Vancouver, WA

Six more homes in the Rose Village Neighborhood will get fresh paint on Saturday, October 11, as part of the 4^th Plain Corridor Revitalization Task Force Housing Coalition Paint-a-Thon.

The Rose Village Paint-a-Thon is the brainchild of Mark & Patti Maggiora. Inspired by a southeast Portland Paint-athon that gets hundreds of volunteers each year to help improve the homes of area senior citizens, the Rose Village Paint-a-Thon is expected to yield some 20+ freshly painted homes in just 4 weeks.

"In addition to the obvious benefit of making the area look nicer," says Patty Carroll, "The Paint-a-Thon is getting neighbors to interact with each other and unite in achieving a common goal that will benefit us all."

Once a popular neighborhood where many of the city's long-term residents were raised, Rosemere / Rose Village had more recently been perceived as a highly transient area with an elevated crime rate. The increase in property values seen in recent years, though, drew the attention of investors and value seeking home owners and many of the vintage and historic homes are benefiting from a renewed pride of ownership. The team of volunteers who support the Rose Village Paint-a-Thon have the vision of increasing these positive trends and restoring the neighborhood to its former splendor.

This weekend, activities will be focused on a 3 block section of L St in Vancouver between 33^rd Street and 37^th Street. Volunteers will start assembling at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday in front of Patty & Scott Carroll's recently renovated "church home" at 3409 L St, where they will get donuts and coffee before picking up their brushes and starting work on the 6 homes. Lunch will also be provided by Patty & Scott Carroll.

If you would like to have your home considered as a candidate for painting or if you would like to volunteer to help with the Paint-a-Thon project, please call Mark & Patti Maggiora at (360) 992-9969 or email mark@groupnw.net or patty@groupnw.net.

Patty & Scott Carroll - RE/MAX Equity Group, Vancouver WA

Green at what price?

How much more are you willing to pay to have a green certification for your home? Or to have a walkable location? Green and walkable?

Certainly if you're not green leaning the answer is nothing. But if you are concerned about having a less detrimental impact on the environment, or lower fuel and heating, or healthier indoor air quality, then what are you willing to pay if you have to pay more? Is it a percentage or a flat dollar fee?

I can take a stab at numbers - how much more are people actually paying for green certified homes, if they are paying more - but what I can't see is the buyer's actual motivation. Questions like 'did the buyers buy because they liked the floor plan and workmanship or did they buy because of the EA or Energy Star certification? Maybe they bought because of walkability...

There was a recent news article (in Portland Tribune) I read that suggested that homes that were within a couple of blocks of a New Seasons specialty store or a neighborhood theatre were commanding a 20% premium over similar homes without those businesses. Hmmm...something to think about. Frankly, I'd question whether it is just the store or theatre or is it a result of a myriad other factors of walkable community?

Unfortunately for Vancouver, Washington, the Whole Foods store here moved from a kind-of walkable location to a car-dependent location. I understand those eastsiders are probably more affluent and likely to buy, but the original location always seemed busy too. I wonder what that move might have done to the local home values? I wonder what the move suggests about changing demographics in our neighborhoods? So many questions, so much real estate!

Home Inspectors are not supposed to be deal breakers. A home inspection provider should be a asset to the real estate transaction process. Home inspectors are required to represent a client during a transaction, but it is a rare thing for them to cause a deal to fall apart because they over emotionalized an issue related to a repair or problem. Have you ever wanted to Kill a Home Inspector for Killing your deal? If you have, It is a worthy thing to share your wisdom with a home inspector that is determined to better this industry by sharing the information with inspector associations and local inspector groups. I know WE can do a better job!!! So... Tell me your story.... Go ahead and we can commiserate together to find solutions and prevent you from actually killing a home inspector.

Vancouver Wa Bank Owned and Foreclosure Properties List

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Monday Market Musing

Checking the general market numbers, looks like sales are slowing a bit since June. Homes for sale number about 7 active to every 1 pending. This is a change from a 5 to 1 ratio in June. It's a pretty steady decline, week by week. Interestingly enough, the under $200,000 range of home sales seems to be slowing (from 5 active to 1 pending to current 6 to 1 ratio) more. Does this suggest that sales stalled there or did enough homes just above $200,000 take price reductions to that price under $200K price point? Mostly it won't matter - a greater supply will cause downward pressure on the prices.

If you're looking for green-certified homes in Vancouver area, we've got about 140 of them currently. Prices range from $169,900 to $879,900. The bulk of these are under construction or recently completed. Since the active to pending ratio is 9 to 1, you probably have some additional bargaining power. Some of these homes have the added benefit of actually having a reasonable walkscore.

If you're wanting a home that helps you live more lightly on the earth, don't forget the inherent greenness of occupying an existing home that is in a walkable community.

So - with such a great opportunity to buy - what are you waiting for? Let's talk!