Localism: Sequim, WA

How much does it cost to build a home per square foot?

Thu, 20 Nov 2008 20:58:53 -0600

What does it really cost per square foot to build a home in Sequim? Watch this video.

Robin Hill Park in Sequim

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:23:53 -0500

It was a challenging day at work, and I was looking forward to a nice jog in Robin Hill Park in Sequim. So I opened up the sliding glass door to my deck and walked across the back yard where I opened the gate to the winding serene trails of Robin Hill Park.

I took the 2.4 mile loop, which gently meanders through the trees and across meadows, falls into a sweet little gulley and works its way up and around to my back yard again. I didn't see anyone. I rarely do, although I know others are out there walking, jogging, riding their bikes, and some are riding horses on the trails designated for that purpose.

The sun was already low in the sky as evening approached, and the beams of bright light were streaking through the pine trees, which were emitting the fresh scent of pine needles and all things green and woodsy.

The 195 acre park is maintained by Clallam County and is almost hidden from public view. The Olympic Discovery Trail runs alongside the park stretching for many miles in either direction. There is no limit to how far I can walk, jog, or ride my bike, except my own physical endurance.

Hmm. No wonder I love living in Sequim.

Sequim Homes Sold First Nine Months of 2008

Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:20:13 -0500

Sequim Homes Sold compared to Port Angeles Homes sold in the first nine months of this year are shown in this graph in $50,000 increments.

Courtesy Sequim & Port Angeles Real Estate.

New Homes Being Built in Clallam County Washington

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:13:59 -0500

Are homes being built in Sequim and Port Angeles? How many new homes are being built so far in 2008? Has the slowing real estate market and the troubled economy hurt the building industry? No doubt it has, but the picture is brighter than I might have thought just by reading headlines and listening to the talking heads.

I’ve tracked building permits issued by Clallam County from 2005 through September of 2008, and here are the results:

I’ve included data for single family stick-built homes, manufactured homes, and duplexes. We see again proof that 2005 was a banner year in real estate with 359 permits issued for homes. Since then we have a steady decline, and for the first nine months of this year, we have 160 building permits. Annualizing this number would give us a rough equivalent to the number issued last year, but I suspect that the remainder of this year will see fewer permits with the year ending at about 190 building permits.

This is good news. You would have thought no one was planning to build a home, but in fact many are, an average of about 17 each month. That’s not a big number, but in little Clallam County, that’s a positive number in the worst real estate market in decades.

I’ve included data for manufactured homes to show they are still a factor for many retired couples moving here. I also included duplexes only to show that we have virtually no duplex market here at all. That may answer a few questions for investors who email me asking about duplexes.

[Source of Data: Olympic Listing Service]

Sequim is a Wonderful Place to Live and Retire

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 12:50:23 -0500

Sequim is a wonderful place to live. Here are seven reasons I love Sequim, and why you might love it, too.

1. Sequim is a beautiful and peaceful community with water views, mountains, and old growth forests;

2. Sequim has retirement communities, lots and homes built to suit retirees in close proximity to shopping and community activities (but you can also buy a farm or 5 acres outside of town);

3. Sequim’s school district is one of the best in the country, and the children are all above average (4 of them are mine);

4. Sequim has an extremely low crime rate, and you’ll feel like you went back in time 30 years;

5. Sequim doesn’t suffer the traffic nightmares of most cities (do you love the country?);

6. Sequim has great weather and is popular for its rain shadow, meaning it gets about a third of the rain fall of Seattle; and

7. Sequim has an amazing variety of recreational activities, such as fishing, boating, bicycling, hiking, flying, marathons, dog shows, farmer’s markets, boat races, bird watching, hikes into the Olympic National Park, skiing at Hurricane Ridge, short ferry rides to Victoria, B.C., horse riding, lavender farms, great motorcycle rides around the Peninsula, more volunteer activies than one can list here, dozens of hobby groups and clubs, and just about anything you can imagine for every age group.

[Photo by Chuck Marunde, John Wayne Marina in Sequim]
[Original Article Posted at: Sequim Real Estate News]