Wanna Buy A House? Then, Don’t Make These Mistakes….

January26
Fiona Apple sings "A Mistake" The mortgage market has been challenged for several years in the Portland Metro area and nationwide!  Money is available but good credit is paramount.  Here are some verifiable ways to avoid "mortgage pitfalls" compiled from suggestions from several of my favorite mortgage brokers!! Don't stop making your mortgage, rent, auto or any other payment!!  If you have a late payment, even on a silly $10 a month credit card it could mean the difference between "yes" and "no". Don't buy or lease an auto!!  Lenders look carefully at your monthly debt obligation… Read More

I Need a Job……..

January24
"I Need this Job" from A Chorus Line. yeah...that's right!  I NEED a job!!  And, I'm not just referring to the fact that in a real estate career, you wake up every morning looking for your next job.  I'm referring to a deep requirement for that feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment. I've always been a hard worker, nose-t0-the-grindstone and all that jazz.  In the last few years I've been giving myself the gift of more travel.  And, it IS a gift!  I've always had a sense of adventure and have enjoyed new experiences but I've had the recent luxury of getting away more.  And, I… Read More

January 2012 Portland Metro Real Estate Update!

January18
  January 2012 Portland Metro Real Estate Update!!! The “word” for the last several months of market stats has been “improvement”.  And, last month was no different!!  Closed sales saw a 10.3% increase and pending sales saw a growth of 19.3%.  And, get this!!!  We are now at 5.3 months of inventory (there are currently 8,612 active residential listings).  In the last 3 years we have been at a high of 19.2 months of inventory and this is the lowest in that time period!!  The average sale price dropped 6.7% compared to 2010.  So, in some areas pricing is still declining… Read More

Full Price for a Home in THIS Market????!!!

January13
Ne-Yo "Make it Work"     Why Pay Full Price? No one wants to pay more than its value regardless of the product. When you buy anything at one store and see it for less at another store, it's not the difference as much as it is about overpaying.  No one wants to overpay! It seems like the natural way to start the negotiation process is to offer less than the asking price for the home, especially in today's buyer's market. However, instead of the price, a buyer could negotiate condition, timing or terms. A few thousand dollars off the price may not make much diff… Read More

Why Don’t You See More “Creative Financing” in the Portland Metro Real Estate Market????

January10
Avril Lavigne - "Why" Why don't you see more "lease with an option to purchase"???  I have had multiple inquiries into the possibility of leasing with the possibility of purchasing once one's credit has repaired or whatever obstacle to tradition financing is overcome.  You'd think in a marketplace like we have been experiencing in the Portland Metro area, we would see all kinds of "creative financing options"!!??  When I began my real estate career in the mid-80's, there was a lot of creative financing options offered and the marketplace forced lots of creative thinking.  There were sel… Read More
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