closing the deal

After extended negotiations on a lot that did not result in a deal and a serious scare concerning ownership after agreeing on a purchase price on another lot...we closed! We started the Methow Valley land search in March 2011 and closed on a deal in August 2011. It took two visits to the Valley and a lot of hard work on the part of our real estate agent Sheila.   

I cannot say it was the smoothest buy-sell transaction, but it was worth it because we are now part of the Edelweiss Community. Edelweiss is about 9 miles north of Winthrop and 2 miles south of the Mazama Junction.  The Lot is a little less than 2.5 acres, very private, has a nice view of Lucky Jim's Bluff, and is heavily treed. All Edelweiss properties have water and electricity.  This lot is sloped and there are a few potential building locations.

Below are a few shots of the land:

1st Visit to the Methow

In March 2011, we made our first trip to the Methow to look at properties. We were super excited to meet with Sheila and explore the area. Sheila had identified a ton of properties and told us to bring our snowshoes. 

The drive to the Methow was an important consideration. We knew this one factor could be a deal-breaker because if the drive kept us from going, then it was not worth having a cabin in that area. There are two main routes to get to the Methow from Seattle, but only one in the winter months. In the winter, Washington's North Cascades Highway (elevation 5,477 ft.) is completely closed. It can take less than 3.5 hours to get to Mazama from Seattle on the North Cascades Highway; however, it can take 4.5 to 5 hours taking I-90 over Stevens Pass (elevation 4,061 ft) or Blewett Pass (elevation 4,102 ft.).

In March, the North Cascades Highway is closed, so we would be taking the long way around. When we made it to the Valley, we understood why Sheila had recommended we bring snowshoes. As we drove from Carlton up to Mazama, snow blanketed everything and there was serious accumulation the closer we got to Mazama. Overall, the drive was long, but we were not ready to pass judgment just yet.

The next morning we work up bright and early to meet Sheila at the Mazama Junction Country Store. Over the next 8 hours, we walked properties ranging from 1/2 acre to more than 20 acres in size. The landscape and the amenities varied on each property. Some of the properties were on the side of a mountain with 360 degree views and not a tree in sight, while others were heavily treed with territorial and mountain views. Some of the lots had water and electricity at the property line, while others had no services whatsoever. Many of the properties were designed as part of a larger community governed by a home owners associations. We learned that the HOA is generally responsible for maintaining any common area and ensuring that the community roads are plowed in the winter.

After a long day of looking at properties, we found our focus shifting towards properties with the following characteristics:

• Treed with some elbow room
• Private with electricity and water on the property
• Governed by an HOA with reasonable covenants and restrictions
• Easily accessible
• Mountain or territorial view

the draw of eastern Washington

We were drawn toward eastern Washington because of the landscape and weather. We looked into land around Cle Elum and the Methow Valley, and to get a better read on both, we talked to friends, real estate agents, bankers, and architects. 

Initial information from local banks proved very helpful. Not only did they provide options for financing the land, but local banks had information on available properties, loans being written, and market conditions. Of particular interest, we learned that Kittitas County (i.e., the county Cle Elum is located) had banned new wells in the upper portion of the county, unless water rights were clearly defined. As a result, many of the banks were not underwriting loans for vacant land because wells could not be dug. This was a huge factor for us because obviously, we'd need water.

When researching the Methow Valley, we discovered a number of vacant lots that looked promising. Banks were writing loans and deals were being closed on vacant land even in a down market. Without many contacts in the Methow, we reached out to an architect who had designed a number of beautiful homes in that area. The architect put us in contact with a real estate agent that would turn out to be our most important resource for the Valley, Sheila Coe.

After a video conference with Sheila where we discussed price, size, use, etc., we were on our way to setting up a trip to the Valley. In the meantime, Sheila began identifying properties from Twisp to Mazama for us to visit.

narrowing the choices

After considering our basic criteria for where to buy, the following areas warranted further inspection:

Cle Elum

• Kittitas County, Washington
• Population: 1,872
• Drive time from Seattle: 1.5 hours
• Popular area for camping and other outdoor activities
• Average high: 80 / Average low: 24 / Average snowfall: 65.2 inches
• Number of sunny days: 201

Lake Chelan

• Chelan County, Washington
• Population: 3,890
• Drive time from Seattle: 3 hours
• Sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan
• Average high: 85 / Average low: 24 / Average snowfall: 32.7 inches
• Number of sunny days: 196

Methow Valley

• Okanogan County, Washington 
• Population: 5,144
• Drive time from Seattle: 3 1/2 hours (summer), 4 1/2 hours (winter)
• Popular spot for cross-country skiing and hiking
• Average high: 82 / Average low: 13 / Average snowfall: 122.1 inches
• Number of sunny days: 190

Mt. Baker / Glacier

• Whatcom County, Washington
• Population: 211
• Drive time from Seattle: 2.5 hours
• Awe-inspiring views of Mt. Shuksan, one of the most photographed mountains in the world
• Average high: 76 / Average low: 25 / Average snowfall: 42.7 inches
• Number of sunny days: 158

where to start?

We came to the idea of building a cabin in the woods after spending lots of time and money vacationing in other people's cabins. We wanted a place to get away to that we could call our own. With the exception of a few house remodelling efforts, we had never done anything like this before.

Living in Seattle, we had a number of different places we could look for land. We started by identifying criteria for an acceptable lot:

• Outdoor Activities - we wanted a place where we could easily enjoy both summer (running, hiking, biking) and winter (running, xc-skiing, snowshoeing) activities.

• Proximity - we anticipated using the cabin as weekend getaway, so we wanted to be able to drive there within 4 hours.

• Weather - we wanted a place where we could experience all four seasons, but we especially wanted hot summers and snowy winters.

• Lot - we wanted to make sure the lot afforded plenty of privacy. And we wanted a view of something (mountains, river, lake, etc.).

• Small Town - as much as we wanted to be in the woods, we also wanted there to be a small town close by so that we could have some access to creature comforts (it's important to remember that we're city folk).

the beginning

The purpose of this blog is to chronicle our efforts to build a cabin in the woods.  The project will consist of purchasing vacant land, designing the cabin, constructing the cabin, furnishing the cabin, and hopefully, with a little luck enjoying the cabin.