2012: Ft. Lewis Real WA Relocation Packet
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Relocation Dept.
Visit our Relocation Dept. to get personalized info & help in moving to Fort Lewis-McChord and surrounding areas. Get your personalized relocation packet and contact your personal Relocation Sponsor, Gina McKune. Click the button below to go!
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Joint Base Lewis McChord Real Estate on Facebook
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Fort Lewis Wa Real Estate Resources
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Fort Lewis WA Real Estate
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Fort Lewis Washington Real Estate Presented by Real Estate Agent and Broker Phil Sharp…Ft. Lewis-McChord AFB WA PCS, Relocation and Housing Information
Offering Real Estate representation in the areas surrounding Ft. Lewis & McChord AFB; Including homes for sale in Dupont, Olympia, Lacey, Yelm, Roy, Spanaway, Tacoma, Puyallup, Graham and other outlying areas...
Will you be PCS’ing to Fort Lewis or McChord AFB (Joint Base Lewis-McChord) in the near future? I offer my services, and those of my team, to members of the armed forces in the Lewis-McChord area, and have done so since my retirement from Fort Lewis in 2004. My business is built around the needs and requirements of military members PCS’ing to Ft. Lewis and McChord AFB, and we always put soldiers and Airmen first. My staff and I have experienced many, many PCS moves, and our goal is to educate you on the Ft Lewis area and home buying process, expose you to all of the homes in the area that meet your needs, and get you into a home as quickly and painlessly as possible.
My name is Phil Sharp, and I am a Real Estate Agent and Broker in the Fort Lewis and McChord AFB (JBLM) area in western Washington. My service area essentially includes the perimeter of the base (Joint Base Lewis-McChord), in Pierce and Thurston County WA. 
In addition to bringing the Army Values with me to the private sector, I also operate with a clear plan for each of my clients. The plan is based upon my experiences during many PCS moves, and recognition of the fact that time is of the essence. Whether you are TDY for house hunting, or trying to get settled prior to a deployment or school, you expect the undivided attention of your agent while looking for and closing on your home, and I assure you that you will get that attention from me.
When the time comes to get serious about talking with an agent, Please give me a call. In the meantime, be sure to make use of the resources I offer both on the web and thru my staff:
Sincerely,
Phil Sharp
Value, thru Continued Service
Please click the map below to search all Fort Lewis area Listings.
Today's real estate market is a buyers market, but in the case of attractive well priced homes, it can also be considered an "aggressive" sellers market. While over priced homes, distressed homes, and homes in need of repair may sit on the market for months; homes that are appealing to buyers because of price, location, or any number of other reasons, are selling fairly rapidly.
If you own real estate that you're thinking of selling, I would be happy to provide you with a FREE Home Evaluation.
 Free Home Warranty With Every Home We Sell!! Added Value, Added Service! Continued service, after the sale.
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Fort Lewis WA Real Estate Frequently Asked Questions
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Q: What are the most popular areas off post for home buyers moving to Ft. Lewis WA?
A: I have found that the top three areas to purchase a home in the Fort Lewis area are Lacey (Hawks Prairie especially), Yelm & Roy, and Spanaway/Graham. Each has it’s own pro’s and con’s.
Q: What is the average home price in the Ft Lewis area?
A: Prices are a little higher to the south and east of post. The average home price in north Thurston County is about $220, 000, which includes Lacey, Olympia and Yelm, The average in southern Pierce County is about $200,000 (Spanaway, Graham, Lakewood….Dupont is an exception).
Q: What is your opinion of home prices in Dupont WA?
A: Dupont is a great community just outside of the gate, also very convenient to the freeway. Location is important, and is what has held up property values in Dupont…but I am concerned about the large number of listings that turn into rentals….homes that wouldn’t sell.
Q: How far is the commute to Yelm Wa?
A: There are a couple of routes to reach Yelm, from the north thru Roy, or from the south via the Nisqually Valley. A large percentage of recent home construction in Yelm has been on the south end of town, so the southern route is more common. Depending on time of day, the commute is 20-30 minutes.
Q: And the commute to Lacey?
A: The closet part of Lacey to Ft. Lewis is called Hawks Prairie. I lived in Hawks Prairie prior to retirement, and was 15 minutes to the post headquarters. The max drive anywhere in Lacey is about 30 minutes.
Q: How do I get started searching for homes for sale?
A: Stephanie is our listings coordinator. She is available full time to manually search for homes for sale in the Fort Lewis area. Stephanie knows the MLS like the back of her hand, and is familiar with every listing in the Ft Lewis area. She will work with you for up to 6 months prior to your house hunting trip to ensure that we have listings and a good plan in place before you get here.
Q: Can you help me get qualified for a VA loan…what do I need to do?
A: The pre-qualification process is easy and can be done over the phone. While I am not a VA lender, I have worked with one since I PCS’d to Ft Lewis. She is very well known in the area, and is a lender..not a broker. Visit our Fort Lewis buyers page for more information.
Q: Can you explain the entire process of buying a home at Ft Lewis…or point me to someone who can?
A: I wrote a document called the “Home Buying Process From Start to Finish” and published it on my website a couple of years ago…then I saw my work on a competitors website…if you would like a copy you can download it here for free.
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Your PCS to Ft. Lewis Washington....I Have a Plan
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Are you considering buying a home when you arrive at Ft. Lewis? The Ft. Lewis housing market, either for rent or ownership, has remained strong during the economic downturn, as has the most of the western Washington market. In order to make you more competitive as a buyer, I like to start the home search and prep process several months before your move, so that you will be thoroughly familiarized with the local housing market and area.
Fort Lewis creates it’s own “micro economy” within about 30 minutes of post, and adds significantly to the demand for housing in the area. Soldiers stationed at Ft. Lewis compete with government employees working at the State Capital in Olympia, and competition for housing also comes from Boeing employees to the North in Graham and Tacoma. Additional demand for housing is being created by the large number of companies relocating their distribution hubs from CA to Washington; Target, Home Depot, and Costco to name a few.
If you are moving to Ft. Lewis, and you are considering purchasing a home, you will find that I offer a plan that is designed to fit the needs and time-lines of soldiers and families PCS’ing to Ft. Lewis. I have a staff of three assistants with the mission of assisting you and your spouse learn about the Fort Lewis area, schools, commutes and other information:
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Ft. Lewis area Real Estate Listings...we do this manually
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Relocation Packets with information about Ft Lewis and the surrounding area by US Mail
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Relocation Sponsor to help prepare for your PCS to Ft. Lewis; communities, schools info, commutes...
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Maps of the Fort Lewis WA area including gate locations
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Ft. Lewis BAH Rates and housing info
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Ft. Lewis area Real Estate Market Reports and Newsletters
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VA loan qualification assistance
Call or fill out one of my online forms if you are PCS’ing to Ft. Lewis, I promise you a clear plan, and a commitment to finding you a home in the most efficient and effective way possible. The real estate team that I have assembled is regularly recognized for their attention to detail...attention that always results in informed negotiations and fast closings.
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Fort Lewis and McChord AFB (JBLM) Communities and Living
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Fort Lewis Washington, renamed Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM) in January of 2010, is the most highly requested duty station throughout the US Army. Fort Lewis offers a large range of assignments, for all career fields and pay grades. JBLM is also expected to become the largest military installation, by population, in the US within the near future. If you are relocating to Ft. Lewis, WA (The name has stuck, JBLM has become an equal, but alternative name for the base). The terms base and post are also both commonly used (however, base is a term not familiar to Army folks until recently). Regardless of what you call it, JBLM is the most requested assignment for a reason. The list of things to do within driving distance is longer than my arm, and it is diverse to the extent that you can surf within a 3 hour drive from the ski slopes (but the water is cold). The housing situation at Ft. Lewis, both on and off post, offers something for every lifestyle. If you are into the big city, either modern or old craftsman, you will find it in Tacoma and suburbs. If you are looking for a more rural setting, horse farms, and small town character, Roy and Yelm are great communities located just out the back gate. Yelm and Roy are separated from the freeway (I-5) by Fort Lewis and McChord, which makes them specially located for people who work on post. Both are growing very fast, and are distinctly different from the larger cities north and south of base. South of Post on I-5 are the communities of Lacey, Olympia and Tumwater. Lacey is the most popular destination for military families living off post. Prices are reasonable, and the commute to all of the gates on I-5 can be made in 15-30 minutes. The furthest destinations in Olympia and Tumwater can take 45 minutes depending on traffic. When looking for homes for sale, remember that mailing addresses can be deceiving. There are Olympia mailing addresses to the north of Lacey that are actually closer to post. About the closest commute you can get to Ft. Lewis main post is either Dupont or Lakewood. Both are nice communities, with Dupont being predominately newer. If you are looking for a home in Lakewood, make sure you are working with someone who knows the various neighborhoods. If you are interested in Dupont, it doesn’t get much more convenient, but it does get a bit more expensive. There are a large number of homes in construction and homes for sale in Dupont. Kind of like Mt. Rainier, which creates its own weather patterns, Ft. Lewis and JBLM creates it’s own economy and real estate market. The real estate market around base has remained relatively strong throughout the economic downturn. Home values have declined over the past couple of years, but not nearly as much as in other parts of the country…or other parts of Washington for that matter. In addition to Joint Base Lewis McChord, the local economy also gets a big boost from the Capital of Washington (Olympia), and commercial activities related to the Ports of Tacoma and Seattle. In light of the strong economy, growing population, and stability of JBLM and the State Government, the long term prospects for home buyers in the Ft. Lewis area are very, very good. In fact, I believe that the opportunity for service members who are able to obtain low interest, zero down payment VA loans, coupled with depressed home prices, is better than I have ever seen. It won’t last forever, but if you happen to be on orders to Fort Lewis or McChord AFB, your timing for being a home buyer couldn’t be better. |
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