Welcome to SoundBiteBlog.com. This website focuses mainly on providing Real Estate, Mortgage, and Local Area information for consumers and residents in Western Puget Sound, we also share our passions, expertise, and practical insights on Internet marketing and technology, including social media/networking, SEO, website design, and custom web applications. SoundBiteBlog is an award-winning joint venture between Mark Flanders of Pastik Design and Rich Jacobson of Keller William West Sound.

Within the pages of SoundBite is an eclectic collection of articles covering a wide variety of topics we hope you'll find interesting, engaging, and helpful. Rich is committed to relentlessly representing his client's best interests and empowering them to make informed decisions. Mark finally decided what he wanted to do when he grew up and gets excited when the code he's written solves a customer's problem with blinding efficiency!

Kitsap County WA Real Estate Market Report for July 2011

July 19th, 2011 by Rich Jacobson

The following is a brief overview and analysis of the combined single-family home and condo market within Kitsap CountyWashington for July 2011, provided by Rich Jacobson of Windermere Real Estate, in Silverdale, WA.kitsap-county-wa-real-estate

  • Properties currently active on the market:  1900
  • Properties closed in the last 180 days:  1185
  • Average Sales Price:  $ 272,196
  • Average List Price:  $ 282,241
  • Ratio of List Price to Sales Price: 96%
  • Average Days on Market: 148
  • Sales Pending this Week: 73

Bainbridge Island WA statistics separately: (Area 170)

  • Properties currently Active on the market:  340
  • Properties closed in last 180 days:  162
  • Average Sales Price:  $555,820
  • Average List Price:  $590,679
  • Ratio of List Price to Sales Price: 94%
  • Average Days on Market: 217
  • Sales Pending this week: 5

Weekly Property Type Breakdown (7/11/11 thru 7/17/11)

Property Type New Active Pending Sold
All Single Family Homes 96 1900 73 44
Residential $200K-$300K 21 484 24 14
Residential $300K-$500K 33 491 12 9
Residential $500K-$1M 14 265 4 7
Residential $1M+ 3 101 1 3
Condo <$250K 3 74 1 0
Condo $250K+ 2 64 2 1
New Construction 3 260 6 3
Vacant Land 6 748 1 3

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?

July 1st ushered in the opening day for the recreational crabbing season in waterways surrounding the Kitsap Peninsula. Early reports are favorable with limits being pulled up in Marine Areas surrounding the Kitsap Peninsula.

For more information on recreational crabbing in the Puget Sound WA, go to CrabbingInTheHood.com

~       o       ~       o       ~       o       ~       o       ~ o       ~

Homes-for-sale-in-Kitsap-County-WA

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional with Windermere Real Estate, providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.comActiveRain, and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

Share on Facebook

Tags: , , , , , ,

Kitsap County WA Real Estate Market Report – September 2009

September 17th, 2009 by Rich Jacobson

The following is a brief analysis of the combined single-family home and condo market within Kitsap County, Washington for September 2009, provided by Rich Jacobson of Windermere Real Estate, in Silverdale, WA (this includes data for Bainbridge Island WA)kitsap-county-wa-real-estate

  • Properties currently active on the market:  2056
  • Properties closed in the last 180 days:  1414
  • Average Sales Price:  $298,850
  • Average List Price:  $311,121
  • Ratio of List Price to Sales Price: 96%
  • Average Days on Market: 96
  • Sales Pending this Week: 68

Poulsbo WA statistics separately: (Area 166)

  • Properties currently Active on the market:  116
  • Properties closed in last 180 days:  112
  • Average Sales Price:  $321,722
  • Average List Price:  $329,347
  • Ratio of List Price to Sales Price: 98%
  • Average Days on Market: 89
  • Sales Pending this week: 7

WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW?

The Fall season on the Kitsap Peninsula WA is definitely upon us! Temperatures are cooling down, the mornings are darker, and local high school football is in full swing!

In most markets across the country, real estate is seasonal, and typically begins to slow down once school starts back up. But here in Kitsap County WA we still are experiencing a steady flow of activity, especially with Buyers trying to take advantage of the $8000 Federal Tax Credit for 1st Time Home Buyers. In order to qualify for this credit, the purchase contract must be closed no later than December 1st, 2009.town-and-country-auto-repair-bremerton-wa

Looking for good, economical auto repair? Try Town & Country Auto Repair!

One of the biggest challenges when moving to a new area is finding a reputable auto repair company. Your search is over with Town & Country Auto Repair on Chico Way in Bremerton! Trust Brian, Bruce, Ken and the rest of the guys at Town & Country to maintain your vehicles with knowledgeable and cost-effective service. For an appointment, call (360) 692-2262.

For more additional information and resources concerning real estate in Kitsap County WA and the Western Puget Sound, access my website, Kitsap Life .

~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

Share on Facebook

Tags: , ,

Positive Changes at Windermere West Sound in Kitsap County WA

July 22nd, 2009 by Rich Jacobson

Windermere-Real-Estate-Silverdale-WAI just wanted to update our readers about some very positive changes that have recently occurred at the Windermere Real Estate offices in Poulsbo, and Silverdale (known as Windermere West Sound, Inc.) here on the scenic Kitsap Peninsula.

Earlier this year, both offices were sold by retiring Windermere veterans, John Demco and Steve and April Kieburtz, to a couple of young Windermere entrepreneurs, Carter Dotson and Mike Pitts.

Dotson, owner of Windermere’s Kingston office, began his ten year real estate career at Windermere Services Company. A native of Bainbridge Island, Dotson has recently returned to Bainbridge with his family and is managing operations at the Poulsbo office which currently has 47 agents.

Co-owner partner, Pitts, also formerly of Windermere Services Company, brings his information technology skills to the management of the Silverdale office, which houses 42 agents. Mike and his family reside on Bainbridge Island as well.

At the Poulsbo office, longtime Managing Broker and popular trainer, Cindy White, has retired. Her void has been skillfully filled by respected veteran Casey McGrath.

In Silverdale, Managing Broker Frank Wilson has taken a position with Graphical Data, Inc., a real estate technology company that provides website design and IDX MLS feed solutions to real estate offices, brokerages and agents. Replacing Frank is Marie Flanders, a longtime successful agent in Kitsap County.

There is definitely a renewed sense of vision and excitement in our offices. Since assuming ownership, both Carter and Mike have garnered the trust, respect, and support of our agents, not an easy task, I assure you.

Under the leadership of the new owners, and the experienced guidance of the new managing brokers, Windermere West Sound, Inc. is poised to continue their dominant position as the leading real estate company in Kitsap County WA.

~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, and Crabbing in the Hood.

Share on Facebook

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Silverdale and Bremerton tapped as #1 Growth US Housing Market

June 11th, 2009 by Rich Jacobson

silverdale-wa-real-estateIn the most recent issue of US News and World Report, Silverdale WA and Bremerton WA were both ranked in 1st place among the Top Ten US Housing Markets for the Next Ten Years.

Citing a recent study conducted by Moody’s Economy.com, Associate Editor Luke Mullins shared findings that the home prices of neighboring cities Silverdale WA and Bremerton WA should expect to increase by an average of 5.2 percent annually from the fourth quarter of 2008 through the same period of 2018.

Situated near the heart of the Kitsap Peninsula, Silverdale and Bremerton WA share more than 300 miles of scenic Puget Sound coastline with other area cities like Port Orchard, Poulsbo, and Seabeck.

While the attractive Pacific Northwest location is certainly a huge draw that brings new residents to the area, the study points to the area’s stable economies as the primary determining factor for the projected future growth.  A large military presence/community— of the U.S. Navy in particular — helps to insulate the local economies somewhat from the widespread volatility being experienced in other markets around the county.

With the current low mortgage rates and the $8000 tax credit, this can be an excellent time for 1st Time Home Buyers to enter the market. And, with the number of bank-owned properties and short sales, there is also opportunities for investors to acquire some bargain-priced properties.

~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~     o     ~

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, and Crabbing in the Hood.

Share on Facebook

Tags: , , , , ,

Real Estate and March Madness

March 21st, 2009 by Rich Jacobson

Okay, so I’ll be first one to admit that I’m a bit biased towards Kansas University and the beloved Jayhawk Basketball program. Prior to moving to Silverdale WA, we lived in Lawrence KS for 10 years. Our kids grew up as Jayhawk fans. During our time there, we learned to have a tremendous appreciation for collegiate sports, and basketball in particular.

jayhawkAs such, whenever March rolls around, things get pretty crazy around the Jacobson Home. The brackets are printed out, filled in, and proudly scotch-taped to the refrigerator.

The Dance (NCAA Basketball Tournament) illicits a plethora of ruminating prognosticators who boast and brag about their picks, and claim to have some kind of psychic insider information to base their selections upon.

The same could be said of real estate. It seems that lately, we’ve had as many people attempting to forecast the future of real estate as we do those who are attempting to predict the match-ups going into the Final Four.

The last couple of years, our daughter, Emily, has won our family bracket challenge. This really annoys her 3 brothers who follow college hoops a lot more closely than she does.

In real estate, trying to forecast future trends, even for just the next 6 months, is many times 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 ‘suit’ in New York claims that the 2nd Great Depression has arrived and that the housing market has imploded, doesn’t mean it’s true across the board. Those guys earn a living on sound bytes and speculation. And if one more blonde 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 somewhat stable or ‘normal‘ conditions. By ‘normal,’ I mean, 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.dick_vitale

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 in some areas, real estate is in seriously bad shape. In other places it’s mediocre at best. And still yet in some markets, real estate is holding its own.

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.

~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~ o ~

Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com and Crabbing in the Hood.

Share on Facebook

Tags: , , ,