Carly's Gig Harbor Newsletter
The October 2026 Issue
Gig Harbor hasn't had this many homes for sale since 2019.
September's numbers, a two-week bridge squeeze, and the ZooLights ticket date you'll want.
From Carly
September was a big one at our house. Summer vacations wrapped up, and for the first time, both kids are in school full time.
Our weekends now mean the soccer fields for Harbor Soccer and Canterwood for PGA Jr. golf. We're loving the cooler weather and the fall color showing up all over the Peninsula.
Here's what September looked like in the market, and what's worth planning for this fall.
Carly
THE ONE NUMBER
Homes for sale in Gig Harbor in September
A year ago it was 304. That's the most homes on the market in any month since August 2019. In January 2022, there were just 85.
Here's the part the scary headlines skip. Prices held. The Gig Harbor median sale price rose 3.7% to $944,550 (Redfin). Pierce County rose 2.7% to $575,000 (NWMLS).
So buyers finally have options. Sellers have to earn the offer. And if you're staying put, your home's value has held up.
Gig Harbor homes for sale each September
367 in 2026, the most since 2019
Source: NWMLS via InfoSparks (ShowingTime), Gig Harbor segment, data as of Oct 17, 2026.
View the numbers as a table
| September | Homes for sale |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 596 |
| 2017 | 506 |
| 2018 | 472 |
| 2019 | 358 |
| 2020 | 211 |
| 2021 | 167 |
| 2022 | 280 |
| 2023 | 217 |
| 2024 | 268 |
| 2025 | 304 |
| 2026 | 367 |
2016: 596, 2017: 506, 2018: 472, 2019: 358, 2020: 211, 2021: 167, 2022: 280, 2023: 217, 2024: 268, 2025: 304, 2026: 367. Sept 2019 level: 358.
WHAT YOUR HOME IS DOING
If you own in Gig Harbor: the typical home sold for 3.7% more than a year ago (Redfin, September). More competition on the block hasn't pulled values down.
Want your number, not the average? Enter your address and we'll send you a free Homebot report on your home's value and equity. No call, no pressure.
FROM MY OWN DEALS
The offer they passed on
In September, I made an offer on a fix-and-flip for my own portfolio. And it was a project.
Think untouched since the 1970s: orange Formica counters, appliances to match, green shag carpet, and a rotting second-story deck. In other words, a prime fix-and-flip.
I offered off market. No agent fees on their side (unless they wanted their own agent), and I'd pay the closing costs, including the excise tax.
They passed. They listed it instead, about $175,000 above my offer.
Then rates went up and the market slowed. They staged it, landscaped, redid the driveway, and made minor repairs. It's still on the market, now with a price drop.
By my math, once they pay roughly 6% in commissions, the excise tax, the prep costs, and holding costs their take-home lands right about where my offer was. And they're still waiting.
The lesson: in a buyer's market, price it right from day one. Know your net, not just your list price. And make sure your agent does market research.
New: our second mid-term rental
We also launched our second mid-term rental in Gig Harbor in September. It's set up for anyone who needs a place to land for a few months, like a work relocation, a home build, or time between houses.
And yes, pets are welcome. We're very pet friendly.
Know someone moving to town? Reach out and I'll send the details.
HEADS UP
The Narrows squeeze: Oct 24 to Nov 8.
WSDOT is closing two westbound lanes on the Narrows Bridge, around the clock, for emergency joint repairs.
- Starts 5 a.m. Saturday, Oct 24. Ends Sunday, Nov 8.
- The HOV lane opens to everyone.
- The Jackson Ave on-ramp to westbound SR-16 is closed.
- WSDOT expects afternoon delays of an hour or more heading to Gig Harbor.
My plan: shift the drive home earlier or later when you can, and keep a full tank, as WSDOT suggests. If you have a showing, inspection, or signing on the Gig Harbor side, book it for the morning.
PERMIT WATCH
What's getting built, and where.
Duplexes, citywide. On Oct 12, the council allowed duplexes on any Gig Harbor lot that meets zoning, building, and fire rules, and shrank setbacks. If you own land in the city, your lot may allow more than it did.
42 homes near the Cushman Trail. Burnham Ridge is proposed on 15 acres between SR-16 and the trail, south of North Creek. Early stage, no application filed yet.
77 homes proposed east of SR-16. Harbor Winds, a proposed subdivision on 25.5 acres, drew 80+ public comments, mostly opposed. No hearing date yet.
Chick-fil-A on Olympic Drive? The chain is evaluating 5115 Olympic Dr. The city is still reviewing the permit.
Waterfront. Old piers are coming out at Ancich Park for the Homeport project. Expect some parking closures near The Tides.
Your water bill. Gig Harbor's base water charge rises 10% a year for four years.
LOCALS ONLY
Salmon in the middle of downtown
You don't have to drive to a hatchery to watch salmon come home. Chum salmon return to Donkey Creek, which runs right beside the Harbor History Museum on Harborview Drive.
The museum hosts a Chum Fest for kids when the fish are running. Last year it was in mid-November. The 2026 date isn't posted yet, so watch the museum's events page.
Fair warning: some years are better than others. Gig Harbor Now reported the 2023 run was nearly empty. When the fish do show up, it's one of the best free shows in town.
THE WEEKEND WORTH PLANNING
Three events worth putting on the calendar
ZooLights tickets go on sale Monday, Oct 19
Point Defiance's light show runs nightly Nov 27 to Jan 3, 4:30 to 10 p.m. Tickets are timed and online only.
Insider tip: Weeknights through Dec 13 are $16 instead of $22. Parking is free. Dog Nights sell out, so grab those first.
Trick or Treat in the Harbor: Saturday, Oct 31, 3 to 6 p.m.
Downtown waterfront businesses hand out candy to costumed kids. Free.
Insider tip: Harborview Drive closes from Pioneer Way to Rosedale, so plan to park off the waterfront and walk in.
Gig Harbor Turkey Trot: Thursday, Nov 26, 8 a.m.
The town's biggest Thanksgiving tradition starts downtown on Judson Street.
Insider tip: It's $30 through Nov 25, then $60 on race day. Packet pickup is Wednesday, 2 to 6 p.m., at Chapel Hill Church.
More worth knowing
- Día de los Muertos, Nov 1, Tacoma Art Museum: free, but reserve a timed slot. Reserve
- Kitsap Salmon Tours, Nov 7: free guided salmon viewing at eight creeks, including Chico Creek. Sites
- Pentatonix, Nov 5, Tacoma Dome: the first stop of their holiday tour.
- Buy now for December: The Nutcracker at the Pantages (Dec 11 to 20).
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Dates that cost money if you miss them
- Oct 31
- Kitsap second-half property taxes due (paid or postmarked), for owners who pay their own taxes
- Nov 1
- Clocks fall back. Test your smoke and CO detectors.
- Nov 2
- Pierce second-half property taxes due (Oct 31 is a Saturday this year), for owners who pay their own taxes
- Nov 3
- Election Day. Ballots due by 8 p.m.
- Dec 14
- Kitsap new-construction value appeals due (notices mailed Oct 12), for newly built or improved homes
On the Nov 3 ballot: Pierce Transit Prop 1 would raise the transit sales tax and bring back 30-minute bus service and the holiday shuttle in Gig Harbor. South Kitsap schools have a capital levy. Kitsap PUD has Prop 1 on electric service.
BEYOND THE LIST PRICE
The loan already on the house
With the 30-year fixed at 7.40% (Freddie Mac, Oct 15), the loan on a house can matter as much as the price. Some VA and FHA loans can be taken over by a qualified buyer, rate and all.
- VA: a non-veteran can assume one if they qualify. The seller's VA entitlement then stays tied to that loan until it's paid off.
- FHA: the buyer must qualify and generally must live in the home.
- Most conventional loans: not assumable.
The buyer still has to cover the gap between the loan balance and the price. Not every loan qualifies, and not every buyer does. When the pieces fit, it can make a deal work that otherwise wouldn't.
Sources: VA, HUD 24 CFR 203.512
HOMEOWNER MOVE OF THE MONTH
Get freeze-ready and outage-ready
The Oct 16 outage was a good reminder. Here's a quick checklist before the first hard freeze.
- Disconnect and drain garden hoses. Cover outdoor faucets.
- Insulate exposed pipes in the crawl space and attic.
- Find your main water shut-off, and make sure everyone at home knows where it is.
- Clear gutters and secure anything loose before the next windstorm.
- If you have a generator, run it outdoors only.
- Save your outage number: PenLight (877) 853-1388 or Tacoma Public Utilities 253-502-8602.
Tips from Tacoma Public Utilities and PenLight.
FOR THE NUMBERS PEOPLE
Five markets, one glance
| Area | Homes for sale | Median price |
|---|---|---|
| Gig Harbor | 367 (+21%) | $944,550 (+3.7%) |
| Fox Island | 34 (up from 15) | not tracked |
| Tacoma | 1,116 (+13%) | $499,837 (+2.0%) |
| Port Orchard | 363 (+17%) | $575,006 (-4.2%) |
| Pierce County | 3,269 (+22%) | $575,000 (+2.7%) |
| Kitsap County | 904 (+18%) | $589,500 (+1.6%) |
What stands out: Tacoma had its most homes for sale for any September since 2016. Kitsap is still the tightest market in the region, with about 2.6 months of supply.
Homes for sale: NWMLS (InfoSparks for cities, NWMLS county reports). City prices: Redfin. County prices: NWMLS.
