, but it’s also my pleasure.
