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Olympia, WA Real Estate and Homes for Sale
JBLM Real Estate Broker Phil Sharp, 1SG Ret.

The Olympia Washington area is becoming one of the best places in the country to invest in real estate…It is a really nice smaller city, within reach of just about everything you could hope for. I will explain. The most popular word in real estate is "Location." Olympia’s location is hard to beat, almost equidistant between Seattle and Portland. At the junction of Hwy 101 and I-5.

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At the leading edge of southward growth from Seattle. The population is expected to continue to grow for the foreseeable future, with over 130,000 people relocating to western WA in the last year.

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Olympia is the home of the State Capital, which is spilling over into Tumwater and Lacey. The state government adds more to the local population than JBLM, which is the home to between 44-50,000 assigned soldiers and airmen. Every year for the past 10, the state has added jobs in the Olympia area, and is expected to continue. The impact on the housing and real estate markets has been significant. Olympia’s consistent growth has come thru a steady stream of jobs, resulting in a steady stream of new residents.


The other big economic driver in the Olympia area, the port, has had a huge impact on the local real estate market, and home sales. The port of Olympia, and more significantly the Lacey Industrial Park, are replacing other ports on the west coast. With development ongoing, and several million square feet of warehouse space under construction, Thurston county, and Olympia/Lacey specifically, is rapidly becoming the shipping and distribution center for the Northwest. Current inventory distribution centers include Target, Kohls, Home Depot, Medline, and many others. Jobs, jobs, and more jobs. I mentioned being close to everything you could hope for. My wife Gayle and I have been here for almost 20 years, and we are finding new things to do all the time. (Get one of our relo packets, lots of recreation material). From Olympia, it is about an hour to the coast, with tourist and fishing towns. An hour in the other direction puts you in the mountains. Good skiing within 2 hours, great skiing is 3 hours. Mt Rainier is an hour, and St Helens is about the same. Seattle…an hour north, Portland…1 ½ hours south. There is so much more…MWR rec facilities, white water rafting….get a relo packet!


If you are coming to JBLM, I recommend a hard comparison of areas (and real estate) to the north, as well as south, of post. South is more rural, smaller towns, less crime, etc. Tacoma a suburbs equals big city and what goes with that. Don’t get me wrong, the Olympia/Lacey/Tumwater complex has over 100K population, so it has all services, just not the congestion and “density” of Tacoma and Suburbs.

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Real estate and home sales in Olympia (and all areas within 30 min of JBLM) is what I do. I pretty much exclusively work with the soldiers and airmen of JBLM, prior service and retirees . The services that I offer are not typical of most realtors, because of the nature of military relocations. I employ several local residents, not real estate agents, who support me…and you in your search for a home. Our Relocation Sponsor Heather Rowell assists (often works with spouses) regarding employment, schools, area knowledge, and activities. She also spends a portion of her day (again, often working with spouses) searching for homes in good neighborhoods. She knows the real estate market better than most realtors, will learn what you like and don’t like, and has a personality…unlike an auto-spam listing generator.


Please call or email if there is more we can do to help with your house hunt. I am available with advice on anything from VA loans  to military clauses…360-970-9977, phil@philsharphomes.com.

Homes for Sale in Olympia, WA
Homes for Sale in Olympia

Olympia, Washington Area FAQs

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Q: What is the commute time from JBLM to Olympia?

  • A: It really depends on where you are in Olympia. It can be anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. From the Westside (where most of the shopping is) it is about a 30 minute drive. From downtown Olympia is about 20 minutes and the east side is 15 minutes.  

 

Q: What is the population of Olympia?

  • A: According Census.gov, the estimated population in 2019 was 52,882.

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Q: What is the difference between Lacey and Olympia? Are they the same town?

  • A: They are not the same town but sometimes it sure seems like it. When you are driving around the area you can’t really tell when you have left one and arrived in the other. Olympia is located a little more west than Lacey.

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Q: Are there employment opportunities in Olympia?

  • A: There are many job opportunities in Olympia. The top employer is the State of Washington, 2nd is the local government and 3rd is Providence St. Peter Hospital.

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Q: How much new construction is available?

  • A: There is a lot of new construction available in Olympia.

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Q: It seems like a small town, is there anything to do?

  • A:Olympia is a small town with lots of character. If you travel to the west side of Olympia you will find all the major shopping at the Westfield Mall and restaurants. If you stay in downtown there are all the local shops and the farmer’s market, which is awesome! For children, you must visit the Hands on Children’s Museum, they will have a blast! We also have some great restaurants with views of Budd Bay. Every year for the past 50 years Lakefair comes to town. It is a local fair that is in the month of July.  

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Q: What are the parks like?

  • A: The parks in Olympia are great. Some of my favorite are Priest Point Park, Burfoot Park and Yauger Park.

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Q: What about schools?

Olympia Homes for Sale and Relocation Info

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Real Estate and Homes for Sale in Olympia, Washington: Real Estate Representation with Real Estate Broker Phil Sharp Are you expecting to be involved in the Olympia Real Estate market in the near future?  In this uncertain market, choosing the right real estate representation is more important than ever.  My name is Phil Sharp, I retired from the Army at Fort Lewis (JBLM), and since my retirement have made a living as a Realtor and Owner of a real estate brokerage located in Olympia Washington.   In choosing a Realtor to represent you, either when buying or selling a home, skill and resources are the most important parts of the equation. 

I offer a plan with clear path to put experienced and first time home buyers and sellers together using aggressive market exposure, consistent communication and my experience as an “in demand” real estate agent. My goal is to provide the best resources available to assist you in finding homes for sale in Olympia and the Fort Lewis-McChord AFB area. Use our real estate home search tools to search for real estate listings, visit the buyer and seller toolboxes to learn more about buying or selling a home, or request a Market Snapshot made up of real time MLS sales and market data.

Buying a home or relocating to Olympia Washington?

Whether you are relocating to the Olympia area, or are a lifelong resident…First time home buyer, or experienced investor, We have the  experience to fulfill your needs.  The following resources are at your disposal in the belief that the right tools and education always result in a better experience.  Make sure to visit the Buyers Page for first hand accounts and personal experiences of myself and our past customers.

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Feedback from my customers:

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"Phil: your knowledge and expertise in the housing market, coupled with your relaxed attitude, helped lead us to the right home in the right neighborhood. We appreciate your knowledge and dedication, and hope to work with you in the future. The Cohen family Phil- Thanks for all of your help with our son and daughter in laws' move to Fort Lewis. Your insight on military families and their concerns, coupled with your obvious skill as a realtor made this relocation a joy." -Guy Mossman Olympia, WA

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"Thank you so much for your patience with us. Since we are relocating to our (hopefully) last home, we were a little picky. What we appreciated the most was that you didn't push us to buy a home that didn't fit what we wanted 100%. Best of luck to you." -Carrol Stokes Yelm, Wa

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"Phil- Thanks for all of your help, and please stay in touch. We are very interested in getting your advice about remodeling...and we love the house. Top, Thanks for your professionalism, Our move to Fort Lewis was one of the smoothest ever, and I attribute a large part of that to you." -The Roberts family

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"Thank you so much for all of your efforts in getting our home sold. It was a great experience, and we felt like you really had control at all times. You were right on with the price too:)" -Michelle Palmer

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"Phil- I wish I had known an experienced investor like you when I started in real estate. I have been doing this for almost 20 years and I still learn something from you every time we talk...whether I want to or not. A great mentor is that way. Best of luck and lets stay in touch." -John

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"Phil, We really appreciate your help, and we love your approach. The "Favorites" function on your website is a great idea, and saved us all lots of time. I am really used to taking a day or two just getting on the same wavelength as the agent. This way of doing business allows us to shop for our house, and allows you to do your job as "Realtor" and not "salesman". This was our 5th Army move, and was definitely the one with the highest "comfort" level." ---Mark Rueda

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"Phil You have been a great help and a fantastic agent. Your knowledge of the real estate business and all that goes along with it is really great. If it hadn't been for your knowledge of the home building and permitting process we would have been living in the camper for six years instead of six months. Thanks again, stay in touch, lets get together and burn some meat." -Garry Pierson

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