About Clackamas County, OR

The Milken Institute recently released its annual report of the nation's "best performing" cities and the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area (which includes Portland, Beaverton and Vancouver) ranked No. 37 and Salem, Oregon ranked 58 out of 200 large U.S. metropolitan areas.

The Milken report ranks cities on a variety of factors, including job and salary growth over a given time period as well as the strength of their high-tech industries. Last year, the Portland area ranked No. 28 and Salem ranked No. 66 on the list.

Wilsonville, Oregon, resides about halfway between the city of Portland and the city of Salem. Known as the gateway to both Oregon's rich, horticultural wine country and its urban area, Wilsonville is certainly a special city.

Located along the scenic Willamette River, Wilsonville is home to a number of high-tech companies, such as Mentor Graphics and Xerox, as well as acres of public parks and gardens, including Town Center Park - an attraction with activities for all ages.

Not only is Wilsonville a great place to work and play, it's a great place to learn, too: the town is known for it's superior schools, libraries and earth-friendly initiatives, including a public transit system, a state-of-the-art water treatment facility and a comprehensive urban forestry plan.

Last but not least, the city is an exceptional place to live as well. Home to the award-winning Villebois neighborhood, residents living in Wilsonville love their city.

For more information about the city of Wilsonville or the Villebois community, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Portland, Oregon-based public transportation organization, TriMet, announced this week that it acquired two previously owned rail diesel cars (RDCs) from the Alaska Railroad for use as spares on the metropolitan area's Westside Express Service (WES) Commuter Rail.

WES currently boasts three diesel multiple unit (DMU) trains that provide transit service between Beaverton and Wilsonville on the metropolitan area's west side. According to TriMet, there are no spare vehicles for WES service when a DMU is out of service. With the new, additional trains, TriMet can reduce or eliminate the need for shuttle buses to supplement WES service and help make service for riders as seamless as possible.

The new cars are currently being retrofitted and will be available for service by next summer. According to TriMet, retrofitting includes "installation of cab signal and communications equipment and modifications for mobility device accessibility". TriMet's WES maintenance facility is also expanding to accommodate the two trains, which are 85 feet long and stainless steel.

For the eco-conscious commuter-or those who just like a little extra time to read the newspaper-WES is a wonderful transportation option. Residents living in the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, appreciate the close proximity the transit-oriented neighborhood provides to the area WES station, which is just a short walk or ride from the Village Center.

Villebois is a master-planned community that hosts a variety of housing options - from luxurious new condominiums and rowhomes to beautiful single-family houses. Currently under construction, the Villebois Village Center will feature retail and commercial space as well a thriving Piazza space where residents will flock for the weekly Villebois Sunday Market, live music and fun on the bocce ball courts. Villebois is unlike any other neighborhood in the Willamette Valley.

To learn more about the Villebois neighborhood or the WES Commuter Rail, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. Or visit ChangeHowYouLive.com.

Looking for a luxury home in Portland? With many great places to call home, Lake Oswego is one of the finest! Just 9 miles south of downtown Portland you will find the city of Lake Oswego. Lake Oswego real estate is considered to be some of the best in terms of luxury living. A Lake Oswego waterfront home will set you back a little over $1,000,000 for an "Entry Level" home on the lake. With prices going as high as $19,500,000, there is something for everybody! More reasonably priced at $7,500,000, you can get this exceptional Lake Oswego waterfront home featuring 5800 square feet of pure pleasure.

A little closer to downtown Portland you will find beautiful estate sized properties in Dunthorpe. Dunthorpe is home to many of the Portland elite. From athletes to corporate executives, many find Dunthorpe real estate to offer the best of everything. Large private lots and a short commute time into Portland are just a few of the many reasons people like to call Dunthorpe home. If your are in search of Dunthorpe Homes for sale or Lake Oswego real estate, make sure to call on one of Lake Oswego's top realtors

Last week, President Obama signed legislation that extends and expands the first-time home buyer tax credit originally made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The new legislation extends the $8,000 credit for first-time home buyers for sales contracts entered into by April 30, 2010 and closed by June 30. In addition, the law has been expanded to now include a $6,500 credit for owners of existing homes who are buying a new principal residence. Current homeowners can claim the $6,500 tax credit if they lived in their home for five consecutive years out of the last eight.

In other news, the income eligibility limits for the tax credit - now for both groups of buyers - has increased from $75,000 to $125,000 for individuals and from $150,000 to $225,000 for married couples. Additionally, the new law also provides relief to cash-strapped home builders by providing broader tax benefits for businesses with net operating losses (NOLs).

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released a statement last week saying the new legislation will "provide a much-needed boost to the fragile housing market and economy". In addition, NAHB estimates that the new and improved homebuyer tax credit will create 211,000 new jobs and generate 180,000 additional home sales over the next year. NAHB also expect the tax credit to generate $9.6 billion in wage income and $6.9 billion in federal, state and local taxes.

This means that now - more than ever - is the perfect time to purchase a new home.

And why not purchase that new home in the award-winning Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon?

Villebois is the latest master-planned community to be developed by Costa Pacific Communities. Featuring a vibrant mix of single-family homes, row homes, condominiums, retail and commercial space and 160 acres of parks and open green space, the Villebois neighborhood has something for everyone. And with new homes priced starting in the mid-$100,000s, Villebois is a sweet surprise for buyers looking for homes in today's real estate market.

To learn more about the Villebois community in Wilsonville, Oregon, please visit ChangeHowYouLive.com. You may also speak with New Home Specialist Andy Green by calling 866.580.2836 or emailing Blog@CostaPacific.com.

For more information about the new tax credit, visit www.FederalHousingTaxCredit.com.

From retirees and grandparents to young couples and families, the Villebois Village Center in Wilsonville, Oregon, is perfect for people of all ages and lifestyles to live, work, play and learn.

At the heart of the neighborhood will be a bustling mix of row homes, loft-style condominiums, shops, restaurants and sidewalk cafés that will embody the character of a European village. The community is far more than a place to live. It is a place that can actually change how you live.

For more information about the Villebois community, please call 866.580.2836 or email Blog@CostaPacific.com. You may also visit ChangeHowYouLive.com to learn more about this exceptional new neighborhood.