Gig Harbor Undressed

A few open houses in Gig Harbor

I had to run this search a few times…only 4 open houses in Gig Harbor this weekend!  I had to go out to Olalla to grab a 4th!  There are just over 800 homes for sale in Gig Harbor at this time.  4 of those are open for viewing.  If you’d like to see any of the other 795+, give me a call, I’d be happy to chat with you about private showings!  I don’t think we could get that done in a weekend, though.

Click here for the interactive map of this weekend’s open houses.  As always, information is from the NWMLS and is reliable but not guaranteed.  I’m always available to answer questions about these or any other properties in the area.

“Come on dad! Faster!  I want to see that open house!”

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What is of value to you?

Real estate is a funny business.  I think many businesses are funny in this way, not just real estate.  We have classes, read books, blog back and forth, all in an attempt to discover the new and best ways to bring value to our clients.  I don’t know how often we actually ask home buyers and home sellers what they’re actually looking for, though.

This isn’t too different from when I was a school teacher.  We had in-service days, seminars, new tech programs, all designed to make the teachers’ lives easier.  I don’t think I was ever asked what I as a teacher actually needed.  I just sat there and listened to others tell me what their research told them I needed (wouldn’t solid research include asking me?).

Recently I received two odd pieces of mail, that combined with some mail that I sent out, really got me thinking about value.  I received an email from a Tacoma-based real estate company announcing that they’d be at a home show, and if I stopped by their booth and mentioned said email I’d “receive a free t-shirt and be the envy of my whole neighborhood.”  I don’t feel I live in a very snooty neighborhood, but it would take more than a real estate company’s t-shirt to make me the envy.  The second mailing I received came via US Mail from another real estate company.  I opened an envelop to find a sample-sized package of Shout-brand hand wipes scotch-taped to a letter saying that the agents at this well-known company were so great it made them want to shout, and if I wanted to know what all the shouting was about I should set up an appointment.

I had just sent out a series of mailings of 6 nice cards, each one with a different quality of Keller Williams Realty that I felt brought value to my business and allowed me to bring value to my clients.  My intent was to introduce the value of my company to agents at other companies.  My research was personal.  These cards that I mailed expressed the items of value that have tangibly grown my business.  I didn’t find any value in the t-shirt or the hand-wipes, and I wanted to send something that contained value.

But what about you?  I believe that the services I offer to my clients and prospective clients (including the information in this blog) are of value, but I don’t think I’ve ever really asked YOU what you’re looking for in a real estate professional.  I’m sure you get postcards and see smiling faces on shopping carts telling you how great various agents are, but have you ever been asked what is important to you?  I think I’m guilty of not having asked enough.  So now I’m asking.  If you’re reading this blog, you’re most likely interested either in Gig Harbor as a community or real estate in Gig Harbor or both.  What value have I brought you that you appreciate?  What other items of value could I add (either via this blog or otherwise) that you would appreciate?  Feel free to post your comments publicly or email them to me at mthomson@kw.com

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Homes for Sale in Gig Harbor

I was talking with somebody this past week who said they wanted to move to Gig Harbor, but claimed that there were no homes for sale in their price range.  I found that interesting.  They said they could go up to $375,000, but wanted to stay under $325,000 if possible.  I explained that Gig Harbor had several homes for sale in that price range, including some new constructions in North Gig Harbor, but they didn’t believe me I guess. 

There are currently 769 homes for sale in Gig Harbor (not including condos or multi-family homes, and not counting the Key Peninsula).  The chart below shows a breakdown of all of those homes by price range, with the 4 most flooded price ranges highlighted.  A number that surprised me was that the median price for homes in the Harbor right now is $619,000!  That’s median–average home price is well over $700k!   Yikes! 

If you’d like more information on these homes, or if you’d like a FREE, EASY way to keep track of our housing market, either give me a call or click on the “Home Buyer’s Scouting Report” buttons on the right scrollbar.  The HBSR is a great way to keep up on homes for sale in whatever criteria you set up, and there’s also the cool new feature that let’s you keep up on the SOLD homes in the area.  They’re both FREE, and they’re web and email based so you don’t have to worry about me bugging you.

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Driving tips

I love Washington.  I especially love Gig Harbor.  But of all the places I’ve lived, the drivers from this area are the worst I’ve ever seen.  Turn signals?  What are they?  Merging?  Still don’t get the concept.  Oh, left lane is fast, right lane is slow!  Round-abouts?  Don’t get me started.

Click here for an article from Teresa Boardman in St. Paul, MN, that puts frustrated drivers like myself in our place and brings perspective back to things.

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Gig Harbor’s Family Fun Fest just that

Gig Harbor’s inaugural Family Fun Fest, sponsored by the PenMet Parks foundation, lived up to its name.  It was a great event for local families.  Everything from a volleyball tournament, sack cloth races, bean bag tosses, hole in one chipping contests, bounce house, food, swings, you name it.  The weather couldn’t have been better, either.  Mid 70’s and nothing but sun.  I love Gig Harbor.  If you attended this event, I’d love to hear your thoughts.  I hope to be doing some future posts on all of the great new parks that are coming to Gig Harbor.

And a good time was had by all…

Well, almost by all.  Okay, this last shot has nothing to do with the Fun Festival, but I thought it was hilarious.  Thanks to dmontesino and Flickr for this image!

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Real estate auction in Gig Harbor

I attended my first ever real estate auction yesterday.  It wasn’t your typical show up at the court-house, quietly place your bid, and hope you win type of auction.  This one was in the driveway of one of the homes being auctioned.  There was an auctioneer from Texas or Oklahoma that liked to sound like Elmer Fudd in between calling out the prices (aba-dee, abba-dee, dadada, 75!).  He had an assistant who was running around the crowd yelling like somebody kept goosing him (”Ha” “Hey” “Up”!).  It was all quite exciting. 

About 50-60 folks showed up to bid on two homes, one in University Place (over by Tacoma), the other was the site property here in Gig Harbor.  I decided to bid to see if I could get a deal.   I figured the UP house would be worth about $215,000 after you put about $35,000 into fixing it up.  I thought if I could buy it for around $60k, that’d be a nice investment.  It sold for $172,000.  I figured the Gig Harbor home would be a nice move-up property if I could get it for around $300,000 (It’s probably worth about $425,000-$440,000).  It sold for $353,000 to somebody who plans on living there, not making it an investment (imagine that…living in a home.  WOW!).  Both of these sales still need to be approved by the banks who own the homes, but seeing as how banks don’t like owning homes and they do like getting money, I’d guess they’ll take the offers.

It’s not fun knowing that folks are losing their homes.  It is fun seeing people get great values on new homes.  The auction itself was kind of fun.  Lots of different people with different goals and different expectations of how the day would go.  Some wanted to buy a home to “flip.”  Others hoped to get a home to live in at a great deal.  Others (like me) went to see if we could get lucky and catch a good deal.  Others I think really thought they’d buy a house yesterday for $25k or $100k (the opening bids).  It was interesting. 

There are some great deals to be had in Gig Harbor real estate right now, even without Elmer Fudd stirring up your adrenaline.  If you’re thinking of moving up, downsizing, or picking up some investment properties, let me know.  I’d love to help.

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Gig Harbor Open Houses

The sun’s back out and the temps are back up.  After going to the Family Fun Fest tomorrow, why not check out a few open houses?  There are 11 properties in Gig Harbor, Fox Island, Olalla area that are open this weekend.  Click here to view the interactive map.  If you find something you like, or if you have any questions regarding real estate in Gig Harbor, please give me a call.

Gig Harbor Lighthouse will not be open this weekend.  Homes listed on the map will.  Information is taken from the NWMLS and is reliable but not guaranteed. 

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Gig Harbor Family Fun Fest!

Gig Harbor’s sense of community is one of the major factors in what draws people to move here.  With summer rapidly drawing to an end (okay, with the weather this week you may think that summer’s already over, but it looks like the sun is making a comeback!), Gig Harbor and the PenMet Parks has come up with the inaugural Gig Harbor Family Fun Fest!

This Saturday (August 23rd) from 10am-2pm at Goodman MS and Harbor Heights Elementary School, bring the whole family and enjoy some fun.  For more information, visit the PenMet Parks website.

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Voting today for local and state offices

When I started this blog, I was advised to not write about politics or any other potentially divisive issues.  But today is election day in Gig Harbor and much of Washington.  We have our first pick 2 primaries, where the top 2 vote getters, regardless of party affiliation, move on.  I think it’s a pretty cool system. 

I take the right to vote pretty seriously.  I think it’s a great privilege, and I believe that those of us who can vote should.  That being said, here are two issues I ran into today that I wanted to vent about. 

1. While at the polling station, an elderly man came in and announced to everyone that he doesn’t know how the polls work, and he doesn’t care.  “Just put a check mark next to all the Democrats so we can run the *7%$#! Republicans outta here.”  Great, thanks for voting.  Party politics stink.  Your character, your beliefs, your competency, your standards, none of that matters.  It only matters if you have a (D) or an (R) next to your name.  Fantastic.  Glad our soldiers are fighting so folks can vote their ignorance.
2. I was divided on a local race.  My mind was made up on my way to the polls.  The picture below was the deciding factor for me.  One candidate shows enough fiscal and personal responsibility to not spend wads of money littering the streets of Gig Harbor, the other turns Gig Harbor into her personal dumping ground.  Is this junior high?  Are you really going to get votes because you have the most and the coolest signs?  This candidate’s decision to litter caused me to vote for Larry Seaquist.  I hope she picks up all her signs after the election.

That’s all the politics I’ll speak.  I hope nobody was offended.  I hope I didn’t lose any readers or potential clients.  I hope you vote if you’re eligible. 

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A different view of Gig Harbor real estate

Mondays are the day that I give an overview of the Gig Harbor real estate market.  This past week, however, I did a few real estate reviews, so I thought I’d give you a little different look at real estate in Gig Harbor.

Gig Harbor is not just home to us people.  Houses in Gig Harbor come in all shapes and sizes, and the occupants are just as unique.  Take a look at these photos taken around Gig Harbor and Fox Island capturing some of Gig Harbor’s sea creatures in their homes. 

This giant octopus was estimated at 10′ across!  All of these photos are courtesy of Dan Hershman and published on this site with written permission.  Please respect his photos and do not use them without permission.  To view more of his incredible photos featuring sea life all around the Puget Sound, visit his website at www.hershmanphoto.com

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