Wilsonville, OR

Host "Handyman Bob" Strong spoke with Costa Pacific Communities' CEO Rudy Kadlub about the Grand Opening of the Villebois Village Center and the construction that went into the newest homes in the award-winning community.

Click here to listen to the podcast. A link to the show will appear on the right hand side of the screen. Click to listen.

Call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com for additional information about the construction of the homes in the Villebois Village Center as well as updated pricing and availability. Visit ChangeHowYouLive.com for more information about the community.

Here is a snapshot of the various ways in which the local housing market is improving: - In May, the Associated Press (AP) reported that an index of builders' confidence jumped the highest it has in five years. This jump is attributed to the fact that buyers are capitalizing on lower prices and incentives as well as lower interest rates and tax credits available in today's market.

- New Home Trends reported 43.5 percent fewer unsold available spec homes between April 2008 and 2009. A major indicator of the balance between supply and demand is the remaining months of unsold spec inventory left. This figure dropped 12.5 percent and is now down to 6.7 months. In addition, the National Association of REALTORS^® (NAR) reports the number of homes under contract rose 3.2 percent last month.

- According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), 600,000 people have taken advantage of the new home buyer tax credit.

- A Gallup Poll taken last month reported that 71 percent of Americans said that NOW is a "good time" to buy a house. This is an increase of 18 percent from a year ago and marks the HIGHEST LEVEL in four years!

- The HBA's 3^rd Annual Ultimate Open House New Home Tour in the Portland metropolitan area was also a tremendous success! 81 percent of builders and developers that participated in the event, reported more than double the amount of traffic of an average open house weekend. Additionally, 56 percent of builders reported at least triple the traffic of an average open house, and almost 20 percent sold a home during - or as a result of - the Ultimate Open House New Home Tour.

- This year was also the first year high-rise condominiums were included in the Ultimate Open House New Home Tour, and the public response to the homes was exceptional! The condos received more than 1,000 visitors each of the two weekends of the event, and developers made several sales as a result of the increased traffic. According to the HBA, this bodes well for its first ever Urban Street of Dreams, which will feature five buildings and 10 luxury condos in Portland, Oregon's upscale Pearl District.

- On May 15, 2009, The Oregonian reported that home sales in the Portland metropolitan area sharply increased to approximately 1,300 in April, from just 732 homes sold in January.

The bottom line? The current housing market is beginning to turn around! Between today's historically low interest rates and the decreased housing prices, NOW is the time to buy a new home in the Villebois Village Center.

For information about the current housing marketing in the Portland metropolitan area and/or to learn more about the latest homes on the market in Wilsonville, Oregon, visit Villebois.com. Or call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.

On May 17, 2009, The Oregonian featured the Villebois Sunday Market in an article about local Portland-area neighborhoods near farmers markets on the front cover of its Homes & Rentals section. Titled "FRESH FROM THE FARM: Markets sweeten a listing's appeal", the article focuses on how neighborhood farmers markets are an increasing bonus for many of today's home buyers.

Held in Wilsonville's Villebois Village Center every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Villebois Sunday Market is the Portland area's most recent farmers market to open.

Inspired by the Hillsboro Sunday Market at Orenco Station, another community developed by Costa Pacific Communities, the Villebois Sunday Market is an added bonus for residents already living in the Villebois community as well as for prospective buyers looking to purchase a home in the neighborhood.

Click here to read the Oregonian article.

For more information about the Villebois Sunday Market, please contact Taraneh Foster, Villebois Sunday Market Manager, at 503-241-3834 or email VilleboisSundayMarket@gmail.com. You may also visit www.VilleboisSundayMarket.com.

During the interview, Rudy explained how Villebois aligns with the philosophy that Costa Pacific applies to each of the master-planned communities it develops. Like Costa Pacific's other award-winning neighborhood, Orenco Station in Hillsboro, Oregon, Villebois was developed on a foundation of connectivity, diversity and sustainability.

Now open, the homes in the Villebois Village Center are suitable for a wide assortment of buyers - from singles to couples, working professionals to retirees. The two types of homes available in the Village Center include the luxurious Seville Rows, priced between $424,900 and $518,900, and the one level flat and two-story townhouse style Carvalho Condominiums, priced between $291,900 and $398,900.

For more information about the new homes available in the Villebois neighborhood, please call Costa Pacific New Home Specialist Andy Green at 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.

Click the link to listen to the clip: Villebois on KINK-FM

Costa Pacific leads the growing trend of sustainable development amongst builders throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Villebois Village Center was built upon a foundation of sustainability - from the building materials and the natural amenities on-site to the community designs and transportation options.

To learn more about how Costa Pacific Communities has developed the Villebois community through the tenet of sustainability, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com.