Boring, OR

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Each morning, on a hill above Highway 26 my wife & I begin our day, coffee in hand, with a view of hundreds of people making their way into work or shopping in Gresham or Portland. Within a short time we will be joining that stream into the city. Over the last 8 years we have noticed a steady increase of morning traffic. We are continuously amazed at the number of people who have chosen to live out here in rural Clackamas county. What brings them away from the city - away from the advantages of inner city Portland life or being able to commute by bike? Why would anyone want to live in a place referred to as Boring? I'm sure there are as many reasons or answers as there are people in these hills. If you do live out here, what are your reasons for choosing the lifestyle of Boring?

Over 8 years ago, my wife and I enjoyed the neighborhood life of the Rose City area in NE Portland. Being able to walk pretty much wherever we wanted to go, whether it be to the LLyod Center or to have a beer at the Horse Brass Pub had all but become part of our family culture. As a Realtor, I've always enjoyed all that Portland has to offer and still do to this day. Having grown up in a rural community, city life was, and is, fun and convenient. The rural life though never left my blood. Having room for only a few tomato plants, perhaps an eggplant and a small patch of lettuce just never seemed enough. Why could I not have a goat or two - what do you mean I had to close all the curtains or shades in the morning so that the neighbors didn't have to be embarrassed caught looking? Rural life called & we answered.

Today, as the snow falls, we enjoy our Boring view, the soup made from the fresh produce from out large garden, watching the goats play, wondering where all the rabbits came from, and knowing that if we choose we are only minutes from a snow-trek on the Springwater Trail. Without any curtains to have to hide behind, we enjoy our Boring life.

Not everyone will hear the call to join us in Boring. Some will wish to just pass through on their way to Mt. Hood, perhaps enjoy a bowl of soup at the Full Moon, get a chuckle out of our name, and return to their search for a quality of life in Portland or beyond. Just know that in Boring, "It's an exciting place to live."

Oh by the way .. we even have a life on Twitter - Drop us a message or follow us for regular updates.

Imagine a place where you can cause eyebrows to raise when you mention where you live, where you can cook using your own produce from you own garden and where you can still be a short distance to snowboarding on Mt. Hood, shopping at a New Seasons or a city mall, or the Portland International Airport. Perhaps you’d like to live in a place where you can enjoy the rural country fresh air when you walk your dog or significant other. Imagine a place where you can have a goat or two, watch an Equestian show, or not be worried about your roosters waking up the neighbors. There is hope for you .. there is a place call Boring.

Boring, Oregon, developed in 1903 is an unincorporated community – not a village, not a hamlet, not a town, not a city, but a rural community in Oregon off of Highway 26 approximately 15 miles outside of Portland on the way to Mount Hood. Boring is named after a real person, W.H Boring, who homesteaded the area in the 1800’s. His grandson, W.H Boring, at age 91 was still a part of our community until 2002.

Many travel through our community on their way to, or returning from Mount Hood. Some even get here by bike, coming from Milwaukie or Portland via the 40 mile Springwater Corridor. They chuckle as they see some of the signs or drive through the short “Main Street”. They take note of the one open Shell station, and the two convenience stores. Perhaps on their way into town they’ve seen one of the several local nurseries, Boring Bark. Yet, if they venture off that main drive through our community, they will discover thriving nurseries that help landscape homes and businesses across America, corporations such as Care Service Options, Inc that provides assistance to seniors and their families in over 15 states, the Oregon campus for Guide Dogs for the Blind providing new life and companions for the blind, or such places as Lieopold Farms who puts fresh strawberries on dining room tables throughout Oregon.

As one googles Boring, Oregon you can read some funny stories written by non-locals that felt a need to write home about something "different". The sign off of Highway 26 that you see here often gets a laugh or two. (See.. it's not really Boring that is so boring, it's Oregon City). But there are indeed hidden treasures here. Go ahead and stop by and get a cup of freshly-brewed coffee at the espresso stand (serving Bridgestone coffee) next to the Post Office. Enjoy a cup of homemade soup at the Full Moon Tavern on the "Main" street. You'll enjoy not only the soup, but the spirited locals.

The average Real Estate consists of homes sitting either on acreage, one of the two golf courses, or in several of the exceptionally well-maintained neighborhoods. The average list price of homes for sale at this time (November 2008) is $460,000 with an average square footage of 2288 sq. ft – and that is in a down market. But .. once people move here, they're not anxious to leave.

Discover a treasure. Twitter me if you'll passing through and I’d be happy to take you on a tour of Boring. As the locals will tell you, "It is an Exciting Place to Live".