United Real Estate Properties
Lauri Howes & Jamie Kenworthy
 
Living in Eugene, Oregon. And we're starting right now. Welcome to our YouTube channel, everyone. My name is Laurie Howes and I am a realtor with Keller Williams Realty in Eugene Springfield. Today we're going to talk about the pros and the cons of living in Eugene, Oregon. So let's get started. We're going to start with those pesky cons so we can end on a high note with all those pros.


CON #1

If you've heard anything about Oregon, I'm sure you heard it rains a lot. The average rainfall in Eugene is about 47 inches a year. We do get a lot of rain. But that's what keeps the city so green. So you just really need to learn how to love the rain. Plus, you really learn to enjoy those sun breaks sprinkled throughout the winter when the sun pops out. However, year-round temperatures are very mild. Our wintertime temperatures average around 45 degrees and our summertime temperatures average around 82.

CON #2
Is allergy season. Allergy season runs from March through July with tree pollen from March, April and May. And grass pollen starts in May and runs through July 13th. Eugene is located at the end of the Willamette Valley. The Willamette Valley is the grass seed mecca of the world. So you can see why there's so much grass pollen here. So be sure and stock up on the allergy medication and plan to spend a few more days indoors during allergy season and that you get through just fine.

CON #3

Downtown parking. Most of the downtown parking is metered or there are pay lots. There are very few free lots to park in downtown. But Lane Transit bus service does have bus stations around town where you can park and ride. Free parking, so just park your car and hop the city bus and head on downtown.

CON #4
The city of Eugene has not quite figured out how to manage the homeless population, but they are working on it constantly to come up with strategies to help the unhoused. Eugene City Council is working with nonprofits to improve rest stops and tiny villages to move the unhoused into transitional housing.

CON #5

We have a housing shortage. The city of Eugene believes in infill, not urban sprawl. They are not going to extend the urban growth boundary anytime soon. Tracts of land for building out new neighborhoods are becoming very scarce within the city. Affordable housing is an issue.

Now let's move on to those pro's

PRO #1

Recreational opportunities are at your fingertips. Rafting, kayaking, hiking, camping and fishing. Are just a few options for the outdoor enthusiast.

PRO #2

Eugene is only one hour from the Oregon coast where you can enjoy long walks on the beach and then dine on some locally caught seafood. And to the east, again only one hour away are the Cascade Mountains. The mountains offer summertime camping, hiking, mountain biking, fishing and water skiing. During the winter, there's downhill and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing within an hour of the city.

PRO #3

The performing arts, there are several locations throughout the city where you can enjoy live performances. One is the Hult Center where you can take in an off-Broadway play or musical, the Eugene Ballet and the Eugene opera. Popular performers come and play at the Matthew Knight Arena, located on the University of Oregon campus throughout the year. And there are several small theaters within the city as well. They include the John G. Shedd Institute for the Arts, the Very Little Theater and the Actors Cabaret.

PRO #4

The great outdoors, walking, jogging, biking and walking your dog is all very popular here in Eugene and there are several places to do that. With 31 trails and 95 miles of walking/jogging paths in Eugene, you can always get out and enjoy a hike on Spenser's Butt, Skinners Butt or Mt. Pisgah and Moon Mountain City Park.

PRO #5

Breweries and wine tasting. After all that hiking, biking and dog walking, maybe a cold beverage is on order. There are 14 microbreweries in the Eugene area, 20 wine tasting rooms, and nearly all of them serve really great food!
 Well, that's a wrap, folks, I hope you've enjoyed these five cons and five pros.
If you want to learn more about Eugene and the surrounding area please subscribe to our YouTube channel as we post new video’s every Monday and Friday.
You all have a great week and we'll see you soon.
Team Howes
 

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What my clients are saying  

Absolutely recommend! We were the owners of the property posted on 9/16/2019. Lauri knew all the ins and outs of getting our property ready to sell, and we were very happy with how quickly it sold. Then she helped us navigate our way through the complexities of getting the property ready for its first time title insurance. Lauri was super supportive and a pleasure to work with, and we also enjoyed spending time with this lovely lively lady!

 

~ Meridith Elizabeth

We had the wonderful opportunity to have Terry Howes as our real estate agent for both the purchase of our new home & the sale of our previous one. There were numerous times when we were ready to make concessions & Terry was there to remind us that if we kept looking we'd eventually find the perfect one. He could have easily encouraged us forward on several of the homes we saw & taken the commission but his goal was more focused on getting us into the right place. Eventually we found the perfect property & are now extremely happy in our new home, thanks to Terry! Even after a few disappointing offers Terry was steadfast. After we closed on both houses Terry has remained in our lives & I feel we have gained a true friend. We have had many opportunities to work with other real estate agents & Terry was BY FAR the most trustworthy & honest out of all of them. He won't push you into something you don't want & he'll always have your back. I highly recommend him to everyone. 2020

 

~ Matthew & Tamara Marksbury

Lauri helped us sell our home in Springfield, OR in 2016. She was so helpful every step of the way, from helping us get the house ready to sell to listing to helping us understand each of the offers we received. She knows the Springfield market so well and gave us excellent advice about pricing it to sell. We had multiple offers and were under contract to sell the house within a week of listing it (for more than our list price) and closed in just over a month

 

~ Kira Homo

Lauri was my first time experience with a real estate agent....I was beyond dumb....and she took the time to answere every one of my questions, spent time with me when she probably had better things to do....she gave me her time, her patience, and shared every bit of her knowledge with me to help me make it through an extremely emotional time in my life. One of the wonderful things about Lauri, is she is a 'seller' and a 'buyer'....which made my entire experience so much easier!!! When you are searching for your dream home, or your forever home, having a gal like Lauri on your team is a MUST!! She shoots straight from the hip....and in a world full of crookedness, straight as an arrow is what I would choose every time!!

 

~ ryrst2

Our daughter chose Lauri to help her and her family find a home in the Springfield area. They had specific ideas about where they wanted to live and Lauri helped them find their "forever" home. We then used Lauri to help us search for our "forever" home. We were not in a hurry and Lauri was there every time a new listing came up in the area we were interested in. She was available immediately to show us the properties and help us make evaluations. We strongly recommend Lauri for all your real estate needs. She is energetic, personable, honest, and quickly zeros in on your wants and needs. Lauri has a broad base of knowledge about the Eugene/Springfield area and beyond. She listens to you, and gives honest feedback. Lauri is professional, personable, and energetic. She will work hard to find your forever home and sell your present real estate.

 

~ Kathy Pasky

Lauri helped me sell my home in Oakridge, Oregon. Oakridge is a small town 45 miles from Eugene with a population of 3500. She was willing to meet with me in Oakridge on a weekend. I was unable to get responses from 2 other realtors & was pleased that she was so responsive. The home sold for a cash price and was only on the market a couple of months. I only had to decrease the sale price a little. Most homes in that area are on the market for at least a year & most often sell for a lot less than the asking price. She was very helpful through the entire process.

 

~ Karen Norton

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