Real Estate Information Archive

Blog

Displaying blog entries 1261-1270 of 1850

Mt. Hood Flooding Fire Department Press Release

Thursday, January 20, 2011
by Liz Warren

Press Release

Hoodland Fire

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

January 20, 2011

5:00 pm

 Welches, Oregon - As Portland General Electric has restored electricity this afternoon, the Hoodland Fire District is concerned for fire safety.  We are hopeful that homeowners have shut of their main circuit breakers and appliances to prevent unwanted fires.  We are asking people to watch for smoke or fire coming from houses and report to fire department personnel above the washout.  At this time the Hoodland Fire District has limited fire suppression capabilities in the affected area.  The location of the temporary fire and medical reporting point is located on Lolo Pass Road near Briarwood Road; please look for the driveway marked by two large construction barrels.

Welfare checks that are happening are done by Hoodland Fire Personnel; they will be wearing official fire district apparel to include hats, jackets, sweatshirts, t-shirts, vests etc.  If you have someone not affiliated with the fire district or sheriff's office, please report that the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.

The Red Cross will have their catering truck with hot meals available until 7:00 pm today.  The Red Cross will determine if there is a need for tomorrow later on today.  The shelter at Camp Arrah Wanna will be closing down tonight at 6:00.

The shuttle system is still available, the senior center bus is on approximately 1 hour schedule going from the Barlow Trail Road/Lolo Pass junction to Brightwood, Camp Arrah Wanna, Welches shopping center and Rhododendron.  This maybe augmented by the fire district van on an as needed basis.  Mountain Express is still operating on their schedule as follows:

Barlow Trail & Lodge Lane

Barlow Trail & Lolo Pass

6:11 am

6:15 am

11:47 am

11:52 am

6:42 pm

6:47 pm

Respectfully Submitted,

  

Scott C. Kline

Public Information Officer

Hoodland Fire

Add Comment

State of Emergency Declared in Welches and Zig Zag

Tuesday, January 18, 2011
by Liz Warren

A state of emergency has been declared for Zig Zag and Welches due to the flooding over the weekend that has left hundreds without power, water, phone and electricity plus a way out from the flooding of the Sandy River. LoLo Pass Road has been taken out for about a half mile due to a change of course by the river. Residents may be out of power for three to six weeks. A hand cut trail for two miles has been cut through neighboring properties for access now that LoLo Pass Road has been taken out for around a half mile. It looks like an earthquake area as the road buckled and river debris flowed through the area just above the Barlow Trail intersection.

The Red Cross has opened a shelter for families affected by the flooding at Camp Arrah-Wanna, 24075 E. Arrah Wanna Boulevard in Welches. The fire department and volunteers are checking on people in more isolated areas.

The bridge that crosses the Zig Zag River close to Hiway 26 to access LoLo Pass is currently closed and is getting assessed for stability. Not only the amount of water flow but the large trees that went down the river caused a great deal of erosion. All local bridges are getting checked out for damage assessment from the barrage of large trees that rambled the structures for days as the rivers roared through the area.

Here is the latest news on the emergency declaration for Zig Zag and Welches.

The total amount of destruction is yet to be completely assessed. At last count I believe four homes have been taken down the river. Three on the Sandy and one on the Zig Zag from a log jam across the Zig Zag River behind the local Skyway Restaurant near Rhododendron. Other homes are threatened by bank erosion and log jams on the rivers.

More details are to follow as they become available.

Add Comment

Tuesday Morning Coffee

Tuesday, January 18, 2011
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"You've failed many times, although you may not remember.
You fell down the first time you tried to walk.
You almost drowned the first time you tried to swim, didn't you?
Did you hit the ball the first time you swung a bat?
Heavy hitters, the ones who hit the most home runs, also strike out a lot.
R.H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York caught on.
English novelist John Creasey got 753 rejection slips before he published 564 books.
Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs.
Don't worry about failure. Worry about the chances you miss when you don't even try."

- Full-page ad published in the Wall Street Journal by United Technologies


"I CAN'T" IS DEAD!

There's a wonderful story in "Chicken Soup For The Soul" about a 4th grade teacher and a funeral. The teacher had her students fill a sheet of notebook paper with all the things they couldn't do. They wrote furiously for quite a while filling their paper with "I can't do ten push-ups," or "I can't kick the soccer ball past second base," or "I can't get Debbie to like me."

The students were then instructed to fold their papers and place them into a shoebox at the front of the room. The teacher then tucked the box under her arm, and invited the students to follow her out into the playground. There, they each took a turn at the shovel and dug a hole four feet deep. The box was placed in the hole and quickly covered with dirt.

The students then held hands while the instructor delivered a eulogy in memory of "I can't." In it, she noted that "I can't" was survived by his brothers and sister, "I can," "I will," and "I'm going to right away."

"I can't" is a close relative to most of us, yet maybe with a little extra effort we can finally let him go. It won't be easy since he's been such a close relation, yet maybe by dwelling on his brothers and sister and their importance to us - we can!

Remember the unforgettable line from "The Little Engine That Could"? "I think I can - I THINK I can! I THINK I CAN!" Don't forget the last line of our quote for the day. "Worry about the chances you'll miss when you don't even try!"

Add Comment

Mt. Hood Area Flooding Update

Tuesday, January 18, 2011
by Liz Warren

As I listen to the rain failing this morning I'm thinking, will it stop?

Here is a more comprehensive update on the flooding locally in Rhododendron, Welches, and Brightwood areas.

Info from Oregonlive.

Add Comment

Mt. Hood Flooding

Monday, January 17, 2011
by Liz Warren

What does eight and a half inches of rain at Timberline do to our area rivers?Chaos was unleashed throughout the area. The Zig Zag River, the Sandy and the Salmon were all raging over the past couple of days. Over 200 people were evacuated up Lo Lo Pass Road. Power, telephone lines, and cell service are out mostly in the Lo Lo Pass area as the powers of the rivers unleashed their fury.

Here is a newsclip from KPTVshowing how LoLo Pass Road in Rhododendron was wiped out. It's difficult to say how long it will take to rebuild these roads and fix the access.

Two homes were washed away in the flooding. One was called Gertrude's Vintage Cabin along LoLo Pass Road on the Sandy River and built in the 30's or 40's and survived the 1964,1996 and 2006 floods!

The second was a forest service cabin on the Zig Zag River behind the Skyway Restaurant area on Road 3 Lot 7. A log jam event caused major bank erosion in this area and completely took this cabin down the river. The next downriver cabin is also in eminent danger of major erosion and destruction. I spoke with the owner of the cabin while he was assessing the damage. The cabin has been there since the 20s but the river has changed course over the years.

Once the waters recede it will be interesting to see just how much damage has been caused by these recent events.

Add Comment

Collins Lake Condo Foreclosures Dominate Condo Market

Saturday, January 15, 2011
by Liz Warren

Collins Lake foreclosures are dominating the market in Government Camp. Here is a recent new listing that just became available today.

Collins Lake New Foreclosure

Another foreclosure unit went pending today, listed at $240,000

The last two sales closing in Collins Lake were also foreclosures. Once closing at $207,000 and another at $234,000.

 

 

Add Comment

Mt. Hood Area Sales for December 2010

Saturday, January 15, 2011
by Liz Warren

December 2010 saw six closed sales for the month according to multiple listing service. Here are the six sales:

Mt. Hood Area Sales for December 2010

The first two listed are foreclosures. Two properties were in Government Camp. The majority of homes selling at this time are second homes vs. primary residential properties. Three of these sales were cash and three with conventional loans.

Add Comment

Interesting Foreclosure Numbers

Saturday, January 15, 2011
by Liz Warren

Here are some interesting foreclosure numbers from RealtyTrac concerning 2010's numbers:

*2.87 million homes received foreclosure filings in 2010

*Foreclosure notices were up 1.67% from 2009

*They were up 23.23% from 2008

*1 in every 45 homes in the United States received a foreclosure filing

*Five states accounted for half of foreclosures: California, Florida, Arizona, Illinois and Michigan

*In California, 1 in every 25 homes received a foreclosure filing

*In Nevada, 1 in every 11 homes received a foreclosure filing

*In the 4th quarter of 2010, foreclosures slowed due to documentation issues

*1 million homes were foreclosed on in 2010

*The documentation delay will push foreclosures into 2011 for a projected 1.2 million foreclosures

*2011 should be the peak of the market downturn

 

Add Comment

Foreclosures and Short Sales

Wednesday, January 12, 2011
by Liz Warren

Considering buying a foreclosure or a short sale in the Mt. Hood area? There's a lot going on with robo-signers, recent court rulings and bank decisions. Recent news articles declare housing has just hit the "D" word, Depression level, in loss of values for the fourth year in a row. That's right, a loss of 26% since June 2006 nationally.

A recent court rulling in Massachusetsmay be good news for homeowners facing foreclosure. Did the banks have the legal authority to foreclose on homes and have all the legal paperwork in order? Robo-signing and loan servicers are under major scrutiny as to if the banks had the legal right to foreclose and did that bank actually own that mortgage.

Major banks, Freddie Mac (the largest underwriter of loans right now, all are reporting that the first half of 2011 will see further price declines. Numbers are anywhere from nearly 4% to 8% nationally. These are the same people who control the flow of foreclosures into the market place. Be aware that as these foreclosures hit the market they will increase the supply therefore depress prices a bit further.

Short sales may increase in 2011 as banks find out the foreclosure action may not be as easy or attractive this year. Many companies that insure these loans (mortgage insurance companies) covered the bank losses through foreclosures but since there is so many questions about the legalities that applications were fraudulent, banks may not get that insurance paid so short sales will look more attractive as an option.

Despite potentially a further price decline in the market, interest rates may tend to move upwards this year. The "cost" of buying a home is still excellent right now. It's a great time to lock in the monthly payment that you can afford!

Add Comment

Monday Morning Coffee

Monday, January 10, 2011
by Liz Warren
Monday Morning Coffee

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"If you want to learn something new, concentrate on getting that 'right feeling' that is true to yourself. Take the risk of letting go the precious little control you've struggled to gain, letting go enough to immerse yourself in what you are doing. Then - do it!""
- Drs. Tom Rusk & Randy Read


THE SEARCH IS OVER!

Have you ever read Shel Silverstein's wonderful book, "The Missing Piece and the Big O"? It's a whimsical fable that has touched readers of all ages. It chronicles the search most of us have undertaken at one time or another in our lives to find the one person who can make us whole.

As the "Missing Piece" searches, it encounters other "parts." Some of them fit, but cannot roll. Others have too many pieces missing - while still others have too many pieces. The missing piece continues the futile search until one day it meets the "Big O" - a whole (not a part) with no pieces missing.

Thinking it had, at last, found its whole, the Missing Piece exclaims, "I think you are the one I have been waiting for - maybe I am your missing piece . . . I was hoping that I could roll with you." The Big O replied, "But I am not missing a piece . . . perhaps you could roll by yourself."

How often have we all felt that we needed someone else to be whole (or to roll) - not realizing that we are all in fact already the "Big O." We are already self-contained, have the ability to roll in any direction we like, and need nothing else to achieve every dream we've ever had. Then, unexpectedly, we find that there are others who are also "Big O's," with whom we can share our own "wholeness."

If I've lost you with this mysterious tale, go by the library or pick up a copy of this unusual story. Trust me - you'll understand. It's the type of book you can give to a loved one who may be feeling like a "Missing Piece."

Add Comment

Displaying blog entries 1261-1270 of 1850

Syndication

Categories

Archives

Contact Information

Photo of Liz Warren Real Estate
Liz Warren
Merit Properties Group - Keller Williams Realty PDX Central
Box 131
Welches OR 97067
Direct: 503-705-3090
Send an Email