Vancouver Waterfront will have Amazing Views

Rendering from Gramor Development Website

I have written a enough about Vancouver's new waterfront project to create a rather thick tome were I to put it all to print. But there's always room for more opining, right? This project has now moved from planning to construction and things are beginning to take shape. This is a 1.5 billion dollar plus project that will take many years to build out. The first buildings in this project however, will open in the spring of 2018. That is just next year!

This waterfront will offer condos and apartments that face the river, face Mount Hood, face the west hills, and face Downtown Vancouver. Pick your view! The opportunity for the very best in urban living is becoming available in roughly a year. Of course the whole neighborhood will take at least 5 years to mature into a finished product. Early buyers will benefit from relatively lower pricing than is likely when the project is nearing build out and demand is peaking.

Gramor Development has already had over 900 inquiries on condos for the waterfront according to reports in  The Columbian, newspaper. You want the premium view in the whole metro area? Well, this could be it. It is finally happening my friends. This project began back before the market crash and was ultimately delaying largely due to market conditions. The City of Vancouver, led by Mayor Leavitt, has a sizable stake in the success of this project. Honestly we all do. Even for the multitudes of 'Couvites' living in the east side suburbia, this will be a great marquis piece of the city. Large swaths of this project are slated for public space including a grand cable suspended public pier poking out into the Mighty Columbia River.

I am very excited about the next few years and how this project will create a fabulous space for living, working and enjoying the view.

Sedate Estates has Views!

Sedate lot 14 0.49 acres extends all the way to the top!

I am happy to have a couple of new homes under construction co-listed with my colleague Bert Girod. One of these is Lot 14 in Sedate Estates. This is a newer subdivision in Washougal, within the Camas School District. This is a very desirable location and Lot 14 has views of both the Washougal River and the Mighty Columbia. The city lights at night will dazzle on a warm summer's eve! This home is located on a HUGE 0.49 acre lot. Now the lot itself has a substantial portion on steep hillside, so the good news is, there is privacy and less maintenance than one might expect from such a large lot.

The view from a 1/3 the way up! Lot 14 in Sedate

I love a good view and this lot will have one. The view here will not quite deliver the wow of some of my Colorado Ridge listings, but this is even closer in, being just 2-3 minutes to downtown Camas. It is also in the Camas School District which some people will find quite desirable.

I love be able to present listings in these view neighborhoods. I even like holding them open :) Views are awesome and that is a large reason why I write this blog every month. I like writing about views as well.

The view from Lot 11 in Colorado Ridge

I also have a couple of additional new homes under construction in Colorado Ridge that I haven't written about yet. The house I wrote about a few months back is almost complete, listed at $798,900 and featuring some of the very best views in the whole region!

These homes and others can view viewed in greater detail with additional information using the links below!

• New Homes in Sedate Estates
• New Homes and lots available in Colorado Ridge
• Rod Sager, Realtor®

I do hope you enjoyed looking at these great views and please by all means in all you do, enjoy the view.

Amboy Delivers Killer Views

Amboy Washington is a charming little hamlet about a dozen miles north of Battle Ground on SR503. Although the town itself has views limited to the local territorial hills and forest, the higher areas around the town are filled with fabulous homes on 5 acre lots. Some of these offer up tremendous views of our mighty Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams and even a couple peeks at the monster of the west, Mount Rainier.

I recently showed an amazing property in Amboy that had this view of St. Helens off the large deck. The picture was taken with a wide angle so the mountain was MUCH CLOSER than it looks. From this vantage point the angry volcano was only 24 miles away.

Amboy is one of those locations that many people consider to be 'way out' in the country. This notion that it is so far away helps keep property values more affordable. the reality is that it is still only 45 minutes to PDX maybe 60 with some traffic. For the adventurous outdoorsy crowd Amboy is tough to beat. It is located just a few miles from the Lewis River lakes of Merwin, Yale, and Swift and thousands of acres of DNR and Gifford Pinchot Forest Land.

Homes that would cost $600,000 or more in Ridgefield with this kind of view can be had for under $500k in Amboy. Sometimes that little bit of extra drive can shave mountains of cash of the price of property.

Amboy, Washington is almost entirely rural and most of the homes are on small acreage 2-6 acres, but there are some giant rancheria type properties as well with 10, 20 even 50 plus acres. Be sure to check out Amboy and be sure to enjoy the view.

Colorado Ridge Has Some Room Left...

Some time ago I wrote about the Colorado Ridge development in Washougal. The link to that article is here. There are still some lots and a few spec homes available. Many places in this subdivision offer spectacular views of the Columbia River Gorge, Columbia River and the City lights all the way to Portland.

In light of our recent winter weather the relatively low elevation of Colorado Ridge at just 400-500 feet means less snow to deal with in the winter. That said, there is always a winter weather concern when you live on a hilltop.

What I like about Colorado Ridge is how truly amazing the views are and yet the homes are reasonably priced when contrasted against similar properties in neighboring Camas. From the top of the neighborhood one can be at PDX in 20 minutes. Downtown Portland is only another 10 to 15 minutes further. meanwhile head east and you are in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in less than 10 minutes!

The views are breathtaking and I have a gorgeous 3900 SF home listed at $789,900 with a huge deck perched out on the ridge. Both view images on this blog post were taken from that deck. The home should be complete in a month or two. I also have a lot listed up here at just $110,000 and suitable for a multi-level home that will feature great views like these form the second floor.

Colorado Ridge is a real winner and views like this will someday be available only on resale homes. Now is the time to snag a lot or brand new home either in Colorado Ridge or one of the other great Washougal hillside subdivisions.

No matter what you do be sure to enjoy the view.

Happy Holidays!

I think you all may have to enjoy the view from inside the mall ;)

Maybe you can enjoy the view of a White Christmas on Sunday. I don't know maybe you want a view of bikinis, Bermuda shorts, and palm trees.

May your Holiday Season bring joy and happiness to you and yours, see you next year!

Lake Mayfield, Mossy Rock, WA

I took a listing up at Lake Mayfield recently. This is a fabulous community of homes and lots with access to the lake and an adorable little "village" on the shoreline. My listing is a vacant lot with sewer access and electric in. It is ready to build and offers stunning views of Mount Rainier and with a little clearing  of some high brush the lake as well.

This community is ideal for a vacation or retirement home. Not so much for a commuter as Mossyrock is about half way between Portland, OR and Seattle, WA. But the VIEW! Yes my friends for less than 100 large you can have breathtaking views of the most majestic mountain in the lower 48.

I write a blog about retiring to Washington State, check it out, here. and this place would be ideal for people looking to capitalize on the tax friendly environment in Washington State for retirees. Who wouldn't want to enjoy a gorgeous two acres with these views?

I know this has been a shameless plug for one of my listings, but I will say that there are several other lots available in this community, listed by competitors at varying prices.

This blog is about the view and what a view this is. Lake Mayfield Washington is situated at a modest elevation well below 1000 feet for the lake and just under 1000 feet for the highest hilltop homes around the lake. The modest elevation means that winter snow is not too bad.

This location is about 85 miles north of Portland and roughly the same distance south of Seattle. The ride from Vancouver, Washington to this property is less than 90 minutes. The "village" has a store, restaurant, bait shop, paddle boat and canoe rentals, etc. All of this about 90 seconds down the hill. The town of Mossy Rock is about 5-10 minutes away, and major shopping and services can be found in nearby Centralia-Chehalis about 30 minutes out.

Be sure to check this area out and be sure to enjoy the view!

Trees can be a View

I am prepping for a business trip this week so I'll have to keep it brief and simple by re-issuing an old post. Not everyone can afford a home with a spectacular view of the river or a majestic Cascade volcano, but trees and territorial scenery is still better than your neighbor's vinyl siding, right?

Originally posted here, April 3rd, 2014, by Rod Sager

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.