Ocean Shores, WA Real Estate (Olympia, Aberdeen: for sale, houses, casino)

[Katwynne]

I’m looking at a little house in OS, but am scared to make the leap because SO MANY houses are up for sale there Why does there appear to be a mass exodus from the peninsula? Does anyone have a valid reason there is a glutted market of homes for sale? What’s wrong? Why would a house be on the market for over two years when it is cute, inexpensive and on a decent-sized lot?

I will appreciate some insight.

Thank you.

[Katwynne]

I am testing to see if I am notified when someone replies.

[WestGuest]

I havent heard people are leaving- there may be poor wifi though.

[Katwynne]

Thank you so much for your prompt reply! There are dozens of properties for sale in what seems a low population area. I was just wondering why. My sister said the same thing. If one zooms out on properties for sale in the area, the same geographic size of area may have at most 10 houses for sale, but OS has literally dozens. I don’t get it.

What I read about Coast Cable, or whatever it’s called, they have fast internet don’t they? If one subscribes to satellite internet, it is always slow. Does Verizon wireless serve the area? I am so happy to find someone to ask my questions of! Are you willing? The realtors I was communicating with were hopeless. Can you turn me on to a responsive realtor in the area?

Thanks again.

[CrazyDonkey]

Coast Cable's Internet has a bad reputation - high prices, low speed, and tight data caps. They have the franchise for cable TV at OS, so the competition is basically locked out.

A nickname for Ocean Shores was "Open Sores", but that was a while ago. I suspect that a lot bought in the summer thinking, "the winter can't be that bad," only to find that it is. Or they got skinned at the casino.

For groceries, pharmacies, etc., you have to go to Aberdeen/Hoquiam. There is a hospital/clinic of dubious reputation in Aberdeen. For specialist care you have to go to Olympia. Aberdeen does have a Walmart Supercenter.

Westport and Grayland are real towns, have Comcast for cable and Internet, and are much better choices if interested in living at the beach:

https://www.zillow.com/westport-wa/houses/

https://www.zillow.com/grayland-wa/

[CrazyDonkey]

This could also be why people might want to leave:

https://www.thedailyworld.com/news/t...cean-shores-2/

A toxic algae bloom has been found in Duck Lake and the Grand Canal in Ocean Shores. The Grays Harbor County Environmental Health Division is warning people and pets to avoid the water. A health advisory has been issued for “all bodies of freshwater in and around the City of Ocean Shores,” a release states.

“When you see algae, don’t swim, wade, paddleboard, or fish and keep your pets away from the water,” reads the release from division Director Jeff Nelson. “Keep in mind as wind direction changes, the algae could move elsewhere.”

“Pets are at great risk,” Nelson said. “They have small bodies and are more likely to ingest larger amounts of toxic algae. They may drink water with toxic algae and lick their fur.”

[happygrrrl]

^^^Really? I wonder if this is the same toxic algae that has been found at Anderson Lake near Port Townsend. A little dog died within hours of exposure to it...that just happened on Mother’s Day of this year. It’s happened there more than once. I would go over there to eat my lunch when I worked nearby and saw often warning signs posted to stay out of the lake because of the the blue-green toxic algae.

[Diana Holbrook]

Ocean shores is struggling in the same way that all of Grays Harbor Aberdeen/Hoquiam are struggling. The terrific economy of the rest of Western WA has not exactly followed there.

The area has to have tourist and future business potential, but it has a ways to go. It's still suffering the consequences of decades-past changes in both fishing and timber policy that cost the area a LOT of jobs in what had been the main industries. We shall see if Aberdeen/Hoquiam and Ocean Shores can find a new life another way. It is a beautiful area... just watch for Tsunami warnings and know where your nearest high ground is! One day it may matter. Whether it's next month or in a thousand years.

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by happygrrrl

^^^Really? I wonder if this is the same toxic algae that has been found at Anderson Lake near Port Townsend. A little dog died within hours of exposure to it...that just happened on Mother’s Day of this year. It’s happened there more than once. I would go over there to eat my lunch when I worked nearby and saw often warning signs posted to stay out of the lake because of the the blue-green toxic algae.

Yep, same nasty stuff.

One of the selling points of Ocean Shores is the many freshwater waterways:

[StealthRabbit]

Always has been a pretty depressed area for last 50 yrs at least.

As CoL increases in WA and jobs and services are more centralized... economy gets bleak in undesirable rural places, yet desirable places blossom and get WAY overpriced in housing. (including and especially small towns with limited inventory of homes)

I do have a couple friends living in OS and they feel it is just fine (for them). Good thing, as 'selling the home' and moving is not an option.