Triple Digits Inland Equals Big Crowds at the Beach

Holy skin bake, Batman; the heat is on in Metro Portland-Vancouver. Four days of temps playing in the triple digits means thousands will flee the apocalypse to the coast. As if us city dwellers didn't already have enough reason to "escape", these rare high temps will push us by the gazillions towards the great Pacific Ocean.

Ah yes my friends, when the solar furnace overloads inland it generally creates wonderful summer weather at the coast with temps gliding gently into the 80s and the possibly a rogue 90 mark. That is typical weather for Portland-Vancouver but atypical for the beach.

For those who make the Oregon or Washington coast their full-time home, these heatwaves inland can create a bit of a disturbance locally. This is particularly the case for the Long Beach Peninsula which doesn't have quite as much tourist traffic as the Oregon Coast, but during the heat waves the whole coast will be flooded with those seeking refuge from an angry version of 'El Sol'.

Once you are out at the coast, take a look at some real estate. If you choose the Long Beach peninsula you may be delighted to find that their are still reasonably priced homes here. beach houses, vacation homes, or a full time residence, prices in the Long Beach area are pleasantly affordable.

Enjoy the beach this week.

Happy Birthday America!

The good 'ole US of A is 241 years old today and Long Beach will once again celebrate with a bodacious display of fireworks all along the beach. Enjoy your celebrations, be safe and come out to the beach for a n amazing display of patriotism and pyrotechnic magic.

See you next month :)

Hello June!

Yes it is in fact June and the beach is starting to feel a little more of that late spring warmth. This hasn't exactly been a scorcher this spring, but June is the gateway to summer and summer at the beach means nice mild temperatures. When the thermometer starts to bust up into the upper eighties and nineties inland, the coast is a wonderful retreat for those of us that like a cooler temperature range.

There is much to do at the beach in the summertime and of course while you are visiting take a look at the local real estate scene.

Long Beach has a professional fireworks display on the 4th of July at the Long Beach Boardwalk but allows the use of amateur fireworks up and down a 28 mile stretch of the beach on the 4th. That is one of those bucket list things you just gotta do. Vancouver, Washington has always been a crazy zoo on the 4th but the city has tightened rules on fireworks so if you want a wild and crazy display of patriotic enthusiasm, the beach is the ticket to the hottest fireworks show around.

Below is some video from a drone a couple of years back. Drone footage credited on the Long Beach City website here.

More Beach House Deals

I love looking at the deals available on the Long Beach Peninsula. It never ceases to amaze me how many people retire to the Oregon Coast and get completely leeched by the market and the government. It is like having a pair of thirsty vampires tag teaming you till your assets run dry.

The State of Oregon has done a great job marketing the Oregon Coast. It is a wonderful place to live and play and it is beautiful. This multi-million dollar annual ad campaign has led to excellent revenues for tourism in Oregon but also has created a real estate demand through recognition and national exposure. Prices for coastal property just across the state line are roughly double for like properties. Vampire number one is the housing leech.

Vampire number two is the Government. Oregon has an oppressive income tax. In fact one need only earn $8500 in adjusted gross income and the state vampire starts sucking 9%. This double vampire tag team will seriously effect the ability of retired persons to enjoy their retirement.

Washington has no state income tax and real estate prices on the Long Beach Peninsula are very modest in comparison to their Oregon counterparts just a few miles away. Take a look at this deal I found on the MLS

This is a cute 2 bedroom, 2 bath home just across the street from the beach access trail. Built in 1966 and recently remodeled this house has granite counters, wood laminate floors and a classic white picket fence. Ah, Americana Classica!

This property is listed by the Rian Group at $215,000. I dare you to find something on the Oregon Coast anywhere near this price, this close to the ocean.

Retirees can save a couple of hundred grand on the house, a few thousand a year on property tax and pay NO STATE INCOME TAX! And some still worry about paying a sales tax. The sales tax is likely less than the property tax difference on a similar Oregon property. And the lack of Income Tax is a 9% pay raise!

If you are wealthy beyond your wildest dreams, by all means live in the exact spot you want and don't fret the taxes and prices. The other 99% should come to the Washington Coast. Don't get 'sucked' into the dual vampires on the Oregon 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!

Another Great Beach House Deal

Oh how I love the amazing deals at the beach for coastal properties. This house is listed at a mere $199,000 and features 1240 square feet, 3 beds and 1.5 baths. You can walk to the beach in less than 5 minutes from this modern little beach house. High vaults upstairs with plenty of glass keep this place light and bright.

I found dozens of homes under 200k on the long beach peninsula with room to run and close proximity to the mighty Pacific Ocean.

Whether you want an investment rental property, second home, vacation home, or even your primary residence, this one can fit the bill.

Seriously friends, who doesn't want to live at the beach? For those of you thinking about retiring, Long Beach and the rest of the peninsula offers better pricing than the Oregon Coast and you aren't subjected to that brutally punishing Oregon State Income Tax.

This home is listed on the RMLS by Anchor Realty.

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.