Beautiful, quite, usable forest. Nearly one acre of sloped land waiting for your dream home. Lots of choices for your homesite, with the best choice at back.
Why? Because they believe all the hype about the "Buyer's Market". They expect to find the deal of the century, with all their closing costs paid, there will be absolutely no deferred maintenance, it is painted & has all the appliances and they will have plenty of time to choose from the huge number of homes available.
The reality in my recent experience is quite different: First time buyers have a LOT of competition right now. Homes under $200,000 are getting multiple offers (I know of one bank owned ficer that had 20 offers!). Pretty homes are getting offers in the first few days on the market. And Seller's whose homes are getting this kind of response are resistant to making huge concessions.
I think the problem really comes from Language: the term Buyer's Market, or even worse, The Market.
"The Market" may be considered as a whole for averaging and trending. But it give s a very non-specific picture to buyers who have specific needs- beds, baths, square footage and PRICE. "The Market" for waterfront homes with over 3,000 square feet on acreage is incredibly different from "The Market" for entry level 3 bed, 1 bath homes near I-5.
Here is what I mean:
For all of Thurston County (as of June 5, 2009)
Active Homes: 1,638 Pending Homes: 680 6 months of Sold Homes: 1,097 Expireds/Cancelleds Homes (6 months): 1237 Days on Market Average: 104
This translates to about 9 months of inventory; square in the Buyer's Market territory as far as the statistics go. (A 6 month inventory level is considered a Balanced Market, with even Supply/Demand) But this covers the entire range of availability- which is way too broad for a clear picture of what is happening.
Sold Price Range: $57,000 to $850,000 Average Sold Price: $264,223 Days on Market Range: 0 to 981
See? That kind of range tells me nothing for the specific client I am helping. In order to get a sense of what is going on for actual buyers who have really specific needs (like price) we have to narrow in. Anecdotally, we know that the homes at the lowest price range sell faster with higher demand. But what part of the county? And what is entry level?
Let's imagine a pretty typical first time buyer for the Olympia/Lacey/Tumwater area. They want to look for a home under $200,000 but are willing to consider up to $225,000 since that is an affordable monthly payment for a 2-income family. They also need to be close in to the city to be able to get to schools and job, plus easy access to the freeway to get to Fort Lewis. This puts them in the north half of Thurston County.
That is a pretty vague picture. But take a look at the results:
Active: 178 Pending: 193 Sold (6 months): 259 Expired/Cancelled (6months): 214 Average Days on Market: 80
Inventory Level: 4 MONTHS
This is no longer a picture of a Super Buyer's Market. This is heading firmly into Seller's Market territory. And look at the difference in the time it takes for the houses to sell! Almost a whole month shorter. Compare the number of Active to Pending: There are more pendings than actives in this niche. And look at the number of Solds in this segment of the market compared to the whole of Thurston County: 1,097 vs 259. Nearly 25% of all sold homes were in this part of Thurston County, in this price range!
This certainly casts a different light on the First Time Buyer portion of "The Market".
Let's flesh out this Buyer's needs list. We will add the following criteria to Price & Area: At least 3 bedrooms At least 1 1/2 bathrooms At least 1200 square feet
THE RESULTS:
Active: 98 Pending: 126 Sold (6 months): 156 Expired/Cancelled (6 months): 104 Average Days on Market: 88
Inventory Level: 3.75 months
So you can see why I feel bad for Buyers. Because I work with a lot of first time buyers and that is where a huge amount of all the activity is right now.
Yes, I know not everyone loves numbers. And statistics can be a bit overwhelming. But Buyers need to know about these kinds of trends. Because the Sellers do. And if you are looking for the kind of deals I know you want, you need to know about the competition.
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If you would like help finding your first home, give me a call! You are welcome to take a look at everything that is available for sale in Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and nearby on my website. I would love to sit down together and get you started!
Late at night, after having eaten a healthy meal of lean meat, garnished with nuts and twigs, and rounded with the one-glass-of-red-wine the heart conscious survive on.
I HUNGER for a cookie. The sweetness... the chewiness...
I wander through my house, looking, hoping, dreaming I will find a cookie that has somehow escaped my earlier hunts. This is an often fruitless hunt, usually in resulting the much needed second-glass-of-red-wine. Sometimes I find a marshmallow and stud it with chocolate chips, in a depressing attempt to sate the cookie need. Rarely is the hunt successful.
But now I will have a new focus during these late evening searches!
Rainier Washington!
(That is south of Olympia and Lacey WA by about a 20 minute drive. Out in the country.)
No, I have not moved. But I have FOUND the cookies of my dreams.
As I drive through Rainier on an almost weekly basis, I have noticed a charming old-town style sign on the south side of Main. It announces "Main Street Cookie Company". But I am mostly in Rainier on Tuesdays... which is the day the Company is sadly not open.
But this week, the cookie gods were with me! I was in Rainier on a Wednesday!
So I stopped. Of course. The first thing that caught my eye was the sign on the door for other cookie-hunters, calmly reassuring us that cookies are available across the street.
Then I stepped inside.
Ahhh- you know that smell of lovely fresh baked cookies, right? I now know the feeling of cookie mecca. There were ONLY cookies in the case. That is it. Not donuts, not bagels, not banana nut bread. Just cookies! Chocolate chip (of course), chocolate with frosting, butter cookies with pink frosting or lemon frosting, cookies with nuts and many more.
There was one more sign, to tell me I had indeed found The Right Place.
"We Bake with BUTTER" was proudly proclaimed across the far wall. (And rightly so! Have you ever tried an oatmeal raisin cookie made without butter? shudder!) I was also greeted by the cookie elves, merrily packing the boxes of cookies to be delivered to the many coffee shops and restaurants in the Thurston County area.
I think it was obvious that I had a problem. I may have had a slightly glazed look as I introduced myself and asked a million questions. They simply pulled out cookie after cookie and placed it neatly in a little bag, chatting with me all the while. And a cup of drip coffee. Cream please. Then I left in a daze, back out looking at houses.
I chose to eat the Chocolate Chip cookie on my drive back to Olympia. It was huge, It was buttery. It had melty chocolate chips in. It SATISFIED me. In fact, I ATE ONLY ONE delicious cookie as I drove home. And I saved one for my friend (chocolate with icing). And I brought one home to my husband (butter with lemon frosting). And I saved the last one for breakfast the next day (oatmeal with nuts and fruit).
I no longer wander the kitchen searching for the cookies. I know where they live. Now I have a bigger problem. I know where they live! Thankfully, Rainier is simply a 20 mile bike ride away, where I will have earned the cookie and coffee I long for.
If you live in SW Washington and need directions on locating this wonderful shop, you are welcome to shoot me a note: sarahnopp@remax.net. The shop's phone number is in the top picture, or down below.
Are you looking for a home in Rainier, WA? Maybe in another part of Rural Thurston County, like Yelm or Tenino or Rochester? Click Here look at my website for a map of homes available in Southern Thurston County. You will find homes of all sizes and prices in the Rainier area and surrounds, some with small yards, some with many acres. Call me to learn a bit more living in this charming town named for the amazing mountain to the east.
This is a home you must see to appreciate! Gated drive reinforces the sense of privacy of the manicured forest. Formal dining, large kitchen, extra storage and so much more. Architectural details and unique touches make this home stand apart. Additional photos and Virtual Tour at http://www.SarahNopp.com Please call for an appointment to view.
see additional photos below
PROPERTY FEATURES
Fireplace
High/Vaulted ceiling
Family room
Living room
Bonus/Rec room
Office/Den
Dining room
Breakfast nook
Dishwasher
Refrigerator
Stove/Oven
Microwave
Basement
Washer
Dryer
Laundry area - inside
Balcony, Deck, or Patio
Yard
OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES
Amazing forested 5.27 acres of hemlock & cedar & rhododendrons
2748 sq ft + sun room, large patio & deck
2nd kitchen on lower level, w/ 3/4 bath and family room
3 large bedrooms, with potential 4th downstairs
Meticulous attention to detail and maintenance throughout!
Large shop with RV parking, wood shed, gated drive, more!
Come see what a great deal you can find in Union Mills! Large 2-story on corner lot has lots of natural light and great details to help you call this home. Generous master bedroom with 5 piece bath, high ceiling throughout the main level, large dining room, island kitchen with huge amounts of storage. Lots more- just call to see inside!
Additioinal information at http://www.sarahnopp.com
see additional photos below
PROPERTY FEATURES
Central heat
Fireplace
High/Vaulted ceiling
Walk-in closet
Living room
Bonus/Rec room
Dining room
Dishwasher
Refrigerator
Stove/Oven
Microwave
Washer
Dryer
Laundry area - inside
Yard
OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES
Lots of space here- even the small bedroom are big!
You will love the huge upstairs bonus room!
Friendly neighborhood is just minutes from Hawks Prairie.
I am an instructor for the WA State homebuyer course, and we have openings for the class this Saturday in Olympia. Call or email with any questions, but this is a Free class open to the public.
This class is intended to be the first step in purchasing a home!
It is sponsored by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, taught by local experts (myself, a lender, a title rep and an inspector) and covers the whole process of purchasing a home, or as much as can be covered in one day!
We will discuss a variety of topics: deciding on the right financing for you, narrowing your home search criteria, issues to look for during an inspection, warnings & tips on how to stay out of trouble with your mortgage, and even ideas on how to maintain your new home when you move in. And of course, be lots of handouts and information resources to take with you and plenty of opportunity to have all your questions answered.
About the Commission-sponsored seminars & certificate: * free and open to the public * includes information about the Commission's low-interest rate mortgage program, down payment assistance, and other programs * accepted by all affordable housing loan programs as meeting or exceeding educational requirements.
The instructors have gone through WSHFC's House Key and Homebuyer Education Instructor training class. There will be No direct marketing or sales presentations by the instructor or any guest speakers. If you plan to use one of the Low-Interest Rate State Bond House Key programs to purchase your home, you must complete the seminar before your loan officer can lock in your interest rate.
Reservations are required. Please call 360-236-9970 to reserve your seat. If you are unable to attend on this date, please contact the instructors for additional future dates.
Date & Time: This seminar is Saturday, April 4th, 2009. 9:30 to 3:00, please bring a lunch. Light snacks & coffee will be provided. Location: Eagle Home Mortgage, 3825 Martin Way E, Olympia WA 98506
Lots of updates inside, with just a few things that need to be finished:
Pergo floors
Newer roof
Vinyl windows
Bathroom counters
Located just east of Lacey WA, this is an excellent location for anyone commuting to Ft Lewis or McChord AFB, or anywhere northbound. Yelm School District.
Call me @ 360-789-7898 to make an appointment to visit this great "opportunity" property!
Sarah Nopp & Cambria Miller | RE/MAX Four Seasons | 360-789-7898 or 360-349-5555
3643 Simmons Mill Ct SW B, Tumwater, WA
Ready to fall in love with Home?
3BR/2.5BA Condo
offered at $259,000
Year Built
2004
Sq Footage
1,800
Bedrooms
3
Bathrooms
2 full, 1 partial
Floors
3
Parking
2 Car garage
Lot Size
3,920 sqft
HOA/Maint
$155 per month
DESCRIPTION
You will fall in love with both this pretty townhouse style condo, as well as the price! Move in ready! Nothing needs to be done. Just move right in and enjoy your morning coffee on the private deck off the master bedroom. Or invite the neighbors over for a BBQ on the front deck! Plenty of parking inside & out, plus storage. Call today for a private tour!
The Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater area has for many, many years enjoyed a lovely swath of forest & river (namely Fort Lewis and the Nisqually Delta) to the north, separating us from the metropolitan central Puget Sound. But we do have all the little gems of city city life- great theaters, music, political sideshows, etc. We just get to enjoy them in a more relaxed, personal setting.
The slow pace fosters a whole bunch of wonderful family-owned businesses too. And because they operate on personal scale, they are unique from each other, and very different from the big stores selling so much of the same stuff in strip mall after strip mall (I just returned from Tucson, if you want to hear about strip malls). It also means we rely on each other to share when we find a new gem! So I am doing my duty as a South Sounder to bring you news of yet another wonderful Winery, right in our backyard!
A couple weeks ago I was driving through the Hawk's Prairie area of Lacey (NE of I-5, out near Cabela's & Shipwreck Beads in the Meridian Campus area) after showing some houses. I was headed toward the I-5 exit off Marvin Rd and saw the small sign out of the corner of my eye. My car decided to follow it (my car is well trained to look for things like this). After going past some sports fields I saw some metal buildings. Thankfully it was a Sunday, they were open for tasting!
I was greeted by the proprietors (not pictured) and the very friendly wine greeters/ wine guardians (pictured). Inside was much as you would imagine a metal building housing a wine makers to be: full of wine in barrels and a small counter at which to sample & chat & purchase.
I was on my way to lunch, so was not able to stay too long or try everything, but the proprietors were very friendly and I was able to sample a few of their offerings.
The wines:
Of course they have the Washington classics: Cab sauv from Red Mountain grapes, a Yakima Riesling and even a couple Chardonnay- they are very proud of their unoaked.
Right now (March 2009) they have a small batch of a Raspberry white wine blend which I liked (I am not a big fan of these usually) as it is not sweet, but tart. It is undergoing a secondary fermentation in the bottle, so it would be a lot of fun to use a variety of ways. I am thinking summery vinaigrette? Maybe a special sparkling mixer? I told my restauranteur friends to check it out.
My personal favorite (and the wine I took home that day): a dry Gewurztraminer! I loved this wine! It was light and dry and really balanced. In fact, it is all gone now. I need more. So I have to go back soon, and this time I will try more of what they have to offer. (For those who wine-shop by the eye, they do have a lovely label- the whole local artist / local business connection is great.)
I hope all you South Sound wine lovers take some time to stop in too.
Hours: Saturdays & Sundays, 12 to 4. Directions: From I-5 take Exit 111 to North on Marvin Rd (I-5 is going east-west at this point) past the 2nd roundabout, and watch for the little sign on the Left and follow to the shop. The address (and map link): 2825 Marvin Rd NE, Lacey WA.
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If you are moving the the Olympia / Ft Lewis area and believe that small businesses like this winery are important to your quality of life, I would love to help you make this your home and learn about the area. (And all those shops!) I help Buyers, Sellers & Investors throughout the South Puget Sound buy & sell homes. Call me or email me with any questions, or CLICK HERE to find homes for sale in NE Lacey near the winery.
If you are from the South Sound, hopefully you have tired some of the outstanding wines made at Walter Dacon Winery, located just south of Shelton & north of Olympia. Washington state is getting so well known for excellent wines, and Western Washington has some outstanding boutique makers. This one is a gem!
Looking for something special to do with your sweetie? I recommend a trip to the winery.
All Valentine's Day weekend, (February 14th, 15th and 16th, President's Day) from 12 to 6 p.m. each day, for only $7.
Gourmet Chocolates
Chocolate Fountain with dipping snacks
Walter Dacon Wines, of course!
Expect a lovely crowd this weekend.
This afternoon, it was full of friendly happy customers & friends, and even the outdoor seating was full! (There is covered & heated seating outdoors, just in case of rain.)
Directions: From Olympia or Shelton take Hwy 101 and go East onto Lynch Road at TaylorTown, (near the drive-in theater and Taylor Shellfish Company) and follow for a little over a mile to just down the dill and on your Right. Link to a google map with directions here.
What came home with me? The C'est Syrah Belle.It will go perfectly with some sausage and pasta. I also really enjoyed their semi-sweet Viognier, which I tried for the first time today, but they are SOLD OUT! I am just glad I can find this great locally made wine at local stores and restaurants.
If you are moving to the Olympia / Shelton area and enjoy how small, locally owned businesses enhance your quality of life, I would love to help you make this your home and learn about the area. (And all those shops!) I help Buyers, Sellers & Investors throughout the South Puget Sound buy & sell homes. Call me or email me with any questions, or CLICK HERE to find homes for sale in the Arcadia / Kamilche Pt areas of South Mason County near the winery.
A blog reporting the market conditions for residential homes and investment properties throughout the South Puget Sound in Thurston County and Mason County, from Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater to Shelton. With updates about our ever-changing communities: events, development, legal stuff, rumors, restaurants and fun!
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Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.