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Mt. Hood Real Estate Blog

Liz Warren

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Displaying blog entries 1711-1720 of 1886

Monday Morning Coffee

by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Strength of numbers is the delight of the timid.
The Valiant in spirit glory in fighting alone."

~ Ghandi

COMMITTEE COMFORT!

It has been said that "a camel is a horse created by a committee." You've probably witnessed the process yourself. You put any twelve decision-makers in a room together, and they can't seem to make a decision at all. Worse yet, they create something that is comfortable to all members - a camel of their own making.

Ghandi says numbers are the "delight of the timid." At some time or another, we all want the comfort of being surrounded by others with interests common to us. Maybe it's on sales meeting day when the discussion turns into a gripe session. Maybe it's in the break room, around the proverbial "water cooler," or in a training class we've just taken. Wherever the group meets, the results are often the same - a lack of action backed up by all the reasons that justify the inaction.

Ghandi also says the glory is "in fighting alone." Look around. Do you see one or two individuals who spend little of their time with the group? Sometimes called "loners," these are usually also the over-achievers, the top producers in life and business. They know where they're going and they don't need your approval to do it. The committee says they aren't "team players."

Being human, it is certainly normal to seek the comfort of others. In the case of those few individuals described as "the Valiant in spirit," however, their strength comes from their accomplishments. In each of us, there is also that "Valiant" spirit - the part of us that wants to strike out on our own. You can do that by resigning from the committees of your life. Elect yourself President and Chairman of the Board of your own future - and make it unanimous!

Government Camp Alpenglade Home

by Liz Warren

Opportunity knocks in this ski mecca of Government Camp. An Alpenglade home just hit the market! Located in one of the most sought after subdivisions in Government Camp, this is a rare opportunity to purchase in the heart of ski country ony 75 minutes from Portland!

This is a great home with a super floor plan for a vacation home. There's three bedrooms, two baths, and a huge family room downstairs. High vaulted ceilings are in the main living room area with an open living room, dining room and kitchen. A huge woodstove sits in a tiled hearth to warm the toes after a big day skiing.

A laundry room sits off the kitchen and the master is on the main floor! Walk upstairs for two additional bedrooms and a bath. The slider off the main living area takes you to a massive deck for summertime barbeques. What a location! The back side of the property borders Mt. Hood National Forest and the South side of the lot has common area with a creek. Across the street is more common area too.

Fully plowed in the winter time, the roads are easy to navigate and there are parking areas for your guests. The home has an attached oversized single car garage too.

There are three major ski areas close to Government Camp. Forget that weekend drive back and forth from Portland. This is the perfect landing spot for year round recreation!

$460,000

Take a tour here

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning Coffee

by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"Infinite patience produces immediate results."

~ Unknown

TIRED OF WAITING?

Have you ever wanted something special to happen in your life or desired to attract a person or outcome into your life? Maybe you laid specific plans that should have produced the desired results. Maybe you prayed that the results would occur. Perhaps you focused on the desired outcome with great intensity over an extended period of time.

What was your response when nothing happened, when there occurred not the slightest apparent movement towards your desired objective? If you became impatient, chances are good that you were too attached to the outcome. Perhaps, while you were waiting, you were also skeptical or allowed friends and associates to dampen your belief that the desired outcome would occur.

Today's quotation at first glance appears to be at odds with itself. After all, there's a great chasm between "infinite" and "immediate." Yet, when you exercise infinite patience, the desired results often appear immediately, or so it seems. Patience means not being so attached to the outcome that you sit waiting minute-by-minute for the results. When you take action to achieve or strongly believe in your objective, it cannot NOT occur.

When you are detached from the outcome, you do not sit idly by waiting for the result. You continue doing other things, moving towards other outcomes. As you do, the results you sought earlier come to you of their own accord and at the appropriate time. You cannot rush them, and they often come disguised as other outcomes.

The next time you desire a specific objective, keep it to yourself. Avoid putting it out on the line for all to see and criticize. Exercise infinite patience, and know that what you desire is already on its way to you. Then, recognize its arrival with gratitude!

Hackett Creek Cabin

by Liz Warren

Here is a little gem in the woods on Hackett Creek! Originally built in 1928 it has been refurbished and now is a nightly vacation rental. Warm wood walls and floors with vaulted ceilings make this a big favorite because of it's mountain charm and its wonderful location on Hackett Creek.

Sit on your private deck and watch the fish swim by or enjoy the tall firs and cedars from your windows. The fireplace has a toe warming propane insert. Pull up your chair and bring out your favorite weekend book!

Two bedrooms are upstairs plus a mini kids loft off of one bedroom. A full equiped kitchen complete with a built in bench for eating is a great bonus.

I love the french doors that open up to the deck! The bathroom is large for a cabin of this age. It even has a washer and dryer. The cabin sits on a third of an acre and has a shared well with the neighbor and is on septic.

Take a tour of the cabin here.

The location is in Rhododendron. It's only one hour from Portland and 20 minutes to the nearest ski areas. If you love to hike, you have the entire Mt. Hood National Forest near by.

 

2008 Numbers

by Liz Warren

The chart below tells the story of the 2008 sales numbers compared to 2007. These numbers tell the story of sales from Government Camp, Rhododendron, Welches and Brightwood.

Pending sales for the year were down 21% from the year before and total sales declined 10.5% from 2007. Total residential sales closed hit 117 and land sales totaled 8 for the year. There were 358 new listings last year. Doing the rough math a seller had a 33% chance of selling their property last year in general but there were definate segments of the market that did better than others. The median sales price was $234,000.

As job losses mount and prices keep declining, approximately 20% in major metro markets, 2009 will be an interesting year.

Monday Morning Coffee for Inspiration

by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"I am looking for a lot of men who have an infinite
capacity to not know what can't be done."

~ Henry Ford

EVER BEEN CRITICIZED?

If you've ever had a dream - you've also had critics. It seems they show up right on cue every time that special new dream begins to form. Critics come in the form of family members, employers, friends, and associates.

Interestingly, the only opinion worth listening to is your own. The opinions of others simply reflect their own limitations - and have nothing to do with the achievement of your dreams. Just imagine how shallow the world would be today if the following individuals had listened to their critics:

Arnold Schwarzenegger's family said, "How long will you go on training all day in a gymnasium and living in a dream world?"

Mary Kay Ash's attorney advised two weeks before her first store opening, "Liquidate the business right now and recoup whatever cash you can. If you don't, you'll end up penniless."

His teachers to Ray Charles: "You can't play the piano, and God knows you can't sing. You'd better learn how to weave chairs so you can support yourself."

What Diana Ross heard her teacher say when auditioning for a high school play: "You have a nice voice, but it's nothing special."

Have a dream? Live it, pursue it, and achieve it - with a passion!

Timberline Rim Home Sales

by Liz Warren

There are currently sixteen homes for sale in the Timberline Rim subdivision near Brighwood and Rhododendron. The lower end starts at $183,000 and the high end sits at $322,000.

The past six months has seen a total of nine sales. All are $240,000 and under. Several were foreclosures. Here are the sales over the past six months:

Timberline Rim is one of the most populated and popular subdivisions on the mountain. It's a great place to live with low association fees and many amenities. It's located right along the Sandy River with access to trails, picnic areas, a swimming pool, tennis courts plus a recently updated lodge and business office.

Originally developed in the late 60's it is nearly completely built to full capacity. Paved roads with sewer and water make this a low maintenance living location. Homes range anywhere between $180,000 to over $500,000.

Mt. Hood Foreclosures and Short Sales

by Liz Warren

What are predictions for the 2009 market on Mt. Hood? Well, it isn’t easy to come up with a steadfast answer on this one. Nationally many experts are predicting things will turn around in the second half of the year.

The Case-Shiller pricing index tells us that in at least 20 metro areas prices are currently at March 2004 levels- down about 18%. More foreclosures than 2008 will hit the market due to adjusting adjustable mortgages. We are seeing a few foreclosures and short sales hit our mountain market.

Here is a short sale that popped up today. Five acres of land, which typically can’t be found for under $200,000 with a large home for less than $500,000

 

The greatest percentage of sales in our local market is the second home sales. As discretionary income for this purchase, folks have the option to wait and buy at their leisure. Considering the limited amount of land the mountain has to offer for ownership, there couldn’t be a better time to take advantage of this inventory with future population impacts coming to the Portland metro area.

Historically we usually don’t see the unique combination of low home prices and low interest rates so this is an exceptional time to invest in the mountain. Typically interest rates are higher when home prices are low and some buyers are recognizing this fact.

Keep checking back to see how this year unfolds!

Mt. Hood Sales For December 2008

by Liz Warren

The numbers are in for December 2008 sales totalling five residential sales. Here's how they look below.

As you can see, one is a forest service cabin in the Mt. Hood National Forest and one is a foreclosure in Timberline Rim. Considering we had around three weeks of interesting weather, I suspect January sales to be around the same number. Although interest has picked up. Marketing times are extended to around 122 days and three of these sales exceeded 121 days on the market.

Pending sales total six with two additional lease options listed as "pendings" in multiple listings. There are a multitude of people refinancing at this time and I suspect many will pull funds to purchase investor or second homes with rates under 5%.

Stay tuned for more info on today's market from Welches, Brightwood, Rhododendron to Government Camp!

How Are Land Sales on Mt. Hood?

by Liz Warren

How were land sales on Mt. Hood over the 2008 year? Well, slowing to a snail's pace for the second half of the year! Sales totaled eight from Government Camp to Brightwood. Two sales closed in Government Camp with a high of $258,000 and the other at $186,900. As the economy went into a slump starting in July, there has been only one land sale for the second half of 2008.

There is only one pending sale for land in area 153. This is a Summit Meadows lot listed at $75,000 and well covered by tons of snow at the moment.

There are 43 parcels and lots currently offered for sale in our area! There are motivated sellers out there and deals to be had. Take advantage of today's opportunities and get your lot before they are all gone. With Portland's increasing population coming, there won't be any land left to purchase so now is the time to make your investment!

Displaying blog entries 1711-1720 of 1886

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