statistics: This Just In.... First Half Sales Numbers for 2009 - 07/17/09 06:36 AM
Yes, its that time of year already. Summer in the Northwest...not too many things can beat it. The weather is gorgeous, the city is hopping with events, and the real estate market is.....STABLE.Obviously the climate in the real estate market and the wider economy is a little less sweltering than our weather has been so far this summer, but overall things could be much worse . The trick in analyzing market trends is to have data to measure against. For us, the data available to measure against just happens to be from the hottest real estate market in history. It is … (1 comments)

statistics: Buyer's Market? I'm Not So Sure... - 06/17/09 08:51 AM
If you've turned on a TV or read a newspaper in the last year then you have likely heard talk that we are in the midst of a buyer's market in the real estate world. A buyer's market would lead you to believe that buyers are in control and are able to negotiate fantastic deals on their purchases. You may also be led to believe that sellers are desperate and that they will welcome all offers. While these things may be true in parts of the country, they certainly ARE NOT true here in the Olympia area! Unless you plan on … (2 comments)

statistics: How Good is YOUR Interest Rate? - 06/15/09 01:20 PM
Are you waiting for mortgage rates to drop back down? It seems many potential buyers out there in the real estate market these days are trying to hold out until that perfect scenario presents itself: Low prices AND low rates.
Well here is my word of caution...don't wait TOO LONG! We've been fortunate over the past 15 years to have some extremely low interest rates available to homebuyers. However, when you turn the clock back a bit further things begin to look quite different.
Rather than rattle off a list of statistics and data I think this message is best told … (1 comments)

statistics: Making Sense of the Olympia, WA Real Estate Market - A 10 Year Snapshot - 05/13/09 12:20 PM
You've likely overheard conversations (or maybe participated in them) recently about the state of the real estate market, particularly what caused the crisis and when we will "hit bottom". Everyone seems to have an opinion of who is to blame and how to get things back on track. But rarely do you hear real numbers that apply to your own community. Even the numbers used in local publications generally look at county-wide sales data to formulate their statistics. If you are a Thurston County resident then you are aware that areas like Yelm, Tenino, and Rochester follow much different trends than the … (3 comments)