Affordable Housing

[tristanbgilb]

I bought my house and it is already worth twice what I am paying for it. That is affordable housing.

Subsidized housing is totally different. There is no investment here. The money is gone without an investment.

I have been trading real estate for about 30 years. I have owned 4 parcels in the Methow Valley and two of them I still own today.

Rent is making someone else money.

Home ownership is a good way to live and make an investment in yourselves and families.

[Rideback]

$27 Billion cuts to affordable housing
https://crooksandliars.com/2025/07/trum ... low-income

[tristanbgilb]

7 Howerton RD
$90k
Twisp River/Sky Ranch: 1.4 acres tucked in the tall pine trees. Quiet location just 8 miles from Twisp and 7 miles to Sawtooth Wilderness trails. Access year round from county and privately maintained roads. Community water and power are in the roadway.

This is a buildable lot for under $100k.
I would like to jump on this sale if I was able.
It's the most affordable property in Twisp.

This lot may not be buildable. I am doing further research

I went to the lot and it seems buildable to me. I must confess I am no expert on this. I might like to make an offer on this lot myself so maybe I should just be quiet

[tristanbgilb]

7 Howerton RD
$90k
Twisp River/Sky Ranch: 1.4 acres tucked in the tall pine trees. Quiet location just 8 miles from Twisp and 7 miles to Sawtooth Wilderness trails. Access year round from county and privately maintained roads. Community water and power are in the roadway.

This is a buildable lot for under $100k.
I would like to jump on this sale if I was able.
It's the most affordable property in Twisp.

This lot may not be buildable. I am doing further research

[tristanbgilb]

7 Howerton RD
$90k
Twisp River/Sky Ranch: 1.4 acres tucked in the tall pine trees. Quiet location just 8 miles from Twisp and 7 miles to Sawtooth Wilderness trails. Access year round from county and privately maintained roads. Community water and power are in the roadway.

This is a buildable lot for under $100k.
I would like to jump on this sale if I was able.
It's the most affordable property in Twisp.

[tristanbgilb]

$225,000
220 Corral Street, Winthrop, WA 98862
2 beds
1 baths
640 sqft

This one is a good deal in my mind. It won't last long.

Winthrop In-Town Fixer. Charming older 640 sqft Cottage, with two bedrooms and full bath. Recently occupied by a long-term multi-year tenant. Detached 384 sqft shop/storage shed. Over-sized corner lot with fenced yard. Loads of upside potential as a refurbished long-term rental or custom-built primary home in a quiet residential R1-zoned neighborhood minutes from downtown. The Owner is offering this delightful country Cottage AS-IS, loaded with potential.

[tristanbgilb]

I would prefer condos for middle class instead of charity apartments. We have so much charity within our community with people helping each other. Outside influence of this degree is unnerving. We need dwellings for middle class to be bought sold and traded within the market values of today's world.

[mister_coffee]

There are a few homeless people in the valley, even in the winter. And I'm not counting the folks who are couch-surfing.

There has been a camper pickup with a lady in her mid to late 30s that I've seen at some of the trailheads when I get to them early. She seems to clear out of where she spends the night before sunrise and so far seems to have stayed ahead of anyone looking to drive her out of here. I don't know what the story is but I imagine she is working somewhere in the valley.

[PAL]

They need to remediate the arsnic that was used in the orchard there first.Think about entering and exiting. They changed it to the Twisp Carlton road, estimating about 345 daily trips in and out. Original plan had it coming out by Do It, which is where the entrance is now.
Do you want to see 3 story blocky buildings or 2 story buildings. They would have to eliminate the community center for the residents there. Three story would probably not create a visual problem, however. Look at the low key apts in town. Those are older but are nice, in my opinion.
Is snow falling off of a 3 story roof a problem? How about icicles falling if it is not isulated enough? 3 tab roof however would keep the snow on.
Would the project draw many more homeless people from out of the Valley to live in them? Jobs? Hope they do it right.
We sure do need the housing and for those that have had to leave and communte from Omak or Okanogan, it would be nice to have them back.
These are just a few of the things to think about.

[tristanbgilb]

Any thoughts about AFFORDABLE housing that might be built behind Rosauers.?

[tristanbgilb]

This prime location is an incredible opportunity in the heart of of Twisp, a quiet little town away from the hustle and bustle. Plan to build or park your toys on this lot with access to town water and sewer. Mager Street is in front of the lot. The property can be accessed via Mager Street. This 0.11-acre lot offers the perfect entry point into this vibrant community, renowned for its proximity to world-class skiing, Lake Chelan, and the breathtaking North Cascades National Park, just minutes from the Twisp River and Methow River, this property offers easy access to some of the best outdoor recreation in the country.

$74,900
121 Magers Street, Twisp, WA 98856

Listing terms: Cash Out, Conventional, Owner Will Carry

I am simply letting folks know that this is a starter lot with utilities at the road. For someone who is wanting affordable housing, this could be a prime lot. House may be as small as 500 sq feet. Lot is sloped making it less desirable than others and therefore a less expensive lot. I am not sellling this lot only showing there is a way to home ownership in twisp for the average joe.

[just-jim]

.

Maybe charge those that rent their second homes out as nightly rentals the price equivalent to what they charge for renting their second house

.
I have no idea what Tristan posted (his motion icons are distracting at best)….but im pretty sure a 100% tax/fee/penalty - or whatever you want to call it - is EXACTLY socialism/communism!

It is ‘THEM” telling you what YOU can do with YOUR private PROPERTY!!!!!

Right?
.

[Jingles]

Maybe charge those that rent their second homes out as nightly rentals the price equivalent to what they charge for renting their second house

[tristanbgilb]

This prime location is an incredible opportunity in the heart of of Twisp, a quiet little town away from the hustle and bustle. Plan to build or park your toys on this lot with access to town water and sewer. Mager Street is in front of the lot. The property can be accessed via Mager Street. This 0.11-acre lot offers the perfect entry point into this vibrant community, renowned for its proximity to world-class skiing, Lake Chelan, and the breathtaking North Cascades National Park, just minutes from the Twisp River and Methow River, this property offers easy access to some of the best outdoor recreation in the country.

$74,900
121 Magers Street, Twisp, WA 98856

Listing terms: Cash Out, Conventional, Owner Will Carry

[tristanbgilb]

Winthrop In-Town Fixer. This older 336 sqft one-bedroom, .75-bath “tiny” home, recently occupied by a long-term multi-year tenant, has loads of upside potential as a refurbished long-term rental or custom-built primary home in a quiet residential R1-zoned neighborhood minutes from downtown. The Owner is offering this bundle of potential AS-IS.

This is a good opportunity to make an investment of real estate.

Here is an affordable house in a market where everything is increasing in price to become unaffordable for middle class families.

[tristanbgilb]

$198,5000 .5 Acres
419 Burgar St, Twisp, WA 98856

TWISP: Large half acre lot in the sought after Burgar Street Neighborhood. Water, power and sewer installed. Irrigation well for lower water bills. 30 X 36, 1000 sq. ft. shop. Two entrances.

I can get $100k if I could find a business partner, we could divide the lot in two. I doubt this lot will last through tomorrow. Any takers? Let me know mucho pronto like right now.

[tristanbgilb]

Listed by:
Carol K. Johnson

Mountain to River Realty LLC

Source: NWMLS,
MLS#: 1871420

$335,000 3 bd 1 ba 852 sqft
1306 Riverside Ave, Twisp, WA 98856

1950's Twisp charmer! Cozy 2+ bedroom with 1 bath. Open living area and kitchen with stainless steel appliances and tile back splash. Easy care vinyl double pane windows. Full bath has Corian counter top with tiled shower and tub. New electrical panel. Updated plumbing. A/C unit installed. Electric wall heaters. Fully fenced yard with room to add a garden space. Small attached storage shed with duel access. Enjoy the walkable lifestyle that Twisp offers.

This just came up for sale. I bet someone puts an offer on it before the weekend is up.

[tristanbgilb]

I called the realtor about the johnson st lot and he told me there is a lot of interest in it and he didn't seem interested in entertaining a low ball offer. he was more interested in multifamily dwellings than anything. i am thinking twisp doesn't have a water shortage anymore. when i traded that sky ranch log cabin for this house in town there was a building moratorium in twisp due to water right issues is what i think. so i am pretty much out of getting more ground in the methow valley unless this is a bubble followed by a crash. I have an option to build an accessory dwelling in town or upgrading the Twisp River Cabin. I am thinking the cabin needs upgrades more than anything.

thinking of renovating it from a cabin to something a family could live in. I want my son to raise his family here if he wants. My daughter has been promised the house in Town. I want my grandchildren to have the best neighborhood in the US as I hope to be providing my children. This leaves me homeless in about 15 years when the house gets paid off then I build the accessory dwelling... if lifes way. I have friends and family that would live in the Methow Valley if they could afford to. When I first came to the valley my dwelling was a tipi. i was clueless as to what i was in for. I would have been quite comfortable in a tiny home and maybe never traded the twisp river swamp for the twisp River Cabin. the sky ranch log cabin was me thinking about a full size house for my family. i bought the cabin kit on ebay and had it engineered by larry zimmerlund with the full three side foundation. it is a nice house . I might have chosen a carpenter to rent it while finishing it with todays rental shortage rather than selling it cheap for someone else to finish. anyway, I plan to occupy this Twisp River Cabin and renovate so my son will have affordable housing in the methow valley.

[PAL]

I don't know anyone that has the bucks to buy a house in those that are in need of housing.
The people I know are poor. Some have to live in Omak, or motorhomes or worse, in order to be here. People that have the money may have to look elsewhere for available housing. There are some that are for sale but the market is slowing down from what I see.
The emergency housing is a great idea and is a faster solution. i'm not suggesting free. Most people want to pay their way, I find. Yes, the zoning needs to change to allow for well sharing and all the things you say.
With winter, people have pretty much settled in and are where they are, either here or gone.
I don't have that attitude that if people leave there is more room for me. I already have the roominess I need up Twisp River. It is alot calmer this year it seems. Upper Twisp River got really popular because of the snow and it was discovered. It didn't seem that way today when we were up there. Of course it was a Monday. Vehicle tracks showed that people were looking for Christmas trees. We didn't see a soul.
Tristan I know that house, across from us. They finished it. They kept us awake one night until 2 am, firing a semi auto weapon into what sounded like roofing material. We didn't call the law, as a neighbor went over with his weapon and told them to knock it off or the law would be called. They quit and have never done it again.
Off topic for sure.

[PAL]

Well, maybe it should be about available housing then. There is none available, period. The apartment units are full in Twisp and Winthrop and I think people have to make below a certain income level. A room once in awhile pops up, but according to Room One stats, the rental availability in the Valley is less than 1 percent. Another house does pop up occasionally at $2100/month. It is 3 bedrooms so people could possibly share that house, if the landlord is ok with that.
All for now.

[tristanbgilb]

Not sure why I am dodging bullets. Maybe I am wrong about what affordable housing means. To me it means 1/3 of a household income. I guess a person working makes $20 hr or $3200 month. This would make $1000 month an affordable house. I built that log cabin shell on the engineered foundation for about $150000. A person with good credit can borrow $200000 at $1000 each month with is less than rent in our town. I am discussing affordable housing. Tell me what affordable housing is if my definition is incorrect. I could buy and build a legal dwelling on Johnson St for $200000 and own the land. This to me is $1000 each month for 30 years. Seems like people that have a "sky is falling" attitude have a difficult time making long term investments when all hell is about to break loose why bother? Well I don't think all hell is about to come to Twisp or the methow and am willing to think about long term monetary investments.

[mister_coffee]

No, none of that is unreasonable.

The reality is that there are a lot of moving parts and getting them all to move at the same time takes time and effort. Bluntly the issue is not that government is bad or dysfunctional, just that to solve the problem you need to get different levels of government to talk to each other and engage to solve this problem. And that's just for the land use and water issues that you'd have to solve before you can even start building.

[PAL]

OK, let's try to keep it to affordable housing and we are not talking about just one individual or individuals that are providing housing for themselves. We are talking about the conditions Valley wide.
The concern is, it is too late. By the time housing is built, the workers may throw in the towel. Jobs may not be as plentiful because businesses may have to shut down for lack of workers, etc. Things are maintaining here, barely. So yes indeedy, time will tell. Worker bees will go where the jobs are and maybe where there is housing in, where? some other state, town?
If housing could be provided quickly, then it could work.

[tristanbgilb]

It would require a professional engineer's stamp to ensure the hillside doesn't fail. I have done it before with a log cabin that I sold in the Twisp River Sky Ranch. I didn't make any money on this because I was in a hurry to move into town with my family and not suffer through construction. I bet its a beautiful finished log home now. It was designed to be a cabin but with an engineer and three concrete walls built into the hillside it is a full sized house... way out of my price range now.

[PAL]

The hillside house you are dreaming of would be a good thing in that it would be partially earth sheltered into the hillside like that. Doesn't have to be dark and dreary either. But it might requite alot of concrete which in these days can be expensive.
Or hey, rammed earth if they are permitted here. But concrete is more stable in my mind.
As far as last opportunity there are parcels around town still.
In time, something will come about there. Good luck, and I mean in a positive way.