Rent To Own!  50% rent credit!  3 bedroom 3 bath 1820 square foot home in beautiful Gig Harbor, WA!!!  The home sits on 2 acres with beautiful landscaping.  There is a 2 car garage and everything in the house is brand new.  There is electric baseboard heat and each room has its own thermostat.  Rent is $1500/mo and first months rent and low down required to move in. Please contact us with any questions at www.50statesrent2own.com. Until next time.... Pete Olsen Rent To Own Homes, LLC www.50statesrent2own.com www.activerain.com/blogs/peteolsen01 07/20/2009

  Residential Transaction Study 6/15/2009 Project description: 98329.SDF   monthly market Most recent transaction: 5/29/2009 Market (homes): 2970 month year sales mrkt% $/sqft avg price median Jun 2009           May 2009 10 0.3% $131 $187,829 $202,050 Apr 2009 9 0.3% $145 $283,217 $252,000 Mar 2009 5 0.2% $129 $220,886 $229,000 Feb 2009 3 0.1% $134 $197,578 $197,735 Jan 2009 4 0.1% $308 $417,966 $325,000   property characteristics 1 story 2111 w/ bsmt 533 platted 1,340 1.5 story 167 avg bsmt sqft 1,153 avg lot sqft1 21,812 2 story 686 w/ garage unplatted 1,630 3+ story 0 avg garage sqft avg lot sqft2 118,481 avg % imprvd 54% avg year built 1984 avg bldg sqft 1,901 avg # beds 3 avg # baths 2       1avg lot sqft of all platted properties 2avg lot sqft of all unplatted properties     The ... 06/15/2009

I live Just outside of Gig Harbor perched on a hill above the Burley Lagoon in Wauna/Purdy and I love it. I love the smell of the fresh salt water air. I love being able to look out my window to see if the tide is in or out. I love the sea-level drive along the Purdy Spit in the morning that exclaims the weather conditions, whatever they may be that day... And as of this last weekend, I love one more thing about Purdy - The guy on the corner selling fresh seafood. I've seen him there for a while now but never stopped to look until last Saturday. I'm not sure why, but something compelled me to check it out. I'm glad I did because now I feel like I have the inside scoop on fresh seafood. I "know a guy" as they would say. And his name is Steve. Steve happily told me what he had on hand. An... 03/25/2009

Often times when you're on the inside of something, you can miss what the outside perspective is.  The old can't see the forest through the trees analogy.  A colleague of mine mentioned that the perception of Keller Williams Real Estate here in Gig Harbor is that we're a new company, a little start-up, kind of a mom and pop.  I want to share the following information not to toot our horn, but simply to introduce many Gig Harbor home buyers and sellers to our great company, maybe for the first time. Keller Williams was formed in the early 1980's in Austin, TX, by Gary Keller and Joe Williams.  They wanted to form a new kind of real estate company that was run by the agents in a manner that they (the local real estate experts) felt would best serve the needs of their clients.  Keller Will... 03/05/2009

I tried to think of something witty about loving houses, or buy a house instead of a box of chocolates, but I came up empty.  So with no fanfare, nothing witty or creative, here is the map of open houses in Gig Harbor this weekend.  If you see anything you like, or if you have any questions about buying a home in our area or the Gig Harbor real estate market in general, give me a call. 02/13/2009

As we push into February and the weather begins to warm up, open house season is warming up as well.  There are several open houses this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday.  If you're looking for a new home in Gig Harbor or on Fox Island, there's a little something for everyone.  From a $155k trailer in a highly sought after retirement community (over 55 living) to a $1.295M waterfront home, there's plenty to check out this weekend.  With the new economic stimulus package looking like it will pass, it is becoming more and more attractive to buy a home now.  Gig Harbor is offering more affordable housing than ever, and the luxury homes in Gig Harbor have dropped into a whole new price range that more buyers find themselves in.  You can view my interactive open house map that gives you the... 02/06/2009

Since it's Super Bowl weekend, the open house slate in Gig Harbor is pretty slim this weekend.  There are a few open however.  I'll be hosting Chaffey Homes' new gated community The Highlands at Rosedale Saturday from 2-4 and Sunday from 1-3pm.  If you want a great new construction luxury home in a beautiful gated community in Gig Harbor (just minutes from Discovery Elem and Gig Harbor High School) come and visit me! View a complete map with details of all of Gig Harbor and Fox Island's open houses here. 01/31/2009

Staging is so important in today's real estate market. Discover why and receive ample tips that will give your property greater interior and exterior appeal, thus selling faster for the highest price the market will bear. Enjoy this class at our Gig Harbor Campus, 3993 Hunt Street, Gig Harbor, WA 98335 Click here to register       12/22/2008

My 2009 Gig Harbor photo calendar is done, I just need to wait to get it shipped back to me.  Several folks have ordered one (and some more than one) for $15.  If you'd like one (or more), please email me at mthomson@kw.com.  I don't know of any other Gig Harbor calendars that are available.  I heard that the Elks puts one out, but I've never seen it.  This year, my calendar includes photos from 3 other great photographers in the Gig Harbor area.  Below is a sneak peak at the photos that are used.  Like everything this time of year, "It makes a great gift!" 11/29/2008

Well, here's a new concept for our friends buying and selling homes in Gig Harbor, WA.  We're going mobile!  As of December 1, 2008 Ticor Title & Escrow will be 100% Mobile in the Harbor area.   What does this mean?  It means that we're offering free mobile escrow signings in the Gig Harbor market during normal business hours.  It means that we'll meet our clients in a location that is convenient for them.  It means that we are running light and flexible and green.  It's a more efficient &  lower cost way of maintaining our presence in a valuable part of Pierce County.  We appreciate our Gig Harbor clients very much and look forward to providing Title Insurance and Escrow service to them with the same great staff, same trustworthy service, but with a fresh new take on the location.  See... 11/25/2008

It seems as we move towards the winter, fewer and fewer open houses are being hosted.  If you're looking to sell your home in the Gig Harbor area, I'd check with any real estate agents you're thinking of hiring and ask them what their policy on open houses is.  In buyers' markets like the Gig Harbor real estate market is in right now, anything to get buyers into your home is a good thing!  That being said, here's the interactive map of open houses in Gig Harbor and Fox Island for this weekend.  There are some pretty nice ones.  I'll be hosting an open house on a property I have listed for sale over in Tacoma.  If you have a chance, swing by Saturday from 10am-1pm to say hi. Remember, all of the information here is from the NWMLS and is reliable, but not guaranteed.  If you're looking to... 11/07/2008

For anyone who happens to be looking for a wireless internet service in the South end of Puget Sound, I wanted to share my experience with Verizon's Wireless Internet service.  I live in Gig Harbor and work in Pierce and King Counties and have used the Verizon service with great results.  And for my fun and your benefit, I have created a google map that shows the places where I have used the service.  If you click on the markers on the map, you can read a quick blurb about the connection quality in each place.  Here's a link to my Real Estate Tech blog for the map and a quick read about it.  Enjoy! Matt Sweet Ticor Title 11/03/2008

I recently learned that search engines treat blogs differently than regular sites.  Because blogs get updated so frequently, the search engines need to scan and index and rank them more often than a reqular web site.  And I learned that including media content in your blog, such as video is even better for your ranking since this tends to be 'stickier' content.  Also, I've noticed that agents are starting to do more of their own video tours of their listings to attract more attention. So I decided to jump in and try it out with my Blackberry Curve.  The curve has a video feature built in that is ultra easy to use.  I just put a memory card in the phone and basically just hit the record button and it makes a movie that can be easily uploaded to YouTube.  Once the video is on YouTube, I c... 10/28/2008

There are only 11 open houses in Gig Harbor this weekend, but they're 11 good ones!  Tomorrow (Saturday October 25th) I'll be hosting an open house at what I believe to be Gig Harbor's best view home value.  Over 3100 square feet of beautifully remodeled home, large fenced yard, huge bonus room, large home office, and amazing views for only $599,000.  I don't think that you can find view properties in Gig Harbor with views as wide open as these at this price, and in a cost per square foot comparison, I doubt you can find any Gig Harbor view homes this low.  Value is created not only by low price, but more so by what you get for that price.  This gorgeous view home on Point Fosdick Drive not only gives you a great house with a great floor plan, not only do you get amazing Puget Sound vie... 10/24/2008

Sorry for being so late with this post.  There's a nice assortment of open houses this weekend in Gig Harbor.  Home prices range from the low $200's to just shy of $1.3M.  There are all sorts of homes for sale in Gig Harbor, and this weekend's opens seem to have a nice sample of them.  You can see the interactive map here.  There are a few Saturday opens, so check the dates and times. Fall leaves along Harborview Dr in Gig Harbor are not for sale, nor are they open, nor are they houses.  But they're pretty. 10/18/2008

September had some ups and some downs in terms of the local Gig Harbor real estate market.  I made the mistake of watching some news the other day, and after a story about the economy and how bad it is, I watched 2 stories about rape and 4 about murder, then one more about the housing market and its tumble, and reminded myself why I don't watch the news.  The news isn't going to tell you anything positive.  They just won't.  If you'd like the truth about home sales last month in Gig Harbor, keep reading.  If you want moaning and groaning, you'll have to go elsewhere. There were 47 single-family homes that sold in Gig Harbor during September.  That's the 2nd highest total we've had this year behind 61 sales in June.  Key Peninsula only had 13 sales, which is the lowest total they've seen... 10/06/2008

Tomorrow (Saturday the 27th) Gig Harbor will be hosting the 2008 Harbor Hounds walk and all-around Doggie-Day!  Microchipping, obedience, doggy massage, and much more will be available for Gig Harbor's 4-legged residents.  Basically, a day devoted to a huge dog walk and pampering your dog!  Harbor Hounds activities will be on the downtown Gig Harbor waterfront from 10am-3pm.        Sebastian won't be joining me, but I'll be participating in the festivities by holding an open house along the walking route!  Be sure to view my interactive map of open houses in the area.  I'll have some dog treats and water for the walkers, and an incredible, remodeled, heart of downtown house at a remarkable price for everybody!  I'd love to have you visit! 09/26/2008

A friend of mine has a husband that works for this firm, Real Carriage Door Company. They do some beautiful custom work and bring a truly authentic look and feel to the homes that fit the character of the doors they create.  While they recently moved their location to Gig Harbor, WA it seems that their products find their way to areas all over the country. Hence, why I am writing about them on AR, because it's always possible that an agent or consumer in another state might be looking for a custom door or carriage doors for their property. Goodness knows we asked for recommendations on products, contractors, and remodels ALL the time! Check out the photos in their gallery.  It made me want to own a Craftsman or Prairie style home again. But, I'm sticking with my modern one for now and w... 09/25/2008

Here's the weekly look at the open houses in Gig Harbor, Key Peninsula, and Olalla.  There are 14 homes open this weekend, ranging from under $250k to over $1.4M.  Quite the range!  Remember, this info is taken from the NWMLS and is reliable but not guaranteed.  Other homes may be held open, but if the listing agent doesn't enter the open house into the MLS, I can't post it on this site.  Click here for an interactive map showing the locations, statistics, and listing agent names for all of this weekend's opens.  If you have any questions on these homes or any other homes you see for sale in the Gig Harbor area, please contact me.  If you're considering selling your home in Gig Harbor but aren't sure if now's the right time or you just don't know how to get started, give me a call...I'd... 09/19/2008

There are some pretty interesting open houses in Gig Harbor this weekend.  No Saturday opens this week, they're all on Sunday.  From a 6bd house right in the downtown area for only $450k, to a nice starter at $295k, to $1M+ waterfront and water view homes, we've got a bit of everything this weekend.  Click here for the interactive map of this weekend's open houses, showing location, statistics, and the listing agent's name.  As always, if you have any interest in these homes or any other homes for sale in the Gig Harbor area, I'd be happy to chat with you about my services to home buyers and home sellers.  This photo is from Beach Drive in Port Orchard.  I like to post random pictures with my weekly open house updates.  This shot has nothing to do with this post, but it's a cool local s... 09/12/2008