Lake Oswego Real Estate Blog
Whitney, Linda and I want to wish you and yours a safe and happy 4th of July. I know that I will be down by the lake watching what is annually a spectacular fireworks show. Thank you to the trumpet player who I enjoy every year playing our National Anthem just before the show starts. Whatever you are doing to celebrate the day, please stay safe and take particular care of your pets.
Happy 4th of July!
Whitney, Linda, and Dianne
We here at the blotter want to wish you a very happy Father’s Day. Dad’s are pretty special. Both Linda and I have lost our fathers and we miss them dearly. So whether you have your Dad to hug today, or if he is a spark in your heart, we hope you are enjoying your Dad and your memories of him.
Dianne
Our Market is moving right along. I’m going to step out on a limb here and give my opinion that this year is just a bit slower than last year. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a seller’s market, but it is just not quite as intense, in my opinion. Last week in Lake Oswego we had 28 houses come onto the market as new listings, 22 houses go into pending status, and 19 become closed sales. A year ago, my memory is that the new listings were nearly identical with the pendings happening at the same pace as the listings coming onto the market. Time will tell if I am correct. Right now its the numbers and also a bit of my “Realtor sense”.
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:
New on the Market (June 5-11, 2017)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft |
| 86 Kingsgate Rd A204 | Condo | $188,000 | 2 | 2 | 849 |
| 73 Oswego Summit | Condo | $229,900 | 2 | 2 | 1212 |
| 16200 Pacific Hwy #15 | Condo | $329,900 | 2 | 2 | 1190 |
| 5064 Foothills Dr #17 | Condo | $349,900 | 3 | 2 | 1252 |
| 17226 Marjorie Ave | Detached | $499,000 | 3 | 2 | 1782 |
| 19060 Indian Springs Cir | Detached | $524,000 | 3 | 2 | 1355 |
| 1311 Pine St | Detached | $550,000 | 3 | 3 | 2150 |
| 4 Icarus Loop | Detached | $585,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2743 |
| 16064 Waluga Dr | Detached | $600,951 | 7 | 3 | 2550 |
| 802 Clara Ct | Detached | $609,900 | 4 | 3 | 2815 |
| 6236 Wayzata Ct | Detached | $639,000 | 4 | 2.5+.5 | $2,752 |
| 5807 Ridgetop Ct | Detached | $700,000 | 5 | 2.5 | 2610 |
| 6081 Clairmont Ct | Detached | $710,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2680 |
| 762 Maple St | Detached | $715,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 2340 |
| 21 Westridge Dr | Detached | $719,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 3202 |
| 19067 Megan Pl | Detached | $824,900 | 4 | 3 | 3400 |
| 17549 Oak Meadow Ln | Detached | $835,000 | 4 | 3 | 3407 |
| 5366 Rosalia Way | Detached | $915,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 3579 |
| 3325 Cedar Ct | Detached | $1,049,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3500 |
| 3555 Lake Grove Ave | Detached | $1,200,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3433 |
| 3519 Lake Grove Ave | Detached | $1,249,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3119 |
| 13561 Goodall Rd | Detached | $1,250,000 | 3 | 2 | 2484 |
| 718 Maple St | Detached | $1,349,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 4023 |
| 830 Cabana Ln | Detached | $1,475,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3029 |
| 13575 Goodall Rd | Detached | $1,495,000 | 4 | 5.5 | 4271 |
| 18099 Green Bluff Dr | Detached | $1,595,500 | 4 | 3.5 | 5023 |
| 13877 Amberwood Cir | Detached | $1,699,000 | 4 | 4.5 | 5851 |
| 1066 Northshore Rd | Detached | $3,895,000 | 4 | 5.5 | 4169 |
Pending Sales (June 5-11, 2017)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 44 Eagle Crest Dr #17 | Condo | $159,900 | 1 | 1 | 798 | 3 |
| 1819 Boca Ratan Dr | Attached | $335,000 | 3 | 2 | 1405 | 5 |
| 1033 Hallinan St | Detached | $389,000 | 3 | 1 | 936 | 49 |
| 19242 Terry Ave | Detached | $479,900 | 4 | 2 | 1872 | 5 |
| 2235 Fernwood Circle | Detached | $495,000 | 3 | 2 | 2746 | 7 |
| 12537 SW 27th Pl | Detached | $499,500 | 4 | 2.5 | 2464 | 4 |
| 17268 Fernwood Dr | Detached | $528,800 | 3 | 2 | 2086 | 4 |
| 19026 Indian Springs Rd | Detached | $570,000 | 5 | 3 | 2971 | 4 |
| 1988 Mapleleaf Rd | Detached | $575,000 | 3 | 1.5 | 1522 | 0 |
| 9 Falstaff St | Detached | $625,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2436 | 103 |
| 128 Church St | Detached | $629,000 | 3 | 2 | 1924 | 157 |
| 19158 Terry Ave | Detached | $679,000 | 4 | 3 | 2424 | 4 |
| 18034 Westview Dr | Detached | $699,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 3562 | 43 |
| 2964 Overlook Dr | Detached | $700,000 | 5 | 2.5 | 3731 | 3 |
| 19524 River Run Dr | Detached | $725,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2630 | 3 |
| 4707 Hastings Pl | Detached | $765,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 3025 | 7 |
| 17517 Oak Meadow Ln | Detached | $799,950 | 4 | 2.5 | 2952 | 2 |
| 570 Middlecrest Rd | Detached | $815,000 | 3 | 2 | 2213 | 3 |
| 17364 Bryant Rd | Detached | $819,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 3043 | 3 |
| 2375 Fernwood Cir | Detached | $899,900 | 4 | 3.5 | 4183 | 23 |
| 4047 Westbay Rd | Detached | $1,275,000 | 4 | 2 | 2493 | 7 |
| 853 G Ave | Detached | $1,800,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 4423 | 18 |
Sold/Closed (June 5-11, 2017)
| Address | Type | List Price | Sold Price | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 48 Eagle Crest Dr 3E | Condo | $187,500 | $170,000 | 1545 | 201 |
| 15479 Brianne Ct | Attached | $299,900 | $285,000 | 1,204 | 24 |
| 19 Block Terrace | Attached | $365,000 | $370,000 | 1,527 | 2 |
| 34 Wheatherstone #17 | Attached | $375,000 | $375,000 | 1692 | 2 |
| 4454 Thunder Vista Ln | Condo | $379,900 | $383,000 | 1894 | 36 |
| 19101 Redwing Ct | Detached | $549,900 | $541,000 | 1434 | 8 |
| 5750 Washington Ct | Detached | $599,000 | $549,900 | 2238 | 182 |
| 5 Grouse Terrace | Detached | $579,000 | $555,000 | 2527 | 28 |
| 131 Wilbur St | Detached | $625,000 | $625,000 | 1312 | 0 |
| 4199 Fruitwood Ct | Detached | $649,500 | $649,500 | 2230 | 1 |
| 18461 Waxwing Circle | Detached | $649,900 | $660,000 | 3109 | 3 |
| 4182 Glacier Lily St | Detached | $748,000 | $665,000 | 2799 | 107 |
| 5536 Kilchurn Ave | Detached | $699,900 | $704,000 | 2550 | 4 |
| 5710 Southwood Dr | Detached | $720,000 | $709,000 | 2581 | 5 |
| 5780 Childs Rd | Detached | $750,000 | $755,000 | 2770 | 21 |
| 4265 Albert Circle | Detached | $792,000 | $773,000 | 3067 | 205 |
| 5335 Carman Grove Ln | Detached | $810,000 | $820,000 | 2505 | 13 |
| 909 Cumberland Pl | Detached | $825,000 | $825,000 | 2702 | 0 |
| 4323 Sunset Dr | Detached | $1,389,000 | $1,438,840 | 3930 | 3 |
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.
That’s a lot of money. And all because she was likely trying to save money on the project by either doing it herself of by hiring an unlicensed contractor. Some savings.
Where it is a hazard is if it is torn or worn to allow the fibrous crystals to become dust in the air that you can then breathe in. Those little crystals get into your lungs and get stuck. You can not cough them out. They stay in your lungs for years and years continually irritating the area until they can become cancer.
Think about what this lady did. She had the particles all over her house, inside and out, on heat registers where they would be additionally blown about and circulated. There is no way that she hasn’t exposed herself to breathing that stuff in, along with everyone else in the house hold. It’s just plain stupid, stupid, stupid.
About 3 years ago I sold a house that had asbestos popcorn ceilings. I had the home owner have them professionally removed prior to putting the house up for sale because the ceilings were visibly damaged. It was about 1000 square feet, and as I recall it cost $4000. This was removing the old ceiling and then texturing and painting a new ceiling. There is not so much money involved here that could possibly make improper removal even a tempting option. Just. Don’t. Do. It.
Stay safe and be smart,
Dianne
We are having just outstanding weather with mild sunny days, lots of blue sky, and gardens that are in full bloom. May and June in Oregon is hard to beat. This is also the time of year when our real estate market really heats up. My theory, along with wanting to move during the summer break, is that people want to identify the house they are moving to before their vacation plans complicate the timing. So it is a great time to be both buying and selling. This is reflected in last week’s market activity where Lake Oswego saw 29 properties come onto the market as new listings, 26 properties go into pending status and 19 properties that sold/closed.
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:
New on the Market (May 15-21, 2017)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft |
| 6930 Montauk Circle | Condo | $197,000 | 2 | 1 | 924 |
| 48 Eagle Crest Dr 1B | Condo | $339,000 | 3 | 2 | 1538 |
| 1666 Boca Ratan Dr | Attached | $355,000 | 3 | 2 | 1611 |
| 15 Britten Ct | Attached | $399,900 | 3 | 2.5 | 1972 |
| 1108 Cedar St | Detached | $489,900 | 3 | 1.5 | 1206 |
| 1710 Meadows Dr | Detached | $545,000 | 3 | 2 | 1677 |
| 12729 19th Ave | Detached | $549,900 | 4 | 2 | 2700 |
| 84 Greenridge Ct | Attached | $570,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2868 |
| 5028 Greensborough Ct | Detached | $629,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 2358 |
| 13731 Provincial Hill Dr | Detached | $635,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 2262 |
| 1258 Hida A Way Ln | Detached | $775,000 | 7 | 3.5 | 4219 |
| 5088 Woodcrest Ln | Detached | $814,500 | 4 | 2.5 | 3183 |
| 2886 Upper Dr | Detached | $848,900 | 4 | 3 | 2498 |
| 171 5th St | Detached | $875,000 | 3 | 1 | 1910 |
| 2764 Rivendell Rd | Detached | $899,900 | 5 | 2.5 | 3451 |
| 2375 Fernwood Circle | Detached | $899,900 | 4 | 3.5 | 4183 |
| 481 Iron Mountain Blvd | Detached | $929,000 | 4 | 2.5+.5 | 3859 |
| 18125 Pilkington Rd | Detached | $1,065,000 | 4 | 3 | 3229 |
| 14750 Uplands Dr | Detached | $1,100,000 | 4 | 3 | 3387 |
| 1443 Country Commons | Detached | $1,189,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 3385 |
| 17436 Kelok Rd | Detached | $1,198,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3054 |
| 19177 Hill Top Rd | Detached | $1,199,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 4692 |
| 892 8th St | Detached | $1,200,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 2800 |
| 4190 Chapman Way | Detached | $1,250,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3553 |
| 740 7th St | Detached | $1,395,000 | 7 | 7 | 5431 |
| 18639 Pilkington Rd | Detached | $1,495,000 | 4 | 4 | 4148 |
| 1655 Leslie Ln | Detached | $1,750,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 4800 |
| 16938 Alder Circle | Detached | $1,950,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3241 |
| 2430 Summit Ct | Detached | $2,300,000 | 3 | 3 | 2911 |
Pending Sales (May 15-21, 2017)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 100 Kerr Pkwy #20 | Condo | $115,000 | 1 | 1 | 617 | 9 |
| 332 Cervantes Circle | Condo | $184,900 | 2 | 1 | 832 | 40 |
| 6928 Montauk Circle | Condo | $235,000 | 2 | 1 | 924 | 0 |
| 7210 Childs Rd | Condo | $339,000 | 3 | 2 | 1542 | 989 |
| 16681 Lake Forest Blvd | Detached | $375,000 | 3 | 1 | 936 | 2 |
| 4268 Woodside Circle | Attached | $375,000 | 4 | 2 | 1944 | 28 |
| 1709 Aspen Ct | Detached | $395,000 | 3 | 2 | 1559 | 7 |
| 1033 Hallinan St | Detached | $395,000 | 3 | 1 | 936 | 28 |
| 870 Lake Forest Dr | Detached | $450,000 | 4 | 2 | 1808 | 1 |
| 18851 Indian Springs Circle | Detached | $480,000 | 3 | 2 | 1903 | 0 |
| 13206 Vermeer Dr | Detached | $489,000 | 4 | 2 | 2095 | 16 |
| 3711 Wren St | Detached | $529,000 | 3 | 2 | 1704 | 14 |
| 11 Morningview Circle | Detached | $585,585 | 3 | 2.5 | 2845 | 43 |
| 1641 Devon Ln | Detached | $589,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 2013 | 67 |
| 2442 Palisades Crest Dr | Detached | $599,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 2707 | 9 |
| 17071 Rebecca Ln | Detached | $599,900 | 3 | 3 | 2278 | 107 |
| 2272 Park Rd | Detached | $675,000 | 4 | 3 | 2325 | 19 |
| 2255 Greentree Rd | Detached | $675,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 2709 | 4 |
| 41 Churchill Downs | Detached | $679,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 2763 | 5 |
| 3355 Upper Dr | Detached | $725,000 | 4 | 2 | 3126 | 63 |
| 5228 Lower Dr | Detached | $795,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2712 | 21 |
| 4112 Orchard Way | Detached | $969,000 | 5 | 4 | 4153 | 8 |
| 3151 Alber Spring Ct | Detached | $999,950 | 5 | 3.5 | 3802 | 29 |
| 3938 Edens Edge Dr | Detached | $1,019,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3882 | 36 |
| 16001 Parelius Circle | Detached | $1,225,000 | 5 | 2.5 | 4309 | 13 |
| 401 9th St | Detached | $1,299,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 4288 | 240 |
Sold/Closed (May 15-21, 2017)
| Address | Type | List Price | Sold Price | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 47 Eagle Crest Dr #11 | Condo | $179,900 | $179,000 | 932 | 7 |
| 750 1st St #E28 | Condo | $199,950 | $197,000 | 902 | 4 |
| 200 Burnham Rd #400 | Condo | $210,000 | $208,000 | 968 | 2 |
| 33 Eagle Crest Dr #36 | Condo | $189,900 | $211,000 | 908 | 14 |
| 50 Oswego Summit | Condo | $199,900 | $222,500 | 752 | 2 |
| 200 Oswego Summit | Condo | $230,000 | $232,000 | 1383 | 3 |
| 1602 Bonniebrae Dr | Attached | $275,000 | $272,500 | 864 | 7 |
| 32 Greenridge Ct | Condo | $309,899 | $353,000 | 1996 | 107 |
| 17901 Tualata Ave | Detached | $347,000 | $355,000 | 912 | 3 |
| 5463 Tree St | Detached | $485,000 | $475,000 | 1460 | 107 |
| 1658 Greentree Rd | Detached | $479,000 | $479,080 | 2394 | 40 |
| 3211 Royce Way | Detached | $499,900 | $509,900 | 2395 | 32 |
| 1032 Laurel St | Detached | $535,000 | $540,000 | 2426 | 3 |
| 1662 Worthington St | Detached | $599,999 | $620,000 | 2116 | 7 |
| 16038 Reese Rd | Detached | $729,900 | $700,000 | 3189 | 48 |
| 13276 Deerfield Ct | Detached | $775,000 | $775,000 | 3066 | 0 |
| 15199 Lily Bay Ct | Detached | $878,000 | $865,000 | 2696 | 19 |
| 16672 Fir Ln | Detached | $1,238,000 | $1,190,000 | 4179 | 98 |
| 4394 Lords Ln | Detached | $1,350,000 | $1,325,000 | 3748 | 54 |
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.
I am pleased to let you know that I have become an Earth Advantage Designated Broker. What does this mean? It means that I have attended and passed a course that gives me this accreditation. I have a very strong personal interest in living my life sustain-ably and making choices based upon being environmentally aware (yes, I used cloth diapers on my children and adore re-usable grocery bags). So this felt like an easy and natural thing to take on. I want to share with you a bit of what I have learned.
Earth Advantage is a third-party organization that is very active here in Oregon. These organizations tend to be regional with about 70 of them around the United States. What they do is set standards that are regionally acknowledged to allow home owners, builders, and Realtors to have a basis of understanding a criteria of environmental sustainability.
Earth Advantage is commonly seen in new construction. Builders long ago learned that building to these standards is popular with home buyers. An Earth Advantage designation on a new home makes that home more competitive as a commodity to be sold. So it not only helps the environment, but it helps the profitability of the home for the builder. An Earth Advantage home must have met sustainability standards that are 15% more stringent than building just to local code requirements. This means the house is built to be energy efficient, it takes into consideration where materials come from, and how materials are disposed of. Did you know that it takes an average of 13 years for the world to recover the resources that go into building a new home?
Earth Advantage designations can also be given to homes that are already built. In fact, the most sustainable home you can buy is one that is already built. You can do improvements to an already built home, think new windows, insulation, water conservation, that will make the existing home come up to modern standards for sustainability. A good place to start is by contacting Energy Trust of Oregon (energytrust.org) and obtaining one of their free energy saver kits. To go straight to the website, click here.
This is going to come into play in a big way, particularly in the City of Portland. Beginning January 1, 2018, selling a house in Portland will require providing a home energy score to prospective purchasers. While this is not going to be required in Lake Oswego, I do believe it is going to raise awareness of houses energy efficiency for consumers, and that we will see buyers of homes in Lake Oswego asking for similar accommodations from sellers.
I think we pretty easily understand the benefits of energy efficiency and sustainability for houses. It saves money, particularly over time. It can be better for our health. And it is environmentally responsible. I think some of the most exciting things you can do when you start to prioritize energy efficiency and sustainability are also just super easy. Did you know that putting in a $10 low-flow shower head can save you about $150 a year? Wrapping your water heater with a $25 insulated blanket can save you $200 a year? Things like light bulbs, programmable thermostats, and smart power strips are inexpensive and give you big pay back.
OK. I’ll get down off of my soap box. I hope you can tell that this is a subject that I really like. Feel free to reach out with questions on this subject. All three of us, Linda, Whitney, and myself, love to hear from you.
Dianne
Our spring market is moving right along with 18 new listings this past week, 31 pending sales, and 22 closed/sold properties. Only 18 new listings up against 31 pending sales continues to reflect that demand is out pacing supply. Expect to see prices continue to rise in this real estate climate.
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:
New on the Market (April 24-30, 2017)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft |
| 7190 Childs Rd | Detached | $450,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 2316 |
| 1705 Conifer Dr | Detached | $499,900 | 3 | 1.5 | 1774 |
| 19101 Redwing Ct | Detached | $549,900 | 3 | 2 | 1434 |
| 12 Scarborough Dr | Detached | $650,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2966 |
| 10 Buckingham Terr | Detached | $674,900 | 4 | 3 | 3428 |
| 2272 Park Rd | Detached | $675,000 | 4 | 3 | 2325 |
| 18034 Westview Dr | Detached | $715,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3562 |
| 5228 Lower Dr | Detached | $795,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2712 |
| 17739 Overlook Circle | Detached | $800,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3391 |
| 810 9th St | Detached | $829,000 | 3 | 2 | 2417 |
| 725 Oak Meadow Ct | Detached | $1,119,000 | 4 | 2.5+.5 | 3753 |
| 426 7th St | Detached | $1,178,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3088 |
| 1555 Country Commons | Detached | $1,279,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 4191 |
| 4933 Lakeview Blvd | Detached | $1,295,000 | 3 | 3 | 3988 |
| 14711 Uplands Dr | Detached | $1,375,000 | 4 | 4.5 | 3504 |
| 635 Iron Mountain Blvd | Detached | $1,598,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 4736 |
| 705 Terrace Dr | Detached | $2,395,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3686 |
| 18785 Westview Dr | Detached | $2,995,000 | 4 | 3.5+.5+.5 | 6008 |
Pending Sales (April 24-30, 2017)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 100 Kerr Pkwy #11 | Condo | $120,900 | 1 | 1 | 617 | 48 |
| 86 Kingsgate Rd F202 | Condo | $164,900 | 2 | 2 | 849 | 23 |
| 29 Crestfield Ct | Condo | $174,900 | 2 | 2 | 995 | 3 |
| 111 Oswego Summit | Condo | $195,500 | 1 | 1 | 764 | 21 |
| 216 Cervantes A | Condo | $220,000 | 2 | 1 | 1336 | 2 |
| 5056 Foothills Dr #58 | Condo | $339,900 | 2 | 2 | 1252 | 7 |
| 34 Weatherstone #17 | Attached | $375,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 1692 | 2 |
| 4454 Thunder Vista Ln | Condo | $379,900 | 3 | 3.5 | 1894 | 36 |
| 1033 Hallinan St | Detached | $399,900 | 3 | 1 | 936 | 8 |
| 81 Kingsgate Rd | Detached | $419,500 | 2 | 2 | 1270 | 13 |
| 4968 Suntree Ln | Attached | $429,000 | 2 | 2.5 | 1680 | 12 |
| 1410 Spruce St | Detached | $439,900 | 3 | 2 | 1242 | 2 |
| 440 Boca Ratan Dr | Detached | $499,000 | 3 | 2 | 1932 | 21 |
| 39 Aquinas St | Detached | $525,000 | 2 | 2.5 | 1986 | 4 |
| 4067 Melissa Dr | Detached | $599,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2623 | 4 |
| 19155 Bryant Dr | Detached | $600,000 | 4 | 1.5 | 1826 | 20 |
| 17085 Chapin Way | Detached | $619,900 | 3 | 3 | 3330 | 20 |
| 980 C Ave | Detached | $625,000 | 3 | 2 | 1317 | 0 |
| 1666 Fircrest Dr | Detached | $638,000 | 4 | 3 | 2817 | 25 |
| 5875 Bay Point Dr | Detached | $649,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 2511 | 10 |
| 940 Hoodview Ln | Detached | $649,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 2520 | 8 |
| 960 Bullock St | Detached | $649,900 | 3 | 2 | 3200 | 3 |
| 16 Del Prado St | Detached | $749,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2682 | 4 |
| 5332 Lower Dr | Detached | $795,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2600 | 42 |
| 50 Becket St | Detached | $849,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 4162 | 10 |
| 3 Dover Way | Detached | $899,999 | 5 | 2.5+.5 | 4988 | 21 |
| 17577 Brookhurst Dr | Detached | $995,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3894 | 6 |
| 14113 Amberwood Circle | Detached | $1,039,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3512 | 15 |
| 5250 Dawn St | Detached | $1,425,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 4387 | 2 |
| 148 5th St | Detached | $1,479,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3540 | 119 |
| 3133 Douglas Circle | Detached | $1,499,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3981 | 25 |
Sold/Closed (April 24-30, 2017)
| Address | Type | List Price | Sold Price | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 512 S State St | Condo | $170,000 | $170,000 | 829 | 3 |
| 4000 Carman Dr A6 | Condo | $215,000 | $205,000 | 866 | 2 |
| 234 Ridgeway Rd | Condo | $330,000 | $293,000 | 914 | 11 |
| 5056 Foothills Dr F | Condo | $350,000 | $329,000 | 1252 | 17 |
| 2 Summit Ridge Ct | Attached | $449,900 | $385,000 | 1750 | 26 |
| 4418 Thunder Vista Ln | Condo | $385,000 | $386,000 | 2040 | 12 |
| 17224 Greentree Ave | Detached | $465,900 | $460,000 | 1554 | 7 |
| 6122 Carman Dr | Detached | $520,000 | $481,000 | 1508 | 4 |
| 17872 Pilkington Rd | Detached | $595,000 | $540,000 | 1610 | 169 |
| 16510 Maple Circle | Detached | $609,000 | $585,000 | 2295 | 191 |
| 15939 Twin Fir Rd | Detached | $649,000 | $657,900 | 2480 | 131 |
| 17927 Ridge Lake Dr | Detached | $659,000 | $659,000 | 2544 | 54 |
| 3660 Olson Ct | Detached | $675,000 | $670,000 | 3172 | 3 |
| 3758 Olson Ct | Detached | $675,000 | $675,000 | 3193 | 1 |
| 4587 Trillium Woods | Attached | $650,000 | $680,000 | 2211 | 2 |
| 3333 Royce Way | Detached | $749,000 | $706,000 | 2697 | 44 |
| 5043 Rosewood St | Detached | $849,000 | $799,000 | 2963 | 24 |
| 13970 Taylors Crest Ln | Detached | $869,000 | $869,000 | 3371 | 2 |
| 4720 Firwood Rd | Detached | $1,150,000 | $1,150,000 | 3483 | 0 |
| 17473 Canal Circle | Detached | $1,550,000 | $1,506,000 | 2815 | 4 |
| 17104 Cedar Rd | Detached | $1,699,000 | $1,565,000 | 3310 | 263 |
| 757 Lake Shore Rd | Detached | $2,895,000 | $2,750,000 | 4098 | 126 |
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.
I am of the opinion that the #1 reason that people move to Lake Oswego is for the quality of the public schools. Sure, the town is conveniently located to both Portland and the tech industry in Beaverton. It has low crime, great shopping and restaurants. There are lots and lots of reasons to want to live in Lake Oswego, but the #1, hands down, is the schools.
This was born out, again, this week by the release of a study done by Niche. Niche is a private research group in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, who studies schools all over the United States. This last week they released their list of the best elementary schools in the State of Oregon. Here are the top 10:
#1 Oak Creek in Lake Oswego
#2 Westridge in Lake Oswego
#3 Hallinan in Lake Oswego
#4 Lake Grove in Lake Oswego
#5 Riverdale in Portland
#6 Forrest Hills in Lake Oswego
#7 Rivergrove in Lake Oswego
#8 John Muir in Ashland
#9 Willamette Primary in West Linn
#10 Bolton in West Linn
That is every single elementary school in Lake Oswego listed within the top 10 in the state and dominating with 6 out of the top 7. To see the full article, please click here.
I will never forget the day that I decided to move to Lake Oswego. I lived in Sellwood in Southeast Portland, a very trendy and popular area that has only grown more desirable with time. My kids were 8 and 11. My oldest had just started at Sellwood Middle School. I was so completely underwhelmed by the academics. I had been a class room parent volunteer since day 1 in Kindergarden. I knew first hand what the class rooms were like. I just new that I wanted more for my kids. It was a simple as that. The time to move was at that moment, before my kids got any further entrenched socially in Portland Public Schools. And so I moved my kids to Lake Oswego. What a breath of fresh air! Books in the class room (not photo copied everything), teachers who were engaged, kids who ready to learn. It was one of the best decisions that I have ever made for my kids.
You may be in the very same spot. Maybe your kids are growing fast and you know that you want to give them every opportunity possible. Maybe your thinking about the move to Lake Oswego. Please give Linda, Whitney or myself a call. We would love to be of help.
Dianne
Driving across town yesterday I put on and took off my sunglasses 3 times. That’s how spring rolls in Lake Oswego: beautiful blue skies and sunshine, pouring rain, beautiful blue skies and sunshine, pouring rain. I will also say that the sunsets with the dramatic cloud formations have been incredible. The spring market is kicking into gear as well. Last week LO had 21 properties come onto the market, 22 go into pending status, and 16 closed/sold homes.
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:
New on the Market (April 3-9, 2017)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft |
| 4615 Lakeview Blvd | Condo | $99,900 | 1 | 1 | 753 |
| 15 Crestfield Ct | Condo | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 552 |
| 86 Kingsgate Rd F202 | Condo | $164,900 | 2 | 2 | 849 |
| 47 Eagle Crest Dr #11 | Condo | $179,900 | 2 | 1 | 932 |
| 332 Cervantes Cir | Condo | $184,900 | 2 | 1 | 832 |
| 86 Kingsgate RdD 201 | Condo | $189,500 | 2 | 2 | 938 |
| 44 Eagle Cresst Dr #36 | Condo | $189,900 | 2 | 1 | 908 |
| 750 1st St E28 | Condo | $199,950 | 1 | 1 | 902 |
| 1233 Boca Ratan Dr | Attached | $325,000 | 2 | 2 | 1393 |
| 56 Aquinas St | Detached | $529,000 | 4 | 3 | 2119 |
| 5 Grouse Terr | Detached | $579,000 | 3 | 2.5+.5 | 2527 |
| 14542 Rainbow Dr | Detached | $597,000 | 6 | 3 | 3642 |
| 17085 Chapin Way | Detached | $619,900 | 3 | 3 | 3330 |
| 18247 Moria Ct | Detached | $664,950 | 4 | 2.5 | 2791 |
| 103 Girabaldi St | Detached | $949,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3940 |
| 13658 Provincial Hill Way | Detached | $990,000 | 5 | 4 | 3853 |
| 4081 Pfeifer Ct | Detached | $999,990 | 5 | 3.5 | 4078 |
| 3926 Edens Edge Dr | Detached | $1,199,000 | 5 | 3.5+.5 | 4624 |
| 4230 Sunset Dr | Detached | $1,200,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3250 |
| 3133 Douglas Cir | Detached | $1,499,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3981 |
| 13571 Westlake Dr | Detached | $1,500,000 | 5 | 4.5 | 4078 |
Pending Sales (April 3-9, 2017)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 111 Oswego Summit | Condo | $195,500 | 1 | 1 | 764 | 1 |
| 168 Oswego Summit | Condo | $197,000 | 2 | 2 | 1383 | 64 |
| 169 Oswego Summit | Condo | $199,999 | 2 | 2 | 1383 | 352 |
| 181 Oswego Summit | Condo | $237,000 | 2 | 2 | 1383 | 12 |
| 245 Cervantes | Condo | $250,000 | 2 | 2 | 1292 | 3 |
| 5063 Foothills Dr A | Condo | $310,000 | 2 | 2 | 991 | 2 |
| 17901 Tualata Ave | Detached | $347,000 | 3 | 1 | 912 | 3 |
| 17224 Greentree Ave | Detached | $465,900 | 3 | 2 | 1554 | 7 |
| 19 Bloch Terr | Attached | $365,000 | 2 | 2 | 1527 | 2 |
| 5463 Tree St | Detached | $485,000 | 3 | 1.5 | 1460 | 5 |
| 440 Boca Ratan Dr | Detached | $499,000 | 3 | 2 | 1932 | 2 |
| 5750 Washington Ct | Detached | $549,900 | 3 | 2.5 | 2238 | 182 |
| 4688 Firwood Rd | Detached | $569,000 | 5 | 2.5 | 2436 | 2 |
| 1227 Ash St | Detached | $599,900 | 2 | 2 | 2151 | 37 |
| 1666 Fircrest Dr | Detached | $640,000 | 4 | 3 | 2817 | 5 |
| 17465 Upper Cherry Ln | Detached | $645,000 | 4 | 3 | 3856 | 228 |
| 18461 Waxwing Cir | Detached | $649,900 | 5 | 2.5 | 3109 | 3 |
| 2397 Hillside Ln | Detached | $739,000 | 5 | 3 | 2950 | 8 |
| 2481 Marylshire Ln | Detached | $799,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 4154 | 37 |
| 5640 Meridian Ct | Detached | $850,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 3493 | 1 |
| 1273 Wells St | Detached | $979,000 | 5 | 3 | 4091 | 55 |
| 13327 Atwater Ln | Detached | $1,395,000 | 3 | 3 | 3004 | 7 |
Sold/Closed (April 3-9, 2017)
| Address | Type | List Price | Sold Price | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 1 Crestfield Ct | Condo | $149,500 | $155,629 | 689 | 4 |
| 47 Eagle Crest Dr #62 | Attached | $190,000 | $203,000 | 1,026 | 4 |
| 151 Oswego Summit | Condo | $199,900 | $213,000 | 1,506 | 37 |
| 44 Eagle Crest Dr #28 | Condo | $219,950 | $215,000 | 1085 | 39 |
| 550 S State St | Condo | $254,900 | $246,000 | 920 | 19 |
| 18225 SW 65th Ave | Detached | $225,500 | $258,944 | 1701 | 33 |
| 3970 Carman Dr | Attached | $250,000 | $275,000 | 1129 | 2 |
| 15256 Boones Way | Attached | $424,500 | $422,085 | 1618 | 57 |
| 5115 Firwood Rd | Detached | $479,900 | $485,000 | 1657 | 1 |
| 4750 Upper Dr | Detached | $550,000 | $550,000 | 3091 | 14 |
| 5 Preakness Ct | Detached | $565,000 | $565,000 | 3003 | 2 |
| 2060 Ridge Pointe Dr | Detached | $760,000 | $727,060 | 4120 | 157 |
| 5328 Lower Dr | Detached | $795,000 | $785,000 | 2600 | 32 |
| 286 D Ave | Attached | $799,900 | $799,000 | 2302 | 83 |
| 2100 Ridge Pointe Dr | Detached | $799,900 | $825,000 | 5375 | 228 |
| 776 Carrera Ln | Detached | $1,000,000 | $991,700 | 3449 | 25 |
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.
I have always felt that my real estate business goes in waves. There have been times when I was heavily working waterfront on the lake, times when all my business seemed to be new construction, and times when I seemed to be selling older houses. Today I am in a condo wave. I have two listings that are condos and this weekend I have written offers on two more condos. I am up to my ears in condos. I think it is the universe telling me that I need to write a blog post about condos. So here are a few things to keep in mind if you are considering buying a condo.
First, and in my opinion the most important, is that you are not just buying a home, you are buying into a community. Condominiums are governed by Home Owner’s Associations. Your home inspection will have all of the usual criteria for checking out the structure and the components, but you will also have an inspection of the HOA documents.
HOA documents include rules and regulations that tell you what is and what is not allowed. All usually have a clause for “nuisance” behavior, but some can be pretty restrictive. I have seen rules that don’t let you have anything showing inside of your window that could be objectionable. The two most common issues that you will want to be sure of is whether or not pets are allowed and whether or not rentals are allowed. You need to know these things going in and not after you own it.
Other important documents are about the financial health of the association. You want to see that they have money in reserve to take care of maintenance and repairs. This will include the current year’s budget, and also a reserve study. The reserve study projects into the future for replacement of big items like roofs and siding. While I know everyone hates to pay a monthly HOA fee, and often will rule out buying a condo because the fee seems too high, it is actually super important that the fees collected are enough to not just pay for the current maintenance like mowing the lawns and paying for garbage removal, but also are enough to over time add up to some rather significant amounts of savings. If proper saving isn’t done, then when the time comes to do major repairs the association will be forced to do a special assessment to cover the costs. A special assessment is much more financially painful than smaller amounts collected monthly over time.
You will also want to see the meeting notes from the HOA meetings of the last year. If there is a problem in the complex, they are likely talking about it at the meetings.
Financing of a condo can also be challenging when you go to get a mortgage. Most HOA’s restrict how many units can be rented out and this is important. Fannie Mae lending guidelines require that at least 50% of the units be owner occupied. For financing such as VA and FHA, the criteria to obtain these types of loans require that the Home Owner’s Association apply for the qualification. The VA loan application is a one time issue and runs with the complex forever once it’s approved. FHA is more complicated and must be renewed every few years at a cost of both time and money. So to have FHA approval it requires a Board of Directors that is motivated and on the ball.
Condos are terrific because they are generally less expensive than a house, require much less personal labor to up keep, and are ideal if you want a lifestyle where you can lock your door and be away for extended periods. With the cost of housing being a premium, they are truly the only option for many people.
There are also a really wide variety of condos. Some are super luxurious with top-of-the-line finishes and services. Others are bare bones and feel like what they once were, apartments. The least expensive condo for sale in Lake Oswego right now is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath unit on State Street. It has 829 square feet and is for sale for $170,000. The most expensive has 4 bedrooms, 4.5 baths, with 4911 square feet and is listed for $1,798,000.
If you have other questions, please contact any one of us. Linda, Whitney and I are all here to help.
Dianne