Bright spot in Bridgeton

This cool house with a front view is a bright spot in Bridgeton neighborhood has a lot to offer.  This is a traditional floating home, one of the original designs. It has hardwood floors on the main level, with heated cork floors in the recently remodeled kitchen. There is a full bath on the main floor, with a sleeping room or office in the back. The upper floor is a huge master suite with an en suite bathroom plus a large walk-in closet AND a utility closet with the washer & dryer. Now for the bright spot in Bridgeton part: the owner installed a new metal roof in 2017 with new solar power to augment the electrical service and it works great!!  That new roof will last 50 years!!

NEW Decks and Good Float!

As part of getting this house ready for market, the seller installed all brand new decking on both levels! He also had some maintenance work done to the float, and the float is rated #4. Remember that this relates to financing terms; give me a call if you need some explanation on this, but a 4 is very good. Other updates are the kitchen update done on 2016 that included opening up the kitchen to the main room, heated cork floors in the kitchen too! Plus, the new metal roof with solar power is a valuable addition to this great home. Did I mention the retractable awnings over the windows? How about the covered deck on the main floor, a large swim float and a very large upper deck….all new!! 

Columbia Way West

This home is located in the Columbia Way West moorage which has 25 homes plus boat moorage. It has two sailor parking lots for overflow parking. Also, a large garage can be rented for a bit extra, which is close by and offers that much sought after extra storage. This Bright Spot in Bridgeton is a cool deal for full time living or for a fun weekender.

“If you’re looking for an excellent Real Estate Broker to represent you in buying or selling in the Portland area, look no further. Karla is, quite frankly, one of the best! I recently relocated to Portland and needed a Broker to help me in my home search. Being unfamiliar with the area, I was a real challenge and was all over the place with my “wish list”. Karla never got discouraged and eventually found me exactly what I was looking for. No one is more knowledgeable about Portland and all it has to offer. She was always kind and compassionate, answering all my questions with thoughtful and knowledgeable speed and accuracy. Her negotiating skills are superb. Extremely detail oriented, she had my best interests at heart during the entire transaction. I feel blessed to have found her and recommend her, without reservation, to help you with all your real estate transactions. She is, quite simply, the best in her field!”

Dolly J. Hein
 NE 23rd Ave, Portland, OR 97212

I met Dolly when she was looking at floating homes. We quickly determined that a home on land, in a historic neighborhood would suit her goals and lifestyle needs better. Part of our success was Dolly’s commitment to the process and her ability to stay focused during the negotiations. She was a wonderful client to work with. She knew what she wanted and that always makes it easy to move forward with success. I love being called ‘quite simply, the best in her field.’  Quite a compliment!!

North Portland Harbor

How Do Agents Price a Floating Home?

What is the floating home pricing strategy used by listing agents or sellers? The prospect of correctly pricing a floating home is kind of complicated because, as you might have noticed when you look at listings, no two floating homes are alike. And what’s more, the location and the moorage are part of the floating home pricing strategy. It’s really useful if the real estate broker is experienced in selling floating homes. Why? Because of their experience with buyers in the market and with seeing the appraisal value of their other listings that have sold. 

What to consider in floating home pricing strategy

Of course, the house itself is the first part of the combination. Price per square foot doesn’t work as the only thing to consider because every home is different; the age of the house, the floor plan (open concept or reverse living or traditional), whether or not it needs updating. Are the finishes current? Like glass tile, granite counters, stainless appliances, type of flooring and siding material. All of the charm and appeal of the floating home is part of the equation. Float condition is also part of the decision. Location is really important, just like in other property pricing. The moorage location in the city, whether it is on Multnomah Channel or Hayden Island or Downtown is a critical choice for most buyers. But also, the location within the moorage is part of the pricing dilemma. How far from the ramp is the house? What is the view from the deck? How well maintained are the surrounding properties and the moorage? Is the parking lot gated or is parking on the street? Is a garage available? (remember that only a small handful of moorages have garages). Does the moorage offer slip ownership, otherwise known as fractional ownership in the moorage? The amount of available inventory also affects pricing.  Past sales of floating homes that are ‘similar’ also impact floating home pricing strategy. But the most important factor influencing floating home pricing strategy is knowledge of the BUYERS in the market. The buyer who wants to move to the water lifestyle puts a value on the lifestyle they want. Of course, they want a desirable home but they also put a value on the monthly fee (less with ownership) and on the cost of available purchase funds.

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A new listing for a Floating Home for Sale with slip ownership in Tomahawk Moorage 2019 is now available!!  Tomahawk Moorage is an awesome floating home community on Hayden Island. The floating home for sale in Tomahawk Moorage has 2 bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms. This floating home has two large decks; one upper and one lower! It has a hot tub and a workshop tender house with electricity service.

Tomahawk Moorage

Location is very important in deciding about buying floating homes! Tomahawk Moorage is located on the east side of Hayden Island. TDA (Tomahawk Destiny Association) is owned by the residents. There is no lease with the Bureau of state lands as there is with many other moorages. TDA has 71 homes and is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors made of residents. This makes it easy to keep the HOA fee (which is the moorage fee) low; in fact, it is one of the lowest monthly fees on the river! The TDA is pet-friendly. It is also a gated moorage with room for each resident to have two cars.  This moorage also has garages, but only 22 of them so it takes a while to get one.

Floating Home for Sale with Slip Ownership 

The price for this floating home for sale in Tomahawk Moorage includes a fractional share of ownership in the entire moorage! The slip is located very close to the entry ramp and faces west so you get awesome views of the North Portland Harbor and the sunsets. The floating home for sale with slip ownership gives you a great opportunity to live in a fantastic moorage with friendly people who love dogs…..what can be wrong with that? This floating home needs someone to love it and make it their dream home. Room to park your boat and water toys at your doorstep, plus awesome neighbors in one of the best moorages on the river!

Financing floating homes 2019 ! How to create a strategy for success is changing! Floating home financing will cost more to borrow money to purchase a floating home, and lenders will be much more resistant to financing float repairs via an escrow hold back.  Let’s talk about floating home financing, and how I can help you create a strategy for success. Just what does an escrow holdback mean in terms of floating home financing in 2019? Let’s say you find the perfect floating home that meets your budget and your dream; you proceed to have the inspections performed as required by your lender and your Realtor. Oops! A float repair is indicated on the float (foundation) of your dream home, and when you get bids on the work you find out that the repair work is expensive. The seller says they don’t have the funds to pay for this repair, and neither do you…..and why would you? The house isn’t your yet, and even more of a problem, the lender tells you that they won’t make a mortgage on the house until the float is repaired. 

Now what?  It used to be (as recently as 2018) that the lender would agree to ‘hold back’ the funds from the seller’s proceeds in an escrow account to pay for this repair. New in 2019 will be that they will consider this hold back value on a case by case basis, so not all repairs will be approved for a holdback.

What can be done? The best case would be for the seller to have the float inspection done as part of listing it for sale. Then, if a repair is indicated, they can get bids on the work from two or three contractors, so you all have this info.  There is a strategy for making this happen and each floating home is different. It takes some experience to put together the critical information and work together with buyer and seller, lender and contractor, to bring together the willing parties to the sale. Unfortunately, even dreams have practical realities that have to be addressed and this is one of them. 

History of Floating Homes

The history of floating homes is an American story! Floating homes started out as fishing shacks, anchored to the river banks before there were docks to moor to. By definition, floating homes do not have a motor to propel them; they are moved around by barges and attached to the mooring space by chains or steel hinges. Some folks lived ‘aboard’ their small houseboat. These old homes were heated with an oil burner or a wood stove. They had tar paper roofs, later they added hot mop roofing. Basic lap board siding and wood floor boards completed the house. No insulation on these inexpensive shacks. Waste was dumped right into the river. Rustic describes a more charming abode than they really were.

History of Floating Homes continues…

And the construction style suited the outliers who lived there. These were independent, tough minded people who wanted to live beneath the radar. In those days, taxes were not assessed on these movable homes. If you had a house boat, you could fish for both a living and for your own sustenance. These folks were the best kind of neighbors; there if you needed help in repairing or moving the house, all you had to do was ask.  If you wanted to share a whiskey evening, you could count on your neighbor to bring a glass. But in all other ways, they kept to themselves, and let you get on with your own life.

Over time, the river life attracted folks who wanted to live on river in a more conventional way. The path to this lifestyle came from fishermen and yacht owners. The city expanded, and the rivers became more recreational in nature. People with more financial resources noticed the charm of the houseboats. Business people invested in building moorages that offered services like electricity and sewer, and access to upland conveniences.

With the development of moorages and dock systems, the number of floating houses increased; licenses were required for the floating homes, and leases were developed for the moorages, docks and yacht clubs. Around the 1950’s owning a floating home became an inexpensive way to enjoy and recreate on the rivers of Portland. At first the homes were modest and used mostly as second homes for fishermen and boating families. The old round top style of floating home was popular. These sturdy homes were build on the log and stringer float we still use today. Over time, the folks who wanted to live on the water became less outliers, and more savvy home buyers who wanted a cool, unique lifestyle where they could enjoy the river life and still be part of the city.

When that happened, so did the tax man. As the houseboats evolved into floating homes, the county learned that they had homes that were not being taxed. Now the floating homes are taxed as personal property. The construction of homes include hardwood floors, granite and stainless steel kitchens, fabulous bathrooms, vinyl or cedar plank siding, spacious decks and steel roofs. The homes have gone from shacks build of found materials, to million dollar homes in exclusive moorages like Oregon Yacht Club.

Floating homes have either a Moorage Fee OR an HOA fee

 All floating homes are located in communities. The community is the dock and upland system. The dock is where your new floating home is moored, in water space next to the dock system. The uplands are the river bank where you park your car and access the moorage docks by a ramp.

Moorage fee or HOA fee:  What’s the difference?

An easy answer is the HOA fee is a Home OWNER association fee. That means that in the process of purchasing your floating home, you have included buying a fractional interest in the moorage itself. The moorage itself means: a portion of the uplands, an existing lease on the moorage property with the Bureau of State Lands, a portion of the docks and exclusive use of the slip where you moor your house.  A Moorage Fee is where you pay rent to the person or company that owns the moorage including a lease with the Bureau of State Lands, the docks and the slip. 

So, what is the difference:  Moorage fee or HOA fee?

All moorage fees or HOA fees pay for the common utility bills such as water, sewer, garbage service and the general upkeep budget for the moorage itself. Moorage fees are usually higher because they include payment to the owner of the moorage for his or her investment in the property. When you participate in owning the moorage, your fees are generally lower because you still pay for the monthly utility bills, but you own the docks so you don’t have to pay someone else for rent. Ownership of the moorage carries more financial responsibility for repairs and maintenance, but you get to have some control over that. Slip lease moorages usually cost a bit less in purchase price, but you also may have increases in the monthly fee over time. This is something you should investigate at the time of purchase. Either owning or leasing the slip can make sense for your particular situation. 

Location Location Location

Floating home slip comparison: You are looking for a floating home. You don’t know where to start, so you just do what we all do; you just pull up a bunch of listings and see what appeals to you. Congratulations! This is a good start!!  But, once you find some likely floating homes to look at, you go take a look, and then….whoa! you have a lot of questions! What about the float? Do you want gated or is non gated OK with you? What if it needs repair? How much does that cost? What is the difference between leased slips and slips that are included in the price? 

Did you say Location?

Just like in land homes, where you want to live is super important. Consider your work commute time. Do you need schools? Is a garage important to you? Do you like a boating community like , or do you prefer a more rural setting like Sauvie Island or Scappoose? If you have lots of money, maybe you want to live in one of the downtown moorages like Oregon Yacht Club. Do you like to have a snappy moorage that is well kept and ship shape? Or do you prefer funky and eclectic? 

Floating Home Slip Comparison

Since inventory of floating home slips is very thin, you have to decide if ownership is important to you. You will pay a bit more for a home in an owned slip like the one currently listed in Tomahawk Moorage on Hayden Island. The slip has a monitory value. But, if your preferred location is in Bridgeton, for example, then you will likely be leasing a slip and pay a bit more of a monthly fee, but have the benefit of living in an easily accessible moorage.

Remember! If you’re lucky enough to live on the river, you’re lucky enough!! Call me today to talk about slips and moorage locations that suit your needs!

Floating Homes Portland

This awesome modern floating homes Portland loft is located in West Hayden Island Moorage, a premiere moorage on Hayden Island. This floating home loft was designed and constructed by Marc Even Construction.  This floating home loft features wide open spaces and walls of windows to make the perfect entertaining space. Cook your meals on high end gas stove top. Sub Zero refrigerator is  large and upscale. Vinyl slate tile flooring is used  throughout the house, and walls of storage cabinets make this floating home loft a super clean, sleek space.

Two Suites

This floating home has two master suites, each with its own en suite bathroom. Again, luxe finishes include quartz cabinet tops and stylish mosaic shower designs. Each spacious bedroom has its own walk in closet plus a regular wide closet. All design elements are very sleek and modern; perfect for the floating home buyer who has an affinity for Pearl District Lofts. Vaulted ceilings soar above the living area to at least 17 feet. Walls of windows and a gigantic deck for entertaining, plus a boat lift.

Garages

this house comes with a two car over sized garage.   Pull down access to extra storage above the garage! This moorage has cement docks, deep water and wonderful neighbors. Enjoy the floating home lifestyle! Dock your fishing boat right at your home.

Christmas Ships

The Portland Christmas Ship parade curtsies at your front door! Invite all your friends to a yearly party for this fun event. West Hayden Island Moorage is a gated community and has a lot of fun people living there. When you buy this beautiful loft floating home, the price includes a fractional ownership in the HOA including all moorage assets and exclusive use of your own slip. One of the assets is a long term lease on the uplands and dock spaces. This is a great moorage. 

If you’re lucky enough to live on the river, you’re lucky enough! Call me today to schedule a showing of this floating home or any other home on land or on the river!

All floating homes are in communities called moorages. Some communities are owned by someone else, and some of them are owned by fractional ownership shares by the residents. I am writing today about slips that are owned by someone else: floating home slip lease. 

What is a slip lease?

A floating home slip lease is where you pay each month to ‘dock’ your floating home at a moorage. Rule of thumb is that if your monthly moorage fee is over $500, you are renting or leasing the slip. The floating home slip lease fee will cover some of your expenses such as dock maintenance, parking, sewage for the community, water access (sometimes it includes your water usage too) and garbage. Each moorage might include different things, but all of them include the basic elements of a community.

What is the difference between floating home slip lease and slip ownership?

As with any rented situation, when you have a floating home slip lease you have less control over the cost of your monthly fee. Keep in mind that you are paying a share of all community services such as access to gas, water, sewer, garbage and so on, AND you are also paying the owner of the property a fee that is his income for owning the property. That said, there is a cost to owning the slip. Buying a floating home that includes the slip will cost you more in purchase price, and cost you less in monthly fees.

Which type of slip should you buy?

Of course this depends on your budget. But it also depends on the location you choose and sometimes on the amenities you want. Sometimes a buyer might have more monthly cash flow than cash for a larger down payment. In this case, floating home slip lease may be necessary. 

What are the terms of a floating home slip lease?

All leases are different of course. Some moorages only have month to month floating home slip lease. But don’t worry, you wont’ be asked to move your floating home as long as you pay your monthly fee. Sometimes there is a large ‘move in’ fee to secure a long term floating home lease. The term might be 20 or 25 years, and any increase in monthly fee is usually outlined in the lease.

Remember! If you’re lucky enough to live on the river, you’re lucky enough!

One of the first topics I discuss with potential buyers of a floating home is whether or not they want to purchase the part of the moorage with their home, or if they are open to a leased slip moorage. Let’s take a look at what is often referred to as slip ownership, but is in reality a fractional ownership interest in a larger organization such as a moorage.

What is a Slip Ownership Moorage?

In the floating home market, a slip ownership moorage  can take many forms.   In all cases, you are purchasing a floating home that is part of a larger community; the floating home community moorage shares financial responsibility for things like parking on the uplands, access via the ramp, the docks, the sewer system for the community, the water system (either well water or public water), utility service such as natural gas, electricity, propane, and potential dredging or maintenance of the river bottom beneath the moorage. The moorage might also have real assets to include such as garages or storage buildings, a gated entrance, lighting in the parking area or on the docks, easements for utilities or other property owners.  All of these things require a budget of some sort to maintain them, and a committee ( usually a board of directors) to make decisions about maintenance, repair and replacement of these important systems. The benefit of what I call ‘fractional ownership’ in the moorage is that YOU get to participate in deciding how your ‘neighborhood’ will be maintained and how it looks and works. You get a vote on the cost and the process of projects and monthly expenses. The bottom line is that fractional ownership of the moorage, commonly referred to as slip ownership, gives you as an owner more responsibility to make decisions and usually results in a lower monthly fee.

Ownership can take several forms. You can own the assets (docks, gates etc) and lease the uplands. You can own the docks etc and also own the uplands and the mud beneath the moorage.  You can purchase into an organization such as an HOA (Homeowner Association) which gives you ownership in the organization and the organization owns the long term lease on the land and docks.

Part of your decision will include where you want to live; not all areas have floating home moorages that offer ownership. Part of your decision will include your monthly budget for the community fees. I will go over slip lease in another post. This is just one part of your decision to live in a floating home. Keep in mind, if you’re lucky enough to live on the river, you’re lucky enough!!

The first thing potential buyers of floating homes in Portland want to know is, ‘what about the float?’  Buyers of floating homes have done a bit of research, and they know the float is pretty important, and also that the inspection is important. But they don’t really know much about how to interpret the inspection report for a floating home, or much else about the float.

What is a float?

The float on a floating home is basically the foundation.  Floats are constructed several ways. Logs running vertically, and wood or steel stringers running horizontally, or cement (yes, it floats if hollow or constructed to float). Some older floats are made of steel boxes or tires that are cobbled together. Another part of the float is encapsulated Styrofoam, which is the flotation for the float.  These bales are inserted in the grid of logs and stringers, and they are used to float the house high enough (but not too high) and to balance the house.

How long does a float last?

A log and stringer float or a cement float under a floating home will last forever with proper maintenance.  Brand new, a float might be given a 50 year life. But that can be extended by periodic replacement of the stringers, maintenance to the logs, additional flotation and so on. The house doesn’t sink on the last day of 50 years. The health of the float will be determined by the health of the wooden supports (logs and stringers), no growing vegetation on the wood, keeping river varmints from living under the floating home and cleaning the area around the floating home. 

Float Inspection for Floating Homes

The float inspection is done to provide buyer or seller a snapshot of the health of the float on a given day. A diver evaluates the condition of the logs and stringers (rot or breakage). The numerical value given to the float in the float inspection corresponds to the length of time a lender will use the float as collateral for a floating home loan. 

Are you lucky enough to live on the river? Call me! If you are lucky enough to live on the river, you are lucky enough!!

HAPPY 2018! The floating home market looks like it will be strong again this year! Inventory was very low in 2017, so floating homes that were priced correctly sold right away. In 2018 I predict a stable floating home market with higher prices (but keep in mind that you pay for what you get in the floating homes.). So what makes a floating home priced right?  

Just as in homes on land, location is key to pricing. The floating home you buy will be where you want to live. Oh, what about moving it to a new or different location? Well, yes, that is possible too. But for now, let’s look at the home where you find it.  Location for floating homes is about what you are looking for. Floating homes in Portland Oregon are located in moorages on one of the two rivers: Willamette River and Columbia River. The Multnomah Channel is part of the Willamette River, flowing north between the main channel of the Columbia and diverting water from the Willamette where it will re-join the Columbia at St Helen’s.  So, what do you want in your floating home life style? Kayaking? Sailing? Swimming? Bird watching? Rural setting? Harbor setting?  All of these lifestyle choices are available for floating homes.

Condition of the floating home is also a factor in pricing. Clean, well maintained, de-cluttered.  It’s a great idea to have a current float report on the float in the home you are selling (but this is another blog post) and of course, it is a very good idea to have a float report on the floating home you are buying. Having this information available to potential buyers will contribute to the buyer feeling confident about investing in their floating home.

Sold!  This adorable floating cottage sold to a new owner who is looking forward to starting their dream of living on the water!  Here is what the sellers have to say about working with me!

“Hello Karla,

Thanks again for everything.  It was a real pleasure working with you.  Below is our recommendation letter:

We recently had the wonderful pleasure of working with Karla Divine to sell our floating home.  Karla was a true hard working professional throughout the entire process.  She was thorough and knowledgeable about the in’s and out’s of selling a floating home.  She was prompt and extremely responsive when it came to meeting our needs and answering our questions.  She made herself available (by phone and e-mail) anytime regardless of the day of the week or the time of day.  It is for all these reasons and many more that we highly recommend Karla Divine to list your home.  We have no reservations about recommending her services to anyone and everyone including our friends and family.

Mike and Cheryl Versteegh”  Seller 2017

This is why I love what I do! I love  putting that Sold moniker on a great listing. It begins a life on the water, and also begins a new adventure on land for the seller.  Remember! When you’re lucky enough to live on the water, you’re lucky enough! Sold!  This home is located in the ‘up-river’ moorage of The Islands. It is a slip ownership moorage. This house had an old style float constructed of tires and flotation, so it had to be a cash purchase, but it was immaculate and very well maintained so a good buy for the new owners. They are already making some super cute changes to this tiny house to create a space that lets them enjoy the river life. 

Bridgeton Round Top SOLD!  I fell in love with this adorable, original round top…one of the early floating home styles….the first time I saw it. Tiny, but super cute and mostly all original so the integrity of this old home was preserved. I love the roof line of these homes. The interior is small, but organized and reminds me of a fine old boat. This little moorage on Bridgeton Road is very close to the dog park and has a wonderful view of the North Portland Harbor!  Welcome to the ‘Hood’ Ron and Kristin!!

“Karla was just great to work with. As we navigated our floating home purchase, we kept saying to each other, “Wow, she’s good!” She was very responsive to our needs, knowledgeable, resourceful, upbeat, straightforward, communicated very well, always prompt, provided electronic signing for quick turn-around. Above all, she was extremely flexible. We would heartily recommend Karla for any real estate needs.”  June 2016

KM and RM, Portland

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Rare find in Channel Island Moorage! This large waterfront floating home near Sauvie Island,  is an original design and build by Marc Even Construction, one of the premiere floating home builders on the West Coast. Slip ownership plus an oversize two car garage with extra storage! This is a one owner home in the spectacular Channel Island Moorage and comes with an oversize double car garage complete with an upper room for office or storage.  This home has oak hard wood floors, two gas fireplaces (one is the living room and one in the master suite).  Plenty of decks on this home; a large front deck on the main floor opening off the dining room / great room. This deck offers covered space for year around enjoyment of the view, water and wild life.  There are two decks on the second floor: one off the guest bedroom and another spacious deck off the master suite.  Click here for virtual tour: http://Rare Find in Channel Island Moorage

Waterfront floating home with slip ownership and garages!

Oh, let me describe the master suite!  This spacious light filled room is open to a large vanity room complete with large soaking tub and glass shower. Thank you for privacy of the commode closet! There is a lovely seating area for reading, meditating, sewing or enjoying the view of Sauvie Island and the mountains. A very spacious sleeping area accommodates a king size bed easily. There is a large deck accessed by circular staircase from the main floor or through the master bedroom itself. And, the huge walk in close is completely lined in cedar!  The rest of the second floor is accessed through double doors opening to a nice hallway leading to guest quarters and extra full bathroom and the upper utility room.

Waterfront Property with slip ownership and  garages! One of the nice things about this property is that it boasts two utility rooms, one on each floor allowing room for wet gear, a work room or shop area, and separate washer dryer area. A covered porch welcomes visitors and offers a place for plants and umbrellas. This house is located at the bottom of one of the entry ramps to the moorage so it is extra convenient!

Gated Property with Luxury

Channel Islands Moorage has 17 floating homes located a few minutes outside Portland near Sauvie Island. HOmes rarely come up for sale in this moorage. The gated private moorage owns 6.5 acres of fully landscaped uplands. This is a premiere property that shows pride of ownership of this one owner home.

Thank you for your knowledge, conscientiousness and follow-through in facilitating the recent sales of my floating home and slip.

I enjoyed working with you and appreciate your no-nonsense and no-hype approach to the entire process. You did what you said you would od, and your assessment of the market and demand proved to be spot on.

I would recommend you to anyone looking to list and sell their property of any type. you know the market very well. Thank you!  Bob A.  2016

I received this wonderful praise from a client this year. When it goes like this, I love what I do!  I first put this awesome house up for sale with the slip. Then a buyer came who wanted to buy the house but not the slip. Good thing I had in mind a price for the slip plus the assets in the moorage! Once the house closed and was moved out, I put the slip up for sale and BAM! a buyer came who bought the slip. It ended well for both the seller and both buyers.

New listing in West Hayden Moorage.

Wet Hayden Moorage on level home

One level floating home with slip ownership. This home also includes a finished two car detached garage with pull down access to attic storage. This one level two bedroom two bathroom home, with double French doors leading to the extra large decking, has an open floor plan with engineered wood floors, separate utility room and extra storage plus a gas fireplace!

Continue reading West Hayden Moorage Floating Home

Rare opportunity to buy a Front Slip in Tomahawk Moorage. Super cute 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom floating home with solid float (rated with no repairs in 2014). Dock your boat on either side. Views of the North Portland Harbor, Mt Hood and the famous Western Sunsets. Watch the wild Osprey who make the harbor dolphin home every summer. Take your harbor cruiser to the world famous Island Café for dinner from Memorial Day through the end of September each year. Kayak, sail and SUP right from your deck!

Slip Value in Tomahawk Moorage

There are only eight of these fantastic front slips in Tomahawk Moorage. Slip ownership translates into low HOA fees that cover water, sewer, garbage and the gated pet friendly community. Hayden Island has become a ‘go-to’ shopping and boating destination in Portland. This home is heated with a beautiful gas stove. The gourmet kitchen has slab granite counters, stainless appliances, gas cook stove and custom cabinets with roll out shelving. Check it out! front slip in Tomahawk Moorage.

Slip Ownership; What does it mean to you?

When you own the slip, you have more control over your monthly fees. In Tomahawk Moorage, you own part of the moorage; as one of the owners, you vote on important matters such as the monthly fee and big repairs. Tomahawk Moorage is owner managed and owner maintained through volunteer efforts. Tomahawk Moorage owns the ‘mud’ which means the riparian edge of the bank AND the mud beneath the homes out to the middle of the North Portland Harbor.

The end of summer stats are in! Below is a link to the Portland Metro Market Action Report for real estate activity in August 2015. Wow. Portland real estate was on fire for the last few months. We finished the month with under 2 months of inventory. Prices were up by almost 7%.  Now in mid September, I am seeing what I call a ‘flattening’ of the market which means to me that I am seeing fewer multiple offers increasing the sales price, appraisals taking less than 5 weeks, buyers have more than eight hours to view a property and make their best offer.

Closed sales in August increased by 18% over August 2014 and the median sales price increased by 7% over the same period of time in 2014.  What neighborhoods saw the greatest change? You will see that North Portland has been discovered and Northeast Portland remained extremely strong.  Read the report here: Portland Metro Market Report.

Sellers:  Jump into the market now if you have not already done it. If you price your property correctly, you should see it sell quickly. You are enjoying another strong seller market right now. BUT, we are expecting interest rates to increase this fall, and there is an election coming next year, each event of which will dent your market strength.

Buyers: Interest rates are going to increase. FHA loans are adding more requirements which are decreasing your ability to borrow as much (and in the Portland Metro Market, this can be treacherous).

Investors: I would recommend “watch”.  The Portland Metro Market is building lots of new rental housing to meet the strong demand of relocation residents. Smaller investors in the 1 to 4 property arena should do well in appreciation; keep a wise eye out to outer boundary areas like Cully in Northeast and Foster in Southeast.