Fire Fighting Helicopters at Lake Tapps
Today there was a fire on Highway 410 between Sumner and Bonney Lake. The terrain where the fire was burning is so steep that two fire fighting helicopters were called in to help.
I did not know anything about a fire burning until it sounded like a helicopter was landing in the yard across the street. Turns out that the helicopter and another were scooping up lake water from the cove behind me. Locals call that cove “the old party cove” and it is over by the boat store.
I grabbed my camera, hopped on my bicycle and followed the helicopters over to another refilling spot next to the bridge on Sumner-Tapps Highway. It was quite a spectacular sight and many others stopped to watch. This is the footage that I got. It is a little rough but still fun to share.
The Temperature of Lake Tapps July 12th
Many times when I look at the search criteria in the statistics for this site, there is someone wanting to know the water temperature of Lake Tapps. My neighbor has a pool thermometer hanging off of the dock in the first 6 inches of water, so today I went and looked. The water temperature read 70 degrees- nice! That is even with the weather being quite a bit cooler than yesterday’s upper 80′s.
In another type of lake temperature, last weekend was the 4th of July. Independence Day usually happens to be one big party on the lake. This year was no exception. There was a lot going on in my cove so I decided at the last minute to experiment with shooting some video footage with a borrowed camera. The camera has a telephoto zoom lens. Here’s some fun, test footage that I shot and then edited.
The Twenty on the Twentieth Report – June 2009
I am happy to report that the general real estate market has seen quite an increase in homes sales that are below the median price. Home buyers are jumping on historically low interest rates before those rates go up again and new home buyers are taking advantage of the $8,000 tax credit before it expires.
And now back to Lake Tapps. Drum roll please …………………..
TEN CLOSINGS TO REPORT ON LAKE TAPPS THIS MONTH!!!
Remember last month when we had 15 pending sales? Well, ten waterfront homes actually closed. This is a very good percentage because in this market, many deals fail for different reasons. In fact, I know of one pending deal that failed to close with an extremely well financed buyer. I feel sorry for the two agents who worked so hard for months to then have the deal fail at the last moment. Better luck next time you two!
Here are the current Lake Tapps waterfront statistics:
Active: Under 1 Million Dollars = 53 Over 1 Million Dollars = 21
Lowest price = $359,800 Highest Price = $2,450,000
Pending = 14 ( all under 1 Million Dollars)
Sold = 10 5/19/09 $670,000 2702 202nd Ave Ct E
5/21/09 $800,000 21123 Church Lake Dr E
5/28/09 $415,000 20914 Church Lake Dr E
6/02/09 $542,500 2925 196th Ave Ct E
6/02/09 $424,000 6610 Vandermark Rd E
6/04/09 $715,000 1411 Tacoma Pt E
6/10/09 $405,000 3007 196th Ave Ct E
6/10/09 $540,000 4410 185th Ave E
6/16/09 $545,000 6116 207th Ave E
6/20/09 $570,000 4605 N Island Dr E
Interested in buying a home? Contact me any time.
Sincerely, Karen Wallace, John L Scott Real Estate (206)910-8807 karenwa@johnlscott.com
The Twenty on the Twentieth Report – May 2009
Two exciting things to share this month in regards to Lake Tapps waterfront. The first thing is that there are actually two homes currently priced in the $300k range = crazy! The second thing is that there are really 15 pending sales right now so it will be interesting to see what actually closes by next month’s report.
Here are the current waterfront real estate statistics for Lake Tapps:
Active: Under $1 Million = 61 Over $1 Million = 20
Lowest Price = $372,000 Highest Price = $2,650,000
Pending: 15 all under $1 Million
Sold: 1 05/08/09 3808 214th E $1.1 Million
If you have any questions or would like to start your home search, please email me at karenwa@johnlscott.com or call me at (206) 910-8807 .
Sincerely, Karen Wallace, John L Scott Real Estate
The Twenty on the Twentieth Report – April 2009
As I was counting the number of active waterfront properties available this month at Lake Tapps, I noticed a couple of interesting things. There are actually 8 waterfront homes available in the $400k’s and 9 are available in the $500k’s up through $600k. If you are wanting to live on waterfront in time for the Summer, remember it usually takes a minimum of 30 to 45 days to close a real estate transaction. Now is the perfect time especially with the super deals on interest rates!!
Here are the curent waterfront statistics for Lake Tapps:
Active: Under $1 Milllion = 51 Over $1 Million = 16
Lowest Price = $435,000 Highest Price = $2,700,000
Pending (under contract): Under $1 Mill = 10 Over $1 Mill = 1
Solds: 2 03/27/09 $2,000,000 21028 Snag Island Dr E
04/18/09 $499,950 18418 17th St E
Call me if you have any questions or would like to view properties in person (206) 910-8807.
Sincerely, Karen Wallace, John L Scott Real Estate
Triathlon Coming to Lake Tapps in September 2009
Mark your calendar for September 5, 2009. It is the date that the Bonney Lake Chamber of Commerce will be hosting the Bonney Lake “Labor of Love Triathlon” out of Allan Yorke Park. 
Triathletes will have the option of participating in Sprint or Olympic distances. Sprinters will swim about a half mile, bike 12.4 miles, and run 3.1 miles. Olympic triathletes will double that. The course includes swimming in the glacier fed lake, biking on the beautiful plateau farmlands with views of Mount Rainier, and running along the scenic shores of the lake.
If you have never competed in a triathlon, I recommend it. I did one a couple of years ago, and even though it hurts, it is one of the most positive competition events around. There are lots of great people helping out and they even cheer you on no matter how slow you go. There is a clock keeping time but it is really you against you. Once you participate in one triathlon, you feel compelled to do another because finishing is such a great accomplishment.
The race is being run by BuDu Racing. They have been running triathlons for some time and do an awesome job. You can get more information by clicking on their name or by going to their website: www.buduracing.com
Hope to see you there!
Karen Wallace, John L Scott Real Estate, karenwa@johnlscott.com (206)910-8807
The Twenty on the Twentieth Report – March 2009
We are starting to see a little more action in terms of sales at the lake so hopefully it continues into the summer season. I think people are starting to figure out that homes at Lake Tapps are great bargains and it is only a matter of time before the market starts to turn for the better. The house prices are exceptionally low for waterfront close to Seattle and we all know that smart investors buy “low” and sell “high”. This is definitely the “low” and with the incredible deals on interest rates, one who dreams to live on the water should get in now before it is too late again.
Here are the residential waterfront real estate statistics for the last month at Lake Tapps:
Active Listings: Under 1 Million$$ = 51 Over 1 Million$$ = 19
Lowest Price = $439,000 Highest Price = $2,800,000
Pending Listings: Under 1 Million$$ = 5 Over 1 Million $$ = none
Solds: 5 02/19/09 $800,000 4731 Lakeridge Dr E
03/04/09 $735,000 18118 17th St E
03/05/09 $495,000 20902 Church Lake Dr E
03/05/09 $900,000 20916 Snag Island Dr E
03/12/09 $969,000 5202 218th Ave E
For any other information please contact Karen Wallace with John L Scott Real Estate (206)910-8807.
New Home Buyer Tax Credit Update
The government has now increased the new home buyer tax credit for up to $8,000! Get more details by clicking this link: http://www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com/
The Twenty on the Twentieth Report – February 2009
Here are the current real estate statistics from the past month for Lake Tapps waterfront homes.
Active Listings: under $1 Million = 47 over $1 Million = 24
Pending or Under Contract = 12
Lowest Active Price = $450,000 Highest Active Price = $2,800,000
Solds = 1 01/26/09 1301 182nd Ave E $407,000
If you need any assistance buying property or have questions, please contact Karen Wallace with John L Scott Real Estate (206)910-8807.
The Twenty on the Twentieth Report – January 2009
Inauguration day 2009. What a historic day. We can all hope and work towards the best for our nation and the world!
At Lake Tapps, buyers have gotten more active. I have had more showings than last year on my lake listing and contracts are starting to get written again. One neighboring new construction site had 5 deals last week. The number of active listings on the lake is down from where it was, but I assume the reason is from cancelled’s and expired’s not being re-listed for whatever reason.
Here are the latest Lake Tapps waterfront numbers:
Active Listings: Under 1 Million dollars = 44 Over 1 Million dollars = 23
Pending Listings: 9 (all under 1 million dollars)
Lowest Price: $474,500 Highest Price: $2,999,000
Solds: 3 12/15/08 3007 196th Ave Ct E $560,000
12/23/08 3324 Deer Island Dr E $490,000
01/08/09 3604 214th Ave E $1,975,000
If you have any questions or are interested in buying at Lake Tapps, please call or email me.
Thanks, Karen Wallace, John L Scott Real Estate, (206)910-8807 karenwa@johnlscott.com
A Few Tips To Help Your House Sell In This Market
It is easy to become overwhelmed when you need to sell your house in a current market like ours. The good news is that houses are still selling! Just know that it will take a little longer. Here are some things to keep in mind:
1. Be realistic about your asking price. If you start even a tiny bit too high, you will most likely end up chasing the market down and end up getting less than you would have at a correct starting price.
2. Know that there are agents out there who will say you can get a higher price for your house in order to get your business. They will probably ask you to lower the price a couple weeks later or may be using your house to get sign calls.
3. Really study the comparable home “solds” and don’t get fooled by “active” homes that are still listed. You are not on the market to hang out with other “actives”, but to get your house sold and get on with your life.
4. If your home does not have the upgrades, really focus on getting it super clean and smelling great. Clean the carpets and don’t let anyone smoke in or near it. Think of yourself as a young mother – do you want your baby crawling around in your house? Remember to clean the windows and dust the window sills.
5. There is a huge difference between living in your house and selling your house. Get all the clutter picked up, boxed up, and out of sight. Don’t worry about throwing things out if you are a collector. The first goal is to get your house sold. You will have plenty of time to sort and throw things out later.
6. View your house from the street. Does it have street appeal? If not, maybe do a little clean up and add a little decorative touch with some cute, inexpensive plants or flowers.
7. Although you can try to sell your house “as is”, the truth is that buyers and appraisers can get very nit-picky. If you are able to do some simple repairs or paint where needed, then please do. If you have not had your furnace cleaned and serviced recently, just know that a buyer’s inspector will be looking for that little service sticker.
8. Choose a competent agent who will work hard for you, will be very accessible, and who you want to be part of your family for a few months. Getting a buyer is only part of the selling process. Once the offer is accepted, your real estate agent also needs to know the contract well, stay on top of all the time frames and be communicating well with many different parties to get your home sold with less complications and on-time. Smooth talkers don’t always walk their talk.
Any questions? Karen Wallace of John L Scott Real Estate can be reached at (206) 910-8807. She works in and around Seattle and its suburbs from Edmunds to Enumclaw.
The Twenty on the Twentieth Report – December 2008
Active Listings: Under 1 million dollars = 47 Over 1 million dollars = 28
Pending Listings: Under 1 million dollars = 5 Over 1 million dollars = 1
Lowest Price = $474,500 Highest Price = $2,875,000
Solds = 2 11/21/2008 2925 196th Ave Ct E $635,000
12/02/2008 4410 185th E $569,018
Hope everyone has a great holiday season and a happy New Year!
Sincerely, Karen Wallace karenwa@johnlscott.com 206.910.8807
