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.

Mount Vista aptly Named

I was out in Mount Vista recently to take pictures of a new listing. This home is quite nice and features a spectacular sweeping view to the north. The home is situated mid-slope on the north side of the Mount Vista neighborhood straddling the line between Vancouver and Ridgefield.

I like the fact that this house has a relatively level yard. The home sports a spacious 3642 square feet of living space with expansive living room, family room, dining room, and kitchen on the main level with a large deck that offers up views of the Cascades including Mount Adams. Upstairs has 4 bedrooms including the amazing master that has the best views of Mount St. Helens and Mount Adams. The lower level has a huge movie and entertainment room and another bedroom and walks out to a patio and nice mostly level backyard.

What's amazing is the fact that this gorgeous home and spectacular view can be yours for $520,000.

The greater Mount Vista area spans from NE 134th Street up along NE 29th Avenue west of WSUV in the rolling hills and east of the 20th Avenue corridor in Salmon Creek. There are a variety of neighborhoods in the area; some as old as the 1970s all they way up to brand new subdivisions with new construction. I think the best views are those that look to the northeast capturing those amazing Cascade volcanoes.

The neighborhood does offer views that look south and west as well and those can be nice. There are some homes in the older part of Mount Vista that have views extending to Downtown Portland and the West Hills.

Overall Mount Vista is a conveniently located neighborhood offering a good range of homes across a wide spectrum of pricing including many with great views. The close in proximity to both I-5 and I-205 is tough to beat.

So what are you waiting for? It's time to enjoy the view.

How much would you PAY for a great view?

by Rod Sager; originally posted on this blog, June 26, 2014

I have broached this question in passing comments over the course of writing this blog, but never really asked it straight out. So click the link below and take the poll about how much a good view is worth to you!

Take the View Poll

Views of course are highly subjective. In general there are certain views nearly universally accepted as desirable. View across the lake, view of the ocean, or grand mountains or a big city skyline, etc. These can command upwards of 50% premium if the view is unobstructed and of a truly spectacular landmark or scene.

Here in Vancouver a view of the Columbia River will command a handsome price, throw in a little Mount Hood action and it starts to get real rich. I have talked about lesser views of trees or local foothills and those are sometimes available without a premium at all.

 There are so many wonderful views in a wide variety of great properties here in America's Vancouver. We also have fabulous opportunity for gorgeous ocean views. Check out my Coastal Living Blog, here. Whatever you do be sure to enjoy the view!

Prune Hill Still Offers Some Good 'Value Views'

The view looking WNW from Prune Hill
2600 SF home priced at $415,000

The Prune Hill Area is mostly in Camas with a few East Vancouver Neighborhoods as well. I have written about this area before. This past weekend however, I was showing homes to an out of area buyer and that was the neighborhood we focused on. I was pleasantly surprised with the 'bang for the buck' value I saw. The real estate market has been strong with robust pricing, but there seemed to be a good view value happening here.

The View looking SW from Prune Hill
2650 SF home listed for $499,000

Most of the homes on Prune Hill that offer a view tend to have steep and unusable yards.This is often a trade off home buyers have to consider. This client was not specifically seeking a view property, but several properties a few had pretty nice views. Some were better than a peek-a-boo but not quite the sweeping grand vista. These were reasonably priced homes in the $400-500k range.

It is nice to see beautiful modern homes with a view priced within reach of the middle class. What ever you do be sure to enjoy the view.

Bargain Views are a Available in the 'Couv'

Is there even such a thing? Yes, my friends, there is indeed. Right here in the beautiful 'Couv' there are a few select neighborhoods that have modestly priced homes perched atop a bluff with spectacular views. "Really," You ask? Yes, really.

In particular the Heights area of Vancouver, which includes a variety of neighborhoods, ranging in price from the millions of dollars to very modest accommodations in the mid 200s. South of Mill Plain the prices rapidly rise until reaching the southern bluff where majestic homes are perched on the cliff with breathtaking views of the Columbia River, Mount Hood, and the City of Portland. This is one of Vancouver's original modern affluent neighborhoods dating back to the 1950s. Don't expect any "bargains" in South Cliff or Dubois Park.

This is a crappy cell phone pic, but you get the idea!

Interestingly enough, the same area north of Mill Plain has much more pedestrian homes. There is a whole bunch of 1950s and 60s ranch homes with the classic 3/2 or 3/1 layout on large lots often in the 10,000 square foot range. As it is with the southern bluff so it is with the northern bluff, except that the northern bluff has many small and relatively simple homes perched on the cliff. Harney Heights and Northcrest both offer some great view opportunities with pricing that is within reach of the middle class. The Majestic Cascades are brilliantly displayed with Mount Saint Helens the prominent feature. The homes along the north bluff are about 150 feet above Fourth Plain Village down to the Andresen Corridor. This is high enough to see over the tall trees below. There is even a condo/townhouse complex with some units featuring nice views in the 200k range. The photo above was taken while I was showing one of the units there a few years ago.

If you get far enough west, some homes may offer a view of the mighty Mount Rainier, the lower 48s second highest mountain and the jewel of the Cascade range. Some homes in this area offer views of Mount Adams, Washington's second highest mountain. If you are really lucky you might find a home with views of both of them. They do exist, I have seen them! Since this bluff faces North you will not find views of Oregon's Mount Hood nor any Columbia River views, but that may be precisely why there are relative bargains here. The Columbia River and Mount Hood are the areas most coveted views. A grand panorama taking in those vistas could set you back seven figures. If you aren't mingling with the 1% crowd, they are likely out of reach. But these north facing properties provide great views on a modest budget. Don't expect to find modern homes with the latest layouts, these are older properties. Some are dated and others are remodeled, but they are for the most art older. This may be Vancouver's best kept secret, at least regarding view property.

I am always on the hunt for views, even the peek-a-boo variety and I will tell you about them here. So please Enjoy the View.

Washougal's Colorado Ridge has some Great Views

I have been featuring lots and homes in Colorado Ridge for the last several months and they are pretty awesome. This neighborhood is in real close to the center of either Camas or Washougal yet is perched up high with views of the Columbia River, Mount Hood, and Portland. The hillside is steep but not real high. The elevation is around 500 feet so there is not a real problem with snow here. Since it is steep the views are amazing.

Homes in this community run between $400 and $700k. The latter range buys a very large home with a grand view the former being something a bit smaller and with peek-a-boo views. Even the homes without the sweeping vistas, offer views of the local territory which is quite pretty with an abundance of evergreens in the area.

There are several different builders operating in Colorado Ridge but there is a web site showing some of the lots and homes still available in the area. Colorado Ridge.
OK a shameless plug, I have this home listed in Colorado Ridge. It is essentially a one level house save for a bonus suite over the garage. Nearly 2500 squares on the main and the aforementioned bonus suite with a full bath over the garage at 333 squares. This home has a few peek-a-boo views of the river, but the street view is nice with majestic tall evergreens serving as a backdrop to the neighborhood. The home is priced at $489,000 it is complete and ready for occupancy.

Colorado Ridge still has view lots available to build your dream house as well. This is a great spot to consider as it offers similar views to Camas' Prune Hill but at a more manageable price point.

Take a look at Colorado Ridge before you decide on your ultimate view home. especially if your price range is closer to the half-million mark than it is to the million dollar range.

Drone Imagery Can be Deceptive

The latest trend in real estate marketing is hiring photography and video companies that utilize the technology of drones to get viewpoints up high and off the street. I have a drone myself and I use it to take unique angles of difficult to photograph homes.

It is important to remember to look at the eye level images when considering a view. The drone may not be high in the sky, maybe only 30 feet, but that can be a huge difference in perspective. Sometimes distant mountains and vistas are visible from as little as 30 feet in the air that can dramatically alter the perception of a "view".
This image was taken with my Parrot Bebop drone at a height of just about 30 feet off the street. That is akin to standing on the third floor of a building. There is quite a bit of "drama" created in an image even just a bit higher than typical street level. Many drone videos are created to capture the essence of a neighborhood and its surrounding area rather than to suggest the property has a view that it does not. But it is easy to presume that something is visible that actually is not. The perspective the aerial drone has will likely include details that we will not see whilst standing on the ground or looking out the windows.

The video showing the camera sweeping in across a lake or river to a property is dramatic and shows the spectacular location well, but the person living in that house is not ever going to see the property from that perspective unless they own an ultra-light craft and fly into their yard.

Take all of this new technology with the proverbial "pinch of salt". There is no substitute for a proper tour of the home on a day with suitable weather to insure the views are what you are looking for. Get out and enjoy the view!