Nailing it Down

By Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty

It’s not just the summer sun that’s making things seem bright in Grays Harbor.

Perhaps you’ve experienced that rise in optimism as new neighbors move into the empty house down the street, you see construction of another new business, or one more of your friends finally finds a good job.

In the past couple of weeks we’ve talked with Tom Quigg, owner of Windermere Real Estate Ocean Shores, who let us know home sales are up and home values are on the rise here.

Not only do housing statistics show more people are making Grays Harbor their home, but there’s also been an uptick of people discovering what a great place this is to visit.

Last week we talked with Mike Bruner, director of the Grays Harbor County Tourism Office, and learned the county saw a 9.4 percent increase in tourism from 2015 to 2016 — approximately three times the increase in tourism the state had during the same period.

THE RIGHT NUMBERS ARE GOING UP

This week we talked with Dru Garson, CEO of Greater Grays Harbor Inc. This Aberdeen organization is our regional chamber of commerce, economic development council and visitor information center all rolled into one.

Garson, who has been at the helm there for nearly three years, is encouraged by the recent activity.

“I’m very optimistic about the local economy,” he said. “Here in 2017 we have a lot of projects coming to fruition and some in the pipeline. We’re just seeing a lot of opportunities for our county. A lot of businesses that suffered from the effects of the 2008 recession are feeling more optimistic about their businesses and the opportunities for expansion.”

Garson and his office put together an annual Grays Harbor Economic Vitality Index, which compares all sorts of data from year to year to get an idea of economic trends and progress in our county.

The 2017 index was released in June, and to sum it all up, the right numbers are up and the right numbers are down.

VITALITY INDEX

The introduction to this year’s index sums it up nicely:

“Grays Harbor County experienced increases in many of our leading indicators in 2016 showing another year of improvement. Our average unemployment rate decreased slightly from 2015 to 2016, while Taxable Retail Sales and County Hotel/Motel taxes continue to steadily increase. Additionally, the median home price increased by approximately 10 percent for the second year in a row. Lastly, shipping activity increased at the Port of Grays Harbor, especially with the growth of liquid bulk and dry bulk cargo.”

Whew, that’s a lot of good news in one paragraph.

What we find especially encouraging is that many of the positive numbers are building from an increase the year before. We like seeing those kinds of trends.

If things can spiral downward — as they did in 2008 throughout most of the country — they can spiral upward, too. And that’s what we’re seeing here.

RETAIL SALES

From 2015 to 2016, retail sales were up 5 percent in the county, with some communities experiencing quite an increase from the previous year.

Five percent may not seem like a big increase, but the taxable retail sales estimates for Grays Harbor County grew by $51 million, from $930 million in 2015 to $981 million in 2016.

Since a low of $795 million in 2012, the taxable retail sales have been going up significantly each year.

At the community level, many cities experienced increase in their taxable retail sales. Cosmopolis increased by 25 percent, while McCleary and Ocean Shores each increased by 14 percent. Unincorporated Grays Harbor County was up 13 percent, Oakville 9 percent, Elma 5 percent, Montesano 3 percent and Aberdeen 1 percent.

A few communities experienced modest declines, including Westport (down 6 percent) and Hoquiam (down 5 percent).

Overall, Aberdeen has the biggest piece of the pie, bringing in an estimated 41 percent of the taxable retail sales dollars throughout Grays Harbor County. It is followed by unincorporated Grays Harbor County, at 21 percent.

If you are interested in these kinds of facts and figures, you can see the entire 2017 Grays Harbor Economic Vitality Index at www.graysharbor.org.

At his leadership role at Greater Grays Harbor, Garson has a unique vantage point of the economic picture of Grays Harbor. Next week, we will take a peek at even more of that view.

FIRST TIME BUYERS

First-time home buyer? To get the best loans, get educated. Check out HomeSage.org for your internet home-buyer education and housing counseling needs. We here at NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor will help you get it done. We may be able to help you finance your home purchase, too.

Dave Murnen and Pat Beaty are construction specialists at NeighborWorks of Grays Harbor County, where Murnen is executive director. This is a nonprofit organization committed to creating safe and affordable housing for all residents of Grays Harbor County. For questions about home repair, renting, remodeling or buying, call 360-533-7828 or visit 710 E. Market St. in Aberdeen.