Columbia Gorge Real Estate Blog

Mark your calendars now for Portland's largest Free sustainable lifestyle show.  Coming March 28-30, 2008  at the Portland Expo Center.  The Energy Trust Better Living Show features sustainable choices for your home, garden, and life. The event will feature companies and organizations with products and services in eight core areas:

• lifestyle                                               
• food and beverage                                                
• transportation                                                         
• conservation                                                            
• home and garden                                                    
• eco adventure 
• clean tech                                                             
• recycling                                                                  

Featuring:  Thousands of earth friendly products/services                                            

Music & entertainment --Local and organic food, beer & wine---Presentations and workshops---Celebrity speakers---Kid's activities---Interactive displays---A "Conversation Cafe"

Show hours are as follows:

Friday, March 28   Hours: Noon - 9:00 pm

Saturday, March 29  Hours: 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Sunday, March 30   Hours: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm

I recently found out the first new house we built is currently on the market for $799,900 with Duke Warner Realty  Central Oregon Realtors MLS # 2711256
This is the first house my husband designed and we built ourselves in Bend, OR in 1991. We moved to the property and lived in a travel trailer and tent with our 4 kids-then ages 2,6,10 & 12 until we got the house built enough to gradually start occupying it. Since it was in sunny central Oregon he designed the entire south side to be virtually all windows for solar gain. We used 12 replacement sliding glass door window panels for this system.  It has 5 Bdrms, 3 baths, maple floors-we salvaged out of the Catlin School for Girls gymnasium in Portland, cedar shingle siding, cedar decks, and is on 2.3 acres. 

Back then we had found a window supplier who sold overstocks and returned vinyl windows for super low prices. My husband actually went and saw what windows were available, then sat down to draw the house plan around the windows we bought. We also bought a lot of nice building materials at the Beaver Coaches of Bend garage sale for bargain prices. We got Italian marble tile for the entry, ceramic tile for countertops, and dupont stainmaster top of the line carpet for all the bedrooms.  Bend is where I got my real estate license and started in real estate. I listed the home. We sold it in 1993 for $270,000 and moved back to Hood River in the Columbia River Gorge. Below on the left is how the house looked when we left Bend.

The picture on the right is how the house looks today. I'm not sure how many times it has changed owners since we sold it. The people we sold to did extensive landscaping and put in a pond with water feature.

If you haven't visited Rejuvenation at 1100 SE Grand Ave. in Portland. OR. it's definately worth stopping by. The Portland retail store occupies 38,000 sq. feet on the 1st and 2nd floors of the historic Neustadter Building which was renovated in 1992. For many years the Neustadter Building served as a wholesale flower mart.  Rejuvenation is an amazing place with everything from vintage hardware, reproduction lighting fixtures, rebuilt antique lighting fixtures, Stickly furniture, salvage hardware-wood-plumbing fixtures-windows-etc., and so much more. It's easy to spend a couple hours wandering around, taking it all in and getting ideas. Upstairs you'll find the bargain room with marked down lighting fixtures and more. Store hours are Monday - Saturday: 9am - 6:30pm and Sunday: 11am - 5pm

If you want to sell your home here are some things to check on to prepare your home for marketing.

• Odors- Make sure your home doesn't smell. This is a main turn off for home buyers, whether odors are from cigarette smoke, wood stove smoke, cooking and grease smells, mold & mildew, or pet odors, you need to eliminate them and make sure your house has no unpleasant odors.
• Dark homes- Dimly lit homes are not inviting to most buyers. Buyers want to see the rooms with curtains & blinds open. They want to see the views & yard out the windows. Open up the drapes and let the natural light in. If paint colors are very dark, you may consider repainting in a light neutral color. Turn on some lights for the showing, but you don't need to get carried away. I've shown houses where virtually every single light, table lamps, bedside lamps, night lights, etc. was left on. I suggest turning on main lighting and some accent lighting but it's not necessary to turn on every single lighting fixture. Make sure all your windows are sparkling clean inside and out too.
• Dirty bathrooms- Dirty bathrooms are especially unappealing. Make sure your toilet, tub, shower, & sink are scrubbed clean. Put out fresh rugs and towels. Buy a new shower curtain if needed. Clean the windows and mirrors until they shine.
• Dirty kitchens- Same thing goes for kitchens. Buyers don't want to see a sink full of dirty dishes, and crumbs all over the countertops. Keep your kitchen especially clean, including appliances and it will leave a great impression.
• Busy Wallpaper- Wallpaper is such a personal choice it can be distracting to most buyers. You need to appeal to a wide variety of people when you're selling your home. You may want to consider removing dated wallpaper or borders and repainting in neutral colors.
• Bugs- Any kind of bug is a huge problem with good marketing of your home. If you have a serious insect or rodent infestation-cockroaches, ants, spiders, mice, rats, etc. Please call a professional exterminator and eradicate the problem for good.
• Gutters- Make sure your gutters are cleaned out. Buyers may wonder what else hasn't been maintained if they see clogged gutters with plants growing in them.
• Damp basement- Any damp smells in the basement may cause buyers to wonder if there are foundation leaks or drainage problems. These are not things most buyers want to deal with. You may want to check for clogged underground drains, install gutters and downspouts if necessary to carry rain run off away from the foundation.
• Curb Appeal- Your house must grab a buyers interest. Make sure your house makes a good first impression. Often buyers don't even want to go into a house with a messy yard, peeling paint, sagging doors, etc. Spend a little time on the first impression details that will set your home apart from the others.
• Sellers Who Hang Around for Showings- Home buyers are more comfortable if the owners are not present during showings. Do the agent a favor and leave the house during showings. Buyers like to look around, open closet doors, ask their agent questions, etc. and often feel awkward if the sellers are present.

Most of these things can be done without spending much money. If you are planning on putting your home on the maket, prepare your home before you list.

The Carson Hot Springs were discovered by Isadore St. Martin in 1876. St. Martin was on a hunting expedition when he noticed steam along the river and found the hot springs bubbling up among the rocks. He later filed an Indian Homestead claim at the site. St. Martin's wife, Margaret, suffered from neuralgia. He took her to the hot springs which relieved her condition.  This news spread rapidly and people began arriving in large numbers to bathe in the springs. The early bathers navigated up the Wind River to the original bathhouses.  St. Martin began construction on the Historical Hotel in 1897, completing it in 1901. In 1923 the cabins and bathhouse were added which are still used today.

This famous mineral water contains the following elements: Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Sulfate, Ammonia, & Phosphate

Listed below are some of the acclaimed attributes of soaking in this mineral water:  

• Release energy from cells
• Regulate fluid balance
• Ensure proper clotting of the blood
• Protect against osteoporosis
• Contraction and relaxation of muscles
• Assist in absorption of Vitamin B-12
• Help form stong bones and teeth
• Maintain proper function of nerves
• Activate enzymes controlling energy metabolism
• Maintain healthy hair and nails
• Helps eliminate some skin diseases
• Stimulate the liver and increase the flow of bile
• Detoxify some poisons in the body 

When you visit the Carson Hot Springs Resort you can enjoy a rejuvinating bath in an original 1930's bathhouse complete with clawfoot tubs. An attendant will guide you through the process of soaking in the mineral water pumped directly from the riverbed. A swaddling wrap will help purify and energize cells while relaxing you.

You can enjoy renting a room at the resort, a full service restaurant, and also a golf course.

This cozy Hood River home is in a desirable neighborhood. Close to shopping, schools, swimming pool, and downtown. The home, built in 1956, has had extensive remodeling, including: tile floors, new cabinets, stainless steel appliiances, a new sun room off the kitchen, and wood floors. The master bedroom has a large walk in closet, a spacious bathroom with tub and shower, and features in floor heat. The beautiful back yard is very private with mature landscaping, a pond, and is totally fenced. The home has 1856 sq. ft. with  2 or 3 bdrms and 2 baths. RMLS # 7120550  Priced at $365,000

This home sold & closed on 02/28/2008 for $360,000

           Little White Salmon River                      Hood River sunset                               Mt. Hood

             Columbia River views                    Northwestern Lake                      Skamania County trees

  Rowena Crest Trail                             Hood River sunrise                      Ruthton Park view                           

Here are some questions for buyers to ask themselves when they are looking to buy a house.

• What are the most important features in a home to me?
• How many bedrooms?  how many bathrooms?  Will this number work for my family?
• Does it have a garage/workspace if I need one?
• Do I like the overall setting and neighborhood of the home?
• Does it have special features I desire like a garden or a fireplace?
• Do I want a new home or an older home?
• How important is the location of the house? distance to specific schools, my job, etc. 
• Is the house located in a good school district?
• If I have children are there kids in the neighborhood close to my kids ages? 
• If it is an older home is it in good condition or does it need a lot of repairs and how much will that cost? 

Buying a home is probably a persons largest investment and it helps to know exactly what you want and have a plan. A good agent can help you with this process. By letting your agent know what you want and need and the style and setting you prefer in a home, your agent can select homes that fit this criteria. It is important that buyers educate themselves to the home buying process as it can be a stressfull experience.

After a slow spring, slower summer and still pretty slow fall, the market is picking up here in the gorge. For the past couple weeks I have been having many calls, setting up showings, and had some offers coming in. From my experience it is not exactly typical for so many buyers to be out shopping for homes this close to Christmas. I have talked to other Brokers who have noticed the same thing... they are very busy.  This is an indication to me that now is a good time for sellers to list a house rather than waiting until spring. 

LISTING  BEGINNING  JANUARY 2008       SALES PRICE $816,000 

This one of a kind home was designed and built specifically for the lot it sits on. The fine details of this home include: #1 cedar shingle siding with woven corners, board and cedar batten siding, log column supports on the covered front porch, mahogany decking, paver patio and steps to the entry walk. The house has 5 Bedrooms and  4 full bathrooms. It is a total of 3365 sq. ft. It is located on the westside of Hood River in East Stonegate which is a Planned Unit Development with walking trails, a nature conservation/wildlife pond, common areas/parks, greenspaces and plenty of trees. The home itself is located at the end of a culdesac, It is a very private setting with mature pine trees and has some views of Mt. Adams and the Columbia River.

The first level of the home is built of ECO-BLOCK (ICF-Insulated concrete form) construction. This provides a very energy efficient, strong, and quiet structure. The lower level includes a 1 Bdrm/1BA apartment in the daylight/walk out basement complete with full kitchen-beautiful pine cabinets, dishwasher, micro, range, & eating bar, living room, and it's own washer/dryer. The entire apartment has radiant floor heat. The oversize double car garage has plenty of room for your tools and toys. Because it is constructed of Eco-Block it stays amazingly warm and quiet.

The main level features CVG-clear verticle grain flooring, raja slate floors in entry, hall, and bath/laundry. The large living room has a beautiful craftsman inspired fireplace and surround with more CVG details and slate in a brick and herringbone pattern. The master suite is on the main floor and includes a walk in closet, and a luxurious master bath with travertine floors and countertops, travertine walk in shower w/pebble tile floor,a private Finlandia sauna, and a pedestal base soaking tub. 

The large kitchen upstairs features all stainless steel appliances, birch cabinetry, a large pantry, butcher block countertops, and an eating bar adjacent the dining area. A convenient upper balcony  complete with natural gas BBQ supply is accessible from two sliding doors off the kitchen and dining areas. A second bedroom and full bath/laundry room is located on the main level also.

Upstairs you will find a large family room, study or nook, two more large bedrooms each with walk in closets, a full bathroom, and a large utility closet. 

This home has so many options for use:

• Use the entire home yourself including the apt (we currently have a pool table set up and use it as a party room)
• Rent out the apt to a single person for extra income (we rented it for 1 year at $700 per month which is nice rental income to bring in)
• Use it for guests and family when they come to visit
• Use it as a mother in law suite
• Use it for a nanny quarters if you have small children  or possibly a caretakers quarters