OPEN HOUSE

September 4, 2010, 10am-1pm

11870 E Alsea Hwy, Tidewater, Oregon

Spectacular River Front Home with a magnificent 30′ high Idaho River Rock fireplace & soaring ceilings.370 feet of river frontage with GREAT SALMON AND STEELHEAD FISHING on a park-like setting of 2 level acres, completely fenced and a security gate. 1000 square feet of decking, Hot Tub room overlooking river & 2 car garage w/stainless fishing cleaning station. 12 miles to the beaches and crabbing.  $485,000.  #3158/10-2241

OPEN HOUSE

SATURDAY, AUGUST 21, 2010, 12pm – 3pm

455 SW Range Dr, Waldport, Oregon

Beautifully Landscaped. Contemporary home with many details throughout is situated on the 9th tee of the beautiful Crestview Hills Golf Course. Game room with Billiard Table, pellet stove and golf cart garage. Sit on the deck and enjoy a spectacular view of the golf course and pond! Conveniently located within walking distance of the beautiful and pristine Oregon Beach.  $425,000.  #2647/10-696

Pity the poor novice when they begin to try the native sport of clamming in Waldport, Newport, or elsewhere on the beautiful central Oregon coast. Like the fellow pictured above they often attack the clams with their shovel rather than using the time honored ’stealth’ approach. You see, when you walk out the front door of your Oregon coast beachfront property, more likely than not you will be the only person on the beach. This means that the clams are all yours.

The photo, above, shows a damaged  Razor clam. These delicious treats actually start burrowing when you start digging, so an experienced Oregon clammer will first spot the telltale dimple in the clean white sand. Then they will dig to the side of the dimple, not over it. Then the race for the clam starts. Can you dig faster than a clam can burrow? Oddly enough, probably not. That must be why they are in such plentiful supply along the Oregon coast. In fact, all of the Lincoln County beaches are able to supply the presistant clammer with a goodly supple of this delicious bivalve mollusk.

Although many restaurants claim to make their chowder exclusively from Razor clams, you will find that your own homemade, locally caught, chowder will win the raves of visitors to your new Oregon coast home with beach views.

Lately those looking for Oregon Coast real estate, particularly those looking for beachfront property in Newport and Yachats, have noticed something new. Poetry groups, writers workshops, and reading clubs have been springing up like proverbial mushrooms after a spring rain. It seems that retired folks actually enjoy snuggling up in front of a woodstove or fireplace and digging into the classics they always promised themselves they would read one day. This has led to groups such as ‘Writers on the Edge’ who are hosting authors who read their own works. The younger set has even organized ‘poetry slams’ which are becoming quite the scene on weekends.

No one is sure if it’s the gentle rain or the dramatic coastal landscapes which are behind this movement. All the thriving booksellers are sure of one thing:  business is up – way up. Sitting in a friend’s coastal condo last week, I remarked that this summer has been unusually mild. She was assembling yet another bookcase from Ikea to hold her increasing library of book purchases. She wiped the hair out of her eyes smiled and said,  ”Good, I’ve got a lot of reading to do and this is absolute heaven for a book lover like me.”  I looked out her front window at the scudding clouds and the crashing surf and had to agree.

You have to look at a map to understand that you have to travel east from Newport to reach San Diego. Real estate in Newport, like the rest of the country, has an west-to-east weather pattern. The problem (and the delight) about Lincoln County Real Estate is that the mighty Pacific Ocean is our neighbor. And it is this neighbor which controls all the weather. Homes directly in the teeth of the wild winter storms need special protection from the elements. Luckily the contractors and building suppliers are very familiar with the peculiar home maintenance needs of the local population.

Just a few miles inland the weather takes a dramatic turn with warmer temperatures settling over the towns of Toledo and Siletz. Summer temperatures inland are ofter in the 80’s and 90’s when the real estate along the coast may be struggling to reach 70 degrees.

Homes facing the south and west, along the coast, are the best candidates for solar heating and cooling. But the dramatic views of any coastal property are what most home buyers seek. So remember to look at the inland communities if weather is a primary concern. But really, the Pacific Ocean with it’s magnificent sunsets and panoramic vistas is the true main attraction.

The simple and best answer is to connect with an experienced Real Estate Broker who lives on the Coast. We know the highways, byways and all the great places to visit. It is impossible for a visitor to be aware of all the unique neighborhoods and areas – many of which are off Highway 101 and easily missed.

Image courtesy of Bridgemeister.com

When touring the Central Oregon Coast it helps to remember that Highways, 101, 18, 20 and 34 are our main thoroughfares. As such traffic volume triples and quadruples during the Summer months and on holiday weekends. With so much scenic beauty to enjoy it is very common to be stuck in traffic behind cars and RVs that are so wrapped up in sight seeing that they forget about sharing the road and progress at a stately 35 to 45 MPH from one view point to the next. It may not seem like a big issue but it is. Our narrow roads are designed to accommodate traffic at 55 MPH and the flow goes pretty well. Drop below that and pretty soon we have major congestion and a dramatic increase in the number of rear ender accidents. What a crummy way to spend a vacation. So keep the speed up to the legal limit, make use of pull outs and enjoy the views. The next greatest challenge is the high use of bicycle traffic on the Coast as a very popular route. Most of the highways have designated bike lanes where space permits. There are really narrow areas where the riders actually have to travel in the traffic lane which creates hazards for drivers who are not paying attention — so give them plenty of room.

So, connect with an Oregon Coast Realtor and let us do the driving; you will be happy you did. Our two offices specialize in Newport Oregon Real Estate as well as communities north and south of Newport.

OPEN HOUSE, SATURDAY, JULY 17TH, 2010, 11am – 3pm

399 E Burnt Limb Lane, Tidewater, Oregon

River, Forest, Trees & Mountain Views can be seen in every direction. A tree lined road leads to the top of the hill where you will find this custom home in its beautiful setting. Open floor plan w/vaulted ceilings, French doors, kitchen w/Jenn Air island, 4 bd, 3 ba, spacious family room, patio & a great deck spanning the front & side of the house, complete with a hot tub. Must See! $439,984.  #2640/ Full details: 09-635

11am – 3pm

MLS# 09-2688 - 3 Bedrooms, 1.5 Baths - 1,700 SQ FT - Ocean Views. Click photo for more details

910 NW Lake Street, Newport, Oregon    Directions

Great family home. Close to all ammenities and schools. Very secluded backyard within easy walking distance to beach. Immaculate home that has been updated. Tile counters, vaulted ceilings, bonus room and new appliances.

You may be one of the expected 175 NOAA transfers within the next 12 months, or you could be a soon-to-be-retired person who has searched over the past several years to find the ideal retirement home. In either case, you have some excellent possibilities here in Lincoln County. There are currently 1,553 homes for sale including site built, manufactured and condominiums. The median price range is $309,000 in all categories with exceptions on the upper end and the lower end of the market depending on location.

Another commonly asked question is, “what about distressed or bank owned properties?” (aka REO).

As of June 20th, 248 – or 16% – of listed homes are in REO status. Are these bargains? On occasion they can be if the Buyer has cash and is willing to do some repairs. For the typical Buyer they are not, due to the length of time involved in obtaining new financing and the fact that under Oregon Law a financial institution is exempt from Seller’s Disclosure Laws that are required by all other Sellers whether or not they are represented by a Realtor. This simply means that a Buyer offering on a REO property is likely to spend $700 to $2500 on inspections at the beginning of an offer to determine condition. The inspection costs do not come back to the Buyer except that property deficiencies can sometimes be negotiated to lower the selling price to effect repairs. These repairs are most often required to be completed in order to obtain financing, however.

So, bottom line, this is the best market in over 20 years from a Buyer’s standpoint with good prices and abundant inventory. What about the Sellers? Are they willing to deal? In some cases yes, but in most they are stuck in the “appreciating mindset” that was common in 2005 & 2006 when multiple offers were an everyday occurrence.

Properties that are selling today are priced correctly from inception and are guided by professional Realtors who are trained to assist Buyers in negotiating all aspects of the transaction. Windermere’s offices in Newport and Seal Rock are open 7 days a week and our brokers are ready to answer your questions.

Come on over and see what the Central Oregon Coast has to offer!

OPEN HOUSE

Saturday, June 19, 2010, 1pm-3pm

455 SW Range Dr, Waldport

Beautifully Landscaped. Contemporary home with many details throughout is situated on the 9th tee of the beautiful Crestview Hills Golf Course. Game room with Billiard Table, pellet stove and golf cart garage. Sit on the deck and enjoy a spectacular view of the golf course and pond! Conveniently located within walking distance of the beautiful and pristine Oregon Beach.  $425,000.  #2647/10-696