Real Estate Information Archive

With the Holiday Season about ready to begin, a fun tradition for many families and friends is to take the dazzling light show displays! One such holiday light show that began showing each year since 1993 is the Winter Wonderland Experience, which is hailed as the "Largest Holiday Light Show West of the Mississippi." Now in its 21st year, this annual light show is sure to captivate audiences of all ages!

From Thanksgiving through Christmas Night, you can venture over to the Portland International Raceway and take in the fantastic drive-through light showing, featuring a number of light displays. Many of these displays are fully animated, including such favorites as the 12 Days of Christmas, Santa on the Ski Slope and Flying Reindeer that dash through the air right over your car!

In addition to the light extravaganza, there a some special events. You can join hundres of runners in the Winter Wonderland Run and Walk Race on Saturday, November 30th. The start time for the race will be at 5:00 PM and concluding at 7:00 PM. Distances include courses from 2 - 6 miles. On Monday, December 2nd, you can take in the lights with a leisurely stroll at the Gentech Dentist Walk Night. No cars will be allowed on the track from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM and you are encouraged to bring the kids and even the family dog! Another fun event is on Monday, December 9th in which you can ride your bike through the holiday light gala during the 5th Annual Bike the Lights, put on by Bike Gallery. This biking event will begin at 5:00 PM and will last until 9:00 PM. Proper lighting is required for this, as well as helmets for riders 16 years or younger.

This is a charity event presented by Columbia Humane Society, with over $551,000 and over 41 tons of food contributed. This will be a fun way to take in the Holiday Experience!

Check out my new chart below, I am now showing average and median sales price changes.  All areas of real estate activity are positive when comparing July 2012 with July 2011. There were 2,372 accepted offers, 23% more than the 1,928 reported in July 2011 although down slightly (-2.6%) from last month. The 1,973 closed sales represent a 15.4% increase over the same month last year, when 1,709 were recorded. This represents the highest numberof closed sales in the month of July since 2009.

New listings rose 7.5% from 2,942 to 3,162 when comparing July 2011 to July 2012 but were down slightly (-1.4%) from the previous month.  Overall real estate activity is positive when comparing July 2012 to the same month last year but down slightly from the previous month. We’ve seen a similar pattern in prior years with activity dropping in July from June highs.The unsold inventory in months ticked up slightly from 3.9 in June to 4.6 in July and is lower than any July since 2006. It would take only 4.6 months to sell the 9,041 active listings at the July rate of sales.

Home sale price measures were all positive in July. The median sales price rose 7.8% when comparing July 2012 with the same month in 2011 and 1.2% when comparing it to the previous month. When comparing the percent change of the last 12 months with the previous 12 months we see a 0.7% gain in the median price.

All aboard the Mt. Hood Railroad!  Only this is no ordinary train ride, but in fact an experience unlike any other.  Named for the highest mountain in Oregon, the iconic Mt. Hood which rises above the trees to 11,239 feet, this train commemorates the beauty of the state and is reminiscent of a time when the railroads roamed the United States almost exclusively.  Tour the exquisite forests of Oregon on this historic railroad fashioned to create a memorable experience.  Choose to travel on a Sunday and enjoy a leisurely brunch on board, or take an afternoon excursion for four hours to one of two mountain towns.  Exercise a flair for the dramatic and jump at the chance to dress up for an evening of elegant dining while sleuthing through a murder mystery party. 

Whether hopping on board a holiday lunch train for an afternoon of relaxation or riding to ring in New Year's Eve in a whole new way, choose to celebrate special days in an extraordinary way.  Departing from Hood River in Oregon, each Mt. Hood Railroad ride is a memory that will last, so gather a group for a family event or party, or charter an entire car for an intimate travel experience that everyone can enjoy.  For an unparalleled view of the Hood River valley, book a seat on the premium dome car, or dance the night away in the new Lewis and Clark car, fully equipped with a DJ or live music.  For an experience never to be forgotten, take a trip on the Mt. Hood railroad soon!

Portland Walking Tours

As one of USA Today’s Top Five Walking Tours in the country, Portland Walking Tours offers 5 tours (Cultural, Sub-Culture, Supernatural, Indulgent, and Culinary) every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and have just added one more tour to celebrate our “City of Roses.”

Best of Portland Tour

This cultural tour highlights the city’s artwork, parks, fountains, bridges, trains, streetcars, and more. Best of Portland was named “Best Way to Fake Being a Native” by Willamette Week. The tour begins outside the Broadway entrance of the Hilton Hotel at SW Broadway and Salmon and leads to the waterfront.

The tour offers a history of Portland, including the inside story of the city’s eleven bridges. Tour participants will get the inside story on “The City that Works,” the bronze drinking fountains, and over 30 pieces of public art.

Underground Portland

This tour focuses on the corrupt and shady history of the city, winding through Old Town and Chinatown to the legendary ‘Portland Shanghai Tunnels’ beneath the city. The tour begins outside of Old Town Pizza on Davis. In addition to the history behind the city’s Shanghai tunnels, other highlights include the varied locations that The Simpsons television show is based on. You will also visit the site of “the most arrested man in the Northwest,” and the storied locations and buildings that once hosted notorious criminal activity.

Beyond Bizarre

Showcasing just why “Keep Portland Weird” is Portland’s unofficial slogan, this tour offers the wacky, the paranormal, and yes, the weird, using real ghost hunting equipment to visit famous haunts and hauntings. Portland Walking Tours is an official member of the International Ghost Hunters Society, and have a paranormal expert and a clairvoyant available for the tour itself. Highlights include glimpses into the profession of documenting, identifying, and understanding paranormal activity, as well as tales of dark secrets and strange rituals. The tour begins outside of Old Town Pizza on Davis.

Chocolate Decadence

This tour showcases local chocolate vendors and chocolatiers. You will learn about chocolate’s lineage from bean to confection. Participants will indulge in truffles and caramels, gelato and sorbet, cookies and croissants, and while also tasting Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris from the Willamette Valley. The tour begins inside and upstairs in the mezzanine library of the Heathman Hotel.

Epicurean Excursion

Portland has become of the country’s premier destinations for great cuisine. This tour is for foodies who want to build on their culinary knowledge and skills, learning what it means to be a locovore, the philosophy of F.L.O.S.S. (Fresh, Local, Organic, Seasonable, and Sustainable), and the history of the Slow Food Movement. The tour also includes “Portland’s Liquid Assets”: the microbrews, wines, spirits, coffees, sodas, and teas that make the city proud. The epicurean delights will be diverse and plentiful, and include artisan doughnuts, pizzas, chocolates, pastries, sandwiches and much, much more. The tour begins inside and upstairs in the mezzanine library of the Heathman Hotel.

Roses Gone Wild

This tour reveals the facts, secrets, mysteries, and stories behind the world-famous International Rose Test Garden. Learn the truth behind a successful rose, why the legendary blue rose is excluded from the garden, who the “Rose Bro’s” are, with the stunning views of the city as a backdrop. This tour begins across from the Rose Garden store at the International Rose Test Garden.

Guided walking tours provide a great way to experience the city up-close and personal, while learning the fascinating history of what makes Portland so unique. So, put on those comfortable shoes and explore!

Each September Mt. Angel celebrates Oktoberfest, which be held this September 15-18. Located 18 miles northeast of Salem on Highway 214, Mt Angel boasts Bavarian style storefronts and Benedictine Abbey built in 1883, and sits high on a bluff with views of Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Willamette Valley. Oktoberfest actually means Harvest Celebration, and in Germany, fall festivals occur at the end of the harvest season. In Mt. Angel, Oktoberfest always begins the second Thursday after Labor Day, when the hop harvest is usually in. It is Oregon’s largest folk festival.

There will be live music, free kindergarten with rides and shows, Alpine food chalets, arts and craft show, traditional Biergarten, Weingarten, Prostgarten, and Alpinegarten, community Glockenspiel, Bavarian folk dances, and more. Ladies dirndls and lederhosen are also available for purchase.

Most events at Oktoberfest are free, with a nominal cover charge for entry into the Biergarten, Weingarten, Prostgarten, and Alpinegarten. An All Festival Pass is $25.00, and includes unlimited entry. A Day Pass is available for unlimited entry to entertainment venues, and is $4.00 until 5 pm, and $5.00 after 5 pm. Leashed pets are welcomed and seeing dogs are allowed within the venues. Oktoberfest is also handicap friendly.

Directions

From the north on I-5, take the Woodburn exit #271 and follow State Highway #214 to Mt. Angel (approximately ten miles).

From the south on I-5, take the Keizer-Chemawa exit #260B at Salem. Turn right (east) through the Hwy. 99 intersection. Continue east and follow signs to Mt. Angel (approximately 17 miles).

Memorial Day is traditionally the kick-off weekend of the camping season in Oregon.  Outdoor enthusiasts of all ages, excitedly fire up the RV’s and dust off the camping equipment, in search of the perfect spot to reconnect with nature after the rigors of a long winter. However, in their haste to grab a hold of this famous three-day weekend and squeeze every liberating second out of it, many lose sight of the true meaning the behind the holiday.

Originally known as “Decoration Day,” Memorial Day is commemoration of the lives lost by U.S. soldiers in the ongoing fight for our country ‘s freedom. First enacted to honor the lives of those who fought and died during the Civil War, Memorial Day has grown into the key day of remembrance for all Americans who have given the ultimate sacrifice for what we have today.

In this time of economic strife and worldwide political unrest, it is all too easy to forget the men and women who fought to make this three-day weekend possible. So as you are firing up the Coleman and getting ready to hook that salmon you’ve been dreaming about all winter, take a moment to reflect on all that our servicemen and women still endure to this day to ensure not only your lifestyle, but your freedom.

With that being said, did we mention that it’s camping season! Here are three of the most desirable camping spots around the Portland area.

Wyeth:  Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, seven miles east of Cascade Locks (exit 51).

A small forest camp in the Columbia River Gorge, Wyeth has easy access to Interstate 84 for further exploration of the gorge, its campsites are huge and the location is amazing. While exploring the area be sure to check out Multnomah Falls, one of the most picturesque attractions in the greater Portland Area.

Tollbridge: Hood River County Park, 20 miles south of Hood River.

This is a multi-purpose park, with good RV and tent camping, plus grassy areas for sports and picnicking. Tollbridge is on the East Fork of the Hood River, with good access to the Gorge and Mount Hood.

Barton: Clackamas County Park, 10 miles west toward Estacada from Interstate 205.

Barton is a full-service park on the Clackamas River.  With tent and RV loops, and large grassy play and picnic areas, Barton is a great family friendly camping option. Barton also features a busy boat launch for fishing and rafting.

Well there you have it. A lesson in civic appreciation and an itinerary for this summer’s camping destinations, all in the same blog.  So this Memorial Day, be safe, have fun, and remember what it is that you are really celebrating.

The city of Portland, Oregon is making the most of their team's inaguual season of MLS play. It's clear the Portland Timbers fans are passionate about soccer and have showed there support by selling out all 12,500 season tickets packages that were available at the newly renovated JELD-WEN Field (formerly PGE Park). Fewer than 500 single game tickets remain for the entire season.

The Timbers play their home opener on April 14th against the Chicago Fire. It's sure to be the loudest event southwest Portland had heard in quite some time.

As a Timbers season ticket holder I cannot wait for the excitement and electricity that will be shared with each and evey fan throughout the stadium.

Go Timbers!