This week, around Thurston County.

Rates went up again: 7.40%, compared with 7.28% last Thursday. On a new $400,000 loan over 30 years, that’s about $2,770 a month in principal and interest, versus $2,737 last week. Roughly $33 more a month. Taxes, insurance and other costs come on top of that.

Nobody wants their payment moving in the wrong direction. But the headline rate still doesn’t tell you everything about a particular house—or your particular loan.

A different purchase price, seller credit or financing option can open up avenues for savings. Whether those options help depends on the actual deal. Send me a home you’re watching and let’s look at the whole picture with your lender before deciding it’s out of reach.

See today’s Freddie Mac update →

Tumwater Hill is one of those places where you can feel tucked away without being far from much. Wooded streets, homes from different decades, and—at the right address—a view north toward Capitol Lake, downtown Olympia and Budd Inlet. The key words there are the right address. Every home on the hill gets its own version of the neighborhood.

If you’re curious, make a little loop of it: drive Barnes Boulevard and 2nd Avenue, stop at Tumwater Hill Park, and try the route you’d actually use to get to work. Being close on a map and liking the drive are two different things.

What would I pay attention to? The driveway grade, drainage, retaining walls and how much winter sun the house gets. A beautiful hillside setting is worth enjoying. It’s also worth understanding how the property handles the rain.

If central access and a wooded setting are on your wish list, put this one on your list to explore. Take a look at my Tumwater Hill guide →

Have an opinion about playgrounds? Olympia has six designs up for a vote at Decatur Woods Park, 1015 Decatur Street SW. The poll closes October 18; installation is expected in summer 2027. You’ll need to sign in to vote. Take a look at the choices.

Before replacing your heating system: The county announced an October phase of Energize Thurston for new applicants below 120% of county area median income. Qualifying households may receive help with 80–100% of equipment and installation costs; funding is limited. I’d confirm current openings and eligibility with the program before signing an installation contract. Start with the county’s announcement.

For October 10–11: Olympia Farmers Market is open Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., at 700 Capitol Way N. If you’re out comparing neighborhoods, it makes a good break between tours. House hunting goes better when nobody is hungry. Plan your market stop.

You know that feeling when you order the wrong thing online? Now imagine doing that with a house.

Cal Hunter and Claire Segeren planned to buy an apartment in Glasgow. But at the auction, Cal mixed up the lot numbers. What they ended up buying was a derelict property in Dunoon, about 35 miles away, for £10,000.

That is a pretty significant difference between “we bought a place” and “we bought the place.” I can only imagine that phone call.

And this wasn’t a paint-and-new-carpet situation. The building needed major structural work and a new roof. Rather than walk away from the whole idea, they took it on, living in a caravan on the grounds while they worked. In July 2023, after four years of renovation, they finally got permission to move in.

Their project name? What Have We Dunoon? At least they kept their sense of humor.

I’m glad this one has a happy ending. My preferred approach is still to make sure we’re buying the house you actually wanted. Preferably in the right town, too.

See the before-and-after and read their story →
From the archives · ITV News, July 14, 2023