Arbor Heights - Comments Please (Portland, Beaverton: home builder, neighborhoods, to buy)

[RoatanMan]

Hello,

We are looking to build a home in January in Arbor Heights. Located right above the '26' in this map:

Arbor Custom Homes - Neighborhoods in Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, West Linn, Tigard and Wilsonville

Can you please supply us with comments regarding the builder, location, area taxes, schools, etc.

Thank you all in advance.

[Nell Plotts]

I don't get excited about this type of builder. Were I you I would ask about their developments that are now at least 10-15 years old then knock on doors there to learn if the owners have had any issues. Most problems involve the building envelope.

People who think that because a building is new there won't be any issues are naive. The problems usually show up about two years after the builder's warranty expires. Better to buy an older home after a through inspection and build in any repairs it might need in your offer.

[RoatanMan]

Originally Posted by Nell Plotts

I don't get excited about this type of builder. Were I you I would ask about their developments that are now at least 10-15 years old then knock on doors there to learn if the owners have had any issues. Most problems involve the building envelope.

People who think that because a building is new there won't be any issues are naive. The problems usually show up about two years after the builder's warranty expires. Better to buy an older home after a through inspection and build in any repairs it might need in your offer.

Nell,

Thanks for the feedback. I have done a lot of research on this builder and I have heard great things. I would like a home that is built in last couple of years. I choose Arbor because I have visited many of their homes and I love their floor plans and locations. Now, I can choose what I want in my new home since it will be built to my specs; with-in reason.

If you dont care for Arbor, do you have any other recommendations for this area...?

[Nell Plotts]

We have returned to Portland after an absence of 15 years, the residential builders I knew in Portland have all retired. If you were building on Bainbridge Island I could provide a couple names.

I do not know anything specific about Arbor. Even within a developer quality can vary between project managers.

Just because the house is new doesn't mean that you shouldn't make your purchase contingent on approval by your own home inspector. Were I you I would start interviewing independent home inspectors, go look at homes by the builder you like with the inspector (if possible at the same development, increasing your chance of having the same project manager). Listen to his/her observations.

A good independent home inspector is worth their fee.

[philwithbeard]

RotanMan:

Are you currently living in Portland?

What I am asking is, are you familiar with the terrain and geography of that development?
Have you read geology report on the Boring Lava Field (Portland is a ancient lava filed, the name given to it is Boring, this is not an editorial comment on how fast you will fall asleep reading the report.)

As long as you are comfortable with the remote risks, so be it. I don't even know if the development you are looking into is actually on the west slope of the big ridge that Forest Park sits on top of.

[PNW-type-gal]

Originally Posted by philwithbeard

RotanMan:

Are you currently living in Portland?

What I am asking is, are you familiar with the terrain and geography of that development?
Have you read geology report on the Boring Lava Field (Portland is a ancient lava filed, the name given to it is Boring, this is not an editorial comment on how fast you will fall asleep reading the report.)

As long as you are comfortable with the remote risks, so be it. I don't even know if the development you are looking into is actually on the west slope of the big ridge that Forest Park sits on top of.

What "remote risk" are you imputing to the Boring lavas? Geologically speaking the biggest hazards are landslides on the loess and loess-related slopes in the West Hills and some of the steeper hills in the area (ancient landslide sites which can be remobilized during building and road construction), along the with the eventual subduction quake in the general Washington/Oregon/Northern California region.

[Nell Plotts]

It is easy to visit the Portland office of the State Geologist to see if they have identified any issues. Frankly most lava is permeable, that would be a plus for me. Just because a property isn't on a bluff doesn't mean that there isn't a risk. Most are very remote. Frankly I would rather be just below Forrest Park than below a developed area. The reason is that there is a higher ratio of permeable surface in the park. Even where a neighborhood is 'old' in-filling may have disrupted the normal course of water runoff and cause slides.

Soil instability is rare but nothing to be ignored as that is not a risk you can insure against. Don't assume the local planners have taken this in consideration when approving a development.

I have another bone to pick with planners, when they separated the storm & sewer lines they required anyone asking for a building permit to disconnect their down spouts from the storm (old sewer) system. This is causing soils to become super saturated and sometimes ... ah, move.

I shall now step off my soap box..
['Learned about these arcane issues at my father's knee. He was a soils engineer for the COE.]

[philwithbeard]

Originally Posted by PNW-type-gal

What "remote risk" are you imputing to the Boring lavas? Geologically speaking the biggest hazards are landslides on the loess and loess-related slopes in the West Hills and some of the steeper hills in the area (ancient landslide sites which can be remobilized during building and road construction), along the with the eventual subduction quake in the general Washington/Oregon/Northern California region.

The exact risks you spoke of.

[RoatanMan]

Originally Posted by philwithbeard

RotanMan:

Are you currently living in Portland?

What I am asking is, are you familiar with the terrain and geography of that development?
Have you read geology report on the Boring Lava Field (Portland is a ancient lava filed, the name given to it is Boring, this is not an editorial comment on how fast you will fall asleep reading the report.)

As long as you are comfortable with the remote risks, so be it. I don't even know if the development you are looking into is actually on the west slope of the big ridge that Forest Park sits on top of.

No, we do not... We want to make the move next year... Arbor is a huge home builder, don't you think that they would done their due-diligence before building an entire community...? I have heard nothing but good things on this builder... I want to live in the West Hills, Forrest Heights area and it seems like Arbor Heights is to our liking... I will be up there in Jan to look at homes and I will ask them about the soil that in which you speak...

[RoatanMan]

Bump...