Looking for a wonderful way to relax and unwind?  Try beautiful Bradley Lake Park, just at the base of South Hill.  This great park features walking trails, fishing for the kids, lots of green grass, picnic tables and the tranquility of the lake.  My daughter, Shannon, and I enjoyed a picnic on Mother’s Day!  This is a sweet time of year to be there – lots of little ducklings have hatched and you can see them waddling along the lake and practicing their new-found swimming skills.  Bradley Lake Park – another great reason to live in Puyallup!!

No doubt, Zillow is perhaps the most-visited real estate website.  Many of my clients frequent this site.  However, be advised that all the information shared on Zillow, comes with this Zillow disclaimer:

The Zestimate (pronounced ZEST-ti-met, rhymes with estimate) home valuation is Zillow’s estimated market value, computed using a proprietary formula. It is not an appraisal. It is a starting point in determining a home’s value. The Zestimate is calculated from public and user submitted data; your real estate agent or appraiser physically inspects the home and takes special features, location, and market conditions into account.  We encourage buyers, sellers, and homeowners to supplement Zillow’s information by doing other research such as:

* Getting a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) from a real estate agent

* Getting an appraisal from a professional appraiser

* Visiting the house (whenever possible)

BOTTOM LINE: Continue to reference Zillow for home sales information, it’s a great place to begin.  However, add a second step and enlist the support of a Realtor for the most accurate information with regard to a home’s anticipated market value, substantiated by actual comparable sold properties.

For assistance with determining your home’s actual market value, please give me a call!  Happy to help!

Looking for a wonderful way to spend Saturday or Sunday morning?  Try the Farmer’s Market in downtown Puyallup.   Best fresh flowers around, fruits and vegetables, too!

Pioneer Park, S Meridian & 4th Ave SW

Saturdays 9:00 to 2:00    April 14 – October 13
Sundays 10:00 to 3:00 May 27 – September 2.

If you live in downtown Puyallup, it’s an easy stroll or quick bicycle ride.  Great reason to live downtown! Other persuasive arguments are the library, restaurants and coffee places (love the new Anthem!), Pioneer Park and summertime concerts, the fairgrounds.  And downtown Puyallup is affordable. Trendgraphix reports an average sale price of $140,000 over the past few months.  Attractive pricing, indeed, so don’t wait too long to move on a property you might like to purchase; inventory is low and homes sell quickly –  8 out of 10 homes are selling and average days on market is 68.  As always, for more information about the Puyallup real estate market, please give a call, send a text or an email.

I have lots of clients who call and say “I want to buy a short sale”.  My response always is: ” Short sales are a great option, but not always a great fit for every buyer, in light of their goals. Why do you want to buy a short sale? And let’s talk about your goals.”   The most recent statistics (March 2012) show that there are 158 active short sale properties listed in Puyallup (including Edgewood).  Stats also show only 28 pending short sales in March and even fewer – 23 – closed this past month.  Not very good odds, unfortunately – about 1 in every 6 are actually closing the sale.  Also, most listing prices for short sales are not bank-approved prices, so there’s no guarantee about the attractive price tag.  On a positive note, the majority of my clients who have chosen to purchase a short sale home have been successful – they just require some flexibility and a lot of patience! For more information about short sales, please give me a call!

Water polo – what a great sport.  And tough!!  Even tougher are the girls of Emerald Ridge High School.  The Lady Jags started their team about 10 years ago and have been slowly, steadily improving their game.  However, this year they are absolutely fantastic, having won 9 of their 11 games.  Now these talented athletes officially are bound for state! Coaches Dave McMullan and his son, James McMullan, have done a great job growing this team over the last few years, so congratulations to them for their success.  State competition games are next month – often times at Rogers High School – so stay tuned for an update. Good luck ladies, we’ll be rooting for you!

Well, it’s clear that the bank-owned properties are winning when it comes to statistics of how quickly homes are selling in Puyallup (including Edgewood).  March stats show 37 active bank-owned properties (about 1/16 of the market of all 518 active properties in Puyallup), 59 pending bank-owned homes (those that have caught offers and are waiting to close the sale); and 52 sold/closed bank-owned homes.  Average price per square foot for these homes is $81; average days on market is 68, and average sales price is $163,000.  There is less than a one-month inventory of homes, meaning that they all sell fast!  Bank owned properties are a great choice, but they do have their unique characteristics (priced compellingly, often times multiple offers, many are cash-only or able to be financed only with a rehab loan, etc.). If you’d like more information about purchasing a bank-owned home, please give me a call!

Had to relook the most recent market update from our office – the .81 sales ratio for Puyallup being what caught my immediate attention.  I mean, it absolutely feels like 4 out of every 5 homes in Puyallup are selling – buyer activity has been crazy – but to actually see the statistic that represents what I am experiencing – powerful and priceless!  What a testament to the highly desirable community in which we live, along with the great schools and wonderful people who live in Puyallup.  Then again, maybe it’s the Wine Bar!

Looking for someplace fun to enjoy some nightlife on South Hill?  Try the NorthWest Vintage Wine Bar in Sunrise Village.  My daughter and I stopped in a couple of Saturdays ago, just to enjoy a glass of wine and a nice chat, only to find great music added to what’s already a wonderful, relaxing atmosphere.  Musical entertainment is offered every Saturday evening, think it starts at 7 pm.  But plan to get there early, as seating is limited in this cozy establishment.  If you live in a neighborhood south of 144th and Meridian, this will be a convenient place to unwind, not more than a ten-minute drive.  Living in Sunrise, it’s become a regular favorite for my friends and me.   Service is great and wine selection is wonderful.

Check them out online:

http://nwvintagewinebar.com/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/NorthWest-Vintage/278200107593