Author: Dianne Gregoire

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Market Activity April 8-14, 2019

It’s official. We are in the full throws of the spring real estate market. Talk about a lot happening! Last week, Lake Oswego had 25 new listings come onto the market, 30 properties that went into pending status, and 20 closed sales. Whew!

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

New on the Market (April 8-14, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
5911 Carman Dr Detached $320,000 3 1.5 1168
5229 Rosewood St Detached $375,000 3 2 1618
16726 Carnegie Ave Detached $449,900 3 2 1368
23 Mountain Circle Detached $475,000 2 2 1363
19060 Indian Creek Ave Detached $524,000 3 2 1566
4635 Rembrandt Ln Detached $549,900 4 2.5 2056
5222 Carman Dr Detached $594,000 3 2 2543
1446 Holly Springs Rd Condo $612,000 4 2.5 1699
86 Greenridge Ct Attached $650,000 4 3.5 2718
14674 Rainbow Dr Detached $669,000 4 3 3190
4920 Mulholland Dr Attached $699,888 3 2.5 2498
13962 Knaus Rd Detached $749,500 4 2 2476
2461 Marylhaven Pl Detached $780,000 5 3 3382
825 McVey Ave Detached $875,000 5 4.5 4284
228 Furnace St Detached $875,000 2 1 2530
1050 Schukart Ln Detached $1,099,000 4 3.5 5437
4027 Canal Woods Ct Detached $1,195,000 4 3.5 4232
324 9th St Detached $1,299,900 3 2.5 2743
4316 Upper Dr Detached $1,349,000 4 3.5 4376
15566 Village Park Ct Detached $1,435,000 4 3.5 4855
1949 Cedar Ct Detached $1,699,000 5 5.5 6330
17435 Wren Ct Detached $1,895,000 4 3 2960
831 4th St Detached $1,948,000 5 6 5078
2493 Southshore Blvd Detached $3,599,000 5 5.5 7112
3358 Lakeview Blvd Detached $4,895,000 5 4 5133

Pending Sales (April 8-14, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
100 Kerr Pkwy #32 Condo $159,000 1 1 617 5
100 Kerr Pkwy #46 Condo $159,900 1 1 617 39
40 Crestfield Ct Condo $184,900 1 1 690 3
45 Eagle Crest Dr #204 Condo $205,000 1 1 768 35
512 S State St Condo $229,989 1 1 829 28
48 Eagle Crest Dr 3B Condo $299,500 2 2 1550 23
31 Ladd St Detached $450,000 3 1 867 48
870 Lake Forest Dr Detached $454,900 3 2.5 1971 311
14352 Sherbrook Pl Detached $475,000 3 2.5 1806 17
21 Ladd St Detached $495,000 3 1.5 2436 48
13369 Peters Rd Detached $580,000 4 2.5 2474 179
1901 Mapleleaf Ct Detached $584,900 4 3 2800 23
14751 Rainbow Dr Detached $625,000 5 2 1591 3
19134 Terry Ave Detached $625,000 5 2 2557 8
9 Juarez St Detached $679,000 4 3.5 2823 1
1193 Troon Rd Detached $699,000 3 2.5 2546 12
5450 Sterling Way Detached $719,000 4 2.5 2496 14
819 Boca Ratan Dr Detached $765,000 4 3 2760 791
1604 Campus Way Detached $769,900 3 2.5 2607 70
663 Carrera Ln Detached $775,000 3 2 2197 13
203 Hidalgo St Detached $800,000 4 3.5 4310 4
4755 Avery Ln Detached $810,000 4 2.5 2735 3
15585 Manchester Dr Detached $825,000 4 3 3576 353
74 Touchstone Detached $849,000 6 3.5 4584 22
171 C Ave Attached $859,000 3 3 2308 29
17484 Bryant Rd Detached $1,269,900 4 3.5 3615 70
862 Cedar St Detached $1,275,000 4 3.5 3914 228
885 9th St Detached $1,499,000 4 3.5 3757 2
1101 Forest Meadows Way Detached $1,998,000 4 3.5 5001 311
3258 Lakeview Blvd Detached $3,250,000 4 4.5 4337 129

Sold/Closed (April 8-14, 2019)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
94 Oswego Summit Condo $245,000 $244,000 1140 5
3972 Carman Dr Condo $299,900 $280,000 1146 223
5053 Foothills Dr B Condo $340,000 $325,000 1252 164
4434 Thunder Vista Ln Condo $339,900 $352,000 2040 3
19 Condolea Dr Condo $514,000 $514,000 2157 4
17000 Gassner Ln Detached $549,000 $515,000 1832 161
14425 Holly Springs Rd Condo $569,000 $542,000 2238 61
4582 Trillium Woods Attached $585,000 $579,900 1927 131
1508 Pine St Detached $569,900 $590,000 2300 1
981 Cumberland Pl Detached $899,000 $655,000 3339 292
29 Spinosa Detached $664,900 $665,000 3262 3
45 Da Vinci St Detached $729,900 $710,000 3122 4
1080 Upper Devon Ln Detached $775,000 $775,000 2512 5
4120 Southshore Blvd Detached $795,000 $820,000 2079 2
5364 Langford Ln Detached $869,999 $842,000 3022 32
3730 Rivers Edge Dr Detached $1,039,000 $1,039,000 3427 2
179 Iron Mountain Blvd Detached $1,175,000 $1,100,000 5245 95
17211 Blue Heron Rd Detached $1,385,000 $1,247,000 2701 13
3101 Westview Ct Detached $1,395,000 $1,269,000 4290 359
17522 Bryant Rd Detached $1,324,900 $1,324,900 3545 23

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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Emergency Preparedness Fair

The City of Lake Oswego is hosting an emergency preparedness fair on April 24th, a Wednesday. It will be held from 5:30-7:30 pm at the Lake Oswego Maintenance Center (17601 Pilkington Rd).

We have no idea what sort of emergencies lay in our future. It is now well known that the Pacific Northwest has a history of huge earthquakes that on average occur every couple of hundred years and that we are now about 200 years since the last one occurred. Other potential events are flooding (that happened in 1996), severe storms, and fires. Being prepared is pretty important.

The emergency preparedness fair is going to feature about 20 booths sharing information on putting together your own preparedness kit that will address the need for supplies, food, water storage, pets, sanitation, and even CPR training.

Water is a particular concern as it is estimated that each person and pet in a household needs a gallon of water per day and that we should plan for a 14 day supply. At the preparedness fair the city will be giving out 300, 3-gallon water containers that can be used to collect water from distribution centers that, in the event of an emergency, will be set up by the city.

This sounds like a wonderful event that is free and worthwhile. See you there!
Dianne

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Market Activity March 25-31, 2019

Last week in Lake Oswego 12 new listings came onto the market, 15 properties accepted offers and went into pending status, and 16 properties became sold/closed sales.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

New on the Market (March 25-31, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
668 McVey Ave #10 Condo $329,950 3 1.5 992
48 Eagle Crest Dr 2C Condo $349,000 3 2 1623
12864 Boones Ferry Rd Townhouse $389,900 2 2.5 1182
38 Weatherstone Condo $395,000 3 2.5 1692
647 2nd St Attached $579,900 3 2 1457
4889 Hampton Ct Detached $634,950 3 2.5 2206
1193 Troon Rd Detached $699,000 3 2.5 2546
4078 Melissa Dr Detached $699,900 4 2.5 2691
663 Carrera Ln Detached $775,000 3 2 2197
550 Middlecrest Rd Detached $880,000 2 2.5 2226
13078 Fielding Rd Detached $1,500,000 4 2 3936
17010 Canal Circle Detached $1,595,000 4 4 3931

Pending Sales (March 25-31, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
10 Oswego Summit Condo $164,900 1 1 764 45
45 Eagle Crest Dr #218 Condo $179,900 1 1 768 9
5335 Jean Rd #402 Condo $299,500 2 2 1400 5
4308 Botticelli St Townhouse $384,995 3 3.5 2098 129
1 Eagle Crest Dr Detached $389,000 3 2 1265 5
668 McVey Ave #36 Condo $389,900 2 1 852 8
125 Condolea Dr Condo $475,000 3 3 2186 9
732 Ellis Ave Detached $489,000 3 2 1632 38
1901 Mapleleaf Ct Detached $584,900 4 3 2800 8
18790 Bryant Rd Detached $599,900 3 2.5 2489 17
4966 Harvard Ct Detached $639,900 4 2.5 3078 9
5736 Southwood Dr Detached $746,500 4 2.5 3120 59
19357 Riverwood Ln Detached $849,500 4 2.5 2916 5
16560 Glenwood Ct Detached $899,000 3 2.5 2558 7
1233 Cherry Ln Detached $2.099,000 5 4.5 6052 175

Sold/Closed (March 25-31, 2019)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
47 Eagle Crest Dr #37 Condo $134,900 $113,000 672 68
100 Kerr Pkwy #6 Condo $174,900 $159,900 617 259
104 Oswego Summit Condo $170,000 $175,280 764 22
3343 5th St #2 Condo $250,000 $241,500 910 20
48 Eagle Crest Dr 5C Condo $279,000 $269,000 1443 104
2071 Bonniebrae Dr Townhouse $379,900 $379,900 1611 7
210 S State St #2 Condo $395,000 $385,000 1715 10
553 6th St Detached $579,000 $475,000 1390 158
4954 Mulholland Dr Attached $599,900 $600,600 2498 4
1359 Larch St Detached $685,000 $635,000 3168 88
17 Westridge Dr Detached $725,000 $698,900 3533 34
2120 Ridgewood Rd Detached $779,000 $766,000 2382 5
903 Ash St Detached $999,000 $928,125 2765 231
1628 Lake Front Rd Detached $1,080,000 $1,020,000 2470 35
13750 Knaus Rd Detached $1,299,000 $1,160,000 4773 354
13236 Amber Pl Detached $1,499,950 $1,490,000 3966 283

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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Rental Investing

I often tell first-time buyers that an excellent goal is to be able to keep that first house as a rental as opposed to selling it. Interest rates on owner-occupied mortgages are generally lower and a house can be purchased with a smaller down payment if you are buying it as your primary residence. If all of us could keep every home we have ever purchased, we could, over our lifetimes, gradually build quite a portfolio of rental properties. Of course life has a way of occurring differently than planned, but the general concept is a good one.

Linda and I both work quite a lot with investors who purchase and sell rental properties. It is a different experience than when you are buying a home to live in. Considerations have to be made about whether or not the property can be rented. This is especially true with condominiums. Many Home Owner’s Associations have restrictions on renting. It’s also important to know that within the city limits of Lake Oswego short-term rentals, considered to be for less than 30 days, are not allowed. This means no airbnb or vacation rentals are allowed.

Now comes an entirely new twist. The State of Oregon has just enacted rental restrictions related to rent increases and evictions. I am not going to claim to be an expert, but I do have a general idea of what is going on. More importantly, I can direct you to a great resource with someone who is an expert.

First, what’s going on. Rental increases are now restricted to not more than 7% plus the rate of inflation in any one year. This is actually quite a lot. But if you are working with a property that is grossly under rented, it will take time to bring the rent in line with market value. It also means that if you own rentals that you will eventually be selling, you should be doing rent increases while you own the property so that when you go to sell it, the rents will be in line with the market.

Second, no cause evictions are now pretty much non existent. During the first twelve months of a tenancy a tenant can still be evicted without cause. Without cause means you can give notice that the tenant has to move out and not state why. You are simply demanding that they move. That’s it. But on day 366 of the tenancy the no cause eviction is no longer allowed. This means that evicting a tenant will require that you give a reason that falls within the allowed parameters. With cause can include non-payment of rent, damage that they’ve done to the property, if a government agency has determined that the property is not safe to live in, etc. One reason that you can not use as cause for eviction? That you plan to sell the house. So if you have a rental property that you plan to sell, it has to be put onto the market with the tenant in place. A tenant can choose to move when they learn the house is going to be sold. The restriction is on the landlord, not the tenant. If you get an offer from someone who intends to move into the property as their primary residence, then you can evict them. But if your buyer intends to also hold the property as a rental, then the tenant can not be evicted and the tenant will continue to live in the property after it is sold.

As you can see, it’s pretty complicated. I am not an attorney and with landlord tenant law that you have questions about, you really should consult an attorney. This brings me to a wonderful resource that I have been given permission to pass along. I met an attorney this past week whose entire practice is built on representing landlords. He does not represent tenants. He also only gives advice to his clients, so he won’t do a consultation for free. He does however have a great website that has lots of information that is available at no charge. He is Tim Murphy of Murphy Law Group P.C., and his website is www.oregonlandlord.net. On his website he has summation material about the new Oregon law as well as the new laws that are in effect in the City of Portland.

I hope you have found this helpful. As always, thanks for reading.
Dianne

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Market Activity March 11-17, 2019

Last week in Lake Oswego 18 new listings came onto the market, 24 properties accepted offers and went into pending status, and 10 properties became sold/closed sales.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

New on the Market (March 11-17, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
45 Eagle Crest Dr #218 Condo $179,900 1 1 768
512 S State St Condo $229,989 1 1 829
3814 Botticelli St Condo $279,000 2 2 1055
526 S State St 5a Condo $279,900 2 1 914
5054 Foothills Dr D Condo $345,000 2 2 1252
17606 Sydni Ct Townhouse $575,000 3 2.5 2442
336 Livingood Ln Detached $575,000 4 2.5 2392
737 Ash St Detached $649,990 4 2 2428
15 Nansen Summit Detached $775,000 3 2.5 3098
14183 Taylors Crest Ln Detached $799,000 4 2.5 3551
554 Luce Ln Detached $799,900 4 3 3269
171 C Ave Attached $879,000 3 3 2308
335 Cedar Ct Detached $975,000 4 3 3800
1385 Morning Sky Ct Detached $1,240,000 3 2.5 3690
2013 Ridgewood Rd Detached $1,248,000 5 3.5 4327
1835 Cedar Ct Detached $1,249,000 3 3.5 3165
1949 Cedar Ct Detached $1,745,000 5 5.5 6330
2260 Summit Ct Detached $2,158,000 5 4.5 3797

Pending Sales (March 11-17, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
47 Eagle Crest Dr #37 Condo $115,000 1 1 672 68
86 Kingsgate Rd I-102 Condo $219,900 2 2 849 4
3972 Carman Dr Condo $299,900 2 2.5 1146 223
4434 Thunder Vista Ln Condo $339,900 2 2.5 2040 3
1589 Boca Ratan Dr Townhouse $378,500 3 2 1611 37
4433 Thunder Vista Ln Condo $379,000 3 2.5 2002 177
12884 Boones Ferry Rd Condo $395,000 2 2.5 1182 11
16200 Pacific Hwy #6 Condo $395,000 2 2 1190 115
18430 Terry Ave Detached $460,000 3 2 1568 5
17297 Bryant Rd Detached $529,000 3 2 1428 51
13371 Peters Rd Detached $549,900 3 2.5 2340 25
5835 Langford Ln Detached $560,000 2 2 1850 11
515 Atwater Rd Detached $637,625 3 2.5 2746 37
5725 Southwood Dr Detached $687,000 4 2.5 2406 3
332 Lakewood Rd Detached $700,000 3 1.5+.5 2242 0
981 Cumberland Pl Detached $725,000 4 2 3339 292
2025 Glenmorrie Ln Detached $780,000 3 2 2652 25
17479 Brookhurst Dr Detached $810,000 4 2.5 3711 2
6048 Lakeview Blvd Detached $849,000 4 2.5 2640 128
6044 Clairmont Ct Detached $880,000 4 2.5 3430 177
17494 Lake Haven Dr Detached $950,000 2 2 2121 279
892 8th St Detached $1,250,000 4 3.5 2747 242
407 G Ave Detached $1,980,000 4 3.5 4635 12
320 Chandler Pl Detached $2,395,000 5 3.5 4675 288

Sold/Closed (March 11-17, 2019)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
63 Oswego Summit Condo $179,900 $185,000 1058 3
218 Ridgeway Rd Condo $284,000 $279,700 914 18
293 Cervantes Townhouse $350,000 $330,000 1384 77
17156 Rebecca Ln Detached $545,000 $534,000 2026 43
1010 Upper Devon Ln Detached $699,000 $630,000 3068 144
5474 Bay Creek Dr Detached $649,900 $640,000 2322 15
18048 Eastridge Ln Detached $1,375,000 $974,903 4336 426
1451 Horseshoe Curve Detached $1,198,000 $1,163,000 2062 13
1122 Bayberry Rd Detached $1,498,000 $1,425,000 3259 19
3130 Douglas Circle Detached $1,595,000 $1,500,000 4063 189

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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The Importance of Building Permits

Do I need a permit? That is the magic question that home owners get to contemplate when they take on a remodeling project. I am not going to tell you what needs or doesn’t need to be permitted. For the answer to that question you need to contact the city or county planning departments in the area that you live. What I will tell you is that permits are not something that you should avoid.

Think about it. Permits allow the oversight of an expert to be certain that the work you are doing is being done correctly.

I think home owners occasionally try to avoid getting permits for two reasons and both pertain to money. The first is the cost of the permit. It simply adds to the cost of the project. The second is the potential for increased property taxes. Depending on the scope of the remodeling, the increased value of your home comes to the attention of the tax assessor and that can increase your annual property taxes. Even so, please don’t avoid getting permits to save money.

The issue of permitted remodeling is a big factor when you go to sell a home. It is one of the questions that sellers are asked to answer on the seller’s property disclosure statement. Even if the work is beautifully done to the highest standards possible, if it wasn’t permitted, it is going to become an issue when you sell the property. Buyers have easy access to public records to see if the remodeling was permitted, as do appraisers. At a class I took in Wednesday I was told by an appraiser that if remodeling wasn’t permitted then it will not be included in the valuation of the property. So that master bedroom and bathroom addition will not be included as part of the house. Or worse, if the work was done badly, the appraiser will make a note of it and then the underwriter of the buyer’s new mortgage can call for after-the-fact permitting before the mortgage company will approve the loan. It is the job of the underwriter to approve the condition of the property as collateral for the loan.

It simply makes no sense to avoid spending money in the short run simply to have it shoot you in the foot in the long run. Make certain when you do remodeling that you are getting all necessary permits. It’s the right thing to do.
Dianne

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Market Activity Feb 25-March 3, 2019

Last week in Lake Oswego 8 new listings came onto the market, 18 properties accepted offers and went into pending status, and 9 properties became sold/closed sales.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

New on the Market (Feb 25-March 3, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
12866 Boones Ferry Rd Condo $385,000 2 2.5 1182
19 Walking Woods Dr Detached $545,000 3 2 2513
5835 Langford Ln Detached $575,000 2 2 1850
18049 Skyland Circle Detached $1,125,000 3 3 3717
1023 Bayberry Rd Detached $1,399,900 3 2.5 2958
3101 Douglas Circle Detached $1,438,950 5 4.5 4430
407 G Ave Detached $1,980,000 4 3.5 4635
420 Ridgeway Rd Detached $2,695,000 4 4 3505

Pending Sales (Feb 25-March 3, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
100 Kerr Pkwy #6 Condo $159,900 1 1 617 259
94 Oswego Summit Condo $245,000 2 2 1140 5
343 5th St #2 Condo $250,000 2 1 910 20
2071 Bonniebrae Dr Townhouse $379,900 3 2 1611 7
1410 Spruce St Detached $525,000 3 2 1242 15
5079 W Sunset Dr Attached $529,900 2 2.5 1734 81
5807 Ridgetop Ct Detached $660,000 5 2.5 2610 149
29 Spinosa Detached $664,900 3 2.5+.5 3262 3
45 Da Vinci St Detached $729,900 4 3.5 3122 4
4120 Southshore Blvd Detached $795,000 3 3 2079 2
4028 Orchard Dr Detached $825,000 4 2.5 3343 30
641 3rd St Condo $849,900 3 2.5 3343 134
5364 Langford Ln Detached $849,999 3 2.5 3022 32
17596 Greenbluff Dr Detached $934,900 4 2.5 3150 42
179 Iron Mountain Blvd Detached $1,175,000 5 4.5 5245 95
725 5th St Detached $1,199,900 4 3 2748 3
13750 Knaus Rd Detached $1,199,999 5 4 4773 354
939 Lake Front Rd Detached $1,699,900 5 4 4106 574

Sold/Closed (Feb 25-March 3, 2019)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
100 Kerr Pdwy #16 Condo $205,000 $208,000 823 2
4000 Carman Dr #40 Condo $269,000 $259,000 906 115
5225 Jean Rd #513 Condo $315,000 $292,000 1400 156
16061 Waluga Dr Detached $500,000 $439,000 676 88
5123 Jean Rd Detached $570,000 $547,000 2400 276
4451 Bernard St Detached $550,000 $550,000 1806 5
5326 Westfield Ct Detached $775,000 $752,500 3259 110
1813 Palisades Lake Ct Detached $1,015,000 $995,000 4119 302
1160 Northshore Rd Detached $1,898,000 $1,750,000 2794 302

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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Design Trends for 2019

I find design trends fascinating. When done well they are exciting and something we work to incorporate into our homes. When bad, they are entertaining because I’m curious to see if they will actually catch on. I compiled this list using multiple sources which I have sighted at the end of this post.

Let’s start with trends that are “out”:

Eclectic clutter, boho accessories, too much junk, it comes by many names but it pretty much boils down to rooms that are over loaded with art, pillows, trims and furniture. I find myself asking, was this ever in style? Clean and orderly never goes out of style.

Cherry cabinets. I would agree with this one. A recent article in The Oregonian stated that 43% of home owners want white cabinets. I do think wood cabinets are still popular, but white is making a come back.

Solid-white-quartz counters. I think it’s the white component. As previously stated, white cabinets are popular and white counters with white cabinets are not enough contrast to showcase a beautiful room.

Gallery walls. These are entire walls that are filled with photos and art. I think this falls in line with eclectic clutter, found at the top of this list.

Word art. Whether painted onto the wall or done with large letters that are hung on the wall, this is a design trend that has been around for a very long time. I’m glad to see it go.

Kitchen islands. Really? I mean, really? Don’t we all want a kitchen that is large enough to hold a kitchen island? I don’t think I see this one panning out. The rational is that islands take up a lot of space and provide very little storage. Hmmmm…I don’t see kitchen islands going out of style but time will tell.

Here are the trends that are foreseen as leading design changes for 2019:

Sustainability. This applies to both the materials used and the source of the materials. This one makes total sense to me and is long over due. There are gorgeous woods available in our region without having to log trees out of the rain forests of South America. In line with this concept are materials that are natural and hand made.

Biophilia. This terms is the concept that people and nature are integrated and our homes should reflect that. Think of rooms with large walls and windows that can be opened to to bring the outside in. Back yards with out door living spaces that include comfortable furniture and full cooking capability. It also ties into the sustainability idea by using natural fibers, stone, wood, and natural lighting.

70’s chic, Memphis design, it has quite a few names. The concept is the use of primary colors and graphic shapes. Tile in particular is heavily influenced by this. There is lots of use of geometric shapes and patterns.

Blush pink. One website referred to it as “millennial pink”. That gave me a laugh.

Wall papers and floral prints, oh my. This is one where I want to put out a public service announcement to “just say no”. As you can tell, I’m not a fan.

Vintage lighting. Light fixtures are such an affordable way to update a house. The vintage stuff out there is fantastic. Go with this one.

90% white and 10% color. White is in.

Mixed metals. Brushed bronze was predicted a few years ago to take over brushed nickel in faucets, hardware and kitchen knobs. That didn’t pan out. I think brushed nickel is still far more popular than other metals. Perhaps mixing the metals is a more gentle manner of transitioning. Copper and brass are now commonly found in fixtures and hardware.

These trends appear to be a toss up. Some lists put them on the “out” list, and some put them on the “in” list:

Velvet furniture. Is it plush and funky? Is it dated and stodgy? I think it comes down to what you like. If you like it, go for it.

Jewel tones. These are bold blues, reds, greens, the colors of sapphires, rubies, and emeralds. Like the velvet furniture, it’s both in and out. If you like it, go for it.

Concrete floors and counters. This trend has always been edgy. I personally think it is a material source that is sustainable and practical but it needs to be the right house. It does not belong in a Georgian Colonial. It would do really well in a ultra-modern loft.

We shall see which of these bear out to be true. Happy house hunting!
Dianne

Sources for this blog post included:
elledecor.com
decoraid.com
houzz.com
Realtor.com
The Oregonian

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Market Activity Feb 11-17, 2019

Last week in Lake Oswego 15 new listings came onto the market, 15 properties accepted offers and went into pending status, and 7 properties became sold/closed sales.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

New on the Market (Feb 11-17, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
63 Oswego Summit Condo $179,900 1 1 1058
668 McVey Ave #55 Condo $299,900 1 1 636
5225 Jean Rd #603 Condo $305,000 3 2 1400
1410 Spruce St Detached $525,000 3 2 1242
13371 Peters Rd Detached $549,900 3 2.5 2340
16835 Fernwood Dr Detached $645,000 4 2 1942
1080 Upper Devon Ln Detached $775,000 3 2.5 2512
12645 Boones Ferry Rd Detached $799,900 5 2 3036
917 Laurel St Detached $987,000 4 3.5 3182
4320 Haven St Detached $1,200,000 4 3.5 4526
12816 Alto Park Rd Detached $1,295,000 5 4 3846
18325 Crestline Dr Detached $1,525,000 5 4 5418
17283 Blue Heron Rd Detached $1,695,000 3 2.5 3797
16511 Maple Circle Detached $1,925,000 3 2.5 3338
920 Westpoint Rd Detached $4,300,000 4 4.5 6337

Pending Sales (Feb 11-17, 2019)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
343 5th St #2 Condo $250,000 2 1 910 6
163 Oswego Summit Condo $251,000 2 2 1506 14
4765 Firwood Rd Detached $474,000 3 2 1716 7
18820 65th Ave Detached $485,000 4 2.5 2268 13
6238 Dawn St Detached $505,000 3 2 1414 19
17297 Bryant Rd Detached $529,000 3 2 1428 27
17156 Rebecca Ln Detached $539,000 4 2.5 2026 43
5153 Jean Rd Detached $547,000 8 3 2400 276
939 Devon Ln Detached $574,900 3 2 2165 129
3830 Tempest Dr Detached $599,900 3 2.5 3099 5
18140 Pioneer Ct Detached $965,000 4 3 2524 187
780 Briercliff Detached $1,138,000 5 3.5 3061 39
4212 Southshore Blvd Detached $1,175,000 4 4 3127 55
17522 Bryant Rd Detached $1,324,000 4 4 3545 23
13705 Knaus Rd Detached $1,650,000 4 3.5 5339 296

Sold/Closed (Feb 11-17, 2019)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
121 Oswego Summit Condo $195,000 $182,200 764 52
17040 Fernwood Dr Detached $575,000 $475,000 2399 211
3857 Bass Ln Detached $650,000 $632,000 2608 55
12 Da Vinci Detached $785,000 $720,000 2959 201
19463 Lorna Ln Detached $999,500 $920,000 4055 208
1810 Northshore Rd Detached $1,750,000 $1,450,000 3529 234
3120 Upper Dr Detached $2,350,000 $2,300,000 4575 7

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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Featured Neighborhood: Lakewood

Lake Oswego has 24 recognized neighborhood associations. Having a neighborhood association is not the same as having a Home Owner’s Association. While some neighborhood associations do have HOA’s many do not. This means that the neighborhood association is not so much about organizing or restricting home owners, and it is more about organizing as a group to communicate with city planning and simply as neighbors to coordinate ideas and activities. Today we are going to take a look at the Lakewood neighborhood.

I don’t think it is the smallest neighborhood in Lake Oswego, but it is certainly one of the smallest. My estimation is that it has about 200 single family homes and another 200 condominiums. The boundaries are State Street on the East, McVey Avenue on the South, West Point Rd on the West, and the junction of Northshore Blvd and Cabana Lane on the North.

Geographically it is pretty much a peninsula. The water boundaries are Lakewood Bay and the main lake.

It very much has a European village feel. The peninsula is taller in the middle with the streets tightly meandering around the curvature of the elevation as well as the water. It is an old neighborhood and has many grand homes that date back nearly a hundred years. Mixed into these houses are new homes that have been built, and that will continue to be built, as the smaller homes age out and become out-of-character to the changing surroundings.

The center piece of the neighborhood is the Lakewood Center for the Arts. Built in 1928, this was originally Lakewood School. It was the original school of Lake Oswego serving, I believe, kindergarden to 8th grade. My information is based upon what I found on line but also on my Mom’s best friend, now in her 80’s, who attended Lakewood School as a child. In the early years kids from LO had to take a bus into Portland to go to High School before Lake Oswego High was built in 1951. Today the Lakewood Center is the home of the Lakewood Theater, theater classes for all ages, the Festival of the Arts, and a second hand store that serves as a funding source for the art center.

While most of the homes in the Lakewood neighborhood are right on the lake, those that are not on the water enjoy the proximity to the Lake Oswego swim park, which is located in this neighborhood.

The walking score for homes in this neighborhood are some of the best to be found. On the Eastern edge you can literally walk across the street to restaurants and shopping. Living on the Western edge adds about half a mile to that distance. It is also a short walk to the Farmer’s Market, Millenium Plaza and the Lake Theater and Cafe for first-run movies.

Pricing is at the extreme ends for Lake Oswego. Looking at what is currently offered for sale, the least expensive is a 2 bedroom and 1 bath condo that was built in 1948. It has been nicely updated and is very clean and bright. It has 914 square feet with views of the lake and an assigned carport. The asking price is $284,000. The most expensive homes are typically right out on the point of the peninsula. They have expansive views that look down the lake but also look out on each side to be truly panoramic. The most expensive house currently listed is a 1936 mansion that has 6337 square feet. It has been fully updated and remodeled to today’s highest standards, yet the remodeling has been done with respect and preservation of the historic glamour of the home. It has 4 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths. The asking price is $4,300,000.

The Lakewood neighborhood is really special. It’s quaint, yet exquisite, a rare combination. Please let Linda or I know if you would like more information.
Dianne