 Continued Service
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Lacey Washington Real Estate Information and Homes for Sale
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Phil Sharp Homes of Abbey Real Estate offers professional real estate representation to buyers in the Lacey Wa area, and to those wishing to purchase a first home or trade up to something newer and better. My staff of three assistants, and I, believe that we offer the best plan around (We tailor our plan to each customer) for those looking to buy a home, or find homes for sale in Lacey and the surrounding communities.
Did you know that when purchasing a home, buyer representation with me is free. Thru our relationship with the MLS, we are able to show and sell every real estate listing in Pierce and Thurston counties, and in fact in all of Washington. Our contract with the Multiple Listing Service ensures that while we represent the interests of the buyer, the seller pays the bills. I make my services available to anyone interested in the Lacey area Real Estate market. Whether you are just seeking information, or are needing to make a move right away, I am willing to offer my advice, and my services, on your schedule and when you are ready. I expect that while you are in the initial stages of looking, you may not want to form a relationship with a real estate agent...which is understandable. I make all of my resources available with no strings, and when the time is right and you are ready to start working with an agent I hope that you will make the decision to work with me. As you navigate Lacey Property Sales (this website), you may be directed via links to my "central" website, PhilSharpHomes.com. This site is my resourse site, and contains volumes of information about the home buying process, home loans, inspections, and of course access to the MLS. I do ask for your contact information, and will provide you with a login and password giving you access to all of my resources, including the MLS. I will also send you information relevant to your home search...I will not send you "Phil is the greatest realtor" blatant marketing nonsense and fluff. Of course I will never share your information with anyone. If you would like to view our Privacy Policy, please click here. Sincerely, Phil Sharp
Phil Sharp Homes & Abbey Real Estate Inc. |
Lacey Washington Real Estate Market Information
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The Lacey Washington Real Estate Market Report The real estate market in Lacey, and in all of western Washington, has maintained its strength throughout the current economic downturn. While we have seen our share of foreclosures, property values have held up very well. When lumping all segments of the market together, we have seen a decline of approximately 12% since the fall of 2008. If you remove properties priced over $300K, and vacant land, you will find that home values have actually only declined by 3-5%, and have made up much of the loss this year. Lacey has experienced a very active real estate market this spring, which unlike other parts of the country, does not appear to be slowing “post tax credit”. Our real estate market has several things going for it. Number one being the growing population of Ft. Lewis and McChord AFB (Joint Base Lewis-McChord). The current population of JBLM is approximately 37,000 active duty personnel. Fort Lewis currently has about 30,000 assigned, and McChord AFB has 7000. There is also rumor that two brigades, totaling another 9000 or so soldiers, will be moved from Ft. Riley and Germany in the next 1-2 years. This number of personnel, with turn-over of as much as 20% per year, will continue to dominate the real estate market for the foreseeable future. In addition to the military impact on the housing market, the seat of the State Government is located in Olympia (adjacent to Lacey), employing several thousand people. We are also seeing major corporate relocations to Washington. The availability of the protected waters of Puget Sound has prompted companies like Target, Costco, and Home Depot to locate their west coast distribution centers in Lacey…bring lots of money and jobs to the community. I have to mention Employment in this housing market report. The current unemployment rate in Washington is just below 7%. It is somewhat lower in the Puget Sound region. The reasons for this low unemployment (in comparison the other parts of the country) were spelled out in the previous paragraph. About the Tax Credit: Existing home sales in Lacey have been off some since the end of the tax credit in April of this year….but not off as much as other markets around the country. The FANTASTIC news for our real estate market (and for our soldiers and airmen assigned to JBLM) is that the tax credit has actually been extended for service members who have been stationed overseas or deployed….those who fit this category will qualify for the tax credit until June of 2011. Is a Housing Shortage in the cards? This is going to sound crazy…but it is coming from someone who is out in the market showing houses almost daily…and the answer is yes. While we do have a fairly large inventory of homes on the market, most of what is sitting on the market is either over priced, or it has been very well picked over. Of the current inventory, there are lots of fixers, lots of properties with problems, and not so many that are appealing and turn-key. New construction is no longer keeping up with demand. The banks are not willing to let builders get ahead of themselves, and new homes that are well priced and in desirable neighborhoods, are selling as fast as they are built. Pre-sales (purchase of a home pre-construction) are becoming the only option for buyers who are looking for new homes with nice features and amenities…the timeline for contruction is typically 3-5 months. Going back to the numbers of new personnel coming to the military bases, along with the huge number re-deploying, and you can read the writing on the wall. Throw a couple of thousand buyers into the Lacey area real estate market, and the 1500 or so homes on the market (once you take out the junk) doesn’t leave much to choose from. I have been and remain optimistic about real estate as an investment in the Lacey area. The population of the Military bases, and the resulting potential homeowners, will continue to give strength to our real estate market. Our geographic location on the I-5 corridor leaves us in the path of growth…which will continue for years. Residents, home buyers, and home sellers have a lot to be thankful for….Strong housing market, strong and growing local economy, and steady population growth all make Lacey a great place to invest in real estate and home ownership. |
On this site you will find unique and state of the art features; many of which have only become available within the real estate community as recently as the winter of 2009. The map link above will take you to our Interactive Mapping MLS Search. Searching for listings with this tool is as simple as selecting the area for your search and rolling your mouse over the map for information about each property. You can also conduct a more specific search with criteria as detailed as you like. During your search for a home in Lacey, it is my hope that you will come back and use the features available here such as the Map Search, Automated email alerts, real time sales prices and values, and more. 
Free Home warranty...if the seller won't, I will! |
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Lacey Wa Real Estate MLS Search
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Favorite Resources
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 You can find great local Washington real estate information on Localism.com Phil Sharp is a proud member of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, a free online community to help real estate professionals grow their business. |
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