Swift Watch at Chapman School

It is that time of year again…It’s time to congregate on the lawn at Chapman School in NW Portland and wait patiently for the unpredictable performance of the Vaux’s Swifts. What is a swift you ask? They are small insect-eating birds that migrate south each year, roosting as they travel in hollowed out trees and large smokestacks. Since the mid 1990s, as many as 35,000 swifts have roosted each September in the chimney at Chapman School, making it the largest known roost of migrating swifts in the world.

This is an annual event for my family and we look forward to it every September. We love to pack a picnic dinner, gather our blankets and enjoy an evening on the lawn with friends. About an hour before sunset and about a half hour after, the swifts gather, organize and perform aerial acrobatics until finally funneling as a magnificent black fog into the school’s chimney to roost. If you haven’t had a chance to enjoy this experience, I suggest you add it to your list of September activities. If the swifts put on a less than memorable performance, you can still enjoy a low budget night out with friends and family.

This is a free event. Volunteers from the Portland Audubon Society are there most evenings in September with information about the swifts, binoculars and a spotting scope for viewing.

What: Swift Watch
When: September 1st - September 30th
Where: Chapman School, NW Pettygrove and 25th, Portland, Oregon

For more information about this event and on the Vaux’s Swifts, please visit http://audubonportland.org/local-birding/swiftwatch

Portand Area Hiking

When reflecting on our summer activities I am remembering a summer of kayaking, camping, outdoor concerts, backyard BBQs, beer festivals and wine tasting - it has been a great summer. Now that we are entering September and along with it back to school season, it seems summer is slipping away. Although it has been wonderful, we don’t have a single hike checked off our list of activities and that doesn’t sit well with me. It is a shame to not take advantage of the fact that we are fortunate to live in an area with many great options when it comes to outdoor activates, especially hiking. Our unlimited hiking options can feel overwhelming and make it really difficult to decide which trail to tackle so that is when I turn to http://www.portlandhikers.org/ to help guide me in the right direction. They describe their site as “a place for the outdoor community to collaborate and assemble their knowledge about great hikes and destinations in Oregon and Southwest Washington”. They have a search engine option to search for a specific hike that you want more information on as well as an option to search based on categories such as difficulty, type and environment. I am sure that portlandhikers.org will introduce you to a number of trails you didn’t even know were out there.

Instead of just talking about hiking, it’s time for me to get out and enjoy the rest of the summer exploring Portland area trails. I hope you find portlandhikers.org helpful in planning your next hike. In addition, I have included a list of well known hikes above. Enjoy!

Family Friendly Outings and Adventures

Can you believe that August is almost over? Yes, it’s true. School is just around the corner, barbeques are happening and people are looking for fun activities to enjoy with their families.

Check out some of our favorites.

Please call first or check their websites as hours and costs change.

Children's Museum
4015 SW Canyon Rd., Portland, OR 97221
Tel (503) 223-6500
This is a favorite for Jen and her nieces. From the digging in rubber dirt to making your own clay pots there is something for everyone. Be sure to check out the new pet hospital exhibit.

Jamison Square
810 NW 11th Ave, Portland, OR 97255
An awesome wading pool that even little ones will enjoy. A great place to beat the heat if we ever get some!

Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI)
1945 SE Water Avenue, Portland, OR 97214
A planetarium, omnimax, a submarine tour, laser shows, and lots of hands-on exhibits. Better for children 4 and up but everyone will find something enjoyable and educational.

Oregon Zoo
4001 SW Canyon Rd., Portland, OR 97221
All zoos are not created equal...this one has some fabulous natural habitats for its animals to live in that makes it very different from other zoos. Be sure to try one of the trains out as a way to see the whole zoo. This is definately a longer activity.

Audobon Society Care Center
5151 NW Cornell Rd, Portland, OR 97210
Go meet the animals who are recuperating in the care center, and then go on a beautiful, very kid-friendly walk/hike on the adjoining trails. It's hard to believe that this is in the middle of town when it feels so remote.


Eastbank Esplanade
Between Hawthorne and the Steel Bridge on the east side of the river
This is a fabulous walking, biking or stroller pushing area along the river in downtown Portland. It is just a huge loop so jump on anywhere. Look for Cindy while you are their as she might be their on a jog or her bike! Water views, no traffic and a great leisurely way to see the city.

Finnegans Toys & Gifts
922 SW Yamhill, portland or, 97205
Jen just had the opportunity to introduce her niece to this store. It was a favorite for scratch and sniff stickers when Jen was growing up and now its where to go for erasers..the newest fad! This is not your average toy store. It is more of an outing then a store but don't tell the kids that!


VooDoo Doughnuts
22 S.W. Third Ave. Portland Oregon 97204
Every had a maple bar with bacon on it or a capt'n crunch donut? Check this place out for a very uniques experience and a great snack!


For those of us on a limited budget (or simply looking for a deal), there are several Portland family hot spots that offer ongoing free and discount days throughout the summer. Here’s just a few that you might want to consider in the next few weeks:

Oregon Zoo: An absolute favorite for all ages! The zoo offers $2 admission on the 2nd Tuesday of every month.

Portland Children’s Museum: Highly interactive, educational and FUN! The Children’s Museum offers free admission on the first Friday of each month from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

OMSI: $2 admission on the 1st Sunday of every month.

Oregon History Museum: Two children get free admission with one paying adult on the 3rd Saturday of every month.

Hope that you and your family enjoy the end of summer here in Portland!

Real Estate Market Summary

When comparing sales activity in the Portland Metro area this July to July of 2009, closed sales declined 29%. Pending sales also decreased 25% and new listings rose 3. What does all this mean? Less houses are selling, less houses are going pending but we have more houses to choose from. As I am actively reviewing the market daily, what I know is houses in good condition, priced correctly and marketed well are still selling and selling in a reasonable amount of time. It also means with interest rates still hovering at or below record lows, now is a great time to buy. An increase in inventory and less properties selling usually translates to sellers being more motivated to look at an offer and depending on their reason for selling, there is more room to negotiate.

On a month to month basis, sales dropped in the Portland area from 2012 houses in June to 1412 houses sold in July. The only reason analysts have for this drop is the end of the $8000 buyer credit. Either way it still supports the idea that it is a good time to buy as sellers who waited for the summer season to list are realizing that summer is coming to an end and their house is still on the market.

With the current inventory of 15,271 active listings, we have enough inventory to last us almost 11 months. Where is the good news you ask? The average sales price for July of 2010 increased 3% over July of 2009 and from June to July of this year we saw a 2.5% increase in sales price from $289,000 to $297,000.

Despite the increase in inventory it can still be a good time to sell, especially if you are looking to upsize. In which case, the reduced price you receive from the sale of your home would be made up for in the reduced price you receive when purchasing a more expensive home. For those looking to downsize or combine households, depending on the condition, location and price of your home it can also be a good time to sell. Another idea is exploring your options for turning your current home into a rental.