June 2012 RSS Feed

Found 5 blog entries for June 2012.

A June 21st Oregonian news headline, “Tight Portland-area housing market brings stiff competition, bidding wars,” sums it up.

This weekend I had the opportunity to make an offer for clients of mine who had been watching the market and waiting for “the one.” On Thursday, the same day as the article in the Oregonian, a home was listed for sale on a nice neighborhood street in Lake Oswego. On Saturday, two days later, my clients saw the home and fell in love! It was the one. Immediately after seeing the home they wanted to make an offer. I called the listing broker and learned there were already 5 offers!

During my call with the listing broker, I gathered as much information as possible about the owner and the owner’s motivation in moving and selling the…

7,261 Views, 1 Comment

Most sensible people would think that as home values decrease their property tax bills should too. Unfortunately, this is not often the case. In most cases, property taxes will increase in 2012 regardless of any real market value decline of their property.

While market decline may reduce a property’s real market value property taxes are based on the assessed value of the property. In most cases, assessed values are significantly lower than the market value. Taxes will only be reduced if real market value falls below assessed value. Taxes are based on the lesser of the two amounts.

Passed by Oregon voters in 1997, Measure 50 increased the predictability of tax rate increases with slow steady growth in property taxes, reducing the influence of sharp…

7,326 Views, 1 Comment

In a report posted on Realtor.com last week the Portland/Vancouver real estate market saw an 8.84% year-over-year increase in home values in April. The new median home value in the Portland/Vancouver market as of April is $244,900. The Portland/Vancouver market was the sixth fastest growing market out of 146 national housing markets tracked by the website.

The May 2012 RMLS Market Action report showed improvement across all real estate activity except new listings which were down slightly. May 2012 saw the highest number of pending sales in the month of May since 2007. Closed sales were up 20.4% over the same month last year. Median sale prices were up 6.6%.

Economics 101 at work… The Portland Metro housing market has a 4.2 month inventory, the lowest…

6,875 Views, 2 Comments

One of the keys to early success in my real estate career has been building a superior network of real estate professionals who my clients and I can turn to and rely on. There are several moving parts to any real estate transaction. It is important to use a team approach to make sure each part is fully evaluated and the best decision reached. Teaming with the industry’s best gives you the peace of mind that their knowledge and experience with be backing you throughout the process.

From home inspections to mortgage deadlines, I have built a network of professionals who are committed to going above and beyond to get the job done right the first time. Communication is vital. I work to facilitate the transaction and keep everyone on the same page throughout…

5,997 Views, 0 Comments

When I meet with a client for the first time I like to make it clear that I am not a typical broker. My goal isn’t to “sell” them anything. Real estate is unlike most products and services. Real estate should sell itself. You have your own wants and needs in a home or property. My only objective is helping you find the right property that speaks to you. You will know “the one” when you see it. You don’t need me to convince you of anything.

I showed homes in Eugene this last weekend to clients from California. Typically, I don’t work the Eugene market but I didn’t want to just hand these clients off because it posed a small inconvenience to me. My business model is about building a long lasting professional relationship and not being concerned with any…

6,086 Views, 0 Comments