One of the great things about living in Oregon is just the natural beauty that surrounds us. What makes living in the Mid-Willamette Valley so great is the ability to get to the coast and out to the mountains fairly easily.
This past Saturday it was around 105 degrees here in the valley. This is a rare event for an August in Oregon, but it's been a weird year weather wise.
We decided to head to North Santiam State Park, which has the Santiam River running through it. The Santiam River is a popular river for rafters and kayaks and it is rare when we go there to not see several people heading down river.
Also popular at the river is fishing, but I haven't seen anyone actually catch anything yet. I'm sure they do, but the water moves pretty swiftly right by the park.
A great place for kids and families, the water level is pretty low for a ways out so kids can safely play there. It does get deep and the water moves swiftly so keeping an eye on kids is essential.
The park has
The park is day use only at this time, with no camping allowed. From Salem it only takes 35 minutes or so to get out there, so it is a perfect day trek to beat the heat.
I love old homes.
I love the details and wondering what the owners were like 100 years ago. I like seeing the original water closet as it is reminiscent of our past and where we have come from. Salem has several designated historic districts, including one downtown. We have two residential historic districts Bush Park/Gaity Hill and Court-Chemeketa.
Last year I helped a local buyer purchase an old home. Completely neglected, this home was the blight of the historic district. Inside the original wood floors, window panes, and trim screamed for someone to restore the home. The claw foot tub would eagerly await a new owner.
Buying in a historic district comes with some rules. Currently Fairmount Hills has an application for the National historic Register. Even if the home is not on the national register, in can be a local landmark.
If you want to purchase an historic home you need to be aware of these rules. They do make remodeling and updating the exterior of a historic home more difficult. The goal of the historic district is to preserve a piece of our past. Maintaining the essence of these homes is part of agreeing to live there. This is also important to research if you want to purchase a home. It is possible that the previous homeowner made some changes that would make it be a non-contributing property.
While it sounds difficult, living in the Historic Districts has some benefits. The property and homeowner may be eligible for City of Salem rehabilitation funds, or low interest, and no interest loans as well. There are also some tax advantages to owning one of these homes. All I ask is that if you remodel the interior of the home, please keep it in character with the home. I've seen many remodels that were better described as remuddles.
Englewood. Doesn't it seem like many towns have an Englewood neighborhood? Salem is no exception. Sandwiched between Market Street and D Street, Englewood runs from about 17th to 22nd, and East Englewood runs from 23rd to around Park.
Centrally located in Salem, Englewood is actually a patchwork of two neighborhoods that have drastically different characteristics. I like to call them Old Englewood and East Englewood. These are not official designations, just my made up musings...
The only reason, I bring up the distinction, as they are all referred to as Englewood, is that East Englewood has newer more ranch style homes, where older Englewood has older cottage style homes. They both have their own distinct architecture. This blog today is about the old Englewood part of town.
The homes in older Englewood were built in the early 1900's to about 1940 or so. As such their architecture is reflective of that time period. Smaller cottage style homes and bungalows make up most of the homes in this neighborhood. You will see the occasional four square or cape cod in the area as well.
What makes Englewood a nice place to live is it's proximity to the downtown area. For state employees and those working in downtown, Englewood is only a few blocks away for easy access.
Englewood has one major park, Englewood Park. Located between 19th and 21st streets, the park has several options for users.
Older Englewood neighborhood feeds into Englewood Elementary School, Parrish Middle School, and North Salem High School. If schools are important to you, remember that boundaries are subject to change from year to year so verify schools.
Approximately 11 homes sold last year (2007) in the neighborhood an average price of $145,390. Sold prices ranged from $104,000-$189,950. They averaged 72 DOM. There are currently 7 homes listed as active on the MLS for this area with prices ranging from $149,900-$269,900 .
For older homes, Englewood can be very affordable compared to some of the other historic areas such as Bush Park or Fairmount Hills. This aspect makes it a popular choice for people wanting the character and charm of older homes with more affordability.
Located between Lone Oak and Sunnyside, Ironwood Estates is in a prime location in South Salem. If you find yourself driving on Whipplewood, Cherrywood, Peachwood, Wormwood...well...you get the idea, right? If you find yourself in a cluster of streets that end in wood in south Salem, then you are in Ironwood Estates.
Some of the attracting features of the neighborhood are the proximity to Sumpter Elementary School, Sumpter Park, and the tree lined streets.
The tree lined streets...you need to know that the beautiful trees that line the streets in this neighborhood are cottonwood trees. Every summer, you get to experience a late "blizzard" in this neighborhood as the cottonwood trees lose their seeds.
Most of the homes in Ironwood Estates were built in the 1970's-1980's so many of them need some updating. Homes are well maintained and it is a rare sight to see a home or lawn in poor condition. If you head out in the morning you will see a lot of walkers, runners, and dog lovers out and about. This is a healthy neighborhood.
This neighborhood belongs to the South Gateway Neighborhood Association, which is a very active assocation. If you are looking to become involved with your local neighborhood, Ironwood Estates might be a good choice for you.
When I moved to Oregon 18 years ago, I was ready to do some serious hiking. I love forests, creeks, rivers, just being outdoors. One of the first places we visited was Silver Falls State Park.
Silver Falls is located in Silverton, Oregon. With 10 waterfalls within the boundaries of the park, this is really one of Oregon's gems. There is a small dam in place to create a nice water play area for children. Just a few feet deep this area is very popular during our summer days.
There are so many amenities within the park.
On and on...
I do have a dog who comes up to Silver Falls with us regularly. Please note that due to some of the drop offs, and narrow trails, dogs are not allowed on some trails. Make sure to check that if you plan to bring your dog with you.
I also encourage you to see the falls during the winter and spring. They are GUSHING with water. If you don't mind donning some rain gear, waterproof boots, and a good sweater, it is worth the hike to see the falls in early spring.
If you are planning a day hike into Silver Falls, remember to pack a day pack with a sweatshirt (it can get colder in the canyon), a first aid kit (lots of tree roots and rocks on the trails), and a camera (too many beautiful shots to miss). Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy.
Otherwise, I'll let the pictures say what there is to say about Silver Falls.
A residential real estate agent in Salem Oregon, I take pride in thinking outside the box and bringing innovative ideas to my clients. Serving Salem Keizer and surrounding Marion and Polk Counties.
From cottage to estate, historic to new construction, land to acreage, I want to talk with you about your local real estate purchase. Purchasing real estate can be easy or complicated depending on your needs and what you are lookiing for. I stick with my clients though this process, and have always helped my buyers find just what they are looking for.
I have a lot of information to give you about our community that you might find helpful. For local information about the Salem neighborhoods visit my website for information.
Salem Keizer Neighborhood Information or check out my blog section titled neighborhoods in Salem Oregon.
Feel free to read my blog and look at the community information for areas you are interested in. Let me know if you need more information about our local community.
Owning an innovative brokerage has been sheer pleasure for me. I like that I can provide sellers with whatever level of service they want, depending on what they need. If you are just looking for some help filling out a real estate contract, I can provide that. If you want the full range of open houses, print ads, and internet advertising, I can do that as well.
I strongly believe that whatever I do needs to be of good quality. Feel free to check out some sample photos, I have taken of some listed properties. Sample Marketing Photos for Homes. It doesn't matter to me if your home is a $150,000 cottage or a $1,000,000 home. It needs to be good quality to attract a buyer.
Please feel free to email me with any questions you may have, or visit my website for more information.
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"We were able to buy and sell in record time with the great assistance of Melina Tomson. Her efficiency and knowledge really helped in our sale of a complicated property transaction. Melina unquestionably is a professional in this business." S&D
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