Olympia Real Estate Broker Catherine Haag Eases the Relocation Chaos

olympia real estate agent
Catherine Haag has been in the real estate business for 22 years, 19 of those with Van Dorm Realty.
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olympia real estate agent
Catherine Haag has been in the real estate business for 22 years, 19 of those with Van Dorm Realty.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that people hold an average of 10 different jobs throughout the course of their life. While some are a logical transition or local transfer, some lead to complete relocation, a tumultuous time in any life.

Locally, Van Dorm Realty’s Catherine Haag specializes in smoothing out the inevitable bumps, bruises, and bubble-wrap of such a move. Haag has been in the real estate industry for 22 years, 19 of them with Van Dorm.

Turning to real estate after staying home to raise her children, Haag began by purchasing a rental property with her father. “I always thought it would be fun,” she remembers, and thus a new career path began.

It soon became obvious that the choice was a good one. Since 2007, Catherine has often found herself listed as Van Dorm’s first or second top broker. She specializes in residential properties, often with acreage or on waterfront lots. Part of her relocation service includes a community tour showcasing all our gorgeous, central location has to offer. With its access to the water, hiking, skiing, or the metropolitan areas of Seattle and Portland, Haag readily acknowledges, “you can’t beat this part of Puget Sound!”

Haag’s success keeps her busy so she has a full-time, licensed assistant in Juliann Matson, herself with more than a decade’s worth of real estate experience. Matson is always pleased at how quickly their clients, whether buyers or sellers, come to feel completely at ease with both the team and the process.

Outside the office, Haag is a member of the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce, has served as one of the directors of the Thurston County Board of Realtors, and founding member and past president of the Griffin School Foundation and Restoration Hope, a Steamboat Island community group.

Community outreach “keeps me really connected,” says Haag. Her work for the Griffin School Foundation and Restoration Hope strives to build fellowship within their area and include neighbors of all ages. She recently helped start a senior citizens social at the Prosperity Grange which meets most months on the fourth Friday of the month at 10:00 a.m. They also completed their third annual Old Fashioned Christmas Caroling in the Grange event with a visit from the Griffin Fire Department’s Santa Sleigh and carols by candlelight.

This passion for the community keeps Catherine and Juliann on their toes. The Thurston County housing market is on the rise. Thurston County residential home prices are up approximately 6.7% according to NWMLS for 2013 and 2014. Though most of Catherine’s referrals come from satisfied previous clients, the team is more than willing to sit down with new prospective customers. Their knowledge extends from programs which help with down payments to the benefits of a second property as an investment tool.

The Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies reports that “strong and consistent evidence indicates that homeowners are more likely to: be satisfied with their homes and neighborhoods; participate in voluntary and political activities; and stay in their homes longer, contributing to neighborhood stability.” While relocation may be a stressful process, putting down roots through home ownership can ease the short-term chaos.

Catherine and Juliann can be found at the West Olympia offices of Van Dorm Realty located at 1530 F Black Lake Boulevard. Visit her contact and listing page online here or give her a call at 360.791.8000.

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