Cool, wet, and cloudy start to summer

2020 is the year of suck, so it seems with COVID-19, civil discord, and now a Scotland summer thus far in Washington State. The coast is a great place to get away but it is a little better when the sun is out or at least the ground is dry.

I would say not to let the gloomy and somewhat drippy weather keep you away from the great wonders of the mighty Pacific. The coast is very busy when the weather is hot inland and this less than ideal weather is a great time to soak up the beach life without any crowds. After all, we are supposed to maintain that six foot bubble and now is the time to do just that.

Unfortunately many of the larger and potentially crowded events this summer have been canceled in the wake of the Corona Virus Pandemic.But what a great time to head to the beach and just stare at the sea with few people around to disrupt the serenity of nature.

Meanwhile check out the real estate in the area. The market has slowed a bit but prices seem steady at the moment. Things are still pretty good at the beach.

State Parks Galore

Did you know that SIX state parks reside in Pacific County on the Long Beach Peninsula Area? That's a fair number and from the mouth of the mighty Columbia up the peninsula to Leadbetter you can dive into the wilds of nature or wonder at the historical buildings of Cape Disappointment and Fort Columbia. There's more to an outing at the coast than a walk on the beach.

Check out the six parks at the beach.

• Cape Disappointment
• Fort Columbia
• Leadbetter Point
• Pacific Pines
• Loomis Lake
• Willie Keils Grave

March is here and soon the weather will turn the corner to spring. For now it is still a bit of winter but sunny days are ahead with late evening sun. Next month the Razor Clam Festival returns so keep your calendar clear.

Coast Remains a Value

The Long Beach Peninsula continues to be a great value in real estate. I have been showing property in Ocean Park and Oysterville recently and continue to marvel at the amazing deals one can find at the beach.

Last fall my sister and brother-in-law bought a tidy little house on a 'jumbo' acre. They managed to get it for a real song of a price compared to the values for a similar property in the Portland-Vancouver metro area. Frankly about 1/2 price. Now she has referred someone to me and that person is looking for a beach property as well.

My newest beach client is looking in the $300k - $400k range and should have no problem at all finding the right home. The Long Beach Peninsula remains under-valued in the market place, but I don't think this will last forever. It will be "discovered" soon and that could lead to a run up in values. Get yours while the 'gittin' is good :)

Here are some value properties I found recently in a search. 

2 beds, 1 bath 808 SF listed at $155,000

2 beds, 1 bath, 1040 SF listed at $164,900

3 beds, 2 baths, 1435 SF Ocean View! Listed at $239,000

Now don't go thinking the beach doesn't have upper end properties. Au contraire, my friends. I also found this stunning beachfront home on 3.2 acres butting right up against the beach. This one has 3 beds, 3.5 baths, 4035 SF. It is listed at a reasonable, all things considered, $1.585 million.

Snow at the Coast!

Photo by Montel Graves

Southwest Washington doesn't get a whole lot of low elevation snow with a couple of incidents a year on average typically delivering 6-12 inches a year. The beach however averages more like an inch or so per year and that typically comes in an every few years event. Sunday and yesterday was one such  event. My sister lives at the coast and she provided some pictures of the rare winter wonderland at the beach.

This system that came through clipped the coastline from Northern Oregon up through the Olympic Coast but inland it more or less missed the Portland Metro which only got a light dusting in the valleys. Seattle on the other hand got a much bigger shot of snow with a few inches clogging up the Pacific Northwest's largest metro area.

There is something magical about snow on the coast. Out here on western side of North America we don't get a lot of coastal snow even in the northern reaches. The onshore flow and relatively warm ocean waters create a very mellow climate. So when a good old fashioned snow dump does happen it is really special. The crashing waves splashing up against a snowy beach rather than the usual sand is awesome.

Photo by Montel Graves

Temperatures at the coast were unusually chilly as well and this morning dropped well below freezing. It is possible another round of light snow may mix in with rain at the end of the week. Inland in places like Portland and Seattle, more snow is likely.

Keep it toasty inside this week, the moderating effects of the Pacific are off duty and the beach will get a special look at inland style winter temps. Isn't that snow pretty :)

Photo by Montel Graves

Coastal Weather Tends to Avoid the Extremes

Hey guys I am taking a cross country road trip with my youngest son, so I'll post this from a few years back about the steady eddy weather on the coast.

You Like Your Weather Static?

One of the stark contrasts with the weather and climate on the Washington coast as compared to inland areas like Portland-Vancouver is the nearly flat chart of average temperatures across the whole year. Yes if you like a fairly predictable temperature over the course of a whole year, it is hard to beat the beach. Of course it is wetter and windier at the beach but the temperatures are nearly static. Look at that chart!

In Long Beach, WA, there is only 16° of difference between the average high in July and the average high in January! Contrast that against Vancouver, WA where the difference is 36°. Or how about a place like Spokane, WA where the difference is an astonishing, 50°. You may find it interesting that Long Beach, WA has the same difference in average daily high as San Diego, CA! Yes San Diegans enjoy a tight 16° spread between summer and winter as well. Yes, I know the spread is the same but So-Cal is much warmer.

To be fair the coast tends to favor a cooler climate, but the moderating effects of the mighty Pacific Ocean keep the extremes minimized and the averages very predictable and pleasant all year long. Heat waves in the summer are very rare and when they do happen they are quite short lived. Deep freezes in the winter are equally rare and again very short lived.

So if you want to live in a place that doesn't really have a major shift in seasons then the coast could be the ticket. It is really a two season affair on the Washington Coast, a short 4 months of mild summer weather and long but very mild 8 months of winter.

The beach is affordable and fun all year round, check it out!

Rising Rates could Dampen Beach House Dreams

Interest rates have been creeping up all year. Although they remain well below the 50 year average, the opportunity to own a vacation beach house gets slimmer as rates go up. Vacation and rental property loans typically have a bit of a hit to rate on top of the upward movement we have seen since the dawn of 2018.

The Long Beach Peninsula remains a wonderful value for coastal property. I have gone on about this for years daringly close to ad nauseam indeed. I will not belabor the point further today but will suggest that those considering a vacation or rental home anywhere and certainly at the coast, should be most aware of the lending rate trends under way.

Living on SW Washington's coast can be fantastic and it remains shockingly affordable. Check out my Retire to Washington blog to see why Washington State can be a very desirable location to retire and the coast is certainly an additional reason.

Tomorrow is the 4th of July and that means big 'ole beach party on Long Beach! Check out the Long Beach website for information here. 

April is Razor Clam Time

I wrote about the Razor Clam festival a few years back. I am having a lazy moment and decided to repost the original from 2014. The website is the same and there is a long list of events scheduled for 2018. Do you really need an excuse to go to the coast? Well, just in case you do, now you have one.

Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife

It's Back! Yes the classic Razor Clam Festival is back in Long Beach. Clamming has long been a favorite past time on the beaches of the Pacific Northwest and the Long Beach Razor Clam Festival has roots dated back to the 1940s.

The community has teamed up with private sponsors and the State Department of Fish and Wildlife to put on a great big festival April 20th. Check out the website for the event here.

The Southwest Washington Coast is a great place to visit and a fabulous place to live. I have spent many a word writing about the great value afforded to property in this Long beach Peninsula market and now could be an ideal time to buy your dream getaway home or retirement home in tax friendly Washington State.

Whatever you fancy, get out to the coast and check out the Razor Clam Festival on the 20th.

Retire to the Coast?

Many people that move to the Southwest Washington Coast are retired. It makes sense, really as retired people do not rely as much on the availability of high paying jobs as do those still in the working years. The coast is not exactly a hotbed of high tech nor is it filled with factory jobs. The only real stumbling block is that the coast is a fair distance away from the larger cities along the Oregon-Washington Interstate 5 corridor. The Long Beach Peninsula enjoys very reasonable housing costs and that can be a big bonus for fixed income retirees.

However there does come a time when we get older and need to visit our doctors a little more often. It is here that living on the quasi-remote coast can be an issue. There are plenty of physicians operating a practice on the Long Beach Peninsula and on the northern Oregon Coast, but hospitals and specialists may require an inland run to Longview which is 60 miles away.

This is probably the primary concern for retiring to the coast. If the medical services are adequate for your needs the rest is easy. Who doesn't want to enjoy the spectacular Pacific Ocean coastline? The weather at the coast is also more mild with wintertime temps a solid 8-10° warmer overnight and summertime highs an easy 10-15° cooler than most of the Portland Metro Area. Although the temps tend to be better moderated the rainfall is not. The coast can take a lickin' from frequent winter storms and that can mean a lot of rain and wind. Long Beach receives on average 79 inches a rain a year and that is double what Portland and Vancouver get on average. It's not that it rains more often, but more that it just rains harder.

But the coast is not that much different in terms of weather patterns and a nice long period of relatively dry conditions which arrive in July and stick around through the middle of September most years. 

Yes friends, retiring to the beach isn't for everyone, but it could be just the ticket for you so check it out!

Happy New Year!

2018 is here and I thought it might be a great time to peak at some 'off-season' coastal property deals. I found this clean and charming manny on a giant 0.29 acre lot with an attached garage, in Ocean Park. It's listed by Lighthouse Realty and appears in the RMLS. This is in the middle of the peninsula so you are about a half mile to the bay and a half mile to the beach.

This home has 1440 SF 3 beds and a pair of baths. What I really like is the cozy price of $189k. The Long beach peninsula continues to deliver value with pricing that is much lower than just a few miles south in Seaside.

The coast is an interesting place weather wise. You will get some serious breezy conditions on a regular basis and sometimes those gales to blow. Middle of the peninsula has the advantage of less wind but a bit further to the beach. generally winters are relatively warm compared to inland Portland and summers are relatively cool. The mighty Pacific moderates the temperatures nicely. Don't expect too many opportunities in January to sit on this fancy deck, but summers will be fantastic in this lovely space.

It looks like this new year will continue to deliver amazing values on the Long Beach Peninsula for full time residences or vacation properties. Perhaps even a rental. Happy New Year and best wishes for prosperity.

Another Gorgeous Autumn.

He we go again with the beautiful Autumn. Soon the colors will light up the hillsides and even at the coast things will shift to a cooler, breezier, and colorful season. Sometimes the fall can offer more sunshine than the summertime as the Pacific Ocean also goes through cycles and the marine layer may not be as intense as it is in the summer. We shall see in 2017 serves up some sunny, albeit cool afternoons.

I found this little beach bungalow on the local MLS, listed at just $115,500. Wow, cute, and less than 1/2 a mile from the beach! It is a little 2 bed cottage with a 3/4 bath and sits on a full sized lot at 0.11 acres. About 640 square feet in this charmer.

I also found a larger nearly 1100 square foot house on the bay side but still less than 2 miles to the beach at an wonderful $114,900. It is a 2 bed 1 bath home with a detached garage and some old school hardwoods inside.

The Southwest Washington coast on the Long Beach Peninsula remains an epic value for would beach house owners. This condition may not last much longer however so beach lovers should capitalize now while the gettin' is good.

You Like Your Weather Static?

One of the stark contrasts with the weather and climate on the Washington coast as compared to inland areas like Portland-Vancouver is the nearly flat chart of average temperatures across the whole year. Yes if you like a fairly predictable temperature over the course of a whole year, it is hard to beat the beach. Of course it is wetter and windier at the beach but the temperatures are nearly static. Look at that chart!

In Long Beach, WA, there is only 16° of difference between the average high in July and the average high in January! Contrast that against Vancouver, WA where the difference is 36°. Or how about a place like Spokane, WA where the difference is an astonishing, 50°. You may find it interesting that Long Beach, WA has the same difference in average daily high as San Diego, CA! Yes San Diegans enjoy a tight 16° spread between summer and winter as well. Yes, I know the spread is the same but So-Cal is much warmer.

To be fair the coast tends to favor a cooler climate, but the moderating effects of the mighty Pacific Ocean keep the extremes minimized and the averages very predictable and pleasant all year long. Heat waves in the summer are very rare and when they do happen they are quite short lived. Deep freezes in the winter are equally rare and again very short lived.

So if you want to live in a place that doesn't really have a major shift in seasons then the coast could be the ticket. It is really a two season affair on the Washington Coast, a short 4 months of mild summer weather and long but very mild 8 months of winter.

The beach is affordable and fun all year round, check it out!

Live and Play at the Beach

The Long Beach Peninsula offers a great deal of opportunity and excitement for those wishing to visit, or live. The video at left is a promotional video from the folk at funbeach.com.

Winter can be an excellent time to visit the beach and watch powerful Pacific Storms crash the beach and the rocky bluffs. It can also be a great time to look for vacation or permanent homes. I ran some research on Pacific County through the multiple listing service and found that the coast has a disproportionate softening in the market during the winter months. Generally real estate is a little softer overall during winter. Locally in Clark County there is a roughly 25% up tick in listings, and closed sales during the late spring through summer. The coast however has a larger swing in the winter versus summer comparison with sales falling off more dramatically in winter time.

This can translate into a better deal for the savvy buyer. Those trying to sell in winter are very likely doing so out of some form of necessity. Whether it is a job change, finances, family matter, whatever the cause, the need is real and that means the seller may find themselves in a more negotiable mood.

Sellers willing to negotiate in this recent strong market are hard to find, but winter at the coast could very well provide the exceptions to this general state of affairs among sellers. If you are someone that has longed for an opportunity to own a vacation property of to permanently retire to the coast, winter can be the best time to take action.

For insights on retiring to Washington State, please visit, Retire to Washington. For insights into the real estate market for Southwest Washington, visit this blog, Realtor® Rod.

Whatever you desires at the beach, the Long Beach Peninsula has much to offer. So go have some fun at the beach.

Featured Coastal Property

Photo from RMLS, modified to suit blog

I haven't done a featured property in awhile so why not today? What a great break from this presidential election grind.

Today I am featuring a listing I found on the local MLS for a fabulous condo with amazing ocean views. This is listed by Mary from Long Beach Realty which is not affiliated with my company. The MLS# is 16588153.

Photo from RMLS, modified to suit blog

This condo has a 180 degree view of the ocean which is less than a half mile away. You will hear the ocean and see the ocean from this 1000 SF condo. This is a third floor unit and the complex is perched up on a small hill giving an expansive view.

This unit has 1 bedroom and 1.5 baths. It can be rented out, but not as a vacation rental as stays must exceed thirty days. It is very spacious and offers a balcony.

Photo from RMLS, modified to suit blog

This could be an ideal getaway second home or a wonderful place to retire. It is a short ten minute walk to the beach via an access trail.

Don't let the one bedroom throw you off, this is a big unit with 1000 SF. If we assume the bedroom suite is 200 square feet that leaves a spacious 800 squares of general living area and there are many 3 bedroom homes here in the 'Couv' that have less general living area than that.

Google Earth View

Since this is a top level unit, it has soaring vaults and skylights to add to the cavernous feel with a light and bright appeal. This type of unit is not for everyone as one bedroom does limit the use a bit. But for someone that doesn't need to sleep more than two people, this is hard to beat and what an amazing view and fabulous location. This home is in Seaview which is just south of Longview and north of Ilwaco, WA. This home is much closer to Astoroia, OR and Longview, WA than the many homes offer further up the peninsula. Location, location, location, right?

Photo from RMLS, modified to suit blog

I really like this unit. According to the listing, the seller is offering the property, fully furnished. This is great for someone considering a second home or personal vacation homes as it is ready to occupy without the additional expense of buying furnishings.

This property is listed for sale at $237,000.

As I was searching the MLS I found dozens of excellent homes, some condos, some detached, and all priced very nicely. 2 bed 2 bath homes near the beach in the low 200s is not hard to find right now on the Long Beach Peninsula. If the coast has been a dream, now is a great time to take advantage of crazy low interest rates before the Fed meets after the election and possibly starts a slow series of increases in the rates.

This is yet another example of the fantastic opportunities available along the amazing Long Beach Peninsula in Southwest Washington State..

Hot Cars at the Beach!

Hot cars and the beach, at the same time? Is that even possible? Yes, yes it is possible and in fact it will be happening this weekend in Ocean Park on the Long Beach Peninsula. Check out the Beach Barons website for explicit details.

Labor Day is in the rear view mirror and the waning days of summer are upon us. there is a bit of crispness in the morning air, you know, that tell-tale sign that autumn is lurking about. Once of the great things about the coast is the relatively level range of climate. The winters are a little warmer and the summers are a little cooler so the transitions are not quite as abrupt as they are here in the Portland-Vancouver Metro area.

The beach continues to be a great place to visit well into the autumn. I am a car lover and car shows like this weekend's 33rd annual 'Rod Run to the End of the World' is a fun excuse to get to the coast. While you're out there check out some real estate. The Long Beach Peninsula continues to be a great value on coastal properties. Owning your own beach house for under $150k is a real thing!

Be sure to check the previous posts on this blog to see some of the amazing real estate ops on the Washington Coast. Meanwhile, see you at the beach!

Beach Real Estate is Calm and Cool

For those looking to the coast for an escape from the hustle and bustle of the city, it will surely deliver. When you get to that point where you want a more permanent coastal arrangement, it remains a calm and cool climate. Although the market for real estate on the SW Washington coast is enjoying a robust upward tendency, it is not the frantic and fever pitch nightmare for buyers that they might find in Vancouver or Portland.

Relaxing at the coast includes relaxing a little while you look at properties. There are still relatively good values on everything from Condos to beach houses to manufactured homes on a lot. $200,000 will still buy a nice little place at the beach!

Your 200k isn't likely to land you a 2000 sf foot house with the Pacific Ocean waves crashing against you property line; but it will get you close to the beach in a little two or three bedroom home just a few blocks away. That my friends is awesome!

Now that spring is firmly entrenched get out to the Washington Coast and enjoy the fresh salty air and peek at the real estate deals.

Golf Living at the Beach

Many people like to golf and who doesn't want a house on the golf course? Surfside Golf Course on the Long Beach Peninsula has a whole community of of homes around it including this one listed at $165,000. 2 beds and a den on the golf course and just a few blocks from the mighty Pacific Ocean?

That's the stuff of dreams right there. The Southwest Washington Coast offers the opportunity to own a home for a very reasonable price as it has been somewhat sheltered from the puffed up pricing in the Portland and Seattle area real estate markets.

Right now interest rates remain very low, but more and more economists are coming to the conclusion that these historic low rates will begin creeping up as early as this spring. Now could be the golden moment of opportunity to secure and piece of the beach for a low price with a really low interest rate. One could keep it as a vacation home then retire in it when ready to settle down. Knock, knock... who's there? Opportunity... Opportunity who? Just opportunity, no joke.

Beach House Deals!

It has been awhile since I did a beach house deals post so here I go! The Washington coast has great deals on coastal and beach property. Imagine owning a home within a 10 minute stroll to the mighty Pacific Ocean. The Long Beach Peninsula offers many opportunities to have just that and at prices you may find shocking.

Look at this great little manufactured home on a huge 0.28 acre lot. This house has 2 bedrooms and two baths with 1188 square feet of space. The lot is wooded for that classic Northwest feel but is less than 1/2 mile to the crashing waves of the Pacific. It is priced at $114,800.

The home is located in Ocean Shores on the Long Beach Peninsula.

This next home is located in Long Beach. It is situated on a 0.16 acre lot just a few doors away from the beach entrance! The house has 896 square feet with 2 beds and 2 baths. It is a short walk to the shops and attractions of Long beach and an even shorter walk to the big blue Pacific. This one is listed at $120,000.

These sub $150k homes may need some TLC but they are livable right now. This can be a getaway house or you permanent residence at these priced they will make your wallet smile.

This final home is a classic 1904 home that has been gentry cared for.  It features 1364 square feet with 3 beds and 2 baths on a gigantic 0.33 acre lot. It abuts the beach so a very short stroll through a lightly wooded area lands you on the shore. This home is fairly secluded and that makes it that much more amazing. It is priced at $229,000.

The Washington coast is the ocean bargain of America! Come pay a visit to this magnificent coastal community and take a peek at some of these fabulous home values.

There are many lots that I have found available in this area as well. You can build you own custom dream house at the beach. Whatever your passion come enjoy the coastal living!

Are you Ready to Retire?

I came across this interesting article recently and decided to share it with you today. The numbers are startling and those of us nearing retirement need to get those proverbial ducks in their respective rows.

This article was written by Emily Brandon for U.S. News and World Report the original can be found here.

When to retire. For some people, it's a financial calculation. You know you're financially ready when the combination of your Social Security, traditional pension, and investment income produces enough cash flow to cover all of your anticipated expenses for the rest of your life. "Working two or three more years can make an incredible difference to your long-term plan if you continue to save in your 401(k) or 403(b) and continue to pay into Social Security," says Mary Alpers, a certified financial planner and founder of Alpers and Associates in Colorado Springs, Colo. But retirement also often involves an identity shift from your former job title to a free agent. Sometimes this decision is made for you because of a layoff or buyout. Many people also like to coordinate their retirement with a spouse.

When to claim Social Security. You can sign up for Social Security beginning at age 62, but payouts increase for each year you delay claiming until age 70. "Wait as long as you possibly can, because the additional percentages that are added on are enormous," says Jane Nowak, a certified financial planner for Kring Financial Management in Smyrna, Ga. "Since we are living longer, you certainly want your paycheck from Social Security to be as fat as possible."


Health coverage. It's essential to find affordable health insurance if you want to retire before age 65. "If you are not entitled to retiree medical benefits or if they are deferred to a later date, make absolutely certain you have access to and can qualify for individual coverage," says Robert Henderson, president of Lansdowne Wealth Management in Mystic, Conn. "Also verify the costs. Health insurance can be prohibitively expensive in some cases." Even after you qualify for Medicare, the decisions don't end. You have to choose whether to purchase a supplemental policy and shop around for the Medicare Part D plan that best meets your prescription drug needs each year in retirement.

How much you can safely spend each year. If your nest egg isn't sizeable enough to finance your retirement completely, you'll need to calculate how much you can safely spend each year without depleting your savings too quickly. "Three to 4 percent is my comfort zone, and I hope less," says Alpers. An annual draw-down rate of 4 percent on an investment portfolio with 35 percent in U.S. stocks and 65 percent in corporate bonds has an 89 percent likelihood of lasting 35 years or more, according to Congressional Research Service estimates.

How much investment risk. Retirees need to balance their investment needs for safety and continued growth. "Hold as little equities and higher-risk assets as possible, while still enough to meet your long-term goals," says Henderson. "Most retirees need no more than 50 to 60 percent in equity and equity-like investments." You'll also need an emergency fund and several years' worth of living expenses set aside in a safe place. "Always make sure that you have your first three to five years of withdrawals invested in very conservative investments. Good choices are CDs, money market accounts, short-term treasuries or mutual funds that invest in them, and fixed-immediate annuities," says Henderson. "This way, regardless of what the stock market is doing today, you don't have to worry about withdrawing assets that have dropped in value."

When to pay taxes. After decades of deferring taxes on your retirement savings using 401(k)s and IRAs, the tax bill becomes due upon withdrawal in retirement. The timing of these withdrawals could affect how much you pay in taxes. "Try to balance out your withdrawals from taxable and nontaxable accounts each year so you are not kicking yourself into a higher tax bracket at some point," says Henderson. Taking a large IRA withdrawal in a single year could result in an oversized tax bill. Withdrawals from traditional retirement accounts become required after age 70½.

Where to live. Once you are no longer tethered to a job, you can live anywhere that suits your tastes and budget. Moving to a place that costs less than where you live now can boost your standard of living and help stretch your nest egg. You could also test out a place with better weather, more opportunities for recreation, or move closer to family.

Whether your home should help finance retirement.* A paid-off mortgage can help finance your retirement because it eliminates one of your biggest monthly expenses. In some cases, downsizing to a smaller home or moving to a place where the cost of living is significantly lower can even give a significant boost to your nest egg. "Especially if you live on the East or West coast, where housing can be extremely expensive, you may have an opportunity to downsize and realize quite a bit of the appreciation you had in your real estate," says Henderson.

Whether to keep working. A part-time job is increasingly becoming common in the retirement years. Many people downshift to a job with shorter hours and less responsibility before retiring completely, while other people return to work after a break. The income, and sometimes benefits, a part-time job provides allows you to withdraw less of your retirement savings each year. Some people also find jobs they enjoy that allow them to interact with former colleagues, consult on the occasional project, or learn a new skill.

What you will do. Retirement isn't only about quitting your job. It's an opportunity to have complete control over how you spend your time. Make sure you have a few ideas about how you will fill the eight or more hours per day you previously spent working and commuting. Some people miss the sense of purpose and friends that their job provided for them, while others finally have the time for hobbies and projects they have been waiting years to tackle.

Beat the Heat at the Beach!

That has been a running theme all summer long this year. The Oregon and Washington coast is relatively cool when the mercury is popping the top inland. Last week when I had my first triple digit heat in nearly three years, Pearson Field in Vancouver hit 103 degrees. Long Beach was a comfortable 86 degrees that day!

For full time residents the coast provides a cool summer with temps that tend to stay in the 60s and 70s by day with ocean breezes and some lows clouds and fog. In a nutshell it's just damn pleasant! Look at that July calendar of weather for Long Beach, WA.

We may not be able to swim in that icy cold North Pacific water, but we can sure as heck enjoy the cool refreshing air it provides along our gorgeous coastline. Wifey and I are going to hang out next week and soak up a cool summer's breeze. You should too!

Beach Deals!

Long Beach, WA $149,900

Every now and again I like to find some great deals on beach property. I have invested a fair number of keystrokes on this blog in the idea that property on the Washington State coast may be the greatest value on the planet. Sure, like any coastal area with gorgeous scenery there will be million dollar mansions but the Long Beach peninsula offers a range of prices that allow even the more modest earners and opportunity to live or play at the beach.

I have two listings I found on the MLS that I think represent a great opportunity to own a coastal property. Neither of these listings are fancy by any measure, but they are very good deals. Imagine living within a five minute walk of the mighty Pacific Ocean. Every morning you get up crack the window and hear the thunderous sound of crashing waves. In most instances to own property in this environment is the stuff reserved for the likes or Gates or Buffett. But not these my friends these are within reach of the middle class and better yet they are within reach of the beach!

Long Beach, WA $176,000

The first property is listed at a mere $149,900. It doesn't look like much from the outside, but inside, this home has three bedrooms and one bath spread among 1632 square feet of space. The house lies the equivalent of six blocks to the beach. Six blocks! The home is located in Long beach and is close to the main hwy and all the fun activities and shopping as well as the famed Long Beach itself. The price includes two lots totaling 0.19 acres. it is in decent shape and can be lived in right away. It may be a bit dated but we are talking about six blocks to the ocean and less than $150k. That gets a big fat WOW!

The second property is even closer to the beach. This one is just a couple of blocks away. This is a townhouse unit with an HOA that is just $110 a month. It was built in 2006 so this is modern and frankly very nice. Here you get 1571 squares two bedrooms and two and half baths. From this property you can walk right down a path to the sea or go the other way and walk a couple blocks to play a round of golf at Peninsula Golf Course. All of this at an amazing price of just $176,000. I love the Washington Coast, I really do.