Marguerite is the creator of MoveToTacoma.com. Marguerite has been a real estate agent in Tacoma for 15 years specializing in condos in and around Downtown Tacoma.
Whether you’re new to Tacoma or you’ve lived here for years, being able to tell the difference between what is an apartment, what is a condo, and what is a townhouse in Tacoma is super tricky. From the outside it’s hard to tell, but the difference is huge. We already have a list of some of our favorite apartment buildings in Tacoma in our rental guide. Here is a list of different condos in Downtown Tacoma:
Condos in Tacoma – In Tacoma condos are sometimes built to be condos (like The Esplanade and 505 Broadway) but many more of them are conversions (The Perkins Lofts used to be the UWT Tacoma campus for example, Sky Terrace used to be apartments). Condos are apartments you can buy. You own them from the sheetrock in and pay Homeowners Association (HOA) dues to maintain and repair the roof, plumbing, electrical, common areas, etc. Homeowners insurance for condos will be a bit cheaper because the building’s insurance will be paid through those HOA dues. For more information on condos and evaluating the health of a condo building check out my video here.
Downtown Tacoma Condos:
Click here to learn more about the Downtown Tacoma neighborhood.
The Esplanade
Dock Street
The Esplanade condos are located on the Thea Foss Waterway in Downtown Tacoma. They were built as condos in 2008 and are a rare example of a high rise condo in Downtown Tacoma. Many of the homes have views of the Thea Foss Waterway, Mt. Rainier, and the Murray Morgan Bridge. The others have views of the Tacoma skyline. Thea Foss Waterway has a marina and places to moor your boat, which is an appealing feature to Esplanade Residents. Amenities include a parking garage, fitness room, community room for parties, and more.
Click here to learn more about the Esplanade.
Want to find a condo at The Esplanade Condominiums? Click here to contact Marguerite.
Thea’s Landing
Dock Street
Thea’s Landing is a very unusual condo community in Tacoma. It is both condos and apartments, which is super confusing to buyers, renters, and real estate agents alike! The top floor of Thea’s Landing is all condos- the lower floors are renters. So the HOA works in cooperation with the property management company that runs the apartments. Thea’s Landing Penthouses have views of the Thea Foss Waterway, Mt. Rainier, and the Tacoma Dome. Some have views of the Tacoma skyline. Amenities include a parking garage, fitness room, community room for parties, and more.
Click here to learn more about Thea’s Landing.
Want to find a condo at Thea’s Landing? Click here to contact Marguerite.
Reverie at Mercato
South 15th & Tacoma Ave
Condos built in 2006, Mercato condos have views of the surrounding neighborhood as well as the Tacoma skyline, Mt. Rainier, The Tacoma Dome, and the Thea Foss Waterway. Amenities include a parking garage, movie theater, fitness room, community room for parties, outdoor community patio area, and more.
Want to find a condo at the Mercato? Click here to contact Marguerite.
Cliff Street Lofts
South 12th & A Street
Cliff Street Lofts were converted from rentals to condos in the early 2000’s. They range from studio lofts to 1 bedroom lofts. They are located on the corner of South 12th & A street across from Courthouse Square. Known for having high ceilings, tall windows, super open floor plans, and views of the Murray Morgan, Thea Foss Waterway, Mt. Rainier, and the Tacoma skyline. One quirk of the Cliff Street Lofts is that they have combination washer/dryer units, but they also offer a laundry room with washers and dryers in the building. Cliff street lofts have one elevator. There’s a rooftop deck with great views and underground parking.
Want to find a Cliff Street loft of your own? Click here to contact Marguerite.
Perkins Lofts
South 11th & A Street
Perkins Lofts were converted in the early 2000’s. There are quite a variety of different floor plans and layouts and range from studio lofts to 2 bedroom lofts. The Perkins Lofts have two elevators, an underground parking garage, a cool atrium/reading area available to all residents, and a rooftop deck with amazing views of the Tacoma skyline, Thea Foss Waterway, Mt. Rainier, and the Murray Morgan Bridge.
Want to find a loft at Perkins? Click here to contact Marguerite.
Click here to learn more about Downtown Tacoma.
How much does it cost to buy a condo in Downtown Tacoma?
The median home price for a condo in Downtown Tacoma is $327,000 as of January 2022.
Would you like to buy a loft or condo in Downtown Tacoma?
Buying a condo in Tacoma is a bit different than in other cities. We have a lot of conversions and financing can be complicated at times. You’re going to need to work with a Tacoma condo specialist when you buy. Our condos, lofts, and townhomes are a bit different. Some of them are REALLY cool- but you want to make sure you don’t overpay and that you go in with your eyes open. To learn more about this, check out the article “How to buy a loft, condo, or townhouse in Tacoma” on GetRealTacoma.com.
Here are some additional resources for checking out how to move to Tacoma:
Marguerite Martin, Founder of MoveToTacoma.com is a real estate agent in Tacoma, WA . As a real estate “Matchmaker,” she specializes in connecting real estate clients to the perfect agent in Tacoma and across the country. Learn more at Meet Your Guide.
