On a sunny summer day, what’s not to love about Lake Oswego? That’s what our recent out-of-town guests were asking themselves.

I’ve called Lake Oswego home for over 30 years now. And I’ve been helping others call it home as a Realtor in Lake Oswego for almost as long.

So although I find myself “selling” Lake Oswego as a place to live more days than not, I still sometimes take this beautiful spot for granted.

A couple weeks ago my wife and I hosted over 20 out-of-town guests in our home for 4^th of July weekend. These were young adults, friends of my kids who had heard about how our town does Independence Day up big and came to find out for themselves. And while they were here, I was reminded, by their comments and their responses, of some of the things that make Lake Oswego so unique.

It’s so green!” Granted, these are millennials who are crowded into one of the tightest housing markets in the country, are more familiar with concretescape than landscape, and have to head over to the Marina Green in San Francisco to find some grass to sprawl out on. But yes, as they all looked down on our fair city and the surrounding metro area on their airplane’s descent their universal takeaway was how lush our environs are.

I’m gonna drown myself in this lake so I can be buried here.” Say what you want about our green tinted lake. For those of us who are brave enough to venture in, we find it refreshing and just the place you want to be on a hot summer day (or perhaps for eternity, as our visitor suggested).

It reminds me of my hometown.” As we sat at the pancake breakfast watching neighbors greeting neighbors and listening to banjo strumming music, a couple of our visitors harkened back to the 4^th of July’s of their childhood. There was a wistful nostalgia to their comments telling me that the memories they were recalling were fond ones and that on the 4^th of July we become a place anchored in all that is good about small town living.

It’s the perfect weather!” Temperatures were in the 80’s over the 4^th of July weekend which was perfect weather for early morning hikes, pancake breakfast in the park, swimming in the lake, dinners outside, backyard corn hole tournaments, and working on the summer tan. Native East Coasters didn’t miss the humidity or the bugs that plague their summers and often drive them inside on an otherwise beautiful summer night.

It stays light so much longer here.” Come summertime, our evenings eek out up to one more hour of daylight than those of our Bay Area friends. It’s enough to notice. After a day filled with hiking, swimming and boating, there was still time for happy hour and lawn games before dinner. Of course, come winter, our days may prove to be shorter but at least we have the daylight hours when we need them to squeeze more summer out of the season.

It’s the greatest place to celebrate the 4^th of July.” When my son solicited comments from his friends about their weekend here, one of them sent this back. I’m not one to argue. From the pancake breakfast in George Rogers Park to the fireworks over the lake, Lake Oswego knows how to do Independence Day. Several of his friends remarked how the holiday wasn’t really a big deal where they came from. Now they know better, and for some, it could rank right up there with Christmas and New Year’s.

Lake Oswego, you did me proud. Our visitors arrived and you served up some perfect summer days, so much so that yet another out-of-towner commented, “There’s nothing better than a sunny day in Lake Oswego.” The only thing better would be to live here. I’m thankful I do.

If you’re thinking of moving to Lake Oswego or would like to explore buying a home with lake access —either waterfront or with easement rights—give me a call at 503.939.9801 or check out my website. I’d love to put my 25 plus years experience as a Lake Oswego Realtor to work for you.