Like me, most of you probably still think of the corner of 14th & Commercial in downtown  Astoria as home to Chris’ News.  Growing up, this was the hotspot for Archie Digests,  jigsaw puzzles for family holidays, and cigars for grandpa.  I had always assumed that Chris’ News had been there since the building’s inception, but come to find out this is not the case.  Prior to being Chris’ News the building was home to the Commodore Hotel, which first opened it’s doors in 1925.  Fast forward 83 years and The Commodore is preparing to re-open it’s doors once again.   As part of the ongoing Renaissance that’s embracing Astoria, the Commodore Hotel is being reinvented by local builder and craftsman Paul Caruana.  Known for his flare for combining traditional architecture with spaces designed to accomodate our modern lifestyles,  The Commodore will be no exception.  Geared towards the modern hip traveler,  the hotel will feature 19 unique rooms that blur the line between youth hostel and urban boutique hotel.  Many original details of the building will be stylishly recycled into the new design, insuring the approval of both Gen-Xer’s and adventurous Baby Boomers alike.  As of right now, the grand re-opening is slated for fall/winter 2008.  Look for more updates on the project at commodoreastoria.com. 

 It’s a rare thing to find a house that has it’s woodwork, flooring and windows intact!  We don’t get to see that often.  Nor do we get the privilege of being in many restored vintage homes.   Unfortunately, the term  ’remuddled’ more often fits the bill than remodelled.  Not so with our listing at 731 9th Street.  Lovingly restored over the course of the past decade by a lively gent and his English wife.  The restoration process involved shopping trips to many places.  Most notable is the booty shipped over from England!  Plaster rosettes,  English Rose wallpaper and the never-before-seen Bullion glass (at least not seen by this Broker)!  Bullion glass, also known as “bull’s eye” glass, is characterized by ripples on the glass surface in the shape of concentric circles.  The design is similar to that of a bull’s eye target.   I don’t think this is seen much in our area as it’s a very old way of forming glass.  Our historic homes date back to the late 1800s and this process is much older.  I love it that this homeowner added a bit of English heritage to her own slice of American history.   These bullions were originally the rejects from the glass blowing process.   What started out as an old English tradition can now be found incorporated into modern day manufacturers of windows and glass in America.  A recent press release from Simpson Door announced their version of  doors with bullion glass. 

You can view this beautiful Queen Anne Victorian on our website or by calling one of our brokers at 503-338-5200.

It’s apparent to anyone with a TV or internet connection that the market has slowed, but I can’t help but think the media has exaggerated just a bit.

While going to the doctor could never be considered pleasant, I did find my visit to the Urgent Care clinic to be just that.  Despite being their first day open and a waiting area full, all of the staff was pleasant and professional. I found the attending doctor to be very thorough, very caring and truly willing to take time to listen.

They accept most insurance but they will not turn away someone with out insurance. As I understand it, they have payment options available and will work with all people in order to get them the care they need.

I have visited other Urgent Care Clinics around the the Northwest.   I have been disappointed by the seemingly disinterested physicians & staff (not to mention the often lengthy wait times) until visiting ‘ours’.  In my opinion this facility is truly an important addition to our area and the people staffing it should give themselves a pat on the back!

  Your first stop in Historic home ownership should be to check in with The Historic Landmarks Commission, which  is a seven  member branch of the city government that is responsible for reviewing new and existing Historic landmarks.  They are there to  provide support and guidance to existing Historic homeowners, and successfully guide new applicants through the process .   The commission is responsible for only exterior alterations including, but not limited to, decks or porches, siding, windows, removing or adding historic  ornamentation, rooflines additions etc.  They do not review interior alterations.  New construction adjacent to Historic properties is also reviewed to ensure compatibility in scale, style, materials, architectural detail etc. and serve as a protection  of the integrity of  the Historic property.

 There are some great perks that go along with the historic designation for its owners.  The city offers design consultation by  trained staff to review the history of the structure, characteristics, and suggestions on how to mesh new alterations to the home with the original character. Financial incentives are also avaliable.  The state Historic Preservation Office offers a “Special Assessment” which is a freeze on the assessed value of a home for 15 years. (For more information about this program check out this link http://prd.state.or.us ) Along that line the US Department of the interior offers a 20%  Federal tax credit on income producing buildings (bed & breakfast, apartments, etc.).  

 One of the most  frequently used incentive programs  locally is a tax credit from the National Trust for Historic Preservation which requires you to open parts of  your home to the public once a year.   The Bank of Astoria, in partnership with the City of Astoria offers a local incentive also, which is a low interest loan, up to $25,000,  for exterior improvements of downtown and some Uppertown buildings, regardless of whether or not they are historic. 

There are lots of resources avaliable throught the Historic Landmarks Commission to make Historic home ownership a positive experience so get out there, buy that historic home and be a part of history!

 For more information about Historic home ownsership visit the City of Astoria website at http://www.astoria.or.us

 2855 Mill Pond Lane,  Astoria, Oregon

What is New Urbanism?  

  ”Giving people many choices for living in sustainable, convenient and enjoyable places, while providing the solutions to global warming, climate change, and peak oil” 

Astoria is lucky to have such a project in our midst.   Award-winning Mill Pond Village was the brain child of Developer Art Demuro and Lennerz, Coyle & Associates.    Mill Pond Village showcases many of the brightest designers and builders in our area as well as offering the best riverfront living in Astoria!   Creative planning has encouraged a true community spirit here.  Residents can walk to shopping, congregate on their covered front porches, stroll the riverwalk or catch the historic trolley. 

The temporary bump in inventory due to the December storm seems to be leveling off finally. While a balanced inventory is 6 months supply, the Astoria area at 9 months is promising. There seems to be lots of Buyers looking, but reservations about the economy are at the top of mind for most.

While Astoria (97103 zip) seems to be gaining speed, the overall Clatsop County residential market looks like this for the last 30 days:

• Sold- 33
• New- 106
• Pending- 35
• Expired- 76
• Current Active- 567

source: Clatsop MLS

Here’s the skinny on houses that sold this past year near the $150k price tag- 

This cute lil’ bungalow sold for $150k so what was the catch? SLIDE ZONE!

Another bungalow with a river view sold for $145k.  This one too in a slide zone.

 This one is a bank repo- total fixer and sold for $135k.

This one overlooks a cement plant and the county shops sold for $147,500.

Another repo with “deferred maintenance” sold for $125k.

 Cute but tiny!  432 s.f. sold for $118k.

Total fixer!  Needs it ALL and sold for $149,500.

So there you have it Barbara!  I think most or all of these were solid investments for the folks who bought them.   Would I want to spend my retirement days or dollars on one of these?  Probably not.