Linda Rossi – Page 90 – Property Blotter

April 1, 2009

Celebrating Trees in Lake Oswego

It was a year or so ago, I think, that I wrote a piece on Lake Oswego and its love affair with trees. I included all manner of information on laws in Lake Oswego limiting tree removal etc. This love of trees is a large part of what makes Lake Oswego so beautiful, and so, like the rain, we take the good with the bad and appreciate the end results of being showered with tree legislation.

Did you know that Oregon is the only state to reserve the entire first week of April as Arbor Week?

Here are some events this week and next giving all of us tree-hugging Lake Oswegans (and others who would like to join in) opportunities to celebrate… what else… trees!

Stewardship Event

Saturday, April 4th – 10:00AM – 1:00PM

Location: George Rogers Park

This is an opportunity to learn more about Lake Oswego’s natural restoration efforts as well as participate in them! You’ll learn proper techniques, and tools & snacks are provided. Plant over 500 native plants while removing invasive species, making way for future plantings and for natives to re-establish themselves.

Heritage Tree Ceremony

Monday, April 6th – 3:00PM

Location: Lang Farm, 195 South Rosemont Road

Celebrate the city’s newest Heritage Trees. There will be a ceremony featuring a giant sequoia and a ponderosa pine that have been standing tall over the rolling & changing landscape for many decades. If these trees could only talk!

Arbor Art Show Opening

Thursday, April 9th – 6:30 – 8:30PM

Location: Lake Oswego Public Library

Enjoy local the work of talented local artists displaying their tree-themed art!

Great Oregon Tree Plant and “Tree City USA” Ceremony

Friday, April 10th – 4:00PM

Location: Stevens Meadows

Witness the planting of a ceremonial Oregon white oak, brought to you by the City of Lake Oswego and the Lake Grove Garden Club as part of the larger statewide effort aiming to inspire 150 tree-planting events in celebration of Oregon’s 150th birthday. There will be a presentation of Lake Oswego’s Tree City USA award from the Oregon Department of Forestry.

For more information, you may call Lori Summers, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator, at 503 675 2543.

March 24, 2009

Market Activity Update – March 16 – 22, 2009

Lake Oswego saw 15 new properties hit the market last week (these are properties that are brand new on the market -or- have been off the market for a minimum of 30 days). We had 8 go pending, and 9 that closed.

This is a great time to buy! (no smoke here : ) Rates are great, new & intriguing loan programs are popping up all over the place, and houses appear to be finally jiving with the “reality meter” for Buyers.

Feel free to call or email anytime. We love hearing from our local and out-of-state readers, and enjoy meeting you and getting you settled in Lake Oswego!

Here is the latest market activity for Lake Oswego (see below the tables for additional notes):

NEWLY LISTED (March 16—March 22, 2009)

Address	List Price	# Beds	# Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	List Date
100 KERR PKWY	$132,500	2	1.1	823	CONDO	3/16/2009
15868 PARKER RD	$187,500	2	1	780	DETACHD	3/17/2009
11 OSWEGO SMT	$194,900	2	2	1,212	CONDO	3/16/2009
45 EAGLE CREST DR	$210,000	2	2	1,046	CONDO	3/21/2009
12844 BOONES FERRY RD	$257,000	2	2.1	1,398	CONDO	3/16/2009
2 SUMMIT RIDGE CT	$354,900	2	2.1	1,750	ATTACHD	3/18/2009
5214 LOWER DR	$459,900	4	2.1	2,904	DETACHD	3/19/2009
12735 Alto Park RD	$495,000	3	2	1,685	DETACHD	3/20/2009
17860 Sundown CT	$499,900	4	3.1	3,480	DETACHD	3/20/2009
1866 KILKENNY DR	$511,100	4	3.1	3,600	DETACHD	3/19/2009
15535 VILLAGE DR	$799,000	5	3	3,421	DETACHD	3/21/2009
17212 CHAPIN WAY	$850,000	3	2.1	2,541	DETACHD	3/17/2009
2 GROUSE TER	$989,000	4	3	4,446	DETACHD	3/17/2009
1149 LAKESHORE RD	$1,295,000	4	2.1	2,606	DETACHD	3/20/2009
1005 COUNTRY CLUB RD	$1,999,000	5	4	5,000	DETACHD	3/18/2009

PENDING SALES (March 16—March 22, 2009)

Address	List Price	# Beds	# Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	List Date	CDOM
4 TOUCHSTONE DR	$137,500	3	2.1	1,351	CONDO	1/26/2009	52
15570 WALUGA DR	$325,000	3	3	1,577	DETACHD	3/21/2009	265
16 PARTRIDGE LN	$398,000	3	2.1	2,304	DETACHD	1/30/2009	48
1043 HALLINAN ST	$399,900	4	2.1	2,484	DETACHD	9/3/2008	196
13222 DEERFIELD CT	$649,000	4	2.1	3,022	DETACHD	1/22/2009	331
14133 AMBERWOOD CIR	750000 – 800000	4	2.1	3,200	DETACHD	6/12/2008	278
1667 VILLAGE PARK LN	$899,900	6	3.1	4,743	DETACHD	2/18/2009	279
1961 SUMMIT DR	$915,000	3	2.1	3,218	DETACHD	6/21/2008	268

SOLD (March 2—March 8, 2009)

Address	Orig Price	Sale Price	# Beds	# Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	List Date	CDOM
6291 HARRINGTON AVE	$249,900	$239,900	3	2	1,472	DETACHD	1/6/2009	10
4070 WESTBAY RD	$350,000	$279,000	1	1	1,828	DETACHD	7/15/2008	0
17304 MARJORIE AVE	$333,000	$317,125	3	1.1	1,340	DETACHD	2/3/2009	16
4 OTHELLO ST	$434,900	$390,000	4	3	2,184	DETACHD	11/5/2008	111
1480 HEMLOCK ST	$488,850	$410,000	4	3	2,246	DETACHD	3/24/2008	305
221 HIDALGO ST	$419,500	$420,000	3	2.1	2,628	DETACHD	2/16/2009	13
178 PINE VALLEY RD	$475,000	$455,000	5	3.1	2,999	DETACHD	2/12/2009	6
17454 CANAL (boat esmnt) CIR	$789,900	$545,900	4	3	2,275	DETACHD	4/19/2008	261
1670 PINE ST	$679,987	$579,900	4	3.1	3,286	DETACHD	11/5/2008	110

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. CDOM stands for cumulative days on market, which includes any re-listing and measures from the initial listing date.

March 21, 2009March 21, 2009

Lake Oswego Open Houses – Sunday, March 22, 2009

There are 15 properties to see on Sunday in Lake Oswego. Enjoy!

Here are those that will be held open according to RMLS:

45 Oswego Summit $139,900 1 Bd, 1 Ba Open 1-3

47 Eagle Crest Dr #12 $139,900 2 Bd, 1 Ba Open 1-4

11 Oswego Summit $194,900 2 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-3

750 1st St #23 $197,500 2 Bd, 2 Ba Open 2-4

166 Oswego Summit $229,900 2 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-3

197 Oswego Summit $264,197 2 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-3

5096 SW Tree St $334,900 3 Bd, 1 1/2 Ba Open 2-5

5785 SW Carman Dr $364,800 3 Bd, 1 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

5675 Childs Rd $419,000 2 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-4

1462 Worthington St $424,000 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 3-5

1009 Cumberland Pl $469,000 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1-4

3254 Duncan Dr $575,000 4 Bd 3 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

17950 Ridge Lake Dr $634,900 4 Bd 2 1/2 Ba Open 12-2

18051 Kelok Rd $899,000 5 Bd 3 1/2 Ba Open 3:30-5:30

17282 Lake Haven Dr $1,349,950 4 Bd 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

March 19, 2009

It’s Spring Break! Where Teens Go in LO…

Lake Oswego is known far & wide for its family-friendly environment and involved citizenry. The schools here are excellent, there are clubs and outlets for all kinds of interests, and of course a myriad of programs for kids of all ages. I wanted to take a moment to highlight a terrific resource called the “McKenzie Lounge for Teens”.

The McKenzie Lounge is located in the West End Building at 4101 Kruse Way. The Youth Action Council, YAC, and other generous donors have made sure that it is packed with the kinds of things teens find inviting, including: a pool table, foosball table, ping pong table, TV’s, couches, comfy chairs, bean bag chairs, video games, refreshments and plenty more. It was designed specifically for teens by Janet Bocci, as well as YAC and parks and recreation staff members.

According to the city’s website, drop-in hours are 6-9PM Monday thru Friday for all teens ages 12-18 who want to come and hang out with friends and/or meet new ones. After school it is open to Jr. High teens from 3-6PM for the After School Program. Since its inception in the Fall of 2007, it has hosted over 3,000 visitors, not including special events like Java Jam, LakeFest and others (figures as of November 2008). The Lounge is also the magnet meeting place for all teen groups such as YAC, the JavaJam Planning Committee, The After School Activity Program (ASAP) and clubs from both high schools including Ping Pong Club and Reflections.

The best thing about the McKenzie Lounge however, is that teens actually report enjoying it! For instance, during the election, the Lounge hosted a series of “Debate ’08” nights featuring the Presidential and Vice Presidential Debates, opportunities for lively discussion, as well as food and extra credits from social studies teachers. The debate series attendance reportedly totaled 115 students, drop-in attendance is reportedly growing by 25% every three months, and teens have been quoted as saying that the McKenzie Lounge ranks right up there with Taco Bell and the video game store as cool hang-out choices.

With Spring Break upon us, upcoming activities include March Madness games and March’s Java Jam featuring two musical guests and YAC’s “Project Runway” contest.

In addition to the ongoing happenings at McKenzie Lounge, Lake Oswego offers more fun teen activities this Spring Break including: Ski and Snowboard Camp at Timberline Ski Resort, Glow-In-The-Dark-Bowling, Rock Climbing and a Portland Lumberjacks field trip. Check out the city’s website (link above) for more information!

March 9, 2009

Market Activity Update – March 2nd – 8th, 2009

Lake Oswego saw 13 new properties hit the market last week (these are properties that are brand new on the market -or- have been off the market for a minimum of 30 days). There were actually 27 properties showing “new” on RMLS in Lake Oswego and as you can see, only 13 of them were truly new listings. We had 3 go pending, and 4 that closed.

There are all told, 300 residential properties for sale in Lake Owego on RMLS right now ranging from $76,500. to $19,500,000.

Now that we are into Daylight Savings Time, and are seeing the first hints that Spring is on the way, market activity typically begins to increase. There are many reasons for this, but the beautiful flowering of trees and gardens we’ll see shortly, teasers of sunny stretches (that make us think it is Summer already!), and of course the perception of longer days are not to be underestimated… I call these “human factors”. But then, all home buying and selling is based on human factors. Speaking of which… Is there a change you have been wanting to make in your life through buying and/or selling a home? If so, we would of course be happy to serve you in making your dreams a reality. Feel free to call or email anytime… We love hearing from our local and out-of-state readers, and enjoy meeting you and getting you settled in Lake Oswego!

Here is the latest market activity for Lake Oswego (see below the tables for additional notes):

NEWLY LISTED (March 2—March 8, 2009)

Address	List Price	# Beds	# Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	List Date
44 EAGLE CREST DR	$124,950	1	1	798	CONDO	3/4/2009
86 KINGSGATE RD	$161,000	2	2	840	CONDO	3/2/2009
48 EAGLE CREST DR	$208,000	2	2	1,489	CONDO	3/8/2009
197 OSWEGO SMT	$264,197	2	2	1,383	CONDO	3/3/2009
605 Ash ST	$279,900	3	2	1,528	DETACHD	3/4/2009
2001 BONNIEBRAE DR	$299,000	3	2.1	1,819	ATTACHD	3/2/2009
1140 HALLINAN CT	$339,895	3	2	1,875	DETACHD	3/8/2009
5785 SW CARMAN DR	$364,800	3	1.1	1,934	DETACHD	3/4/2009
907 BULLOCK ST	$369,950	4	2	2,020	DETACHD	3/4/2009
5675 CHILDS RD	$419,000	2	2.1	1,644	DETACHD	3/5/2009
2838 GREENTREE RD	$429,950	4	2.1	1,781	DETACHD	3/3/2009
550 MIDDLECREST RD	$749,900	3	2.1	2,240	DETACHD	3/4/2009
100 3RD ST	$2,495,000	3	3.1	3,600	DETACHD	3/2/2009

PENDING SALES (March 2—March 8, 2009)

Address	List Price	# Beds	# Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	CDOM
5063 FOOTHILLS DR	$230,000	2	2	991	CONDO	8
3190 DUNCAN DR	$289,900	3	2.1	2,401	DETACHD	80
1265 ROCKINGHORSE LN	$444,000	4	3	2,402	DETACHD	237

SOLD (March 2—March 8, 2009)

Address	O/Price	Close Price	# Beds	# Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	CDOM
136 OSWEGO SMT	$142,000	$140,000	1	1	764	CONDO	10
3433 MCNARY PARKWAY	$189,900	$167,000	2	2.1	1,208	CONDO	105
95 KINGSGATE RD	$325,000	$314,500	3	2.1	1,669	DETACHD	51
353 ASH ST	$409,900	$409,000	3	3.1	2,765	DETACHD	96

March 6, 2009

Lake Oswego Open Houses – Sunday March 8th, 2009

There are 11 properties to see on Sunday in Lake Oswego. Enjoy!

Here are those that will be held open according to RMLS:

44 Eagle Crest Dr $129,900 1 Bd, 1 Ba Open 1-3

3311 Fir Ridge Rd $459,000 3 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

3 Cellini Ct $465,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 12-3

624 Livingood Ln $559,000 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1:30- 3:30

3254 Duncan Dr $575,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

17960 Ridge Lake Dr $634,900 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

13222 Deerfield Ct $649,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

5267 Lakeview Blvd $750,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 11-1

14133 Amberwood Cir $750,000-800,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-4

14067 Goodall Rd $1,149,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 12-4

100 Garibaldi $1,199,000 5 Bd, 3 & 2 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

March 4, 2009March 4, 2009

Real Estate “No No’s”

A while back Dianne wrote a post on the Realtors Code of Ethics. I loved that post because I don’t think most people are aware of all the standards to which Realtors are held. It really is great to be in a profession where we are mandated to treat each other and the general public with respect. That mandate then becomes a part of our culture. I notice it in the conversations I have with other Realtors. There definitely is a flavor of deliberate respect that is not always the experience for most of us in the day-to-day “non-real estate” wider world of affairs.

I read something in the recent REALTOR magazine published by the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors (PMAR), and written by Jo Becker of the Fair Housing Council of Oregon on subject matter along the same lines that made me think you’d find it interesting. This is regarding words Realtors may and may not use in promoting properties, and the overall guidelines of the Fair Housing Act.

HUD is the federal regulatory body with the power to enforce the Fair Housing Act. Generally speaking, the Fair Housing Act is in place to ensure that discrimination and something called “steering”, among other things, do not inhibit peoples’ right to live wherever the heck they want and are qualified to. It is also set up to ensure that the public receives information about housing that is fair and as free as possible of inaccurate and/or unduly influencing or discriminatory language. “Steering” is essentially trying to influence buyers to live in, or not live in, certain areas based on something other than the buyers’ own parameters for what they want in a new home & neighborhood. Basically, a Realtor is to supply a buyer with options for potential homes based on the information a buyer supplies to the Realtor regarding their wants & needs. A Realtor will often refer a buyer in the overall Portland area to this website: www.PortlandMaps.com where the buyer can enter the address of any property and view all kinds of facts on a property including statistical, demographic and crime information. Buyers are ultimately choosing a home that fits their particular needs, and Realtors are there to assist with service, information and real estate expertise.

The Fair Housing Council of Oregon’s website states plainly:

The Fair Housing Council of Oregon (FHCO) is a civil rights organization with a mission of eliminating housing discrimination through enforcement and education across Oregon and southwest Washington.

We promote equal access to housing by providing education, outreach, technical assistance, and enforcement opportunities specifically related to federal, state, and local fair housing laws. These laws protect against illegal housing discrimination based on “protected class status.”

The federally protected classes are:
race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status and disability

There are additional state and local protected classes.

When a Realtor enters listing information into RMLS, it is scanned for potential “no no’s” that are most always either unintentional or erroneous, i.e., as the article I mention elaborates- the RMLS program may highlight the word “white” for the Realtor’s attention when it is only being used as a description for a picket fence etc. A real human at RMLS who understands context always reviews these issues, according to the article. There is no “list” of unnacceptable words as many people believe. It’s all about intention, and about upholding our highest societal values… as well as the law. Some terms can seem to be either benign or on the edge but for their context, for instance, the term “Walk-In Closet” is commonly understood to describe a well-known feature in many homes. As long as the Realtor is not trying to imply a limit on access to someone who is not ambulatory this term is not a problem. “View Property” falls into the same category as long as no one is limiting access to the “view property” to sighted individuals only. The same goes for “Mother-In-Law Suite” and “Bachelor Apartment” according to the article. Where it can become trickier is with words like “near”. Often a house will be described as “Near shopping, transit” etc., which is OK. What is not OK, due to implications that certain people may or may not be welcome in that neighborhood, are things like: “Near ABC Mosque” or “Close to the XYZ Church” or “Near the LMN Jewish Community Center”. It is also not considered proper to refer to specific schools due to the potential for using this technique to promote some schools over others for the same kinds of reasons. It is generally considered all right to refer to school districts as long as this is done consistently throughout a Realtor’s listings.

The article refers to a few blatantly illegal and discriminatory statements that have evidently actually been published on a popular local online service. These are obviously examples of absolute “no no’s” and you will not see these or anything like them on RMLS:

“No minorities”,
“African Americans and Arabians tend to clash with me so that won’t work out”,
“Ladies, please rent from me”,
“Requirements: Clean, Godly Christian Male”,
“Will allow only single occupancy”,
“No children”,
“Christians only”.

These are all clear violations of the Fair Housing Act. Fair Housing Act laws apply in newspapers, flyers, yard signs, verbal statements, and online advertising among other instances & places.

For questions about Fair Housing Laws visit: www.FHCO.org

or call: 503 223 8197 or 1-800 424 3247.

February 23, 2009

Market Activity Update – February 16 – 22, 2009

Lake Oswego saw 16 new properties hit the market last week (these are properties that are brand new on the market -or- have been off the market for a minimum of 30 days). We had 7 go pending, and 4 that closed.

As in my last Market Activity Report on Feb. 9th, we’ve got a good mix of properties that have been on the market for quite awhile selling and going to Pending status, as well as a good number that have been on the market a relatively short period of time. For what it’s worth, my interpretation of this is that prices are coming in line with consumer demand, i.e., homes that have been on the market awhile are at prices agreeable to buyers, and newer listings are starting out at prices that are more in line with buyer expectations. That said, we can’t really see what the Pending sale prices will be until they actually close. So… stay tuned to the Blotter for that info as it becomes available.

Here is the latest market activity for Lake Oswego (see below the tables for additional notes):

NEWLY LISTED (February 16—February 22, 2009)

Address	List Price	# Beds	# Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	List Date
44 EAGLE CREST DR	$135,900	1	1	798	CONDO	2/20/2009
1615 HALLINAN ST	$285,000	3	1.1	1,500	DETACHD	2/17/2009
18543 LONGFELLOW AVE	$339,900	3	1.1	1,279	DETACHD	2/16/2009
2800 WEMBLEY PARK RD	$374,500	3	2	1,575	DETACHD	2/17/2009
1228 HALLINAN CIR	$389,000	4	2	1,932	DETACHD	2/19/2009
200 BURNHAM RD	$399,000	3	2	1,960	CONDO	2/18/2009
19210 MAREE CT	$415,000	3	2.1	1,634	DETACHD	2/17/2009
221 HIDALGO ST	$419,500	3	2.1	2,628	DETACHD	2/16/2009
131 WILBUR ST	$450,000	2	2	1,312	DETACHD	2/22/2009
905 COUNTRY CLUB RD	399000 – 458876	3	2.1	2,817	DETACHD	2/19/2009
18055 CENTRAL AVE	$495,000	3	1	1,202	DETACHD	2/17/2009
8 WALKING WOODS DR	$519,900	4	3	3,402	DETACHD	2/17/2009
497 ASH ST	$598,800	6	3	3,840	DETACHD	2/18/2009
4605 CHELSEA LN	$752,000	4	2.1	3,411	DETACHD	2/17/2009
1065 LUND ST	$869,000	5	3.1	4,584	DETACHD	2/17/2009
17540 RIDGEVIEW LN	$1,285,000	4	3.1	4,345	DETACHD	2/19/2009

PENDING SALES (February 16—February 22, 2009)

Address	List Price	# Beds	# Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	List Date	CDOM
17304 MARJORIE AVE	$333,000	3	1.1	1,340	DETACHD	2/3/2009	16
178 PINE VALLEY RD	$475,000	5	3.1	2,999	DETACHD	2/12/2009	6
964 COUNTRY COMMONS LN	$499,000	3	2.1	2,065	DETACHD	1/23/2009	27
4676 WINTHROP CT	$557,750	4	2.1	3,112	DETACHD	11/18/2008	172
625 CLARA CT	$587,500	3	2.1	2,532	DETACHD	9/4/2008	297
731 F AVE	$624,900	4	2.1	2,668	DETACHD	1/16/2009	327
17860 CRESTLINE DR	$2,795,000	4	5.2	6,810	DETACHD	10/21/2008	485

SOLD (February 16—February 22, 2009)

Address	O/Price	Close Price	# Beds	Tot. Baths	Tot. SF	Prop Type	List Date	CDOM
3 THE GROTTO	$300,000	$292,000	3	2	1,688	DETACHD	11/5/2008	274
4451 BERNARD ST	$349,950	$330,000	3	2	1,800	DETACHD	10/29/2008	190
4 BRITTEN CT	$429,000	$399,000	3	2.1	1,972	ATTACHD	11/4/2008	74
4280 CHAPMAN WAY	$469,000	$441,000	3	2	1,947	DETACHD	12/15/2008	105

February 21, 2009February 21, 2009

Open Houses – Sunday, February 22, 2009

There are 18 properties to see on Sunday in Lake Oswego. Enjoy!

Here are those that will be held open according to RMLS:

5487 Tualata Ct $264,900-$279,876 3 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-4

19251 Indian Creek Ave $335,000 4 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-4

18543 Longfellow Av $339,900 3 Bd, 1 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

1685 Mapleleaf Rd $365,000 3 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1- 4

2800 Wembley Park Rd $374,500 3 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-3

1260 Larch St $399,000 3 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

221 Hidalgo St $419,500 3 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

1265 Rockinghorse Ln $444,000 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1-3

111 3rd St $459,900 2 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-4

17083 Fernwood Dr $525,000 5 Bd, 3 Ba Open 2-4

21 Condolea Dr $579,000 3 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

17960 Ridge Lake Dr $669,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

15713 Tara Pl $699,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 12-2

15422 Boones Way $879,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-4

3030 Westview Ct $948,000 4 Bd 2 1/2 Ba Open 2:30-4

18106 Pilkington Rd $1,095,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 12-2

5250 Dawn Ave $1,095,900 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

15905 Oswego Shore Ct $1,590,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

February 18, 2009February 18, 2009

What’s Your Sense of Style?

englishjpg

When searching for properties on RMLS, you will first be asked to specify the type of property you are interested in finding. The main property categories include:

Attached- This refers to a townhome which is usually 2-story, part of an HOA, and includes ownership of the lot as well as the structure.
Condo- This refers to a dwelling in an HOA, wherein ownership includes the individual unit together with an undivided interest in common with all unit owners in the “common elements”, which are the land and those parts of the building or buildings intended for common use. Condo ownership is of the interior of the structure, and exterior maintenance is provided by the HOA.
Detached Single Family- This refers to a house on its own lot. Ownership is of the house, inside and out, and the lot itself. Technically, ownership extends up into the atmosphere as well!

When you choose one or more properties for more detailed information, the “style” of the detached homes will be included. Indicating a description of the style of a home for a Realtor is more of an art than a science. This is because a home will potentially contain elements of one style, and also elements of another, particularly if there has been any remodeling of the structure.

I thought it might be fun to give some detail on the characteristics of house styles, and want to thank Judie Teal who contributed data and photographs to RMLS, which RMLS is allowing me to mine and use for your informational pleasure.

There are many, many house styles from which to choose. Here are some significant ones applicable to the larger Portland area:

2-Story: Two-level home with main entrance on lower level. (Photo)

Ranch: Long, low, rambling single-story with simple construction, usually a large picture window in front and an attached garage.

Daylight Ranch: Rambling home with a lower level basement that is partially above ground.

Split-Level: Two-story home split at the entry with one set of stairs going up and another going to the lower level. The entry is not considered a “floor” or story. (Photo)

Tri-Level (NOT to be confused with Split-Level): Usually a ranch style home with a full story added on one end… so, three full floors.

Bungalow: One to one & 1/2 story w/gabled roof & porch across front.

Cottage: Gabled roof line, but lower than the bungalow style, sash windows, and a plain front door. Front porch is either very small or non-existent.

Contemporary: Simple, Uncluttered lines with a non-traditional design. (Photo)

Craftsman: Home has a low pitched gabled roof with wide eaves and exposed rafters. One or two story with a decorative brace and full front porch. Inside there is usually an array of built-in wood cabinetry, often with glass & leaded glass features. (Photo)

Colonial: Two-story home with a steeply pitched roof, small casement windows, and often columns across the front.

Dutch Colonial: This variation has a gambrel or mansard roof and often a side wing. (Photo)

English: Steeply pitched roof, prominent cross gables and tall windows sometimes half-timbered. (Photo at top of post)

Tudor: Similar to the English home, with steeply pitched roof, low doors, small-paned windows and decorative half-timbering. (Photo)

Victorian: Two stories with steep gables, ornate wood detail, Gothic style windows (pointed top), and brackets under eaves. Some also boast turrets.

A-frame: One or two story with peaked, high pitched roof line in the shape of an “A”.

Chalet: A rustic style home featuring projected roofs, large windows and raised foundation. (Photo)

Georgian: A formal square box-like structure with a hipped roof, decorative crown or pediment over the front door with columns on each side, and/or cornice mouldings. (Photo)

Saltbox: Distinctive sloping roof line from the top of the gable which can plunge from 2 and 1/2 stories in the front too a single story in the rear.

Farmhouse: Simple, uncomplicated 2-story construction with a front porch, and sometimes wrap-around porch. (Photo)

Old Portland (Four Square): Very Distinctive style popular in the early 20th century. Large & square two to two & 1/2 story with low hipped roof and deep overhang, large central dormer, full porch w/wide stairs. (Photo)

There are many more styles, but again, these represent the bulk of what you’ll find in the Portland area.