People looking for a wonderful place to live in the great Pacific Northwest should consider Salem, the capital of Oregon. Salem is a bustling, trendy, and yet comfortable city conveniently located in the middle of the beautiful Willamette Valley that stretches from Portland to Eugene. Salem features a scenic, historic downtown, with the Willamette River flowing between Salem and West Salem.

People have found that living in Salem offers an unmatched lifestyle, whether they’re young professionals starting a career in state government or a growing family looking for a beautiful, clean place to live. Salem offers many cultural and entertainment options while having quick and easy access to all the great outdoor activities the Northwest is known for.

The cost of living in Salem is generally less expensive than in Portland, which makes the city that much more attractive. The median sale price of homes for sale in Salem, Oregon, is significantly less than the cost of homes in Portland and the nationwide average. The market is trending toward favoring buyers, which means there are more homes on the market than buyers looking.

Your chances of finding a luxury home will increase if you partner with an experienced real estate agent like Rebecca Donaldson. Rebecca will quickly match your criteria and needs with a lovely home that will soon have you living the Northwest lifestyle that many people can only dream of. There are many neighborhoods in Salem, including near the river and stretching out toward the farmland the area is known for. Once you get settled, you can begin experiencing for yourself the top reasons people love living in Salem.

The natural beauty of Salem’s setting in the Willamette Valley is accentuated by a number of gardens and other open spaces that have earned the city the title of being the garden capital of Oregon. A good starting place is to visit the Deepwood Museum & Gardens, formerly known as Historic Deepwood Estate, which is a Victorian house surrounded by gardens located next to Bush’s Pasture Park. Other spots to visit are Gaiety Hollow and Schreiner's Iris Garden. There are also vineyards in the area that offer tours and tasting rooms.

The entire Pacific Northwest is a natural paradise of mountains and water, and Salem is remarkably located just an hour from both the Pacific Ocean and the Cascade Mountains. Residents can make a day of it by heading west for some ocean kayaking, beachcombing, and exploring wonderful little coastal villages. Or they can head east for hiking, mountain biking, and camping in the majestic Cascades, which help give Oregon its identity. One quick escape for a day of exploring the local beauty is to visit Silver Falls State Park, which has 10 waterfalls on a 7.2-mile loop trail and campsites.

Besides being an outdoor wonderland, Salem and the entire Willamette Valley offer the chance to cheer for many different sports teams. People who have bought homes for sale in Salem, Oregon, and are baseball fans can spend pleasant summer evenings watching their favorite teams play in the Mavericks Independent Baseball League, which has four teams composed of players who were not drafted or have been released and hope to reach the major leagues. Games are played at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer, which is a suburb on Salem’s northwest side.

Salem is perfectly situated for fans of college and pro sports. Oregon State University in Corvallis and the University of Oregon in Eugene are members of the Pac-12 Conference, which offers big-time competitions in football, basketball, and many other sports. Eugene is also known as the Track Capital of The World for the long history of world-class track and field competitions held at Hayward Field on the Oregon campus. Corvallis is a 40-mile drive while Eugene is about 66 miles away.

Portland is just an hour to the north, making it an easy drive for fans of the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers and two major soccer teams, the Thorns FC of the National Women’s Soccer League and the Timbers of Major League Soccer. The Portland area is also home to the minor league Hillsboro Hops and the Portland Pickles, who play in a collegiate summer wood-bat league.

Part of the attraction of living in Salem is the awesome weather during the summer months. It doesn’t get overly hot as it does in other parts of the state and the Northwest in general. The average high in summer is 81.6 degrees, which is perfect for golfing and taking the family to various parks. Among the best city parks are Riverfront City Park, Fairmount City Park, and Cascades City Park. A handful of parks are located along the Willamette River, making outings scenic as well as fun.

Salem also has some of the best golf courses in the state, both in town and nearby. Some of the best private clubs in Salem are Salem Golf Club, Creekside Golf Club, and Illahae Country Club.

There are a number of museums and galleries in Salem, as well as small colleges and universities that offer various cultural events. Among the museums are the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, which displays works of Native American and other Pacific Northwest artists; The Bush House Museum; and the Willamette Heritage Center, which includes a Victorian wool mill and 19th-century homes that recreate life in a bygone era. People love visiting the domed state capitol building, where various works by Oregon artists are displayed.

Salem’s downtown has something for everyone. There are historic buildings, great restaurants and night spots, and unique shops and boutiques. There is also a wonderful connection with nature via trails and bridges for pedestrians and bicyclists.

These are just some of the reasons people love living in Salem. When you’re ready to start viewing homes for sale in Salem, Oregon, let Rebecca Donaldson show you why she’s the No. 1 producer in the entire Willamette Valley.