Nice Neighborhoods in Camas (Vancouver, Washougal: fit in, rentals, houses)

[Caffreys]

What's wrong with the new Camas, and why would it get ugly in 2009???
Do you how a better place to raise a family?
Thanks Janb...

[hml1976]

So my husband is accepting the job in Vancouver. Sorry to sound like such a newbie but what is a Camas Impact fee and what's the permitting issue? and what's happening in 2009?

Thanks guys, we've learned a lot from this forum so far

[StealthRabbit]

Impact fees are charged when you convert "bare land" to another use (i.e. home) that is supposed to cover extra services. Camas is pretty spendy on impact fees and permits ~ $20k to $50k. I can build a decent (small , low taxes) house for that price.

2009 = new congress, don't expect long-term capital gains to stay low.These guys are gonna want your CASH (they are slated to DECREASE to ZERO for the lowest brackets, which would make for some CHEAP housing as folks sell investment props) I will bet they never see Zero or even 25% in the not to distant future. Just a guess...

[Caffreys]

Originally Posted by janb

Impact fees are charged when you convert "bare land" to another use (i.e. home) that is supposed to cover extra services. Camas is pretty spendy on impact fees and permits ~ $20k to $50k. I can build a decent (small , low taxes) house for that price.

2009 = new congress, don't expect long-term capital gains to stay low.These guys are gonna want your CASH (they are slated to DECREASE to ZERO for the lowest brackets, which would make for some CHEAP housing as folks sell investment props) I will bet they never see Zero or even 25% in the not to distant future. Just a guess...

Could someone explain to me what janb is talking about on the 2009 paragraph. I am not that eductaed to undertsand what is he or she is stating.
Thank you.

[diggitydot]

Originally Posted by Caffreys

Could someone explain to me what janb is talking about on the 2009 paragraph. I am not that eductaed to undertsand what is he or she is stating.
Thank you.

If I'm understanding them correctly they're saying that when the elections occur in 2009, we have a high likelihood of having many new faces in congress who'll probably change some of our tax laws regarding capital gains. It's conjecture, but not unprecedented, that's for sure.

[StealthRabbit]

current low LTCG tax rates are a temporary thing set to expire in 2010.
and Diggy has it correct, congress and Senate change, and rules do too.

the gov is needing some cash

attitude from the left, is "only rich folks benefit from LTCG" (a polarized attitude of course)
so, as you witnessed this week, 'legislative veto over-ride' has come to fruition. (very rare) - hangon
These were to fulfill election promises and to stimulate economic recovery (which buying and selling CAN do, but not always positive direction - witness inflated house prices due in part to tax favored benefits of taking Capital Gains)

[Caffreys]

janb, your off the topic!!!
What you stated applied to know one here. Is Camas not a good place to
live because the Congress wants to screw all the residents with higher taxes
or does this apply nationwide?

[melpotensky]

Camas is a bit different than other areas as we are on little "placemats" of grass called yards. Schools are wonderful here and there are very friendly people to welcome you but no "estate" areas with long driveway and "wow" factors. Lacamas Shores is about as close to that as you come. Search "Camas" and you will find some information on this site. Janb gave me great advice and told me to be careful as they have severely overbuilt the area and there are tons of homes, cookie cutter, for sale. I took his advice and we are renting a large home and just literally waiting for the perfect house to come on the market. This area boomed several years ago but now there is a large surplus of homes that are not moving. Upper end homes are sitting with NO ONE even looking at them. It is now finally a buyer's market in this area. If you look at national statistics, Seattle and Portland have not been hit by the housing crunch like the rest of the nation but Camas is slowing down to a halt. There is a Mom's Club of Camas that would really help you meet people and get to know the area. Email me with direct questions if you like. So many people helped me when we just moved here in August and I made several smart decisions because of them. My kids adjusted so easily and I have found shopping and doctors and some nice women to hang out with. Good Luck, Melinda melpotensky@aol.com.

[Caffreys]

Thank you Melpotensky...
That was well said and informative.
What school would you put your kids in the Camas School district.
I did notice homes in Camas and Fisher's Landing are a bit high.
Is it fair to offer 75-50k below the asking price. Realtors tell me
the prices are corrected already and anything lower than 25k off
the asking price is an insulting offer. Thank you.

[melpotensky]

I have my kids at Dorothy Fox....school looks old and run down but it has a principal that seems to live there and I have joined the PTA and found it to be safe and good learning experience on par with the top notch Issaquah, WA school we were at. My other son is at Skyridge Middle School and he is so happy there and I love that they have football team and wrestling team for the school that is all free and it is M thru F for over two hours every day and so much great instruction from men who love to coach and make it fun. The kids seem like good kids with parents that care and they have manners and he fit right in. Everyone is very friendly, I always see people I know and I just moved here in August. I did start looking for a home in May and got so nervous as nothing I looked at sold and renting was the smartest thing I could of done as I got a nice home that was not selling and I am now able to pinpoint the area better and want to experience a winter and winds on Prune Hill.

I truly believe that the Camas area had so much growth and so many came when there were not enough houses that the owners need to go for a day and tour homes to see how overpriced the homes are now for the market. I feel for people who a few years ago saw their neighbors home being sold for way more and now they are having to sell it just above what they paid for it. I too was told that the mark up on houses is smaller than other areas in the country and maybe so in the past but soooo many houses are now going to rental in the higher end homes because they are not selling. There just is not enough buyers for the amount of homes on the market and anything above six hundred thousand is sitting and sitting unless it has a great private backyard or something that makes it unique or a stunning view. The area needs to rethink what a house is worth as it is only worth what someone will pay for it at this time. Several homes I looked at in the beginning of the summer are down 75 thousand or more. Houses are vacant and sitting. I keep reading how real estate will go up in the Spring and Summer during the high selling season. I don't see it even though it traditionally has. Many buyers have pulled the for sale signs and are putting their houses back on the market in the Spring, two of which are my neighbors. They don't need to sell now but are downsizing. It seems to me that there are at least 4 huge areas with new developments just sitting and nothing is moving. If you go over to Lakeridge, the beautiful trees they put in on the ride up to the homes are all dead and the area is almost spooky with these huge almost a million dollar homes just sitting. These are killer houses with no one to buy them. There is a huge area of houses by Prune Hill elementary with two big waterfalls and tons of lots and nothing has been built, not one in 6 months and it sits there like band aid, just sticking out. I am afraid to buy anything really as I don't think the market has hit bottom at all. I might be wrong but I keep thinking that the after the presidential election, things will then turn.