Sandy Nelson - Olympia Real Estate Blog

What a diffence a gallon of gasoline can make

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:22:59 -0500

I once drove by a California apartment complex right off the freeway that posted a huge banner reading "If you'd live here, you'd be home by now". It was a clever way to make drivers, stuck in traffic, question their commute time. In this day and age it would first and foremost make drivers consider the commute cost. It won't be long until gas prices hit $5.00 a gallon, at which the cost of driving an additional 10 miles to get home will make buyers scrutinize their commute distance more closely.

I frequently work with military families stationed at Ft. Lewis and Mc Chord AFB. While the city of Lacey is a popular location for buying a home, the city of Yelm, a mere 10 miles further than Lacey, offers comparable homes of an average of $20,000 less than in Lacey. Thus many military families have opted to live in the Yelm area.

With gas prices at $5.00 a gallon, this is what the $20,000 home price difference looks like:

With a car that gets a gas mileage of 20 miles a gallon, the commute from Yelm to Ft. Lewis would cost $10.00 a day (40 miles round trip). The commute from Lacey to Ft. Lewis would cost $5.00 a day (20 miles round trip). The difference in commute costs between the two locations would be about $105.00 a month and that's if only one family member has a work commute.

The average newer 3 bedroom house in Lacey is $260,226. The same type of house in Yelm costs an average of $241,968. The difference in the mortgage is $106.55 a month.

With a commute time of only 15 minutes to Ft. Lewis from Lacey, versus 35 minutes from Yelm, choosing a home in Lacey ultimately makes more sense. "If you'd live here, you'd be home by now" is as relevant to time as it is to the gas card.

I expect more and more people will be making their housing choices by closely evaluating their commuting distance, setting a trend towards more urban living and living near access to public transportation. As Realtors we need to recognize these trends and what they mean to home values and demand.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Grand Built Green Home For Sale

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 19:21:59 -0500

This stately new home is located at Lacey's "Estates at Campus Highlands". With a greenbelt both in front and behind the house, living in this home feels like living in a lush forest. The golf course green is visible through the trees. What makes this home so special are its high vaulted ceilings, lots of natural light streaming inside and that it features two master suites, one of which is located downstairs with a door to the back yard patio. With 4 bedrooms, a den and a loft, this home offers spacious comfort. Upgrades such as wrought iron stair railing, solid slab granite counters, custom tile work, white oak hardwood floors, two fireplaces, wainscoting and much more, make this home a custom gem.

Priced at only $525,800, the buyer also receives reduced golf membership fees, and a special financing package.

Call me to learn more about this home or to arrange a special showing.

Sandy Nelson (360)789-7505

Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Trader Joe's in Olympia?

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:21:22 -0500

then cast your vote to help bring a Trader Joe's store to Olympia.

Trader Joe's different from most common supermarkets, in that you won't find a lot of branded products. Instead, Trader Joe's carries many interesting and unconventional products at great prices. Shopping at Trader Joe's is always an adventure, as you'll discover new products from all over the world. I love their smooth authentic Greek yogurt with honey, Kerry Irish butter, French chocolate torte and their great selection of international wines at bargain prices.
The buyers for Trader Joe's taste every product before they decide to stock it and bring it to the local shoppers.

The shopping experience at Trader Joe's is as unusual as their inventory. The stores are much smaller than regular supermarkets, the interior is decorated with an exotic nautical flair, the staff wear colorful Hawaiian shirts and instead of a PA system, you'll hear a ship bell ringing.

The company is privately owned by the Aldi family of Germany. I've been driving to the nearest Trader Joe's at University Place since it opened. Before that I drove all the way to Federal Way. All this driving might soon come to an end, since Trader Joe's is considering opening a store in Olympia. I've been pestering them for years to move to our neck of the woods and like to think that had something to do with it. However, another option on the table is to open a store in Gig Harbor instead.

So here's your opportunity to weigh in on the matter: Vote for Olympia here:

http://www.traderjoes.com/location_requests_form.aspx

I believe a Trader Joe's store will be a great asset to the Olympia / Lacey community. I personally can't wait to have one here.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Will the new "Hands Free" law affect you?

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 13:58:49 -0500

Starting July 1st, 2008, any cell phone use while driving in Washington could get you $101 ticket. This includes reading or writing text messages, or talking on a cell phone without a hands-free device. Similar laws have been in effect in many other states, including military installations within Washington state.

The new "Hang up and Drive" law considers cell phone use without a hands-free device a "secondary" offense. This means that a patrol officer would need to have another reason, such as speeding or driving with a broken break light, to pull someone over. Avoiding a ticket is simple: DRIVE SAFELY

There's no doubt in my mind that keeping one's hands on the steering wheel and one's eyes on the road at all times is prudent and safe. I, as well as many other people who spend a lot of time in their cars, are utilizing driving time to do other things that might take some of our concentration away, such as listening to music, eating lunch, glancing at our GPS, talking with passengers etc...

I own a hands-free phone device, but it still requires a significant amount of fumbling. While these new laws are sensible, they are no substitute for common sense when it comes to other activities in the car. I'm waiting for a hands-free lipstick applicator to come on the market and a hands-free sandwich holder.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Thurston County Market News

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:32:41 -0500

INVENTORY VERSUS DEMAND

The absorption rate shows quite a jump for the past month. With over 2000 active residential properties currently on the market across Thurston County, it would take 6.8 months at current sales rates to deplete the inventory.

While inventory rates of over 5 months typically denote a buyers market, what the numbers show us is that while buyers have a lot of homes to choose from, they don't get them at a steal.

LIST PRICE VERSUS SALES PRICE

The past month's sale statistics show that the average home sold at 98.43% of the list price. The average home in Thurston County was listed at $305,692 and sold for $300,895 after being on the market for over 120 days.

Buyers who try to "low-ball" sellers with ridiculously low offers will, more often than not, find themselves face to face with a counter offer that barely deviates from the list price. As you can see from the above numbers the margin is less than 2 percent.

For additional and up-to-date information on the Thurston County real estate market and trends, feel free to contact me.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

(360)789-7505

Thurston County Relay For Life Fundraiser

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Thu, 22 May 2008 19:27:25 -0500

The "There's No Place Like Home" team of local real estate professionals held their annual rummage sale on 17 May 2008. Thanks to the huge amount of generous donations, we were able to fill a parking lot with everything from office furniture, toys, clothes, dishes, jewelry and other treasures. Thanks to the many people who stopped by to shop, the team yielded over $1000.00 in donations to the Thurston County Relay for Life Campaign. The list of volunteers who made this event possible is long and includes Brenda Hartshorn, Eric Prehm, Sandy Nelson, Rob Chrisler, Al Stickland, Kami Clark, Dawn Taft, Polly Barber, Ken Fisher, Jeff Hughes, Benna Jones, Melanie Sawetz and many more. The volunteers put in long hours in preparation and a full 8 hour day at the event in 90 degree heat. It was a rewarding experience and a lot of fun. Thanks to the cooking crew, we had food and refreshments on hand to keep us fortified.

Our next fundraising event will be a car wash on the 7th of June at Lacey's K-Mart parking lot. We hope for nice weather and a strong turn out to help raise enough money to get us to our team's goal of raising $10,000 for cancer research funding.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Good "Comps" are harder to find

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:17:35 -0500

Many lenders have tightened their requirements for appraisers in areas of declining value. Many lenders have issued new guidelines and here are some of the changes that have been instituted:

1. Comparables must now be within 0.5 miles from the subject property in urban locations and must be within a 1.0 mile radius in suburban locations.

2. Comparables must have a date of sale within the past 3 months.

3. There must be a minimum of three comparables, of which at least two must be verifiable through the MLS as arms-length transactions.

4. In addition to the three "sold" comparables, at least one current listing or pending sale must also be provided.

5. The days-on-market time for the comparables must be within the average days-on-market time for the area.

Moreover, some lenders no longer allow appraisal updates in areas of declining value, which means the first appraisal is the final word. This is not just bad news for home sellers in areas of declining markets, but also increasingly for sellers in good markets, since many national lenders are treating all markets as if they are declining and will apply these and similar guidelines across the board.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Gorgeous Lake Views

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:58:52 -0500

Tumwater Home for Sale

Enjoy country tranquility just minutes from shopping, I-5, restaurants and walking distance to schools.

This 4BR/2BA home in Tumwater offers hardwood and Marmoleum floors, ceramic tile kitchen back splash, 2 fireplaces, stainless steel refrigerator, washer and dryer, central vacuum and more. All this on over 1/3 of an acre.

Priced at $ 292,000

Call for a viewing: (360)789-7505

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Exciting Development: Lacey's Gateway Town Center

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 19:22:06 -0500

Lacey's Hawks Prairie area is growing and developing into a valuable prime residential location.

The planned development of the "Gateway Town Center" promises to bring added value to the neighboring communities of Meridian Campus, Continental Crest, Campus Highlands, Christa Heights, Jubilee etc. The sidewalks and bike paths will connect local residents to accessible shopping, entertainment venues, civic amenities and restaurants.

The ground stone was laid at the end of 2007 with the opening of the Cabela's anchor store. Soon to follow will be 1,000,000 sq.ft. of office space, 2.0 Million sq.ft. of retail & leisure space with community & civic amenities, as well as 7,000 additional residential units.

The Lacey Gateway Town Center is a master planned community by Triway Enterprises.

http://triwayenterprises.com/land_gateway.html

It will be exciting to see this concept come to life. It promises to bring employment opportunities as well as a new concept of city life. The way the project is designed, it will feature many public spaces, art and outdoor plazas, inviting visitors to park their cars and stroll instead. This lay-out will create a pleasant meeting place for the community. Located less than 10 miles from Fort Lewis and McChord AFB, it will offer convenient housing and shopping opportunities for our military families.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Where do I get my Support?

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 20:45:07 -0500

Sometimes I think I must be the luckiest Realtor, because I'm fortunate to have two unbelievable business partners. Actually I should be the third luckiest Realtor, because my two teammates have me. In 2006, Al Stickland, Rob Chrisler and I have decided to pool our resources and talents to form "The Key Group".

We have developed the highest standard of ethics and practices that set us apart from most other Realtors, and we have designed a support system that strengthens our business, as well as provides extended services to our clients.

Before founding "The Key Group", conducting my business solo, I felt like I was constantly performing a one-man balancing act. Now, with the solid support of my partners, I feel stable, grounded and able to shoulder a much bigger load. A group of three people is the optimum number to be able to stay closely involved and connected, yet also being able to stretch out and undertake bigger ventures with low risk.

Our clients appreciate the benefit of always being able to reach one of us, and receiving the compounded experience of three individuals. For example: Before doing a listing presentation all three of us individually do a market report on the property. This way we can be sure we're "spot on" with the value. By pooling our resources we can offer more client benefits and programs, and by relying on each individual's talents we are able to direct responsibilities to the person best suited for specific tasks.

Al Stickland is a retired First Sergeant with the US Army, and Rob Chrisler is from the field of Academia with a varied background (in other words he knows everything). These guys are worth their weight in gold, and I'm extremely grateful and honored to have them as partners.

-"It is probably not love that makes the world go around, but rather those mutually supportive alliances through which partners recognize their dependence on each other for the achievement of shared and private goals."

Fred A. Allen
1894-1957, American Radio Comic

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Olympia Hospitals Rank in Top 5%

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 19:54:29 -0500

According to a recently released study by Healthgrades (http://www.healthgrades.com/), Olympia's St. Peter Hospital, as well as Capital Medical center were ranked among the top 5% nationally in patient safety. The study looked at over 5000 hospitals and analyzed over 41 million patient records. Of the nine Washington hospitals that landed in the top 5 percent, two are in Olympia.

That's great news for Olympia residents, who rely on those two hospitals for their medical care, as well as for the military family members of soldiers and airmen stationed at Fort Lewis and McChord AFB, who may have to rely on the local medical facilities.

Incidentally, Olympia was also ranked as the safest mid-sized town in the country by Spelling's Best Places security survey earlier this year.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Gorgeous Home in Popular Lakepointe

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:36:32 -0500

LACEY HOME FOR SALE

This immaculate 3BR/2BA house is the perfect place to call home. The master bedroom is on the opposite side of the home from the other two bedrooms for privacy, and the open floor plan makes for comfortable living. This home comes with a washer, dryer and refrigerator and it's move-in ready. The kitchen has been updated with new stainless steel appliances, granite tile counter tops, tumbled stone tile back splash and new Pergo flooring. The patio has been tiled and the covered gazebo is perfect for back yard entertaining. The yard also features a storage shed and a children's play area. The community park and playground are located just at the end of the street.

See more pictures here

This home is offered at $239,900

Call Sandy for a personal viewing appointment: (360)789-7505

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Thurston County Market Details

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:09:24 -0500

On the front page of last Sunday's edition of "The Olympian" newspaper was the following article about the recent drop in Thurston County's home sale prices. According to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, March 2008 home sale prices have dropped 1.7% in Thurston County compared March 2007.

One thing to keep in mind is that this is a very minor drop in prices, occurring after years of continual price expansion. An adjustment of this dimension is the smallest of any county in Washington. Except for Grant County, every county in Washington showed higher home value depreciation in March; several in the double digits.

Another thing to take a look at are the home values as they are broken down into 16 geographic areas within Thurston County. Areas 444, 445, 446, 447 and 448 actually showed increases in home sale values. Olympia's west side homes have appreciated an average of 32% in March compared to last year. Lacey's Hawks Prairie area homes have appreciated 6.7%. Downtown Olympia homes have continued to appreciate at 6.9% and SW Lacey homes at 8.6%.

The March MLS data made front page news because in Thurston County we've seen continual home value increases over the past few years, but as the article further explains, this decline is nothing to worry about.

I continually track the local real estate statictics in order to have my finger on the pulse of the market. As a home owner, investor and realtor, it's important to be aware of market conditions and trends.

BTW, the listing sign in the top left photo is one of my own signs, currently in front of a fabulously staged home in Lacey. Take a look here.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Vacation Home Exchange

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 18:00:28 -0500

No, this article is not about exchanging homes with other people for vacation purposes, like in the movie "The Holiday". That's for a future blog.

This is about how to claim your vacation home in a 1031 tax exchange.

The IRS allows you to put off paying capital gains tax on the sale of investment properties by exchanging them for properties of equal or more value.

Until recently the rules were a ambiguous in regard to vacation homes.

Starting in March 2008, an exchange residence used for rental income at least 14 days a year, can be used by the owner for personal use 14 days a year, or 10 percent of the number of days during which it was rented (whichever is highest). Additionally a fair number of occupancy days are permitted for maintenance. The property also has to have been in ownership for at least 24 months prior to the exchange.

Contact me for additional details about this program.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Program cuts will hurt military families - TAKE ACTION NOW

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:57:43 -0500

... to help our military families and veterans.

Stop Medicare/TRICARE Payment Cuts

It's disgraceful that money and programs are cut away for those families who give and sacrifice so much.
Unless Congress acts in the next few months, Medicare and TRICARE payments to doctors will be cut by nearly 10% in July of 2008 and an additional 5% in January 2009. That will hurt military families' access to health care by causing more doctors to stop seeing Medicare and TRICARE patients.

Please visit the Military Officers Association of America website and use their easy to use preformatted email to send a message to your representatives in Congress.

http://capwiz.com/moaa/issues/alert/?alertid=10534466&type=CO

Please hurry and contact them before Congress adjourns this year and pass the message along.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Seattle Ranked Among Cleanest US Cities

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 23:24:21 -0500

Forbes Magazine's annual ranking of the cleanest US cities, named Seattle as the second cleanest US city for 2008, following right behind Miami.

http://www.forbes.com/logistics/2008/03/17/miami-seattle-orlando-biz-logistics-cx_tvr_0317cleanest_slide.html

In addition to using air pollution and ozone data from the American Lung Association for the 49 major metro areas with populations exceeding 1 million, the water quality and per-capita spending on Superfund site cleanup and solid-waste management was also figured into the measurement. Incidentally, Seattle spends more per capita on waste management than any major city.

Blessed with weather patterns that push out smog, Seattle's clean air is a result of the nearby Pacific Ocean, the Cascade Mountains and the abundance of forests.

Air quality was also a factor in "Sperling's Best Places to Live" security survey results earlier in the year, which ranked the Olympia area as the "most secure place to live" in the nation.

How lucky are we to live in this beautiful part of the country!

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia Area Real Estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Thurston County Inventory Absorption Rate

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:31:04 -0500

GOOD NEWS FOR THE THURSTON COUNTY HOME MARKET!

Inventory of active listings is at a recent record low at 1626 active listings on March 16th, 2008, versus 2052 active listings on November 10th, 2007. At the same time the amount of average sales per month over the past 12 months has gone up from 336 average sales per month in November to 378 average sales per month in March.

What do these statistics mean? A standing inventory of greater than four months generally indicates a buyer's market. Inventory of less than three months typically indicates a seller's market. The trend shows that we're approaching well balanced market conditions.

With shrinking inventory, buyers who are actively in the market should take advantage of the low interest rates and make their purchases. While in some cases now may still be a time to be able to ask for sellers' concessions, with homes in more demand, this time may come to an end soon.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia Area Real Estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Dupont's New Middle School

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:26:50 -0500

Construction on the new Steilacoom School District Pioneer Middle School in Dupont started February 2007. The $23.6 million dollar project is right on schedule for the school to open in the fall of 2008.

The new school will be more than three times the size of the old Pioneer Middle School in Steilacoom. The 104,240-square-foot building will sit on a 20-acre site and will boast 18 general classrooms, six science classrooms, a stage/drama classroom, three project team areas, a project team lab, music/band and art rooms, a food lab, two technology labs and much more.

The new school promises to be a great and much needed addition to the Dupont community.

For more information visit here:

http://www.kjmassoc.com/docs/news/shsd/pioneer/exec_summary/JUN07%20New%20Pioneer%20MS%20Project%20Exec%20Summary.pdf

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia and Dupont Area Real Estate
http://www.sandynelsonrealestate.com/

Northwest Landing or Dupont?

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 17:36:04 -0500

To many people the two terms "Northwest Landing" and "Dupont" are confusing, as they are freely interchanged. Why then are there two names?

Here's a little history on the two communities which have essentially become one:

The quaint city of Dupont started as a company town with over one hundred houses, a butcher shop and a hotel, built by explosives manufacturer E.I du Pont de Nemours Co. in 1906. The residents were allowed to purchase their homes in 1951, at which time the city was incorporated. The City of Dupont is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The Weyerhauser lumber company purchased the area west of Dupont, and in the late 1990s has begun construction on "Northwest Landing", a 3,000-acre planned community, expected to have approximately 12,000 residents by 2010. The vision for Northwest Landing was to create an urban village where economically diverse residents could walk or bike to local restaurants, shops and nearby workplaces, such as Intel Corp., State Farm Insurance, Fort Lewis, or Venture Bank.

Northwest Landing has been designed to mirror Dupont's charming small-town character, distinctive Craftsman architecture and tree-lined streets. Both communities, Northwest Landing and the historic city of Dupont, are expected to grow together into one cohesive community.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area and Dupont real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Every Home Tells a Story

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:36:52 -0600

Although we might not always meet the home sellers or occupants when we show a home, we can still learn a lot about the lives they lead. Not so long ago I showed a house that was listed as a "fixer". As we approached we could see graffiti sprayed on the exterior wall. Inside we were greeted by dated, peeling wallpaper, a musty smell and shocked by an extremely filthy kitchen and bathroom. The dilapidated furniture were from the 60s and throughout the home were containers with faded dusty plastic flowers. Upon a closer look I discovered an old photograph of a handsome soldier during WWII on the wall, with a black armband draped over one corner. In one of the closets I came across a parked beat-up wheelchair. A picture began to crystallize for me that nearly moved me to tears. In my mind I saw a widowed, disabled old lady living in this house, or having passed away in this house, who lived a lonely existence. I asked myself where were the children or grandchildren to visit and help with the upkeep of the home? Where were the neighbors or church ladies who should have come over to help this woman manage her affairs?

A house is so much more than just real estate. It's where lives take place, children are born, marriages fall apart, weddings take place, birthdays are celebrated and people pass away. A house speaks about its residents, its neighbors and the community. One just has to open their eyes to hear.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

New German Resource

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 16:06:44 -0600

Olympia's first German Club.

The club offers a chance to meet other Germans and to stay fluent in the language, as well as in what's going on in Germany.

The website: http://www.germanclubolympia.com/ offers a resource guide with helpful links to German television programs, radio stations, webcams, recipes, shopping and much more.

Much labor has gone into making this organization a reality and much more effort is in the works at offering a rich cultural program for the members and the local community.

Visit our website and come back often.

Sandy

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

This Stinks

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 18:14:55 -0600

When I first heard the creator of a new website, called "rottenneighbor.com", speak about his new concept at a news interview, I thought that perhaps his idea had merit. He's just a young guy from California who wants home buyers to be able to have a place to check out the potential neighbors before taking the step of buying a home and then possibly being stuck with a loud, messy or obnoxious neighbor.

Home buyers can check school performance, the sex offender registry and home values, why not their neighbors?

Well...here's the thing about human nature: It's riddled with ugly vices, such as envy, prejudice, jealousy, spitefulness and the like.

After checking out the website, it's easy to see that it's giving a platform to every stereotype, persecution and slander imaginable. The site is open to any gripe without fact checking:

"-There's some ugly polish nerd boys and all they do is play video games and watch anime all day..."

-"german non citizen.she hates america..."

-"tax cheat!"

Neatly labeled homes on a map reveal mostly anonymous accusations pinpointed to an exact address.

The website likes to see itself as a real estate search engine:

-ABOUT US:RottenNeighbor.com is here to help. It's the first real estate search engine of its kind, helping you find troublesome neighbors before you sign the paperwork on your new house, condo or apartment. RottenNeighbor is the largest site anywhere in the world covering the neighbor space, and we're certain you'll agree that the value it offers is unmatched anywhere else!

I don't know about the value being unmatched. I can think of other venues that offer a similar value.

What bothers me is that the site makes its money from advertisers, and specifically real estate-related advertisers; among them, realtor.com and homegain.com. I find it sad that our industry would link itself with this type of platform.

I want my buyer clients to be able to check out the neighborhood they buy into and I encourage them to conduct neighborhood reviews. Unlike rottenneighbor.com, the schools sites, sex offender registry, or home values sites are based on statistics and officially recorded information, not rumor, slander and innuendos. That type of registry has no value in my eyes whatsoever.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

Make a Difference

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:56:02 -0600

You, too can feel this great!

Have you done your good deed for the day yet?

Join me and the other volunteers for the American Cancer Society in our efforts to help fight cancer. Continuous research is making it possible to find new cancer drugs, therapies and discoveries that may save the life of someone dear to you.

I and my team mates will be walking at the annual Thurston County Relay for Life event as the culmination of our fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society.

This is how you can make a difference:

Donate to the cause and help me reach my fundraising goal. Every dollar makes a difference and is appreciated.

Make your contribution here.

-or-

Join our team and participate in the 24 hour walk from 27-28 June at Black Hills High School in Tumwater.

The Key Group Realtors and some of our colleagues have been participating in Relay for Life for three years. For us it's a rewarding experience to give back to the community.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

It's Easy being Green

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:14:07 -0600

With "green" I don't mean being envious, or the US Dollar, although going green does have something to do with saving money. As most people know, "living green" means to be environmentally conscious, and what better place to start making green choices than at right at home. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about 21 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions are generated from household energy use. Using less energy and water will consequently help you save your "green-backs".

Consider these five simple options:

1. Re-use and Recycle

Separate your trash into waste and recyclables. Re-use as much as possible and be conscious about purchasing recycled products.

2. Insulate

Use plenty of insulation between your living space and any unheated areas such as the attic, the exterior walls, basement and garage.

3. Choose new Appliances

When it's time to replace appliances, look for energy saving models with the energy star lable. Whether washers, dryers, refrigerators or dishwashers, government-rated Energy Star labeled appliances use 25 percent to 75 percent less energy than unrated appliances.

3. Lower the Temperature:

Lowering your heat thermostat by just one or two degrees can have a significant impact on your heating bills. Slightly lowering the temperature of your water heater will most likely not even be noticeable, except in your wallet. For a more drastic measure, install tank-less water heaters. Since they produce hot water only on demand, they use 45%-60% less energy than traditional water heaters and have a much longer life span.

4. Replace Light Bulbs

Replace your old incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. They produce just as much light as incandescent bulbs but require up to 75 percent less energy, produce less heat, and last up to 10 times longer.

5. Reduce Drafts

Caulk leaks and add weather-stripping to doors and windows to stop heat and air conditioning losses.

By implementing any, or all of these recommendations, you're on your way to living a greener life and will be a better steward of our resources.

For more ideas on how to make green choices, feel free to contact me. I'm a member of the Olympia Master Builder's Built Green program.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate
www.sandynelsonrealestate.com

2007 Thurston County Real Estate Market Statistics

Sandy Nelson Realtor - Olympia, WA (Riley Jackson Real Estate Inc.) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 17:44:38 -0600

The median home sale value in Thurston County has had its ups and downs during the course of 2007. Overall, the median home sale price has gone up by 2.7% from January 2007 to January 2008. This is good news in light of the drop in home values elsewhere in the state and in other national markets.

The average time a home stays on the market before it's sold is currently 101 days (January 2008).

For more localized market information, or to find out the value of your home, contact me anytime.

Sandy Nelson
Realtor for Olympia area real estate

(360)789-7505