Tag: Vancouver

Vancouver Market Update Early-August 2024

Posted on by Julia Robertson

Find out what’s happening in the Portland Metro real estate market for Early-August 2024.

Hi, I’m Julia Robertson, Living Room Realty’s new Designated Managing Broker in Washington. I’m here to tell you what you need to know about the market for Early August 2024.

 

Cost Of Living

Over the last decade I’ve personally witnessed Vancouver, Camas, and Ridgefield blossom. The area has a rich history and the overall vibe is clean and safe. The cost of housing and utilities in Vancouver are below the national average, 11% lower than the state average. When we compare Vancouver to Portland, housing is 39% lower and the cost of living is 16.5% lower. Of course you have your outliers: luxury, lakeside living, and riverfront communities- but overall your dollar is stretching further here.

 

Southwest Washington Advantages

Did you know that Vancouver is an extension of Portland Metro? The two locations live differently, but at the same time, living near the Columbia River gives you the best of both worlds. 

Living in Washington has its luxuries, such as lower property taxes, no state income tax, larger parcels of land, affordability, accessibility to outdoor recreation, the ability to shop with no sales tax, and easy access to the Portland international airport. It’s what makes living in SW Washington unique! 

Vancouver itself offers a more suburban feel compared to the bustling city atmosphere of Portland. This might be appealing if you prefer a quieter, more community-focused environment. The downtown Vancouver area has a mix of historic architecture and modern developments, a vibrant public art scene, which is experiencing growth and revitalization with new businesses, restaurants, community events and farmers’ markets. Camas is another suburb with a strong sense of community and is known for its highly regarded public school system. Camas and Wahougal are the gateway to the Columbia river gorge. 

 

Let’s Talk Numbers

If there’s one thing home owners love to hear, it’s how much equity their home has earned from the previous year, so let’s talk about the market in Clark County. When we say Clark County and the greater Vancouver area, we’re talking about areas such as Camas, Washougal, Ridgefield, Battle Ground, Vancouver and everything in between. 

In a report given on August 5th by the NorthwestMLS, Clark County Washington home prices have gone up 4.58%, since this time last year. Available listings are up 37.7% and closings are up 12.12%. Active listing inventory is at the highest it has been in the last 5 years. With this much inventory, homes are still selling fast, and at Living Room our most recent listings in these areas have an offer within the first 2 weeks of being on the market. 1-2 offers are coming in at listed price or just below. This is a good market for both Sellers and Buyers!


Make A Move

 Living Room Realty is committed to connecting you with as much information to help you make an informed decision. We have dual licensed Brokers that can help you explore both sides of the river > If you’re ready to make a move to the Couve, give us a call today, we’d love to help you find your next Living Room.

Vancouver Real Estate Market Update Late-September 2023

Posted on by Carrie Struss

Find out what’s happening in the Vancouver real estate market for Late-September 2023.


Hi there, I’m Carrie Struss licensed real estate agent in OR and WA with the Bridge To Portland team at Living Room Realty, here to tell you what you need to know about the Southwest Washington real estate market for Late September 2023.

Let’s Talk Numbers

Last month in Clark County we had an average sale price of $553k, with houses selling at 100.2% of their listing price in 11 days on average.

But….that was August. It is late Sept and it feels like someone suddenly HIT THE BRAKES.  Let’s look at the numbers for active listing to get the current temperature of Southwest Washington. This is the last week of August, the active listings time on market was 21 days. Fast forward 3 weeks to the 3rd week of Sept and the time on market practically doubled to 40 days.

 

So what happened between the end of August and now? Well, for one, school started which triggers a statistically slow time in the market. But specifically in Clark Co both Evergreen and Camas School District teachers went on strike, preventing kids from being able to go to school for two weeks. So my clients with kids were MIA. Additionally, affecting everyone, interest rates continued to unsteadily climb by almost half a point from 7.1% to 7.5%. 

 

With higher payments and loans costing more, I am seeing a lot of my Buyer clients be very picky, or I should say particular and realistic about what they can buy and want to buy. What condition the house is in plays a huge factor in that decision. The fact that the same house now costs 4% percent more a month than it did just 3 weeks ago makes buyers less inclined to purchase something that might need a little work or might not fit all of their needs. 

 

Inventory

Alternatively, inventory sucks. We have 1.6 months of inventory in Clark Co. So Sellers have the opportunity to give the market what it needs, which is inventory. But you need to do so with patience and understanding that right now your house may take longer to sell than you expect and that you are likely going to be asked to contribute towards buyers closing costs for temporary or permanent rate buy downs and/or asked to do repairs or give the Buyer credit towards their closing cost. 

 

Despite 42% of this week’s active listings having price reductions, inventory levels still puts us in a Sellers market. Seeing how September’s average sales price compares to August will give us a better sense of what the current rates will do to future prices. However, economists are predicting rates will remain at or above current levels well into 2024 if not longer. This will likely cause enough downward pressure on prices to put us into a more neutral buyer/seller market through winter.

Seasonal Changes

Winter is coming, but so is opportunity when both buyers and sellers understand what’s going on in the local market week by week and have knowledgeable agents to guide them through.

Make A Move

Living Room Realty is here to help you make an informed decision. If you’re ready to make a move, give us a call today. We’d love to help you find your next living room. 

Just Listed! Oasis the Heart of the City!

Posted on by Living Room Realty

3605 M Street

Vancouver, Washington 98663

OFFERED AT $365,000

2 BEDROOM | 1 BATH | 832 SQ. FT. 

MLS# 23424320 | TAXES: $2,727.81

Just Listed! Plenty of space in Parkside!

Posted on by Living Room Realty

14617 NE 39th Street

Vancouver, Washington, 98682

OFFERED AT $550,000

4 BEDROOM | 3.5 BATH | 3,656 SQFT

MLS# 22252169 | TAXES: $5,160

Just Listed! Valley Views in Mt. Vista!

Posted on by Living Room Realty

16016 NE 33rd Avenue

Ridgefield, WA 98642

OFFERED AT $449,500

4 BEDROOM | 3 BATH | 2,025 SQFT

MLS# 22230741 | TAXES: $3,753

Just Listed! Central Perks

Posted on by Natalie Tracy

2204 Z St

Vancouver, WA 98661

This adorable Central Park ranch has the perfect mix of vintage charm and updates! Original hardwood floors, wood burning fireplace, and light filled rooms. Bright updated eat-in kitchen, updated bathroom, and fresh paint throughout. Newer roof, furnace, central A/C, and water heater. Generously sized lot with a fenced back yard and covered patio, perfect for outdoor entertaining. Plus ornamental and fruit trees, and perennial gardens. Centrally located to shopping, restaurants, transit, and parks.

OFFERED AT $395,000

3 BEDROOM | 1 BATH | 1,066 SQFT

MLS# 22682499 | TAXES: $3,070

Mid-Century Beauty in Vancouver

Posted on by Living Room Realty

This house is so dreamy! Don’t miss out on this absolutely beautiful 3br/2ba mid-century ranch with stunning views of the Columbia River, Fremont Bridge, and downtown Portland. It has a fireplace, hardwoods, and built-ins… just like you’re hoping it will. To make it even sweeter (not that it needed it) there is a separate 1br/1ba guest quarters downstairs with a private entrance. The almost third of an acre terraced lot is remarkable and has the perfect place to hang out no matter what mood you’re feeling. Garden? Check. Private hot tub? Check. Evening fire with views of the river and city? Check. You get it. Visit the listing for photos and a video tour. 🏡

Classic Mid Century Daylight Ranch | Just Listed in Vancouver

Posted on by Julia Robertson

Isn’t she pretty?

There is so much room to LIVE here!

Classic mid-century daylight ranch on a large lot. Light and bright, updated kitchen and bathrooms, picture windows, covered front porch, hardwood floors, built in storage, huge backyard with hobby farm, greenhouse, tool shed, and long side driveway with driveway gate to backyard. Main floor has 3 bedrooms, two bathrooms, master suite has a walk in closet and on suite bathroom, laundry room. Spacious lower level has two bedrooms, entertainment room, walls of built in storage, two large storage rooms, and walks out to a covered patio overlooking a gorgeous and mature backyard. Quick access to the 500 and in between I5 and I205. Minutes to Vancouver Mall, 16 min to PDX, 20 min to downtown Portland. Impossible to find a gem like this! 

4403 NE 39th St, Vancouver WA | MLS 20415052 | 3933 SQFT

3D Tour Here

What I love about this home…

This home is so well cared for! It lives large and is much bigger inside than appears from the street view. The upstairs has tasteful updates to kitchen and bathrooms, while still keeping the charm of a classic mid-century style home. The house would host a great airbnb in the lower level. It has a driveway and parking that goes all the way to the backyard with a separate entrance. The lower level has a huge entertaining space, along with two large cold storage/root cellar rooms. Now let’s talk about this backyard! No one ever realizes from the front of this house, that the backyard is enormous! You can have a full garden or just enjoy it for the natural beauty and mature landscape. You really gotta see this house!

To schedule a private tour or if you have real estate questions, contact Julia Robertson.

Julia Robertson, Broker Licensed in Oregon & Washington

Living Room Realty

541-505-1111 | julia@rebyjulia.com

Gourmand du Vancouver

Posted on by Living Room Realty

You could eat your way through Portland, take a nap, and by the time you wake up find it’s time to try the new restaurants that opened while you slept. So you can be forgiven if you’ve missed all of the culinary delights being cooked up in Vancouver. Curious? Remove the mental barrier that is the bridge and plan an adventure over the river. Here’s your itinerary. Suggestions curated from eater.com:

Breakfast – Blue Door Bakery

This decadent French bakery serves a wide array of pastries and savory dishes. Don’t let your food allergy stop you, they can make even your caramel apple French toast vegan!

Lunch – Lapellah

According to Eater, “Owner David Mork was one of the first in the area to work with a local farmer, April Thatcher of April Joy Farm, to create a seasonally focused menu.” Well, doesn’t that sound delightful!

Afternoon Treat – Treat Bakery

Evidently Stephanie McNee’s bakery case is over-flowing with everything from homemade ding dongs to a wide variety of cupcakes. They also make their own ice cream!

Dinner – Little Conejo

Mezcal and tacos anyone? This hip, yet charming place comes to Vancouver from the minds behind Portland’s Noble Rot.

Cocktails – The Grocery Cocktail & Social

It’s a speakeasy-style place with drinks like the “Yas, Queen with gin, lemon, Brovo pink vermouth, grapefruit bitters, and sparkling wine to the Ideal Conditions with coconut vodka, lime, turmeric liqueur, cilantro, and hot sesame oil.”

Hotel: Hilton Vancouver

You’ll be too full to drive home, so snag a room at this conveniently located downtown hotel and pretend you spent hundreds/thousands on airfare on your little vacay.

Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

Retire in the Couve’ (Vancouver, Washington)

Posted on by Julia Robertson

Making smart investments now, leads to easy living into retirement.

I’m not a financial advisor, but I’ve been witness to some very smart investments over the years.  I’m impressed by this adorable couple purchasing a retirement home in Vancouver, Washington. They decided that the Couve’ is their destination for retirement(Noted as the one of the best places to retire in the US, by Forbes). They flew in from California a month ago and we previewed several homes, fell in love with a great townhome. Vancouver average home price is $291k, has a good economy, and rests on the Columbia river gorge- with breathtaking views and countless activities to do outdoors. The Couve'(Vancouver) has been voted ‘best place to retire‘ many years in a row, on many lists.

After they went into contract, they flew back to California. I’ve attended the inspections on their behalf, coordinated contractors, completed final walkthroughs, communicated all details of the transaction with them- all while they are residing in California. Most people still have to go about their life and work during the real estate process and I love being able to communicate all the details long distance on their behalf! We coordinated the closing details so they could keep their travel plans to Paris. What a relief to know that everything is taken care of while you’re away. The plan is to rent the home for the next 5 years or so, building equity, and watch that nest egg grow! I’m honored to help you through this process. Congrats Anne and Marshall! C’est l’heure de fêter ça!

Anne & Marshall pictured here in Paris- On their closing day!

Making a make to the Pacific Northwest? Give me a call! I’ll plan a tour of both Portland and Vancouver, to help you make smart move.

Julia Robertson | Licensed in Oregon & Washington | Living Room Realty

julia@rebyjulia.com | 541-505-1111

Beautiful Vancouver Custom Home on Private Culdesac!

Posted on by Martin Cross

612 NW 70th Circle, Vancouver, Wa. 98665

2 living rooms, gas fireplace, charming open kitchen w/ breakfast bar. Vaulted ceilings in master bedroom & theater room which could be used as a 4th bedroom or family room. Huge covered patio adds a ton of living space for year round outdoor entertaining. Beautiful .35 acre lot has mature plantings, raised garden beds & sprinkler system. Next to Jorgensen park & close to Burnt Bridge Greenway.

OFFERED AT: $424,000

3 BEDROOMS | 2.1 BATH | BUILT 1994

 

Perfect Place to Settle Down

Posted on by Julia Robertson

Just Listed!

3620 NE 43rd St

Vancouver, WA 98661

3 BED | 2/1 BATH | 2,104 SQFT
MLS# 18694611 | TAXES $3006

 

OFFERED AT $319,900

 

ONLINE TOUR

 

Sweet Minnehaha home and great location!

Large bedrooms, new carpet and flooring, gas fireplace, and paver stoned area with pergola and firepit.

Master suite with walk in closet, double sinks, soaking tub, and seperate shower.

Upstairs laundry, central air conditioning, & 2 car garage. Common area with private playground and park.

Close to St Johns Rd and the 500 for an easy commute!

 

Just Listed: Northwest Style Mid Century Modern Retreat

Posted on by Living Room Realty

5610 SE Shorewood DR

VANCOUVER, WA 98661

Simply stunning 1956 custom mid-century modern home designed by local architect Peter Walker. Distinguished vaulted tongue and groove wood ceilings with incredible views from sunrise to sunset out of the large south facing windows. Brand new designer kitchen with tile floors and modern finishes. Commanding brick fireplaces and beautiful hardwood floors throughout the open living spaces. Unique custom wood built-ins and closets, well preserved vintage details are found throughout the home. The sizable master suite is a peaceful retreat at the end of a long day. This impressive property spans over 1/2 of an acre with a wrap-around deck and a south facing yard with established gardens and landscaping.

OFFERED AT $675,000

4 BEDROOM | 2 BATH | 3,328 SQFT
MLS#19230673 | TAXES: $4,754 (2019) | WEBSITE

Marisa Swenson – Specializing in Modern Home Sales
971-285-7955
modernhomesportland.com

Need some love? How about some, Mid-century Love, in Vancouver!

Posted on by Martin Cross

From the moment you enter this exceptional mid-century home you will fall in love with the attention to detail and amazing sense of design. Built in 1946 this home has been lovingly updated with amenities that complement the original design. Clean mid-century lines are accentuated and enhanced by luxurious high-end contemporary finishes. The welcoming floor plan is perfect for daily living and entertaining both indoors and out.

The expansive living room greets you with vaulted ceilings, gas fireplace with marble surround, nearly floor to ceiling windows, period built-in bookshelves, cabinets, and a full wall of gorgeous mirrored display shelves.

The outstanding master suite has been fully remodeled and features a gas fireplace, high end lighting, and window coverings, Ralph Lauren carpet and a beautifully designed walk in closet, along with a separate sitting area with custom built ins and a fully renovated master bath. Down the hall is the spacious second bedroom and a cozy den or third bedroom with deluxe built in desk.

The crown jewel of this end of the house is the incredible, completely renovated main bathroom featuring custom bamboo vanity, room divider and cabinet, ceramic tile walls, Marmoleum flooring, high end fixtures, glass enclosed shower, and an amazing Japanese soaking tub.

At the other end of the house is the marvelous, completely remodeled family room with vaulted knotty pine, tongue and groove ceilings, stone accent wall, newer gas fireplace insert, tile hearth, Marmoleum floors and a built-in home audio system with custom stereo cabinet. Beyond the open pass-through lies the lovely tiled kitchen with cork floors, gas appliances and counter space galore, flanked on one side by a charming dining nook and on the other by an elegant formal dining room.

The outdoor areas are just as incredible featuring lush, meticulously groomed landscaping, winding paths to separate patio areas, a small kidney shaped pool with water feature, and access to the artist studio with double doors that opens onto a private patio with fountain.

The exterior of the home was almost entirely redone in 2009, including Hardiplank siding, several custom doorways, many new windows, updated exterior lighting and a new rock and tile entryway.

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