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Topography Shapes Distinctive Nature of Cowlitz County Real Estate Market
Prospective homebuyers in Cowlitz County can count on finding quality homes that provide a sense of individuality not found in many other areas.
With plenty of rolling hills and a decided lack of broad‚ flat stretches‚ Cowlitz County is not the place to find sprawling tracts of cookie-cutter homes. Instead‚ as the area has developed over the years‚ smaller developments and unique homes have been more the order of the day. This approach not only lends to the area’s distinct look‚ but also provides homeowners with a heightened sense of individuality.
“The kind of development you see today in Portland or Seattle‚ they’ve got 100 homes with four floor plans‚” says Gerald Flaskerud‚ broker/owner of Coldwell Banker Flaskerud Realty. “They rotate those around so it’s not totally one size fits all‚ but you’ve got a lot of identical houses. That’s not happening here.”
In Longview and the surrounding area‚ developments are more likely to have 10 or more floor plans‚ offering more variety. Those developments also tend to be smaller‚ reflecting the region’s topography.
“In those larger markets‚ they’re selling a house a day because of the demand‚ but here that doesn’t happen‚” says Flaskerud‚ who began selling homes in the area in 1972. “The builders here have to focus on individual sales and buyers‚ so they’re putting out more variety and a better product.”
That holds true especially when the house is larger and aimed at the high- end market‚ adds Roger Allen‚ a retired broker formerly with Windermere Allen & Associates.
“When you get up into the more expensive lots‚ especially when the houses are being built on spec‚ they tend to be even more individual‚” notes Allen‚ who got into the local market in the late 1970s and also serves as a commissioner for the Port of Longview. “But in any case‚ builders around here want things to be affordable‚ but they also want people to have a sense that they’re getting something that’s not average.”
The Cowlitz County real estate market is a buyer’s dream‚ with housing prices that have remained well below state and national averages. According to Flaskerud‚ the median price for a three-bedroom‚ two-bathroom home is around $185‚000 in the area‚ less than half what a similar property in Seattle would cost.
While the topography can prove challenging‚ savvy developers are able to pick up good sites and custom-build with the buyer in mind. Allen‚ for example‚ is developing some property that overlooks the Mint Valley Golf Course‚ where the lots will range from 11‚000 to 20‚000 square feet.
“They’ll hold almost anything‚ and I’m really excited about it‚” he says. “People are building homes that are more unique‚ that have more of a look‚ and this is a really unique area.”
Story by Joe Morris
Photo by Michael W. Bunch
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