Springtime is a Great Time to take in the View

Happy house hunters are plying the roadways in search of their dream home. The temps are up, the birds are out, and everyone seems delighted about it. I have been perusing the inventory of homes with a view and found a great many choices all across the county. In fact I came up with 200 view homes in Vancouver alone! Some of these, of course were fairly expensive but others were in the middle of the market where us regular folks can swim.

I stumbled across a home listed on the MLS in a neighborhood I love. The Heights is Vancouver's "old school" high end area. South Cliff and Dubois Park are the two neighborhoods in the heights that feature fantastic homes perched out over the bluff with spectacular views across the river. The Heights was built out in the 1950s and 60s. There has been some additional developement added in more recent years in the form of some private subdividing.

This South Cliff area is in close to Downtown and close to both PDX and Downtown Portland as well. The views from homes along either Dubois Drive or Rhododendron Drive offer up the great views. This neighborhood sits up on the plateu that rises up above Evergreen Hwy. There are many less expensive but none-the-less stately homes in both South Cliff and Dubois Park. The views from the southern end of the neighborhood do tend to drive values higher along the two aforementioned drives.

This home is on the crown jewel street in Dubois Park It is listed for $1.3 million with breathtaking views. This is a large home on a spacious lot. There is more than 5,800 square feet in the home and it is situated on a junior acre. The home has a giant wrap around deck that takes in Mount Hood, the

For the buyer looking for a little less maintenance and a softer hit on the bank account, there is this lovely townhouse condo overlooking Vancouver Lake. This has over 2,300 square feet of living space and an amazing view of the lake. Lakeshore is close in to the city yet feels miles away. That is often a great recompense for a hard days work. This very large condo is offered at just shy of $400,000. The complex is perched up high on a bluff looking out over the lake. It offers a great view right out of the windows from inside and a nice deck to take it in outside.


Condos offer that added value of not having to deal with structural or other exterior issues. The HOA is responsible for keeping the grounds tidy and the roof and exterior paint and siding in order. You just live there and soak up the great view while others worry about the maintenance.

As far as view neighborhoods go, Lakeshore is one of the value leaders. There are some very expensive seven figure homes in the area, but in general the pricing in Lakeshore is a bargain compared to say Evergreen Hwy or South Cliff. These views tend to look southwest over the three mile wide Vancouver Lake across the Columbia River and Sauvie Island. The views are more natural than urban and of course sunsets are awesome.

Summer Hills

Main road in Summer Hills

Sometimes people want to get out of town. They want to rid themselves of the city atmosphere, the endless sirens, traffic noise, crowds, etc. Often these weary city beaten folks find themselves in areas like Hockinson or Brush Prairie. There is a subdivision that offers an escape from the city with reasonable proximity to services and of course the prerequisite for this blog is amazing views and it has that too.

Currently Listed on the MLS at $675,000

The Summer Hills subdivision offers some of the best territorial and city views in the area. This subdivision is located in the Cascade foothills of Brush Prairie above Hockinson. This subdivision is up around 1000 feet of elevation so snowfall is more common than Vancouver but the southwest exposure does help the snow melt fast. This is a neighborhood filled with larger homes priced above $500,000 and many exceed $1,000,000.

Looking Northwest

Buyers that pay this lofty price are rewarded with breathtaking views that reach beyond the Metro area to the Coast mountains of Northwestern Oregon, South all the way down the Willamette Valley and across the greater Vancouver city. City lights by night and mountains by day. Most of these homes lack a view of the High Cascade peaks because of the southwest exposure but the territorial views are the best you will find locally.

Google overview of neighborhood

This place feels like it is way out in the country yet it is only 8 miles to Padden Parkway and 117th in Vancouver and less than 30 minutes to catch that flight out of PDX. The neighborhood backs up to open space and forest land. Summer Hills remains one of my favorite communities in Clark County. I always enjoy showing and listing property in this wonderful environment. This is really quite the little paradise and I would invite you to check it out if you really want to enjoy the view!

Are Trees Considered a "View"?

How often have you seen a real estate listing with a tag line, "beautiful view of the trees". Probably never. Sure I have shown property with a "territorial view" that was really a view of some hills and lots of trees. But I like trees, don't you? After all I live a very wet and drippy environment and it is not because I like to feel damp. I like lush greenery. So I say, trees can be a view!

I mentioned in the post 'A view isn't always a "View"' that sometimes trees or distant hills make for a a view, especially when the alternative is your neighbors siding. For buyers looking for view property on a middle income budget the definition of view may need to be... modified.

When you think about it, would you rather look out across the street at your neighbors home or would you rather see a row of pretty cherry trees? Even a row of Arborvitae might prove better than looking in the windows of another home like some voyeuristic creeper. Trees can be a view and my friends I am here to tell you they are a view!

Trees provide a lush green backdrop to gaze upon gently without taking your attention away from quiet reflection. A busy view of a cityscape or even a dramatic mountain like Mount Hood or Saint Helens dominates the view. Don't get me wrong, I like a dominating view as much as the next guy, but sometimes a quiet background view that provides that earthy natural bliss can be just what you need to get some thinking done or even to throw back a few beers after a long week at the office.

I have seen some great views that were created with clever landscaping. A nice Koi pond and some lush shrubs in front of a bank of trees, some planted some native. I am a sucker for a great view, but sometimes I am just a sucker for a tranquil scene to let my eyes wander while my mind is set free.

Go out and find your view.