Archive for the ‘Real Estate’ Category
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Apr
16
Posted by Matt Thomson

I just listed this gorgeous waterfront property in Gig Harbor, WA. 1.14 acres, 129′ of sandy beach, views that extend forever. A savvy buyer will grab this property in today’s buyer’s market and turn it into an amazing waterfront estate.

Click on the photo for full details.
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Apr
11
Posted by Matt Thomson
Wow! The weather is cooperating again which means that this weekend would be a great weekend for touring some of the homes for sale in Gig Harbor, Wa. With sunny skies and temps nearing 70, moving to Gig Harbor never looked better!
Here is the list of open houses in the Gig Harbor area this weekend. Simply click on the interactive map and hover your mouse above any of the push-pins to get info on the home, date and time of the open, and the listing agent of the home. Be sure to scroll out and pan around to make sure you get all of the homes!

Remember, I am not the listing agent on all of these homes, but as a licensed Realtor I can answer all of your questions about these and any other properties listed for sale in the Gig Harbor area. If you see anything you like, or need more information, please give me a call or email me.
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Apr
07
Posted by Matt Thomson
For my weekly review of the Gig Harbor real estate market, I wanted to take a look at our first quarter statistics broken down by neighborhood. Last week I posted an article showing some heavy declines in numbers of houses sold, and moderate declines in selling prices, for all of the Gig Harbor area, plus some of the neighboring areas. I wanted to see if any areas within Gig Harbor were more sheltered or hit harder by these trends.
In the NWMLS, Gig Harbor is divided into 6 different areas (not counting the Key Peninsula, which is an additional 3 areas). I don’t know why it’s done this way, but it is! Here’s a look at the 6 Gig Harbor real estate areas from the first quarter of ‘07 versus the first quarter of ‘08.
|
Area
|
# Sales’07 |
Median $ |
DOM |
# Sales ‘08 |
Median $ |
DOM |
| 1 |
10 |
$432,500 |
28 |
9 |
$485,000 |
79 |
| 3 |
15 |
$599,000 |
103 |
3 |
$540,000 |
253 |
| 5 |
11 |
$465,000 |
119 |
7 |
$440,000 |
100 |
| 6 |
37 |
$429,000 |
59 |
24 |
$367,500 |
66 |
| 7 |
34 |
$463,250 |
104 |
13 |
$405,000 |
108 |
| 8 |
39 |
$464,000 |
99 |
26 |
$437,500 |
133 |
Area 1 is Downtown Gig Harbor/Peacock Hill. 3 is Rosedale area, 5 is Fox Island, 6 is Wollochet/Pt. Fosdick, 7 is Cromwell/Kopachuck, and 8 is North and East Gig Harbor. For more information on this area, or for specifics on your exact neighborhood, please give me a call.
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Apr
05
Posted by Matt Thomson
Sorry for the delay in getting this posted. Most of the Saturday opens have already happened, but there is a great twilight open house on a stunning Canterwood home that runs from 3-8pm today. 6bd, 6ba, theater…it is truly one of Canterwood’s–and Gig Harbor’s for that matter–most stunning homes.

Click on the map and check out the open houses in Gig Harbor this weekend. Click on any one of the numbered markers for home information. This info is from the NWMLS and deemed reliable but not guaranteed. If you’d like further information on these or any other homes you see for sale, including For Sale By Owner listings, give me a call and I’d be happy to get you the information and help you in presenting an offer.
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Apr
04
Posted by Matt Thomson
With the first quarter of 2008 in the books, I thought I’d take a look at the real estate market in the Gig Harbor and surrounding areas. The following chart shows home sale information for Gig Harbor, University Place/Fircrest, North Tacoma, and South Kitsap (Olalla, Port Orchard).

These numbers are significantly down from last year. Home sales are down nearly 40% on average in these locations. Gig Harbor’s median sales price is a 10.3% decline from the first quarter of ‘07. UP/Fircrest is a 10.5% decline, South Kitsap shows a 7.8% decline, and North Tacoma is a 3.3% decline.
Taken along with the 20%+ increases the previous two years, these numbers simply aren’t as alarming as many make them out to be. For buyers with the ability, this is a great time to pick up a few rental properties. If you see a home that interests you, don’t wait for the price to come down, offer the seller what you feel the home is worth!
If you’d like more specifics on the real estate market in your area, or if you’re interested in knowing what your home is worth, please give me a call.
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Mar
31
Posted by Matt Thomson
Each week I track what the local real estate market is doing in terms of numbers of units coming for sale and number of units being sold. Thus far in 2008, the number of available units has been growing weekly, while the number of units pending sales has been stable or even decreasing.
The past few weeks, however, have shown that the number of available units has stabilized while the number of homes selling has increased. This is good news, as the number of houses selling in Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, and the surrounding areas is now keeping pace with the new listings. The top chart below shows the total numbers of homes pending sales in Gig Harbor, Port Orchard, and the Key Peninsula. The bottom chart shows the total number of homes listed for sale. These numbers are for single family homes only, not condos or multi-units. I have no idea what caused the spike in pending sales in Port Orchard three weeks ago.

If you have any questions on these numbers, or would like information on specific neighborhoods, please give me a call. Numbers are taken from the NWMLS and are reliable, but not guaranteed.
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Mar
30
Posted by Matt Thomson
If you are looking for land to build your dream home, check out my most recent listing. 20+ acres, subdividable into 4 5-acre lots, on Gig Harbor’s Key Peninsula. This acreage is mostly level, and ready for your dream home, 4 congruent building lots, horse property, etc. The Key Peninsula has a great deal of vacant land for sale, but it’s rare to find this kind of acreage.

If you’re a builder or an investor, make sure you check out this one!
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Mar
28
Posted by Matt Thomson

If you are looking to buy a home or looking for condos for sale in Gig Harbor, here is a list of the open houses in the area this weekend. Maybe you’re looking for a fun spring…uh, winter, no spring…thing to do and want to see what is available in the Gig Harbor, Wa, housing market.

New this week! I’ve made a map of the open houses to hopefully help you along the way. The numbered markers are in no order…the mapping program changed them at random. As always, this info is from the NWMLS and is reliable but not guaranteed. I am not the listing agent of these homes, but as a Realtor I am more than happy to answer questions and assist you in the purchase of any of these, or any other home listed for sale.
Simply click on the map for a look at the general locations of the open houses.
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Mar
27
Posted by Matt Thomson
When selling a home, especially in a “buyer’s market” such as we’re in now, first impressions matter. Like it or not, often times what’s on the inside is never given a chance, as what’s on the outside determines our mindset. I was watching an episode of “American Home Makeover” a month or so ago, and the show featured a 19 year old who had been blind from birth. He said that he considered blindness an ability, and sight as a disability! He mentioned that he can’t see what’s on the outside, so all he can judge by is what’s on the inside. He was obviously talking about people, but sometimes I wish people could be blindfolded as they pull up to a house, and see what’s on the inside first. Curb appeal matters, however, so here are some tips:
* Keep the grass mowed and remove all yard clutter.
* Weed and apply fresh mulch to flower beds.
* Apply fresh paint or stain to wooden fences, decks and home’s exterior if needed.
* Tighten and clean all door handles.
* Clean windows inside and out.
* Remove cobwebs, bird’s nests, etc.
* Ensure all gutters and downspouts are firmly attached and cleaned.
* Paint the front door.
* Buy a new welcome mat.
* Place potted flowers near the front door
First impressions matter. You’ve got to get buyers in the front door first! What’s on the inside matters, too, though. I received the package shown below yesterday and was really excited. What could possibly be in a box so large? Needless to say, though I was happy to get my new earpiece, I was a bit disappointed that what was on the inside didn’t match up with the outside!

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Mar
24
Posted by Matt Thomson
Last Monday I took a look at the current inventory of condominiums in Gig Harbor. I thought it’d be interesting to take a look at the actual numbers of condo SALES in Gig Harbor as well.
Last year, 53 condos sold in the Gig Harbor area, with a median sales price of $299,999. So far in 2008, we’ve had 8 condos sell at a median price of $359,250, which was $211 per square foot. YTD in ‘07 (covering January 1st–March 23rd) Gig Harbor saw 10 condominiums sell at a median price of $339,500, and $168 per square foot.

Gig Harbor has a far greater number of single family homes for sale (615) than condominiums (77), but the condo market is increasing. For a list of the condos that have SOLD in Gig Harbor, or to get an assessment of what your condominium may be worth, please give me a call.