Real Estate Directory - Washington

Population: 6,131,445 (2003 figures)
Capital city/population: Olympia 43,963
Largest cities/population:

  • Seattle - 569,101
  • Tacoma - 196,790
  • Spokane - 196,624
  • Vancouver - 151,654

Washington is the 18th largest state, with a total area of 71,302 square miles. The state has two general climate areas: the western portion has a marine climate, with cool summers and mild winters. Warm, moist air from the Pacific Ocean keeps temperatures even, providing heavy rainfall, with an average of 140” annually. The eastern portion has a continental climate, with hot summers an cold winters. Only about 10” of precipitation fall annually. Washington was admitted into the Union on November 11, 1889. It produces more apples than any other state, and has more glaciers than the other 47 contiguous states combined.

HOUSING

Seattle – This city is in the middle of a sellers market, with demand exceeding inventory. Median home sale price for late 2005 was $395,275. The condominium market is very busy, as people seek downtown homes. Seattle offers fantastic views, with mountainous surroundings and bodies of water. The entertainment and dining rival any major city and the strong economy is appealing to those seeking a change.

Tacoma – Homes are available in a wide range of prices, with the most popular range from $150,000 - $240,000. New construction ranges from $240,000 - $1,000,000. Agents report that prices have increased in the past three years, but remain affordable compared to larger Seattle’s prices. Older craftsman-style homes are in demand, as buyers remodel them in current styles.

Spokane – Single-family homes are ahead by 6.1% compared to 2005 rates, with an average price of $169,602. New home sales are up 22% over last year. Spokane has beautiful rivers and lakes, and a great variety of outdoor activities. Sporting events, concerts, museums, and festivals round out this great town.

Vancouver – Inventory of single-family homes is increasing, with new listings up almost 35% since December 2004. Average sales price is $291,200, with an average of 49 days on the market. Vancouver is home to high-tech manufacturers such as Hewlett-Packard and Wafer Tech, and a starting point to access the Columbia Gorge, the Mount St. Helens Visitor’s Center, and other outdoor pursuits. A beautiful place to live!

BUSINESS/ECONOMY

Principal industries include forestry, aerospace, manufacturing, and agriculture. Manufactured goods include aircraft, pulp/paper, lumber/plywood, aluminum, processed fruits/vegetables, machinery, electronics, and computer software. Crops include apples, potatoes, hay, and farm forest products. Total gross state product for 2003 was $244 billion, with a per capita income for that year of $33,332.

SCHOOLS

The State Board of Education adopted new rules for accreditation of schools. Beginning with the 2003-04 school year, districts were required to assure that each school in the district had a School Improvement Plan (SIP) in place. The SIP must promote student learning, be based on the characteristics of effective schools, and be reviewed annually. Once these improvements are in place, schools may apply for voluntary accreditation, with a term lasting for six years, with progress reports after the third year. In the public sector, student-teacher ratio for 1994 was 20:2, with an average teachers’ salary for 1995 of $38,025.

Large institutions of higher learning are the University of Washington - Seattle, and Washington State University - Pullman. State universities are at Bellingham, Ellensburg, and Cheney; Evergreen State College is at Olympia. Other schools are Seattle University, the University of Puget Sound - Tacoma; Gonzaga University – Spokane, Pacific Lutheran University –Tacoma, Seattle Pacific University, Walla Walla College –College Place, Whitworth College – Spokane and Whitman College - Walla Walla.

HISTORY

The Lewis and Clark expedition reached the area in 1805, and Astoria, John Jacob Astor’s settlement, helped expose the region to settlement. Fort Vancouver was established to shelter traders and missionaries who settled in the area. Other missions served Native Americans as well as travelers along the Oregon Trail.
Lumber and fishing industries developed to satisfy demands, and new towns, including Seattle, were founded. Native Americans were persuaded to settle much of their land and head for reservations; treaties with tribes were arranged, but the inland tribes revolted.

Gold was discovered in Washington in 1852, and in 1860, gold found in the Walla Walla area brought a rush of prospectors. Other settlers arrived in the 1880s, when railroad transport was completed. Later discoveries of gold in Alaska allowed Seattle, a departure point for the Klondike, to become a boomtown.

After World War I, a strike in the lumber industry crippled the state’s economy. A confrontation between labor and management went unresolved until almost 1930, when the New Deal programs emerged. World War II brought about an important contract from the aircraft industry in Seattle. After the war, naval shipyards, nuclear plants, and aircraft industries thrived due to military spending. High technology companies and industrial and residential growth have continued to spur the economy.

RELIGION (2003)

  • Christian – 71%
    • Protestant – 45%
      • Baptist – 7%
      • Lutheran – 7%
      • Methodist – 4%
      • Presbyterian – 3%
      • Other Protestant or general Protestant – 24%
    • Roman Catholic – 22%
    • Mormon – 5%
    • Other Christian – 1%
  • Other Religions – 2%
  • Non-Religious – 27%

DEMOGRAPHICS (2003)

  • White - 78.9%
  • Hispanic - 7.5%
  • Asian - 5.5%
  • Mixed race - 3.6%
  • Black - 3.2%
  • Native American - 1.6%