By Doug Lawrence, Managing Broker | Better Properties Gig Harbor
When someone tells me they want to move to Gig Harbor, one of my first questions is usually: What kind of Gig Harbor are you looking for? Because there isn’t just one.
People who are new to the area sometimes think of Gig Harbor as the picturesque waterfront downtown they’ve seen in photographs. And that is certainly part of it. But the greater Gig Harbor area encompasses an unusually diverse collection of neighborhoods and communities—from newer developments and golf-course living to wooded acreage, waterfront enclaves, island homes, and rural properties.
I’ve worked in real estate in this area since 2010, and one thing I’ve learned is that finding the right home here often starts with finding the right part of the peninsula. Here are some of the areas I encourage buyers to explore.
Gig Harbor North: Newer Neighborhoods and Everyday Convenience
Gig Harbor North has seen some of the area’s most significant residential and commercial development. It offers a very different lifestyle from the historic waterfront, with newer homes and planned neighborhoods combined with convenient access to shopping, services, and recreation. This is where you’ll find amenities such as Costco, Target, and the Tom Taylor Family YMCA, along with numerous newer residential communities. It’s also home to Canterwood, one of Gig Harbor’s best-known planned communities. Built around the golf course and clubhouse, Canterwood offers an established residential setting characterized by larger homes, landscaped properties, and community amenities.
For buyers who want convenient access to services and Highway 16 and prefer a planned-neighborhood environment, Gig Harbor North is well worth exploring.
Downtown Gig Harbor: Close to the Heart of the Harbor
For some buyers, Gig Harbor really does mean the harbor. Living near downtown puts you close to the waterfront, marinas, restaurants, shops, and the historic maritime character that gives this community so much of its identity. Homes in and around the downtown area vary considerably. That’s part of the appeal. Rather than a single master-planned community, you’ll find an assortment of older homes, remodeled properties, view homes, and smaller neighborhood pockets. For buyers who tell me, “I want to be close to the waterfront and able to enjoy town easily,” this is one of the first areas we’ll explore.
Point Fosdick, Wollochet, and Artondale
Head toward the southern end of Gig Harbor and you’ll find established residential areas including Point Fosdick, Wollochet, and Artondale. My most recent listing in the Wollochet/Artondal area is a virtual “Cottage in the Woods”:
One of the advantages here is accessibility. Highway 16 is close by, yet within a relatively small geographic area, you’ll find everything from wooded residential neighborhoods to waterfront properties and more secluded planned communities. This part of Gig Harbor can be particularly attractive to people who commute toward Tacoma or simply want convenient access across the Narrows Bridge while retaining the quieter atmosphere of peninsula living.
Rosedale: Country Feeling, Close-In Location
Rosedale is one of those places that illustrates why understanding Gig Harbor at the neighborhood level matters. Drive into Rosedale and it can feel surprisingly rural. Mature evergreens, winding roads, larger properties, hobby farms, and wildlife give parts of the area an almost country-like quality, even though downtown Gig Harbor is nearby. The community also retains some of its own neighborhood identity, including Rosedale Market and Rosedale Park and Hall, with its historic community center and recreational facilities. Gig Harbor High School is located in Rosedale.
For buyers, Rosedale can offer a particularly appealing compromise: more privacy and room to breathe without giving up convenient access to Gig Harbor. I recently listed and rather quickly sold a beautiful home in Rosedale:
Fox Island: Cross the Bridge and Change the Pace
Cross the Fox Island Bridge and the character changes again. Fox Island is known for wooded properties, quiet roads, shorelines and beaches, and beautiful western sunsets. Housing ranges from modest older homes tucked among the trees to substantial waterfront and view properties. There is relatively little commercial development compared with Gig Harbor, which is precisely what many residents appreciate about it. The historic Fox Island Schoolhouse, known as the Nichols Community Center, is on the national historic register and is home to FICRA, a local organization dedicated to providing social, educational, recreational, safety, and other valuable resources to Island residents.
For buyers who want to feel removed from town—but don’t necessarily want to live an hour away from it—Fox Island can offer an interesting alternative. I recently sold a lovely Fox Island home on a wooded, near-acre lot close to the bridge:
Arletta, Warren, Cromwell, and the Waterfront Communities
The shoreline surrounding greater Gig Harbor contains numerous smaller communities that people moving here may never have heard of. Among them are Arletta, Warren, Cromwell, and Bayview, some of the area’s historic communities dating back to the late 19th century. These are the kinds of places where local knowledge becomes particularly useful. Here you’ll also find beautiful Horsehead Bay, and the charming and convenient Arletta Store, right across the street from PenMet’s newly renovated Arletta Park with its ball field and historic clubhouse.
Purdy and Key Peninsula: A Gateway to More Space
Continue west toward Purdy and the landscape begins changing again. Henderson Bay forms something of a geographic transition between Gig Harbor and the more rural Key Peninsula. Cross the Purdy Bridge and you are heading toward communities where larger lots, acreage, open spaces and a slower pace of life become increasingly common. Peninsula High School is located in Purdy, close to the bridge.
For someone who wants access to Gig Harbor but doesn’t necessarily need to be in Gig Harbor proper, this broader area can open up some interesting possibilities. Two homes may both have a “Gig Harbor” address while offering very different commutes, water access, lot characteristics, and neighborhood environments. That’s why I encourage buyers not to search by ZIP code alone.
This is an area worth considering for buyers dreaming about acreage, gardening, a workshop, a small homestead, or simply more distance between themselves and their neighbors. Just this week I sold one of my listings in this area:
Outdoor recreation is part of the appeal of the Key Peninsula as well. Penrose Point and Joemma Beach state parks provide opportunities for boating, camping, beachcombing and other outdoor activities. The tradeoff, of course, is distance. Depending on where you live on the Key Peninsula, getting to Highway 16, major shopping, and other services can take longer. For some buyers that’s an inconvenience. For others, it’s exactly the point.
The Right Gig Harbor Depends on the Life You Want to Live
All that to say … I don’t think a Gig Harbor home search should begin with bedrooms, bathrooms, and square footage alone. It should begin with lifestyle. Do you want to walk near the waterfront? Do you need easy freeway access? Would you trade a shorter drive for a larger piece of land? Do you want neighbors nearby, or would you rather see trees outside your windows? Do you need a shop? Are you looking for waterfront—or simply want to live close enough to enjoy it? Those answers can lead us to very different parts of the peninsula.
And that’s one of the things I enjoy most about selling real estate here. Within a relatively small area, Gig Harbor offers a remarkable number of ways to live.
If you’re considering a move within Gig Harbor—or moving here for the first time—I’d be happy to help you figure out which neighborhood fits the life you’re looking for.
Doug Lawrence, Managing Broker
Better Properties Gig Harbor
253.341.5287
douglaslawrence15@gmail.com
douglawrencerealestate.com
