Is a View always a "View"?

Originally posted on this blog, March 4th, 2014 by Rod Sager

I enjoy a great view. Especially from a giant picture window or off a fabulous deck. But not all views have to be from expensive homes in exclusive neighborhoods. One of the great things about living in the Pacific Northwest is that we have brilliant scenery everywhere. When looking for a home in modest areas you can still look for a house with nice view. At least nicer than say the side of your neighbors house.

You can be looking at a cookie cutter house in a miscellaneous suburban neighborhood and come up with something better than you neighbor's teenage kid's broken down car. Choosing a home at the end of a culdesac or on a corner can open up space between neighbors that can lead to something nice to look at.

It doesn't have to be Mount Hood or the Gorge. It need not be waterfront. Sometimes just some pleasant trees or a nice sunset is all the recompense one needs after a long day at work. Even the gloomiest days can look good if the view is right.

Homes priced at or even below median here in Clark County, WA can have a decent view. Sometimes when the stars align even a mundane sub-median home can offer up a spectacular view as was the case with a home I marketed
last year. This home was in Camas and sold for less than the median price. It was priced below market. The view out the dining room and family room was a nice Mount Hood vista. There was a panoramic 180 degree view off the deck. This house was a bank owned property that needed work and had some issues but somebody ended up with an amazing view for a paltry price. It can happen.

But even if you have to settle for a view that is a little less spectacular, a view of some nice trees or the foothills always beats the neighbor's T-111 siding. When shopping for a house, look out the window, you might shock yourself with what you see.