luxury homes Archives - Page 99 of 105

February 25, 2012

News & Notes

Here are some Market Notes for You~

According to the just-released RMLS Market Action Report for December 2011, the combined area of Lake Oswego and West Linn reported:

589 Active Listings
153 New Listings
97 Pending Sales
75 Closed Sales
An average Sale Price of $364,800.
Average Time on the Market: 176 Days

Also:

For January 2012, Average Sales Price for the Portland Metro area ($249,100) was virtually unchanged as compared to 2011 ($248,900)
For January 20121 as compared to 2011, Closed Sales increased by a whopping 18.3%
and Pending Sales increased by 22.4%,
but there were 16.5% fewer Newly Listed residential properties

February 22, 2012

Market Activity Feb 13-19, 2012

Last week Lake Oswego had 21 homes come onto the market, 15 homes go pending, and 5 closed sales.
See below for further details.

New Listing for Feb. 13-19,2012

47 Eagle Crest DR B17, a condo, $59,900, 2 BR, 1 Bth

4 Touchstone, a condo, $124,900, 3 BR, 1.5 Bths

112 Greenridge CT, a townhouse, $219,900, 2 BR, 3 Bths

6140 Burma Rd, detached, $285,000, 4 BR, 2 Bths

17653 Bryant Rd, detached, $289,000, 3 BR, 2 Bths

17653 Mardee Ave, detached, $289,900, 3 BR, 2 Bths

14316 Holly Springs Rd, detached, $299,000, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths

2491 Overlook Dr, detached, $299,900, 5 BR, 3 Bths

652 8th St, detached, $429,900, 2 BR, 1 Bths

18034 Westview DR, detached, $430,000, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths

5652 Yorkshire Ct, detached, $454,900, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths

17415 Upper Cherry Ln, detached, $479,000, 4 BR, 3.5 Bths

1731 Woodland Terrace, detached, $489,500, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths

13849 Melrose Place, detached, $499,900, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths

5503 Dunmire Dr, detached, $519,900, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths

7 Mountain View Ln, detached, $559,950, 5 BR, 2.5 Bths

5173 Woodcrest Ln Lot23, detached, $609,900, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths

1524 Oak ST, a townhouse, $625,000, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths

16655 Maple Circle, detached, $1,025,000, 2 BR, 2 Bths

2092 Summit Dr, detached, $1,395,000, 4 BR, 4.5 Bths

1115 Lake Front Rd, detached, $1,995,000, 4 BR, 4 Bths

Pending sales for Feb 13-19, 2012

47 Eagle Crest DR #37, a condo, $49,900, 1 BR, 1 Bth, 102 DOM

4 Touchstone #67, a condo, $80,000, 2 BR, 2 Bths, 100 DOM

56 Galen St, a condo, $98,000, 2 BR, 2 Bths, 41 DOM

5054 Foothills Dr H, a condo, $180,000, 3 BR, 2 Bths, 163 DOM

13990 Shireva Ct, detached, $192,500, 3 BR, 2 Bths, 307 DOM

5322 Charleton Ct, detached, $251,000, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 331 DOM

2315 Southshore Blvd, detached, $285,000, 3 BR, 1 Bth, 133 DOM

7 Partridge Ln, detached, $300,000, 3 BR, 3 Bths, 112 DOM

4793 Auburn Ln, a townhouse, $377,900, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 139 DOM

1837 Cedar Ct, detached, $415,000, 5 BR, 3 Bths, 352 DOM

19 Falstaff ST, detached, $429,900, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, 24 DOM

1159 Tyndall Ct, detached, $549,000, 4 BR, 3.5 Bths, 237 DOM

4081 Pfeifer CT, detached, $580,000, 5 BR, 3.5 Bths, 12 DOM

2530 Palisades Crest Dr, detached, $639,000, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, 11 DOM

1644 Leslie Ln, detached, $1,350,000, 4 BR, 3.5 + .5 Bths, 4 DOM

Sold homes for Feb 13-19, 2012

4760 Lower DR, detached, original price $229,900, sold price $232,000, 3 BR, 3 Bths, 148 CDOM

525 2nd ST #102, a condo, original price $415,000, sold price $385,000, 2 BR, 2 Bths, 247 CDOM

18606 Westview Dr, detached, original price $539,000, sold price $461,500, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 105 CDOM

183 Furnace St, a condo, original price $495,000, sold price $485,000, 2 BR, 2.5 Bths, 31 CDOM

3899 Daniel Way, detached, original price $509,000, sold price $505,000, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, 10 CDOM

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

February 18, 2012

Open Houses for Sunday 2/19/12

There are 30 open houses planned for this week. Seriously, that’s a lot of houses. Enjoy.

5058 Foothills Dr A, $190,000, 2 BR, 2 Bths, open 1 to 4. This is the only condo on this week’s list. All of the other open houses are for detached homes.

16212 Lake Forest Blvd, $229,900, 3 BR, 2 Bths, open 1 to 3

113 Touchstone Terrace, $269,000, 2 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 1 to 3

21 Britten Ct, $299,000, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 12 to 2

10 Walking Woods Dr, $333,000, 3 Br, 2.5 Bths, open 1 to 3

19061 Indian Springs Rd, $364,900, 4 BR, 3 Bths, open 1 to 4

1657 Campus Way, $385,000, 4 BR, 3 Bths, open 3 to 5

13020 Princeton Ct, $444,000, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 1 to 3

486 Livingood Ln, $459,000, 4 BR, 3.5 Bths, open 2 to 4

5503 Dunmire Dr, $519,900, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 11 to 4

5542 Dunmire Dr, $519,900, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 11 to 4

5515 Dunmire Dr, $536,900, 5 BR, 3 Bths, open 11 to 4

625 4th St, $539,000, 4 BR, 3 Bths, open 12 to 3

29 Spinosa, $549,000, 3 BR, 2 1/2 + 1/2 Bths, open 2 to 4

5595 Luce Ln, $579,900, 5 BR, 3 Bths, open 11 to 4

17802 Treetop Ln, $599,000, 4 BR, 3.5 Bths, open 1 to 4

19245 Megly Ct, $599,000, 5 BR, 3 Bths, open 12 to 3

13226 Rogers Rd, $599,000, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 1 to 3

15633 Fieldstone Dr, $618,950, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 12 to 2

5533 Fieldstone Ct, $628,950, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 12 to 2

1708 Oak St, $638,000, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 1 to 3

17601 Woodhurst Pl., $649,000, 3 BR, 2 1/2 + 1/2 Bths, open 1 to 3

5604 Grand Oaks Dr, $649,000, 5 BR, 3 Bths, open 2 to 5

2479 Palisades Crest Dr, $699,000, 5 BR, 3.5 Bths, open 1 to 3

2358 Summit Dr, $739,000, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 1:30 to 4

4767 Dogwood Dr, $799,900, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, open 2 to 4

19395 Hilltop Rd, $1,095,000, 4 BR, 3 1/2 + 1/2 Bths, open 1 to 4

18132 Siena Dr, $1,125,000, 4 BR, 3.5 Bths, open 12 to 2

18202 Bella Terra Dr, $1,145,000, 4 BR, 3.5 Bths, open 12 to 2

2092 Summit Dr, $1,395,000, 4 BR, 4.5 Bths, open 1 to 4

February 15, 2012February 15, 2012

Villa Teresa

One of the great side benefits of being a Realtor is having the opportunity to get inside of truly extraordinary homes. There is one house in particular that I have wanted to get into for years. When I returned to Lake Oswego 13 years ago, this house was just being built. The construction took years. Unlike most homes that are built in 4 to 6 months, this house literally took years. Now I know why.

Villa Teresa was open to Realtors during the weekly broker’s tour last Tuesday. My thanks to Joelle Lewis, the listing Realtor with RE/MAX Equity Group, for hosting the open house. And also for allowing me to share her gorgeous listing with you here on the propertyblotter.

Pictures do not begin to convey the grandeur of this house. I don’t mean grandeur as in large or huge. I mean grandeur in that you feel like you are visiting a home that is rare and exquisite. Every surface of everyroom is a work of art. From floors inlaid in artistic parterns with 7 or 8 different types of wood, to one-of-a-kind chandlers made in Italy of Murano glass. This house took so long to build because it was built by artisians using absolutely the finest materials.

The house is listed for $4,600,000. It has 5800 square feet with 4 bedrooms, 5 1/2 baths, a den, a wine cellar, and a card room. This is in addition to the livingroom, familyroom, kitchen and normal living spaces. The house is fully wired for high tech with consoles placed discretely throughout. There is a little booth off of the kitchen with a desk for going on-line and taking calls.

I have had the great good fortune of traveling in Europe and I can tell you that I have never been in a home that truly makes you feel transformed to Italy. There is even an al fresco dining terrace with spray misters for hot summer days.

Topping off this house is its waterfrontage on the coveted Northshore of Oswego Lake for maximum sun exposure.

No, actually, there is one more little item that tops off this house. It has a guest house next door that is also for sale. The guest house is faced completely in stone. It has 7500 square feet that includes an in-door swimming pool. This house was built but not finished as the home owner was relocated to another state before its completion. It is on the market for $3,400,000.

So who buys these sorts of homes? Obviously people with money. Business owners, executives, celebrities, and people who are able to afford the finest lifestyle available. The pool of buyers for homes such as these is pretty limited, so it can take awhile for a house of this nature to sell.

Here are some quick statistics:

There are currently 12 homes for sale in Lake Oswego priced at over $3,000,000.

In the last 3 years, during this terrible economy, just 3 houses priced over $3,000,000 have sold. Interestly, each one of these 3 sales had no real market exposure. 2 sold in zero days and 1 sold in just 8 days. In other words, the buyer and seller were brought together either through friendship or mutual acquaintance.

There is one house currently pending that is on the Willamette River that is pending for $4,395,000. It has 3.89 acres, 7527 square feet, 6 bedrooms, and 7 1/2 baths.

And, of course, Jantzen Island is still for sale. I have never gotten into that house. Like Villa Teresa, it is a Realtor goal of mine to see the interior. Built in 1930, the house and guest house combined have 13,500 square feet. This property is special because it sits on a private island that is actually 5 lots of one acre each. When you consider the house, guest house, and potential land value, it may actually be worth the asking price of $15,000,000. It is uncomparable to anything else around.

Perhaps wealth is not as fashionable as it has been at other times in history. But a truly magnificent home will always be a dream, and for a few, a reality.

Now here is a sobering thought. The property taxes for the Jantzen Island are $99,000 a year.

I hope you have enjoyed this little peek into the world of high-end homes. I know that I have. And I especially am happy that I finally got to see inside of Villa Teresa. Thanks Joelle.

Dianne

February 2, 2012

This is Earthquake Country

While not as famous as our neighbor to the South, Oregon is very much earthquake country.

Some background
When recently visiting LO City Hall, I found a wealth of interesting information on a variety of topics, one of which is a handy little magazine called “Living on Shaky Ground“. It’s published by Oregon Emergency Management and is available for free.

We happen to live right on top of the Cascadia Subduction Zone. This zone has a history of 8.0 and 9.0 (we are talking HUGE earthquakes) that goes back 10,000 years with these big quakes happening on average every 250 years. It’s now been 312 years since the last big quake. So it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

So, what can you do? In particular, when it comes to your home and buying a house.

When buying a home inspect, inspect, inspect

A good home inspector will look at the house from a perspective of its structural soundness. If the inspector has concerns, he or she should recommend further inspection be done by a seismic engineer.

I was recently involved in the potential sale of a home that was partially built on stilts with a very sloped lot. I was representing the buyer. Our home inspector determined that the substructure of the stilts provided for East and West support (or shaking) but not for North and South. Basically the Nouthern stilts all sat on the same retaining wall with no lateral bracing. In an earthquake, any shaking from the North to the South would cause that retaining wall to fall over and, yep, the house would go down the hill. Needless to say, my buyer chose to end that transaction and ended up purchasing an entirely different home.

If a more in-depth inspection is required by a seismic engineer, expect to spend about $250 for a sight visit. At this visit you will be able to walk the property and get a naration of what the engineer thinks. If you want to proceed and you want specific observation put into writing, that would include corrective measures to create a secur home, expect to spend several thousand dollars.

Consider getting earthquake insurance

There are limitations to what homes can qualify for earthquake insurance. Most insurance companies will not issue it to older homes. But if your home was built in the last 50 or so years, it may be eligible. And if it is, it is not that expensive to add as a rider to your home owner’s policy. Look into it.

Consider getting your home retrofitted

Newer homes are built to modern codes and standards that do take earthquakes into consideration. So newer homes are going to be more seismicly sound. However, older homes can be retro-fitted. Strapping the house to the foundation, installing cripple walls in the crawlspace, bolting the mudsills to the foundations: these are just a few of the possible corrective measures to make an older home more seismicly worthy.

Some thoughts

In 1993, Oregon had 3 strong earthquakes. I was awoken from sleep by the “Springbreak Quake”, a 5.6 magnitude quake centered about 25 miles South of Lake Oswego in Scotts Mills. That same year Klamath Falls in Southern Oregon had 5.9 and 6.0 earthquakes. Being awoken from sleep by an earthquake makes you feel like you have been through something quite extraordinary. I can not even imagine the shock and destruction of experiencing an 8.0 or 9.0 quake.

Preparedness is the key. Do some research, think about preparing your family and your home for living through an earthquake.

I have recently read quite a bit that the way to react to an earthquake is to get into what is called “The Triangle of Life”. This involves laying against furniture or large objects so that your body is contained in the triangle created between the top of the object and the floor. According to the Oregon Emergency Management Office this is NOT the best response. They recommend DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON. Get underneath a sturdy object, on your knees and crouching on the floor, tuck your head between your arms, and hold onto the object that is protecting you. Almost all scientific, government, and relief organizations, including the Red Cross, are now recommending this method.

Let’s hope it doesn’t happen. Proper Prior Planning being one of my favority policies, do take earthquakes seriously. For a copy of “Living on Shaky Ground”, click here.

As always, thanks for reading.
Dianne

January 31, 2012

Market Activity Jan. 23-29, 2012

Last week in Lake Oswego there were 14 new listings, 22 pending sales, and 5 closed sales. Of the pending sales, 4 had been on the market for more than a year.

See below for further details.

New Listings for January 23-29, 2012

4000 Carman Dr #21, a condo, $106,000, 2 BR, 2Bths, 973 SF

236 Ridgeway Rd, a condo, $156,000, 2 BR, 1 Bth, 914 SF

668 McVey Ave #57, a condo, $299,000, 3 BR, 1.5 Bths, 914 SF

16834 Cherry Crest Ave, detached, $329,600, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, 2598 SF

4583 Trillium Woods Lot 13, a townhouse, $416,200, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 2004 SF

1902 Woodland Terrace, detached, $423,500, 3 BR, 3 Bths, 2138 SF

19 Falstaff St, detached, $429,900, 4 BR, 2.5 Bths, 3222 SF

537 2nd St #106, a condo, $459,900, 2 BR, 2 Bths, 1292 SF

72 Condolea Way, a condo, $495,000, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 2958 SF

625 4th St, detached, $559,000, 4 BR, 3 Bths, 3300 SF

5035 Rosewood St, detached, $579,900, 4 BR, 3.5 Bths, 3174 SF

19245 Megly Ct, a townhouse, $599,000, 5 BR, 3 Bths, 3490 SF

5604 Grand Oaks Dr, detached, $649,000, 5 BR, 3 Bths, 3676 SF

17951 Meadowlark Ln, detached, $824,900, 4 BR, 3.5 +.5 Bths, 5065 SF

Pending Sales for January 23-29,2012

47 Eagle Crest Dr #4, a condo, $43,500, 2 BR, 1 Bth, 436 DOM

16250 Pacific Hwy #50, a condo, $99,500, 2 BR, 2 Bths, 94 DOM

4640 Lower Dr, a condo, $99,900, 2 BR, 1.5 Bths, 291 DOM

4 Touchstone, a condo, $107,910, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 14 DOM

210 S State St #6, a condo, $149,000, 2 BR, 1 Bth, 86 DOM

5055 Foothills Dr C, a condo $184,999, 2 BR, 2Bths, 527 DOM

5830 SW Burma Rd, detached, $189,000, 3 BR, 1 Bth, 103 DOM

18914 Longfellow Ave, detached, $199,000, 3 BR, 1.5 Bths, 116 DOM

4305 Silver Ct, a townhouse, $207,500, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 409 DOM

5270 Red Leaf St, detached, $249,000, 3 BR, 2 Bths, 1 DOM

16475 Bonaire Ave, detached, $255,000, 3 BR, 1 Bth, 243 DOM

975 Southshore Blvd, detached, $285,000, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 4 DOM

1685 Cloverleaf Rd, detached, $290,000, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 204 DOM

14101 Goodall Rd, detached, $345,000, 4 BR, 2 Bths, 11 DOM

4525 Trillium Woods Lot 16, a townhouse, $409,900, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 24 DOM

17026 Crestview Dr, detached, $439,000, 4 BR, 3 Bths, 9 DOM

4527 Trillium Woods Lot 15, a townhouse, $439,900, 3 BR, 2.5 Bths, 134 DOM

183 Furnace St, a condo, $495,000, 2 BR, 2.5 Bths, 31 DOM

345 3rd St, a townhouse, $499,900, 3 BR, 4 Bths, 112 DOM

850 Schukart Ln, detached, $699,000, 4 BR, 3 Bths, 267 DOM

1427 Horseshoe Curve, detached, $879,000, 2 BR, 2 Bths, 240 DOM

1300 Skyland Dr, detached, $1,199,000, 4 BR, 4.5 +.5 Bths, 344 DOM

Closed Sales for January 23-29, 2012

3950 Carman Dr, a condo, listed for $140,450, closed for $126,000, 2 BR, 2.5 Bths, 60 DOM

1228 Maple St, detached, listed for $399,000, closed for $250,000, 3 BR, 2 Bths, 522 DOM

13120 Thoma Rd, detached, listed for $345,000, closed for $350,088, 3 BR, 2 Bths, 32 DOM

18014 Gimley Ct, detached, listed for $599,900, closed for $442,900, 5 BR, 3.5 Bths, 198 DOM

4180 Casey Ct, detached, listed for $739,950, closed for $740,000, 4 BR, 3.5 Bths, 7 DOM

L/Price	Address	# Beds	# Baths	Total SF	Style	Time
$364,900	19061 INDIAN SPRINGS RD	4	3	2341	DETACHD	1-4PM
$374,900	4573 OAKRIDGE RD, LOT 33	3	2.1	1835	TOWNHSE	11AM-2PM
$409,900	4525 TRILLIUM WOODS, LOT 16	3	2.1	2004	TOWNHSE	11AM-2PM
$419,900	4571 OAKRIDGE RD, LOT 32	3	2.1	2092	TOWNHSE	11AM-2PM
$425,000	919 CUMBERLAND RD	4	3	2828	DETACHD	1-3PM
$444,000	13020 PRINCETON CT	4	2.1	3004	DETACHD	1-3PM
$489,800	33 WESTRIDGE DR	5	3.1	3864	DETACHD	1-3PM
$499,900	13849 MELROSE PL	3	2.1	2916	DETACHD	1-3PM
$519,900	5503 DUNMIRE DR	4	2.1	2739	DETACHD	11AM-4PM
$529,900	5542 DUNMIRE DR	4	2.1	3204	DETACHD	11AM-4PM
$536,900	5515 DUNMIRE DR	5	3	3287	DETACHD	11AM-4PM
$539,000	5975 NEWCASTLE DR	3	2.1	3339	DETACHD	1-3PM
$559,950	7 MOUNTAIN VIEW LN	5	2.1	3324	DETACHD	1-4PM
$598,000	17884 KELOK RD	4	3.1	4124	DETACHD	2:30-4PM
$599,000	4637 HASTINGS PL	4	2.1	3568	DETACHD	12-2PM
$599,000	17802 TREETOP LN	4	3.1	4110	DETACHD	1-4PM
$599,000	580 WEIDMAN CT	5	3.1	3952	DETACHD	1-3PM
$618,950	15633 FIELDSTONE DR	4	2.1	3047	DETACHD	1-3PM
$628,950	5533 FIELDSTONE CT	4	2.1	3115	DETACHD	1-3PM
$649,000	5604 GRAND OAKS DR	5	3	3676	DETACHD	2-5PM
$669,900	17406 BROOKHURST DR	5	3.1	3775	DETACHD	2-4PM
$949,000	16805 SCOTT CT	4	3.1	4321	DETACHD	1-4PM
$994,000	18231 SIENA DR	4	3.1	3655	DETACHD	1-3PM
$1,125,000	18132 SIENA DR	4	3.1	3565	DETACHD	1-3PM
$1,145,000	18202 BELLA TERRA DR	4	3.1	3863	DETACHD	1-3PM
$1,278,850	18110 SIENA DR	4	3.1	4311	DETACHD	1-3PM
$1,299,000	18024 SKYLAND CIR	4	3.2	4131	DETACHD	11AM-2PM
$1,495,000	1104 FOREST MEADOWS WAY	4	3.1	5756	DETACHD	2-4PM

Tag: luxury homes

Open Houses ~ Feb. 26, 2012

News & Notes

Market Activity Feb 13-19, 2012

Open Houses for Sunday 2/19/12

Villa Teresa

This is Earthquake Country

Market Activity Jan. 23-29, 2012

News & Notes

Market Activity for Jan 16-22, 2012

Open Houses for 1/22/12