Fishhawk Lake Real Estate Trends Winter 2016

There continues to be an influx of buyers interested in vacation homes at Fishhawk Lake as well as those looking for full time living in an environment far different than the urban sprawl that has taken hold of Portland and the surrounding suburbs in the last year. Oregon being the 6th highest state for people moving to (with Washington being the 5th) and 68,000 people who've moved to Oregon in the last year, the housing market is being squeezed for inventory in Portland and its outer fringes and this has sparked a new interest in more rural areas with lower taxes and lower price-point.

There are trade-offs to living full time in a more rural setting. Quiet, activities that require being outside more, far less traffic and more wildlife on the roads, neighbors more spread out. You won't find a Trader Joe's a mile down the road, so you will have to plan ahead when doing your weekly shopping. Living at Fishhawk Lake year round might require buying that stand-alone freezer and stocking up for the winter when weather may take a turn towards snow and ice and the dark nights come faster, making driving a bit more challenging.

Interested buyers for both vacation AND full time lake properties are coming from out-of-state lately, too;  Arizona, Utah California, just to name some recent areas of inquirers. Many are coming from just 90 minutes away, too. It's surprising to see so much interest in December and it doesn't seem to be slowing down.

Lake Properties for $200,000

At this moment, the vacation home properties and potential full time living homes of interest all lie in the $200,000 range or the very inexpensive vacant lots. There is still a variety of choices to be had in that price range for homes, most of which I am familiar with as to their history or current condition. Do call or e-mail when you are ready to do a tour of Fishhawk Lake or want to know more about our community, the seasons and all of the other questions that come up about our slice of paradise!

Gayle C. Rich-Boxman
REALTOR® Vernonia Realty Direct: (503)755-2905