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Sequim Real Estate in Sunny Sequim, Washington


Snow in Sequim–Are You Serious?

Author: Chuck Marunde

6 Feb 2017

Snow in Sequim is rare, but this just happened overnight! Amazing and beautiful! This is our first snow in Sequim in about four years. My dog didn’t know what it was, but he figured out he likes to lick it. Since I took this photo this morning, the sun has risen higher and the clouds have cleared, so it is now approaching 40 degrees at 10:45 in the morning. The snow may be gone by the end of the day. Snow in Sequim and Sledding

When there is snow in Sequim, all the kids run outside to play in it before it melts. There’s not really enough snow to sled, but some of us have sleds our kids can ride in the back yard or in the park. There are a few small hills where kids will sled for a little while before the snow melts. Robin Hill Park has a nice little sledding hill where my own children had fun.

Snow in Sequim

Fortunately, when there is snow in Sequim, the highway department quickly clears the snow from the roads, although most of it just melts as soon as the sun comes out. Soft snow isn’t dangerous to drive on, because there’s decent traction on soft snow. It’s only when the snow melts and freezes or when it gets packed and icy that it gets dangerous. Your average retiree in Sequim is smart enough to just stay home until it melts on the roads. Life is safer that way when there is snow in Sequim.

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28 Jan 2017 Real Estate Contracts

Real Estate Contracts in Plain English


Sequim 3 Story Home


23 Jan 2017 3 Story Home a Novelty in Sequim

3 Story Home Disadvantage


Sequim Electric Rates


22 Jan 2017

Sequim electric rates are a fraction of what they are in southern California. My monthly electric bill averages $125 per month. I have a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in Sequim with 1,850 square feet all one one level, and my Sequim electric rates are quite reasonable. June, July, August, and September were all $67 per month. Here’s a 12 month graph of electricity usage. This graph shows whatÂ your own monthly useage would look like from month to month, although your monthly bills may be more or less. Sequim Electric Rates in Winter

This has been the coldest winter we’ve had in 3 or 4 years, so even with low Sequim electric rates, our bills were a little higher this winter. Our coldest months are shown on this graph starting in November. My winter bills ranged from $100 to $200, and everything in my home is electric. I do have a fireplace, but I haven’t used it this year.


The average residential electricity rate in Sequim is 8.09Â¢/kWh. This average in Sequim is 31.9% less than the national average rate of 11.88Â¢/kWh. Residential rates in the U.S. range from 8.37Â¢/kWh to 37.34Â¢/kWh. [Source: Electric Rates]

The cost of living in Sequim is very reasonable compared with many other areas of the country. Sequim electric rates are one reason, but we don’t have temperature extremes either. We don’t need air conditioning in the summer, because temperatures rarely get above 80, and most days in the winter are in the 50s and 40s.Â

The PUD (public utility) in the Sequim area has a great online billing and analysis tool for homeowners, so you can know exactly what your useage with a variety of charts. We are very fortunate that Sequim electric rates are low.


Who is Your Local Real Estate Expert?


9 Jan 2017

Who needs a real estate expert? Two people come to mind–buyers and sellers. Your home, the one you buy, will be one of the most important and largest purchases of your life, and it’s theÂ home where you will spend the majority of your time, maybe for the rest of your life. With that in mind, would youÂ want a Realtor or an attorney who is not a real estate expert? Would you trust someone who dabbles in real estate, or someone who is a part-time Realtor? Believe it or not, 85% of all buyers hire the first Realtor they talk to with no interview, no due diligence, and they do not know what qualifications a real estate expert should have. Real Estate Expert

What could happen if you try to buy a home without a real estate expert? Since I was a real estate attorney for 20 years, I can actually tell you what happens when buyers are not well represented. There’s a reason there are so many attorneys in this country, and there’s a reason they make so much money. I recall a couple telling me their buyer’s agent didn’t advise them to get a home inspection, and they ended up with a nightmare after closing. Their agent didn’t know the importance of a home inspection. The truth is, most agents are not real estate experts. Most consider themselves sales persons with basic real estate knowledge.

Another agent missed the deadline for a well inspection response, and the well turned out to be contaminated. That meant the buyers lost their earnest money. A couple decided to buy a 100 yearÂ old farm house, but their agent lacked expertise on the need to have the electrical panel and wiring checked out by an electrician. It was too late when they discovered they had to do a complete rewire of the whole house at a huge expense. Unfortunately, their agent was not a real estate expert.

A buyer relied on her agent to give her advice about the seller’s disclosure statement, but the agent missed the red flag, and the buyer had to replace the heat pump at a cost of several thousand dollars. There are so many things that can and often do go wrong in a real estate transaction, but until it happens to you, you may not realize the need for a real estate expert. You might think you can just hire any Tom, Dick, or Jane to help you buy a home. You might get lucky and everything might go smoothly, but do you really want to rely on luck with so much of your hard earned money?

Real Estate Expert Credentials

If you wanted to hire a real estate expert to represent you as your buyer’s agent in the state of Washington, what would you look for? Here you have to be a bit cautious, because in the sales business, many agents will give you the answers you want to hear, so you need discernment, but you also need to know what kind of credentials your buyer’s agent should have, and you need to know how to do your due diligence. Have you heard the phrase, “Buyer beware?” Well, when it comes to buying something as expensive as a home, the warning is still good advice after 2,000 years.

By the way, be very careful about hiring a Realtor simply based on a referral by a neighbor, a friend, or someone in your Church or your favorite club. People are quick to give their brother’s name to someone else (or their best friend’s name), but that can be as bad as it could be good. Read “Real Estate Referrals: Blessing or Curse?”

I would encourage you to do your research before you decide on a buyer’s agent. Do your due diligence on me. I welcome it. Read more of my real estate blog articles (there are over 2,000), read some of my real estate books, watch my Sequim real estate videos for buyers, take a look at the real estate training site linked to the image above, use one of my three Sequim MLS sites, and interview me yourself. Whomever you hire as your buyer’s agent, make sure for your own sake that you hire a genuine real estate expert.


Sequim Real Estate: Our 6 Most Popular Articles of 2016


2 Jan 2017 Sequim Real Estate Articles

#1 Sequim Real Estate: 10 Powerful Buyer Resources

#3 Sequim Real Estate and Private Well Issues

#4 The Double Contingency

architects and private road maintenance

3 Ways to Search Sequim Real Estate 


Sequim Real Estate Prediction for 2017


28 Dec 2016

What will happen to the Sequim real estate market this coming year? What will prices do? What will the Sequim inventory look like? What about land prices? How muchÂ will interest rates go up? My Sequim real estate prediction for 2017 is an educated view of what the Sequim real estate market will be like this coming year, especially under a Trump administration. Sequim Real Estate Prices and Inventory

The Sequim real estate market bottomed out about a year and a half ago, and it’s been slowly improving since then. Prices have been creeping upward, and most homes are selling at the listed price as long as it is fair market value. The inventory of homes retirees want has been reducedÂ to a crisis level. [Read Sequim Real EstateÂ Inventory and Sequim Home Inventory written over 3 years ago]. People are starting to build homes again, because they cannot find a suitable home in the existing inventory. Prices have not increased as much as they should have based on the economic formulas of supply and demand in the Sequim real estate market.

Sequim Real Estate and Mortgage Rates

We’ve all known that mortgage rates would be going up, and we’ve known that for several years. [Read Mortgage Interest Rates Going UpÂ written in 2013.] We’ve seen a recent bump in interest rates, and as of today the 30 year fixed rate is at 4.18%. You can check on interest rates for 30-year, 15-year, and ARMs at the bottom right of this Sequim Real Estate search page.


Here is my logical prediction for the Sequim real estate market this coming year. While interest rates got a recent bump in anticipation of Janet Yellen’s announcement of a quarter point increase and 3 more likely increases in 2017, I think it is highly likely with a growing and healthy economy that we will see the 30-year fixed rate at 4.75% by the end of 2017.

With respect to the Sequim real estate inventory, it will continue to shrink and new spec homes will not replace them fast enough. This is a small market, and local Â builders cannot afford to build out large numbers of spec homes for future sales. That means almost all new homes are custom homes started only after you sign a contract with a builder. Then you can expect a construction timeline extending about 8 months out. That assumes you’ve already purchased a vacant lot for your home and drilled a well and put in a septic system (unless you’re on municipal utilities).

Because of the low inventory, prices will continue to slowly increase over 2017. I anticipate that by the end of 2017, home prices will increase by 5% from today (Dec 2016). Because more new homes will be built, land will start to sell again here, which means a steady increase in prices on vacant land.

Increased mortgage rates and a 5%Â increase in home prices in 2017 will affect some buyers’ ability to purchase their ideal home, but for buyers who will pay in cash, they will have an advantage among buyers. And there will be more competition for homes, so the buyer who finds their ideal home will probably lose it to a more assertive buyer who gets an agreement signed with the seller. Remember, you will have plenty of time to do your due diligence with a home inspection and other inspections once you have a signed agreement with a seller. Days or weeks of research prior to even making an offer is going to be a sureÂ way to lose the home to another buyer in a market like this.

Some are concerned about a Trump Presidency, but his background bodes well for the Sequim real estate market. He certainly understands real estate and the mortgage business, more so than any president in my lifetime. If he can implement his promises for an improved job market, a tax code and regulatory environment more conducive to businesses, we may see an economy that does grow by 4% in 2017. No matter what your political persuasion, a Trump Presidency is going to be a good thing for the Sequim real estate market in 2017. Already, nearly everyone on both sides of the aisle are surprised at the records being set in consumer sentiment, home builder sentiment, and the financial markets. The Dow is up 8.6%, the NASDAQ is up 4.8%, the S&P 500 is up 5.6%, and the Russell 2000 is up 14%, and all this since the election. Excluding weekends and holidays, that’s only 35 days. Never have the pundits and naysayers been so wrong as they were this year. We’re a long way from the vibrant Sequim real estate market of 2005, but I anticipate a healthyÂ 2017.


Things Are Not Always What They Seem


22 Dec 2016 


Sequim Condo


14 Dec 2016

This Sequim condo is the most popular floor plan preferred by couples moving to Sequim. With a modern kitchen, open floor plan, 3 bedrooms and 2Â baths, this is the perfect retirement home according to a lot of people. Check out these photos [Sequim Condo], andÂ you might also enjoy this 3 dimensional virtual tour below where you can walk through this Sequim condo. Use your mouse button or the arrows on your keyboard to walk through this home.

Sequim Condo 3 Dimensional Tour


This Sequim condo is a custom townhouse with Silestone countertops in kitchen, twice the kitchen outlets you normally see, an upgraded range with a warming oven, a custom chandelier with a handcrafted Tray ceiling, tile floors in the entry and kitchen, tile countertops in the laundry and bathrooms, and a huge tile shower in the master. This Sequim condo is in North Sunland. Sunland amenities include community beach access, tennis, a clubhouse, and a pool and RV parking. There were many extras built into this condo. It’s a Green Built home with custom blinds, natural solid wood throughout, and an extra large concrete patio. There’s also a greenbelt in the back with privacy.Â

Condos aren’t for everyone, but if you like the idea, check out this Sequim condo.


First Frost in Sequim


6 Dec 2016

This morning we had our first frost in Sequim. It’s a beautiful sunny day with hardly any clouds in the sky. It was very early this morning when I heard my Sequim weather station tell me the temperature outsideÂ had reached 32 degrees. ThatÂ didn’t last long. The temperature went up to 40 degrees shortly after the sun began to melt the frost on the blades of grass in my yard.
 First Frost in Sequim December 6th

We’re in December, and it’s finally getting cold. Of course, cold for Sequim in the winter is a quick dip to freezing in the early morning hours, and so today was the first frost in Sequim. I love it. The yards and fields are all bright green as you can see in this photo above. TheÂ grass hardly grows during the coldest months of December and January, but since this is the wet time of year, the grass turns a bright green and stays that way all the way into the summer.

It’s hard to predict the precise date that will give usÂ the first frost in Sequim. People ask me, “What are winters like in Sequim?” I usually say something like, “Which winter?,” because it seems every winter is a little different. We haven’t had snow in Sequim for three or four years. When we do get snow, it’s usually a couple of inches andÂ melts within hours, but since we rarely see it, it is fun for a short time. With a little luck, maybe we’ll have a white Christmas.

Because our winters are mostly in the 50s, and our summers are mostly in the 60s, we have an incredibly mild climate without those darn cold extremes of the midwest or the east coast, and we don’t suffer the hot extremes of the south. I sold homes to couples from Virginia and Pennsylvania recently, and they both reminded me of how humid the heat can be on the east coast.

Our first frost in Sequim reminded me of how mild our Sequim weather really is. What a beautiful day for a walk with my dog.


Sequim MLS Hot Links


3 Dec 2016 Sequim MLS Hot Links: A Buyer’s Key

Sequim MLS Hot Links Find Unique Properties


Sequim Guest House + Shop


26 Nov 2016 The Main Home (plus Sequim Guest House)

The Sequim Guest House 

Looking for a Sequim guest house and a shop?


Sequim Storms


21 Nov 2016

Sequim storms are rare, but we have some incredible online tools now to see the exact weather in real time, including the wind and the height of waves at any point you place your mouse on the map. We are in the winter months now, so Sequim storms are more likely for the next couple of months. You’ll love this new site which is the most powerful one I’ve found at Sequim Storms. Sequim Storms on a Map

About a month ago we received a weather warning regarding Sequim storms, and the report stated that the storm could be worse than any storm since 1962. I made sure I had extra water supplies at home as well as food to last in case we had a terrible storm. I used the map above to look at the wind and waves on the Pacific side of the Olympic Peninsula, and also to see what was coming down over Sequim from the Olympic Mountains. I could even measure the height of waves on th Strait just north of the Sequim shoreline. Guess what? The great storm missed Sequim, although it hit all around us, including the Oregon and Washington Pacific shorelines, and even Tacoma and into Canada across the Strait. As I’ve said before, bad Sequim storms are really quite rare.


You can use this weather site above [Sequim Storms] to look at weather patterns, waves, temperatures, and wind anywhere in the world. Don’t you love the technologies available to us on the Internet?


Another Day in Sequim (aka Paradise)


16 Nov 2016 

Another Day in Sequim



Sequim Home Prices Compared to Other Areas


14 Nov 2016

Dublin Georgia Home Prices 

San Francisco Home Prices 

Sequim Home Prices 


What Does President Trump Mean for Real Estate?


9 Nov 2016 President Trump and Housing

President Trump and Economics


Sequim Bluffs and Insurance


8 Nov 2016 

Sequim Bluffs and Earthquakes



Buying a Home Out of Town


5 Nov 2016 Buying a Home Out of Town and Shopping

Buying a Home Out of Town and Price


Election Year Slows Home Buying


26 Oct 2016

This election yearÂ has substantially slowed down home buying in the Sequim area (including Port Angeles and Port Townsend). A presidential election year typicallyÂ hasÂ a brief negative impact on home buying in retirement areas, and Sequim and Port Townsend are major retirement areas for residents from all over the U.S. But this election year in particular has had a huge impact on home buying. Here is what is happening in this small real estate market this election year. Election Year and Home Buying

When weÂ experience major economic effects, like a big slow down in home sales, the causeÂ is rarely one thing. We often find the answer in a combination of contributing factors. Election year is one factor, albeit a major factor, that has caused buyers to postpone their home buying decision in an area like Sequim.

The slowed pace of home sales can be attributed to these factors, and each of them are significant, but combine them, and you have a substantial impact on home sales.

First, this is probably the most tension filled presidential election year in our lifetimes, and it is extremely contentious, and the future of our freedom and the foundation of this nation hinges on the outcome. No matter who you plan to vote for, everyone agrees on the importance of this election year. With so much uncertainty, buyers’ default position is to postpone their home buying plans until after the election, and perhaps after the new year when the dust has settled.

Second, the inventory of homes retirees want in the Sequim area is so low, it is at a crisis level. Buyers are having a hard time finding the home of their dreams, because there are so few in the MLS (multiple listing service). This clearly inhibits home sales.

Third, retirees around the country are worried about our economy and their retirement mutual funds, because there are rumors of rumors of a massive stock market bubble that is about to pop. Who knows whether there is any truth to that, but the concern adds to the uncertainty that people already are feeling.

Fourth, retirees always slow down or postpone their home buying decisions as we approach Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year’s Eve.Â

Election Year Good News

There is good news this election year for home buyers in the Sequim market. You have an advantage if you are coming to look at homes in Sequim between now and the end of the year, because many buyers are staying away. For those who stay away, the home they dreamed of buying will be sold to those who do dare to come to Sequim despite all the uncertainties of life and despite this crazy election year. Wait until spring, and the home you have been watching on the MLS will almost certainly be sold.

The best homes in the best areas are selling now, and there are not very many of them in this current inventory crisis. Use me as a resource to gather information until you come. Email, call, or text. It may be a crazy election year, but I’m still working hard for buyers making their plans to retire in Sequim.


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