[Wyody]

Finally, I've been able to do a little sniffing around about home prices, real estate and zoning in the area of Lincoln City.
While prices range all over the page, the avg home for sale in Lincoln City is between 300 Grand and 450 Grand. The lowest I've seen is 197 altho I once saw a sign of a house near the beach for $99,000. I've also seen a couple for in excess of 1Million.
These range from a suitcase-sized shack to a rambling, 4-story behemoth (of which there are many of each).
There are a few things one should know.
Many people have invested in this growing community or plan to invest in "Vacation Rentals". Houses or condos purchased with the intention of renting them out by the day, week or season. The town is currently in uproar about this as the once quiet neighborhoods in this once quiet town are thrown from their midnight beds by the blasting of music and the affront to parking by the seasonal occupants who come to party. They are currently trying to rewrite the zonings to address this issue - things are currently up in the air trying to decide if and where to ban such rentals for the safety and well-being of the citizenry. I hope to keep this forum advised if and when the situation changes.
Also, some of the Ocean-view homes are on moving property. This can range from as little as a ripple in the driveway of near-sea-level properties to the out-and-out tumbling down the 100ft cliff for the "abolutely on the beach" homes. Best to arm yourself with geological reports and visits to the city/county offices before entering into any serious real-estate negotiations.
This might also be a good spot to mention that Lincoln City has been pronounced "Tsunami Ready" with escape routes well-marked and procedures well planned for - should a Tsunami come. I understand they had one such a few years ago - it was just a few inches and had little effect. I It might be a bad time to mention that the last Tsunami of any size was in 1700. Also that there's a medium chance of a 30ft wave at virtually any time. Surf's up!

[PDXnative]

Wyody said:

Finally, I've been able to do a little sniffing around about home prices, real estate and zoning in the area of Lincoln City.
While prices range all over the page, the avg home for sale in Lincoln City is between 300 Grand and 450 Grand. The lowest I've seen is 197 altho I once saw a sign of a house near the beach for $99,000. I've also seen a couple for in excess of 1Million.
These range from a suitcase-sized shack to a rambling, 4-story behemoth (of which there are many of each).
There are a few things one should know.
Many people have invested in this growing community or plan to invest in "Vacation Rentals". Houses or condos purchased with the intention of renting them out by the day, week or season. The town is currently in uproar about this as the once quiet neighborhoods in this once quiet town are thrown from their midnight beds by the blasting of music and the affront to parking by the seasonal occupants who come to party. They are currently trying to rewrite the zonings to address this issue - things are currently up in the air trying to decide if and where to ban such rentals for the safety and well-being of the citizenry. I hope to keep this forum advised if and when the situation changes.
Also, some of the Ocean-view homes are on moving property. This can range from as little as a ripple in the driveway of near-sea-level properties to the out-and-out tumbling down the 100ft cliff for the "abolutely on the beach" homes. Best to arm yourself with geological reports and visits to the city/county offices before entering into any serious real-estate negotiations.
This might also be a good spot to mention that Lincoln City has been pronounced "Tsunami Ready" with escape routes well-marked and procedures well planned for - should a Tsunami come. I understand they had one such a few years ago - it was just a few inches and had little effect. I It might be a bad time to mention that the last Tsunami of any size was in 1700. Also that there's a medium chance of a 30ft wave at virtually any time. Surf's up!

A little ripple? It actually took out a playground on the Oregon Coast and killed some people in California.

As for the houses that are sliding, buy property on flat land!!! You could be hundreds of feet inland from a cliff one day and have your house hanging over the edge a week later. Also, there is no such thing as "landslide insurance". If you lose your house in a slide, it is at your expense. Best not to build on or near steep slopes.

[Wyody]

[quote name='PDXnative']A little ripple? It actually took out a playground on the Oregon Coast and killed some people in California.

As for the houses that are sliding, buy property on flat land!!! You could be hundreds of feet inland from a cliff one day and have your house hanging over the edge a week later. Also, there is no such thing as "landslide insurance". If you lose your house in a slide, it is at your expense. Best not to build on or near steep slopes.[/QUOTE
*****************
"A little ripple" being the low-end of the spectrum and a "tumbling down a 100ft cliff" being the high-end, I think we covered it. Haven't heard the CA story or the playground story (yet) but have heard the story of the sidewalk and the parking-lot both rippling in front of one of my buildings and beside another (which houses 8-9 people at present). There's no sign of it currently but now I wonder about each crack I see!
My place has been here for just over 20 years. It is built on what used to be a swamp!! So is the Outlet Mall across the street. The hills drain into or near us from two directions. I've had to mow twice so far - nearly needed my snorkle for two of my backyards! It also increases mildew/mold problems and being that it's considered a riparian area, vermin problems as well. Both of those can be combatted - but how does one fight a "ripple" - which I guess must be like a giant sand-wave??
And don't you know, the construction continues cliffside! My brother was down from Portland recently - seems to know a bit about this area - was actually pointing out homes that the hill has worked it's way down the cliff without taking the houses - leaving the houses dancing and seemingly, just waiting. I have, however, seen a few houses built on steel-beams that have been pile-driven into the firm earth below (if there is such a thing).
Thank you for your input - I still have much to learn of the area.

[cleozmom]

Quote

Many people have invested in this growing community or plan to invest in "Vacation Rentals". Houses or condos purchased with the intention of renting them out by the day, week or season. The town is currently in uproar about this as the once quiet neighborhoods in this once quiet town are thrown from their midnight beds by the blasting of music and the affront to parking by the seasonal occupants who come to party.

That's one of the reasons my aunt & uncle were glad to leave there. Major change since I'd last been there, which was 1980-something!

[Wyody]

cleozmom said:

That's one of the reasons my aunt & uncle were glad to leave there. Major change since I'd last been there, which was 1980-something!

I heard tell, although I don't know it to be true, that the rte18 as it comes at the north end of Lincoln City at hgwy 101 is, during the tourist seasons, the most congested little piece of road in the country. This is the entry most travellers will make coming from Portland or Salem if they want to go to or through Lincoln City.
It's a happening sort of town - although still slow and boring to the high-schoolers and younger, more active crowds.
I guess that's another way of saying that Lincoln City still has a small town feel - which has it's ups and downs.