The Columbia River provides a wide variety of views from sunrise and sunset to the various shades of day and night from season to season. Today I am featuring two homes in Vancouver that feature nice river views.
The first is a brand new home at Columbia Palisades. Although the zip code for this development is 98607 the property is actually located within the Vancouver City limit. It does however reside in the Camas school district. Columbia Palisades is in an unusual jurisdictional situation. Water service comes from Camas. Sewer, Fire, Police, zoning, and permitting all from the City of Vancouver. These attached townhouses are perched along the bluff with a spectacular view from high above SR-14. This elevated site allows for unobstructed views of the river and the city lights of Troutdale, Gresham, and Portland on the Oregon side of the river.
This particular unit is listed for $1,299,900 by Knipe Realty and is new construction. It features 3 beds and 2.5 baths spread over 2502 square feet of living space. This is a very modern city style home and will soon enjoy access to a new urban city style community at the bottom of the hill.
The second home is along the Evergreen Hwy in one of Vancouver's well established river view neighborhoods. This one is listed at $2,000,000 by Berkshire Hathaway and features 4 beds and 3.5 baths spread over 4340 square feet of living space. The home was built in 1990 but has extensive remodeling to give it all the amenities of a 21st century home.
The home has a bit of Mediterranean flair with lovely open air verandas overlooking the Columbia River and beyond to Portland with a wonderful display of city lights at night.
Both of these fine properties offer wonderful views as well as desirable living elements in excellent locations. This is just a couple of listings from more than 200 I reviewed for this article. There are view homes in nearly every price range from entry level to the billionaire class.
Most people familiar with Kirkland Tower probably associate it with its waterfront location and amazing views of the mighty Columbia River. But Kirkland Tower does have many exceptional homes that do not face the river. The building was well designed to create Columbia River view corridors even for units facing away from the river. Unit 1000 is situated on the 10th floor on the north side of the building and has a sweeping cityscape view looking north towards Esther Short Park and Downtown. But the west side of the unit is angled to create a view of the Waterfront Park and the Columbia River as it flows towards the Pacific. It is a clever design and adds value to the less expensive north facing units.
This unit offers 3+ bedrooms and 3.5 baths with 3056 square feet of living space. It resides on the 10th floor which in this building is the defect 11th floor. It is high enough to look right over the top of the 8 story apartment building across the street. This gives a fantastic view of the ever changing Vancouver skyline. From the balcony style patio a wonderful panoramic cityscape view awaits with both day and nighttime enjoyment.
View from patio unit 1000
This unit is currently listed at $3.3 million which is nearly a million dollars less than the comparable unit on the south side of the building that faces the river. Kirkland Tower is one of only two true lifestyle condominium developments in the metro area, the other is The Ritz Carlton in Portland. It is not a hard argument to make that Kirkland features the superior neighborhood and pricing at Kirkland is a bit favorable as well.
For those of you unfamiliar with Kirkland Tower, it is located right on Vancouver's new Waterfront facing the river and the Waterfront Park. It is the fourth tallest building in Downtown Vancouver and is connected to the Indigo Hotel. Lifestyle developments offer much more than just property amenities, Kirkland has full concierge services, room service with the quality of El Gaucho, and yes the building amenities are pretty nice too. Kirkland Tower has an owner's community penthouse with a complete kitchen indoor and outdoor spaces that capitalize on the spectacular views from atop the 13 story tower. It also features Vancouver's highest workout space and rooftop community garden space.
I was perusing the properties with views and came across this classic home along Evergreen Hwy. This one sits on a lovely acre with excellent views of the Columbia River and twinkling city lights at night. The Evergreen Hwy is a vintage roadway and offers homes with gorgeous mature trees and an established neighborhood with a solid reputation as one of the most desired in the region.
The home was built in 1987 and features 5 beds, 3.5 baths spread over 3853 square feet. A massive deck looking over river makes this is a summer entertainers dream. It is listed at 2.2 million and that is a fair price considering you have slightly more than an acre of ground in the city with excellent views. Listed by Windermere MLS#24388646
I also found this gem up north in Ridgefield for those with deeper pockets. This stately home features lovely views of the high cascades including Mount Saint Helens. It is situated on just shy of 15 acres with well manicured landscaping and an opulent design. With 4 bedrooms, 5 and a half baths, spread over 7825 this home is impressive.
The "manicured" portion of the 15 acres is a manageable area of an acre or two, the rest of the 15 acres could be utilized for just about anything from horses to agriculture.
It is listed at a very reasonable $4.75 million. Listed by Compass, MLS#24512880.
So that is a couple of nice homes I picked out of about 240 listing with "views" in Clark County. There are view homes that start in the 400's and some condos in the city center can offer views at prices less than that.
Fed chair Powell has been hinting at rate cuts to stave off a stagnating economy. This could lead to buyers qualifying for a little more house or a little better view. With 30 year mortgages sitting around the mid-sixes depending of course on the strength of the borrower, a reduction that dips them below six percent could be an excellent boost to the real estate market.
People sitting on a smaller starter home with a loan note at 5% will be more likely to make the move up to a view home at say 5.9% It will remain challenging to get the 2.9% crowd to move, but their are more 5% notes than 3% loans at the moment.
Younger borrowers may feel like rates are very high right now since we just came off an extended period of more than a decade of below average mortgage rates. The 70 year average for mortgage rates runs in the mid sixes and that is where we are now.
If rates stay between 5.75% and 6.75% over the next year or two, the market will pickup some steam without any other inducement.
Homes with views in Clark County carry a very broad price range from sub-median all the way up to the billionaire club. Over the years this blog has highlighted some amazing value priced homes with decent views. As more arrive to market we will be on the scene with articles.
Meanwhile, keep a sharp eye out for rate drops, they are likely at this point.
This story was excerpted with permission from Urban Living in the Couv. Originally posted 7/15/2024.
The title question is of course highly subjective and I have touched on this issue in the past. I have done additional research to complement my own experiences in various mid-rise and high-rise buildings.
Here in Vancouver our tallest residential towers are in modest high-rise buildings. Typically high-rise buildings have ten or more floors and can rise to heights approaching 300 feet. Generally once a tower exceeds 300 feet it is called a skyscraper although there are other metrics as well. Even our bigger sister to the south only has a handful of residential buildings in the 300+ foot height range. Here in Vancouver the tallest residential buildings fall into the lower half of the high-rise range with 10-15 floors, but most of our urban residential developments are mid-rise structures with 5-8 floors.
If we divide buildings into ground floor, lower floors 2-4, mid floors 5-9, and upper floors 10+ we can gauge the pros and cons of these various levels in a buildings. This is highly subjective but I am using some research data as well.
Ground Floor:
These units have the advantage of being accessible without the use of stairs or the elevator. They are ideal for residents with pets that need to go outside frequently. The ground floor offers a bit more safety in an emergency as these residents will be the first out. They tend to have a slight disadvantage in security since there is either direct street access or at least windows at street level. Some ground units offer special zoning to operate a commercial business; in Vancouver, Parkview ground units that front Columbia Street have such zoning. Ground floor units will also have the most street noise. Furthermore in congested traffic situations auto exhaust may affect residents when windows are open. Ground floor units also tend to lack the views found in upper floors.
Low-rise Floors 2-4:
Looking southwest towards Smith Tower and the Waterfront, 4th floor Murdock Executive Plaza
Once off the ground floor security improves by eliminating street access to the residence. As you move up in height off the street noise levels start to diminish a bit but the type of noise will change as you ascend. Floors 2-4 tend to be only a touch less noisy than the ground floor. When sitting on a patio or near open windows conversations talking place by passing pedestrians on the street may be intelligible and that can be distracting. I find the 4th floor to be borderline on this but it certainly depends on your hearing and perception. Although the view can improve on these floors, you will find that most of Vancouver's city streets are lined with lovely deciduous trees that will block most of your view. In the winter months when these trees are bare the view improves. These trees however can act as a sound block that keeps distant ambient city noises like airplanes and sirens a bit suppressed. Typically as you rise up in height there tends to be more wind. In most of Downtown Vancouver floors 2-4 are not that windy but in suburban areas where most local structures are 1-2 floors the 3rd and 4th floors can get real breezy. These lower floors offer residents the quickest access in the elevator and the stairs remain a viable option as well depending on your level of fitness.
Mid-rise Floors 5-9:
Looking west from the 6th floor rooftop patio at Aeon Apartments
I believe that these floors are the sweet spot in just about any building. Once you ascend to the 5th floor you have a good shot at being above the trees which opens up the view a bit. It should be noted that the trees around Esther Short Park are quite a bit taller than the 5th floor but most sidewalk trees are not. From the 5th floor up I find that conversations at street level become background noise, muffled and unintelligible which makes them less distracting. Here in Vancouver you will notice that these floors often become breezy although in the more dense areas like the Columbia Street near the Park and parts of the Waterfront not so much. Any river facing units along the waterfront will be breezy regardless of what floor you are on.
Looking west from 8th floor of Hotel Indigo, Vancouver Waterfront.
From these mid levels you will actually get a lot more ambient city noise. Sirens and honking car horns from many blocks away are able to be heard but in a background noise fashion. These same noises right in front of the building will also be a bit less loud as you are a fair distance above them and the trees along the street below provide some suppression. There are a handful of units in Vancouver right along Interstate 5 that the height will not be able to overcome. Some of the east facing units in Frontier Block at 500 Broadway are very loud with highway noise even on the 5th and 6th floors. Generally as you get higher off the street you get more and more background noise that is usually easier for people to "tune out." Because Downtown Vancouver only has a handful of high-rise buildings I find that views from the 6-9th floors to be mostly unobstructed. Of course there are some exceptions like the Waterfront and Columbia Street near the park where building densities are higher.
Looking north from 9th floor rooftop patio at The Miller Apartments
Mid-levels have excellent security unless you have a rogue Spiderman running around ;) These floors are also still in the range of stairway use of course depending on your physical condition. In an emergency getting down 5 to 9 flights is manageable for most people. I also find that around the 7th floor or so you start to get that "up high" feeling with a little detachment from the city below. Some people may get that at different heights perhaps higher or lower. I'm not talking about that "top of the world" feeling, that typically comes at much higher heights, but you are definitely get that in the city feel.
High-rise Floors 10+:
Looking southeast from the 11th floor Viewpoint
High-rise buildings with 10 or more floors will vary largely on the city and location within that city as to the "feeling" you get on these upper floors. In Vancouver the 10th floor is high enough to see over the majority of buildings and we do not have our high rise buildings clumped close enough to create a view blockage. In Portland the "top of the world" feeling will require a trip up to the 30th floor or so. Here in Vancouver you start to feel that a bit at floor 10. Vancouver's downtown only has 8 completed or topped out towers with 10 or more floors and one other that is proposed. So once you are up that high you are in rarefied air for Downtown Vancouver. From these heights you will find that it gets quite windy and you may even experience some building sway. Any sway in smaller high-rises is subtle. Really tall skyscrapers can sway several feet in the wind, sway experienced in Vancouver would most likely be measured in inches not feet. Once above the 10th floor it is highly unlikely you will find any trees tall enough to impede your view. Some of the old growth cedars and firs in Esther Short Park are above 100 feet tall so those are a notable exception. From the 11th floor at Viewpoint in Vancouver Center 3 you are standing nearly 150 feet off the ground and can see over the trees in the park. As it stands now there are only two condo projects that offer units more than 100 feet off the street in Vancouver, these are Viewpoint and Kirkland Tower.
Noise levels on high-rise floors will be almost entirely background city noise. Vancouver does tend to have a fair bit of air traffic overhead that also tends to be noisy and this is one area where the higher up locations will be noisier. Street noise is so muffled as to be more of a background drone with few if any discernible characteristics. You can sit on an outdoor patio on these higher floors and have a conversation at normal voice levels. As I mentioned earlier the higher you are the more likely you will hear noises from far away distances. They won't be loud but they will be heard. From these loftier perches you will also get a distinct detachment from the city below and for some that is preferable to the more immersive experience with the city at the lower floor levels. From a high rise the city becomes more of an interaction like a body of water or a mountain in the distance rather than the tactile experience of immersion in that city. Lower floors offer more immersion and higher floors offer more detachment.
Finally high-rise floors will be the last to be evacuated in an emergency and should one need to use the stairs it will be quite an ordeal for all but the fittest among us. Elevator times tend to get a bit longer as well.
In general higher up costs more, so there is that. Bargains can be found closer to the ground; see what I did there ;) Keep in mind that higher floors tend to be warmer and lower floors tend to be cooler so your HVAC costs will reflect this. Up high cheaper in the winter more expensive in the summer and vice versa for lower floors. Typically another advantage to higher up is the lack of flying insects and other creepy crawlers. Generally once you get up about 6-8 floors the bug count goes way down.
Harney Heights is just west of Downtown and Central Park. It features homes of all sizes including condos nestled atop a bluff. You won't find homes with dizzying heights here as Harney Heights rises only about 100-200 feet above sea level. Occasionally you will find homes that offer a view of Downtown's increasingly dense urban skyline or a lovely view to the north of Mount Saint Helens, Mount Rainier, or Mount Adams. There are a lot of Kaiser cottages up there too that are really affordable. Some Columbia River view homes occasionally come on the market as well.
This neighborhood is very close to Downtown and has good highway access to both SR-14 and I-5. I found a nice 2 bed 2.5 bath condo with 1400 squares and a pretty nice view of both Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier behind it. It sold recently for under $320k.
Although most of the homes in Harney Heights are up at the top of the bluff most of them are situated on flat lots without views. The view homes are typically along the northern, southern and western slopes that rise up to the top of the bluff.
Although homes that offer an unobstructed view of the Cascade volcanoes or the Columbia River tend to fetch higher prices, most of the homes in Harney Heights are modest in star and that keeps them within reach for many people on a budget.
Lacamas Shores is one of Camas' nicest neighborhoods. The entire development is located on the steep slopes of the north side of Prune hill that drop down to Lacamas Lake. Most of the home sin this neighborhood have excellent views of the water and or mountains including Mt. Hood.
I found this listing on the MLS this morning at the top of the slope. It is a fantastic home with excellent panoramic views. It features 4 beds and 4.5 baths in 3531 SF. The upper deck offers spectacular views with that 'birds eye' feeling.
Lacamas Shores has the advantage of being a bit lower in elevation compared to the 'top of the hill' neighborhoods on Prune Hill. All of the lots are under 400 feet elevation compared to almost 800 feet atop Prune Hill. In the winter Lacamas Shores is often getting rain when the top of Prune Hill is getting snow.
Lacamas Lake offers hiking, boating, even waterskiing right out your front door. This home is listed at $1,675,000. Contact me for more information or to arrange a showing.
