Lake Oswego, Oregon is an absolutely gorgeous little town of 36,619 people located just south of the big city of Portland. It was once an iron mining community and it has since been turned into an affluent extension of Portland.
The entire community is built around a beautiful private lake and surrounded by untouched old-growth forests. The area is managed by the Oswego Corporation. It is known for its grand houses perched on the lake. Many of these resort style properties are some of the most expensive in the Portland area. Many residents navigate the lake by boat. The center of the community is at the east end of the lake where boaters park their crafts and walk to the nearby businesses.
This is a very active neighborhood that is protective of the nature that surrounds it. There are over twenty neighborhood associations in this small town including Holly Orchard, Lake Forest, Lake Grove, Lakewood, Evergreen, Forest Highlands and more. Each is a lovely small neighborhood that is extraordinarily well run by the people that live there.
The citizen’s love of nature here is evidenced by the 24 developed parks in the city including one that has an amphitheater, another with a water sports center and another with a swim park. There are also seven outdoor tennis courts and a public golf course. There is also a local equestrian club in the area.
The city also has a sophisticated program of arts including an outdoor sculpture exhibit on the streets of downtown called Gallery Without Walls, which includes over six sculptures on display at any one time. The city also owns 200 pieces of public art. There are many art competitions including the Chronicle Invitational Exhibition that invites local artists to create works pertaining to the Pacific Northwest landscape themes. Lake Oswego also has a huge exhibition and performance space called The Lakewood Center for the Arts that houses a theater company, a children’s theater company, dance studios and much more. It also maintains very interesting Iron Walk that takes you through the old mining areas in the woods and hills nearby.
There are a couple of gay bars in Oswego including the Gemini Bar and Grill on North State Street, the Thirst Wine Bar and Hanko’s sports Bar and Grill at 4 Monroe Parkway. Being part of the greater area of Portland, Oregon, Lake Oswego gay citizens are just a short drive away from the exciting gay action in McLaughlin Boulevard in Portland, Oregon. There are also many lively gay meet ups in the area including a group that likes to play Laser tag.
Lake Oswego is not the cheapest place to live as it is considered to be a bit of a resort community. The average price per square foot for a home here was $199 per square foot and prices have risen 14% since last year. As of July 2013 the average listing price for homes for sale in the area was $858,149.00. However, that being said, there are bargains to be had because as of the week ending July 24, 2013, there were 39 homes in the pre-foreclosure or auction stages of foreclosure.
For the best advice about where to find a gorgeous, affordable place in this natural paradise it is best to consult with a resident Lake Oswego gay realtor about your housing and investment options. For more information about the Lake Oswego area go to the city’s official website at www.ci.oswego.or.us.
