Here is the West Olympia WA current real estate market update as of April 2014 (area 444 on the map below). West Olympians love their part of town! There is The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College, Capitol Medical Center and the shopping mall to name a few amenities.  West Olympia offers some residents with desirable inlet water views, new construction and vintage homes.  Many residents are in the Olympia School District. Neighborhoods in West Olympia include Aspinwall, Cooper Point, Olympia Country Club, Green Cove, and Ken Lake.           MARKET SNAPSHOT: West Olympia (Area 444) This Year Last Year + / - / = Average Sales Price in Q1: $253,095 $252,213 Stable # of Homes Sold in Q1: 62 52 Good! Absorption Rate in April (how long it takes the market to absorb... 05/21/2014

Olympia, WA - Short Sale Homeowners Debt Relief Extension Act of 2014 (H.R. 3856) On January 13, 2014, Congressman Bill Foster from Illinois introduced a 2 year extension for the debt relief act that forgives debt exclusion from gross income for the discharge of qualified principal residence indebtedness, and for other purposes. The most common application of the original bill is when a client completes a short sale and is given a 1099 from the sellers lien holder. The bill is still in committee and the odds of it passing at this time do not look good. The bill contains a provision to pay for the extension by taking away tax breaks from oil companies for domestic production.However not is all lost the IRS does have a insolvency clause that still allows for debt forgiveness if the home o... 04/23/2014

As a Realtor, it can be frustrating showing buyers their dream home only for them to complain about the interior paint color, and be reluctant to make an offer on the home.  “It’s just paint.  That’s a simple fix,” is something most of my buyers have heard me say.  Well, Karma got me on this one! My husband and I purchased a home two weeks ago (that's another blog post!), but we really couldn’t live with the paint colors.  I told my husband, “it’s just paint.  That’s a simple fix.”  Famous last words!  This home is larger than what we previously had, and there are a lot of walls that need new paint.  In order to tackle this big job ourselves, we followed these two tips, which saved us a lot of time and money.     Tip #1:  Use quality paint.  We used Benjamin Moore paint, and it made our... 04/08/2014

Beautiful like new home in Hawks Prairie’s desirable Freestone Station. This home features 2758sf with 4 bedrooms up & a 5th bed/office down, formal living & dining rms, family room & loft upstairs. Generous areas of real hardwood flrs, granite slab counters w/full height backsplash, stainless appl & walk-in pantry. The master suite has its own fireplace, attached 5 piece bath and lrg walk in closet. Backyard is fully fenced and private, backing up to open space. 15 min to JBLM–Free 1yr warranty Please visit www.PhilSharpHomes.com for more info or call 360-970-9977/360-455-1366           02/18/2014

Some winters in the Olympia area we move from cold enough to snow but no precipitation, to precipitation - but it has warmed up and comes down as rain.  Kids and kids at heart (not to mention ski enthusiasts) are often left wondering if the winter will EVER bring us some snow. Well, Saturday night we got our snow - and more than forecast!  At our house Sunday morning, we had about 4.5".  Of course I had ventured out in my flip flops (don't judge) to try to lean over and measure, so hard telling how exact a measurement that was!  And, yes, I did shortly thereafter go dig out my boots from the depths of the closet and go out to run around with the dog & enjoy the white beauty of the trees and yard.    In this area, a little snow brings everyone out to sled, make a snow man, have a snow ba... 02/10/2014

Here is the Southeast Thurston County WA current real estate market update as of April 2014 (area 452 on the map below). Southeast Thurston County features some beautiful lake front properties and communities such as Lake St. Clair, Pattison Lake and Sunwood Lake.  Residents in this area can also get larger parcels for horses, new construction, and late-century homes. Many residents are in the North Thurston School District and Yelm School District.       MARKET SNAPSHOT: Southeast Thurston County (Area 452) This Year Last Year + / - / = Average Sales Price in Q1: $218,120 $250,972 Down # of Homes Sold in Q1: 19 10 Stable Absorption Rate for January (how long it takes the market to absorb the inventory): 5.8 months 11.9 months Balanced # of Homes Currently Listed: 54 (up by just 6 listi... 02/10/2014

Here is the East Olympia WA current real estate market update as of January 2014 (area 449 on the map below). East Olympians enjoy a variety of home choices - from the gated golf community of Indian Summer to larger parcels suitable for horses to a mix of both worlds!  Residents enjoy biking and walking on the Chehalis-Western Trail, Lattin's Country Cider Mill and Farm, and floating down the Deschutes River on a hot summer day.  Many residents in this area are in the North Thurston School District and Tumwater School District.     MARKET SNAPSHOT: Olympia East (Area 449) This Year Last Year + / - / = Average Sale Price in 2013: $331,174 $314,296 Good! # of Homes Sold in 2013: 102 82 Good! Absorption Rate for January (how long it takes the market to absorb the inventory): 2.8 months 4.1... 02/10/2014

Here is the South Olympia WA current real estate market update as of January 2014(area 448 on the map below). South Olympia is considered a desirable part of Thurston County by its residents.  Many residents covet the Olympia School District, especially Olympia High School.  There are residents in this area who belong to the Tumwater School District. South Olympians have lots of sidewalks and biking paths, and many enjoy the amenities of the YMCA, which has an indoor swimming pool.  South Olympia offers a mix of new construction, mid-century as well as vintage homes.       MARKET SNAPSHOT: Olympia South (Area 448) This Year Last Year + / - / = Average Sales Price in 2013: $258,060 $251,726 Stable # of Homes Sold in 2013: 284 256 Good! Absorption Rate for January (how long it takes the m... 02/10/2014

Here is the North Olympia WA current real estate market update as of January 2014 (area 447 on the map below). North Olympia beckons home-dwellers who are inspired by vintage homes, some of which are on the Historic Registry.  This area includes the Capitol area, downtown Olympia and East Olympia hill.  Homes in this area range from the majestic homes of Olympia's original pioneers to the more modest homes built for the pioneering sawmill and port workers.  Some homes offer water and Capitol views, and many residents enjoy being able to walk to the Capitol, downtown Olympia and the waterfront.  Many residents in this area are in the Olympia School District and North Thurston School District.       MARKET SNAPSHOT: Olympia (Area 447) This Year Last Year + / - / = Average Sales Price in 2... 02/10/2014

Here is the West Olympia WA current real estate market update as of January 2014 (area 444 on the map below). West Olympians love their part of town! There is The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College, Capitol Medical Center and the shopping mall to name a few amenities.  West Olympia offers some residents with desirable inlet water views, new construction and vintage homes.  Many residents are in the Olympia School District.       MARKET SNAPSHOT: West Olympia (Area 444) This Year Last Year + / - / = Average Sales Price in 2013: $274,479 $281,687 Down # of Homes Sold in 2013: 231 163 Good! Absorption Rate in January (how long it takes the market to absorb the inventory): 4.9 months 5.9 months Balanced Market # of Homes Currently Listed: 160 (down slightly from... 02/10/2014

Here is the Delphi / Black Hills WA current real estate market update as of January 2014(area 442 on the map below). Delphi / Black Hills residents are in an area of homes on larger parcels of land.  Buyers can find their coveted horse properties here!  There are also some high end neighborhoods including Field of Dreams and Cougar Ridge.  This area also includes part of the Capitol State Forest.  Many residents in this area are in the Tumwater School District.     MARKET SNAPSHOT: Delphi / Black Hills (Area 442) This Year Last Year + / - / = Average Sales Price in 2013: $275,180 $254,137 Good! # of Homes Sold in 2013: 86 72 Good! Absorption Rate (how long it takes the market to absorb the inventory): 2.5 months 3.7 months Seller's Market # of Homes Currently Listed: 19 (down from 30 li... 02/10/2014

Here is the Summit Lake / Steamboat Island WA (Northwest Thurston County) current real estate market update as of January 2014 (area 441 on the map below).  Northwest Thurston County not only features the major areas of Summit Lake and Steamboat Island but also Carlyon Beach and other beach communities.  Some of the residents in this area enjoy water views, lake and inlet front properties, horse properties, private lots yet have good freeway access to Olympia.  The school district is Griffin School District.      MARKET SNAPSHOT: Northwest Thurston County (Area 441) This Year Last Year + / - / = Average Sales Price in 2013: $287,386 $295,922 Down # of Homes Sold in 2013: 97 67 Good! Absorption Rate in January (how long it takes the market to absorb the inventory): 6.0 months 8.8 months ... 02/10/2014

Indian Summer residents in Olympia WA to get automated water meters next week. During the second week of February 2014, Indian Summer residents served by the City of Olympia for their water will get a water meter make-over!  The current system of manually reading water meters will now be updated to an Automated Meter Reading (AMR) system where Indian Summer residents' water usage will be collected by a combination of mobile and fixed-network technologies.  The water meter will be equipped with an antenna that will be drilled through the meter box lid.  You may not see any difference in appearance of the water meter box. Per the City of Olympia's website, this AMR system will "enhance the City’s ability to run the water utility efficiently and at the lowest cost possible, and will provid... 02/06/2014

Ramblers (one-story homes) for sale in Olympia WA Find the current ramblers for sale in Olympia WA First, just to clarify, a rambler is a one-story home.  In other parts of the county a single story home is often referred to as a ranch-style home.  But whatever you call them, ramblers are popular home choices for buyers in Olympia WA.  Why do homebuyers like ramblers in Olympia WA? No Stairs – not having to navigate stairs is a big plus for all types of home buyers.  Having a home sans stairs means no more moving furniture up and down a stair case, no more laundry trips and even not having to haul a vacuum cleaner up the stairs is nice. Long-term Housing Solution – many experienced home buyers can see themselves living in a rambler for many years, and they feel they don’t have to downsi... 01/29/2014

I just got back from visiting the Christmas Forest in Olympia WA 2013 at the Red Lion Hotel.  Here are a few photos from this year’s trees and wreaths.  Also time is running out to see the forest.  Click here to get more information about this year’s Christmas Forest in Olympia WA.  Guess which tree is my favorite (hint: Go Seahawks!) If you’ve gone to the Christmas Forest this year, let me know which tree you liked most.   12/06/2013

Olympia, WA - How To Sell A House That Didn't Sell Olympia, WA - If your home has just come off the market and hasn't sold, don't be discouraged. The reason your home did not sell may have nothing to do with your home or the market. In reality, your home may have been one of the more desirable properties for sale. So Why Didn't Your Home Sell?   Last year many of the homes listed for sale never sold at all, and many sellers found that there was a tremendous amount a homeowner needed to be educated on to sell their home for top dollar in the shortest time period. Don't risk making the wrong choices and losing both time and money on your investment. Before you hire a realtor, know the right questions to ask to save you time and money. Industry experts have prepared a free special report c... 12/05/2013

Olympia, WA - How To Sell A House That Didn't Sell Olympia, WA - If your home has just come off the market and hasn't sold, don't be discouraged. The reason your home did not sell may have nothing to do with your home or the market. In reality, your home may have been one of the more desirable properties for sale. So Why Didn't Your Home Sell?   Last year many of the homes listed for sale never sold at all, and many sellers found that there was a tremendous amount a homeowner needed to be educated on to sell their home for top dollar in the shortest time period. Don't risk making the wrong choices and losing both time and money on your investment. Before you hire a realtor, know the right questions to ask to save you time and money. Industry experts have prepared a free special report c... 12/05/2013

After you enjoy a Thanksgiving of family, feasting, football - and maybe some Black Friday shopping, get ready for the annual Downtown for the Holidays in Olympia.  The Olympia Downtown Association has some great fun planned for this coming Sunday, December 1st from noon until 5 PM.  Most activities are centered in and around Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia - and are free for your family to enjoy some holiday spirit!  You can hop on free rides on a horse drawn wagon or an electric trolley.  And the kids will love seeing Santa (yes, you can purchase photos of them on his lap).    Then at 3:00 there will be a holiday parade along Capitol Way from Olympia Farmer's Market to Sylvester Park.  And the finale of the day will be the tree lighting ceremony at 4:30. This annual event is a favo... 11/26/2013

Thurston County, WA - Are you an "Empty Nester" who needs a home for the future? Is it time to downsize or to move into another home more suitable for your glorious retirement years? Like thousands of residents in our area, you may be discovering that after years of non-stop child traffic in and out of your doors, toys on the floor, music floating throughout, suddenly you can hear a pin drop over the quiet hum of the refrigerator. Your rooms are filled with pictures and memories of this wonderful time of your life, but there are many empty rooms gathering dust now that your children have moved on. The freer years ahead are exciting ones to look forward to, and it's time for you to move on as well. If you find yourself in this situation, you're in vast and good company. And what that me... 11/26/2013

  Olympia, WA - Are you an "Empty Nester" who needs a home for the future? Is it time to downsize or to move into another home more suitable for your glorious retirement years? Like thousands of residents in our area, you may be discovering that after years of non-stop child traffic in and out of your doors, toys on the floor, music floating throughout, suddenly you can hear a pin drop over the quiet hum of the refrigerator. Your rooms are filled with pictures and memories of this wonderful time of your life, but there are many empty rooms gathering dust now that your children have moved on. The freer years ahead are exciting ones to look forward to, and it's time for you to move on as well. If you find yourself in this situation, you're in vast and good company. And what that means is ... 11/26/2013