Ocean Shores Real Estate

CityofOceanShores.com 2011 Wrap-up

2012-01-17T16:54:00.000-08:00

Greetings from the beach...

Another year has passed and the real estate market and the economy remain at the top of our lists of concerns. 2011 was a rough year for Ocean Shores. Local elections, a big wave that never happened and a local teenager marrying an old man from Hollywood pretty much stole the headlines. That said, it’s the beach and a lot of us here try not too worry much about the rest of the world because we’ve got waves, a lake & canals, a golf course, casino and the freshest air around…

Ocean Shores Residential Sales
The Ocean Shores residential real estate market declined even further in 2011. Home sales were down 5.5% while average sales prices declined just over 16%. Over 25% (43) of the 169 homes sold last year were either short sales or foreclosures. This high number of short-sales, bank-owned houses as well as repos from Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae have done some serious damage to Ocean Shores property values. The average price of one of these homes was only $104,422 compared to the overall average sales price of $143,192. The good news for now is that only a little over 11% of the 207 homes on the market today are either short sales or foreclosures. Hopefully that number will continue to shrink…

2011 Home Sales
The average home that sold last year in Ocean Shores was 1283 square feet and took 223 days to sell compared to 1395 square feet and 218 days in 2010. There are only 207 Homes on the market (there were 243 on October 1^st) ~ Average list price: $199,075 (which is only $55,883 more than the average sales price in 2011)… ~ Average of 294 Days on Market. One has been on the market for 2,341 days now (that’s almost 7 years!) in case you’re frustrated that your house hasn’t sold yet… There are only 20 Homes pending (which is not enough)… ~ Average list price of those: $119,728.
* 169 Homes sold in 2011 for an average sales price of $143,192 (cheapest was $32,905 – most expensive was $405,000).

* 179 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $170,724 (cheapest was $28,000 – most expensive was $520,000).
* 180 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $173,421 (cheapest was $31,500 – most expensive was $495,000).

2011 Quarterly Home Sales
* 56 Homes Sold during 4th Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $130,163 ~ Average of 213 Days on Market. Price Range: $32,905 - $360,000.
* 46 Homes Sold during 3rd Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $153,207 ~ Average of 237 Days on Market. Price Range: $50,199 - $299,000.
* 32 Homes Sold during 2nd Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $140,180 ~ Average of 181 Days on Market. Price Range: $42,750 - $265,000.
* 35 Homes Sold during 1st Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price $153,631 ~ Average of 260 Days on Market. Price Range: $44,000 - $405,000.

Want to know what's going on in the Ocean Shores Real Estate market more than once a quarter? Be a Fan & "Like" us at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Shores-Real-Estate/42604953991. Thanks! By the way, the contents of this newsletter were posted on the facebook page before you got this...

Ocean Shores Condo Sales
Unlike houses and vacant lots, the condo market in Ocean Shores is on the rebound with a 26.7% increase in average sales prices! Last year, sales had dropped over 30% and average sales prices were down nearly 20%. 2010 was a terrible year for condo sales in Ocean Shores, but 2011 has clearly shown that the condo market has stabilized as inventory has finally cleared up and prices are quite realistic... now. Four significant changes in the condo market in 2011 were: Dreamscape sold off their remaining inventory; Ocean View Estates had a major price drop, the Gitchee Gumee decided to be a hotel again and The Villages condo project has finally died. This reduction in inventory has been huge.

2011 Condo Sales
The average condo that sold last year in Ocean Shores was 920 square feet and took 430 days to sell compared to 767 square feet and 339 days in 2010. There are only 39 condos on the market (compared to 137 last year at this time!) for an average list price of $138,997 (compared to $148,274 last year). There are 2 condos currently pending compared to none at this time last year. Average list price: $120,750.

* 17 Condos sold in 2011 for an average sales price of $141,906 (cheapest was $5,000 (time share) – most expensive was $224,900).
* 17 Condos sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $111,965 (cheapest was $25,000 – most expensive was $259,000).
* 25 Condos sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $138,468 (cheapest was $41,000 – most expensive was $350,000).

2011 Quarterly Condo Sales
* 6 Condos Sold during 4th Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $127,133 ~ Average of 190 Days on Market. Price Range: $5,000 - $220,000.
* 5 Condos Sold during 3rd Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $144,520 ~ Average of 257 Days on Market. Price Range: $33,000 - $224,900.
* 3 Condos Sold during 2nd Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $209,967 ~ Average of 1471 Days on Market. Price Range: $185,000 - $212,000.
* 3 Condos Sold during 1st Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price $108,000 ~ Average of 19 Days on Market. Price Range: $63,000 - $142,000.

Ocean Shores Vacant Lot Sales
The number of vacant land transactions decreased this year by 16.9% over last. The constant challenge of getting buyers to assume the Street LID or getting sellers to pay it off has proven to be a challenge in obtaining sales. Like last year, a lot of sellers rapidly dropped their prices to unload these lots to really low prices which did motivate numerous buyers to take advantage of the cheap pricing. 62 of the 136 lots sold this year sold for under $15,000. 24 of them sold for less than $10,000.

2011 Vacant Lot Sales
There are currently 416 lots on the market for an average list price of $49,007. There are 8 lots currently pending for an average list price of $17,143. It took 320 days to sell a vacant lot in 2010 compared to 265 days in 2011. One lot took 1951 days to sell…

* 136 Lots sold in 2011 for an average sales price of $27,987 (cheapest was $4,999 – most expensive was $175,000).
* 159 Lots sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $27,953 (cheapest was $5,000 – most expensive was $179,500).
* 134 Lots sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $34,968 (cheapest was $8,500 – most expensive was $155,000).

2011 Quarterly Vacant Lot Sales
* 29 Lots Sold during 4th Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $31,724 ~ Average of 248 Days on Market. Price Range: $4,999 - $175,000.
* 42 Lots Sold during 3rd Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $28,346 ~ Average of 303 Days on Market. Price Range: $6,000 - $127,000.
* 36 Lots Sold during 2nd Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price: $25,873 ~ Average of 269 Days on Market Price Range: $6,500 - $145,000.
* 29 Lots Sold during 1st Quarter 2011 ~ Average Sales Price $26,355 ~ Average of 220 Days on Market Price Range: $7,500 - $130,000.

2011 Multifamily Sales
1 Multifamily Building sold in Ocean Shores in 2011 for $179,900. It was a 4-plex that was a foreclosure. 1 Multifamily Building sold in Ocean Shores in 2010 for $149,500. It was also a foreclosure.

2011 Commercial Property Sales
3 Commercial Properties sold in 2011 for an average price of $200,500 compared to 2 sales in 2010 for an average sales price of $350,000.

Total Real Estate Sales for all of Grays Harbor
2011 – 1038 Transactions with a total volume of $112,102,309.
2010 – 987 Transactions with a total volume of $115,558,046.
2009 - 936 Transactions with a total volume of $120,726,549.

Harbor Home Sales
695 Homes sold in Grays Harbor County in 2011. Average price: $134,342.
652 Homes sold in Grays Harbor County in 2010. Average price: $145,991.
626 Homes sold in Grays Harbor County in 2009. Average price: $152,428.
Harbor Home Sales Summary
Ocean Shores – 169 Homes sold
Aberdeen – 161 Homes sold
Hoquiam – 97 Homes sold
Elma – 57 Homes sold
Westport – 49 Homes sold
Montesano – 44 Homes sold
McCleary – 26 Homes sold
Cosmopolis – 22 Homes sold
Pacific Beach – 20 Homes sold
Oakville – 14 Homes sold
Grayland – 13 Homes sold
Copalis Beach – 10 Homes sold

Harbor Condo Sales
31 Condos sold in Grays Harbor County in 2011. Average price: $137,858.
41 Condos sold in Grays Harbor County in 2010. Average price: $124,232.
43 Condos sold in Grays Harbor County in 2009. Average price: $159,185.

Ocean Shores vs Westport Condo Sales
Westport – 13 (22 in 2010) Condos sold in 2011: Average price: $134,323.
Ocean Shores – 17 (17 in 2010) Condos sold in 2011. Average price: $141,906.

Harbor Vacant Lot Sales
263 Vacant Lots sold in Grays Harbor County in 2011. Average price: $43,800.
240 Vacant Lots sold in Grays Harbor County in 2010. Average price: $43,099.
206 Vacant Lots sold in Grays Harbor County in 2009. Average price: $44,004.
Harbor Vacant Lot Sales Summary
Ocean Shores – 136 Lots sold
Montesano – 53 Lots sold
Westport – 10 Lots sold
Hoquiam – 10 Lots sold
Elma – 9 Lots sold
Aberdeen – 7 Lots sold
Copalis Beach – 7 Lots sold
McCleary – 7 Lots sold
Pacific Beach – 7 Lots sold

Check out property listings from your smart phone here!

Washington Coastal Community Comparisons
Residential sales on Washington’s coast were down for the most part. Some areas were actually up though. Below is a comparison of the four major coastal areas.

Ocean Shores / Ocean City
* 171 Homes sold in 2011 for an average sales price of $143,482. Total volume was $24,535,361.
* 181 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $169,776. Total volume was $30,726,526.
* 184 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $172,641. Total volume was $31,765,961.

Westport / Grayland
* 62 Homes sold in 2011 for an average sales price of $126,160. Total volume was $7,821,944.
* 42 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $133,945. Total volume was $5,625,700.
* 29 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $173,594. Total volume was $5,034,237.

Seabrook / Copalis Beach / Moclips / Pacific Beach
* 34 Homes sold in 2011 for an average sales price of $269,781. Total volume was $9,172,538.
* 23 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $273,591. Total volume was $6,292,590.
* 27 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $253,987. Total volume was $6,857,650.

Long Beach / Ocean Park
* 133 Homes sold in 2011 for an average sales price of $149,703. Total volume was $19,910,500.
* 150 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $161,531. Total volume was $24,229,648.
* 145 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $171,855. Total volume was $24,919,005.

I Moved
On a personal note, I’ve gone green and joined most of my fellow agents/brokers from Coldwell Banker and I’m now at the John L. Scott office conveniently located right next to McDonalds in the heart of downtown. I’m pretty darn excited about this move as most people like the John L. Scott corporate website much better than the old one. John L. Scott now is the top-producing brokerage in Ocean Shores with the most brokers, listings and sales. Thanks!

Website Updates
Also, do me a favor and check out the updated www.cityofoceanshores.com website (I’ve made lots of changes/additions) and let me know if you have any comments. Thanks!

Click the sign for something to do every day in Ocean Shores & Grays Harbor!

Upcoming Things to Do in Ocean Shores

Razor Clam Dig

Friday, January 20 - Saturday, January 21

The evening low tide on Friday is at 4:28 p.m. and on Saturday at 5:17 p.m. It's best to hit the beach an hour or two before low tide for best results.

Antique & Collectible Show

Saturday, February 11 - Sunday, February 12th

Join us along with over 60 vendors for Valentine's Day weekend!

Beachcombers Fun Fair

Saturday, March 3 - Sunday, March 4

25th Annual event featuring exhibits, seminars, info booths & vendors.

Razor Clam Festival & Chowder Cook-Off

Saturday, March 24

The event features a pancake breakfast, artisan marketplace, kid's activities, entertainment, dancing, Clam Chowder cook-off & more.

Life's @ the Beach!

Jeff Daniel
Managing Broker

John L. Scott Ocean Shores

Cell Phone: 360.581.9020
711 Point Brown Ave NW

Ocean Shores, WA 98569

360.289.2454 (fax)

This message (including attachment if any) is confidential and may be privileged. If you have received this message by mistake please notify the sender by return e-mail and delete this message from your system. Any unauthorized use or dissemination of this message in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

For Sale: 2BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $199,999

2011-08-22T13:43:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 2BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $199,999

For Sale: 2BR/1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $165,000

2011-08-22T13:31:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 2BR/1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $165,000

For Sale: 4BR/2+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $175,000

2011-08-22T13:03:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 4BR/2+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $175,000

For Sale: 3BR/1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $75,000

2011-08-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $75,000

Real Cute

2011-08-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 2BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $175,000

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $325,000

2011-07-08T22:31:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $325,000

2011-07-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $325,000

Under Construction & Close to the Beach!

2011-07-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $165,000

Cute Golf Course Pad @ The Beach!

2011-07-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 2BR/1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $150,000

One of a kind bayview home.

2011-06-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/3+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $350,000

Brand New Home on Duck Lake going up soon!

2011-06-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $325,000

cute little house on the canal!

2011-05-23T00:28:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 2BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $149,900

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $159,900

2011-05-23T00:14:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $159,900

Huge Home on almost 1/2 an acrea located in Hogan's Corner and close to the beach!

2011-05-22T23:38:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 5BR/2+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $250,000

Beach house with some acreage!

2011-05-22T22:53:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/2+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $325,000

For Sale: 3BR/2+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $275,000

2011-05-22T22:22:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/2+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $275,000

For Sale: 2BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $210,000

2011-05-22T21:38:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 2BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $210,000

2011-04-28T00:44:00.002-07:00

For Sale: 7BR/5+2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $459,900

2011-03-12T02:24:00.000-08:00

For Sale: 7BR/5+2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $459,900

Washington Coastal Community Comparisons

2011-01-12T23:13:00.000-08:00

Coastal Community Comparisons
Residential sales on Washington’s coast were pretty flat. Below is a comparison of the four major coastal areas:

Ocean Shores / Ocean City
181 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $169,776. Total volume was $30,726,526.
184 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $172,641. Total volume was $31,765,961.

Westport / Grayland
42 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $133,945. Total volume was $5,625,700.
29 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $173,594. Total volume was $5,034,237.

Seabrook / Copalis Beach / Moclips / Pacific Beach
23 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $273,591. Total volume was $6,292,590.
27 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $253,987. Total volume was $6,857,650.

Long Beach / Ocean Park
150 Homes sold in 2010 for an average sales price of $161,531. Total volume was $24,229,648.
145 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $171,855. Total volume was $24,919,005.

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $163,900

2010-10-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/2BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $163,900

For Sale: 3BR/1+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $75,000

2010-10-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

For Sale: 3BR/1+1BA Single Family House in Ocean Shores, WA, $75,000

CityofOceanShores.com Newsletter ~ September 2010

2010-10-13T16:44:00.000-07:00

Beach Updates
We went razor clam digging last weekend for the opening dig and I've got to report that we had a great time. It seems the more often you go, the easier it gets to find the holes to suck them up. Anyway, we got our clams, took them home, cleaned them and then fried 'em up. They're so good... and the price is right. Anyway, if you haven't eaten razor clams and done the whole "dig 'em up and eat them" thing, you're really missing out. Again, really good and really easy. This is a pretty good instructional video I found on the net...

How to dig a razor clamYouTube 2:10Watch video on Bing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S_YHSyBrLs v=6S_YHSyBrLs

Ocean Shores and the North Beach areas typically feature the best razor clams on Washington's coast. The WA State Department of Fish & Wildlife determines when we'll have a razor clam dig and they typically schedule it just a few weeks beforehand. As of right now, they still haven't scheduled one for November. Visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Shores-WA/Ocean-Shores-Real-Estate/42604953991 to receive alerts as to when the next dig will be. If you need a license or gear, pop on by Ace Hardware in Ocean Shores to get those things.If you want more info about digging razor clams, send me an email.
Be a Fan of Ocean Shores Real Estate on Facebook!

If you haven't visited the Ocean Shores Real Estate Facebook page lately, please check it out. I'm serious! In fact, this newsletter was posted there before this email was sent out! You should at least go look at the page... There's more timely info about the real estate market, pictures, news, etc. Get the full scoop on what's going on with real estate at the beach by being a fan! Visit the page today by clicking the logo or the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Shores-WA/Ocean-Shores-Real-Estate/42604953991. Thank you to everyone who has recently signed up.
Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
I'm pretty shocked that 2010 is likely going to end up being a better year for real estate in Ocean Shores than it was in 2009. Activity is still up. The summer was pretty lame for sales, but because of a strong spring, the year should finish out quite well. See my Year-to-Dates down below...

September Home Sales
15 Homes sold in Ocean Shores during the month of September for an average price of $207,940 compared to 16 sales in August at an average price of $177,706. Home sales are still pretty flat but at least something is selling... The average sales prices are up because of a couple high end sales - an ocean front for $375,000 and a bayfront for $432,000. The cheapest house to sell in September was $115,000. Average time on the market was only 241 days... Average price per square foot comes in at $138.02. Only 27 homes are pending right now, compared to 34 homes last month. There's 244 homes on the market right now compared to 258 homes last month. Home inventory will drop as winter comes.

Year to Date
134 Homes have sold through the first three quarters of 2010 for an average price of $171,543. The cheapest was $35,000 while the one that brought in the most was $450,000.
129 Homes sold last year during the same period for an average sales price of $176,491. The cheapest was $31,500 while the most expensive one was $495,000.
I guess you could say things are a little better although it really doesn't feel like it. I guess we all expected the market to vastly improve this year over last... and of course we know that didn't happen. All things considered, staying flat from 2009 to 2010 is a win these days...

September Vacant Lot Sales
18 Lots sold in September for an average price of $21,711 compared to 13 Lots in August for an average price of $30,185. Average prices don't mean a whole lot in Ocean Shores for lot sales as one or two high end lots can spike the averages. The cheapest lot to sell last month was a lot out by North Jetty which was unloaded for a measily $8,500. One lakefront sold for $85,000, while three canal lots sold for $39,000, $35,000 and $26,500... Prices are way down for vacant land... The Street LID is the main culprit driving down lot prices... 17 lots are currently pending around town. There are 503 lots on the market right now compared to 567 last month.

Year to Date
126 Lots have sold through the first three quarters of 2010 for an average price of $29,618. The cheapest was $7,000 while the one that brought in the most was $179,500.
102 Lots sold last year during the same period for an average sales price of $36,235. The cheapest was $8,500 while the most expensive one was $155,000.

September Condo Sales

Three condos sold in September for an average price of $103,000. Two were these tiny little downtown one bedroom cheapies that sold for for $25,000 & $35,000, while the other was an oceanfront at Ocean View Estates that was practically a giveway at $249,000. There are no condos pending right now.... Ugh. There's 155 condos listed right now on the NWMLS! There's enough condos to last 10 years in Ocean Shores if we're lucky! This high amount of inventory is ridiculous and not likely to change as there a couple (two too many) real estate brokers who appear to like to have a bunch of overpriced condo listings in their inventory that no one is interested in buying. These big condo projects like the Villages of Ocean Shores (28 condos listed as active by the developer. Nothing has sold) and the Gitche Gumee (58 condos listed as active by the developer. Nothing has sold) really need to reduce their on-the-market inventory. There's only about five or six good buys out there right now anyway in the condo market. Call me and I'll share...

Year to Date
16 Condos have sold through the first three quarters of 2010 for an average price of $115,088. The cheapest was $25,000 while the one that brought in the most was a Dreamscape unit at $259,000.
14 Condos sold last year during the same period for an average sales price of $155,162. The cheapest was $57,000 while the most expensive one was $350,000 and two actually sold for that.
It should be pretty easy to see why the average sales prices for this year were so much lower. On the other hand, it's quite hard to believe that condo sales are up (over 10% if you do the math) in Ocean Shores...

If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/. Thanks! All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Be a Fan of Ocean Shores Real Estate on Facebook!
If you haven't visited the Ocean Shores Real Estate Facebook page lately, please check it out and you shouldn't even be reading this because you already should have clicked the link up above... There's more timely info about the real estate market, pictures, news, etc. Be a fan and be cool! Visit the page today by clicking the above logo or the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Shores-WA/Ocean-Shores-Real-Estate/42604953991. Thank you.

Upcoming Events
Cat Fanciers' Association Cat Show
October 16-17, 2010A Cat Fanciers Association All Breed Cat Show. See an incredible variety of cats from the ordinary to the very unusual. Vendors will be selling unique pet items as well on Saturday. 10-5 on Sat & 9-4 on Sunday. http://www.cfa.org/shows.html
Art Walk
October 16, 2010Art Walk in the galleries and retail shops all over Ocean Shores from 3-8 p.m.
7th Annual Irish Music Festival
October 21-24, 2010The West Coast's Largest Irish Music Festival. 6 stages, 4 venues and 20 great bands. Come tip a pint and kick up your heels Thursday October 21 through Sunday the 24th. For more information and a schedule of the bands and events visit http://www.galwaybayevents.com/
Jazz at the Beach
November 5-7, 2010Jazz bands from all around the U.S. & Canada join together at the beach to offer up over 65 hours of live jazz at several venues throughout Ocean Shores. A three day passis only $60 if you order before 10/1/10. After that, they're $70. Single day badges are priced seperately. There's a free jazz hour for kids of all ages featuring the North Beach High School Jazz Band on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Convention Center. Special umbrella parade to be held Saturday night at 8 p.m. - also at the Convention Center. http://www.osjazz.com/
Razor Clam Dig
November TBA 2010The State hasn't announced the November dig yet, but if you want to find out when the next dig is in a timely fashion, visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Shores-WA/Ocean-Shores-Real-Estate/42604953991 to find out more info!
Winter Fanta-Sea
November 26-28 2010
Over 70 arts and crafts booths feature thousands of unique handmade items just in time for the holidays! Bring the kids, Santa will be there to listen to all of your Christmas wishes.

See you on the beach!
Jeff Daniel Managing Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

CityofOceanShores.com Newsletter ~ August 2010

2010-09-13T13:58:00.000-07:00

Beach Updates
It's back to normal at the beach. The big summertime tourist season has come to a close with the passing of Labor Day Weekend. The kids are back in school and now us locals and those who regularly frequent the beach can get back to cruising on through the new (or not so) roundabout without worrying about someone coming to a complete stop before entering (even when no one is in the roundabout!)... All said it was a pretty good summer though. Most of the big events went off smoothly with excellent turnouts. There were no big dune fires on the 4th so that's good and we'll be able to set off firewoks on the beach again next year. The Sun & Surf Event had their best event ever under sunny skies. Weatherwise this summer (and I know I complained last month, but as I look at my window right now, all I see is white and gray in the sky), I'm still a complainer. My typical summertime farmer tan never showed up! I've got high hopes for you October... Bring me some razor clams, a good surf and some sunshine... please...

Be a Fan of Ocean Shores Real Estate on Facebook!
If you haven't visited the Ocean Shores Real Estate Facebook page lately, please check it out. I'm serious this time! There's more timely info about the real estate market, pictures, news, etc. Get the full scoop on what's going on with real estate at the beach by being a fan! Visit the page today by clicking the logo or the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Shores-WA/Ocean-Shores-Real-Estate/42604953991. Thank you.

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
Real Estate activity has picked up some since the rock bottom month of July came and passed. August was a little better. September should be even better. It can't get any worse, can it?

August Home Sales
Residential sales are still down as only 16 houses closed in Ocean Shores during August for an average sales price of $177,706. This isn't that great, but these numbers are at least both up from July's total of 11 sales for an average price of $157,882. The real good news here is that there's 34 homes pending right now and the average list price for them is $203,696. There's 258 homes on the market right now.

August Vacant Lot Sales
Only 13 Lots closed in August compared to 19 in July. Average price was $30,185 compared to $35,303 last month. The cheapest lot sold was only $8,000 while the most expensive one was a super cheap ocean front lot for only $70,000. Yikes! (in a bad way)... 19 lots are currently pending around town. There are 567 lots on the market right now compared to 552 last month. 37 of those lots are listed for less than $15,000... Lot inventory is going to increase dramatically in the following months because of the Street LID about to hit and prices are definitely going to drop even further...

August Condo Sales
One little one bedroom condo sold in August for $53,900. The unit was located in downtown just behind the putt putt course... There's only two other condos that are currently pending right now - one is another cheap one like the one that sold and another is a down at Ocean View Estates. Condo sales are still slow.... That said, there are some great deals to be had. That was it. No changes in the condo market from last month. The inventory is still way to high and frankly there's only about 5-6 good buys out there right now. Call me and I'll share.

Sales are up, Volume is down report
For the first eight months of the year (Jan-Aug 2010), total volume in real estate sales (closed sales) comes in at $25,145,710 with 242 transactions. This includes all residential, vacant land, commercial, multi-family, condo & timeshare sales in Ocean Shores. For the same time period last year in 2009, there was a total of $27,548,630 in volume with only 223 transactions. So, activity is up anyway....

If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at www.cityofoceanshores.com. Thanks! All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Be a Fan of Ocean Shores Real Estate on Facebook!
If you haven't visited the Ocean Shores Real Estate Facebook page lately, please check it out and you shouldn't even be reading this because you already should have clicked the link up above... There's more timely info about the real estate market, pictures, news, etc. Be a fan and be cool! Visit the page today by clicking the above logo or the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Shores-WA/Ocean-Shores-Real-Estate/42604953991. Thank you.

Upcoming Events
Paddle the Shores
September 18-19, 2010
North Bay Park, lakes & canals. Attention kayak, canoe, and rowing enthusiasts. All Skill levels are welcome! Human-powered boat activities on the lakes and canals of Ocean Shores. Race, Poker Paddle, picnic, seminars and the latest in paddling gear at end-of-season prices. In addition to the popular Poker Paddle, activities will include a human-powered boat race, a cardboard boat race, speakers, vendors, boat try-outs, skills demonstrations and a picnic. New this year will be a Stand Up Paddleboard Race and three "Wacky Kayak Races". The public is invited to tryout boats, talk to boating experts, enjoy a meal and watch loads of boating entertainment. Come join the fun! http://www.oceanshoresact.com/events.html#water

Whale of a Quilt Show
October 1-3, 2010
The Sea-Pal Quilters of Ocean Shores "Whale of a Quilt Show" offers boutique vendors, handmade quilts, demonstrations, and quilted items @ the Convention Center. The show is judged and prizes are awarded. Free admission, donations welcome.

Cat Fanciers' Association Cat Show
October 16-17, 2010
A Can Fanciers Association All Breed Cat Show. See an incredible variety of cats from the ordinary to the very unusual. Vendors will be selling unique pet items as well on Saturday. 10-5 on Sat & 9-4 on Sunday. http://www.cfa.org/shows.html

Jazz at the Beach
November 5-7, 2010
Jazz bands from all around the U.S. & Canada join together at the beach to offer up over 65 hours of live jazz at several venues throughout Ocean Shores. A three day passis only $60 if you order before 10/1/10. After that, they're $70. Single day badges are priced seperately. There's a free jazz hour for kids of all ages featuring the North Beach High School Jazz Band on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Convention Center. Special umbrella parade to be held Saturday night at 8 p.m. - also at the Convention Center. http://www.osjazz.com/

See you on the beach!

Jeff Daniel
Managing Broker

Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020
749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

CityofOceanShores.com Newsletter ~ June/July 2010

2010-08-13T09:07:00.000-07:00

Beach Updates
This year, the beach has experienced a pretty rare climate adjustment in the fact that Ocean Shores now has five seasons to enjoy (winter, spring, overcast, summer & fall). If that wasn't clear enough (no pun intended), the weather this summer has been lousy so far. There's only been two days that I counted in July where we had blue sky on the beach for more than a five minute period. Typically, it's foggy with overcast in July & August, but then by 2 or 3 p.m., the fog burns off and blue sky takes over. Not this year, it's been gray and it's been staying gray. And it's not just July either. Most of June had gray skies and so far August has delivered us 1 good day. I sure can't wait until September when summer finally arrives. Maybe if we all head down to the beach wearing shorts or whatever and pray for sun, maybe, must maybe, it will finally come out and stay.

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
Real Estate activity has pretty spotty lately. Some days the phone doesn't ring and the inbox only sees junk. Other days I can't seem to catch up with everything going on. I guess this is all pretty typical except that for the first five months of the year, sales had actually been increasing. I think June & July has provided a reality check in letting us know that the recovery is not going to happen overnight or next month or probably not even next year. It's going to take awhile that's for sure. That said, the combination of the lowest interest rates ever, plenty of inventory and ridiculous low prices should really be an incentive for buyers contemplating making a move or buying a beach getaway, condo or lot. I hate saying that there's never been a better time to buy (cause I say it way too much that I don't even know anymore), but dang, has there?

June & July Home Sales
Residential sales have taken a dive this summer so far... Hopefully this will change anyday now. 20 Homes sold in June for an average price of $156,250. This is barely up from 19 Homes sold in May for an average price of $181.250. July's sale were absolutely pathetic and likely the reason why I lost all motivation to do a newsletter last month. Only 11 homes sold in July for an average price of $157,882. July is typically one of the very best months for real estate sales at the beach. This year, it has nearly been the worst. There's 260 homes on the market right now and there's 26 pending.

Year-To-Date Home Sales
103 homes have sold through the end of July this year for an average price of $165,625 (cheapest was $35,000 - most expensive was $450,000). Average time on market has been 211 days. For the same time period last year in 2009, 108 homes had sold for an average price of $177,407. Average time to sell was also 248 days. I guess it's not as bad as it feels...

June & July Vacant Lot Sales
16 Lots sold in June compared to 10 in May. Average price was $24,133 - down just a tad bit from $59,980 in May. The cheapest one was only $7,000 (yikes!), while the most expensive one was a bayfront at $99,000. Lot sales actually increased in July as 19 sold for an average price of $35,303. The cheapest in July was only $10,000, while the most expensive was a cheap lake lot for only $65,000. 17 lots are currently pending, compared to only 10 last month. There are 552 lots on the market now compared to 551 in May. Land inventory has remained quite stable for the past three months. These numbers are pretty decent.

Year-To-Date Vacant Lot Sales
93 lots have sold through the end of July this year for an average price of $31,169. Average time on market has been 297 days. For the same time period last year in 2009, 77 vacant lots had sold for an average price of $36,866. Average time to sell was 298 days. So I guess even though it doesn't seem like it, lot sales are up quite a bit - that's an increase in sales of over 20% for those keeping track. Low listing prices and increased seller motivation is most definitely the cause of this. Add the upcoming Street LID about to hit all property owners and before you know it, there should quite the frenzy for even more lot sales in the coming months. Prices are definitely down now. Financing is pretty rare for land, but quite a few sellers now are willing to sell their land on contracts. Let me know if you'd like more info.

June & July Condo Sales
Dreamscape Condos are the only game in town that seems to be getting any action in the condo market. Two sold in June and another condo sold at the Polynesian. Average sales price between the three was $165,667. The condo at the Polynesian was just under $100,000 bringing down that average price. No condos sold in July. The condo market in Ocean Shores is really in a terrible predicament. There's way too much inventory because of a handful of developments that are incredibly overpriced and no one these days is going to pay too much for a condo. That said, there's 155 condos listed on the MLS right now. At our current sales rate, it would take nearly 10 years to sell all of the current inventory on the market right now. This is ridiculous and confusing to buyers. With the exception of the Dreamscape Condos and a few listing at some of the smaller developments (Kats Cove, The Muriah & Brisa Del Mar),

Year-To-Date Condo Sales
A whopping 12 condos have sold through the end of July this year for an average price of $123,208 (four of these were real cheap cheap condos that sold for less than $45,000). Average time on market has been 385 days. For the same time period last year in 2009, 9 condos had sold for an average price of $173,974 (the cheapest was $57,000). Average time to sell was also 385 days (creepy!) Even though it feels pretty dead in the condo arena, I guess condo sales are up too.... Weird...

If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at www.cityofoceanshores.com. Thanks! All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Be a Fan of Ocean Shores Real Estate on Facebook!

If you haven't visited the Ocean Shores Real Estate Facebook page lately, please check it out. There's more timely info about the real estate market, pictures, news, etc. Be a fan and be cool! Visit the page today by clicking the logo or the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ocean-Shores-WA/Ocean-Shores-Real-Estate/42604953991. Thank you.

Upcoming Events

Gospel Music Festival
August 14, 2010
5th Annual Gospel Music Festival @ the Convention Center presented by Higher Ground Ministries. "Catch the Wind of the Spirit” and join in as everyone is welcome. Quartet, talent showcase, endless live performances, door prizes, food both, talented musicians, lots of music and good ol' fashioned FUN! Bring the entire family and sing along!

A.A.O.S. Arts & Crafts Festival
September 10-12, 2010
An end of summer annual event. Visit one of Western Washington's largest indoor & outdoor handmade arts and crafts fair @ the Convention Center. 1,000's of unique items are showcased by gifted artists and talented craftspeople. Admission is free.

Paddle the Shores
September 18-19, 2010
North Bay Park, lakes & canals. Attention kayak, canoe, and rowing enthusiasts. All Skill levels are welcome! Human-powered boat activities on the lakes and canals of Ocean Shores. Race, Poker Paddle, picnic, seminars and the latest in paddling gear at end-of-season prices.

Whale of a Quilt Show
October 1-3, 2010
The Sea-Pal Quilters of Ocean Shores "Whale of a Quilt Show" offers boutique vendors, handmade quilts, demonstrations, and quilted items @ the Convention Center. The show is judged and prizes are awarded. Free admission, donations welcome.

See you on the beach!

Jeff Daniel
Managing Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020
749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

CityofOceanShores.com Newsletter ~ March 2010

2010-04-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

Beach Updates
The Pacific Ocean is definitely the top draw in Ocean Shores, but there's much more to this beach town beyond its smooth shoreline and crashing surf. Ocean Shores boasts 23 miles of interconnected freshwater canals and lakes. Duck Lake is the big lake in Ocean Shores and is stocked and considered one of the best year-round fishing lakes in Western Washington. The lake is power-boat accessible and is excellent for many different boating experiences.
On April 24th, the fishing season begins and Duck Lake is a place that a lot of anglers frequent. The lake is home to a variety of fish including largemouth & smallmouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, black crappie, rainbow trout, grass carp and other types of slimy fish. If for some reason you happen to catch a grass carp, put it back. Those guys eat the weeds (well, they're supposed too)...
There are two public parks on Duck Lake, each with its own public boat launch (launching your boat is free whether you live here or not):
Chinook Park is located on Duck Lake Drive about two and a half miles south of the airport. The park is 3.2 acres in size with a boat launch, ADA accessible fishing dock, large playfield, picnic tables, playground equipment, water fountain, portable restroom and a public parking area.
North Bay Park is located on Albatross and Chance a la Mer Avenue by the airport. The park is 7.1 acres big with a boat launch, fishing dock, baseball diamond with backstop/soccer field, tennis court, basketball goals, playground equipment, picnic shelter with fireplace and picnic tables, ADA restroom facility, plenty of parking space and excellent views of the Olympics and Grays Harbor across the nearby airport.

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
Home and lot sales jumped in Ocean Shores during the month of March! The looming Federal Tax Credit deadline coming up has surely motivated some buyers to get off the fence. One of the telling signs with this month's sales figures is that for all three categories (homes, land & condos), sales transactions are pretty much flat (or increasing as lot sales did) compared to the same time period in 2009. This most definitely signals that the real estate market has finally bottomed out in first quarter 2010.

March Home Sales
Home sales jumped again at the beach as 17 Homes sold in March compared to only 9 in February. Average selling price was $147,100 - down from February's average price of $204,100. The cheapest was a bank-owned fixer that sold for only $30,000 while the most expensive was an oversized ocean view home that sold for $300,000. Average time on the market was 278 days. There are currently 36 homes that are pending right now - up from 34 last month at this time. Inventory is still increasing as there are 223 homes on the market now compared to 218 last month.

March Vacant Lot Sales
Lot sales in March more than doubled February's numbers as 18 Lots closed in March (up from 8 Lots in February) for an average sales price of $30,436. Average time on the market was only 446 days - down from last month's time on the market of 539 days. Eight lots are currently pending. There are 536 lots available on the market right now compared to 509 last month. Average price: $73,051. The cheapest one is now only $7,800, but bring some dump trucks with sand.... lots of sand...

March Condo Sales
Only 1 Condo closed in March for $62,000. Condo sales are very slow. Two condos in town are still pending while 98 condos are still active listings.

Quarterly Comparisons
* 30 Homes sold in the first quarter of 2010 for an average sales price of $159,867.
* 31 Homes sold in the first quarter of 2009 for an average sales price of $179,355.

* 35 Lots sold in the first quarter of 2010 for an average sales price of $25,484.
* 22 Lots sold in the first quarter of 2009 for an average sales price of $37,198.

* 4 Condos sold in the first quarter of 2010 for an average sales price of $96,225.
* 5 Condos sold in the first quarter of 2009 for an average sales price of $110,050.

Coastal Community Home Sales Comparisons
The real estate market in Ocean Shores continues to dominate the other areas on Washington's coast in regards to number of homes sold, etc. I would sure hate to be selling real estate in Westport...
* Ocean Shores sold 30 Homes in the first quarter of 2010 for an average sales price of $159,867.
* Westport sold 5 Homes in the first quarter of 2010 for an average sales price of $73,900.
* Seabrook/Pacific Beach/Moclips sold 2 Homes in the first quarter of 2010 for an average sales price of $375,000.
* Long Beach sold 12 Homes in the first quarter of 2010 for an average sales price of $168,862.

Ocean Shores Real Estate Brokerage Rankings
It's becoming quite clear to most real estate sellers & buyers in Ocean Shores that if you're serious about buying or selling real estate at the beach, you'll want to work with the office that delivers the best results. The following list is the top ten real estate brokerages and their percentage of real estate volume sold in Ocean Shores for the first quarter of 2010:

1. Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties - 40.08%
2. Windermere RE Grays Harbor - 15.31%
3. John L. Scott Ocean Shores - 8.61%
4. Premier Realty Ocean Shores - 4.67%
The three other real estate brokerage in Ocean Shores didn't make it into the top ten, so I'll just stop at number four....

If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at www.cityofoceanshores.com. Thanks! All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Upcoming Events
Olympus Rally
April 24-25, 2010
Many of the top rally drivers in the nation will be on hand when the Olympus Rally returns to Grays Harbor on April 24-25. The third event in the Rally America series will be based, for the first time, in the Ocean Shores area. The Ocean Shores Convention Center will be the event’s headquarters. Racing enthusiasts can meet the drivers in a pair of public events, scheduled for 8 a.m. April 24 and 7 a.m. April 25 at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. http://www.thedailyworld.com/articles/2010/04/07/sports/doc4bbcbb6c1d64c535534372.txt

Razor Clam Dig Coming Up!
April 30-May 2, 2010
The Washington State Fish & Wildlife Department has tentatively scheduled a dig for the following dates and beaches. A final decision on the dig will be based on the results of tests for toxins to determine if the clams are safe to eat.
Friday, April 30, 8:32 a.m., -1.5: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks
Saturday May 1, 9:15 a.m., -1.0 : Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch
Sunday, May 2, 9:58 a.m., -0.7: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch
A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2009 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination fishing license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions.
Beaches scheduled to open are:
· Long Beach, which extends from the Columbia River to Leadbetter Point.
· Twin Harbors Beach, which extends from the mouth of Willapa Bay north to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor.
· Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyehut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.
· Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.
· Kalaloch Beach, which extends from the South Beach Campground to Brown’s Point (just south of Beach Trail 3) in the Olympic National Park.
For more info, click http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/season.htm.

Grays Harbor County Expo
May 27-31, 2010
Third annual expo featuring Oceans of Fine Arts, Arts & Crafts Show, Cruisin the Shores RV Show, Chainsaw Carving, Hotrod & Classic Car Show & a HOME SHOW! Something for everyone! Free & easy parking - Memorial Day Weekend - see you there! http://www.graysharborexpo.com/

Kite Challenge
June 5-6, 2010
Sponsored by "Team Cutting Edge Kites" - 2005 & 2006 World Champions. Free kite flying lessons, stunt competitions, fun flies, displays and more. Come to the beach and watch the sky come to life with hundreds of colorful kites!

Flag Day Parade & Dance
June 12, 2010
A chance to show your patriotic spirit. The parade features more than 75 entries and a Grand Marshall. End the day with dancing and raffle drawings. One of the only Flag Day parades in Western Washington.

Jeff Daniel
Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020
749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

10 Ways to Make Your Home Worth More

2010-04-26T09:11:00.000-07:00

Great article!

http://www.frontdoor.com/Sell/10-Ways-to-Make-Your-Home-Worth-More/30/p1/?nl=FD_v122_top10-1

Jeff Daniel
Associate BrokerColdwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020
749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

Luxury Oceanfront Condos NOW priced @ DRAMATIC DISCOUNTS!

2010-03-19T20:13:00.000-07:00

March Madness!!!
Luxury Oceanfront Condos NOW priced @ DRAMATIC DISCOUNTS! Dreamscape Condominiums seeks buyers for this FINAL EVENT ending on 3/31/10. All condos need to be sold! Only a few left! 4th Floor Units are now only $199,900! This is over 40% off of the original prices! With these FINAL Prices, combined with the exceptional quality, the stellar location & lifestyle of Dreamscape Condominiums~there's never been a better time to be a part of this prestigious community. Time is running out.

Luxury Ocean Front Condos have never been so Affordable!
Greetings from the beach! This email is to make sure that you’re aware of the current opportunity with the Dreamscape Condos located at the Southern tip of Ocean Shores. Fourteen units are now being offered as Short Sales and two of them are gone ~ meaning that the owners are now offering them for less than what is owed to the bank. This is a great opportunity that will not last. Only twelve are left now!

Guaranteed Bottom Prices!
These new LOW prices do not include furnishings or other past incentives and are subject to deed release by the bank. We are guaranteed a 5 day response to each buyer if the offer is at least full list price. Buyers can still make offers at less than list price. These will be reviewed by the bank and a response is guaranteed within 10 days.

This is it! There has never been a better Time to Buy!
These are rock bottom crazy prices! Getaway and relax while watching ships, whales and fishing boats from the comfort of your own private retreat just seconds from miles and miles of pristine beaches. The views are truly amazing.

Changes & Updates
> New Konecto flooring in certain units. This new flooring lessens noise heard from surrounding units and has been a huge welcome!
> A brand new Storefront has been added to the entire condo. This new enclosure keeps the wind and rain out of the walkways and tower areas and has been welcomed by all current owners and visitors. It has also enhanced the overall value of the building and individual ownership of each condo unit.

Current Price List (03/01/10)
Unit 207 - $199,900 ~ original price $319,000
Unit 402 - $199,900 ~ original price $309,000
Unit 208 - $209,900 ~ original price $309,000
Unit 503 - $232,900 ~ original price $349,000
Unit 506 - $232,900 ~ original price $379,000

Click "HERE" to see the remaining available units on the MLS.

Don't Wait Any Longer
Dreamscape offers one of the last affordable view properties on the Pacific Northwest Coast. Each home has unparalleled views of the Pacific Ocean, the Jetty, Olympic Mountains, Westport nightscape, stunning sunsets and pristine beaches.

For sales inquiries, please contact

Ric Canfield at 360.593.4266
Jeff Daniel at 360.581.9020

Jeff Daniel
Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020
749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

Little Is In ~ Tiny Beach Homes are Selling Fast!

2010-02-22T19:38:00.000-08:00

Little Is In!
It’s no secret that 2009 was a horrible year for home builders. In fact, 2009 was the worst year that builder’s have seen in Ocean Shores since 2004 with only 44 new spec homes sold, according to the NWMLS. That number it seems is already on an upswing in 2010. One major sign that changes are coming is with the number of “presales,” which is the sale of a new spec home before construction has even begun. As of February 17th, three new presales have gone pending on the NWMLS website. That’s more presales already in the first month and a half of 2010 than we saw in all of 2009!
What’s most exciting about these new sales is the size of these new homes. They are tiny! The average number of square feet in these little beach cabins is 768 square feet. The average size of a home sold in Ocean Shores last year was 1415 square feet. The average price per square foot for this new construction is $143.43.
Most buyers of a brand new little beach cabin are second home buyers looking to own their cute getaway at the beach. We’re actually seeing some people buy them to live in fulltime now too!
Prices are definitely more affordable now for getaway buyers looking for a little cabin at the beach and there’s a wide variety of makes and models from 672 square feet on up. The entry level model starts at $105,900 and is offered by Pacific Coast Construction Group Inc.
Small houses (and particular, small houses at the beach!) are attracting many homebuyers seeking a great location, the convenience of having their own place without the hassle of a hotel room, the value of new construction and the affordability these homes offer. These are great short term and long term real estate investments as well.
Buyers don’t have time wait!
If you factor in the looming deadlines to get those federal tax credits, buyers must be UNDER CONTRACT BY APRIL 30th and CLOSE BY JUNE 30th. Throw in the impending interest rate hikes, which should hit early this summer and there are plenty of incentives for buyers to act now.
Here are 10 reasons why Little Beach Cabins might be better than big ones...
1. Less Expensive to Purchase: Smaller houses are generally cheaper to buy than larger ones of similar construction and location unless something is really wrong...
2. Lower Property Taxes.
3. Cheaper to Heat in the wintertime: I guess I could say spring and fall around here too..
4. Less Expensive to Maintain: Replacing a roof on a little cabin is going to be a lot cheaper than a big house.
5. Easier to Clean: Again, less square footage to clean.
6. Less Space for Clutter.
7. Cheaper to Furnish.
8. Smaller Environmental Footprint: Less materials used in the process means lower energy consumption...
9. I’ve sold over 22% of all the brand new little beach cabins in Ocean Shores since 2008 and I work with more little cabin builders than anyone out here... So if you’re going to buy one, there’s a good chance you’ll end up working with me!
10. Because they’re cute and little is in.

If you want more information regarding these little cute little beach cabins, give me a call or send me an email. Thanks!

Jeff Daniel
New Homes Specialist
Residential Construction Certified
Vacation Home Specialist
Associate Broker/Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
360.581.9020
jeffgdaniel@hotmail.com

CityofOceanShores.com Newsletter ~ January 2010

2010-01-20T21:14:00.000-08:00

Beach Updates
Happy Birthday Ocean Shores!
News Flash! Ocean Shores turns 50! That's right, the sleepy little beach town celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Happy Birthday (or Birth year, I suppose) Ocean Shores!

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
It's no secret that 2009 was a horrible year for most if not all business's (except Walmart of course). Not unlike the rest of the country, real estate sales were again slow at the beach and down nearly 13% from the previous year. The First Time Home Buyer tax credit had very little effect out here as most of our buyers are either move-up, retirement or getaway buyers. However, the new $6,500 tax credit for owners of existing homes who buy a new principal residence does seem to be spurring activity. The biggest surprise out here on the beach is that more condominiums actually sold this year than last.
Ocean Shores is not unlike the rest of the country as a large volume of foreclosures, REO's and short sales have driven prices down. However, we are starting to see a significant reduction in the number of these distressed properties on the market today. Prices have bottomed in Ocean Shores much like the rest of the region. The biggest problem we face with sales still remains with the uncertainty of the banks as they continue to strangle buyers with steeper qualifications to get a loan.
That being said, the forecast is good. Nationally, the National Association of Realtor's chief economist sees a strong sales year ahead - up to 20 percent this year. He's also forecasting sustained price increases of anywhere from two to five percent on average. Regionally, the Puget Sound market is significantly up. The volume of pending sales was up more than 35% from a year ago and was the best December the region has seen since 2006. Historically, Ocean Shores tends to follow the Puget Sound's trends by six to nine months.

Here are some year end numbers regarding Ocean Shores real estate:
2009 Home Sales* 180 Homes sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $173,421 (Cheapest was $31,500 - Most expensive was $495,000).
* 206 Homes sold in 2008 for an average sales price of $194,480 (Cheapest was $28,000 - Most expensive was $829,000).
* 241 Homes sold in 2007 for an average sales price of $209,783 (Cheapest was $36,000 - Most expensive was $580,000).

The average home that sold in Ocean Shores in 2009 had 1415 square feet and was on the market for 225 days.* Currently, there's 179 Homes on the market (compared to 228 Homes on the market this time last year) for an average price of $225,194 (compared to $259,367 this time last year). Additionally, there are 18 homes pending in Ocean Shores for an average list price of $158,790.

2009 Condo Sales
* 25 Condos sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $138,468 (Cheapest was $41,000 - Most expensive was $350,000).
* 18 Condos sold in 2008 for an average sales price of $244,000 (Cheapest was $60,000 - Most expensive was $425,000).
* 41 Condos sold in 2007 for an average sales price of $209,783 (Cheapest was $7,500 - Most expensive was $449,000).

The average Condo that sold in Ocean Shores in 2009 had 992 square feet and was on the market for 320 days.* Currently, there's 86 Condos on the market for an average price of $222,777. Additionally, there are 4 Condos pending in Ocean Shores for an average list price of $158,790. There are still some fantastic deals on Condos at the beach right now. Send me an email if you would like a list.

2009 Vacant Lot Sales
* 134 Lots sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $34,968 (Cheapest was $8,500 - Most expensive was $155,000).
* 189 Lots sold in 2008 for an average sales price of $47,799 (Cheapest was $10,000 - Most expensive was $185,000).
* 322 Lots sold in 2007 for an average sales price of $54,655. (Cheapest was $16,000- Most expensive was $450,000).

It took 320 days to sell a Lot in 2009 compared to 284 days in 2008.

2009 Commercial Sales
* 7 Commercial Buildings sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $345,643 compared to 6 sales in 2008 for an average sales price of $281,250.
2009 Multifamily (Apartment) Sales
* 4 Multifamily Buildings sold in 2009 for an average sales price of $167,000 compared to 0 sales in 2008.
Coastal Community Sales Comparisons
On another note, even though the Ocean Shores real estate market was off this past year, consider how bad the market is in a couple of other beach towns. All things said, the real estate market is still kicking in Ocean Shores.
* Ocean Shores sold 180 Homes and 134 Lots in 2008. The average price of the Home was $173,421 & the average price of the Lot was $34,968.
* Seabrook/Pacific Beach/Moclips areas sold 18 Homes and 6 Lots in 2008. The average price of the Home was $344,472 & the average price of the Lot was $92,833.
* Westport sold 23 Homes and 11 Lots in 2008. The average price of the Home was $164,410 & the average price of the Lot was $53,136.
* Long Beach sold 48 Homes and 14 Lots in 2008. The average price of the Home was $183,160 & the average price of the Lot was $107,714.

Summary: Ocean Shores is still the most affordable coastal community in the country and that's a big reason why a lot of baby boomers are retiring in Ocean Shores and numerous people move here to work, play and buy their vacation getaways. Now is the best time to buy in Ocean Shores!Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties is the Top Producing Real Estate Office in Ocean Shores (again...)For the third year in a row, Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties finished out 2009 as the Number One (#1) Real Estate Sales Office in Ocean Shores. This year, not only were we the #1 office in town again, we were the #1 office in all of Grays Harbor County again! We sold more properties in the county this past year than any other office around. Congratulations and thanks to the customers, owners, agents, employees and friends of Coldwell Banker for making us the top real estate office in Ocean Shores and the entire County.

On a personal note, I would very much like to thank everyone who helped me in becoming the #1 real estate agent in not only Ocean Shores, but all of Grays Harbor County as well for the second year in a row now.

Ocean Shores Real Estate Brokerage 2009 Rankings
#1 Coldwell Banker - Volume Sold: 29.83%
#2 John L. Scott - Volume Sold: 21.70%
#3 Windermere (out of business now) - Volume Sold: 13.83%
#4 Prudential Grays Harbor - Volume Sold: 5.80%
#5 Premier Realty - Volume Sold: 5.63%
#6 Beach Realty - Volume Sold: 2.22%
December Home SalesOnly 11 Homes sold in December. Average selling price was $199,286. The cheapest one was $123,750 and the most expensive was a new bay front home coming in at $376,000.
December Vacant Lot Sales
11 Lots sold in December. Average selling price was $17,127. The cheapest one was unloaded for only $10,000 and the most expensive was only $33,000.
December Condo Sales3 Condos sold in December for an average sales price of $80,000 even. The new Short Sale pricing going on at the Dreamscape Condos down at the North Jetty has really drawn a lot of interest from buyers making crazy offers that the bank has been accepting. Get in while you can!

BrandNewBeachHomes.com is a real estate blog about new homes and new construction out at the beach. Take a look!

If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at www.cityofoceanshores.com. Thanks! All real estate numbers and stats apply to the Ocean Shores real estate market. All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Upcoming Events
Master Builder Home & Garden Show
February 6-7, 2010Second annual Twin Harbors Chapter Master Builders Home and Garden Show. Free admission and prizes will be given away every hour! Get the jump on home improvement and yard projects and be ready for the "Spring Fever"...
Antique & Collectible Show
February 13-14, 2010
8th Annual Ocean Shores Antique & Collectible Show will take place at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. Join them along with over 60 vendors for Valentine's Weekend!
Beachcombers Fun Fair
March 5-7, 2010
23rd annual event features exhibits, seminars, information booths, and vendors on Saturday and Sunday; a kid's science fair Saturday morning plus beach walks on Sunday morning.
Ocean Shores Moped Poker Run
March 26-28, 2010
The GWRRA Chapter E - 3rd Annual Moped Poker Run and Surf Watch will be held on March 26-28, 2010 in Ocean Shores, Washington (WA) Check-In will begin at the Polynesian Resort at 9:30am. Moped's out at 10am. Entry fee of $10/Pre-Registration, and $12/Day of for each person. There will be a Poker Run, Miniature Golf Competition, Live and Silent Auction, Cash Prizes, and more. http://www.motorcyclemonster.com/events/Moped-Poker-Run-2010-03-26-Ocean_Shores-WA.html
Razor Clam Festival & Chowder Cook-Off
March 27, 2010
Celebrating the natural bounty of "Coastal Living," this annual event kicks off Friday evening with a coronation dance honoring the Clam King & Queen. Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., features a pancake breakfast, artisan marketplace, children's activities, live entertainment, dancing, cultural exhibits and the highly anticipated Clam Chowder Cook-Off. Come and cast your vote for the best professional & non-professional chowder on the Beach.

Razor Clam Dig Coming Up! After a stormy New Year’s opener, razor clam diggers will get another chance to hit the beach for a five-day opening scheduled to begin Jan. 27 if marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) also announced tentative plans for a razor-clam dig in late February, pending the results of another round of marine toxin tests. For the dig planned this month, Long Beach and Twin Harbors are tentatively scheduled to open on evening tides Jan. 27-31, with digs also planned at Copalis and Mocrocks beaches Jan. 29-31. In addition, the National Park Service has scheduled a two-day dig Jan. 30-31 at Olympic National Park’s Kalaloch beach to coincide with those at the other beaches. Digging at all five beaches will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight. Digging days and tides for Ocean Shores are:
Friday, Jan. 29, (5:58 p.m., -1.5 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Saturday, Jan. 30, (6:41 p.m., -1.5 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Sunday, Jan. 31, (7:23 p.m., -1.2 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2009 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination fishing license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various options are available on the WDFW website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Beaches scheduled to open are:
Long Beach, which extends from the Columbia River to Leadbetter Point.
Twin Harbors Beach, which extends from the mouth of Willapa Bay north to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor.
Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.
Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.
Kalaloch Beach, which extends from the South Beach Campground to Brown’s Point (just south of Beach Trail 3) in the Olympic National Park. In addition, WDFW has tentatively scheduled a late-February dig on the following dates and locations:
Friday, Feb. 26, (4:49 p.m., -0.7) Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Saturday, Feb. 27, (5:34 p.m., -0.9) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Sunday, Feb. 28, (6:16 p.m., -0.8) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrock, Kalaloch
Beach News
This is where I get mine lately:

Jeff Daniel Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

CityofOceanShores.com Newsletter ~ 09.2009

2009-10-14T08:39:00.000-07:00

Beach Updates
This town is still construction nuts! Do yourself a favor and stay off Point Brown Avenue until at least November now. For the most part, downtown is still ripped up as the city is having all the roads repaved and the roundabout construction is also underway. It's still really crazy. Other than that things are still pretty hoping at the beach even though the tourist season is over. The weekends lately have been particular busy with folks visiting and looking at getaway/retirement. This coming weekend should be very busy as the Razor Clam season gets underway. If you've never dug or ate a razor clam, you're missing out. Trust me. It took me a few years to give it a shot and now I just can't get enough... But don't tell any game wardens that I said that....

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
It's been really busy. Buyers are buying! August showed three straight months of improving home sales at the beach. September has flattening out as residential sales remained the same as August. What we are seeing is that people with money, who held back when the economy was on the brink, are starting to buy. Smart money is buying real estate again at what many see at the bottom and capitalizing on the best mortgage rates in decades.

September Home Sales
Sales continue to climb out of the gutter at the beach for the third straight month in a row. 16 houses sold in September. Average sales price nudged up to $166,100 (up from $150,688 in August). 21 homes went pending during September. There are currently 39 homes pending in Ocean Shores right now.

There's only 215 homes on the market right now versus 253 in July. Home inventory is still shrinking and sales are still happening. Average price is $231,012.

September Vacant Lot Sales11 Lot sold in September (down from 13 in August for an average selling price of $32,527. The cheapest one was $8,500 and the most expensive was $80,000. Average time on the market was only 209 days. There are currently 12 lots that are pending around town... There's 551 lots on the market right now.

September Condo SalesThree condos closed during September at the beach. Average price was $88,833. The big news in condo sales is that there are currently 6 of them pending (including two at the Dreamscape Condos). That's a huge jump! There are 107 condos on the market in Ocean Shores right now.

Image from:http://oceanshoresrealestate....
Dreamscape Condos are now very serious about selling off their remaining inventory. Only twelve units are left and are now being offered as Short Sales ~ meaning that the owners are now offering them for less than what is owed to the bank. This is a great opportunity that will not last. "Here's More Info."

BrandNewBeachHomes.com is a real estate blog about new homes and new construction out at the beach. Take a look!

If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at www.cityofoceanshores.com. Thanks! All real estate numbers and stats apply to the Ocean Shores real estate market. All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Upcoming Events
Paddle the Shores
Cat Fancier's Association Cat Show
October 24-25, 2009A Cat Fanciers Association All Breed Cat Show . See an incredible variety of cats from the ordinary to the very unusual! Saturday - 10AM to 5PM & Sunday - 9AM to 4PM. Don't bring your dog.

Jazz at the Beach - Jazz Festival
November 6-8, 2009Jazz bands from around the United States and Canada join together to offer over 65 hours of live jazz at several venues throughout Ocean Shores. http://users.techline.com/diggindixie/

Winter Fanta-Sea
November 27-29, 2009
Over 70 arts and crafts booths feature thousands of unique handmade items just in time for the holidays! Bring the kids, Santa will be there to listen to all of your Christmas wishes.

click the logo and be a fan of Ocean Shores Real Estate

Razor Clam Season Tentatively set to Open at 5 Beaches in Mid-October (this weekend!)Image from:http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MR...View image on Bing The first razor-clam dig of the fall season will get under way Oct. 16 if marine toxin tests show the clams are safe to eat, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today. Additional digging opportunities are scheduled through Jan. 3. Evening digs are tentatively planned at Twin Harbors (Oct. 16-19); Long Beach and Copalis (Oct. 16, 17 and 18); and Mocrocks and Kalaloch Beach (Oct. 17 and18). Digging at all beaches will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight. “The results of our 2009 summer stock assessment show that Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Kalaloch Beach have had an increase in their total allowable catch, while Copalis and Mocrocks are about the same,” said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. “This is great news for Kalaloch, which will have harvest opportunities for the first time since spring 2007.” Image from:http://rodnreal.com/clamtides...View image on Bing The best time to start digging is an hour or two before low tide, said Ayres, who also recommends that diggers check weather and surf conditions before heading out. Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container. Image from:http://wdfw.wa.gov/science/in...View image on Bing A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2009 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination fishing license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the WDFW website at http://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Tentative opening dates and evening low tides in October are:
Friday, Oct. 16 ( 5:50 p.m. -0.5 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Saturday, Oct. 17 (6:38 p.m. -0.8 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Sunday, Oct. 18 (7:23 p.m. -1.1ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
In addition, WDFW has tentatively scheduled the following digs:
Saturday, Nov. 14 (4:34 p.m. -0.3 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Sunday, Nov. 15 (5:21 p.m. -0.7 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Monday, Nov. 16 (6:05 p.m. -0.9 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
The Pacific razor clam (Siliqua patula) is an exceptionally meaty shellfish which ranges from California to Alaska. It is abundant on surf-pounded ocean beaches, but also occurs in sheltered areas along the coast. Limited diving observations have indicated some adult razor clams (S.patula) offshore for up to one-half mile. Razor clams dredged in water deeper than 30 feet, although similar to the beach clam, are a different species (Siliqua sloati).

In Washington waters, the razor clam grows to a maximum length of six inches, although they are seldom found. Clams seven inches long have been recorded, but are very rare. The life expectancy for Washington clams is five years. Again, there are exceptions, but razor clams suffer from a high degree of mortality due to predation by Dungeness crabs, shore birds, numerous species of fish and of course thousands of clam diggers. A disease was also discovered in the early 1980's that caused mass mortalities of large numbers of clams. It is unknown how long this disease has affected clam populations. In contrast, razor clams found in Alaska may grow to eleven inches in length and live to be 15 years old, due to colder water temperatures and slower growth rates.

Razor clams are found primarily on the intertidal coastal beaches (those that are exposed at low tide) from a +3 foot level to a -2 foot tide level. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) divides the harvest areas into five major management zones (see map): Beaches scheduled to open are:
Long Beach, which extends from the Columbia River to Leadbetter Point.
Twin Harbors Beach, which extends from the mouth of Willapa Bay north to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor.
Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.
Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.
Kalaloch Beach, which extends from the South Beach Campground to Brown’s Point (just south of Beach Trail 3) in the Olympic National Park.

Beach News
This is where I've been getting mine lately:

Jeff Daniel Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

Luxury Ocean Front Condos have never been so Affordable!

2009-09-15T11:02:00.000-07:00

Luxury Ocean Front Condos have never been so Affordable!
Greetings from the beach! This email is to make sure that you’re aware of the current opportunity with the Dreamscape Condos located at the Southern tip of Ocean Shores. Fourteen units are now being offered as Short Sales ~ meaning that the owners are now offering them for less than what is owed to the bank. This is a great opportunity that will not last.

Guaranteed Bottom Prices!
These new LOW prices do not include furnishings or other past incentives and are subject to deed release by the bank. We are guaranteed a 5 day response to each buyer if the offer is at least full list price. Buyers can still make offers at less than list price. These will be reviewed by the bank and a response is guaranteed within 10 days.

This is it! There has never been a better Time to Buy!
These are rock bottom crazy prices! Getaway and relax while watching ships, whales and fishing boats from the comfort of your own private retreat just seconds from miles and miles of pristine beaches. The views are truly amazing.

Changes & Updates
> New Konecto flooring in certain units. This new flooring lessens noise heard from surrounding units and has been a huge welcome!
> A brand new Storefront has been added to the entire condo. This new enclosure keeps the wind and rain out of the walkways and tower areas and has been welcomed by all current owners and visitors. It has also enhanced the overall value of the building and individual ownership of each condo unit.

Active Price List (09/10/09)
Unit 303 - $178,420 ~ original price $319,000
Unit 405 - $198,244 ~ original price $339,000
Unit 406 - $208,681 ~ original price $319,000
Unit 404 - $208,309 ~ original price $309,000
Unit 207 - $218,148 ~ original price $319,000
Unit 402 - $208,193 ~ original price $309,000
Unit 403 - $207,885 ~ original price $309,000
Unit 505 - $238,617 ~ original price $359,000
Unit 506 - $237,814 ~ original price $379,000
Unit 208 - $243,670 ~ original price $309,000
Unit 502 - $238,119 ~ original price $379,000
Unit 503 - $238,433 ~ original price $349,000
Unit 408 - $268,914 ~ original price $389,000
Unit 507 - $278,539 ~ original price $409,000

Don't Wait Any Longer
Dreamscape offers one of the last affordable view properties on the Pacific Northwest Coast. Each home has unparalleled views of the Pacific Ocean, the Jetty, Olympic Mountains, Westport nightscape, stunning sunsets and pristine beaches.

For sales inquiries, please contact
Ric Canfield at 360.593.4266
Jeff Daniel at 360.581.9020
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties

749 Point Brown Ave NW
PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
360.289.3111 (fax)

To Buy or to Build, is that the only Question?

2009-07-13T10:35:00.000-07:00

On many occasions while showing new houses out on the beach, some buyers take the approach that they would rather get a loan to buy a vacant lot, then hire a local builder to build them their beach getaway. There are several differences when it comes to the financing options between purchasing an existing home or buying a lot and having a home built on it. I recently sat down and talked to Carol Warfield, loan officer with the Bank of the Pacific about some of the differences.

The first is the required down payment

On a conventional construction loan, you must invest 20% of the cost of the entire project, which would include land purchase and prep, cost of plans, plan review, building permit, well and septic design & permits if applicable, cost of construction including builders overhead, sales tax, etc. All closing costs on a construction loan are in addition to the 20% investment in the project itself, and generally run more than closing costs for a purchase loan.

With a construction loan, you can almost always count on two things - it will take longer and cost more than you expect. Another thing to watch is change orders. Once your construction loan is in place, 100% of the cost of change orders comes out of your pocket.

On a purchase loan you know up-front what your costs will be. You will pay the required down payment, plus closing costs. There are many types of loan programs available for purchase loans - Conventional, FHA and USDA are among the most popular.

The second difference is interest rate

Single-close construction loan interest rates typically run about 1/2% higher than purchase loans interest rates. With either type of loan, you lock in an interest rate prior to closing the loan. On a construction loan, you pay interest monthly on the amount you’ve drawn during construction, and then the loan converts to a 15 or 30 year fixed rate loan, with principal and interest payments once construction is complete. You pay the same interest rate during construction and during the long-term loan. Because the interest rate is “locked in” prior to the home being built, the investor takes some risk by guaranteeing you that interest rate once construction is complete, so they tend to price them a little higher. The other potential hazard is that if you don’t complete construction in the allotted time-frame, you would either lose your interest rate lock, and get whatever the going rate is at the time construction is complete, or pay a fee to extend the interest rate lock.

On a purchase loan, the rate lock period is generally 30-45 days, just enough time to close the loan, so investors are more likely to price at current market rates. Once you’ve closed your purchase loan, there is no risk of losing your rate lock.

Another difference is the risk and hassle factor

A purchase loan is a pretty easy loan to process and close. All required documentation is gathered up front, generally two years income verification (tax returns and/or W-2s), two months recent paystubs, and two months recent asset statements. If you have non-wage income, you may be asked to supply verification of that information also, such as lease agreements on rental properties, trust agreements, child support, annuity or investment income, etc. Once your credit report is pulled, it is not a common practice to need an updated report before the loan closes.

On a construction loan, all the same documentation is required up front, plus all the construction-project paperwork. Once construction is complete, some investors are requiring updated credit report and income documentation. I’ve seen instances where credit has deteriorated and income was reduced, causing the loan to no longer fit the program for which it was originally approved, sometimes making the loan ineligible for secondary market purchase. Then the loan would revert to a portfolio loan at a higher interest rate.

If you have any questions regarding new construction, new homes or builders in the Ocean Shores/North Beach area, please contact Jeff Daniel/Associate Broker with Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020.

Whether you’re looking a home loan, construction loan or refinancing, please contact Carol Warfield at 360.537.4044.

Carol started with Bank of the Pacific in 1997 as a branch manager and has been originating home loans since 2004. Carol has over 20 years of banking experience which includes helping customers buy, refinance, and build their dream homes. With her vast experience and dedication to each customer, Carol ensures your transaction will go smoothly.

Existing-Home Sales Rise in May

2009-07-01T10:36:00.000-07:00

Existing-Home Sales Rise in May

Source: BuildingOnline's eUpdate

Thu, 25 Jun 2009

Sales of existing homes showed another gain in May, benefiting from favorable affordability conditions and a first-time buyer tax credit, according to the National Association of Realtors. May's increase was the first back-to-back monthly gain since September 2005.

Existing-home sales x96 including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops x96 rose 2.4 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate1 of 4.77 million units in May from a downwardly revised level of 4.66 million units in April, but remained 3.6 percent below the 4.95 million-unit pace in May 2008.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, expected an improvement. "Historically low mortgage interest rates clearly drew buyers into the market, and housing remains very affordable even with a recent uptick in rates," he said. "First-time buyers also are being drawn off the sidelines by the $8,000 tax credit, which is helping to absorb inventory. However, the increase in sales is less than expected because poor appraisals are stalling transactions. Pending home sales indicated much stronger activity, but some contracts are falling through from faulty valuations that keep buyers from getting a loan."

Total housing inventory at the end of May fell 3.5 percent to 3.80 million existing homes available for sale, which represents a 9.6-month supply at the current sales pace, down from a 10.1-month supply in April.

Yun said the appraisal problem is serious. "Lenders are using appraisers who may not be familiar with a neighborhood, or who compare traditional homes with distressed and discounted sales," he said. "In the past month, stories of appraisal problems have been snowballing from across the country with many contracts falling through at the last moment. There is danger of a delayed housing market recovery and a further rise in foreclosures if the appraisal problems are not quickly corrected."

An NAR practitioner survey in May showed first-time buyers accounted for 29 percent of transactions, and that the number of buyers looking at homes is nearly 10 percentage points higher than a year ago. "This is the time of year when we see large increases in the number of repeat buyers, who are benefitting from sales to entry-level buyers," Yun said. "Investors appear less active, but are more prevalent in areas with large price corrections."

NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth, said appraisals and the tax credit are key issues. "To maximize the potential for a housing recovery and subsequent economic recovery, we need realistic appraisals that are based on proper comparisons and done by a local specialist," he said. "In addition, the first-time buyer tax credit should be expanded to all buyers of primary homes regardless of income. Extending the credit into 2010 would allow more time for the market to catch up with underlying demand, in part because many families with children, who normally time their purchase based on school year considerations, do not have enough time to move before the start of school in late August.

"Freeing a pent-up demand in housing will absorb inventory at a faster pace, strengthen communities and stabilize home prices earlier," McMillan said.

The national median existing-home price for all housing types was $173,000 in May, down 16.8 percent from a year earlier. Distressed properties, which declined to 33 percent of all sales in May from 45 percent in April, continue to downwardly distort the median price because they generally sell at a discount relative to traditional homes.

"The decline in the distressed sales share likely results from an increase of repeat buyers in May," Yun said. "First-time buyers are concentrated in the lower price ranges, which include most of the distressed sales."

Single-family home sales rose 1.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.25 million in May from a pace of 4.17 million in April, but are 3.0 percent below the 4.38 million-unit level in May 2008. The median existing single-family home price was $172,900 in May, down 16.1 percent from a year ago.

Existing condominium and co-op sales increased 6.1 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 520,000 units in May from 490,000 in April, but are 8.9 percent below the 571,000-unit level in May 2008. The median existing condo price4 was $173,800 in May, down 21.9 percent from a year earlier.

Regionally, existing-home sales in the Northeast rose 3.9 percent to an annual level of 800,000 in May, but are 10.1 percent below a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $243,600, which is 12.5 percent below May 2008.

Existing-home sales in the Midwest jumped 9.0 percent in May to a pace of 1.09 million but are 4.4 percent below May 2008. The median price in the Midwest was $145,800, which is 10.4 percent lower than a year ago. In the South, existing-home sales were unchanged at an annual pace of 1.74 million in May but are 8.9 percent below a year ago. The median price in the South was $157,400, down 9.9 percent from May 2008.

Existing-home sales in the West slipped 0.9 percent to an annual rate of 1.14 million in May, but are 11.8 percent higher than May 2008. The median price in the West was $197,700, down 30.6 percent from a year ago.

Source: http://www.buildingonline.com/news/

Scenes of the Beach

2009-06-07T17:46:00.000-07:00

Momma and Baby down by Damon Point

Boardwalk Shops filling up!

New Fire Station Going up!
New store with a cool face!

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 05.2009

2009-05-16T08:20:00.001-07:00

It's the Season!

Here we go again. Another Ocean Shores summer coming right up. This means that tens of thousands of families will be calling Ocean Shores home for a week or two while they're on their summer vacation at the beach. Couples will come visit on weekends. The big events will draw thousands to town. Snow birds will return from the south for their 3 to 6 month stay at the North beach while the weather's nice and it's too hot in the South. Late Spring and Summertime are definitely the months of the year where most people visit the North Coast. And it's obvious with all the events coming up and gas prices being reasonable again, that this year should be a record breaker in terms of traffic and body counts at the beach. For those of us who live here fulltime, just remember that we live in a place where other people like to go on vacation and that's pretty cool. Except for when they pull up to one of those four way stops. That's when it's not very cool anymore.

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
January had a spark with some sales. February was okay. March was a real busy month with quite a few sales that closed in April. April sales started out strong, but then fizzled. May is looking to take It's still pretty strange these days in real estate. Some days, the phone won't stop ringing and the email inbox fills up with buyers looking for properties and then the next day nothing. Per usual, sales seem to be coming in waves this year. The end of off again now that tax season is behind us and the sun is staying out longer. I expect residential sales to stay pretty close to matching 2008's number in regards to the number of transactions going on. Lots and condo sales are still dreadful even as prices have fallen off the charts. There are some unbelievable prices on condos and lots in town right now. We haven't seen these kind of prices since 2003 or 2004 in some cases.

On another note, we're starting to see multiple offers on some properties these days and that's a great sign that there are plenty of buyers out there looking for a deal. This weekend alone I received two offers on a house listing. One was reasonable, the other was not. There's not much of a science to it, but if the price is right and the timing is right, buyers line up. Those people that made the lowball offer missed out and if they don't step up to the plate now, they're going to end up with a real nice beach house in Aberdeen or Hoquiam. If you don't think the bottom has already hit, you're going to end up paying more for waiting longer. Now's the time to buy.
Here are some real estate numbers as of 5/9/09 for Ocean Shores only. All statistics are supplied from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Residential Sales
22 Homes sold in April 2009 for an average selling price of $182,743. Average time on the market was 146 days. The maximum time for one house was 841 days. Unfortunately, it happens sometimes... There's currently 32 homes are pending around town. I know that 22 home sales for April doesn't sound all that great, but consider the following: 7 houses sold in January this year. Only 8 sold in February and 16 sold in March. Home sales in Ocean Shores for the month of April are most definitely up and the trend looks to stay strong for the remainder of this year. If for some reason you think Ocean Shores is a sluggish real estate market, think again. Our neighbors across the Harbor in Westport only had two home sales in the month of April.

In April of 2008, 22 homes also sold so that's even. Selling price was tad bit higher at $184,023 last year and average time on the market was quite a bit longer at 202 days.

There's 219 homes for sale in Ocean Shores for an average price of $247,517 right now and the average time on market is 234 days.

Condo Sales
5 Condos have sold in 2009 so far for an average selling price of $88,380. Average time on the market was 327 days. The maximum time for one condo was 1,153 days. Ugh. There's currently 6 condos that are pending around town so that's actually an encouragement.

Through May 1st of last year, only 4 Condos had sold for an average sale price of $247,000 (hey, Condos sales are up 20% this year through May 1st!). It's not that condo prices have fallen so hard (from $247,000 in 2008 to $88,380 this year), it's just that the cheaper ones are selling while the more expensive ones have been a bit more difficult to move during recent times.

There are currently 72 Condos for sale in Ocean Shores for an average listing price of $251,805 and the average time on the market is 422 days.

Vacant Lot Sales
11 Lots sold in April 2009 for an average selling price of $40,955 (this includes everything from a cheap interior lot at $16,000 to a waterfront lot for $143,000). Average time on the market was 254 days. The maximum time for one lot was 1,214 days. That seems a bit silly, but I'm not surprised... There's currently 11 lots that are pending around town. Lot sales are dreadful this year...

In April of 2008, 25 lots sold for an average price of $46,372 and time on the market was 172 days. The cheapest lot was sold for $18,000 while the most expensive one sold for $185,000.

There's 583 lots on the market for an average price of $86,922 while the cheapest one comes in at $12,000 (needs fill!) and the most expensive one is an ocean front near the North Jetty for a cool $499,900.
If you have any questions regarding Ocean Shores/North Coast Real Estate, call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020 or visit my website at www.cityofoceanshores.com. Thanks!

Upcoming Events

Kite Challenge
Saturday, June 13 , 2009Sponsored by "Team Cutting Edge Kites" - 2005 & 2006 World Champions. Free kite flying lessons, stunt competitions, fun flies, displays and more.

Flag Day Parade & DanceSaturday, June 13 , 2009A chance to show our patriotic spirit. The parade features more than 75 entries and a Grand Marshall. End the day with dancing and raffle drawings. One of the only Flag Day parades in Western Washington.

WA State Square & Folk Dance Festival
Friday, June 19 - Saturday, June 20, 2009"Let the light shine in 2009" 58th Annual Washington State Square & Folk Dance Festival!

Sand and Sawdust Festival
Friday, June 26 - Sunday, June 28, 2009Five Star Dealerships Sand and Sawdust Festival welcomes you to the beach! Master, Intermediate, & Novice Sand-Sculpting teams compete for over $5,000.00 in cash prizes. At the Convention Center master woodcarvers from all over the world compete in this amazing annual competition. There are vendors, food sales & the live auctions are held daily on carvings! Families & children are invited to enter the sand-sculpting competition or learn sand-sculpting skills at the free lesson offered Friday morning.

Independence Day PicnicFriday, July 3 , 2009The business community of Ocean Shores is sponsoring the annual Ocean Shores Independence Day Picnic on Friday, July 3, 2009 at North Bay Park. Picnic Hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free!! Come celebrate the birth of our nation. Bring a blanket and your picnic basket or take advantage of the many food vendors that will be on hand. There will be something fun for all ages at this old-fashioned community friendly event.

Beach News
This is where I've been getting mine lately:

Jeff Daniel Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Phone: 360.581.9020749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569PROPERTY SEARCH: http://www.oceanshoreshomesforsale.com/
OCEAN SHORES WEBSITE: http://www.cityofoceanshores.comOCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

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Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 04.2009

2009-04-09T20:55:00.000-07:00

Spring Time means Whale Migration Time!
It's starting to look a lot like spring with daffodils blooming and new leaves taking shape on the trees. Along the coast, spring time means whale time! The season typically begins in late March to coincide with the migration of gray whales, which often stop to feed in Grays Harbor on their annual trip from Baja, CA to feeding grounds in Alaska. The season lasts until the end of May. While many people will venture out to watch the whales on a charter boat, I prefer to save a coin and watch them from the comforts of the high sand dunes at the North Jetty. As it stands, most of the charters venture to the area between Westport and Ocean Shores, known as the "whale hole" in hopes of spotting the mammals. You can watch this area from the Jetty. Bring your binoculars. In addition to gray whales, it's not uncommon at all to watch sea lions and Pacific Harbor porpoises nosing around the Jetty. If you get lucky, you'll see some Orca whales inside the harbor. This is a real treat. It's not often, but sometimes people get lucky and will see a humpback whale or two passing by. This is one of my favorite times to be at the beach...

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update

Real Estate activity is still up and down out here. Surprisingly, traffic counts are way up with lots of people looking at property and some are buying again... and that's good. According to the City, numbers from the count at the City entrances show that the visitor count is up 9% so far this year. That's great news! Nearly 60,000 more people visited Ocean Shores in February 2009 than February 2008 alone. Last year, with high gas prices for most of the time, numbers were down 8.5% for the year. The fact that traffic count numbers are up bodes well for sellers and local businesses. Here are some statistics regarding home sales in Ocean Shores for 1st quarter 2009:

2009: 31 Homes sold during 1st Quarter / Average Sales Price: $179,355.
2008: 37 Homes sold during 1st Quarter / Average Sales Price: $211,534.
2007: 46 Homes sold during 1st Quarter / Average Sales Price: $192,175.

*Average time on market for homes that have sold: 177 Days. Last year at this time, it took 190 days to sell your house.
*Home sellers are getting on average, 95.05% of asking price.
*As of April 7th, there's 36 homes that are pending (waiting to close) right now - meaning, that assuming all of those homes close, 2nd quarter without any new sales for the next few months, will already outperform the dismal results of the 1st quarter. We know that there will be new sales of course, so 2nd quarter is definitely looking up and I'll be shocked if by the end of the 2nd quarter, home sales haven't more than doubled or even tripled 1st quarter's results.

Overall, home inventory is shrinking which is really good news as we would all like to see the market to stabilize. Also shrinking are the number of bank-owned properties. They are definitely selling out here for really low prices. There's very few bank-owned house out here anymore though. Most of the bank-owned properties are fixers and need a lot of work. If you're interested, send me an email. Also doing pretty well is new construction. People still want their getaway at the beach and builders are still building them.

Land and condo sales are horrible. That's the bad news for sellers. For buyers, prices on condos and land are way down and there's plenty of fantastic deals that are up for grabs right now. As summer approaches and the tourism seasons moves into full swing, we're expecting the deals to disappear. Prices at the beach generally speaking don't go down during the summer months. If you're looking for a deal, now's the time.

All numbers & stats are from the NWMLS. If you have any questions regarding these numbers or activity in the real estate market, please call me at 360.581.9020 or send me an email.

Seller Financing? How to get financing for a vacant lot without anyone's stimulus...
These days, with the economy as it is, getting a lot loan from a bank is more of a challenge that it was only a couple of years ago. Back in 2007, a person with a decent income, credit score and 20% down could get a lot loan from any local lender. Today, you can get a loan, but it's going to require you... (click "HERE" to read the rest of this story)

Upcoming Events

Photo & Fine Arts Show - April 9-12
Artists & photographers from all over the United States enter this show to win prizes and display their unique photos and works of art. Held at the Convention Center.
Shorebird Festival - April 24th - 26th
Discover the incredible variety of shorebirds that pass through Grays Harbor in April at this 14th annual event. Multiple locations for viewing around Ocean Shores include Protection Island, Damon Point and the North Jetty! Join scheduled watching tours or set your own birding agenda and enjoy the views!

Three-day Razor Clam Dig starting April 25th!
The state Department of Fish & Wildlife has announced tentative dates for the next (and probably last for the spring) razor clam dig. Three beaches are set to open this month if marine toxin tests find the clams are safe to eat. Dates and low tides for the April dig are:
Saturday, April 25 (7:27 a.m., -1.3 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Sunday, April 26 (8:10 a.m., -1.6 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Monday, April 27 (8:55 a.m., -1.7 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2008 Washington state annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the department's Web site at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/.

Country Music Jam - May 2-3
Two days of open jam sessions. This is an old-time jam and people of all playing levels are welcome. The public is invited. Admission is free. Dinner & Dance Saturday night. Ear plugs optional.

News
First Bank Robbery Ever in Ocean Shores
So this 40 year old lady walks into Timberland Bank just outside the gates of Ocean Shores and hands the teller a note saying "you are being robbed." The note also said to "smile." She made off with almost $1800, hopped in her little car and drove about a half mile away, parked and called 911 confessing to the robbery. The scoop is that she wanted a fresh start in life and understood that robbing a federal bank is a good way to go to federal prison which apparently is a much better prison that educates better and feeds you better than local state prisons. I'm not sure about this. Anyway, the robber, while being arrested, wanted to know where the FBI was and stated to the local officers that she wanted to be arrested by the FBI because this was a federal bank robbery. Unfortunately for her, it wasn't. And unfortunately for her, she's not going to federal prison. She's going to a state prison.

Fresh Water Update
Some citizens and visitors in certain parts of town have complained for years about their water containing fowl odors and a strange taste. With the billions and trillions of dollars being thrown at our spiraling economy, Ocean Shores is in the running to receive about $3 million in federal funds to create the city's aquifer treatment plant project - aimed at improving the city's water quality. The city has now decided to move ahead with a new water treatment facility. More later...

New Features at the Interpretive Center
The Ocean Shores Interpretive Center is expanding and has some new cool things to do like exploring a new trail, checking out new exhibits and getting silly on a playground. Students from local high schools designed and constructed the Interpretive Trail as part of their senior culminating project. The trail is about 500 feet long (that's about the right length of a trail I want to walk on) leads visitors through a small coastal forest with a wetland area and a boardwalk. Students who worked on the project identified tree and plant species along the trail, and Interpretive Center officials will be placing signs in front of each type identified. Check it out. The Center is now open daily through the summer.

* http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/ Check it out now. Changes almost everyday!

Jeff Daniel/Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569888.469.3100 (toll free) - 360.289.3111 (fax)
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://www.oceanshoreshomesforsale.com/
OCEAN SHORES WEBSITE: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com/
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

Kats Cove Condominiums

2009-04-09T15:23:00.001-07:00

Kats Cove Condominiums

2009-04-09T15:22:00.001-07:00

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 03.2009

2009-03-13T19:17:00.000-07:00

How to enjoy Spring Break in Ocean Shores
Spring Break is coming up for a lot of families and Ocean Shores remains a top destination for folks from all over the Northwest who flock to Ocean Shores to getaway from it all. Here's a few free activities to consider other than enjoying the beach of course:
1. Check out Damon Point State Park at the southern end of town. It's a good 3 hour walk to the end of Protection Island and back but well worth it.
2. Visit the Interpretive Center to get a sense of history of this place (educational).
3. Enjoy a nature's walk throughout the Weatherwax property.
4. Visit the North Jetty during low tide to visit the starfish, crabs, sea urchins and more as the low tides exposes these creatures.
5. Don't forget to get out and go sightseeing. You really can't get lost driving around in Ocean Shores. Just remember that there's only one road in and out of Ocean Shore. If that's not enough, head North and drive up State Route 109 to visit the tiny towns of Copalis Beach, Pacific Beach, Seabrook and Moclips. Some of the sights up there are just amazing.

This hilarious picture was emailed to me recently with the following headline:
"Trampolines Banned in Ocean Shores!"
Real Estate Update

Real Estate activity is still busy out here with lots of people looking at property and a few are actually buying again... and that's good. Land & Condo sales are still very slow however. There are some screaming deals out at the beach right now!
I'm always surprised by the number of people who say that they're familiar with Ocean Shores, but have no idea that there's 23 miles of freshwater in town featuring two lakes and miles and miles of connecting canals. Then again, I don't know why I'm surprised as I didn't even know that when we first started looking for our home down here either. I guess it's a big secret. There's not many places on this planet where someone can own a home, condo or a lot and have 60+ feet of waterfront footage on a freshwater canal or lake and still only be a 1/2 mile or so from the ocean beaches. For hundreds and hundreds of people who own a piece of Duck Lake, Lake Minard, the Bell Canals, the Grand Canal or some other section of fresh waterfront in Ocean Shores, this is real and it's awesome. With that in mind, prices are down and that's something to think about (now is the time, buy low, sell high?)....

* Lake front homes are averaging $319,552 these days ranging in price from $114,900 for a double wide all the way up to $639,000 for a 3,000 sq ft beauty.
* Lake front lots are down to $108,416 on average ranging in price from $62,500 up to $159,000.

* Canal front homes are averaging $241,813 right now ranging in price from $129,900 on up to $449,000.
* Canal front lots are averaging $80,617 these days ranging in price from $49,888 on up to $139,900.

Let me know if you'd like to see what's available on the water. Click on any of the pictures above to search for properties. Next month, I'll have first quarter '09 real estate stats to report... Ugh.

Upcoming Events
Four-day razor clam dig approved starting March 27th!
The state Department of Fish & Wildlife has announced dates for the next razor clam digs, one in late March and another in April. Four beaches are set to open this month if marine toxin tests find the clams are safe to eat. Twin Harbors and Mockrocks will be open March 27 through March 29, while Long Beach and Copalis will be open March 28 and 29 only. All digs on those beaches must be completed by noon, officials said. Dates and low tides for the March dig are:
Friday, March 27 - (7:49 a.m. 0.0 ft.) Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Saturday, March 28 - (8:29 a.m. -0.4 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Sunday, March 29 - (9:12 a.m. -0.6 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, MocrocksAyres added more digs will likely be announced following the April digs.Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container.A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2008 Washington state annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the department's Web site at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.

Razor Clam Festival - March 27-28The Ocean Shores/North Beach Chamber of Commerce will host the Third Annual Razor Clam Festival and Chowder Cook-Off March 27-28th. This two-day event will celebrate the natural bounty of "coastal life"-it's community, conservation and culture. The event will kick off Friday evening, March 27th at the Shilo Inn, with a Coronation Dance in honor of this year's Clam King & Queen. Tickets are available in advance by calling the chamber at (360) 289-2451.

On Saturday, the festival will run from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Convention Center and will feature both amateur and professional chowder cook-off divisions and a professional only "creative clam entrée" contest.

The Chamber is very honored to have celebrity chef Kathy Casey with them this year as head judge for the professional categories. Casey is celebrated as a pioneer in northwest cuisine and has gained national prominence as one of the first female executive chefs in the United States. Kathy is also is a razor clam digging enthusiast!

The winners of the cook-offs will again enjoy boasting rights for an entire year as having the "Best Chowder and/or Creative Clam Entrée on the Washington Coast".

Other activities will include a pancake breakfast, the awarding of the "Best Decorated Clam Shovel or Clam Gun"; a salute to the businesses of Ocean Shores; the Artisan Craft Marketplace, featuring over 40 Northwest artists and crafters with unique and indigenous works; children's activities and games; live entertainment; information about coastal heritage, conservation and cultural exhibits; a beer and wine bar; and great food all setting the stage for the low tide that morning and the scheduled clam dig.

Admission is free with nominal fees for chowder sampling.

About Kathy Casey
Kathy Casey is a celebrity chef, mixologist, TV and radio personality, and author of nine cookbooks, including the James Beard-nominated Kathy Casey's Northwest Table. Her newest book is Sips & Apps. As one of the first female executive chefs in the United States, Kathy was featured as one of Food and Wine's hot new American chefs. Kathy founded Kathy Casey Food Studios and Liquid Kitchen, a food and beverage consulting firm and research and development facility. She is also owner of Dish D'Lish cafes and specialty food line. When not dreaming up the next big thing, Kathy can be found foraging for wild mushrooms, digging razor clams and harvesting kiwis from her urban garden. For more information, visit www.kathycasey.com

Shorebird Festival - April 24th - 26th
Discover the incredible variety of shorebirds that pass through Grays Harbor in April at this 14th annual event. Multiple locations for viewing around Ocean Shores include Protection Island, Damon Point and the North Jetty! Join scheduled watching tours or set your own birding agenda and enjoy the view!

News
Again, this is the beach and not much happens out here and that's the way we like it. Maybe next month something will happen.

* www.cityofoceanshores.comThe website has been redesigned and mainly severely updated to serve property buyers, sellers, visitors, vacationers and anyone interested in Ocean Shores or the North Beach area. I've added a few new sections to the site. Please check it out and feel free to share any comments with me if you want. Thanks I'll see you on the beach!

Jeff Daniel Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 985691.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)PROPERTY SEARCH: http://cityofoceanshores.postlets.com/
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/local/jeffdaniel
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.comOCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

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Ocean Shores Home Owner Asbestos Prevention Info

2009-03-06T07:20:00.000-08:00

Located on the Pacific Northwest of the United States, the use of asbestos became widespread due to the variety of industries stationed in Washington. Industries such as chemical plants, paper mills, shipyards and oil refiners used the material because of its fire resistant and ultra durable qualities.

The known affects of asbestos exposure have been documented since the early 1900’s. It was not until the late 1970’s that the fire retardant insulation was banned from being manufactured in the United States (mostly).

In the world of real estate and home ownership, there are many things that need to be considered and decisions to be made. Owning a home will bring many memorable moments to families, but also additional responsibilities. Many homes and buildings built prior to 1980 can still contain asbestos. Potential Ocean Shore home buyers or those seeking to remodel older homes should be aware frequent exposure to asbestos can potentially cause health concerns.
This is not to make you incredibly frightened of asbestos because exposure it easily prevented by taking simple precautions. Asbestos that is left un-disturbed and is in good condition almost always will not be cause for alarm. When it becomes damaged and its fibers become airborne, where significant worries arise.

The frequent inhalation of asbestos can cause a rare, but severe lung ailment known as pleural mesothelioma. Current research indicates it can take up to 20 to 50 years for this illness to develop. Although significant progress has been made with mesothelioma treatments, patient prognosis is usually poor. If you locate any suspected asbestos, most experts advise to leave it alone. A home inspector can determine the validity of toxicity present. In most cases, the best action is no action in regards to asbestos. However, if removal is necessary, it must be performed by a licensed abatement contractor who is trained and licensed to deal with hazardous materials.
The Washington Foundation for the Environment is a nonprofit corporation striving to provide projects and education focusing on environmental awareness. It also provides detailed information to citizens, schools and public facilities about the health hazards of asbestos.

Once the asbestos removal is complete, you should consider green insulation alternatives as viable replacements for asbestos. These options include cotton fiber, lcynene foam and cellulose, which make the use of asbestos obsolete. Studies show that these recycled building materials can even reduce annual energy costs up to 25 percent. Citizens and organizations in Washington are doing their part in nurturing and prospering their mountains, natural springs and fresh air. There is no need for innocent by standards to put their health and lives at risk for obsolete and dangerous building applications.

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 02.2009

2009-02-07T09:08:00.000-08:00

Springtime at the Beach!
Well, it's not really here yet (one can wish!) and apparently a little gopher or groundhog or whatever he is decided to give us a few more weeks of winter. However, there are no groundhogs out here at the beach, so it doesn't count! Plus, it sure doesn't feel like winter around here as it's been sunny and warm most of the past week...

Real Estate Update

January was one of the strangest months in real estate that I've ever seen out here on the beach. Usually, in these winter months, when a buyer comes to town to look at houses or lots, usually, they're ready to buy now because it's kinda cold & windy and not many people go house shopping in the winter unless their ready to buy. This isn't really the case the right now. Sure, I've got a few deals going with some current buyers who've made offers and such, but I (and I'm hearing the same from other agents as well) have had a lot more buyers than usual for this time of year looking now and then planning on buying later this year. I'm not sure if they're waiting for prices to fall, hoped that prices had fallen more already or perhaps they're waiting for better interest rates... Either way, I think it's a sign that something's changing... A lot of people are looking... and that's a start. Here's some other news regarding the current state of real estate....

"Senate approves $15,000 tax credit for homebuyers"
The Senate voted Wednesday night to give a tax break of up to $15,000 to homebuyers in hopes of revitalizing the housing industry... http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090205/ap_on_go_co/congress_stimulus

"Home sales show surprising strength in December!"
Sales of existing homes posted an unexpected increase last month, closing out the worst year for the U.S. real estate market in more than a decade on a surprising up note. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28856057/from/ET/

"Pending home sales post increase of 6.3 percent"
Buyers wade back into market as prices fall along with mortgage rates
An index that tracks signed contracts to purchase existing homes rebounded in December, as buyers snapped up properties at deep discounts... http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28994648/
Looking for a deal? Here's a list of Sweet Deals for Sale at the Beach!
Upcoming Events

Four-day razor clam dig approved starting February 6th
Clam diggers have received the go-ahead to proceed with a razor clam dig starting Friday, Feb. 6. Three evening digs are scheduled at Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks Feb. 6-8, while Long Beach is scheduled for two digs Feb. 7-8. As with previous openers, digging will be allowed only during the hours between noon and midnight.

Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container. A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2008 Washington state annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the WDFW website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Washington's beaches, which are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, are considered state highways and all rules of the road apply.

Opening dates and evening low tides:
Friday, Feb. 6 (3:55 p.m., -0.1 ft.) Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Saturday, Feb. 7 (4:50 p.m., -0.4 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Sunday, Feb. 8 (5:39 p.m., -0.6 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

Beaches scheduled to open are:
Long Beach, which extends from the Columbia River to Leadbetter Point.
Twin Harbors Beach, which extends from the mouth of Willapa Bay north to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor.
Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas. Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.

Ocean Shores Antique & Collectible Show - Feb 14-15
The 7th Annual Show at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. Show hours are Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is a $2.00 donation to local charities and nonprofits. Over eighty vendors will offer a wide variety of antiques including dolls, glass, furniture, American Art pottery, vintage baseball cards, postcards, and much, much more. Hourly Door Prizes. Available on site will be food booths and Roy's Glass and Crystal Repair Service.

Beachcombers Fun Fair - March 7-8
Event features exhibits, seminars, information booths, and vendors on Saturday and Sunday; a kid's science fair Saturday morning plus beach walks on Sunday morning.

Razor Clam Festival - March 27-28
Put on by the Ocean Shores Chamber of Commerce. 360.289.2451. We'll have a lot more info next month as it's not available yet.

Shorebird Festival - April 24th - 26th
Discover the incredible variety of shorebirds that pass through Grays Harbor in April at this 14th annual event. Multiple locations for viewing around Ocean Shores include Protection Island, Damon Point and the North Jetty! Join scheduled watching tours or set your own birding agenda and enjoy the view!

News
Again, this is the beach and we don't really make news. We do have a Mayor though and he likes to talk.

Mayor & City Union at Odds
In a story titled "Unions Reject Pay Concessions" in the January 15th The Daily World, Mayor Bunkers "announced that making pay adjustments to city employees' salaries doesn't seem to be an option to help ease the city's ongoing budget crisis," he says. He goes on about how he hoped that the pay adjustments could generate $300,000 for the city. "They said no, but it's fine," Bunker's also said. "It's their prerogative." Bunker's then adds that he's not sure how he will recoup the $300,000 if it won't come through pay adjustments." Then, he adds "I'm still not comfortable with the budget as it is," Bunker's said. "I don't want to have to lay any more people off." That must be a negotiation tactic...

Mayor & State Auditor's Office at Odds
Also in TDW, an article on January 24th titled "Utility fund will have to wait," the latest audit report of the City revealed that they had not taken any action to repay the $1.9 million overcharged to the utility fund between 2001 and 2006. The State Auditor's Office has recommended that the city pay back the fund as soon as possible. "We be laying off people to do that at this stage of the game," said Mayor Bunkers. With a budget in crisis, the city recently laid off eight employees. Until the budget situation improves, Bunkers said repayment will have to be put on hold. "We'll just have wait and see how our revenues turn out," he said. Warning: traffic tickets = city revenue...

Jeff Daniel
Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
1.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://cityofoceanshores.postlets.com/
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/local/jeffdaniel
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

2009-02-06T08:23:00.001-08:00

Custom Builders NW ~ New Construction Status 1.26.09

2009-01-27T08:47:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Here's an status update on Custom Builders NW's current projects in Ocean Shores... Feel free to click on any of the addresses below for more info & thanks for reading!

261 Clover Creek Ave NW, Ocean Shores, WA 98569 ~ $174,900 ~ COMPLETE IN ONE WEEK
Brand new 2 bed/2 bath Beach Chalet features awesome vaulted ceilings, open & spacious kitchen, dining & living room areas, stainless steel appliances, gorgeous propane fireplace and more! 1080 sq ft. 2 bed/2 bath. MLS# 28092667
This house is nearly complete will be finished no later than Friday, January 30th. Another one of these chalet's is now under construction on Helm Street and will be listed soon.

255 Sunrise Ave SE, Ocean Shores, WA 98569 ~ $219,900 ~ THREE WEEKS 'TIL COMPLETION
Custom Bay View Home is under construction and will be ready in time for your arrival. Open-concept floor plan, hardwood floors, stainless appliances, tons of decking, granite tile counters, spacious two-car garage and more! 1056 sq ft. 2 bed/2 bath/2 car garage. MLS# 28154739
Still time for your buyers to pick out colors, flooring, etc...

213 Octopus Ave, Ocean Shores, WA 98569 ~ $239,900 ~ ONE MONTH 'TIL COMPLETION
Gorgeous New Golf Course Home featuring maple laminate, slate and carpet floors, propane fireplace, granite tile counters, vaulted ceiling, attached 2-car garage & more! 1440 sq ft. 3 bed/2 bath/2 car garage. MLS# 28154738
Still time for your buyers to pick out colors, flooring, etc...

168 Point Brown Ave SE, Ocean Shores, WA 98569 ~ $274,900 ~ FOUNDATION JUST POURED
Sweet New Grand Canal Home under construction just down the street from the Beach! Features include: hardwood, slate and carpet floors, propane fireplace, granite tile countertops, vaulted ceiling, attached 2-car garage! 1440 sq ft. 3 bed/2 bath/2 car garage. MLS# 29005813
Still time for your buyers to pick out colors, flooring, etc...

If you have any questions regarding any of these homes or would like more info regarding Custom Builders NW custom work for you, please call me @ 360.581.9020. Thanks!

Jeff Daniel
Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
Cell Phone: 360.581.9020

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 12.2008

2009-01-06T10:22:00.000-08:00

Top Stories of 2008
Not much happens out here at the beach, but a few events managed to make headlines last year....
* Hundreds of mysterious silver-colored canisters that once contained rat poison washed up on our beaches...
* Ocean Shores was featured as one of the top 16 most affordable coastal communities in Coastal Living magazine...
* The Ocean Shores / Westport Ferry known as the El Matador shut down operations because of too much muck in the Marina...
* The Fire Department moved forward with the construction of a new 20,000 square foot fire station on Point Brown Avenue...
* The Grays Harbor County Commissioners approved a $3 million dollar loan to construct a new water system just outside of town...
* The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission issued a permit for the Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Co. to conduct a feasibility study for generating power from wind and wave energy off of our coast. Hopefully coming soon...
* The Weatherwax property - an undeveloped 120 acre forest tract near the center of town - will stay that way...
* The local election brought us a strong mayor in Ocean Shores for the first time (rather than an appointed one). We also found out that Mayor Dean Bunkers is the highest paid government official in Grays Harbor County (never came up during the election interestingly enough) just before he announced the layoffs of eight city employees.
* The beach had more snowfall than most can remember this past December. It sure doesn't feel like global warming these days...

Real Estate Update
It's no secret that 2008 was a horrible year for most if not all businesses (except Walmart of course) in the country. Here are some numbers regarding Ocean Shores real estate:
* 206 Homes sold in 2008 for an average sales price of $194,480 compared to 241 Homes sold in 2007 for an average sales price of $209,783.
* Currently, there's 228 Homes on the market for an average price of $259,367 compared to 217 Homes on the market last year at this time for an average price of $275,592.
* 189 Lots sold in 2008 for an average sales price of $47,799 compared to 322 Lots sold in Ocean Shores during 2007 for an average sales price of $54,655. Ouch.
* Currently, there's 518 Lots on the market compared to 580 Lots on the market this time last year.
* Condo sales at the beach this past year wasn't very good. That's the bad news. The good news, is that condo prices in Ocean Shores are more reasonable than ever. There are some screaming deals these days on waterfront condos at the beach. Send me an email to get a list.

On another note, even though the Ocean Shores real estate market was off this past year, consider how bad the market is in a couple of other beach towns. All things said, real estate is doing pretty good in Ocean Shores.
* Ocean Shores sold 206 Homes and 189 Lots in 2008 compared to 241 Homes and 322 Lots in 2007.
* Seabrook/Pacific Beach sold 5 Homes and 1 Lot in 2008 compared to 16 Homes and 16 Lots in 2007.
* Westport sold 29 Homes and 8 Lots in 2008 compared to 51 Homes and 22 Lots in 2007.
* Long Beach sold 43 Homes and 15 Lots in 2008 compared to 73 Homes and 39 Lots in 2007.

Summary: Ocean Shores is still the most affordable coastal community in the country and that's a big reason why a lot of baby boomers are retiring in Ocean Shores and numerous people move here to work, play and buy their vacation getaways. Now is the best time to buy in Ocean Shores!
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties is #1

Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties finished out 2007 as the Number One (#1) Real Estate Sales Office in Ocean Shores last year. This year, not only were we the #1 office in town again, we are the #1 office in all of Grays Harbor County! We sold more properties in the county this past year than any other office around. Congratulations and thanks to the customers, owners, agents, employees and friends of Coldwell Banker for making us the top real estate office in Ocean Shores and the entire Grays Harbor County.
On a personal note, I would very much like to thank everyone who helped me in becoming the #1 agent in not only Ocean Shores, but all of Grays Harbor County as well.
-all real estate statistics are supplied by the Northwest Multiple Listing Service.

Here's a list of Sweet Deals for Sale at the Beach!

Upcoming Events
Four-day razor clam dig approved starting January 8th
Clam diggers have received the go-ahead to proceed with a razor-clam dig starting Thursday, Jan. 8, with an additional dig tentatively planned for February. our evening digs are scheduled at Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks Jan. 8-11, while Long Beach is scheduled for three digs Jan. 9-11. As with previous openers, digging will be allowed only during the hours between noon and midnight.

Harvesters are allowed to take no more than 15 razor clams and must keep the first 15 they dig, regardless of size or condition. Each digger's clams must be kept in a separate container. A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2008 Washington state annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination license is still valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the WDFW website at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/. Washington's beaches, which are managed by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, are considered state highways and all rules of the road apply.

Opening dates and evening low tides:
Thursday, Jan. 8 (4:13 p.m., -0.2 ft.) Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks Friday, Jan. 9 (5:07 p.m., -0.8 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks Saturday, Jan. 10 (5:58 p.m., -1.1 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks Sunday, Jan. 11, (6:45 p.m., -1.2 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Beaches scheduled to open are:
Long Beach, which extends from the Columbia River to Leadbetter Point. Twin Harbors Beach, which extends from the mouth of Willapa Bay north to the south jetty at the mouth of Grays Harbor. Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas. Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.
Digs tentatively scheduled for February:
Friday, Feb. 6 (3:55 p.m., -0.1 ft.) Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks Saturday, Feb. 7 (4:50 p.m., -0.4 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks Sunday, Feb. 8 (5:39 p.m., -0.6 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks

Ocean Shores Antique & Collectible Show
Feb 14-15, 2009The 7th Annual Show at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. Over eighty booths offering a wide variety of antiques including dolls, glass, furniture, American Art pottery, and much, much more. Last year's event raised $4,235.90 for the Ocean Shores Food Bank and the SeaPal Quilters for their quilt guild charities. For a small donation to local charities and nonprofits, you can have your treasures evaluated. Hourly Door Prizes.

News
Local Doctor will merge with proposed Medical Complex
Dr. John Holm, of Coastal Family Medicine, has decided he will merge his practice with the proposed Ocean Reach Medical Complex, set to open in early 2010. Late last year, David J. Freeman, an architect from Gig Harbor of Snodgrass Freeman and Associates, announced he is working with a developer to build a $7.8 million, 42,000 square foot urgent care clinic at a 1.5 acre site at the corner of Point Brown and Magellan avenues. Currently, Holm's office is one of the only medical facilities in the North Beach area, and he is not taking any new patients. The new facility could employ up to 30 people, including three family practitioners, two physician assistants, four nurses and a few specialists. The project is set to include a health spa, a drive-through pharmacy as well as classroom space for students in the nursing and medical technician programs at Grays Harbor College. - source: the daily world.

Grass Carp are back
The State Department of Ecology has awarded $75,000 to the city to purchase grass carp to control Brazilian elodea, the invasive aquatic weed in the fresh waterways system. The city has plans to put approximately 7,500 grass carp (that's a buck a fish which is cheaper than any fish you can buy at Walmart by the way) into the fresh water systems to feed on the elodea. The city did this in the past as well to mixed results. Some of the old carp are visible these days in lengths of up to four feet long. Elodea has created many problems in the Ocean Shores waterways for years. It grows in thick, dense strands, which makes recreational activities, such as swimming, fishing and boating difficult. The city has tried to control the weeds for years with minimal success. The city had some success using herbicides to kill the elodea in recent years, but the cost was too high and it killed all the native weeds as well which really destroyed the bass fishing. Bass like weeds, especially native weeds. The thought is that the new carp will just eat the Elodea and stay on top of it. Hopefully this will work for a year or two... - source: the daily world.

I hope your Holidays were great!

Jeff Daniel
Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
1.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://cityofoceanshores.postlets.com/
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/local/jeffdaniel
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com/
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

December 2008 at the beach in Ocean Shores

2008-12-21T11:32:00.000-08:00

I took this picture with the camera above my steering wheel driving down Point Brown Avenue headed South from downtown.

This is the view from my backyard looking at my neighbors across the Frozen Grand Canal. Don't mind the geese poop on my dock....

The gates of Ocean Shores - slushy style I didn't see any body boarders or sunbathers out....

The snow plowers were out making a mountain in front of the IGA.

I have more pictures on http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/ on the News Page. The snow fell lightly all day on Saturday (12/20) but accumulated pretty good. Some areas had over a foot while most of the roads saw 4 to 6 inches. We lost power (not all of the town, just part of it) Saturday night around midnight. It's Sunday now and I've driven all around town and the roads are pretty slushy. I didn't see any property damage anywhere. I can't believe the canal froze over. All flights were delayed at the Ocean Shores Airport, but the buses seem to be running fine around town.

Jeff

December 12th, 2008 Storm Pics

2008-12-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

We had a decent storm yesterday. Lots of wind & rain. No snow. No property damage that I've heard of. We lost power twice yesterday - both for about a two hours. No biggy. Here's some pictures I took of the ocean today (the day after)...

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 11.2008

2008-12-11T12:54:00.000-08:00

Wintertime Storm Watching
Vertical rain, 70 mph wind and 30-foot swells don't sound much like visitor attractions, but Washington coast storm watching is the thing to do out here on the beach during the winter months. Dozens of ferocious storms typically batter the coast between November and March. January and February traditionally deliver the most wicked weather. The wintertime storms in Ocean Shores are awesome to watch and experience. Watching Mother Nature do her thing is truly a spectacular site. If you can, make your way down to the North Jetty next time we get a good winter storm. The power and impact of the large waves crashing against the jetty wall and spaying inland is truly something exciting to see. This is really one of my favorite times of the year out here on the beach.

Remembering the '07 Storm
One year ago this month, Grays Harbor County and Ocean Shores were battered with a monster storm that over the course of two days, spread devastation that was unmatched since the Columbus Day Storm of 1962.
The storm started with a bang Sunday night during the first week of December last year when fierce winds kicked up. The winds blew from 40 mph to over 60 mph. Individual gusts hit 100 mph, according to the National Weather Service. The winds actually got stronger from Sunday to Monday before finally tapering off. Ocean Shores was without power for nearly five days. Thankfully, no one was hurt, but a few houses at the south end of town got a little wet.

During last December's storm, I received numerous emails from people who were concerned about the status of their houses here in Ocean Shores. My internet was up and I was able to update my websites and various blogs with storm updates and pictures. I was also able to check out their properties and let them know that their houses were fine. So you know, please feel free to contact me to check on your properties as well next time we have another big storm. It was no problem at all.

But, if you live here, there's a couple things to be aware of in case we lose the power for more than just a few hours:
1. If you're going to have a residence in Ocean Shores, you need a gas powered generator.
2. If you have a generator, make sure you have at least 10 gallons of gas at home. The gas stations here can't pump gas without power so you'll need to count on yourself.3. Qwest is my telephone and internet provider. Qwest didn't lose service at all during last years storm. If you have telephone or internet through the cable company, you'll have nothing because the local cable company goes down as the power goes down.
4. If you don't have satellite for your television, you won't be able to watch the news or whatever. If you have cable, you'll have nothing because the local cable company goes down as the power goes down. I have service with the Dish Network and we were able to watch television like all was well.

Real Estate Forecast
I'm usually not one for predictions, but I'm still confident in what I was telling people last winter and that is that it's going to take 18 months before this market turns positive again. A new president, the ending of a war, new optimism and more. This renewed sense of optimism will lead to hope which will lead to consumer spending. That must be a Yoda line or something. Once this happens, it's good times again. No one could've predicted the mess the country is in right now and of course the trickle down effect has taken it's toll on this market as well. That being said, the Ocean Shores real estate market will bounce back vigorously in June and not long after, home builders in Ocean Shores will be back to raising their prices and values will be on the rise once again. Now is the time to buy.~
Overall, prices seem to be hitting the bottom now with the exception of a few foreclosures here and there polluting our inventory of homes at the beach. If we haven't bottomed out yet, the moment is certainly getting closer.
Rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages are at 5 percent now, and last week there were suggestions that the federal government might try to drive them down to 4.5 percent, a truly incredible figure to be able to lock in for three decades. Low inventory, low prices and cheap money are all in play assuming you've got great credit, steady income and a down payment... just like the old days when those who could afford to buy a house did and those who couldn't, didn't... Anyway, when this crisis has ended and housing prices are up again, will you look in the mirror and realize that you missed out on this golden opportunity to get in cheap? Or, will you NOT be kicking yourself because you took advantage of what is likely to turn out to be the buying opportunity of a lifetime...

Upcoming Events
Clam Digging!
Time to go, another clam dig is on, set for this coming weekend.Four evening digs are scheduled at Copalis and Mocrocks Dec. 11-14. Digging will be restricted to the hours between noon and midnight.

Dates, times and open beaches are:
Thursday, Dec. 11 (5:23 p.m. -1.1 ft.) Copalis, Mocrocks.
Friday, Dec. 12 (6:13 p.m. -1.5 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks.
Saturday, Dec. 13 (7:02 p.m. -1.6 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks.
Sunday, Dec. 14 (7:50 p.m. -1.4 ft.) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks.

Further digs are tentatively scheduled for Jan. 8-11 and Feb. 6-8.A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. Any 2008 annual shellfish/seaweed license or combination fishing license is valid. Another option is a razor-clam only license available in annual or three-day only versions. Descriptions of the various licensing options are available on the Wildlife Department website at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Clam diggers are not required to display their licenses on outer clothing.
Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River, and includes the Copalis, Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.
Mocrocks Beach, which extends from the Copalis River to the southern boundary of the Quinault Reservation near the Moclips River, including Iron Springs, Roosevelt Beach, Pacific Beach and Moclips.

North Beach Singers Christmas Cantata
December 12-13. The North Beach Singers present Yuletide favorites to bring in the holiday season. Admission is free.

Ocean Shores Antique & Collectible Show
Over 80 Booths of Antiques & Vintage CollectiblesFeb 14-15, 2009The 7th Annual Show at the Ocean Shores Convention Center. Over eighty booths offering a wide variety of antiques including dolls, glass, furniture, American Art pottery, and much, much more. Last year's event raised $4,235.90 for the Ocean Shores Food Bank and the SeaPal Quilters for their quilt guild charities. For a small donation to local charities and nonprofits, you can have your treasures evaluated. Hourly Door Prizes.

News
The Aberdeen Daily World recently published an interesting story about the mayor of Ocean Shores titled "Ocean Shores mayor tops list of officials' pay." The article reports that "Ocean Shores Mayor Dean Bunkers is the highest paid elected official on the Twin Harbors, a Daily World analysis of government salaries shows. With an annual salary of $99,600, Bunkers makes more than twice what a state senator receives, nearly nine times what Aberdeen Mayor Bill Simpson makes and 80 times what Oakville Mayor Mitchell Smith takes in. In fact, The Daily World found he's the eleventh highest paid mayor in the state." Mayor Bunkers gets paid more for being mayor of Ocean Shores more than the mayors of Mount Vernon, Lynnwood, Tacoma, Marysville, Issaquah, Tukwila, Anacortes, Wenatchee and Bainbridge Island. Who said there was no high paying jobs in Grays Harbor County?

Happy Holidays!

Jeff Daniel
Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
1.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://cityofoceanshores.postlets.com/
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/local/jeffdaniel
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

cityofoceanshores.com newsletter 10.2008

2008-11-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

Fall Time
The weather during the month of October has been so nice and warm out here on the beach lately. Guess that makes up for our not-so-nice summer this past year. These are the months that I really enjoy because the tourists are pretty much gone, the weather is actually nicer and I have the beach all to myself! Not really, but at least it doesn't look like a parking lot out there anymore.
Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
Sales are down. You knew that right? If you do, then you also know that this is the type of Real Estate market that a year from now everybody is going to say, "I wish I had bought back then." All the factors are lining up. Now is the time to buy. Just consider the following:
* Interest rates are dropping below 6% on residential mortgage loans.
* Lenders are all telling me that there is money available with five percent down or less.
* Buyers need to have steady employment and a reasonable credit rating.
* Home inventories are being absorbed - meaning that there are less homes to choose from these days.

As inventories shrink, and borrowing becomes affordable, sales will increase and values will again increase. Are the buyers who buy over the next year likely to be buying at the bottom of the market and benefit from excellent appreciation? Every indication that I see says yes. Now is the time to buy.

Dreamscape Condos Open House!
I though this was worth sharing. At an open house at the Dreamscape Condos last Saturday, a nice couple from the Seattle area were checking out the condos and enjoying the view of the Pacific and Westport when three whales all breached the water just in front of the condos and put on a little show for everyone. How cool is that? Email or call me at 360.581.9020 for more info regarding Dreamscape Condos today!

Upcoming Events

Clam Digging!

2008 Clam dig schedule (Tentative) To confirm, please visit: http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish.html
November - 13th (6:27 pm -1.6), 14th (7:15 pm -1.8), 15th (8:04 pm -1.6), 16th (8:54 pm -1.2).
December -11th (5:23 pm -1.1), 12th (6:13 pm -1.5), 13th (7:02 pm -1.6), 14th (7:50 pm -1.4)

Dixieland Jazz Festival
Friday, November 7 - Sunday, November 9, 2008Jazz bands from around the United States and Canada join together to offer over 100 hours of live jazz at several venues throughout Ocean Shores.
Winter Fanta-Sea Arts & Crafts Show

Friday, November 28 - Sunday, November 30, 2008Over 70 arts and crafts booths feature thousands of unique handmade items just in time for the holidays! Bring the kids, Santa will be there to listen to all of your Christmas wishes.
North Beach Singers Christmas Cantata

December 12-13। The North Beach Singers present Yuletide favorites to bring in the holiday season. Admission is free.

10 Things About Ocean Shores You Probably Don't Know (Unless You Live Here)
1. Deer are everywhere. They cross the streets without looking. They stand around and hangout everywhere - the beach, your front yard, the side of the road.... everywhere. Seeing two or three deer grazing on the side of the road is no big deal. Seeing a big three point buck grazing on a vacant lot is normal. They have the right-of-way. Oh, the deer aren't really afraid of people or cars either. I've had them eat an apple and some Doritos out of my hand before. No, you can't take one home.
2. When it rains here, the rain comes down at an angle most of the time - sometimes sideways.
3. There are 23 miles of interconnecting freshwater lakes and canals in Ocean Shores. Fishing, boating, waterskiing, playing and just flat out relaxing is all encouraged. Where else can you have a lot or a house on freshwater with a dock and then be only a minute from the beach?
4. The bumpy roads are disappearing... Every inch of every road in Ocean Shores has either already been replaced with brand new asphalt or it will be soon. By the spring of 2010, the city will have completely repaved Ocean Shores.
5. The beach here is actually classified as a State Highway where the speed limit of 25 mph is strictly enforced. No dirt bikes or quads, but your car is just fine. Stay out of the soft sand unless you want to get stuck. Donuts in the sand are a no-no!
6. When it's really, really nice in the Puget Sound area (like in the upper '80s and up), it's very likely that for a good part of the day, Ocean Shores will be fogged out (the hot air mixing with the cold ocean water). And on the other hand, when it's crappy in the Puget Sound, there's a good chance it's nice here. Typically, our nicest (warmest) weather is in the months of May, June, September and October.
7. Nearly every home and camping lot has a campfire pit on it. Campfires are welcome year 'round. Most people keep them in the backyard.
8. Its crazy with wildlife here. Forget the deer - they're pretty much domesticated. It's the raccoons, possums, bear, rabbits, beavers, otters, eagles, hawks, falcons, owls, blue heron, seagulls, ducks, geese, pelicans, seals, sea lions, whales, porpoises and the occasional shark that are all eye candy.
9. It rarely ever floods here. When it rains heavy (mainly during the winter months), most of the water runoff ends up in the canals and lakes. That water level is controlled by a man-made overflow at the sound end of the Grand Canal. When the canal water level exceeds the height of the overflow, freshwater then spills into Grays Harbor. This can also be reversed when we have an extreme high tide and ocean water can enter the canal and lake system.
10. This is a great place to raise a family. There's the new elementary school, its safe here, there are tons of free outdoor activities and plenty of organizations for children to get involved with. More than anything, even though Ocean Shores is Washington's most visited seaside destination, this small town is perfect for raising a kid.
News

News at the beach is slow. With the exception of the ongoing Weatherwax property debate, the city's budget woes and some knucklehead who tried to set himself on fire, we're all busy watching the elections. Maybe next month.

Jeff दानिएल

Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach

1.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)

PROPERTY SEARCH: http://cityofoceanshores.postlets.com/
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://homepages.com/JeffDaniel/AgentHome.aspx
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com

OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

Coldwell Banker cracks the top 10 of Real Estate Websites

2008-10-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

Coldwell Banker cracks the top 10 of Real Estate Websites

Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Propierties is the only brokerage in the Ocean Shores area to have it's corporate website www.coldwellbanker.com ranked in the Top 10 Real Estate Websites nationally.

The article in full is in the link below.
Hitwise Sept. 2008 Real Estate Web Site Rankings

Sept. '08 rank Web site
1 www.realtor.com
2 www.realestate.yahoo.com
3 www.zillow.com
4 www.ziprealty.com
5 www.rent.com
6 www.remax.com
7 www.servicemagic.com
8 www.coldwellbanker.com
9 www.hud.gov
10 www.homegain.com

Coldwell Banker climbs real estate Web rankings by Inman_News
Coldwell Banker Real Estate's ColdwellBanker.com Web site soared to eighth place in a monthly ranking of real estate sites by online metrics company Hitwise -- the site had sat at 18th on the list for several months.

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 09.2008

2008-10-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

Clamming Time! Summer is over and that means that the clam season is only days away. In case you didn't know, razor clams are found by the hole left on the sand surface as the clam's neck is withdrawn. When this dimple is found, a scoop or two of sand is dug away beside the dimple and the clam is found by reaching into the sand in the side of the hole. Be careful not to dig too close to the dimple or the clam will be damaged. Most clams are dug with special narrow-bladed clam shovels. Clams can also be dug with a "clam gun" or "tube". This is simply a 4 inch diameter pipe or tube with a handle and a small air vent at the closed upper end. Digging is done by pushing the tube down over the clam dimple with a rocking motion. The air vent is then blocked with a finger or thumb and the core of sand, with the clam enclosed, is pulled up and dropped on the beach. Then you put in your bucket, take it home, clean it, fry it and eat it. Yummy good.

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update It's slow out here at the beach much like the rest of the country. However, since our real estate market is so dependent on the success of the Puget Sound real estate market, we have some reasons to be optimistic. Home sales around Western Washington during September rose 4.1 percent from a year ago, reversing a 19-month pattern of declines. Industry folks say the recent economic turmoil is taking a toll on activity, but also suggest negative news reports are keeping buyers on the fence and creating misunderstandings about the availability of home loans. With the passage of the bailout bill, we will see an improvement in the loan arena easing up restrictions for buyers who have been locked out of the market or who are waiting to jump in before the bottom hits (if it hasn't already). No one knows for sure, but at this point, with interest rates at historic lows, there's no guarantee that they'll fall much further. We're starting to see more sales now from investors and buyers who have taken a lot of their worth out of the market and are now putting it into real estate. Good idea.

Commercial Real Estate & Downtown Developments
With the construction of the Boardwalk Shops of Ocean Shores project underway along with the new Fire Department being built on Point Brown, downtown is definitely projecting excitement with these new developments. Another new restaurant is gearing up to open on Ocean Shores Blvd sometime in December and a new sign went up next to the Barber Shop on Point Brown Ave announcing a new building which will feature a new donut shop. Good news for downtown.

New Construction Going Strong
Nearly one-third of all homes sold in Ocean Shores this year so far are new construction. This doesn't account for the "custom" market, the private homebuilder or homes that people hired builders to build for them. 51 out of the 169 homes sold this year so far were built in either 2007 or 2008. This part of the local real estate market seems to still be strong. If you're interested in new construction, I can help. Email me!

!!! Dreamscape Condos @ New Pricing!
Rediscover Luxury! Located at the Southern tip of Ocean Shores, these units include 2 or 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, kitchens featuring maple cabinets, tile floors & granite counters; living rooms w/fireplace & separate dining area w/private decks. Watch ships, whales & fishing boats from the comfort of your own private getaway. Seconds from pristine beaches. Several condos available with prices that range from $259,000 to $399,000. Don't wait until they're all sold! Isn't it time to Live Your Dream? Email me or call me at 360.581.9020 for more info today. These will not last at these new prices!

Upcoming Events
Clam Dig!
2008 Clam dig schedule (Tentative) October - 16th (8:30pm -1.5), 17th(9:17pm -1.5), 18th (10:08pm -1.2). November - 13th (6:27pm -1.6), 14th (7:15pm -1.8), 15th (8:04pm -1.6), 16th (8:54pm -1.2). December -11th (5:23pm -1.1), 12th (6:13pm -1.5), 13th (7:02pm -1.6), 14th (7:50pm -1.4) Cat Fanciers' Association Cat Show
Saturday, October 25 - Sunday, October 26, 2008
A cat show is composed of a number of separate, concurrently running, individual shows held in the various judging rings throughout a show hall. 120 W. Chance A La Mer Ave. Ocean Shores, WA 98569.

Jazz at the Beach -Jazz Festival

Friday, November 7 - Sunday, November 9, 2008
Jazz bands from around the United States and Canada join together to offer over 100 hours of live jazz at several venues throughout Ocean Shores.

Winter Fanta-Sea

Friday, November 28 - Sunday, November 30, 2008
Over 70 arts and crafts booths feature thousands of unique handmade items just in time for the holidays! Bring the kids, Santa will be there to listen to all of your Christmas wishes.

News

Diggers should be happy as count for clams climbs
Two beaches easily accessed by South Sound razor clam diggers should have more clams, while two others will have fewer clams and Kalaloch will remain closed. The Copalis and Mocrocks beaches, running from Ocean Shores north to the Moclips River, have clam populations that are the strongest since 2004-05. The populations at Long Beach and Twin Harbors are down from last year, as much as 43 percent at Twin Harbors. Kalaloch will stay closed early in the season to give a rebounding population of small clams time to grow. Harvesters are allowed to take only 15 clams, and must keep the first 15 they dig regardless of size or condition. Each digger must keep his or her clams in their own container. A license is required for anyone age 15 or older. There are various license options, like a combination fishing license, shellfish/seaweed license or razor clam-only license. Descriptions of licenses and instructions on purchase are available at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.
Weatherwax Debate Heats Up
Should the Weatherwax property - an undeveloped 120 acre forest tract near the center of town - be included under the Critical Areas Ordinance? That was the question council members and citizens debated at a recent City Council Meeting.

The City Council unanimously approved a request to set a public hearing at the Oct. 13th City Council meeting concerning adopting revisions in the critical areas ordinance as set forth by the Washington State Growth management act. Since the Weatherwax property has multiple characteristics typical of a critical area, it could still be developed, but it would require stricter regulations should it be designated as a critical area, said Ken Lanfear, director of public works.

City officials say the Weatherwax property can fit into multiple areas, and problems lie with how to classify it. Citizens' comments were restricted to whether or not to hold the public hearing, and any comments concerning the ordinance would have to be made during the public hearing.

Jeff Daniel
Associate Broker Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
1.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://cityofoceanshores.postlets.com/
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://homepages.com/JeffDaniel/AgentHome.aspx
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 08.2008

2008-08-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

Summertime at the Beach!
Ocean Shores hosts some of the best birding locations on the West Coast with more species per location than possibly anywhere else in Washington. Currently, large flocks of brown pelicans are putting on spectacular displays, diving into the bay and surf along the coast. Hundreds and hundreds of pelicans migrate through our area between June and November and it's not unusual to see flocks of 30 to 40 at a time. If you're not really into watching birds, I'm with you. But these guys, they're cool to watch.Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
Here are some stats I recently pulled from the NWMLS website. All year-to-date (YTD) stats are based from January 1st through August 26th. These numbers do not include pending or contingent status properties. These are sold/closed properties only.

HOME SALES YTD
2008 - 135 sold at an average sales price of $204,357 or $148 per square foot.
2007 - 155 sold at an average sales price of $210,322 or $154 per square foot.
2006 - 174 sold at an average sales price of $204,119 or $152 per square foot.
My summary: average prices seem to be holding okay while the number of transactions is down. No surprises. It's also taking longer to sell: In 2006, it took on average of 125 days to sell your house. In 2007, you needed 173 days and in 2008, it's taking 190 days to sell a house. Another item worthy of mentioning is that out of the 135 homes sold so far this year, 59 of them were built between 2005 and 2008. That's means that almost half of all home sales this year in Ocean Shores were brand new or homes built in the last four years.

LAND SALES YTD
2008 - 143 sold at an average price of $50,966.
2007 - 214 sold at an average price of $56,380.
2006 - 271 sold at an average price of $53,880.
My summary: again, average prices seem to be holding. Land sales are way down and are almost being passed up by home sales for the first time in a long time.

CONDO SALES YTD
2008 - 14 sold at an average sales price of $262,714 or $249 per square foot.
2007 - 30 sold at an average sales price of $170,163 or $194 per square foot.
2006 - 60 sold at an average sales price of $165,729 or $200 per square foot.
My summary: Wow, condo sales are still not good. The average time on the market for 2008 is 413 days to sell. It was 186 days in 2007 and only 93 days back in 2006. Prices are up in 2008 due to a few sales in the high end, ocean front condo market. Other than that, the condo market in Ocean Shores is in trouble.

The Boardwalk Shops of Ocean Shores
The Boardwalk Shops of Ocean Shores is a new retail condominium complex that is now pre-selling phase 1 and they've already got commitments for 5 of the 7 units available. Now that's some good news in local real estate and it's not even my listing! This project is an exciting opportunity for Business Owners & Investors to own an affordable high visibility retail unit centrally located in downtown Ocean Shores on Point Brown. This Complex features 7 individual units connected by an extensive boardwalk. All units have metal roofs, bead-board walls & wood floors to create an authentic beach town feel. Want one? Email me. Groundbreaking is happening any day now.

Upcoming Events

Associated Arts of Ocean Shores Arts and Crafts Festival
Friday, September 5 - Sunday, September 7, 2008An end of summer annual event. Visit one of Western Washington's largest indoor & outdoor handmade arts and crafts fair. 1,000's of unique items are showcased by gifted artists and talented craftspeople. Admission is free

Paddle the Shores
Friday, September 26 - Sunday, September 28, 2008North Bay Park, lakes & canals. Attention kayak, canoe, and rowing enthusiasts. All Skill levels are welcome! Human-powered boat activities on the lakes and canals of Ocean Shores. Race, Poker Paddle, picnic, seminars and the latest in paddling gear at end-of-season prices.

Whale of a Quilt Show
Friday, October 3 - Sunday, October 5, 2008The Sea-Pal Quilters of Ocean Shores, "Whale of a Quilt Show" offers boutique vendors, handmade quilts, demonstrations, and quilted items. The show is judged and prizes are awarded. Free admission, donations welcome.

Cat Fanciers' Association Cat Show
Saturday, October 25 - Sunday, October 26, 2008
A cat show is composed of a number of separate, concurrently running, individual shows held in the various judging rings throughout a show hall. 120 W. Chance A La Mer Ave. Ocean Shores, WA 98569

News

New Fire Station Going Up

The Ocean Shores City Council recently approved a storm water system which means the city can develop a construction schedule for a new 20,000 square foot fire station, located south of the current station on Point Brown Avenue. According to fire chief, Jim Hodges, he hopes to start putting in foundation for the fire hall by mid-September and have the project completed sometime in February, if weather permits. The old fire station is garbage because the foundation sits on rotting logs beneath a pit of sand which is causing the ground to sink. The garage floor is mounded, with the center several inches higher than the floor near the wall. The rear wall of the garage has separated away from the building, creating the potential for collapse.A Roundabout at the Angry Intersection?The City Council also recently approved a design recommendation from the Public Works department on a roundabout that will be constructed next year at the intersection of Chance a la Mer Boulevard and Point Brown Avenue. The design will include a 34-foot wide median, a five-foot wide bicycle lane, and 10-foot wide sidewalks. (note the little green donut thing at the top right part of the picture - that's it.)
New Water Coming Soon?
Grays Harbor County Commissioners recently approved taking a $3 million loan to construct a new water system at Hogans Corner, between Hoquiam and Ocean Shores (just outside of Ocean Shores). The project is specifically geared to providing drinking water to existing development in the area as well as spurring on more building, specifically a proposed 542-acre resort and golf course that until recently had been stalled by a state-mandatory building moratorium. "The first line will bring in water to the state park, which will benefit the casino and all of those in Illahee and Oyehut and we're working with the City of Ocean Shores on an agreement for them to purchase water," Commissioner Al Carter said.
Permit Issued to Study Wind & Wave Power of the Coast

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a preliminary permit to grant the Grays Harbor Ocean Energy Co. the exclusive right to conduct a feasibility study for generating power from wind and wave energy on a 28-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast from Ocean Shores to Grayland over the next three years. The permit, issued Friday, does not authorize any construction.
The project foresees as many as 90 260-foot tall steel wind turbines, as well as wave energy converters to convert ocean waves and wind into a renewable source of energy. The project could supply enough energy to power the entire Olympic Peninsula and make Grays Harbor one of the largest producers of renewable energy in the world, according to Burton Hamner, president of Hydrovolts, Inc.-the creator of the Grays Harbor Energy Co. Hamner also said the project has the potential to create numerous jobs within the county because the renewable energy equipment would be manufactured locally.
The feasibility study will seek to find out if the turbines would affect gray whale migration patterns and flight patterns of birds, according to Hamner. Hamner said the study will also examine whether or not the locations of the turbines could limit the areas in which fisherman can fish. Even after the feasibility study is completed, it would take about four years to begin construction, Hamner said. - source - The Daily World

Jeff Daniel
Associate Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties1.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)

PROPERTY SEARCH: http://cityofoceanshores.postlets.com/
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://homepages.com/JeffDaniel/AgentHome.aspx
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com

OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

Zillow measures homeowners' perception gap

2008-08-07T17:58:00.001-07:00

Zillow measures homeowners' perception gap

Just like with most of life's unpleasant realities, the majority of Americans think the nation's housing crisis is something that happens to the other guy.
That's according to a survey of more than 1,300 homeowners conducted by Zillow. Two-thirds of homeowners believe their house has increased in value or remained the same in the last year. Yet, these same folks acknowledge the existence of foreclosures in their neighborhoods and believe that more are on the way.
The results even gave the Zillow people pause.
"We attribute this gap to a combination of inattention and a fair bit of denial that causes people to believe their home is insulated from the woes of the market that affect others, but not them," says Stan Humphries, Zillow's chief of data and analytics.
Zillow, of course, is the website founded by the brains behind Expedia that came on strong more than two years ago with its clever algorithms that assign a "value" to nearly every house in America. Initially, the site was a bit disappointing because, at least in many parts of Southern California, its estimates seemed wildly off the mark.
Since then, reality has caught up with Zillow, if not its homeowner-users. The company's data now appear to be in line with most other research that shows the vast majority of U.S. houses lost value in the last 12 months.
One of the more interesting findings of Zillow's latest survey shows that homeowners in the West seem to have a slightly better grip on the housing reality. More than half -- 56% -- of Western homeowners believe their home value had indeed declined in the last year, versus 38% of homeowners overall. (See the graphic above right.)
Maybe that's because homeowners here are facing a harsher reality. After years of tremendous price appreciation, the stinging face-slap of rapidly depreciating values has brought homeowners to their senses.
-- Annette Haddad
Graphic: courtesy of Zillow
Questions? Comments? Email annette.haddad@latimes.com

California's Discount Foreclosure Sales Point to Housing Bottom

2008-08-07T17:47:00.000-07:00

California's Discount Foreclosure Sales Point to Housing Bottom
By Dan Levy and Daniel Taub

July 31 (Bloomberg) -- California led the U.S. into the worst housing recession since the 1930s. Now the most populous state may be the first to find the bottom.
In Stockton, the U.S. metro area with the highest foreclosure rate, home sales more than doubled in the second quarter after prices fell by an average 37 percent, said PMZ Real Estate Corp., the area's largest broker. Across the state, sales rose for three consecutive months starting in April after 30 straight months of declines, the California Association of Realtors said. About 40 percent of those transactions were foreclosure sales, DataQuick Information Systems reported.
``California is having a wrenching decline in wealth, but this is a cathartic event that will lay the foundation for a recovery,'' said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Economy.com in West Chester, Pennsylvania, in an interview. ``This signals the beginning of the end.''
Almost $1.3 trillion of homeowner equity was lost in California since home prices peaked in December 2005, Zandi said. Discounts of as much as 50 percent will extend into 2010, helping clear a glut of foreclosures and leading to a more balanced housing market, said Ryan Ratcliff, an economist at the Anderson Forecast at the University of California in Los Angeles, and Christopher Thornberg, principal of Beacon Economics LLC in Los Angeles.
``Half off in a decent neighborhood is close to the bottom,'' said Bill Gross, co-chief investment officer of Newport Beach, California-based Pacific Investment Management Co., manager of the world's biggest bond fund. Property markdowns of 30 percent to 40 percent give the market ``price illumination if not sunshine,'' he said.
`Beginning to Happen'
California led the U.S. in default notices and bank seizures for the 18th straight month in June and had seven of the 10 metro areas with the highest foreclosure rates, according to Irvine, California-based RealtyTrac Inc., which sells default data. That drove down prices and led to ``discounted distressed sales,'' with two-thirds of transactions under $500,000, compared with 40 percent a year earlier, the California Association of Realtors said.
The amount of time it would take to deplete the supply of homes decreased to 7.7 months from 10.2 months a year earlier, and the median price fell 38 percent to $368,250 last month, according to the Realtors.
``Things are beginning to happen,'' said Karl Case, professor of economics at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and co-creator of the S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index. ``We're not going to get reestablished in a stable market unless that inventory gets cleared out.''
Birth of Subprime
California led the boom in the U.S. housing market, as prices in the state more than doubled from 2000 to 2005, fueled by historically low interest rates, according to the Chicago-based National Association of Realtors.
As values soared, California gave birth to the subprime mortgage industry that specialized in lending to borrowers with poor or limited credit, who often used them to buy homes they couldn't afford, said Stephen Levy, director of the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy in Palo Alto.
Subprime products included ``zero-percent'' loans that needed no down payment, adjustable-rate mortgages, known as ``exploding ARMs'' because low interest rates rose after two or three years, and ``Alt-A'' or ``no-doc'' loans requiring no proof of income.
Almost half of the 25 biggest U.S. subprime lenders were based in the state, including New Century Financial Corp. in Irvine and ACC Capital Holdings in Orange, and a quarter of the country's subprime loans were issued there, more than in any other state, according to Inside Mortgage Finance and data from San Francisco-based research firm LoanPerformance.
County Breakdowns
Defaults on those loans began to accelerate in 2006, helping to push California into the lead in foreclosures.
Foreclosure sales accounted for 75 percent of June's total in Merced County, home to the Merced metro area with the country's second-highest foreclosure rate; 72 percent in Stanislaus County, home to the Modesto metro area with the third-highest foreclosure rate; and 66 percent in San Joaquin County, home to Stockton, data from DataQuick in La Jolla, California, and RealtyTrac show.
Sales of foreclosed properties equaled 63 percent of the total in Sacramento County, 62 percent in Riverside County, 58 percent in Solano County, 57 percent in San Bernardino County and 49 percent in Contra Costa County. Prices dropped as much 37 percent in those counties, DataQuick reported.
`Seen the Light'
About 1 million U.S. homes will be in some stage of foreclosure by the end of the year, and properties seized by banks will eventually sell at an average discount of 30 percent to 33 percent, said Rick Sharga, executive vice president for marketing at RealtyTrac.
Discounts will be higher in areas such as Stockton, about 80 miles east of San Francisco in California's agricultural Central Valley, and Riverside, 50 miles east of Los Angeles, that experienced above-average levels of new construction at the peak of the housing boom and where lenders made a disproportionate number of subprime loans, Sharga said.
PMZ, the Stockton-based brokerage, closed 1,707 home transactions in the second quarter, about 80 percent of them foreclosure sales, said Michael Zagaris, the company's president. Foreclosed homes are now getting multiple bids and the supply of homes for sale in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties shrank to 4.9 months in June from 18.2 months a year earlier, he said.
``We've found the bottom,'' Zagaris said. ``The financial institutions have seen the light and are allowing the market to find its own level.''
Loan Values
Bank-owned properties attract investors who can rent out the homes for 10 percent of the purchase price annually, said Sean O'Toole, founder of real estate auction Web site ForeclosureRadar in Discovery Bay, California. ``Those deals are starting to pop up and putting a floor on the market,'' he said.
Bruce Norris, president of the Norris Group investment firm in Riverside, said he purchased foreclosed properties for one- third of the outstanding loan value during the past two months.
Norris bought a three-bedroom home in the Moreno Valley section of Riverside for $106,000, a 65 percent discount on the $300,000 loan held by Bear Stearns Cos., now part of JPMorgan Chase & Co. He got a 61 percent discount on a home with $258,750 in loans held by Deutsche Bank AG, and a 63 percent discount for a home with $324,000 in loans held by Morgan Stanley, he said.
``The banks are stuck wholesaling to people like me,'' Norris said. ``They are starting to move product faster than the market would normally allow.''
Housing Bill
Banks will foreclose on about 700,000 properties with subprime mortgages this year, more than double the number a year ago, Sharga estimated. The increase is prompting overwhelmed banks to hire more workers to process purchase offers.
Executives from Charlotte, North Carolina-based Bank of America Corp. and Wells Fargo & Co. in San Francisco told Congress last week that they've accelerated the pace of loan modifications and added personnel to help homeowners avoid foreclosure. Wells Fargo, which services one in eight U.S. mortgages, expanded its staff to more than 1,000 from 200 in 2005.
The housing bill signed by President George W. Bush yesterday is intended to stem foreclosures and includes a program backed by the Federal Housing Administration to insure as much as $300 billion in refinanced mortgages, including many subprime loans.
Housing in Stockton and Riverside sprang up during the boom as builders purchased cheap land and potential buyers sought affordable homes away from expensive coastal cities, said Levy at the Center for the Continuing Study of the California Economy.
Stockton Couple
Inland home values mirrored coastal gains until a wave of ``insane'' subprime and Alt-A mortgages started in 2005 and resulted in record defaults, Levy said.
``All of those markets suffering from higher foreclosures are where prices went too high and leverage was applied too excessively,'' Pimco's Gross said. The housing bill will ``put a floor on certain mortgages'' and help stop price declines, he said.
Homeowners like computer consultant David Imig and his wife, Deborah, who live in the Stockton area and owe more than their house is worth, aren't helped by the bill. They paid $462,000 for a three-bedroom at the market peak in 2005. Now, their neighbor's foreclosed home is on sale for half its original price.
``We're a good $100,000 down,'' Imig said. ``If we could move without taking a huge bath, we would.''
Past Busts
Previous California housing busts had roots in local economic woes and U.S. monetary policy. The state lost 350,000 jobs in the early 1990s, about two-thirds in the aerospace industry, according to the Cato Institute and Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. Home prices tumbled 12 percent. In the early 1980s, existing-home sales dropped 61 percent amid interest rates of more than 14 percent and a national recession, the state Realtors said.
California may rebound more quickly from this decline than regions with fewer delinquencies and vacant homes, according to Zandi of Moody's Economy.com. The foreclosure process is ``more efficient'' than in states such as Florida where courts are involved, and Californians are typically ``more optimistic'' about housing after experiencing busts that were followed by property booms, Zandi said.
``They know it's going to be a good investment five or 10 years down the road,'' Zandi said. ``The fundamentals are good: supply constrained markets with lots of population growth, a solid and diversified economy and important global links'' in Los Angeles and San Francisco, he said.
`Bidding War'
It may take until 2010 for foreclosure sales to work their way out of the system in areas where defaults have soared, said Thornberg of Beacon Economics.
``Those sales are going to have a very large impact on prices for the next year or so until those homes get absorbed by the market,'' he said. ``Housing markets don't bounce, they splat. They hit bottom and they stay there.''
That's good news for buyers like Peggy Thorpe. She outbid seven offers for a foreclosed house in Vallejo, east of San Francisco, and still got a 34 percent discount. It was the sixth time since May she made an offer for a home in foreclosure.
``This time I jumped higher,'' said Thorpe, 43, who works at a vineyard in Napa and paid $190,500 for the three-bedroom home with a loan balance of $289,000. ``There's an extreme bidding war right now.''
To contact the reporters on this story: Dan Levy in San Francisco at dlevy13@bloomberg.net; Daniel Taub in Los Angeles at dtaub@bloomberg.net

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 06.2008

2008-06-30T22:27:00.000-07:00

Summertime at the Beach!
Obviously that means the rain is gone. Well, mainly gone. Our dry months are here. Last year, Ocean Shores received only 1.31 inches of rain in July and 1.46 inches in August. Let the dry times roll...

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
This month, we're focusing on waterfront lots and land in Ocean Shores. Ocean Shores has an estimated 70 miles of waterfront. The peninsula's western shoreline extends southward approximately six miles with sandy public beaches. The southern shoreline runs easterly along the entrance to Grays Harbor with views of Westport, two miles across the entrance to the harbor. The eastern shoreline is primarily a residential area offering eastern and northern views of the Bowerman Basin, the Olympic Mountain range, Mt. Rainier, the cooling towers in Satsop and more.

Ocean Shores boasts 23 miles of freshwater canals and lakes. Duck Lake is stocked and considered one of the best year-round fishing lakes in Western Washington. The lake and canals are power-boat accessible with multiple boat launches and is friendly to waterskiers and swimmers. NO JET SKIS HOWEVER. All of the fresh water in Ocean Shores is excellent for many different boating experiences. A lot of people who live here own kayaks, boats or canoes. Below is a bit of a summary on the current market:

27 Lake Lots on the market in Ocean Shores. Average listing price: $128,420. 341 Days on Market.
18 Lake Lots sold in Ocean Shores during the past 12 months. Average sales price: $115,628. 241 Days on Market.

82 Canal lots on the market in Ocean Shores. Average listing price: $85,849. 351 Days on Market.
43 Canal Lots sold in Ocean Shores during the past 12 months. Average sales price: $65,384. 205 Days on Market.

82 Ocean & Bay front lots on the market in Ocean Shores. Average listing price: $189,765. 331 Days on Market.
15 Ocean & Bay front lots sold in Ocean Shores during the past 12 months. Average sales price: $141,300. 308 Days on Market.

Upcoming Events
4th Annual Ocean Shores Independence Day Picnic - July 3, 2008 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Place: North Bay Park. Admission is free!! Come celebrate the birth of our nation. Bring a blanket and your picnic basket or take advantage of the many food vendors that will be on hand. There will be something fun for all ages at this gala event.
Ride the Smokey Mountain Railroad,
Slide down the Tot-Tanic Slide,
Embark on the Undersea Adventure obstacle course,
Challenge your friends on the Bungee Run,
Try your skill at Bouncy Boxing,
Join the super heroes on the Forces of Fun,
Smaller kids try out the Octopus Obstacle Course,
Challenge the Mutiny Pirate Ship with climbing, sliding and bouncing areas.
Hear numerous local artists perform on the grandstand.
Have fun with roving magicians & clowns.
Or just have a great time observing and visiting.

4th of July & Fire O'er the Water - July 4th
Celebrate Independence Day & stay over for the best fireworks show on the coast at Ocean Shores & Ocean City.

Big Weekend Triathlon & Footfest - July 12-13
The Big Weekend events are scheduled for July 12-13, 2008 from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. The triathlon events include: Swimming in Duck Lake, Biking on the city streets of Ocean Shores peninsula & running on ocean beach and city streets.

Sun & Surf Run - July 25-27
Over 2,000 motorcycles at the Convention Center. Enjoy bonfire, fireworks, motorcycle parades, stunt riders and vendors. www.sunandsurfevent.com

News
New Fireworks Rules
Tourists & residents planning to set off fireworks at the beach next summer will have some stiffer restrictions on where they can do it. The City Council Monday night voted unanimously to amend the city's ordinance on fireworks. The amendment will go into effect in 2009. Under the new amendment, people are restricted from discharging fireworks within city limits, except for between the Marine View Drive Beach Access and the Damon Beach Approach at a minimum of 100 feet west of the dunes. Currently, please stay at least 50 feet away.

The amendment also changed the city's ordinance to reflect state laws on the hours of discharge. It is now legal to discharge fireworks between the hours of noon to 11 p.m. June 28, between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. June 29 through July 3, between 9 a.m. and midnight July 4 and from 9 a.m. until 11 p.m. July 5. The ordinance also made it legal to use fireworks from 6 p.m. New Year's Eve until 1 a.m. January 1. The previous city code did not include the New Year's holiday.

Offshore Drilling coming here?
In the Pacific Ocean off Washington state there are salmon, whales and a lot of water. But, apparently, there isn't much oil or natural gas. State officials say they haven't heard a peep from anyone wanting to drill off the coast. Oil and natural gas resources off the Northwest coast are minuscule when compared to Florida and California. A 2001 Interior Department study estimated there might be 2.35 trillion feet of natural gas off Washington and Oregon. The same study estimated there was 180 trillion feet of natural gas in the Gulf of Mexico and 15 trillion feet off California. Several companies oil expressed an interest in exploring deep-sea areas off the Northwest coast in the late 1980s and early 1990s. "There isn't much interest in Washington state," said Dave Norman, the deputy state geologist. "The Washington coast ranks real low in potential - almost near the bottom." Norman said exploratory holes and seismic testing off the coast have never found much, even though oil seeps have been discovered on the west side of the Olympic Peninsula.

Proposed Radar Station of the coast gets a $2 Million Boost
A congressional panel's support for a Doppler radar station on the Washington coast is a "huge start" toward a facility that could help predict the severity of approaching Pacific storms, a University of Washington meteorologist says. "This is a significant amount to get the thing started, but it's not everything," said the UW's Cliff Mass. Mass said he's encouraged by the action, supported by Sen. Maria Cantwell, even though the amount approved is less than half of the $4.5 million that the radar would cost to purchase and install. It could help forecasters, utility crews and emergency workers assess storms heading into Washington. Cantwell and Mass say the radar is necessary because the Olympic Mountains prevent a government radar station on Camano Island from seeing storms approaching over the ocean. The price of an additional radar is small compared to the estimated $1 billion in damage done in Washington by last December's storms.

Jeff Daniel
Designated Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
1.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://homepages.com/JeffDaniel/AgentHome.aspx
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/
AGENT INFO: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/for/jeffdaniel
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com/
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 05.2008

2008-05-22T12:56:00.000-07:00

Whale Watching from the shores of Ocean Shores
After spending the winter months off Baja California, gray whales make their way north to their feeding grounds in Alaska. The Washington coast off Ocean Shores is filled with prime viewing spots to watch the whales during their spring migration. Some whales hang around and feed as they approach Grays Harbor. The majority of these gray whales will eventually reach their summer feeding grounds in the Bering Sea. By then it will be late June, the peak of Arctic summer.
To watch for a Gray, scan the ocean surface for a spout (a spray of tiny water droplets) from the blowholes on top of the whales head. Then, use binoculars or a spotting scope for a closer look. Most gray whales swim within 3 km of shore. While feeding, Grays tend to stay in a small area and follow a simple pattern of breathing and diving. Usually they spout three times at intervals of about 20 seconds while on the surface. Then they sound for two to four minutes to feed, resurfacing to repeat the cycle. A great spot to watch for Grays and the occasional Orca is down at the North Jetty. Sometimes, they get very close to the shore. On two occasions last year, a Gray Whale breached the surface within 50 feet of me and my little kayak. Good thing they don't eat people.

Ocean Shores Real Estate Update
It's supposed to be the end of Spring, but the weather has been so finicky this year. One day it's 80 and sunny, the next is raining and 50. Yuk! This has been affecting the market unfortunately. Anyway, here are some apple to apple comparisons of the Ocean Shores real estate market. Comparisons are from April 1st, 2007 to May 20th, 2007 and then the same time period for 2008.
Residential
4/1/07 - 5/20/07: 32 Sold, Average Square Footage: 1,512 sq ft, Average Price Per Square Foot: $163.15, Average Days on Market: 162, Average Sales Price $235,273.
4/1/08 - 5/20/08: 27 Sold, Average Square Footage: 1,431 sq ft, Average Price Per Square Foot: $135.53, Average Days on Market: 206, Average Sales Price $193,685.
Condos
4/1/07 - 5/20/07: 7 Sold, Average Square Footage: 976 sq ft, Average Price Per Square Foot: $243.51, Average Days on Market: 158, Average Sales Price $240,557.
4/1/08 - 5/20/08: 5 Sold, Average Square Footage: 996 sq ft, Average Price Per Square Foot: $232.35, Average Days on Market: 335, Average Sales Price $246,200.
Land
4/1/07 - 5/20/07: 48 Sold, Average Days on Market: 211, Average Sales Price $50,319
4/1/07 - 5/20/07: 36 Sold, Average Days on Market: 271, Average Sales Price $40,860

Conclusion: It's ugly! Sales are still slow out here on the beach. But, here's a few good excuses on why this is: the weather has for the most part been horrible this Spring (feels like winter most of the time). I thought this planet was heating up? Throw in the mix of record high gas prices and the uncertainty of the upcoming presidential election and things are just a mess. Even though numbers are down, if the property is priced right (and of course marketed properly), it will sell. Buyers are looking for deals out here. New construction is doing very well. Everyone is predicting the market to dramatically heat up during the summer. Overall, real estate values are a function of supply and demand. More and more people are still just discovering Ocean Shores and as they do, they tend to fall in love with this place and buy... All numbers & stats are from the NWMLS. If you have any questions regarding these numbers or activity in the real estate market, please call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020. Thanks!

Upcoming Events

Kite Challenge, Flag Day Parade & Dance, June 14-15
Kite fliers from around the world gather for competitions, activities and kite displays at Ocean Shores Convention Center, Ocean Shores; admission is free, 360.289.0667. A full day of activities! The Kite Challenge is sponsored by "Team Cutting Edge Kites" - 2005 and 2006 World Champions. Free kite flying lessons, stunt competitions, fun flies, displays and more. Also, honor our nation's flag with an old fashioned parade. Over 50 entrants parade through the streets of downtown. Dance to live music from 7-11 p.m. at the Convention Center.
Five Star Dealerships Sand & Sawdust, June 27 - 29
Master woodcarvers from all over the world compete. Auctions held daily. Saturday families and artists compete on the beach for the best sand sculpture. Free sand-sculpting lessons given on Friday.
4th of July Picnic & Fire O'er the Water, July 3 - 4
Celebrate Independence Day on July 3rd at our Community Picnic. Enjoy games, prizes, food, and fun. Stay over for the best fireworks show on the coast at Ocean City.
News

* Ocean Shores Liquor Store Now open 7 Days a Week
After this week's election for a new mayor and two new city council positions, the results are somewhat in and Dean Bunkers will be Ocean Shores' new full-time mayor. Meanwhile, vote totals for the two council positions are too close to call.
* Final Clam Dig of the Season!
Clam enthusiasts have received the go-ahead to proceed with a final razor clam dig May 24, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today. Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks beaches were approved for the one-day morning dig after marine toxin tests showed the clams were safe to eat. Low tide at the beaches will be 9:58 a.m., at 0.5 feet. No digging will be allowed after noon. No digging will be allowed at Long Beach, where the state's annual allowable catch has been reached. Kalaloch Beach remains closed to harvest. Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager, said "WDFW is able to offer one more dig at Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks because there are sufficient clams remaining in the total allowable catch for those beaches. Even though digging was excellent during our early May opener, the digger turnout was lower than expected, leaving enough clams for a last dig." Ayres said. "This is the first time in two decades that WDFW has been able to offer a razor clam opener this late in the spring. Ayres reminded people they must keep the first 15 clams they dig and not return any to the beach.
* Surf Fishermen Pulled Down by Rip Tide
A surf fisherman who was apparently pulled down by a rip tide near Ocean Shores has died. The Grays Harbor County sheriff's office says the 62-year-old Olympia man, Dae W. Rhim, was fishing Friday near the Roosevelt Beach approach when his wife, who was watching from shore, saw him go under. He was pulled out of the surf by a passer-by and died on the way to a hospital. Two people have already died this year on the Washington coast in rip tides. Ocean Shores Deputy Police Chief Russ Fitts says a simple safety rule for waders to follow is, "Ankles OK, knees no way".
* Ocean Shores Liquor Store Now open 7 Days a Week
Just in case you wanted to know...

Jeff Daniel
Designated Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties
749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 98569
1.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)
PROPERTY SEARCH: http://homepages.com/JeffDaniel/AgentHome.aspx
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com
AGENT INFO: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/for/jeffdaniel
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

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347 Canal Dr NE Ocean Shores, WA 98569

2008-05-15T13:17:00.000-07:00

Jeff Daniel | Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties | jeffgdaniel@hotmail.com | 360.581.9020

347 Canal Dr NE, Ocean Shores, WA

Custom Waterfront Home is featured in the Master Builders Tour of

Homes 2008.

3BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $349,000

Year Built	2008
Sq Footage	1,852
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	2 full, 0 partial
Floors	1
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	9,000 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Winner! This Custom Waterfront Home is being featured in the Master Builders Tour of Homes 2008 and it can be yours! Open-concept floor plan, hardwood floors, stainless appliances, central vac, dock, tons of decking, massive upgrades & more! Luxury & affordability is here & now. This is the dream home you've always wanted. Location is excellent: on the grand canal, next to the golf course and just a minute from the beach. Another exciting brand new home from the award-winning Custom Builders NW!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Central heat	Fireplace	High/Vaulted ceiling
Walk-in closet	Hardwood floor	Tile floor
Living room	Dining room	Breakfast nook
Dishwasher	Refrigerator	Stove/Oven
Microwave	Granite countertop	Stainless steel appliances
Laundry area - inside	Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Garage parking	Clubhouse	Swimming pool(s)
Sauna/Spa	Tennis court(s)	Golf course
Lake	Playground

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Jeff Daniel

Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties

jeffgdaniel@hotmail.com

360.581.9020

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 15, 2008, 10:40am PDT

1472 Tradewind Ave SW Ocean Shores, WA 98569

2008-05-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

Jeff Daniel | Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties | jeffgdaniel@hotmail.com | 360.581.9020

1472 Tradewind Ave SW , Ocean Shores, WA

Gorgeous Jetty/Ocean View Home!!!

3BR/3BA Single Family House

offered at $349,000

Year Built	2008
Sq Footage	1,752
Bedrooms	3
Bathrooms	3 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	2 Car garage
Lot Size	8,250 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Brand New Construction! Gorgeous Jetty/Ocean View Home under construction & will be completed in June. Fantastic & Forever Views of the Pacific Ocean, the Jetty, Westport, Ships in the Harbor & all the marine wildlife you can handle. Open concept design, stone fireplace, real hardwood floors, stainless steel appliances, decks on front & back, huge kitchen, an oversized garage and plenty of room outside for you rv or toys. Another brand new home from the award-winning Custom Builders NW!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Fireplace	High/Vaulted ceiling	Walk-in closet
Hardwood floor	Tile floor	Family room
Dining room	Breakfast nook	Dishwasher
Refrigerator	Stove/Oven	Microwave
Granite countertop	Stainless steel appliances	Laundry area - inside
Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Garage parking	Covered parking	Guest parking
Clubhouse	Fitness center	Swimming pool(s)
Tennis court(s)	Golf course	Lake
Playground

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Jeff Daniel

Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties

jeffgdaniel@hotmail.com

360.581.9020

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 15, 2008, 10:42am PDT

361 Clover Creek Ave NW Ocean Shores, WA 98569

2008-05-15T13:14:00.000-07:00

Jeff Daniel | Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties | jeffgdaniel@hotmail.com | 360.581.9020

361 Clover Creek Ave NW , Ocean Shores, WA

Adorable Beach Chalet located very close to the Beach!

2BR/1BA Single Family House

offered at $174,900

Year Built	2008
Sq Footage	1,080
Bedrooms	2
Bathrooms	1 full, 0 partial
Floors	2
Parking	None
Lot Size	8,568 sqft
HOA/Maint	$0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Adorable Beach Chalet located very close to the Beach! Located on a quiet street, this brand new 2 bed/2 bath home features awesome vaulted ceilings, an open & spacious kitchen, dining room, stainless steel appliances, river rock propane fireplace, decks on front & back, mud/laundry room, hardi plank siding, cedar shake accents, large back yard and more. This is so cute! Construction will be completed in June. This is an exciting brand new home from the award-winning Custom Builders NW!

see additional photos below

PROPERTY FEATURES

Fireplace	High/Vaulted ceiling	Walk-in closet
Hardwood floor	Living room	Dining room
Dishwasher	Refrigerator	Stove/Oven
Microwave	Granite countertop	Stainless steel appliances
Laundry area - inside	Balcony, Deck, or Patio	Yard

COMMUNITY FEATURES

Clubhouse	Fitness center	Swimming pool(s)
Tennis court(s)	Golf course	Lake
Playground

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS

Seller contact info:

Jeff Daniel

Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties

jeffgdaniel@hotmail.com

360.581.9020

For sale by agent/broker

Equal Opportunity Housing

Posted: May 15, 2008, 10:53am PDT

Cityofoceanshores.com Newsletter ~ 04.2008

2008-04-19T11:09:00.000-07:00

Springtime at the Beach!
Spring is back! We had an 80 degree day last Saturday. It was summertime in the springtime. And then of course it rained on Sunday... Ugh. Spring is coming they tell us. The past few weeks the town has been busy as families and kids were visiting the beach during their Spring Break. Summer's right around the corner....

Ocean Shores Featured in Coastal Living
What has been known as the "richest little city" has made it into one of the largest national publications about living in a coastal community. Ocean Shores has been featured as one of the top 16 most affordable coastal communities in Coastal Living magazine. The article, "So You Want to Live on the Coast," hit magazine stands a couple weeks ago. The magazine has a subscription base of 650,000, but reaches an audience of more than 3.2 million readers. About a year and a half ago, the magazine did a feature on the town of Seabrook, also in the North Beach area. While staff from the magazine visited the area, they also toured Ocean Shores. That brief visit may have been one of the reasons the magazine decided to do a separate feature on Ocean Shores, according to Ken Mercer, director of tourism at the Ocean Shores Convention Center, "They made the judgment that it's a pretty cool town," Mercer said. "They liked what they saw." (of course they did!) Click HERE to read the full article.

Real Estate Update
Real Estate activity has been semi-steady during the 1st quarter of 2008. Here is a summary and comparison of the market today in Ocean Shores versus 2007.
37 Homes sold during 1st quarter 2008 for an average sales price of $211,534 versus 46 Homes sold during 1st quarter 2007 for an average sales price of $192,175. Sales are down, average sales prices are up.
50 Vacant Lots sold during 1st quarter 2008 for an average sales price of $42,573 versus 48 Vacant Lots sold during 1st quarter 2007 for an average sales price of $53,082. Sales are up, average prices are down.
Conclusion: Sales are slower in town. It's been colder than usual this year. There's also less agents around which is a good thing. Inventory is still too high and once it comes down, prices will continue to rise. All numbers & stats are from the NWMLS. If you have any questions regarding these numbers or activity in the real estate market, please call Jeff Daniel of Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties at 360.581.9020.

"Hot Properties"
Click HERE to see the best deals in town right now!

Are Condo Sales Dead?
Only 2 condos sold in Ocean Shores during the entire 1st quarter of 2008 versus 8 condos sold during 1st quarter of 2007. Is the condo craze over or has the marketing for them gone down the tube? The Dreamscape Condo for example has only sold one Condo so far this year (sold by Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties of course).

Upcoming Events
* North Coast Folk Festival - April 18-19
John Stewart (original member and song writer of the famed Kingston Trio), Tillers Folly (Canadian Celtic performers), renowned blues artist Del Ray, Tom May and Prairie Flyer (an award winning bluegrass band from Spokane) are just part of the bill. In addition to a great weekend of music, there will also be vendors, food and drink. You won't want to miss this exciting event.

* Razor Clam Dig Approved on four Ocean Beaches
Clam diggers will proceed with a morning razor clam dig starting April 19 at four ocean beaches after marine toxin tests showed the clams at those beaches are safe to eat. Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks will all be open for digging April 19-20. Twin Harbors will be open for three additional days, April 21-23, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). No digging will be allowed after noon on any beach. Kalaloch Beach will remain closed to harvest.
Depending on harvest numbers after the April opener, there may be enough clams left in the quota on some beaches for additional digging opportunities in May, said Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager. "With the variable digging conditions we've experienced since the first of the year, the harvest has been lower than expected," Ayres said. "Following this April opener we'll know if there will be enough clams for some May digging on one or more beaches."
Ayres advises diggers to check the Washington Department of Transportation website, which provides project updates and traffic cameras: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/US101/SimpsonBridgeRehab/camera.htm. Dates and low tides are: Copalis Beach, which extends from the Grays Harbor north jetty to the Copalis River and includes the Ocean Shores, Oyhut, Ocean City and Copalis areas.

* Bash at the Beach

The Quinault Beach Resort and Casino is returning to the fight game when it hosts "Bash At The Beach" on Thursday, April 24. Five bouts are tentatively scheduled for the event card, including heavyweight prospect Eric "Night Train" Boose, a women's Washington state welterweight title defense and the professional debut for Moclips' Sky Bell. Tickets are on sale now at the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino. Ringside tickets are $40, VIP tickets are $25 and general seating is $15. For tickets, either walk up on the night of the fights or call (888) 461-2214.

* Country Music Jam - May 3-4Saturday & Sunday afternoon open Jam SessionsSat. 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm / Sun. 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm at the Ocean Shores Convention CenterSaturday Night Dinner-Dance6:00 pm - 11:00 pm at the Ocean Shores Convention Center

News
* US 101 Simpson Avenue Bridge Getting Set to Reopen
The Washington State Department of Transportation has closed the US 101 Simpson Avenue Bridge to all traffic. During the closure, traffic will be detoured over the nearby Riverside Bridge. The Riverside Bridge will be reconfigured from two westbound lanes to one lane in each direction. Crews will replace the electrical and mechanical components of the bridge's draw span during the closure. Here is the link to the project web page: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/US101/SimpsonBridgeRehab/. Plan in advance so you don't spend too much time stuck in traffic. The bridge should be back in action by early May or the end of this month. Yeah!
* Funky fish washes up near Ocean Shores

Another oddity has washed up along the Washington coast. KING 5 viewer Curtis Fowler found this fish about 15 miles north of Ocean Shores. Three weeks later, he found another. It turns out to be a critter called the Long Nose Lancet, something experts say has washed up on our coast before. The fish mainly lives in deep tropical and subtropical waters, but will venture out for food or to breed. And it's got a mouth of razor-sharp teeth. Creepy. - Source: The Daily World.
* The Ferry is Closed
Tourists looking for a scenic shortcut between Westport and Ocean Shores this summer are out of luck. The buildup of sand and silt in the Ocean Shores Marina has caused the passenger ferry linking the two cities to close. "It's hard on the equipment," said ferry owner Bill Walsh. "It's hard running on the mud and the sand." The buildup at the entrance and inside the marina has steadily worsened over the past three years, said Walsh.
The ferry, El Matador, lost income because it couldn't run on time. Ridership declined when people tired of the extended waits between trips and that forced him to raise the fare -from $10 per round trip to $12.50. Walsh has discontinued ferry service intermittently over the past few years, but this is the first time since it began in 1986 that he has been forced to shut down completely.
The only way to make the ferry operational would be to dredge the channel to the Ocean Shores Marina as well as the basin inside it. According to Walsh, the marina has never been dredged since it opened in 1962. Section 10 of the Federal Rivers and Harbors Act doesn't allow dredging without a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. So far, no local government entity in Grays Harbor County has applied for a permit to begin dredging. In addition to obtaining a permit from the Corps, the proponent would need approval from the Quinault Indian Nation's Enterprise Board, since the Nation owns the marina.
But seeking that approval is difficult, according to Guy Capoeman, vice chairman for the Quinault Indian Nation. Dredging means disturbing natural habitat and would require mitigation, which means providing land to compensate for the affected habitat. Authorizing dredging is only part of it. How to pay for it still has to be hashed out between the Corps of Engineers and the Quinault Indian Nation. The Corps is responsible for paying for federal navigation projects, which include dredging. That funding comes from Congress. The catch is that only the entrance channel to the marina qualifies as a federal navigation project. The Quinault Nation would be responsible for the basin, according to Lester Soule, chief of civil programs and projects of the Army Corps of Engineers.
In 2000, the Quinault Nation initiated a feasibility study that included dredging the entrance channel for a vehicular ferry and moving a section of breakwater in the marina. The study examined placing additional docks at the marina for the Quinault's commercial fishing fleet and building a resort on the shore. The Corps ran out of federal funding to back the study in 2005 and it was never completed. The study estimated the cost for the project at $9.5 million, only $1.5 million of which would be federally funded. The other $8 million would have to come from the Quinault Nation.
Soule said Congress quit funding the project because it didn't view the project as a good investment. Officials from all across Grays Harbor County are forming a task group to figure out how to get the ferry operating next year. - Source: The Daily World.

* Lady Drowns in the Surf
A 50-year-old Bremerton woman drowned at the beach at Ocean Shores while on a family outing. Carol Davidson was with her adult daughter and grandchildren on a trip to the beach when she walked out to play in the surf, according to the Grays Harbor Sheriffs Office. The daughter, an Aberdeen woman, was looking after her children when she heard her mother calling for help. The daughter couldn't find Davidson when she looked at the last place she had seen her, and she and other people on the beach searched for Davidson and called 911, said Undersheriff Rick Scott. After a short time they saw her floating in the water, unconscious.
The death appears to be a case of the woman falling victim to the vicious riptides that run off the shore. "You can be in surf one second, able to stand, and then a riptide will come along and pull you out over your head the next," Scott said. "It doesn't matter how nice it is outside," Scott said, noting the sunny weather attracted many people to the beach Saturday. "The water is just as treacherous as on a cold, cloudy day."

See you on the Beach! (but please don't play in the surf unless you're properly prepared)

Jeff Daniel
Designated Broker
Coldwell Banker Ocean Beach Properties749 Point Brown Ave NW/PMB 1568, Ocean Shores, WA 985691.360.581.9020 (cell) - 1.888.469.3100 (toll free) - 1.360.289.3111 (fax)

PROPERTY SEARCH: http://homepages.com/JeffDaniel/AgentHome.aspx
OCEAN SHORES INFO: http://www.cityofoceanshores.com/
AGENT INFO: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/for/jeffdaniel

OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://oceanshoresrealestate.blogspot.com/
OCEAN SHORES BLOG: http://activerain.com/jeffgdaniel

Ocean Shores featured in Coastal Living

2008-03-28T15:12:00.001-07:00

"You'll never see a deal like this again"

We have wonderful and surprising news, in the upcoming April edition of Coastal Living Magazine, OCEAN SHORES placed in the top 16 cities NATIONWIDE in the special section; "So you want to live on the coast".

Please take a moment to read... For those of you who are not familiar with this magazine, Coastal Living has a subscription base of over 650,000 readers and most importantly, an audience of over 3,269,000.

http://www.coastalliving.com/coastal/living/communities/article/0,14587,1719934.html

So You Want to Live on the Coast

Where can you buy a home for $150,000? $1 million-plus? We have 16 appealing and surprising options to consider.

Ocean Shores, WA(Photo: Sunny Walter) Text by Bill and Kay Scheller

Living on the coast doesn't have to be just a dream. Though only a few of us can afford a mansion on Maui, simpler homes on other coasts may well be within financial reach.

This year, our guide to living on the coast lists a few of the options available at several price points. We've found communities where you can buy a home for less than $325,000, and others for upwards of $1.3 million.

Each has easy access to open water and abundant opportunities to live the coastal lifestyle. Come join us for a fantasy home-buying tour through some of the finest coastal towns in North America. Less than $325,00
Ocean Shores, WashingtonPopulation: 3,270Median home cost: $190,000 You'll never see a deal like this again: In 1960, developers bought a scenic finger of land on the central Washington coast and started selling lots for $595. In just a few years, the town of Ocean Shores had 23 miles of canals (many homes have frontage on these waterways), a championship golf course, and a part-time population of Hollywood types who came for the seclusion afforded by this 6,000-acre retreat, called Washington's "richest little city."

A 1980s recession brought that boom to a halt, though, and it took a decade for builders to get back on track. Prices have since stayed reasonable, and what was once the "richest" is now one of the Northwest's most affordable little cities, with more than 200 homes priced below $400,000 at the end of 2007.

New Ocean Shores residents enjoy the same seacoast splendor that lured those adventurous souls with $595 to burn a half-century ago. Miles of sandy beaches encourage horseback riding, clamming, and prospecting for agates, as well as spotting more than 200 species of birds-including brown pelicans and peregrine falcons drawn to nearby Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge. Ocean City State Park offers a chance to observe seals and their pups. Head north on Route 101 for a scenic loop around the mountains and rain forests of the Olympic Peninsula.

On the outskirts lies lively Ocean Shores, tucked behind a gateway of stone pillars that has become a community trademark. The town may no longer be a Hollywood hangout, but it's saved from somnolence by the Quinault Beach Resort and Casino and a downtown cluster of small hotels, shops, and restaurants catering to summer and autumn tourists.