If you listen to the Chairman of the Index Committee at Standard & Poors-Dow Jones, the nation’s housing market has reached an important milestone—one likely to be appreciated by real estate holders—Lacey homeowners and investors included.The gentleman in the spotlight is David Blitzer, who is the head man when it comes to the S&P Case-Shiller Index, the most widely-respected measure of housing activity.Mr. Blitzer’s comments were aimed at the latest report, released last Tuesday. It covered three-month price averages for the quarter ending in September. They notched a 5.5% higher average residential price over the previous year.Now at this point, Lacey real estate observers might wonder what is so newsworthy about yet another appreciation in residential real estate prices? After all,... 12/09/2016

 Last week, when Lacey mortgage rates began to rise abruptly, you’d have to say that it was actually a double-barreled surprise. In addition to the sudden blip up on the mortgage rate charts, there was the second shocker: that so many expert observers were taken by surprise.Even though the actual rise in mortgage rates was what Zillow’s chief economist called “a relatively modest” increase, it prompted The New York Times to headline the fact that lenders and home buyers alike had all been caught off guard. With Lacey mortgage rates having remained under 4% for years, the notion that experts could be taken by surprise whenever they began to rise has to rate as the real shocker.With experts, lenders, and home shoppers having been surprised by last week’s rate uptick, the real question is ... 12/03/2016

5535 Saint Charles Dr NE Olympia, WA 98513 5535 Saint Charles Dr NE Amazing home w/tons of special amenities, such as hardwood flooring, granite counters, heat pump, large lot, nature views, detached shop, RV parking & more. Interior Features: Family Room, Appliances, Den/Office, Dining Room, Central Air, Pantry, Walk-In Closet, Fireplace, Hardwood Floors, Main Floor Bathroom, Laundry Room, Forced Air. Exterior Features: View, Fenced Yard, Deck/Patio, Landscaping, Shed/Barn. Custom Features: Roof : Composition roof Additional Structures : Shop- 3 Bays Construction : Brick exterior,Wood exterior Price: $415,000 Type: Single Family Residential for Sale Floors: Multiple Parking/Garage: 3+ Bedrooms: 3 Baths:2.75 Square Feet: 2481 Year Built: 1990 MLS #: 1054589   www.sandynelsonrealestate.... 11/28/2016

  If you have been looking forward to celebrating your Lacey Thanksgiving this Thursday, you’re probably confident that on Friday you’ll be able to put all the Thanksgiving paraphernalia away until next year. If you have plates or cups festooned with Pilgrims, Indians, and turkeys, back they’ll go into the cupboard until 2017—because Thanksgiving comes but once a year.True—except for that one year. That was the time when there were two Thanksgivings.If you haven’t heard this story, gather ‘round:The year was 1939. On November 23, President Roosevelt ceremoniously carved a turkey, then took to the airwaves to wish his fellow citizens a happy and blessed Thanksgiving. The problem was, in many states across the country, radios were probably being clicked off because, for them, Thanksgiving... 11/22/2016

  Diana Olick is a well-known industry writer. Anyone with an interest in Lacey real estate can usually find something of value when she comes up with a new entry in her CNBC column (the one with the pun-worthy title, “Realty Check”). This month she commented on the rising housing market across the nation and its repercussions in terms of homeowner equity.The piece points out that in the U.S., home equity has doubled over the last five years!It’s hardly news that home values have been steadily on the rise—that’s been a trend long seen in the asking prices in Washington and our Lacey listings. But the idea of homeowner equity actually doubling could be hard to believe.That’s a claim that sounds a like quite an exaggeration…until you stop to think about what is actually being said. When a... 11/16/2016

Spectacular newly upgraded home on the shores of Hicks Lake. This amazing home has 100 ft of waterfront, dock, boat house on the shore with a deck above. Newly remodeled home has a sweeping view of the lake, hardwood, slate and tile floors, granite counters, with lighted built in china hutch. New paint and too many upgrades to list. The wraparound deck was just re-planked with composite decking has a retractable awning and is surrounded by glass for an unobstructed view. Additional 20x27 shop/garage Gail Smith(360)-561-0852The Ben Kinney TeamKeller Williams Western Realty 11/14/2016

  If you have much experience with selling your house in Lacey, you probably have your own ideas about what has seemed to be the preparations that made the most difference with the least trouble and expense. Here are three you might not have used before:          Closets – every now and then you’ll see clutter-clearing advice that emphasizes how important it is that closets be neat and organized—shoes lined up, drawers closed, shelves neatened, etc. The new idea is to empty the closets. Not entirely, though: empty just half of what’s in there! It’s actually a good way to use a closet, because when it’s jammed to the rafters, many items are never used anyway (they get lost among everything else). By putting half the stuff into storage, the net effect is that closets appear much more spac... 11/11/2016

"How these sellers made $60,000 on their Lacey, WA house in just 15 months" seems like a pretty sensational headline and I usually don't start out my blog posts this way, but this is absolutely true.  Here's how these sellers did it.  SummaryMy clients purchased this newly-constructed home in July 2014 for $409,950 in Lacey, WA.  Fifteen months later in October 2016, they sold the home in just 7 days for $470,000.How did these sellers get the most amount of money for the home in the least amount of time, and came out ahead after just buying the home 15 months ago? Market ConditionsLet's first look at sales and market statistics from the year 2000 to year-to-date.The chart below focuses on supply and demand, that is shown as absorption rate, and how this absorption rate affects prices.Cu... 11/08/2016

4037 Wonderwood Lane SE Lacey, WA 98503 4037 Wonderwood Lane SE This darling Lacey home is move-in-ready and located conveniently near all amenities, yet is in a tucked away neighborhood. Interior Features: Appliances, Walk-In Closet, Forced Air, Pantry, Main Floor Bathroom, Dining Room, Laundry Room. Exterior Features: Fenced Yard, Deck/Patio, Landscaping. Custom Features: Master Bedroom : Master Bedroom Level: U Included Appliances: : Stove/range/dishwash./microw./refrig./washer/dryer Bonus Space: : Upstairs Loft Roof : Composition roof Price: $225,000 Type: Single Family Residential for Sale Floors: Multiple Parking/Garage: 2 Bedrooms: 3 Baths:2 Half Baths:1 Square Feet: 1716 Year Built: 2001 MLS #: 1044004   www.sandynelsonrealestate.com/listings/452BDFEA-DA50-9DC8-6271F8EFFD95EF26... 11/08/2016

7022 Raptor Ave NE Lacey, WA 98516 7022 Raptor Ave NE This almost like new home will surprise you with the ample space it offers and the amount of natural light in every room. due to an abundance of large windows. Interior Features: Family Room, Laundry Room, Den/Office, Dining Room, Main Floor Bedroom, Walk-In Closet, Fireplace, Main Floor Bathroom, Appliances, Forced Air. Exterior Features: Fenced Yard, Deck/Patio. Community Features: Park/Playground Custom Features: Medrooms on Main Floor : One Bedroom and 3/4 bath Sewer/Water : Public Flooring : Laminate and new carpet Roof : Composition roof Price: $319,900 Type: Single Family Residential for Sale Floors: Multiple Parking/Garage: 2 Bedrooms: 5 Baths:3 Square Feet: 2571 Year Built: 2013 MLS #: 1043991   www.sandynelsonrealestate.co... 11/03/2016

  If, as the saying goes, “”no news is good news,” last week was almost a good week for U.S. real estate. Lacey real estate watchers like me found no hint of the kind of sweeping changes that can alter residential real estate patterns for buyers and sellers. Possibly because of the looming election, little space was devoted to real estate—with the exception of one thought-provoking discussion.CNBC’s commentary embodied the major theme: they wrote about high-end real estate being subject to a “slowdown” and “uncertainty”—but then went on at length to explain why the “ultra-wealthy” have a “very strong intent to purchase real estate.” When you read articles like that— analyses that come down forcefully on both sides of a proposition—you know it’s a slow news week.BTW, by CNBC’s definition... 11/03/2016

Lacey, WA 98503 4736 Seville Lane SE This amazing home will WOW you with its comfortable lay-out, many special features, and delightful, low-maintenance back yard. Interior Features: Laundry Room, Pantry, Hardwood Floors, Walk-In Closet, Fireplace, Dining Room, Main Floor Bathroom, Appliances, Forced Air. Exterior Features: Fenced Yard, Deck/Patio, Landscaping. Community Features: Access to Chehalis Western Trail Price: $255,000 Type: Single Family Residential for Sale Floors: Multiple Parking/Garage: 2 Bedrooms: 3 Baths:2 Half Baths:1 Square Feet: 1732 Year Built: 1997 MLS #: 1046944   www.sandynelsonrealestate.com/listings/222D7CEB-C602-137B-63CA65A21912BD08.shtml   For more information contact: Sandy Nelson Realtor®, ASP, GRI, VAMRES, SRESRiley Jackson Real Estate Inc. Cell: 360-789... 11/02/2016

  Lacey home sellers are sure to hear one piece of advice again and again: “declutter.”It’s the simplest of concepts; not in the least controversial. Nobody could convincingly argue that Lacey homes whose rooms are populated with bric-a-brac are more likely to attract buyers than are those without. That’s just common sense.Which raises its own issue. If the de-clutter admonition is so self-evident, how come it needs to be made at all? The answer (and this is now the subject of an entire book!) is because, regardless of how good an idea decluttering may be, when put into practice, it encounters a lot of resistance.Before delving into this any further, it’s only fair to give credit where credit is due: the book in question is Christy Diane Farr’s first effort titled “Is Home Your Happy Pl... 10/26/2016

   House hunters are sometimes compared with treasure hunters—and it can certainly feel like that when you find a Lacey home that’s a perfect fit. The other day, I read a writer who compared house hunting with beachcombing. That might pass muster at first—but when you think it over, it really doesn’t quite work.For one thing, the average beachcomber is only out to enhance a surfside stroll by picking up something interesting. Unlike a dedicated treasure hunter or house hunter, a beachcomber isn’t focused on any specific prize. Dedicated treasure hunters spend days in dusty libraries researching historical rumors about buried chests or sunken galleons. House hunters, likewise, put a lot of energy into prowling through the Lacey listings, narrowing the possibilities. Beachcombers are less... 10/19/2016

Recently upgraded 2-story home in Excellent Central Lacey Location! This cozy home offers a modern-layout with great room and dining area, kitchen, utility room and half-bath on main floor. All new Whilrpool appliances, along with $5000 in Solar upgrades, including Solar Tubes, solar fan and solar insulation in attic under home to help keep cool in summer and warm in winter. Upstairs master bedroom with walk-thru closet and includes 5 piece bath, 2 good-sized bedrooms, and full bathrooms. Fully fenced backyard with deck and hot tub. Gail Smith(360) 561-0852The Ben Kinney TeamKeller Williams Western Realty 10/17/2016

   If you try to predict what Lacey real estate activity is likely to be based on only our local activity, you soon find what causes statisticians to turn up their noses: the sample size is simply too small to project reliable trends. That’s why serious Lacey observers look to the incoming real estate activity stats from Washington and the nation as a whole: and the latest numbers gave them at least two interesting clues.At the start of the month, the National Association of Realtors® weighed in with a “sizable jump” in some of the pending home sales numbers. Pending home sales are especially interesting in a predictive sense because they are forward-looking indicators—they measure contract signings that will be finalized in coming weeks or months. The NAR’s Pending Home Sales Index for... 10/17/2016

  It was a federal agency reversal that was startling in its effect: a change in guidance that actually clarified more than muddled!The change will directly affect Lacey buyers and sellers because the issue will impact the cost of Lacey residential real estate transactions—specifically, in the area of home appraisals.As the first order of business—for those who have never bought a house or condo (or who have let the details fade from memory)—an appraisal is different from an inspection. An inspection is commissioned on behalf of a buyer to determine the state of repair of a property that is being purchased. It gives the buyer an idea of how much (or little) expense and effort is likely to be required in future years. As such, it can affect the terms of the purchase—or even whether a pur... 10/16/2016

Beautiful new home in new neighborhood. Features cedar accent wall, indoor climbing wall, solar fan & solar blanket in attic to maintain temperatures & reduce bill. Overhead built-in storage in garage. Custom made gates. Huge master bedroom & closet. Gardeners' paradise; custom raised beds, tons of space to garden, marionberries &raspberries already producing in fenced back yard. Clean, quiet, incredibly friendly neighborhood. Minutes from shopping, the Chehalis Western Trail & 20 min from JBLM. Gail Smith(360)-561-0852The Ben Kinney TeamKeller Williams Western Realty 10/14/2016

  Probably more than any other time of year, it seems like the onset of fall in Lacey triggers an impulse to get things done! True, there is a similar phenomenon in the spring when many an ambitious cleaning project is sprung. But those impulses are not mysterious—especially when they follow long stretches of weather-induced indoor confinement. It’s a jailbreak.Autumn is different. In addition to being the year’s “last, loveliest smile,” it often sets off an impatience to get things done. Although that autumnal get going! impulse can also seem to be triggered by the latest Washington weather, there must be more to it than that. The knowledge that winter is on the distant horizon could be part of it. At any rate, there does seem to be some kind of internal mechanism that tells people now... 10/12/2016

  The art of selling a home begins with the Lacey listings. Much serious study is continuously given to what works best when it comes to listing language and detail, yet a good deal remains a purely creative exercise.That qualifying “somewhat” is necessary because creating a Lacey listing does have a scientific component. In fact, of the two most important elements (that is, the two that listing readers pay the most attention to), one is mathematical. The first is the artistic “hero shot” photo of the home, ideally pictured at its curb-appealing best. The second is the asking price, which is an unambiguous number of dollars.The photo grabs attention either by fitting a pleasing archetype—or by just being pretty. The asking price number works (or fails to work) by either being too high, ... 10/09/2016