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Dupont, WA Real Estate News

By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
I was raised in a Air Force family. I am a veteran of both the Army and Navy myself. These experiences have given me a pretty good view of most communities around military installations. Granted many of these towns around our nation have been cleaned up but the stigma remains. DuPont Washington never had to clean up a bad part of town as it was never a bad place to live. Imagine my surprise, when a client, told me that he didn't want to look at homes in DuPont. He was from a military family and his mom and dad told him to stay clear of any town adjacent to any military base. They warned of prostitution, massage shops, pawn shops and shady characters. I had sent him pictures of homes in his price range, that he liked, and he said to take him through the shadiest part of DuPont. I took h...
Comments 5
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
As of September 30, 2009 here are the stats for the DuPont’s NW Landing Neighborhood. Pre-Owned single family homes 22 Homes Active For Sale 11 Homes Are Pending/ Under Contract 10 Homes have sold since September 1st 5 Canceled or Expired listings Average days on market of home SOLD in DuPont in September (124 Days) Highest SOLD price in DuPont since September 1st was listed at $335K and sold for $321K in 150 days. Pre-Owned Condos 15 Condos Active For Sale 0 Condos Are Pending/ Under Contract 1 Homes have sold since September 1st 1 canceled or Expired listings Average days on market of home SOLD in DuPont in September (98 Days) Highest SOLD price in DuPont since September 1st was listed at $229.5K and sold for $222K in 98 days. New Construction single family homes 22 Homes Active For S...
Comments 3
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
I have always happily attended home inspections. I always learn something about construction, code enforcement, and society in general. It is so important to get a home inspection. It’s nothing personal against the Seller and it shouldn’t be a matter of contention. I explain it as a snapshot of the condition of the house at the time of the inspection to my Buyers. My Buyers always walk away with a better understanding of what they are buying. My buyers selected a very well known home inspector in our area. I have used him before and respect him as a professional. He started by walking the outside of the house and pointing out; Blemishes on the siding Cracks in the foundation An odd 50 amp plug-in receptacle, before the electrical meter (RED FLAG) We then went into the house and the insp...
Comments 55
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
As of August 31, 2009 here are the stats for the Dupont’s NW Landing Neighborhood. Total number pre-owned Single Family homes for sale; 25 Average List Price: $295,000 Average Days on Market: 114 Total of Bank Owned Properties for sale 0 Total of Short Sale Properties for sale 2 Total of For Sale By Owner homes 3 Average Days on Market: 30       Total Condominium homes for sale;      11 Average List Price: $228,000 Average Days on Market: 102 Total of Short Sale Properties for sale 3   Total Pending pre-owned home sales;      6 Average List Price: $257,450 Average Days on Market: 159   Total Cancelled or Expired Homes in August 2009; 5 Average List Price: $274,975 Average Days on Market: 127   Total Sold and Closed Pre-owned Single Family homes in August 2009;            3 Average List...
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By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
Watch the small print on your rental agreement. Protect your (the owner) interests or your client's interest! If you are unable to sell your house and decide to rent, make sure, when you sign those property management papers with the rental agent, you read the whole contract. You might miss some important clauses that can cost you big bucks. Watch for; Exclusive listing rights when you decide to sell your house; this has become common place however some property managers haven't a clue how to market a house. These fair market listing agreements are based on what the property managers deems to be a fair market commission... Automatic percentage rate increase of what you pay your property manager; on one occasion I reviewed a property agreement that was a 3 year deal. The first year was a...
Comments 4
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
As a Realtor ®, I see people moving all the time. One of my pet peeves is packing peanuts. They were developed by Dow Chemical in the mid 1960s from polystyrene resin. Although several companies will re-use this product if you take it to a packing store, these foam peanuts can be found on our streets, yards and in landfills. The problem is foam breaks down very slow. In the mid 1990s starch-based peanuts were developed and are soluble in water. The promise was these new peanuts would just disappear when it rained and the disposal of this product would be automatic. The down side is that they may attract bugs but for moving or short term packing they are great. My daughter is getting married next month and wedding gifts are starting to arrive. My job around the house is recycling and I s...
Comments 2
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
Dupont NW Landing Home Sales from May 1, 2009 to May 31, 2009. I go on listing appointments all the time and am confronted by misinformation about sales of houses in the Dupont area. People quote neighbors here-say as being the gospel truth. I decided on tracking these prices for people so they can see the truth. Since January 2009 I have compiled sales data for Dupont and NW Landing, available here on Localism and I intend on doing this monthly from now on. I have put the addresses in this post to put a face on what's selling and where. This information is from the NW Multiple Listing Service and from the Pierce County Assessor. All information is deemed reliable but is by no way guaranteed. (BR=Bedroom SF=Square Feet DOM=Days on Market OLP=Original Listing Price SP=Sales Price) Home S...
Comments 1
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
I go on listing appointments all the time and am confronted by misinformation about sales of houses in the Dupont area. People quote neighbors here-say as being the gospel truth. I decided on tracking these prices for people so they can see the truth. Since January 2009 I have compiled sales data for Dupont and NW Landing, available here on Localism and I intend on doing this monthly from now on. I have put the addresses in this post to put a face on what's selling and where. This information is from the NW Multiple Listing Service and from the Pierce County Assessor. All information is deemed reliable but is by no way guaranteed. (BR=Bedroom SF=Square Feet DOM=Days on Market OLP=Original Listing Price SP=Sales Price) Condo Sales 3 BR 2.5 BATH 1341 SF 1826 Kennedy Pl #7D, Dupont, WA 983...
Comments 3
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
Photo taken by Paul S. Henderson, ABR, CRS, GRI, SRES, Realtor® with RE/MAX Professionals, Dupont & Lacey, WA., provides enhanced levels of real estate services to home buyers and sellers in the cities of Dupont, Lacey, Olympia or Pierce, Thurston, Mason, and Kitsap counties. Visit my website at (http://phenderson.net) to search for homes in the South Puget Sound and NWMLS for anywhere in Washington State. All information is believed to be accurate, but is not warranted in any way. ©2009 Paul S. Henderson, Spring flowers, All Rights Reserved
Comments 11
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
Do you volunteer? My wife and I volunteer with many worthwhile causes and clubs. We call it giving back for how fortunate we have been and continue to be. One of the downfalls with many of volunteer concepts is that it requires bodies. We find the same people year after year giving their time and energy to make things happen. Volunteers eventually get burned out and not only leave the committee but the club or the organization they have put so many hours into. We all need new blood, so do our clubs, communities, and causes. Volunteering is a worthwhile endeavor that all of us should experience. This is not only good for your business and community; it's good for your heart...   Authored by Paul S. Henderson, Realtor ®, RE/MAX Professionals, Dupont & Lacey, WA. (http://phenderson.net) or...
Comments 9
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
I go on listing appointments all the time and am confronted by misinformation about sales of houses in the Dupont area. People quote neighbors here-say as being the gospel truth. I decided on tracking these prices for people so they can see the truth. I have combined the first 2 months, which also can be seen here on Localism, but intend on doing this monthly from now on. I have put the addresses in this post to put a face on what's selling and where. This information is from the NW Multiple Listing Service and from the Pierce County Assessor. All information is deemed reliable but is by no way guaranteed. (BR=Bedroom SF=Square Feet DOM=Days on Market OLP=Original Listing Price SP=Sales Price) Condo Sales NONE Home Sales (PRE-EXISTING) 3 BR 2.5 BATH 1650 SF 2088 McDonald St Dupont, WA 9...
Comments 2
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
I have found over the last week or so that keeping a positive outlook on life and business really pays off. It seemed 2 months ago that we could have heard a pin drop in our office. It's great to see and hear the change of attitude. Our office is alive with phone calls and the sound of faxes and copy machines. Could it be the weather? A week of spring sunshine never seems to hurt. Could it be people seeing that house mortgage rates are at an all time low? I hadn't seen the rates for a week and was astounded when a buyer told me what they locked in at. Could it be the inventory of great pre-owned homes? That could be or that most of the houses are priced right to begin with now. Buyers are taking notice and sign calls are up almost 40% on my listings. I got an accepted offer and 2 back-...
Comments 11
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
I work with several elderly people on fixed incomes. I drop by from time to time, not so much as a Realtor but as a friend. If a light bulb is out or they need something else done, I do it. My feeling is we all have one thing in common and that is we will all get older or die trying. One of these friends has given me several referrals. But what this post is about is being green. The pressure on older people to recycle and preserve is huge. One day while changing a bulb in a can light for a friend we discovered I had changed that same bulb less than a year before. One thing I've discovered is that seniors are the very best record keepers. She knew; When she bought the bulb What she paid for it When I replaced the bulb The brand and where it was made Her Granddaughter had told her she sho...
Comments 8
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
Having elderly clients, I try to help whenever I can. This client was in her early eighties and her family felt she would sign a purchase and sale agreement for a dollar if she liked their smile. My job was to be at every showing and protect her. The first showing went well even though; my client felt she should offer the people food and refreshments. The next appointment didn't go as well. The agent never called to cancel and never showed up. This is inconsiderate in any case but to an elderly seller it is devastating. We sat for an hour waiting. She had made cookies to give the right smell to the house. I called the other agent and left a message not to come over. I left with two dozen cookies and a client in tears. This happened two more times, agents not showing up, before we sold m...
Comments 17
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
It's not to often I get scared when showing houses however today my hair on the back of my neck was doing the spike. My client saw this house on my website and wanted to see it. I looked it up on the MLS and followed the showing protocol. The MLS required I call the owner directly. Present all offers to the owner and to notify the listing office with accepted offers when sold. You guessed it, we have a limited service listing. (No key box either!) I find limited service providers to be creative. I love to present my offer directly to the owner. The one that suffers in such a transaction is the seller. The buyer's agent is in the driver's seat and since I am representing the buyer, I love to drive. In this case, I called the phone to show number, disconnected. I dial again, disconnected....
Comments 16
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
You'd be surprised to know how much we as consumers spend on do it yourself repairs. Now think about the simple repairs around the house that anyone can do. The first thing to remember is to trust your intelligence. Many of my clients have advanced degrees but act as if a screw driver needs operating instructions. I recommend a step by step repair book from any hardware store. I own several and loan them to my clients but Home Depot and Lowes have really good reference books that make great gifts. Many people believe you have to have a huge tool chest to do simple jobs around the house. You can do so many home repairs with a screw driver that it is the #1 tool you should have in your kitchen drawer. A set of screw drivers will cost you between $9.00 and $20.00. Next tool that is a must ...
Comments 11
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
Dupont NW Landing Home Sales from January 1, 2009 to February 28, 2009.  I go on listing appointments all the time and am confronted by mis-information about sales of houses in the Dupont area. People quote neighbors here-say as being the gospel truth. I decide on tracking these prices for people so they can see the truth. I have combined the first 2 months but intend on doing this monthly from now on. I have put the addresses in this post to put a face on what's selling and where. This information is from the NW Multiple Listing Service and from the Pierce County Assessor. All information is deemed reliable but is by no way guranteed.    (BR=Bedroom SF=Square Feet DOM=Days on Market OLP=Original Listing Price SP=Sales Price)  Condo Sales                                                 ...
Comments 0
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
Now that is a topic that brings a host of different emotions to whomever you ask. Some people have never lived in a housing community that has a Home Owner Associations and have heard horror stories. I hear the horror stories and I have heard many more great stories of how strong associations have saved views and property values by following the by-laws. What's up with HOAs? If you own pet, you might want to look at pet restrictions. Look at the parking restrictions and if you have assigned spaces or is it first come, first served. Is there guest parking? Water restrictions, can you wash your car? Are there any ceilings on how high the monthly fees or special assessments can go? Find out if there are any ongoing maintenance problems such as siding or roofing issues. How does the associa...
Comments 6
By Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS, South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!
(Fathom Realty Washington LLC)
Staging is a very exciting option to offer our clients. I believe a professional is well worth the money that is charged. I really have some questions I need to ask after seeing some substandard attempts to duplicate your profession. •1.       What certifications should we look for when interviewing a Stager? •2.      What professional associations do you belong to? •3.      How do you base your fees? •4.      Do you encourage your clients to use their own furniture, rent, or do you supply the furniture as part of your fee? •5.      Do you charge a consultation fee for your interview? •6.      Do you give out references? I guess you are wondering, why so many questions? It all started when I called the references on a very convincing stager. Only one of the references panned out as legi...
Comments 10
By Kevin Tinsley, Washington State Tacoma Seattle VA Home Loans
(VAHomeLoans.com)
First time home buyers will receive a nice gift from the Federal Government when they prepare their tax returns for 2008 or 2009.  The new tax credit will provide first time home buyers a tax benefit that is essentially a 15-year interest-free loan (up to $7,500 depending on your tax status) for first time home buyers purchasing a home between April 9, 2008 and June 30, 2009.  The benefit begins to phase out for single people earning more than $75,000 or couples earning more than $150,000.  The real benefit of this tax credit is that is reduces your tax liability dollar for dollar, thereby increasing your IRS refund by up to the program limit of $7,500.  So if you are getting back $1,000 on your tax return, it will increase to $8,500.  Or if you owe $5,000 to the IRS, you will still get...
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Dupont, WA Real Estate Professionals