Tag: 97035

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Open Houses for Sunday, June 7th, 2009

There are currently 31 homes scheduled to be held open in Lake Oswego on June 7th, according to the RMLS:

100 SW Kerr Pkwy, $97,900. 1 BR, 1 BTH, 617 sq. feet, open 1:30-3:30

4465 Golden Lane, $275,000. 2 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 1980 sq. feet, open 2-4

5094 Galen, $299,999. 3 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 1438 sq. feet, open 1-3

4 Weatherstone, $224,950. 3 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 1692 sq. feet, open 1-3

3009 Wembley Park Rd, $379,900. 3 BR, 1.5 BTHS, 1754 sq. feet, open 1-4

16824 Inverurie Rd, $389,900. 3 BR, 3 BTHS, 1896 sq. feet, open 2-4

16950 Lakeridge Dr, $479,000. 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 2305 sq. feet, open 2-4

41 Hillshire Dr, $494,000. 4 BR, 3 BTHS, 2670 sq. feet, open 1:30-3:30

14412 Meadow Grass, $500,000. 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 3563 sq. feet, open 1-3

624 Livingood Ln, $549,000. 4 BR, 3 BTHS, 2596 sq. feet, open 1-4

5400 Bay Creek Dr, $550,000. 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 2856 sq. feet, open 1-3

4736 Amherst Ct, $589,000. 3 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 2800 sq. feet, open 3-5

4691 Chelsea Ln, $599,000. 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 3102 sq. feet, open 1-3

11 Cellini Ct, $599,950. 5 BR, 3 BTHS, 3392 sq. feet, open 11:30-2:30

1322 Glenmorrie Dr, $725,000. 3 BR, 3 BTHS, 2752 sq. feet, open 1-4

4625 Firwood Rd, $899,900. 3 BR, 3 BTHS, 4976 sq. feet, open 1-4

511 6th St, $928,950. 5 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 4000 sq. feet, open 1-3

17878 Hillside Dr, $970,000. 5 BR, 3 BTHS, 3462 sq. feet, open 3-5

2304 Oswego Glen Ct, $995,000. 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 3896 sq. feet, open 2-4

17178 Cedar Rd, $1,195,000. 5 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 4209 sq. feet, open 2-3:30

17404 Bergis Farm Dr, $1,198,000. 5 BR. 4.5 BTHS, 5394 sq. feet, open 1-3

12819 Alto Park Rd, $1,225,000. 4 BR, 4.5 BTHS, 3944 sq. feet, open 2-4

2625 Summit Dr, $1,289,900. 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 4212 sq. feet, open 12:30-2:30

2326 Oswego Glen Ct, $1,295,000. 4 BR, 4 BTHS, 4178 sq. feet, open 2-4

17464 Ridgeview Ln, $1,298,950. 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 4407 sq. feet, open 2-4

664 Oak Meadow Dr, $1,355,000. 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 4198 sq. feet, open 2-4

657 Oak Meadow Dr, $1,395,000. 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 4371 sq. feet, open 2-4

16737 Maple Circle, $1,400.000. 3 BR, 3 BTHS, 1683 sq. feet, open 12:00-1:30

17364 Ridgeview Ct, $1,425,000. 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 4436 sq. feet, open 2-4

17433 Ridgeview Ln, $1,495,000. 4 BR, 4.5 BTHS, 4704 sq. feet, open 2-4

975 Lake Front Rd, $1,695,000. 3 BR, 3 BTHS, 3232 sq. feet, open 2-3:30

Have a great weekend!

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Home Staging Tips

goldendiningroom1Spring is traditionally the strongest time of year to sell your home.  If you want to sell, you need to get your home ready.  You want to win the beauty pageant.  The place to start, before you list your home for sale, is with proper home staging.  The way you live in your home and the way you sell your home are two different things.  It does add a layer of care to your already busy life, but it will payoff when you sell by getting your home sold more quickly and by helping you to get the best price possible.

Start by standing out at the street.  This is your buyer’s first impression.  Can you see the front door?  Can you see all of the windows?  Is the lawn green?  Are flower beds free of weeds and bushes nicely trimmed?  What about the color of the paint?  Is it one of the popular shades used today or something from when you moved in in 1996?  Is the roof clean and free of moss?  If you said no to any of these questions, then you’ve got work to do.  Too often homeowners let trees and bushes become over grown and drown the house.  Over-growth makes you house look like a big blob.  Do you want to buy a blob?  Neither does a buyer.

Next stand at your front door.  I believe this is the most critical moment for a buyer.  Remember that they will pause here for a minute or two while the Realtor gets the key from the lockbox and opens the door.  Your buyer will have time to look around and get a close-up look at everything around the front door.  I truly believe that they make a decision at this point.  If they like what they see, they will enter the house with a positive attitude and look for positive input to reinforce what they already believe.  If they get a bad impression, they’ll be critical as they go inside and look to find fault; again to reinforce what they already have decided.  The front door is usually a small area.  Here is what you need to do.  Wash or freshly paint the front door and the windows around the door.  Sweep or pressure wash all of the walls and ceiling around the door to get rid of spiders, webs, moths, and bug stuff.  Scrub the weather stripping at the threshold so that there is not one speck of grime.  Make sure weather stripping is in good shape, but that the door opens and closes easily.  Make sure the lock works!  Now add some color.  A couple of pots with flowers, a wreath on the front door.  Please, no holiday decorations that are months old, or pots of dead easter lillies.  Splurge and spend $20 on some nice flowers, then be sure to water them.

You’ve done it!  You’ve gotten your buyer inside.

You are moving, right?  Why not get a leg up on the job and start packing BEFORE you put your house up for sale.  You want to de-personalize your home.  Take down personal momentos, collections, most family photos, all of the stuff on the refrigerator.  It should be like a model home that you want to move right into.  And all of your very personal stuff keeps your buyer from feeling like it is “their” house.  I recommend that you do this one room at a time.  Just make a big pile in the middle of the room that you want to either store or donate/toss.  It is ok to have a few family photos.  For instance, a bookshelf with a combination of a few framed photos, some books, perhaps a small piece of art work or decorative glass, that is fine.  But that hallway photo gallery showing Joey, who is now 35, in every grade of school he ever attended:  take it down.

Less truly is more.  As you clean out clutter and stream-line each room, you will make them look larger.  A small home, well staged, can look bigger than large home full of clutter.

This is also true of furniture.  Make sure you store away anything that gets in the way in hallways, at the top of stairs, as you enter rooms, and on stairway landings.  The fact that you had no where else to put the furniture just screams “This house is too small!”.  In addition, they could actually be a safety hazzard when you have a group of people seeing the house together and unable to maneuver on the stairs.  Another important thought with furniture is do not cover up a homes features.  Don’t place TV’s in front of windows, or dressers across closets, or a couch across the fireplace.    Move the furniture around and show off each rooms best feature.  Make sure to not have too much furniture.  A few pieces in each room is all you need.  For a living room: a couch, a chair, a love seat, and a coffee or similar table is plenty.  If you have a piano, don’t be afraid to store the couch or the love seat.  You want the room to feel big and not to be dwarfed by the furniture.

The kitchen and bathroom counters are the toughest to empty and also the most important.  Many a buyer has ruled out a home because either the kitchen or the bathrooms seemed too small.  You can make them big, with a little effort.  As much as possible, but things away in cupboards.  A few things may be impossible to put away because they are constantly in use.  Hello?  The coffee pot?  With things you just have to have handy, cluster them into one group.  So if you have the coffee pot, the decorative decanter of olive oil, and the pepper mill tastefully gathered in one corner, and nothing else anywhere on the counter, you’ll get away with it.  Take away the cluster and string the three items around the kitchen and suddenly you got clutter.  Bunching is a wonderful thing.  The same thing holds true in the bathroom.  I also highly recommend baskets or decorative boxes.  If you use a container, you can pretty much fill the container and still keep things attractive.

The areas to focus your attention are:  the entry, the living room, the dining room, the family room, the kitchen, and the master bedroom and bath.  Do the whole house if you can, it will pay off.  But if you have limits to your ability to take on this project, at a minimum, get to these rooms.

Now for those of you who are after the best money and the quickest sale, you’ll take it to the next level.  Clean out closets and fold and stack everything in an orderly and tidy fashion.  Get your kids on board helping you.  Those big tubs that are made to hold toys are great.  Tell them that when they are finished playing, just throw everything in the tub.  It makes for a pretty quick clean up.  Go around the house and wash all of the windows and clean out all of the window tracks.  The pickiest buyer I have ever worked with did three things:  checked the window tracks for dirt, looked inside the oven to see if it was clean, and opened the dishwasher to look at the outer framing of the door.  If these areas were clean, she knew the rest of the house would be too.

Speaking of clean, it is absolutely the cheapest thing you can do to make your house show ready.  No one, not one buyer out there, wants to buy someone else’s dirt.  It just doesn’t happen.   Pay attention to the bottom of cupboards, the baseboards, around the bottom of the toilet.  Yep, everywhere.

You’ll need a place to store all of the stuff you are packing away.  If you can, rent a storage unit or get one of those PODS that allow you to pack things and then have them stored off-site.  If you can’t pay for storage, use your garage.  I would rather have a staged home with a garage that is stacked wall-to-wall and top-to-bottom than an empty garage and a messy house.

There are a couple of good websites I found that will give you ideas and perhaps be helpful:

From the National Associaiton of Realtors, click here.

From US News and World Report, click here.

And to visit Barb Schwartz’s website, click here.  Barb Schwartz is the queen of home staging.  She has been teaching Realtors techniques of home staging since before I was a Realtor (over 22 years).  I used to refer to staging a home as “Schwartzing” a home.  That’s how ingrained in my head this lady is.

goldenoldlrAt the top of this article is a photo of my listing in Mt. Park.  I want you to compare that photo to the one that you find to the right.  Can you see the big improvement?  The photo to the right is how this room used to look.  This was not a home with a problem of clutter.  This was a house that needed to show case the homes features.  The home owner moved the living room furniture to the other end of the room in order to showcase the wonderful windows.  Where a TV cabinet had blocked windows, now what you see is light and sunshine.  In addition, the owner replaced several windows that had broken seals.  Now when you walk in, you step back and feel the wow factor.  That is what sells a house.

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Market Activity for May 18-24, 2009

Lots of houses continue to come onto the market, as is typical in the spring. Even with the holiday weekend there were 25 new listings in Lake Oswego. We also saw 21 houses receive offers and go pending and 2 closed sales.

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

NEWLY LISTED (May 18—May 24, 2009)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
LIST DATE
Address List Price # BR # BTHS Total SF Prop Type List Date
100 KERR PKWY $94,900 1 1 617 CONDO 5/21/2009
45 EAGLE CREST DR $139,900 1 1 768 CONDO 5/20/2009
86 KINGSGATE RD $149,900 2 2 849 CONDO 5/20/2009
276 CERVANTES $183,000 3 2 1,209 CONDO 5/21/2009
235 CERVANTES $188,000 2 2 1,100 CONDO 5/21/2009
16250 PACIFIC HWY $220,000 1 1 841 CONDO 5/19/2009
16428 SW BONAIRE AVE $269,950 3 1 1,240 DETACHD 5/19/2009
16250 PACIFIC HWY $274,500 2 2 1,305 CONDO 5/19/2009
4 WHEATHERSTONE $334,950 3 2.1 1,692 CONDO 5/18/2009
6321 ALYSSA TER $339,000 3 2.1 1,582 ATTACHD 5/18/2009
14141 GOODALL RD $389,900 3 2.1 1,907 DETACHD 5/22/2009
19221 REDWING CT $397,500 3 2 1,374 DETACHD 5/22/2009
147 6TH ST $425,000 3 1 1,584 DETACHD 5/18/2009
668 MCVEY AVE 425000 – 450000 3 1.1 992 CONDO 5/20/2009
16950 LAKERIDGE DR $479,000 4 2.1 2,305 DETACHD 5/23/2009
4938 MULHOLLAND DR $529,900 3 2.1 2,498 ATTACHD 5/19/2009
4959 BILFORD LN $547,500 3 2.1 2,456 DETACHD 5/19/2009
475 COUNTRY CLUB CT $549,000 3 2.1 1,705 DETACHD 5/18/2009
5400 BAY CREEK DR $550,000 4 2.1 2,856 DETACHD 5/22/2009
686 SUNNY HILL DR $569,500 4 2.1 2,300 DETACHD 5/21/2009
4305 UPPER DR $749,000 4 2.1 3,474 DETACHD 5/20/2009
1755 SOUTHSHORE BLVD $949,000 5 3.1 4,757 DETACHD 5/21/2009
943 SW ATWATER RD $975,000 4 2.1 3,874 DETACHD 5/21/2009
14480 KRUSE OAKS BLVD $1,149,000 4 3.1 4,661 DETACHD 5/18/2009
18042 SKYLAND CIR $1,499,000 4 3 4,800 DETACHD 5/22/2009

PENDING SALES (May 18-May 24, 2009)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address List Price # BR # BTHS Total SF Prop Type CDOM
45 EAGLE CREST DR $134,900 2 1.1 1,056 CONDO 6
4000 CARMAN DR $149,900 2 2 925 CONDO 699
4000 CARMAN DR $179,900 2 2 1,100 CONDO 72
1602 BONNIEBRAE DR 224900 – 254876 2 1 864 ATTACHD 256
103 KINGSGATE RD $299,900 3 2.1 1,352 DETACHD 56
18543 LONGFELLOW AVE $305,000 3 1.1 1,279 DETACHD 97
5918 SEVILLE AVE $315,000 4 2 1,752 DETACHD 14
45 TANGLEWOOD DR $345,000 5 3.1 3,166 DETACHD 71
15 MASARYK ST $349,900 3 3 3,680 DETACHD 131
111 3RD ST $399,900 2 2 1,206 CONDO 276
815 10TH ST $399,950 3 2 2,190 DETACHD 298
606 2ND ST $420,000 4 3 3,022 DETACHD 34
17825 SARAH HILL LN $464,900 4 2.1 2,525 DETACHD 5
2 PIMLICO TER $479,900 4 2.1 2,301 DETACHD 21
14412 MEADOW GRASS ST $500,000 4 2.1 3,563 DETACHD 364
5026 HARTFORD PL $524,900 5 2.1 3,253 DETACHD 319
17445 LAKE HAVEN DR $539,900 4 3 2,949 DETACHD 9
1245 BAYBERRY RD $559,000 3 2 1,728 DETACHD 342
5590 KODERRA AVE $599,900 4 2.1 3,072 DETACHD 10
5322 Langford LN $759,000 4 2.1 3,218 DETACHD 178
17970 ROYCE WAY $995,000 4 4.2 5,226 DETACHD 285

SOLD (May 11-May 17, 2009)

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ADDRESS ORIG. PRICE SALE PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address O/Price Close Price # BR # BTHS Total SF Prop Type CDOM
4724 SW FIRWOOD RD $299,900 $279,900 3 1.1 1,240 DETACHD 296
13805 REGENCY CT $419,000 $373,000 4 2.1 2,045 DETACHD 29

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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Open Houses for Sunday, May 24, 2009

goldendiningroomAlong with my own open house at 4447 Golden Lane, there are a total 17 opens planned for Lake Oswego on May 24th.  I’d love to have you come by to see me tomorrow.  My listings is a 1616 square foot townhouse in Mt. Park.  Recent updates include gorgeous granite counters in the kitchen, laminate flooring, and new windows.  It has 2 large bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths.  Probably the nicest feature is that it has huge, south-facing windows that look out across trees and well-cared for landscaping.  It is also an end unit.  It’s priced at $255,000.  I’ll be there from 2 to 5pm.  You’ll find my signs at the corner of Melrose and Fosberg and from there you can easily follow them into the complex on Thundervista.

Joining my open house on Sunday are these properties:

16824 Inverurie, $389,900. 1896 sq. feet, 3 BR, 3 BTHS, open 1-3

41 Hillshire, $498,500. 2670 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, open 1:30-3:30

17393 Grandview Ct, $649,900. 3672 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 1-3

2814 Vale Ct, $719,900. 3192 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, open noon-3

730 8th St, $799,000. 2395 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, open 2-4

17215 Lowenberg Terrace, $850,000. 2819 sq. feet, 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, open 12:30-3:30

511 6th St, $928,950. 4000 sq. feet, 5 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open noon-2

1015 Andrews Rd, $999,900. 3367 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, open 2-4

900 Fairway Rd, $1,094,000. 3508 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open noon-2

17464 Ridgeview Lane, $1,298,950. 4407 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

622 Oak Meadow Dr, $1,325,000. 4171 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

16359 Chapin Way, $1,349,000. 4158 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 1-4

664 Oak Meadow Dr, $1,355,000. 4198 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

657 Oak Meadow Dr, $1,395,000. 4371 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

17364 Ridgeview Ct, $1,425,000. 4436 sq. feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

17433 Ridgeview Lane, $1,495,000. 4704 sq. feet, 4 BR, 4.5 BTHS, open 2-4

Along with enjoying the sunny weather and a great day of visiting open houses on Sunday, let’s also be sure to take a moment to reflect on those who have given their lives for our country.  Having a son currently in the military, and having a brother-in-law who was lost to us while serving, Memorial Day holds a particularly deep meaning in my heart.  It is an important day for reflecting upon those who make our freedom possible.

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Finding a Great Restaurant

For some time now I’ve been wanting to highlight some local restaurants and places that I enjoy frequenting here in Lake Oswego.  Today I want to let you know about 3 wonderful restaurants on the Lake Grove side of town.  All 3 are practically institutions in the area, having been in business for many years.  They are also located in a cluster along the same stretch of Boones Ferry Rd, the main road through the West end of town.

la-provenceLa Provence is the youngster in the group.  The founders of the restaurant, Pascal, Didier, and Alain came from France in 1996 wanting to share their passion for the French Patisserie, which is a bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets.  Don’t be fooled by the outstanding selection of breads, tortes, cakes and croissants that are showcased as you walk-in.  This restaurant offers first class food well beyond the temptations of sweets.  When the restaurant first opened it specialized in breakfast and lunch.  My favorite breakfast choice has long been the smoked-salmon hash.  Served over crispy hash browns, the smoked salmon is topped by a poached egg and creamy dill sauce.  The homemade bread makes delicious toast, and the coffee is outstanding.  For lunch I recommend the French onion soup.  It is the best I have ever had.  And in the last year or so the restaurant has begun to stay open for dinner service.  I recently had a wonderful dinner there at a time when they were offering live music.  I consider the pricing to be affordable and the food highly reliable.  The atmosphere is relaxed and sunny with bright splashes of color from the art work and provencial-style table cloths.  Located at 15964 Boones Ferry Rd, you can find menus and more information at their website, www.provence-portland.com/

gubancsNext door to La Provence is Gubanc’s.  Gubanc’s and I have something in common.  We both came to Lake Oswego in 1976.  I guess you could say that we kind of grew up together.  Owned by Tony and Anne Gubanc, this restaurant is a neighborhood classic.  The atmosphere is classy while being comfortable.  Not too expensive, you’ll find the food to be Northwest with an interesting flair.  The restaurant is most famous for its soups.  They have 80 different varieties that were personally created for their menu.  While the traditionals like clam chowder are available, you will also often find unusual selections like Chicken and Pear or Santa Fe Chicken with White Bean.  Yum.  A great deal at lunch is the Soup Board.  For $7.50 you get a generous bowl of homemade soup with a side board of bread, cheese, and fruit.  Dinner options include South Western Pork Wraps, Chicken and Dumplings, and Halibut Provencial.  For dessert they are well known for their Fresh Fruit Cobbler.  You’ll find it busy every night of the week.  There is a full bar and I think there are quite a few regulars who eat dinner here several nights a week.  To continue to fill the dining room night-after-night for over 30 years, you know they must be doing something right.  Located at 16008 Boones Ferry Rd.  For a copy of the menu and more information, visit Gubanc’s website at www.gubancspub.com.

riccardosFinally, I want to brag about Riccardo’s.  This is my favorite “special occasion” restaurant in Lake Oswego.  Not that you would only want to go there on special occasions, like an anniversary or a birthday.  I have gone there with friends for a casual lunch or dinner many times.  It’s just that I’ve also celebrated many birthdays and anniversaries there.  In my mind, it is a special place that provides just the right atmosphere for a special night out.  Opened in 1980 by Riccardo and Georgette Spaccarelli, it is very fine Italian dining at it’s best.  The Spaccarellis are known for their annual trips to Italy where they visit wine producers and make selections to offer with their food.  The entire meal is extremely authentic.   It’s also mouth watering and complex.  My favorite item on the menu is the Penna Strozzapreti.  Penna pasta with a sauce of cremini mushrooms, black olives, garlic, and sun-dried tomatoes in a light cream sauce that is then dusted with parmigiano reggiano.  That is comfort food to me and a real taste treat.  There are two dining rooms.  The inside room seats 55 and is very nice.   But my favorite, and where I always make it a point to dine, is the outside patio.  It seats 75 and is surrounded by high walls that in the summer are topped with flowers.  There are terra cotta tiled floors and several fountains.  The perimeter tables do have a roof over them and in cooler weather they have numerous heaters to keep you warm.  No, I don’t think you’d be able to dine out there in January.  But for most of the year you can.  It is not only comfortable, you will feel like you’ve gone to Italy.  Riccardo’s is just across the street from Gubanc’s and La Provence at 16035 Boones Ferry Rd.  You can find their menu and more information at their website, www.riccardoslo.com

There are other great restaurants in LO.  I’ll work on giving other recommendations in the future, but this is a good starting point for a new resident in the area.  And just like the long-time residents, you’ll go back again and again.

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Market Activity Report ~ May 11 – 17, 2009

This last week Lake Oswego saw 23 new properties placed on the market, Pending sales at 12 and 4 Sold/closed. We’re still seeing buyers out for all price ranges, and the trend continuing of newer listings selling as well as homes that have been on the market for extended periods… it is one or the other it seems!

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

NEWLY LISTED (May 11—May 17, 2009)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
LIST DATE
Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type List Date
45 EAGLE CREST DR $134,900 2 1.1 1,056 CONDO 5/14/2009
3433 MCNARY PKWY $157,500 2 2.1 1,208 CONDO 5/11/2009
86 KINGSGATE RD $159,900 2 2 924 CONDO 5/11/2009
45 EAGLE CREST DR $259,900 3 2 1,348 CONDO 5/13/2009
222 CERVANTES $259,990 3 1.1 1,464 CONDO 5/15/2009
16850 CORTEZ CT $285,000 4 1.1 1,232 DETACHD 5/12/2009
16501 LAKE FOREST BLVD $319,900 3 1 1,429 DETACHD 5/13/2009
13024 ROGERS RD $389,900 4 1 1,826 DETACHD 5/15/2009
12519 27TH PL $399,000 3 2.1 1,975 DETACHD 5/11/2009
4181 COBB WAY $429,900 4 3 2,248 DETACHD 5/14/2009
17825 SARAH HILL LN $464,900 4 2.1 2,525 DETACHD 5/15/2009
14 TANGLEWOOD DR $499,999 5 3 3,384 DETACHD 5/14/2009
2062 CEDAR CT $525,000 3 1 1,800 DETACHD 5/15/2009
17445 LAKE HAVEN DR $539,900 4 3 2,949 DETACHD 5/11/2009
4040 VIRGINIA WAY $595,000 4 2.1 2,484 DETACHD 5/11/2009
18490 RAY RIDGE DR $679,900 4 3 3,426 DETACHD 5/15/2009
17455 BLUE HERON RD $850,000 3 2 2,572 DETACHD 5/13/2009
3967 CANAL RD $1,150,000 4 4 3,800 DETACHD 5/12/2009
2625 SUMMIT DR $1,337,500 4 3.1 4,212 DETACHD 5/11/2009
624 ATWATER RD $1,438,000 5 3.1 4,465 DETACHD 5/11/2009
18977 BARTON RD $1,695,000 4 3.1 4,648 DETACHD 5/15/2009
397 FURNACE ST $1,850,000 3 2.1 2,864 DETACHD 5/13/2009
13701 GOODALL RD $2,475,000 4 4.1 6,028 DETACHD 5/14/2009

PENDING SALES (May 11-May 17, 2009)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type List Date CDOM
1897 BOCA RATAN DR $237,100 3 2.1 1,739 ATTACHD 4/13/2009 33
5101 JEAN RD $242,000 3 1 1,012 DETACHD 1/22/2009 233
200 Burnham RD $264,850 2 2 1,313 CONDO 6/30/2007 682
1615 HALLINAN ST $279,000 3 1.1 1,500 DETACHD 2/17/2009 86
1107 CEDAR ST $324,999 4 3 2,485 DETACHD 5/11/2009 4
18307 LONGFELLOW AVE $329,900 3 2 1,457 DETACHD 5/7/2009 262
18929 TERRY AVE $356,950 4 2 2,065 DETACHD 3/30/2009 44
2317 STONEHURST CT $749,900 4 2.1 4,455 DETACHD 5/1/2009 374
13874 TAYLORS CREST LN $750,000 4 2.1 3,701 DETACHD 5/11/2009 3
5513 RACHEL LN $799,999 4 2.1 3,149 DETACHD 4/16/2009 435
18224 Bella Terra DR $1,294,000 4 4 4,050 DETACHD 4/11/2008 397

SOLD (May 11-May 17, 2009)

ADDRESS ORIG. PRICE SALE PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address O/Price Close Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type List Date CDOM
4 TOUCHSTONE $93,000 $86,000 2 2 979 CONDO 4/10/2009 10
5235 OAKRIDGE RD $324,900 $290,000 3 2.1 1,576 DETACHD 11/18/2008 129
5441 DENTON DR $599,000 $599,000 3 2.1 3,331 DETACHD 1/26/2009 242
17706 MARYLBROOK DR $685,000 $623,500 3 2.2 3,039 DETACHD 12/14/2008 392

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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Lake Oswego Open Houses – Sunday May 17th, 2009

There are 41 great properties to see on Sunday in Lake Oswego. No matter what price level or type of home you are looking for, you will be sure to find some fun options on the list below! Enjoy a beautiful Sunday!

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

100 Kerr Pkwy #35 $97,900 1 Bd, 1 Ba Open 1:30-3:30

45 Eagle Crest Dr #315 $134,900 2 Bd, 1 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

4465 Golden Ln $275,000 2 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-4

5094 Galen St $299,999 3 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

18543 Longfellow Ave $317,500 3 Bd, 1 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

800 Woodway Ct $339,000 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 2-4

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

17311 Ashley Ct $385,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 12-2

3009 Wembley Park Rd $395,000 3 Bd, 1 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

3 Cellini Ct $449,000 4 Bd 2 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

41 Hillshire Dr $498,500 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1:30-3:30

17088 Rebecca Ln $499,000 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1:30-3:30

3745 Tempest Dr $499,900 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1-3

161 C Ave $524,900 2 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-4

17445 Lake Haven Dr $539,900 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1-4

624 Livingood Ln $549,000 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1-4

4114 Glacier Lily St $579,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 12-2

16920 Greentree Ave $579,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

400 Lake Bay Ct $579,900 3 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

952 A Ave $599,000 3 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-3

364 Northshore Rd $674,900 4 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1-3

580 Weidman Ct $695,000 5 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

13768 Knaus Rd $699,000 3 Bd, 2 Ba Open 1:30-3

4076 Orchard Dr $719,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

2688 Rivendell Rd $835,000 4 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1-3

511 6th St $928,950 5 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 2:30-4:30

17211 Blue Heron Rd $939,900 3 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 3-5

1785 Palisades Terrace Dr $960,000 5 Bd, 4 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

17878 Hillside Dr $970,000 5 Bd, 3 Ba Open 1-4

301 Iron Mountain Blvd $999,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

943 SW Atwater Rd $999,500 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

577 Middlecrest Rd $1,045,000 4 Bd, 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-3

17512 Greenbluff Dr $1,074,900 4 Bd, 4 Ba Open 1-4

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

17464 Ridgeview Ln $1,298,950 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

622 Oak Meadow Dr $1,325,000 4 Bd 3 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

664 Oak Meadow Dr $1,355,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

657 Oak Meadow Dr $1,395,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

17364 Ridgeview Ct $1,425,000 4 Bd, 3 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

17433 Ridgeview Ln $1,495,000 4 Bd, 4 1/2 Ba Open 2-4

17554 Greenbluff Dr $1,499,900 4 Bd, 4 & 2 1/2 Ba Open 1-4

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Market Activity Report for May 4-10, 2009

There were quite a few new listings last week: 27 in all. That is not counting the 14 that I found to be “refreshed”. In other words the listing was pulled and then put in again to look new in the data base. We had a fairly good number of houses that went pending: 14 total. And then there was just one closed sale. While the market is certainly starting to pick up, it is still off of the pace of the spring market in 2007 and 2008. I was also glad to see the pending sale in Cheryl Ct. There is so much high-end inventory that every single sale that happens is important.

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

NEWLY LISTED (

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ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
LIST DATE
Address List Price # BR # BTHS Total SF Prop Type List Date
45 EAGLE CREST DR $168,950 2 2 1,056 CONDO 5/4/2009
200 BURNHAM RD $204,900 1 1 943 CONDO 5/4/2009
19138 PILKINGTON RD $275,000 3 1.1 1,099 DETACHD 5/4/2009
4214 WOODSIDE CIR $309,900 3 2.1 1,841 ATTACHD 5/8/2009
5918 SEVILLE AVE $315,000 4 2 1,752 DETACHD 5/9/2009
3269 PHYLLIS CT $379,900 3 1.2 1,818 DETACHD 5/4/2009
534 2ND ST $399,000 2 2.1 1,394 CONDO 5/7/2009
5523 ROYAL OAKS DR $475,000 2 2 1,817 DETACHD 5/5/2009
18042 JENIFERS WAY 514900 3 2.1 2,559 DETACHD 5/8/2009
5502 KODERRA AVE 539900 4 2.1 3,058 DETACHD 5/8/2009
5948 BAY POINT DR 539950 4 2.1 2,421 DETACHD 5/6/2009
5525 RACHEL LN 542900 3 2.1 2,375 DETACHD 5/8/2009
17997 BRAEDEN CT 544900 3 2.1 2,142 DETACHD 5/8/2009
18020 JENIFERS WAY 546900 4 2.1 3,086 DETACHD 5/8/2009
17985 BRAEDEN CT 554900 3 2.1 2,559 DETACHD 5/8/2009
3061 WESTVIEW CT 560000 4 3 3,396 DETACHD 5/5/2009
5568 KODERRA AVE 566900 4 2.1 2,997 DETACHD 5/8/2009
16920 GREENTREE AVE 579000 4 2.1 2,830 DETACHD 5/10/2009
952 A AVE 599000 3 2 2,912 DETACHD 5/4/2009
5590 KODERRA AVE 599900 4 2.1 3,072 DETACHD 5/8/2009
11 CELLINI CT 599950 5 3 3,392 DETACHD 5/8/2009
2110 GREENTREE RD 879000 4 3.1 2,852 DETACHD 5/6/2009
2044 RIDGEWOOD RD 895500 4 2 2,466 DETACHD 5/8/2009
1224 TYNDALL CT 965000 5 3.1 4,157 DETACHD 5/6/2009
589 7TH ST 979000 4 3.1 4,382 DETACHD 5/9/2009
18026 SKYLAND CIR 1475000 5 3.1 4,134 DETACHD 5/9/2009
1835 PALISADES TERRACE DR 1899500 4 3 3,380 DETACHD 5/5/2009

PENDING SALES (May 4-May 10, 2009)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address List Price # BR # BTHS Total SF Prop Type CDOM
44 EAGLE CREST DR $124,950 1 1 798 CONDO 63
4 TOUCHSTONE $134,900 3 2.1 1,350 CONDO 138
83 OSWEGO SMT $179,000 2 2 1,140 CONDO 280
5831 SEVILLE AVE $199,900 4 1 1,320 DETACHD 253
668 MCVEY AVE $218,000 3 1.1 1,184 CONDO 61
1897 BOCA RATAN DR $237,100 3 2.1 1,739 ATTACHD 24
925 IRON MOUNTAIN BLVD $269,900 3 2 2,070 DETACHD 639
1716 HALLINAN ST $369,500 3 3 1,916 DETACHD 28
108 RIDGEWAY RD 379000 3 1 1,468 DETACHD 493
1462 Worthington ST 424000 4 3 1,800 DETACHD 60
4070 WESTBAY RD 449996 3 2 1,828 DETACHD 6
17102 CAMPUS WAY 475000 4 3 2,621 DETACHD 56
1065 LUND ST 799000 5 3.1 4,584 DETACHD 78
1937 CHERYL CT 1225000 4 3.1 5,065 DETACHD 273

SOLD (May 4-May 10, 2009)

ADDRESS ORIG. PRICE SALE PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address O/Price Close Price # BR # BTHS Total SF Prop Type CDOM
1961 SUMMIT DR $1,180,000 $825,000 3 2.1 3,218 DETACHD 268

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.

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Open Houses for Sunday, April 10th, 2009

With this Sunday being Mother’s Day, and the weather forecast looking like it’s going to be spectacular, this Sunday just might be the perfect time to grab your favorite Mom and go house hunting.  The RMLS has 14 houses currently advertised to be open this Sunday, including 41 Hillshire, which is in this week’s featured neighborhood, Westridge.

82 Oswego Summit, $234,900. 1212 square feet, 2 BR, 2 BTHS, open 2-5

4465 Golden Lane, $275,000. 1980 square feet, 2 BR, 2.5 BTHS, open 1-4

4458 Thunder Vista Ln, $310,000. 2200 square feet, 3 BR, 2.5 BTHS, open 1-4

4325 Country Woods Ct, $334,900. 1346 square feet, 3 BR, 2 BTHS, open 1-4

41 Hillshire Dr, $498,500. 2670 square feet, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, open 1:30-3:30

13500 Twin Creek Ln, $572,500. 3049 square feet, 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, open 1-4

11 Cellini Ct, $599,950. 3392 square feet, 5 BR, 3 BTHS, open 1-4

17464 Ridgeview Ln, $1,298,950. 4407 square feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

622 Oak Meadow Dr, $1,325,000. 4171 square feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

664 Oak Meadow Dr, $1,355,000. 4198 square feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

657 Oak Meadow Dr, $1,395,000. 4371 square feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

16359 Chapin Way, $1,398,000. 4158 square feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 1-4

17364 Ridgeview Ct, $1,425,000. 4436 square feet, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, open 2-4

17433 Ridgeview Ct, $1,495,000. 4704 square feet, 4 BR, 4.5 Bths, open 2-4

Have a great weekend and Happy Mother’s Day.

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Featured Neighborhood: Westridge

westridge-sign1It’s time to showcase another of Lake Oswego’s wonderful neighborhoods, Westridge. Westridge is not very large.  According to city-data.com, it is  just .238 of a square mile. It is bordered on the West by Bryant Rd, on the North by Royce Way, on the East by Cooks Butte Park, and on the South by Childs Rd. The population of the neighborhood is about 650 people, which translates to about 300 houses. It’s been my experience that people who live in Westridge love it. They will often move within the neighborhood rather than move out of it. So what’s the attraction?

First, it’s a very quiet area. There are no through streets that people use to get from one part of town to another. There are only neighborhood streets. So the only cars driving into the area are those of people who live there or their guests.

westridge-trail1Second, it has two terrific parks. Cooks Butte Park is on the Eastern edge of Westridge. It’s 42 acres of natural area. It’s what is called a passive park. In other words, it is left quite natural with soft-surface trails for hiking, but not a lot of development such as picnic structures or play grounds. It is best enjoyed for the trees, the trails, and the views. The top of the park has an elevation of 718′. It’s a wonderful spot to hike up to and then sit and watch the sunset. The other park is Westridge Park. It’s adjacent to Westridge Elementary School. It’s 2.2 acres and has a playground, a volleyball area, and a soccer/little league field. This is where you take the kids to burn off some energy and to enjoy a fine, sunny afternoon.

Last is the reputation of Westridge Elementary School. It is a very highly regarded school. While the schools in Lake Oswego all have good reputations, Westridge Elementary seems to stand out. It has a Distinguished Great Schools rating of 10 out of 10, according to the website greatschools.net.

westridge-park1Housing in Westridge is all single family homes. There are no condominiums or apartment buildings. The pricing of what is currently for sale goes from a low of $498,500 for a 2670 square foot home with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths, to a high of $899,900 for a 3243 square foot home also with 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. I would say that the most basic criteria for the variation in pricing is whether the home has been updated or not. The neighborhood was mostly built in the 1970’s and 1980’s. So if the house still has original kitchen, baths, woodwork and windows, it is just not going to be worth as much as a house that is
all updated. I also know that there are homes in Westridge that easily exceed $1,000,000. It is just that none of the higher-end homes are currently for sale. The homes that are the most expensive often are on extremely large lots. On the South edge of Westridge are Barton and Hilltop roads. These streets have houses on acreage, and those properties more closely resemble estates.

westridge-house1I want to point out a house that Linda and I visited on Broker’s tour on May 5th, 9 Westminster Dr. This home is an excellent example of great value. Built in 1976, it has been extensively updated. The kitchen and baths are all recent. There is new paint and flooring. The house has 3814 square feet, with 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths. Probably the most distinguishing feature is a wonderful sunroom that allows you to sit and enjoy the garden all year round. The landscaping is exceptional. There is extensive brick work in patios and outdoor entertaining areas. The yard has sprinklers and it looks to me as though a professional was involved in the layout. It is really wonderful. Priced at just $597,000 it is a stand out for value. I tell people that in this market it is both a beauty pageant and a price war. I think this house wins in both categories.

So it’s easy to see the attraction of the Westridge area. If you’d like information on homes currently for sale in Westridge, please contact either Linda or myself, and we would be happy to send you more information.