High Atop the Bluff in the Gorge

I wrote about the bluffs in White Salmon a few years back and now a colleague of mine has finally gotten the lots he has been working on completed and ready for sale. Our office is listing them now. The views from these lots are outstanding and they do NOT require oversight by the Columbia Gorge Commission.

In total there are seven lots including one that can be further divided into a total of three lots. Each of the lots offers a view of either the Columbia River Gorge and some offer spectacular views of Mount Hood and Hood River Oregon across the river.

One of the lots has a house on it already with a large deck that takes in one of the best views possible. The others are ready to go. Buy the lot and build the dream.

This area is filled with things to do especially if you like the outdoors. There is also plenty to do "in town" in this area with White Salmon high up on the bluff, Bingen down along the river and just across the bridge is Hood River, Oregon.

Hood River / White Salmon is in the transition point between the lush green west end of the Gorge and the drier east end of the gorge. As such rainfall is significantly less than what we see here in the west. There will be a great deal more sunshine. The winters will be a touch colder but still not as brutal as the central and eastern Washington cities of Ellensburg, Wenatchee or Spokane.

What fabulous spot to take in the view. I have attached the following google earth clips with approximations of the lot locations. If there is interest in the actual real estate, I have them listed on my land site, Southwest Washington Land.

As always please enjoy the view.

Gorge-ous Views in White Salmon

Previously published on "Enjoy the View" by Rod Sager

The Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area is quite spectacular. The area is governed by a commission that makes building homes in the region challenging. The commission must approve all buildings and has a very strict set of guidelines for new construction. This is all intended to protect the integrity of America's second largest gorge behind the Grand Canyon.

All of that gorge commission red tape aside, the views from some of the homes are stunning. This 1.39 acre lot in White Salmon, Washington is listed at $500,000. It is in one of the few urban exemption zones and thus requires no gorge commission review to build. The views are quite amazing both urban and natural. This lot looks across the Columbia into Hood River, Oregon.

Prices are steep for these exempt parcels but the home will have an obstruction free view of one of the worlds most spectacular natural features and the glimmering lights of Hood River on the other shore.

The gorge-ous home shown here is listed at 1.1 million and is on the same bluff as the land listing. This is a spacious three bedroom home with 2600 squares and a three acre lot. The home has equally dramatic vistas. Looking West peers into the temperate rain forest portion of the Gorge. Looking East shows the dramatic transition to arid grass lands.

The Columbia River Gorge is a truly remarkable scenic area and to live up on a bluff overlooking this magnificent natural wonder is absolutely heavenly.

White Salmon is a city of roughly 2,300 people in Klickitat County. It is connected to Hood River, OR by the Hood River-White Salmon Interstate Bridge across the Columbia River. This long cantilever bridge spans nearly a mile across the river and features a lift section to accommodate commercial river traffic. White Salmon is 68 miles East of Downtown Vancouver via Washington State Hwy 14.

Hood River, Oregon has roughly 7,900 people and a nice historic downtown area. The city is 65 miles East of Portland, OR via Interstate 84.

This is a great area to retire and soak up the bounty of nature. The Washington side offers some advantages to retirees which you can read about on my Retire to Washington Blog.

I highly recommend you take a lovely drive into the Gorge and please, enjoy the view.

Take a Look at Washougal

Sometimes I like to focus on a neighborhood in the area and since I just wrote a piece on Washougal on my "View" blog I figured that would be a nice neighborhood to address today. Washougal is immediately adjacent to Camas and shares with that community many shopping areas and services. The two cities are symbiotic and yet rivals at the same time. Camas has become rather affluent over the last 15 years and prices in that city have gotten out of reach for many middle income people. Washougal however remains a relative value.

A common perception about Washougal is that it is far away. It isn't; and I talk about its proximity in the blog post below. Washougal offers some amazing view properties and a great variety of upscale homes that are generally priced 15-25% less than rival Camas. Washougal also offers a nice selection of vintage homes and smaller starter homes and with prices that remain affordable in this increasingly more expensive housing market.

Washougal is a classic small town that is big enough to offer the daily services of a larger city without losing the charm of rural America. Washougal is also very close in to all the "big-city" services of Vancouver and Portland.

The blog post below was re-posted from my blog, "Enjoy the View" take a look at it below and see that Washougal has much to offer.

Washougal offers some fantastic view properties and some of them are surprisingly affordable. Washougal is also one of those places that some people "think" is far away. The reality of it is this; it isn't. In fact, according to Mapquest, at 10:15am this morning a trip to PDX from downtown Washougal is 17 minutes. The drive is less than 15 miles! How in the world is that, "Far Away"? The answer is; it isn't.

In all fairness Washougal actually covers an enormous area once you get out of "town". There are places up in the mountains with a Washougal address that are easily 20 minutes to town. Even still, any location in the "country" is likely to require a bit of extra driving, it is the price one pays for the seclusion afforded to country living.

There are two Washougals. The city of Washougal which offers up some fantastic Columbia River view properties that rival the much more expensive Prune Hill in Camas. These homes are less than 20 minutes to the airport. Then there is rural Washougal. Here you will find a virtual cornucopia of small acreage properties across a variety of price ranges. many of these properties feature a fantastic view. The views range from Columbia River Gorge, Mount Hood, to Portland city, and across to the Coastal Mountains.

Washougal offers opportunity at many elevations as well. The city properties are typically under 600 feet so the winter conditions are mild. Some of the rural areas approach 2000 feet where Christmas is truly a winter wonderland. It is hard to find an area that offers as much diversity in view property as Washougal.

Washougal and Camas are immediately adjacent to each other. They share a common business corridor along 3rd Street / E Street. Washougal however offers generally lower property taxes and lower housing prices overall. This can spell value for the savvy shopper.

As a note of caution for buyers looking in the area, be sure to pay attention to just how far out a property is. I know I just spent a paragraph explaining that Washougal is not far away, but I also noted that the rural portion of Washougal is very large. If the property is located along Washougal River Road mile marker nine is the approximate point at which you enter Skamania County. It is a fifteen minute ride back into the heart of Washougal from that point. Belle Center Road along SR 14 in the Gorge is about eight minutes out of the center of town (Washougal). Even if you head all the way out to the Mercantile Store at mile marker ten Mapquest says it's 25 miles and 35 minutes to PDX :)

We are so spoiled here in Clark County Washington. Our out of the way destinations are still only half an hour out!

So come out and visit Washougal and when you do, be sure to Enjoy the View.