Water view lots in Sequim and Port Angeles are plentiful. Since we are on the Olympic Peninsula, we are, of course, surrounded by water. We have views of the John Wayne Marina, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the International waters looking toward beautiful Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. To our immediate south we have the stunning backdrop of the Olympic Mountains.
So does that mean you can easily find a gorgeous lot to build your retirement home and have a stunning water view? First, it’s not easy to find the ideal lot for your home. There are many lots, but some of them require a four wheel drive to reach, and that simply is not for everyone. Second, price is a factor. The greater the water view, the greater the price. That probably doesn’t surprise you. Here’s what a recent client of mine from California learned as he scoured the Internet prior to arriving and as he and I walked lots.
There are many lots with great water views, but few that were ideal for him and his wife. The first lots we looked at were high in elevation, so they did have great views, but the roads to them and the driveways to the building sites were extremely steep, far too steep for his wife who might drive to the grocery store herself on one of those rare days when we have lots of snow.
The next lots we looked at are in a well known development with great water views, but the lots are small, the prices big, and many of the lots had tons of fill, which means the excavation costs and additional concrete support will substantially increase the cost of building a home.
We did find two lots adacent to each other that were within the ball park on price, under $100,000, but the water view is very slim. These lots also had a valley and mountain view, so they are great lots, but the water view is minimal.
Stepping up to $200,000, we suddenly open up another level of water views, substantially better in fact. But this raises the price of lot and building by a hundred thousand dollars, not something everyone will be able or willing to do.
On the lowest end of lot prices, we do find lots under $60,000, but these are small lots without water views, and often with other less favorable features, such as a less attractive location or close to Highway 101 and the traffic noise.
The challenge if you are doing a search on the Internet from out of state is that many agents don’t provide lots of excellent photos of lots, and even if you do have photos of a water view, photos can’t possibly do justice to the view, so you can’t really see what it would really be like.
To search for lots in Sequim or Port Angeles, here’s a great site:
Search Sequim MLS and Port Angeles MLS for Lots
Possibly Related Posts:
- No Building Permit Spells Trouble
- How to Find a Sequim Home
- The Three Best Sequim MLS Sites
- Why I Do Not Recommend Open Houses
- Why National MLS Sites Can Mislead You
Google+
You mention the challenge of out-of-state Internet searches due to lack of quality photos. I still fail to understand why online realtors don’t embrace the digital age and post 360 degree panoramic video views from one or several points on the property. It’s still not as great as looking in-person but it seems like the next logical step in previewing outdoor property.