Congratulations to Costa Pacific’s own Skip Rotticci!  His diligent efforts in forming the Transit Oriented Development  (TOD) product council will pave the way to “smarter” cities eventually leading to cleaner communities.  As Transit Oriented Development is rising, the formation of the TOD product council is an essential tool in the advancement and development of transit oriented communities. 

ULI Oregon/SW Washington - Transit Oriented Development Council

For the last couple of years Intermediate Past Chair of ULI Oregon/SW Washington Skip Rotticci has been working toward the formation of a new national product council focused specifically on the issues related to developing communities in and around transit stations. In January the Council was approved by the ULI Executive Committee and its first meeting was held on May 7, 2008 ULI Spring Council Forum in Dallas, Texas. Initially the council will have approximately 45 members made up of some of the nations leading: private developers, public agencies, capital markets representatives, architects and engineers, legal professionals, and marketing firms and other consultants.

The TOD Councils goals and objectives will be to share best practices and “mistakes made”, including the ins and outs and ups and downs of financial structures, proven concepts and new ideas in product design and station area planning, market updates and looking into the “crystal ball”. We want to have in depth discussions on business planning and strategies.  And last but not least, to share personal goals and objectives. For the past three years ULI and Price Waterhouse Coopers have listed Transit Oriented Development (TOD) as one of the fastest growing development and investment sectors in their annual Emerging Trends report. A recent search of the ULI Bookstore turned up no less than 751 publications with some reference to TOD’s. In recent years, real estate publications such as Real Estate Forum, Builder/Developer, Commercial Investment Real Estate, and Commercial Property News have featured numerous articles regarding TOD’s and their development and investment prospects. TOD’s are no longer a niche, but are an industry and investment class all to themselves. Transit Oriented Developments have very specific requirements and obstacles that many other real estate types are not constrained by. Their mixed use nature makes them more difficult for capital markets to underwrite and fund. Acceptable investment return metrics are often not reached until well after traditional investment hold periods. In many locales transit systems are aligned on former heavy rail right of ways and pass through industrial areas where surrounding lad uses are not ver6y appealing to new high density mixed use communities. TOD’s often require significant public investment and strong goal oriented Public/Private Partnerships to bridge the initial “performance gap” and carry them to the point of acceptable returns. Transit Oriented Developments have very significant design requirements as well. For a TOD to be successful it must plan to be extremely pedestrian oriented, serve a very diverse demographic spectrum, be designed with durable materials and architecture, and contain a broad and flexible mix of uses.

When all these factors are considered, planned for, and executed correctly the result is the creation of highly desirable places where people can live, work, play, and learn in a community that supports “smart growth”, and are sustainable not just environmentally, but socially, and economically.

If you would like more information about Costa Pacific Communities e-mail me at Blog.CostaPacific.com .

Andy Green Costa Pacific Homes, LLC Villebois Village Center Email Me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com Visit us on the web at: www.CostaPacific.com

A special thanks to all those in attendance at yesterday’s dedication of Sofia Park to the citizens of Wilsonville!

It was great to see so many of the Villebois homeowners in attendance.  We estimate that around 250 residents showed up for the festivities.  We hope to participate in many more events like this in the future.  Our vision has always been to create a community that encourages interaction between neighbors and fosters a true sense of community.  Sofia Park will be only a small aspect of that vision.

I hope to begin a dialogue with several homeowners that expressed an interest in creating a community events committee.  I believe that with a collaborative effort between dedicated homeowners and Costa Pacific that we can continue to build on what is already a great community and create traditions and lasting memories for all owners in Villebois.

Thank you again to our sponsors!

The First Team at First Horizon Home Loans & Earth Advantage

For more information about how you can participate in community events please contact me at Blog@CostaPacific.com or 503-314-8013.

Andy Green Costa Pacific Homes, LLC Villebois Village Center Email Me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com Visit us on the web at: www.CostaPacific.com

The City of Wilsonville and Costa Pacific Communities are pleased to announce the dedication of Sofia Park to the citizens of Wilsonville in the European-inspired community of Villebois.  Costa Pacific’s CEO, Rudy Kadlub, the master planner of Villebois, along with the City of Wilsonville’s Mayor Charlotte Lehan, Long-Range Planning Manager, Chris Neamtzu and President of Wilsonville’s Chamber of Commerce, Steve Gilmore will “cut the ribbon” to mark the newest additions to the parks and regional trail system that are located in Villebois

Both Palermo and Sofia Parks are a part of the 36 acre regional park system which contains segments of the planned Tonquin Trail, an 8 mile trail that will someday connect Graham Oaks and the Willamette River with the Tualatin River to the north, providing for great walking, jogging and biking opportunities. For people who want to relax in the park a while, the covered pavilion, complete with bathrooms, is an excellent setting for outdoor dining and picnicking. The decorative water feature adds a unique dimension to the park. 

 The adjacent transit stop will provide connections to the WES station and the SMART system.  Costa Pacific continues to show its dedication to preservation of open space and commitment to enhancing the quality of life of current and future residents. An important milestone in the development of Villebois, it serves as the anchor park for the south neighborhoods and offers direct access to the Village Center via the future Promenade linking to the Piazza.

“Villebois is a great addition that helps to further enhance Wilsonville’s commitment to a sustainable and livable community,” said Mayor Lehan. “This development with its parks and trails encompasses what our city is all about”

“Sofia Park has all the features that helps make Villebois the special and unique place that it is,” said Long-Range Planning Manager Chris Neamtzu. “The Park offers a wide variety of activities and features that will appeal to all ages. It will be a very popular gathering place.”

 In Sofia Park, children will enjoy the play structures for climbing and twirling and will undoubtedly enjoy the water play area, while people of all ages can use the lawn for croquet, lawn bowling, or other activities. For people who want to relax in the park a while, the covered pavilion, complete with bathrooms, is an excellent setting for outdoor dining and picnicking. 

Community residents and all Wilsonville citizens are invited to come and participate in the celebration. The dedication ceremony will include a “ribbon cutting” ceremony, a bounce house and clown for children along with a fire truck and members of the local fire station.  Hot dogs, soda, and water will be provided by First Team Mortgage at First Horizon Home Loans, the event will also be sponsored by Earth Advantage.  The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, August 6th from 5:45 to 7:00.

For additional information on this event e-mail me at Blog@CostaPacific.com or you can reach me at 503-314-8013.

Andy Green Costa Pacific Homes, LLC Villebois Village Center Email Me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com Visit us on the web at: www.CostaPacific.com

The proposed Transit Master Plan for the City of Wilsonville and SMART, the city’s transit service, was to be adopted on Second Reading at the July 7th Council Meeting without service to Villebois at the inaugural running of the WES commuter rail. In fact, Villebois was designated to Phase 3 of the plan meaning service beginning in 2011 and 2013.
 
We at Costa Pacific felt that omission was unacceptable in light of the fact that Villebois is the largest Transit-Oriented development not only in Oregon, but perhaps the entire country! 
 
From the very first planning meetings for Villebois back in 2002 we contemplated a connection to the rest of the Metro Region via a proposed commuter rail line. We designed the connections to Villebois i.e.,Barber St. and Boekman Rd., to accommodate that potential. We suggested and promoted to Washington County, the project’s sponsor, TriMet and the City a better location for  the station and park and ride than where they had already purchased property on Boberg Rd. The current location at Barber and Kinsman is not only more convenient to Villebois residents but to all other commuters as well and is a direct result of our planning and encouragement. In addition, Costa Pacific successfully lobbied our Congressional Delegation to support the funding of WES and the roadway connections.
 
The shared vision of Villebois as a unique and remarkable place led to the creation of a $40 million Urban Renewal Agency to finance these connections. In the Development Agreement between the City and Villebois, Barber St was to be completed simultaneous with the opening of the commuter rail. Due to unavoidable delays the Barber St. extension has not been built leaving no way for VB residents to walk or bike to the station. Without the Barber St. connection or shuttle service from SMART residents would be forced to drive themselves to the station unnecessarily taking up parking space or worse yet driving to their destination instead of taking WES.
 
Costa Pacific along with members of the Chamber of Commerce and Clackamas County Community Solutions presented these points to the City Council on the 7th. Costa Pacific requested that SMART provide two morning and two evening shuttles to WES at the two existing transit stops in Villebois (at Sofia Park and at the corner of Villebois Dr. and Barber St.). The Council agreed with our request and adopted the new Transit Plan with  direction to the City staff to figure out a way to include Villebois.
 
Costa Pacific and SMART will be conducting market research this summer to determine the transit preferences for Villebois residents, that is, best times, frequency of use, likely destinations, and proclivity to use the shuttle. The information gathered will be critical for SMART to figure Villebois into the plan and into their budget.
 
We encourage residents and citizens to help ensure the vision of Villebois as a remarkable place founded on the Tenets of Connectivity, Diversity and Sustainability by participating in the survey and letting the City Council and staff know of your interest in transit.

Rudy Kadlub, CEO
Costa Pacific Communities, LLC
Email Me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com
Visit us on the web at: www.CostaPacific.com

Well, I am very disappointed to report that we will not be holding a late summer farmers market this year.  Due to unforeseen circumstances outside of our control we have been unable to organize an event that would be of benefit to both the homeowners in Villebois and the citizens of Wilsonville and the surrounding areas. 

The standard of excellence that we expect from ourselves when creating an event was unable to be met in the time frame that we were dealt.  Therefore, we will be aiming for a spring and summer market for 2009. 

We are very disappointed as a collective group that it is not able to happen in 2008 but we are also very excited for the creation of a market in early 2009 that will be well prepared for and planned resulting in a Farmers Market that will be all the buzz around town.

Thank you to all of you that have shown interest in volunteering and participating in the market this year and we hope to solicit your support as we move forward.

Please do not hesitate to contact me with interest in participating in next year’s farmers market.

If you have any comments or questions or would like additional information regarding Villebois and the Villebois Village Center please e-mail me at Blog@CostaPacific.com.

All the best towards having a great summer!

Andy Green Costa Pacific Homes, LLC Villebois Village Center Email Me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com Visit us on the web at: www.CostaPacific.com

This past weekend, June 20-21, Costa Pacific employees took part in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life, the world’s largest fundraising walk.

Relay is an overnight event designed to spread awareness of cancer prevention, treatments and cures, celebrate survivorship and  raise money for research to find more cures for cancer. It’s a time and place where people come to celebrate those who have survived cancer, remember those we’ve lost, and fight back against a disease that touches too many lives.

  Teams camped out at Wood Middle School in Wilsonville and took turns walking or running around the track. Each team was asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event, which in this case was 7pm to 10am the following day!

 The Costa Pacific Team, operating under the name Villebois Village Center, set up camp and raised $2,600 with Rudy Kadlub, our CEO, leading the charge by personally raising over $1,100.

  The event has brought in over $60,000 with donations still arriving. If you would like to contribute, there is still time!

Recently I have been disheartened by the "end of the world" mentality that the national media has given to the housing market.  I want to encourage you to know that we are in one of the best metro city areas for the foreseeable future.  It is predicted that over 1 million people are moving to the Portland metro area over the next 10 years.  We have to find places for these folks to live, and this will keep the market alive and well into the coming decades for Portland, Oregon.  I have copied in some recent information from the chief economist for the National Association of Realtors which clearly points to bright days ahead for Oregon.  If you have any questions about this or would like to explore a refinance or purchase, I am here to serve you.   Hang in there!
 
June 5th, Dr. Yun,  Chief Economist and Senior Vice President for the National Association of REALTORS®. presented the following for the general Portland Metropolitan area.

1)       2008 2nd half of the year will perform better than the first half of the year.
2)      Oregon has the lowest foreclosure rate in all of the 50 states.
3)      2009 will be a good year for real estate in the Pacific Northwest.
4)      Portland area will see 30% appreciation between now and 2013 (5 year forecast)

Below is a link that will give you a snapshot of Dr.’s interview with KOIN 6News.

Portland Housing Forecast

The mortgage market is changing on a regular basis.  Contact us today to find out which loan programs will fit your specific needs or click here Pre-Qualify for Your Mortgage to pre-qualify today.

Chad Krober – MBA
Mortgage Consultant
First Horizon Home Loans
503-682-8204 – Office
503-720-3357 – Cell
ckrober@firsthorizon.com

Costa Pacific Homes is excited to announce it’s participation in the creation of a Sunday Farmers market in Wilsonville’s own Villebois. The Farmers Market will host approximately 25 vendors ranging from a wide variety of fruits and vegetable, meats, flowers and more.

We intend to have a kick off date of August 3rd and will run the market through mid October.

We feel that this farmers market will add tremendous value to the residents of Villebois as well as residents in all of Wilsonville. We have heard the resounding sentiment that residents would love to see this come to life and we are glad that we could deliver.

Grass Roots Effort:

In order to make this a success it is dependant upon a grass roots effort on the part of local residents. Our intent is to create a sustainable event that will grow with the community and be a weekend destination for all. For this to happen we need your support. There are several ways that you will be able to help in this effort. It can be as easy as just telling your friends and family about it or you can participate at a higher level by donating your time as a volunteer to get things started right.

Please contact me at Blog@CostaPacific.com if you are interested in participating at any level or if you have any questions regarding the Villebois Farmers Market.

If you are interested in contacting me regarding the various options for new homes available in the Villebois Village Center please contact me at Blog@CostaPacific.com .

Andy Green Costa Pacific Homes, LLC Villebois Village Center Email Me at: Blog@CostaPacific.com Visit us on the web at: www.CostaPacific.com

As we all know trees are an critical part of the ecosystem, but they also also provide comfort to human beings. Trees add perspetive to the environment and shade for people.

When we found this wonderful parcel of land in Wilsonville, there was a huge hospital building surrounded by acres of rolling fields. Scattered throughout the property were wonderful, tall trees. In transforming this land into a community, many of these trees had to be sacrificed, but we wanted to keep as many as possible.

Large trees simply cannot be transplanted, so we worked closely with land planners and arborists to keep the healthiest trees and integrate them into our new community. Below you’ll find some photos of the lengths we went to retain trees during the demolition of the hospital building as how some of the retained trees were incorporated into the built environiment.

We had some AMAZING crews working out there. Look how close the demolition is to these trees!

Now check out some trees along the edge of the future Piazza Villebois …

  And finally see how the trees integrate into a finished built environment. Can you believe we planned the streets around the trees?

Each morning of late it seems the headlines shout aloud: “Foreclosures, Bankruptcies, the Housing Market is Crumbling”. Being in the industry as a mortgage consultant, I often tire of the continual barrage of messages that are designed to sell newspapers and magazines, and not inform us as consumers. Yes, the housing market has weakened, and the economy is suffering right now, but all is not lost.

John D. Rockefeller famously once said, “The way to make money is to buy when there is blood in the streets.” Now Rockefeller was referring to investing in our financial markets, but the same principal applies to any business or property investment. When the demand is low, prices will drop and that is when you buy. But, when demand is high, prices go up and you make your money. Pure economics is what drove the boom we saw in the housing market starting in late 2002, and now we are coming off that peak.

Here are 7 key points to consider:

• Interest rates are still as low as they were 6 years ago at the beginning of the home boom in 2002. They are the lowest they have been in the last 38 years with the exception of 2003-04. Source: Forecast Report

• The home that may be 10% lower a year from now will still cost you just as much per month in a mortgage payment as interest rates WILL go up as the Federal Reserve raises the Fed Fund and Discount Rates and as the economy improves in 2009-10 and beyond. You will pay just as much for that home in the future as you will now even though it may have dropped in value. Source: Time Magazine Article

• From a historical perspective the United States economy is NOT IN A RECESSION! We are in an economic adjustment period! Source: US News Blog

• Portland, Seattle, and Charlotte’s housing market actually appreciated in 2007 while 98% of Metro Cities across the U.S. declined. The Urban Growth boundary is a good thing! (Source: Prudential Northwest Properties of Oregon )

• The overall financial benefit of being able to write off interest on your taxes from mortgage payments, property taxes, and mortgage insurance will cut your overall taxable gross income by over $20,000 dollars with a home loan that is $250,000 or higher, literally pushing you into a lower tax bracket.

• Prices have never been more competitive since 2002 in the Portland, Oregon marketplace.

• Owning a home strengthens your personal credit, creates personal financial investment and independence, and pride of ownership. It also helps stabilize the local economy as home owners will spend their dollars locally based on where they live.

The last reason fits perfectly with Villebois in Wilsonville, and why you should consider the lifestyle and benefits of buying there. Villebois will be a community that is independent and will be full of owners who are proud to live there and invest in that community. Their commitment to Villebois will make Wilsonville the premiere community to live in between Portland and Salem on the I-5 corridor!

I and my lending partners, First Team Mortgage Group are excited to partner with Andy Green of Costa Pacific in creating a buying and lending experience that will be unlike any other in the Portland, Oregon area. Come check us out and see why everyone is talking about Villebois!

Please contact us for your for your financing needs. We appreciate the opportunity to serve your needs during the home finding process.

Click here to Pre-qualify today.

Chad Krober – MBA
Mortgage Consultant
First Horizon Home Loans
503-682-8204 – Office
503-720-3357 – Cell
ckrober@firsthorizon.com