I am looking at a property with Panabode (SP) construction. It appears to be kinda sorta around at some places I have looked. Any ideas? Tinker toys, or the real deal. It looks cool but I am not even remotely familiar. My real estate guy makes it a selling point is it?

The ones I have seen, and been in, looked pretty stout. Essentially log/beam/big wood. One was up at Donner Lake (CA) where it had to endure 8-10'+ snow annually.

http://www.panabode.com/

Well they look nice! But my ex sold realestate for awhile and said log homes were hard to sell, but I'm not sure if the ones in our area were built using cedar logs. I guess when bugs get into them it's almost impossible to get rid of them. Good luck

Is it really a panabode? There are a number of lincoln log style houses and some are built really well, others are pretty much crap.
I've always been drawn to log homes, but I think it's a primal thing more than a practical one. Here's one for instance....ever thought of how much dust shelf space there is on a log? and how easy it would be to keep it clean? So first off, for me at least, the inside would have to have flat walls.
Insulation can be an issue as well, depending on the type of construction. Just some thoughts. Good luck. I love 'em, but have my reservations.

I understand settling is a major issue with log homes. Apparently there is an assembly technique that prevents gaps, etc from forming when the house settles. Some mfg's use it, some don't. IIRC Weins near Grandmound does not and reselling their homes is a PITA.

My advice--do tons of homework and talk to as many owners as you can.

Oh one more thing: Because of the tone of the wood, the interior will seem very dark. Make sure you have a spot with lots of light or your wife will suddenly talk about wanting to paint the walls white, which defeats the purpose of a log cabin. Another issue--treating the wood. The place will be uninhabitable after you apply new treatments to the interior for at least a good week and will have a chem reek for a month or two after that. One more-- Service techs like cable installers, plumbers, etc will want to drill thru the wood to save themselves time & money. Also a no-no.

Log homes are more difficult to finance. Lenders don't like them because they are not traditional construction. Obviously higher credit scores and more down payment money ease this for buyers. When financing log homes it is important to find a lender that will do log homes. M & T Bank used to be
the largest log home lender in the country. I don't know about today. Log homes are more maintenance and they do have to settle or logs need to cure after construction. As previously stated, do your homework. If this is going to be your last home purchase and if it is a dream home that is one thing. If this is not, then for ease of financing and possible marketability down the road, traditional stick built is probably the way to go.

I don't see many log homes and I have only appraised maybe 6 or so during the previous 12 years. There aren't that many around and when we do end up appraising them, I usually end up comparing them to stick built homes anyway due to the lack of log homes available.

THIS guy makes a helluva home. I've talked with him and while I haven't gone thru his factory in McCleary, I've seen some of his construction materials. They don't really build a "log" home, even though the name implies that, but If I was considering a log-like or timber frame home, this is the outfit I would try to hook up with.
I know that this thread has taken a turn into something you weren't asking.........but I thought maybe someone might be interested in this.

A friend's mother had a panabode built. It faced south with large windows & high ceilings so it didn' feel cramped or was it dark. It worked out well for her for 20+ years.

Slba - I met Peter Sing when he was on Bainbridge several years ago and he showed me his plans and how the logs were cut. He seemed like he was a good business man & knew how to build a good home.

There's a vid somewheres of some old dude who built a log cabin up in Alaska back in the 60's and taped it with a Super 8. The logs have to season a full year.

Cool tape.

Anyway, having seen enough hand-hewn log cabins that were intended to be actual residences and not hunting shacks, even the pioneers cut the timbers down to a rectangle shape and stucco'd them over.

One option to consider---

If you've ever been back east and have seen those beautiful native stone houses that are about 2-300 years old, they're still rock solid, stay cool in summers and hold heat in the winter, and the construction allows for the frost and heat expansion of the seasons without cracking.

The problem with that in WA?

Earthquakes.