Posts Tagged buying or selling a home in Portland Oregon

Income Tax Deductions are a VERY Good Thing! Choose Wisely!!

February8
Brandy - "Decisions" Choose Your BEST Deduction! Once again it's almost tax time (sorry...didn't mean to bring you down) and we continue "Tax Week" on the Fabulous Portland Blog.  On Monday I posted a long list of documentation you might need to prepare your taxes.  However, some other "stuff" to consider:  one third of all U.S. households, 75% of households with more than $75,000 income and most homeowners itemize their deduction on their federal income tax returns (according to the IRS). Of course, this (usually) makes sense because the interest paid on their mortgage and their pr… Read More

Utilizing a Self-Storage Unit During a Move: Tips and Compare!

February3
"Storage Wars Theme Song" This is a guest post by Matt Schexnayder of Sparefoot Marketing.  Check out and compare storage units for your move!! Top 5 Supplies for Self-Storage Storage So you thought you were ready for your move, until you realized that you just don’t have the space needed at your new home to house all of your belongings. What do you do? Sell your stuff, or perhaps give it away? Sounds displeasing. Instead, consider renting a Portland self-storage unit for the safe keeping of those non-essential items you can’t seem to part with. Self-storage units are the bes… Read More

Stories from the Real Estate Trenches……Fear and Loathing in Portland, Oregon!

January31
"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" soundtrack compilation   Despite indications that both the local real estate market and the local economy are ever-so-slowly stabilizing and/or improving, the ridiculous and the sublime often still reign supreme!!  I see two major obstacles to the real estate recovery:  extremely over-reactive mortgage lending practices and our new, revised and "improved" appraisal guidelines!  Of course, I realize that this is the pendulum swinging completely the other direction, as a reaction to the "loosey-goosey" mortgage loan underwriting which helped prop… Read More

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