8 April 2014
2014 Real Estate Market in Florence off to a solid start
If the real estate market in the first three months of this year is any indication, this could be a banner year. One industry analyst in Florence says 2014 started out in a big way with 83 closed sales… the highest number since 2005.
Tawfik Ahdab with the Pacific Valuation Group adds that it’s not just the number of sales that is up… but the cumulative value of sales in the first quarter, at just under $16-million, is the best start to any year since 2007.
Ahdab said the strong sales activity, combined with a relatively tight inventory of homes available for sale should contribute to stability in prices… which have been on the rise in recent months.
He is optimistic about the rest of this year… Ahdab pointed to 41 pending sales at the end of March as evidence of a stable market. He said overall, 2014 is “off to a solid start” and cited energetic demand on the part of buyers; a good selection of homes to choose from; and prices below their recent peaks, but still higher than in previous quarters.
Seafood Processing Could Return
The owner of a new tuna and salmon processing operation that may be headed for Florence says he hopes to be up and running by this fall. Gunther Mothes (MO-dess) says he’s currently raising capital for Sea Resources International. He expects to provide between eight and ten jobs doing something that has not been done in Florence for several years.
Gunther Mothes – “They don’t have a facility at all, they don’t do anything with fish. So there’s nobody there to buy fish from any local boats. They have this tremendous influx of tourism in the summertime that could be taken advantage of; also, the fact that it has no ice-making facilities there. We’re bringing that, we’re going to set that up too, that’s part of the facility.”
Sea Resources will buy fish, smoke some of it; can the rest. He says Northwest Albacore fishermen have developed a great product to work with.
Gunther Mothes – “They have taken and adopted the Japanese methods of sashimi processing the fish which makes a whole new ball game out of tuna, especially Albacore.”
Mothes is working to get certification from the state of Oregon so he can offer limited partnerships.
Stinking Mink Caper Nets Charges
A commercial crab boat captain on the south coast has been cited for water pollution after police in Brookings say the man dumped about five-thousand pounds of rotten mink carcasses used for crab bait into the Port of Brookings.
Charles Case is facing a felony charge in Curry County Circuit Court.
Authorities say Case and the crew of the “Anne Me” allegedly dumped the carcasses the night of April First.
Workers had to wear masks coated with Vicks’ Vapo-Rub to combat the smell as they spent the weekend retrieving three-thousand pounds of the floating, bloated carcasses. More are expected to rise to the surface.
Under the Sea
A cast of 50 local students and young adults will take to the stage in a “Broadway caliber” performance this weekend. Actually, it will be four performances according to the Children’s Repertory of Oregon Workshop.
CROW has been in rehearsal for several weeks with the presentation of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid”, a tale of overcoming obstacles to find true love above and below the waves.
There will be evening performances this Friday and Saturday; as well as two afternoon matinees Saturday and Sunday.
A special “pre-show” event Sunday will offer a chance to meet the actors. Tickets for all shows are $16 for adults, $8 for kids. Producer Rose Ellen Jacobsen says the special Sunday afternoon event is $25 for adults, $16 for kids under 12 and includes a ticket to the show. All are available at the Florence Events Center Box Office.
