Lake Oswego’s Reputation as a Great 4th of July Town Grows

Posted on June 26, 2016 by lovelakeoswego
This year we'll need to reserve an entire picnic table to hold our visiting 4th of July crowd!

Last year’s visitors spread the word–this year we’ll need to reserve an entire picnic table to hold our visiting 4th of July crowd!

“I bet Lake Oswego has more kids that come back for the 4th of July than any other small town,” proclaimed my daughter the other day as we finished talking to yet another twentysomething who said he was flying home for the holiday (from Texas).

Add him to the plus 15 that my son is bringing from San Francisco and Philadelphia (this is up from four last year) and the four cousins coming up from Orange County, and you could say she just might be right.

The 4th of July in Lake Oswego has that effect on people. They want to be a part of it. They want to feel like there is something to celebrate and people to celebrate with. They want to get swept up in small town Americana at its patriotic best. And that’s what Lake Oswego dishes up beginning the day before. Here’s what to look for.

●Skiboard and Wakeboard Show. Grab a viewing spot of the action in Lakewood Bay at Sundeleaf Plaza, Stickmen’s Brewery & Skewery, the Lake Theatre and Café, or Millennium Plaza Park on Sunday, July 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

●Portland Waterski Spectacular. Check out the stunts and the showmanship as these skiers dazzle you on the water in Lakewood Bay, Sunday, July 3 at 5:00 p.m.

●Millennium Concert Band. Get in the flag-waving mood with your patriotic favorites on Sunday, July 3, beginning at 7:00 p.m. at Millennium Plaza Park.

●Lions Club Pancake Breakfast. This is the one time of the year my wife eats pancakes so they must be good (and her are gluten-free)! Early birds make sure they get the marionberry syrup. Line starts forming at 7:00 p.m. and grows until closing time at 12:00 noon. George Rogers Park, 611 S. State Street.

●Star Spangled Parade and Celebration. What kid doesn’t love a parade? Apparently none in Lake Oswego as it seems every child under the age of 10 is either walking down A Avenue or cheering those on who are. Parade begins at 10:00 a.m. and finishes at Millennium Plaza Park with a Star Spangled Celebration…and pie eating contest at 12:00 noon. Things wrap up at 1:30.

●Lake Oswego Corporation Boat Parade. Where else can you see one parade on land and one on water all in the same day?! Boats will leave from Lake Grove Swim Park at 3800 Lakeview Boulevard at 12:00 noon. While you’re there, reserve your spot for fireworks viewing later that night.

●Fireworks Show. The show begins around 9:45 p.m. on the west end of Oswego Lake so best to be at the Lake Grove Swim Park, on the Oswego Canal bridge, in a boat on the lake, or at a lakefront party if you can get an invite.

If any of your out-of-town guests fall in love with Lake Oswego while they’re here, and want to explore buying a home, give me a call at 503.939.9801 or check out my website. I’d love to show them around!

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Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts Stretches the Boundaries of Paper Art

Posted on June 19, 2016 by lovelakeoswego
festival 2

Book excavations such as “Kingdom of the Seashell” by James Allen will be on display at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts. Allen created this piece by cutting through the pages of a found book, revealing layers of seashell images.

Google “paper” and Wikipedia will tell you that it is a material used for “writing, printing, packaging, cleaning, and a number of industrial and construction processes.” Come to this year’s Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts, with its theme, “Chasing Paper—Stretching the boundaries of paper as an art form,” and you’ll learn that it can be used for so much more.

The Special Exhibition Gallery and demonstrations will highlight papier-mâché, 3D sculpture, recycling, marbling, collage, paper making and what is called “book excavation.”

festival 1

This work by Allen called “Fashion” from a purchased book reveals several decades of illustrations of American fashion advertising from the early 20th century, including three silhouetted women running in Jantzen swim suits.

Artists, like James Allen, create sculptures out of books. Using a scalpel or x-acto blade, he makes selective cuts throughout the pages, revealing another narrative that gives the book a new story (and in many cases, a new life, as these books are often found on the street, in recycling bins and in used book stores). Allen will be giving a demonstration on Friday, June 24 at 12:00 noon in the Exhibit Gallery located downstairs in the Lakewood Center.

Here are some other highlights:

  • Kids Get Creative activities in George Rogers Park, Friday, June 24 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • Missoula Children’s Theater performance of Rumpelstiltskin on the stage in George Rogers Park on Friday, June 24 at 4:00 p.m. (free) and Saturday, June 25 at 10:00 a.m. ($5)
  • Artists’ Reception, Friday, June 24 at 6:00 p.m. in the Lakewood Center Pavilion Tent
  • Hands-on Paper Making, Friday through Sunday, June 24-26 from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Lakewood Center Pavilion Tent
  • Paper collage demonstration with Beth Yazhari, Saturday, June 25, at 2:00 p.m. in the Special Exhibit Gallery
  • Live musical performances covering Country, Rock, Blues, Gospel, Jazz and Alternative Rock on the stage in George Rogers Park all weekend long
  • Art in the Park featuring regional artists daily in George Rogers Park
  • K-12 Student Exhibit highlighting Art Literacy projects at the Lakewood Center for the Arts

For a full schedule check here. And to read previous posts on why the Festival of the Arts is not to be missed look here.

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5 Reasons to Ditch Zillow and Trulia for This

Posted on June 12, 2016 by lovelakeoswego

website 2According to the National Association of Realtors 42 percent of last year’s homebuyers started their search online. If they happened to land on a national site like Trulia, or Zillow, I have a word of advice, “Buyer beware.”

When it comes to looking at real estate listings in Lake Oswego and the Portland metro area, it’s best to “Search local,” which is why the Hasson Company has refined our real estate search tools and why you should check them out on my website when you’re in the market.

  1. Property search information is updated every 15 minutes. In a hot market, timing can be everything and so it’s reassuring to know you are getting up-to-date listings at www.kevincostello.hasson.com to give you that competitive edge. I’ve had houses sell in a day so if you aren’t getting your info in real-time, you could be out of luck.
  1. You can neighborhood shop on the Hasson Company platform. Have several neighborhoods you are considering? Want to hone in on the neighborhoods you can afford? When you do a property search on my website you can set your preferences to include the neighborhoods you’re most interested in. It’s a hyper-local approach you can’t always find on the national aggregates.
  1. Get a better sense of value. Click on the “Market Trends” tab on my website, and you’ll be taken to a page that gives you hyper-local information once again on over 265 neighborhoods located in the Portland metro area, Southwest Washington and Central Oregon. Narrow your search to just the neighborhoods you are interested in, and know you are getting stats that are updated every month. For example, in the month of April, there were 35 homes for sale in the Palisades neighborhood in Lake Oswego. Of those that sold, the average sales price was $797,208 which represented 96.9 percent of the asking price, taking an average of 23 days to sell.
  1. Take advantage of an interactivity that facilitates the home search process. My home search system syncs with my mobile app so you can be driving by a listing, favorite it, and I’ll get notified. While driving around, you’ll be able to see on your phone, the available listings in the area, and keep me posted as to what you’re interested in seeing. This type of connection keeps me plugged in as your Realtor to what it is you’re looking for in your dream home, making it that much easier to find you the perfect match!
  1. Enjoy a personal connection with a professional with hands-on market knowledge. When visiting a new city, don’t you really want to know where the locals go to find the best restaurants, night life, places to go? That same local approach applies to real estate.

Case in point: I recently listed a house on Delenka Lane in Lake Oswego at $750,000. It sold for $742,000. The Zillow Zestimate was $845,426. Another home on one of the Lake Oswego canals sold for $980,000 despite the fact the Zestimate was $736,513. The variances between true market value and these estimated values put out by national firms can be even greater, sometimes as much as 60 percent.

That leads to false expectations both in the eyes of the seller as well as the buyer which doesn’t serve anyone well. People in the home buying market are better served by meeting with a professional Realtor with hands-on experience in their local area to determine a home’s true value. Pulling it off the Internet may be easy but it’s not always accurate and can set a buyer as well as a seller up for a frustrating experience because they’re armed with misinformation.

My 25 plus years experience in selling homes in Lake Oswego and the Portland metro area is just a click or phone call away when using my property search platform. Check it out at www.kevincostello.hasson.com. I hope I can help you the next time you’re in the market to move on.

 

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What to Do with Out-of-Town Guests in Lake Oswego This Summer

Posted on June 5, 2016 by lovelakeoswego

summer visitorsOne of the things you need to know about living in Lake Oswego is this: when it comes to summertime, you need to make room in your calendar for out-of-town visitors. The combination of beauty, weather, lake, and special events makes it a popular stop for both first time and repeat guests. Here are some ideas for keeping everyone happy (but be warned: they will want to come back!)

Go jump in the lake. Just show proof of residence in the city of Lake Oswego, and escort your guests into the Lake Oswego Swim Park on Ridgeway Road. Park is open from July 1 through August 28. 250 Ridgeway Road, 503. 953.9328.

If you live within the original Lake Grove School District boundary, you and your guests can enjoy the Lake Grove Swim Park located at the corner of South Shore and Lakeview Boulevards. The park opens June 11 through August 28 and then re-opens for Labor Day weekend. 3800 Lakeview Boulevard, 503.635.0356.

Take a hike. As a Realtor I’ve found that in many cases, Lake Oswego sells itself. Out-of-towners are just awestruck by its natural beauty. So lace up your shoes and take them out on one of our scenic pathways either around the lake (about 7 miles with vantage points along the way), or the Iron Mountain Trail that climbs up behind the Lake Oswego Hunt Club.

Go To Market, To Market. Voted Oregonian readers’ favorite metro area farmers market, this is a great place to start your Saturday, or as the finish line to one of those hikes you need to take. Get there after 10:00 a.m. and enjoy live entertainment. Plan on refueling with lots of made-on-the-premises food choices to save you cooking in the kitchen.

Get a sugar high. Portland may have Voodoo, but Lake Oswego has Nola’s. Pastry chef Robert Herkes’s creations borrow from the French tradition of layering dough and are a delicious marriage of croissants and doughnuts, called “La-ssants.” We had one visitor proclaim the Madagascar vanilla, “the best thing I’ve ever tasted.”

If cupcakes are more your crowd’s weakness, then take them to Kyra’s Bake Shop, now the only four-time winner of food network’s Cupcake Wars. (You don’t even have to tell them they are gluten-free because they’ll never notice!)

Wine tasting. While Lake Oswego is only about an hour away from famous wineries in spots like Newberg, Dundee and McMinnville, several local businesses have made tasting even easier by bringing the wine to you. Bring your wine lovers to one of these spots and depending where you live, you can even walk home!

  • World Class Wines. Features “Summer Sips” on Wednesdays from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sample different wines for $5/glass. On Fridays from 4:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., you can enjoy six different wines for $15 or add on two bonus pours for $5 more. 149 A Avenue, 503.974.9841.
  • Wizer’s Fine Wines. Treat your guests to free wine tastings every Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Check their Facebook page to see what wines they’ll be pouring that day. 269 A Avenue, 503.636.1414.
  • Vin Italy. For the Italophiles in your group, head over to Vin Italy on the second Saturday of the month to enjoy Italian wines and appetizers from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. for $5. 16035 Boones Ferry Road, 503.636.4104.
  • Oswego Hills Winery. Do your tasting amid the spectacular setting of the Oswego Hills Winery, located just outside of town. Tastings are held every Sunday from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. 450 S. Rosemont Road, West Linn, 503.655.2599.

Get crafty (as in beer). If Portland is considered the beer capital of the world, and Lake Oswego is only 12 miles from Portland, then we must have some of our own bragging rights, right? Let’s just say the craft is honored here as well with several establishments filling their taps with some of the best local brewers have to offer. Here are a few places to try.

  • Hop n Cork, 17450 Lower Boones Ferry Road, 503.305.5903.

Hop on the trolley. The Willamette Shore Trolley is making runs on summer weekends beginning in July and running through the first weekend in September. The seven mile, 40 minute round trips depart at 10:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $6/Adults, $5/Seniors 55+, $3 Children, and Free for 2 and under.

Read 52 Reasons to Love Lake Oswego. Subscribe to my blog by clicking on the “Sign me up” tab on the top right hand column and receive weekly updates right to your inbox on things to do in Lake Oswego. Then, no matter when your guests show up on your doorstep, you’ll be prepared! (And if they fall in love with Lake Oswego, and decide they want to move here, give me a call at 503.939.9801 or check out my website. I’d love to show them around.)

Photo credit: digitalart at freedigitalphotos.net

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The More You Read, the More You Win in Lake Oswego This Summer

Posted on May 29, 2016 by lovelakeoswego

books-1204029_640As if reading wasn’t its own reward, the Lake Oswego Library has added more incentives to turn the pages during the lazy days of summer. No matter what age you are, from pre-readers to seniors, the more you read, the more chances you get to enjoy everything from new books to blazer tickets to an Oregon Coast getaway.

Here are the details: (programs start June 1)

PRE-READERS AND KIDS CLUB

Log in 250 minutes of reading to your little one (for pre-readers) or clock in 500 minutes (for kids) and receive a new book from Friends of the Library plus tickets to: Blazers, Thorns, Oregon State Fair, Family Fun Center; as well as coupons for Oaks Park, Benihana, Booktique and Lakeshore Learning. You’ll also be entered in a drawing for a chance to win a bicycle accessory package from the Bike Gallery.

TEENS ENTERING GRADES 7-12

Teens get a free book just for signing up and then the incentives begin.

  • For every two hours of reading, you’ll be entered in a drawing for a $20 gift card to Bridgeport Village. Go one step further and write a book review and you could win four Blazer tickets.
  • Read one book and enjoy a free UU Yogurt and Benihana appetizer
  • Two books will get you Oaks Park admission for $6.50 on specified dates
  • Three books comes with a free Trailblazer ticket and Thorn ticket (specified dates)
  • Four books and you get a free game of mini- golf at the Family Fun Center and a ticket to the Oregon State Fair

ADULTS

The more you read, the better your odds of winning in random weekly drawings with edible or bookish prizes along with a chance to win the grand prize which historically has been a beach getaway

Here are some of my recommendations:

  • Thrillers by Harlan Coben, including his latest, Fool Me Once
  • The Rent Collector by Camron Wright
  • One Good Dog by Susan Wilson
  • Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin

If you have any summer reads recommendations, pass them along here. Thanks! And be sure to read my blog this summer by subscribing. Click the “Sign me up” button in the top right hand column.

 

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Why Boredom Is Not an Option for Lake Oswego Kids This Summer

Posted on May 22, 2016 by lovelakeoswego

summer campsThere is no reason for kids to be bored in Lake Oswego this summer. Thanks to resources like the Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Department, Lakewood Center for the Arts, and the Play Boutique, they can become better athletes, more polished actors, inspired artists and chefs, and skilled adventurers.

If you haven’t had a chance to check these offerings out, let me give you a few of the highlights so you can get a taste of what’s in store for your kids’ “best summer ever!”

LAKEWOOD CENTER FOR THE ARTS will keep your resident thespians inspired with programs like the six one week Kids Create-Summer Stars sessions for ages 4 through 7 beginning July 11 and running through August 19 giving kids a chance to create their own show. Teens with theatrical aspirations can hone their craft in a Pre-Professional Musical Theatre Training Showcase for ages 14 through 19 that runs July 18-29. Auditions are required. And adults–there are offerings for you too from Playing With Shakespeare (July 11-August 29) to Acting for Non-Actors (July 14-September 1).  See the full schedule.

LAKE OSWEGO PARKS AND RECREATION. See the full schedule here.

  • KINDERCAMPS for ages 4 to 6 begin June 27 and run from 9:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. through August 19 with songs, games, stories, crafts and activities centered around themes like “Jurassic Journey” and “Secret Life of Pets.”
  • ART CAMPS for ages 5 to 15 include a focus on Creative Writing (for ages 10-15 the week of July 5) and Environmental Art (for ages 10-15 the week of August 8).
  • DANCE AND MUSIC CAMPS for 5 to 15 year olds promise to get the good vibrations going with offerings that feature Hip Hop, Dance and Cheer, Drumming Madness and Glee Week.
  • MAD SCIENCE for kids 5 to 12 should appeal to the “how do things work” thinker in the family who’d like to build robots in Radical Robotics, invent the next best thing in Creative Contraptions! The Inventor’s Camp, or figure out 101 things to build with LEGOs® in any of three different LEGO® camps.
  • TECH CAMPS for ages 6 to 17 feature two new themes: Music Video 101 and Movie Making 102 as well as returning favorites like Web Design and Video Game Design.
  • LAKE OSWEGO EXPLORERS for 7 to 12 year olds feature weekly themed camps that include two field trips and activities. Before and after care are available as well. All new themes include Minion Mayhem and May the Force Be With You with field trips to locations such as The Enchanted Forest, Pump It Up, OMSI and Ultrazone.
  • TEEN SERVICE CORPS provides volunteer opportunities for teenagers 13 to 17 years old. The three day commitment includes two days of service and one day of adventure. Teens can interact with seniors at the Cedar Sinai Park’s Robison Health Center followed by a day of zip lining, paintball and ropes course activities at Camp Dakota or help out at Luscher Farms before spending a day at Oaks Park.
  • LUSHER FARM provides the perfect venue for themed camps like Food Around the World for ages 5-12 the weeks of July 11 and August 8; Tractors, Trucks, and Trailers for ages 4-8 July 5-8, and Gardening and Fiber Arts for ages 7-12 from June 27 through July 1.
  • OUTDOOR CAMPS for 4 to 17 year olds are both on land and in the water with Survivor Camps for all ages as well as paddle and rowing camps.
  • SPORTS CAMPS for ages 7 to 14 get your kid ready for action whether it be tennis, lacrosse, fencing or golf.
  • SKYHAWKS SPORTS CAMPS for ages 31/2 to 12 cover all the basics including soccer, basketball, baseball, flag football and boys’ lacrosse. Register online through Skyhawks.

LAKE OSWEGO PLAY BOUTIQUE. One week camps are scheduled throughout the summer beginning May 27 through September 2 for kids, ages 1-8+ around themes such as Pizzeria School, Princess Power and Secret Agent Spy Lab. Half and full day options are available as well as sibling discounts. Register.

Summer is one of the busiest homebuying seasons. If that’s on your summer “To Do” list, give me a call at 503.939.9801. I’d love to put my 25+ years experience to work for you!

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Don’t Forget This Important First Step When Getting Ready to Sell Your Home

Posted on May 15, 2016 by lovelakeoswego

staging 2Listing a house with an agent isn’t’ the first step to selling your home. Getting it ready to market is. With the busiest home buying season upon us, it’s time to consider what you need to do to make your home open house ready.

Here are some tips.

  1. ASK: What Would You Do? It’s hard to be objective when looking at your own home so it might be easy to overlook the stack of bills piled up on the desk or the shoes lined up beside the front door. I tell my clients to consider this: “Pretend your son or daughter is getting married and the in-laws, who you haven’t met yet, are coming for dinner. What would you want your house to look like?” That can often provide a good starting point.
  1. Hire an agent who includes staging as part of his or her service. Sometimes agents have to show a little “tough love,” explaining that as much as you may love the “lived in” look, potential buyers prefer the “ready to move in” look. When needed, I provide a two hour consultation with a professional stager who will write up a list of recommendations to get your home ready to put on the market. In many cases she will work with what you have—moving furniture, relocating paintings—but more often than not, she’ll tell you what needs to go and what can stay.
  1. Consider the research. According to the National Association of Realtors® 2015 Profile of Home Staging, 49 percent of buyer’s agents believe that most buyers are influenced by home staging while over 65% of seller’s agents think that staging increases a home’s sales price by anywhere from 1 to 15 percent. The pecking order of rooms that warrant staging breaks down like this: living room, kitchen, master bedroom, dining room, bathroom, children’s room, guest room.
  1. Consider the numbers. The median cost to stage a home according to the National Association of Realtors® was $675 last year. But sometimes it takes more to make more. Last year I had an as-is listing which received an offer of $800,000 which the seller turned down. One year and $55,000 later in improvements, the home sold for $980,000. Some of that additional $125,000 (after expenses) in profit was due to appreciation, but I would say the bulk of it could be attributed to painting, refinishing floors, installing new carpet, updating appliances as well as kitchen and bathroom counters.
  1. Don’t forget the outside. In this day and age of the Internet, curb appeal still matters. My wife and I bought our first home as a fixer-upper with a yard so out of control that you couldn’t even see the house from the road. After spending the first weekend just pulling weeds and clearing out debris, someone knocked on our door asking us if we were interested in selling. Sweat equity paid off before we even touched the interior of our humble abode. While your yard most likely wouldn’t need this kind of extreme makeover, be sure to consider what these changes might do for a positive first impression—resurfacing a cracked driveway, painting the front door, arranging a colorful planter on the front porch, trimming overgrown trees.

Looking for more ideas? Sign up for Flipboard.com and then check out this magazine I put together on Staging Tips.

If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home this summer, give me a call now so we can start the discussion on how to get your home “For Sale” ready. You can reach me at 503.939.9801 or check out my website.

 

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5 Reasons Why Lake Oswego’s Farmers Market Won People’s Choice Award for Best Metro-Area Market

Posted on May 8, 2016 by lovelakeoswego
Lakewood Bay from Millennium Plaza Park reduced

How many Farmers Markets can offer shoppers a view like this?

Continue reading →

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Discover Why the Lake Run Has Been Around for 40 Years

Posted on May 1, 2016 by lovelakeoswego
1996@ Brady riley casey dad on Lake Run

The Lake Run was a family affair for the Costello’s back in the day.

The Lake Oswego Women’s Club is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its annual Lake Run with this year’s event scheduled for Saturday, May 7. Participants can choose from a 10K, 5K run/walk, Kid’s dash and family fun festival. Here’s what some of last year’s finishers have to say about what makes the Lake Run the time-honored tradition it is around Lake Oswego.

blockquotes-1Running in Lake Oswego is beautiful and running around the lake is gorgeous. The start and ending are lots of fun–there are crowds of people cheering you on. One piece of advice–take your time on your way up the first hill, McVey, and save your energy as you will need it at the end. -Cameron Soderstrom, 10k

blockquotes-1It’s a great community event that kicks off the summer here in Lake Oswego. Now that I have kids, my kids are out there cheering me on and afterwards the oldest participates in the kiddie dash. -Todd DeCook, 10k

blockquotes-1The 5k is perfect for any type of runner, from casual to competitive. The scenic views of the lake and community feel are what makes it special, with people outside their homes cheering runners on in the neighborhoods and the finish line with all the spectators and vendors is a great way to celebrate. It’s a pretty flat course, with a few minor inclines, making it easy for most runners. –Casey Costello, 5k

blockquotes-1The course is a great one given the challenging terrain, and circling the lake is pretty unique in Oregon…if doing the 10k, get some hill work in! – Andy Ford, 10k

blockquotes-1I like the tradition. Our house has always been on the race route so I grew up watching runners go by every year. (I ran in the kid’s dash a few times growing up). That’s what motivated me to participate last year. The 10k course is very challenging. Going up the long McVey hill to South Shore right at the beginning is a tough test. I underestimated it last year and was hurting towards the end of the race. – Reed Oliver, 10k

blockquotes-1I ended up bumping into and running next to old friends which was a pleasant surprise. I appreciated the fact I was able to enjoy the scenery without the pressure of finishing or placing, while other runners had the option to run at a quicker pace and make it a competition. The course was mostly flat and not too challenging in my opinion, making it a great option for a beginner. – Gabbie Lindeman, 5k

If you haven’t already, register online and join the fun.

Lake Run this week…Farmer’s Market next…the summer lineup of things to do in Lake Oswego is gearing up so be sure to sign up for my blog so you don’t miss a thing. Just click the “Sign me up” button in the top right hand column.

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5 Things You Might Not Know When Looking to Buy a House in Lake Oswego

Posted on April 24, 2016 by lovelakeoswego

woman looking1. There is a lake here. If you lived in Westlake, commuted to Portland for work and shopped at New Seasons in Mountain Park, you wouldn’t have much reason to drive along the city streets that offer lake views. In fact, when I first started selling homes in Lake Oswego, I remember giving my “Chamber of Commerce” tour to potential new clients who were surprised when I stopped and showed them the lake. A previous Realtor had shown them some homes in Westlake but hadn’t bothered to orient them to the town, including our namesake. So yes, there is a body of water here that explains why we are called “Lake Oswego.”

2. You don’t have to live on the lake to enjoy it. There are many ways to take advantage of Oswego Lake besides living on it. While waterfront homes are some of the most expensive in town, other homes in areas with easement rights enable you to gain lake access at a much cheaper price point. There are 20 easements around the lake giving 3,000 non-waterfront homeowners the opportunity to enjoy the lake lifestyle. Of course easement rights do not always guarantee full access as each easement only has a limited number of boat slips. In most cases you can swim from the dock or launch a canoe or kayak but you’ll want to check with your Realtor to find out how long the waiting list is for a boat slip if this is an important consideration.

There are also two swim parks on the lake giving residents the opportunity to swim in the lake during the summer. The Lake Grove Swim Park at 3800 Lakeview Blvd. is limited to residents who live in what was the old Lake Grove School District boundary. Again, this is something an experienced Realtor should be able to help you determine. The Lake Oswego Swim Park at 250 Ridgeway Road is open to all residents of Lake Oswego.

In addition, there is lots of visual access to the lake with viewpoints from Millennium Plaza Park, Sundeleaf Plaza, the Headlee Trail, and spots along South Shore as well as North Shore Road.

3. The lake isn’t the only body of water in town. George Rogers Park at 611 State Street offers access to the Willamette River with a beach that’s a go-to spot for sunbathing, picnicking, bird watching and seeing how muddy your dog can get before piling him back up in your car. You can find a home with a river view, and in some cases, river access as well.

4. Convenience. There is a mantra in real estate: location, location, location. That is one of Lake Oswego’s selling points. As I mentioned in a previous post, it’s close to everything like 8 miles to Portland and 12.2 miles to the airport. But where you situate yourself in town will also make a difference in how easy it is for you to hop on the I-5 if you’re a commuter or get to 24 Hour Fitness or ClubSport, two nearby fitness clubs. So factor that in when shopping around for a place to live.

5. In School District Transfers Must Be Approved. Each school in the Lake Oswego School District, from elementary through high school, has an attendance area defined by the school board. Requests to transfer are approved on a space-available basis. In cases where a student is requesting to move from a school with a smaller attendance to a school with a larger attendance, both principals have to be on board that the case is justified and that the ability to educate the student properly will not be compromised. So be sure to check out what school boundaries at each level—elementary, junior high and high school–the home you are considering falls into. Then research those options because changing your mind down the road may be difficult to do.

When looking to buy a house in Lake Oswego, it helps to have all the advantages in your favor. Working with an experienced Realtor can ensure that there are no surprises waiting for you once you move in. I’ve been in the business for almost 30 years and was recently honored as one of only three Hasson agents who have made the company’s top 40 list for the past 27 years. Give me a call at 503.939.9801 or check my website. I’d love to show you around.

Photo Credit: stockphotos at freedigitalphotos.net

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