Explore Olympia, WA

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 2
This real estate market update is going to be a little different as we are in unprecedented times, dealing with COVID-19 and its impacts on all of us.  It has left many struggling emotionally, physically and financially.  For this report, I wanted to share with you the questions I have been recei...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 4
 This week, Washington State’s Governor Inslee signed an emergency proclamation allowing e-notarizations.  Our Washington REALTORS® and other organizations worked to accelerate this order, which was already planned to be in place by October 1st of this year, but was moved up to now due to the COV...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 2
With Governor Inslee’s “stay home, stay healthy” mandate on March 23rd, real estate brokers may not conduct any business outside of our homes, and that includes showing or previewing homes.  We cannot do any in-person business whatsoever.  For the health of our community, we are putting things on...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 2
In short, probably not, and here’s why. Supply and Demand Olympia WA and Thurston County have the lowest standing inventory in its history.  At the end of February, Thurston County had just 242 homes listed for sale.  In contrast, a balanced market is about 1,200 listings.  Our market would need ...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 2
 It’s no doubt it has been a tough couple of weeks.  I’m hoping this soothing photo can help. Our daily lives have been impacted and disrupted, and these times are certainly unnerving.  But as history has proved to us, we will bounce back.  We made it through many crises before and we will make i...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 4
 It's this time of year again when my firm, Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty is running our annual college scholarship contest for 2020. For all the details, be sure to visit www.whatmakesahouseahome.com. Since 2011, we have asked our high school students in Thurston County, "What Makes a...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 6
 With a 29th day added to February once every four years, that warrants a celebration.  Here are the fun events in and around the Olympia WA area: Meet and Greet superhero Amazon of Olympia at the Hands On Children’s Museum from 1-3 PM. See the Olympia Dance Festival with over 200 dancers perform...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 0
Every February, right around Valentine’s Day, Thurston County homeowners will receive in the mail a small postcard from the Assessor’s office with your new property tax assessment for the year. Most homeowners have their mortgage set up where the mortgage company collects property taxes in each m...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 3
Olympia WA - one of many nature walks in the town. January 2020 in the Olympia WA (Thurston County) real estate market started off very strong with lots of buyer activity and positive equity gains for most sellers. The median home sales price in Thurston County is $342,787. The gains sellers are ...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 4
 The Olympia WA (in Thurston County) January 2020 real estate marketplace is deep in a seller’s market.  With the low inventory and fewer choices for buyers, many sellers are seeing multiple offers and are receiving offers within hours of listing.  Most offers are over the asking price when buyer...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 1
 Coldwell Banker is proud to be a winner of the 2020 Women’s Choice Award The Women’s Choice Award is the only award that recognizes and identifies brands that women recommend. And with women being key in real estate, this is a tremendous honor. Did you know...... · 91% of homebuying decisions ar...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 1
 Here is the market at a glance for Thurston County WA, including the major cities of Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater. 2019 was a strong year for our local housing market. Why was 2019 such a strong year for the Olympia area housing market?  1. Strong Regional Job Market and Low Unemployment 2. Relat...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 1
 January 2020 is starting out as the most robust seller’s real estate market we have seen in Olympia, WA in Thurston County.    There are currently less than 250 active listings for sale (a balanced market is about 1,200+ listings countywide). Thurston County is in the longest stretch of time in ...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 3
Starting January 1, 2020, many home sellers in Thurston County, WA will see relief in their Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) that they pay to the state of Washington when they sell their home. In the past, most areas in Thurston County were taxed 1.78% (1.28% state tax rate + 0.50% local rate) of th...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 6
  Here is this year's tree at the Capitol rotunda in Olympia WA. The 34-foot Noble fir tree is outfitted with toys and games, keeping with this year's theme of "Timeless Toys."   When I was there today, a group was starting a tour. If you haven't taken a tour of the Capitol and grounds, I'd recom...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 3
The real estate market in Olympia WA continues to grow and there aren’t signs that this trend will be stopping anytime soon.  This chart below shows the average gains sellers, who sold this year, are achieving from when they purchased.  On average, market-wide median home prices are up 8.6 percen...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 6
  The Christmas Forest held annually in Olympia WA is a not only a must-attend holiday tradition in my household but is also a worthy fundraiser for the Providence St. Peter Foundation.  The Foundation raises funds to support life-saving medical equipment, compassionate care, and Mission-driven p...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 4
 Visit the Capitol rotunda to see the state tree. Go ice skating Oly On Ice is a seasonal skating rink open from late November to mid-January.  It’s at the Isthmus Park between Capitol Lake and Bayview Thriftway (529 4th Ave W). See Ballet Northwest’s production of The Nutcracker at the Washingto...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 3
The holidays can conjure strong emotions and can lead to feeling down and blue during what is supposed to be a fun and celebratory time.  The shorter days and grey weather doesn’t help, either, and sometimes you feel like you just want to hibernate until spring.  But don’t do that!  Instead, the ...

By Francine Viola, REALTOR®, In Tune with your Real Estate Needs
(Coldwell Banker Evergreen Olympic Realty, Olympia WA)
Comments 15
This Thanksgiving as we are sharing a meal with our relatives, sometimes heated discussions come up as the mashed potatoes and bean casserole are being passed around, including the popular topic of real estate.  Like me, you may have your own Aunt Trish who is an expert in ALL conversation topics...

Olympia, WA Real Estate Professionals