Bremerton WA Real Estate information from SoundBiteBlog.
March 6, 2008 at 9:01 am · Filed under Bremerton Real Estate, Silverdale Real Estate, Real Estate Bites, Buyers, Sellers, Sparks from Sparky
As I travel throughout the Real Estate Blogosphere these days, I see a lot of articles being published by agents with the positive-spin headlines,….
…..”It’s a GREAT Time to Buy!”
I wonder how much of this is simply hopeful optimism? Wishful thinking? Or an attempt by those in the real estate industry to counter the incessant media bombardment of ‘Doom & Gloom?”
Well, let’s face it, in most markets across the country, existing homes sales have declined significantly. There’s no way to sugar coat that reality. And as much as we’d love to see things turn around soon, there is no substantive indication of that happening anytime in the near future.
But I suppose, if enough people say that it’s a good time to buy, then maybe some innocent and unsuspecting consumer will actually decide to ‘buy’ something? Just like Peter Pan, we could collectively think ‘Happy Thoughts’ about the market, and magically, home sales would fly!
Buying a home is a HUGE decision, by far one of the most important financial investments you’ll probably ever make. Certainly not something to be rushed into based on the overly zealous opinions of someone who doesn’t get paid unless YOU buy!
So, is it TRUE or FALSE? Is ‘Now’ a good time to Buy?
Well, the answer is TRUE. And FALSE. It really depends on each individual situation. What’s your current financial status? What are your goals? Where do you want to buy? How long do you plan on living in the home?
Here in Kitsap County WA, many of our clients are Active-Duty military. A good number of them are typically on orders to be stationed here for 2 to 3 years. In the past, with home valuations appreciating nicely, investing in a home purchase made sense in most instances. But with the current market decline, it may be better for some people to take advantage of on-base housing, or rent.
If you’re considering a home purchase, find a real estate professional who knows the local market intimately, and can give you reputable counsel, based on your particular needs.
And if the first words out of their mouth is, “It’s a Great Time to Buy!,” then give me a call.
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January 9, 2008 at 12:46 am · Filed under Bites of Kitsap, Bremerton Real Estate, Silverdale Real Estate, Port Orchard Real Estate, Poulsbo Real Estate, Real Estate Bites, Buyers, Sellers, Sparks from Sparky
“But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven,
nor the Son, but the Father only.” ~ Matthew 24:36
Okay, let me start off by saying that I mean no disrespect here. I am just as anxious for the 2nd Coming to happen as the next card-carrying evangelical fundamentalist (Come quickly, Lord Jesus!). But it seems that lately, we’ve had just as many people attempting to forecast the future of real estate as we do those who’ve attempted to predict the date and time for the return of the Son of Man.
In both instances, it’s simply a best guess. No one knows for certain what’s going to happen and when. Certainly there are indicators and previous cycle patterns to analyze and compare. But the reality remains, no one knows for certain.
But in real estate, there is one thing we can say with confidence - “No Two Markets are the Same!”
Just because some Wall Street ‘wannabe’ claims that the 2nd Great Depression is looming right around the corner, doesn’t make him right. Those guys earn a living on speculation! And if one more TV News Starlet, scratching her way to higher ratings, refers to the current housing market as a ‘Holocaust,’ I promise I’m gonna hurl!
Are there areas in the US housing market where things are tough? You betcha! In some places, prices are dropping, valuations are decreasing, and foreclosures are rising at an alarming pace.
But there are just as many housing markets, if not more, that are experiencing ‘normal‘ conditions. By ‘normal,’ I mean, experiencing the usual cycles historically associated with the real estate market. Every 8 to 10 years or so, we go through a market adjustment. After enjoying several years of very fast or brisk activity, the market begins to slow.
It is during these downturns, that the pessimistic media naysayers of ‘doom & gloom’ act as though these kind of cycles have never happened to us before. The constant bombardment of their incessant negativity begins to affect us, and their created perception starts to become our reality.
Certainly, if one lone trader can adversely affect the cost of crude oil, then the constant negative bombardment of media hypesters can easily influence our perceptions over the current real estate market.
The real truth is that real estate is bad in some places, but not so bad in some, and still fairly good in others. Please, don’t allow the Media’s broad brush strokes to paint an incorrect picture of YOUR market. If you’re looking to buy or sell, consult with your local real estate professional. No one is better equipped or knows your market more intimately than someone who is actively involved in providing expert representation in your specific area.
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December 20, 2007 at 12:15 am · Filed under Bites of Washington, Bites of Kitsap, Bremerton Real Estate, Silverdale Real Estate, Real Estate Bites, Buyers, SoundBite Bites
Okay, so what if we just had over 12″ of torrential rain swamp us in a 24 hour period, causing sinkholes and washed-out roadways. And forget that we have a huge stockpile of nuclear warheads just down the street at Bangor Subase (at least once a year the tree-hugging Al Gore global warmers protest at the front gate). 
Regardless, the Silverdale WA and Bremerton WA area just recently made the No. 10 spot on a list of the Safest Mid-Sized Cities across the US with populations of 150,000 to 500,000.
The list is from a report compiled by Farmer’s Insurance. The rankings take into account variables such as crime statistics, weather, life expectancy, and terrorist threat levels.
Two other Washington State cities were ranked - Olympia (the State Capitol) came in at 1st place, and Bellingham was 5th.
To read more about the Most Secure US Places, go HERE.
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December 7, 2007 at 11:35 am · Filed under Bites of Kitsap, Bremerton Real Estate, Silverdale Real Estate, Port Orchard Real Estate, Bainbridge Island Real Estate, Poulsbo Real Estate, Real Estate Bites, Buyers, Sellers, Mortgage Bites, Sparks from Sparky, Gig Harbor Real Estate, Kitsap Market Reports
Real Estate Market Report/Conditions in Kitsap County WA for 12/06/2007
The following is a brief analysis of the combined single-family home and condo market within Kitsap County, Washington for December 2007, provided by Rich Jacobson of Windermere Real Estate, in Silverdale, WA (Data for Bainbridge Island WA is included below)
- Properties currently active on the market: 1989
- Properties closed in the last 180 days: 1561
- Average Sales Price: $335,174
- Average List Price: $342,303
- Ratio of List Price to Sales Price: 98%
- Average Days on Market: 88
- Sales Pending this Week: 35
Current Market Conditions: Area 141 (South Kitsap West of Hwy. 16) still has the highest ratio of List Price vs. Sale Price with 102%. The lowest ratio was 95% for Area 161 (Hansville). Shortest Days on Market (DOM) was Area 166 (Poulsbo) at 63, and Area 150 (E. Central Kitsap) coming in 2nd with 69. Longest DOM goes to Area 163 (Port Gamble) with 133, followed by Area 161 (Hansville) at 106. Inventory levels dropped by nearly 10%, with many Sellers electing to remove their homes from market over the Christmas Holidays. Overall, prices continue to hold fairly steady, as do the days on market.
Bainbridge Island Stats: (Area 170)
- Properties currently Active on the market: 288
- Properties closed in last 180 days: 235
- Average Sales Price: $ 732,699
- Average List Price: $ 754,554
- Ratio of List Price to Sales Price: 97%
- Average Days on Market: 125
- Sales Pending this week: 6
For Buyers: There is no better time than ‘NOW’ to consider purchasing a home here in Kitsap County WA. Be sure to work very closely with your Mortgage Loan Officer throughout all stages of the transaction. Loan programs are changing constantly, and underwriters are imposing more and more conditions. A good Loan Officer will stay on top of these issues, and help to keep your loan process moving along smoothly.
For Sellers: Many Sellers are waiting until the market picks up again in the early Spring to put their home up for sale. You may want to consider an earlier launch date (early January) to give yourself a ‘jump’ on the competition.
For 1st Time Buyers: You might want to consider one of my listings, the Gorman Condominiums, near beautiful Kitsap Lake in Bremerton WA. For only $ 129,950 your dream of home ownership can come true!
For more additional information and resources concerning real estate in Kitsap County WA and the Western Puget Sound, access my website, Kitsap Life.
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December 3, 2007 at 10:14 am · Filed under Bites of Washington, Bites of Kitsap, Bremerton Real Estate, Silverdale Real Estate, Port Orchard Real Estate, Bainbridge Island Real Estate, Poulsbo Real Estate, Sparks from Sparky, Business Bites, Gig Harbor Real Estate
One of our family’s annual Holiday traditions is venturing out the weekend after Thanksgiving, and cutting down our Yuletide Christmas Tree.
In addition to the usual multitude of ‘pre-cut’ tree lots, there are a number of excellent ‘live’ tree farms located throughout Kitsap County WA.
Our first year here, we purchased a ‘pre-cut’ tree from Olmstead’s Christmas Trees here in Silverdale WA. They were close and convenient, just down the street from Clear Creek Elementary on Sunde Road.
For the proceeding couple of years, we went out to Kuney’s Christmas Trees, on Pioneer Road out in Seabeck WA. For a flat fee, you can select any tree on their property, regardless of size. Definitely a good bargain!
The last 3 years, we’ve cut out trees out at Hubert’s Noble Ridge Christmas Tree Farm, off Seabeck Hwy. in Bremerton WA. Although somewhat pricey, compared to other area lots, they have a wide selection of numerous evergreen varieties, including Douglas Fir, Grand Fir, Noble Fir, Shasta Fir, Western White Pine, and Southwest Alpine. They also offer the ”Noble House,” a place to snuggle up to a cozy fire and enjoy a cup of hot cider.
Our local newspaper, the Kitsap Sun, published a fairly comprehensive list of Christmas Tree farms throughout the West Sound area. Go HERE to access the list.
Another great National resource directory for finding Christmas Tree Farms throughout the US is www.PickYourOwnChristmasTree.org
To all of our SoundBiteBlog readers, have a very Merry Christmas Holidays, and a most prosperous New Year!
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November 27, 2007 at 11:45 am · Filed under Bremerton Real Estate, Silverdale Real Estate, Port Orchard Real Estate, Bainbridge Island Real Estate, Poulsbo Real Estate, Real Estate Bites, Buyers, Sellers, Sparks from Sparky, Gig Harbor Real Estate
Real Estate Market Report/Conditions in Kitsap County WA for 10/04/2007
The following is a brief analysis of the combined single-family home and condo market within Kitsap County, Washington for October 2007, provided by Rich Jacobson of Windermere Real Estate, in Silverdale, WA (Data for Bainbridge Island WA is included below)
- Properties currently active on the market: 2273
- Properties closed in the last 180 days: 1687
- Average Sales Price: $336,020
- Average List Price: $341,304
- Ratio of List Price to Sales Price: 99.5%
- Average Days on Market: 87.5
- Sales Pending this Week: 41
Current Market Conditions: The highest ratio of List Price vs. Sale Price is still Area 141 (South Kitsap West of Hwy. 16) with 101%. The lowest ratios were 97% for Areas 167 (Suquamish) and 161 (Hansville). Shortest Days on Market (DOM) continues to be Area 150 (E. Central Kitsap) with 62 DOM. Area 146 (Chico) was also still 2nd at 64. Longest DOM goes to Area 164 (Lofall) with 161, followed by Area 162 (Kingston) with 104. Inventory rose again slightly, and sales decreased. But the sales prices improved by nearly 7%.
Bainbridge Island Stats: (Area 170)
- Properties currently Active on the market: 332
- Properties closed in last 180 days: 299
- Average Sales Price: $ 733,243
- Average List Price: $ 747,692
- Ratio of List Price to Sales Price: 98%
- Average Days on Market: 136
- Sales Pending this Week: 4
For Buyers: Dont’ listen to the media or Jim Cramer on the “Today Show.” Now is still a great time to consider purchasing a home here in Kitsap County WA. The current rate this morning for a 30-year fixed rate loan is still just under 6%! With the number of available homes on the market, Buyers have more choices and greater negotiation power.
For Sellers: You’ve got to do your homework and ensure that you’re fully prepared for market. Your house will really need to ‘pop’ and be priced aggressively if you want to stand out from the masses. Working closely with your Listing Agent, you should pull out all the stops and do everything possible to position your home ‘Head & Shoulders’ above the competition.
For 1st Time Buyers, you might want to consider one of my listings, the Gorman Condominiums, near Kitsap Lake in Bremerton WA. For only $129,950 property ownership can be a reality for you!
For additional information and resources concerning real estate in Kitsap County WA, access my website, www.KitsapLife.com
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