Home sales fall off slightly in fourth quarter of 2016
Sales of single family homes in the Florence and Dunes City area slowed just a little bit at the end of 2016. That brought the year end to a close with 465 homes sold in the area for last year… down from 484 the year before.
Local real estate market analyst Tawfik Ahdab with the Pacific Valuation Group said that was a surprising finish. At the end of the third quarter the local market had been on pace to produce more than 500 sales according to his calculations.
Ahdab pointed to two likely causes for the year-end shortfall. The first, an earlier rainy season than in past years; and the second a rapidly falling inventory of homes for sale.
By the end of the year, based on recent sales, there was an estimated four months supply of homes available for sale. A supply of six to eight months is desireable.
A final factor could have been prices. The median sale price for homes in the area increased by about 14-percent by the end of the year. It rose from $185-thousand in December 2015 to $212-thousand last month.
Online sexual predators
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office arrested two more men this week on charges of luring a minor and online sexual corruption of a child. That brought the total of similar arrests over the past three months to five. The Sheriff’s office said men attempting to lure children into sexual contact through the internet has been a “growing concern” in Douglas County.
This week’s arrests… 23-year old Michael Geisler of Myrtle Creek and 22-year old Jesse Kelley of Roseburg, were in addition to a November arrest of 41-year old David Sanders of Idleyld (I-del-eild) Park; 61-year old David Campbell of Roseburg and 39-year old Richard Tuell of Winston.
None of the five were acting in concert with the others. Deputies say parents need to talk to their kids about the dangers online, educate themselves about social media, and use parenting controls and monitor kids’ “screen time”. Don’t forget game consoles they say. Those also have direct access to the internet and can be used to lure children into sexual situations.
Deputies said information on several other suspects has been forwarded to authorities in other jurisdictions for investigation.
Check the immunization records
School exclusion day is about three weeks away and public health officials in Oregon says now is a good time to review your students immunization record.
In Oregon, any student without proper vaccinations will be barred from attending classes by February 14th. There are some non-medical exclusions and those too must be completed by February 14th.
Diane McAlmont (mik-CAL-mont) with Siuslaw Elementary says letters will be sent home to parents and guardians of children who have incomplete or missing immunizations.
Early warning system for earthquakes
Federal legislation was introduced this week that would help fund an early warning system along the Oregon Coast in the event of a mega earthquake and tsunami. Fourth District Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio says if a quake similar to the one that happened in 1700 were to happen today, it would cost thousands of lives and an estimated $32-billion in property damage.
He also says the “Pacific Northwest Earthquake Preparedness Act” would save lives, reduce injuries and “mitigate infrastructure damage”. It would do that by requiring the Federal Emergency Management Agency to develop a plan and identify funding for purchase and installation of an earthquake early warning system. That system would trigger automatic shutdowns of public transit systems, manufacturing lines and close bridges while also helping to protect students in unsafe schools.
Port Commission to hold work session
A walking tour of the facilities around the Port of Siuslaw’s Old Town Marina and Campground, along with the annual evaluation of the district manager will be two components of a Monday afternoon work session by elected officials.
Port of Siuslaw Commissioners will begin the afternoon at one pm in the Port’s conference room with a brief workshop on public procurement. Immediately after that they’ll take a tour of the Port’s 45-year old “blue storage buildings”. The buildings have been deteriorating for several years and Port Manager Steven Leskin is going to present a proposal on “decommissioning” them.
The manager’s annual evaluation will also be discussed during a private, executive session that same afternoon.
>>>
