I’ve written about Lake Oswego’s strict tree code, and Portland has a tree code as well.  Probably most areas around the U.S. have some form of a tree code. Portlanders (Oregonians for that matter) love their trees. Portland is known for its large expanse of trees growing along streets and streams, in parks and

The City of Lake Oswego has a new website – We ♥ LO! That website has great neighborhood information and plans for the City’s future.  Below is information from that website: In Lake Oswego, 77% of residential properties are located within 1/4 mile of a park Parents driving children to school comprises of 20-

There was an interesting report recently about the condition of downtown Portland in regards to employment, construction, leasing, business growth, etc. According to the report, Portland is still suffering from job losses that occurred in 2008 when 3,000 jobs were lost.  Although there was an increase of 393 jobs in 2009,

Guest Author: Bob Chiodo, CFP Ofc 503.670.7393 Fax 503.670.7062 www.ResCommLending.com Apply Here Estimated Rates for the week of July 26, 2010*: 30 yr fixed: 4.375 – 4.50 FHA/VA: 4.375 – 4.750 15 yr fixed: 3.750 – 4.000 OR VA: 4.50 w/1.5 pts; 4.625 w/1.0 pt. Jumbo (30 yr fixed): 5.25 – 5.50 5/1 ARM: conforming [...

Have you ever wondered which side of Oswego Lake was more expensive?  Or how much per sq. ft. the cost of owning a home would be on either side of the lake? Although the stats below don’t necessarily tell you the whole story, it does represent what the market did on the north side of [...]

The following is a repost from our RMLS™ and provides some interesting data: How Well are Short Sales and Bank Owned Properties Selling? Terms like “short sales” and “bank-owned” are on many people’s tongues and minds in the real estate industry. The recent addition of the Short Sale and Bank Owned fields on RM

When I started posting these stats, I didn’t mean it to become a monthly exercise, but it is becoming one.  Letting you know which real estate markets are balanced, sellers, or buyers markets is something you need to know if you are buying or selling a house. If you’re a buyer it can help give [...]

HUD just issued an interesting housing report from 1930-2010. There were several things that caught my interest. (Click on link above for the full report). Lead paint studies started in 1972 and it is still a major point of discussion today. Sellers are required to disclose if homes built after 1978 have lead paint in [...]

Strategic defaults are becoming a national epidemic as an increasing number of borrowers who face owing more on their mortgage than what their home is worth, are considering the option of walking away from their homes. It is becoming an unresolved bubble of sorts on its own. Housing Wire says that one-third of all defaults

There is a house in my neighborhood, currently a foreclosure, and owned by Freddie Mac.  This foreclosure could have been avoided had the previous owner paid more attention to my market analysis of his home four years ago. I had this house listed with a different owner at another time.  I’m not only familiar with [.

Guest Author: Bob Chiodo, CFP Equity Home Mortgage, LLC Ofc 503.670.7393 Fax 503.670.7062 www.ResCommLending.com Apply Here Estimated Rates for the week of July 19, 2010*: 30 yr fixed=4.375 – 4.625 FHA/VA=4.375 – 4.750 15 yr fixed=3.750 – 4.000 OR VA=4.50 w/1.5 pts; 4.625 w/1.0 pt. Jumbo (30 yr fixed)=5.25 – 5.50 5/

According to a recent article, foreclosures are selling at 30-34% discounts, making them attractive to buyers, while short sales are only selling at 15% discounts.  Further, in the first quarter of 2010, 25-30% of all sales made were foreclosures. Lately, every short sale I’ve been showing has at least 3-4 offers on

Some highlights from 2009 as presented at the 2010 National Home Builders Show are: Average home size is smaller.  The average home size was smaller last year for the 1st time in over twenty years. One level homes are the most popular. The two story and multi-levels homes have decreased in popularity. Energy efficient fea

100 Years Old And It’s A Party! Let the party begin and you’re invited.  Today Lake Oswego celebrates its 100th Birthday.  Here is the link to the festivities at Luscher Farm.  Also, there’s no parking, access is only via shuttle service.  See link for the details. Interest Rates I started selling real

RMLS™ Market Update The June 2010 report was issued late last night.  Both pending sales and new listings dropped by 25% from last year.  Inventory increased slightly to 7.3 months with listings increasing over 16% from last month -  May 2010.  The median sales price in the month of June was $240,000, decreasing by 4

Our June RMLS™ stats should be out today or in the next day or so for sure.  As soon as they are, I will post the information.  For those of you searching for them, I don’t have them as yet.  Therefore, I will post two other reports that have been issued instead. S&P/CASE-SHILLER The most [...]

August 2009, I wrote about the new law regarding wood stoves.  That law takes affect August 1st, 2010. Here’s an update to that information from our company attorney (reprinted with his permission). In Oregon, beginning August 1st, if you are selling a home with a woodstove or fireplace insert, those devices will hav

Guest Author: Bob Chiodo, CFP Equity Home Mortgage, LLC Ofc 503.670.7393 www.ResCommLending.com Apply Here Estimated Rates for the week of July 12, 2010*: 30 yr fixed=4.375 – 4.625 FHA/VA=4.375 – 4.750 OR VA=4.50 w/1.5 pts; 4.625 w/1.0 pt. Jumbo (30 yr fixed)=5.25 – 5.50 5/1 ARM=conforming 3.375 – 3.75; jumbo 3.875

Fannie and Freddie, in a  June 30th memo, agreed that the new rules for appraisals adopted last year needed some changes. HVCC cannot restrict Realtors®, or other authorized third parties, from requesting appraisers correct factual errors in their reports, or provide additional information or explanations about the basis

On a detour to a real estate appointment, I spent part of a day in Silverton recently. When you think of Silverton, you probably  think of Cooley’s Iris Gardens, the Oregon Garden, or Silver Falls State Park, but Silverton also has a mural project throughout its town. Here’s a map of the over 14 murals [...]

There was a poll taken recently of Lake Oswego residents and they rated the quality of life in Lake Oswego an 8.5, considered to be a high mark. Those who were polled also felt that the proposed light rail project would most likely get approved but were still disapproving of the purchase of the WEB [...]

Below are the condo stats for Q1 and Q2 2009 vs. 2010.  You can see that the home buyers tax credit helped boost the condo sales in all the areas this blog reports on.  Further, prices have increased in some of those areas as well. Condo Stats #147 Lake Oswego #147 West Linn #148 West [...]

Our temperatures here in Portland have finally hit summer-time highs.  I’ll admit to having “brain fade” today.  Since it’s hot, I’ll blame my lack of inspiration on the weather.  I couldn’t think of a thing to write about and, unfortunately, I have quite a few posts in draft stages bu

You hear us Realtors® always say “average market time”.  The average market time in metro Portland currently is 123 days.  What does average mean, and how does it affect you as a seller? If your house backs to a busy street, has a one-car garage where everyone else in the neighborhood has a 2 car [...]

Realtors Property Tour 7-6-10 Here is today’s Realtors Property Tour 7-6-10 – a short list indeed I am sure due to the holiday. National Flood Insurance The National Flood Insurance Program expired at the end of May. Many feel this could not have come at a worse time with the arrival of the hurricane season. 

It’s been called Waluga and Sucker in the past and today it’s Oswego.  People visiting or moving into Lake Oswego just naturally seem to think everyone has access to Oswego Lake. However, it is a private lake.  Not every subdivision or house in Lake Oswego has a right to use, swim in or moor their [...]

Have a great 4th of July! “You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4th, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and [...]

As prices start increasing, more and more sellers will put their houses on the market here in Portland.  In a post I wrote the other day, it showed some of our markets are now balanced while others are still a sellers market. Typically this is the busiest time of year for real estate and when [...]

It got crowded on my sidebar and there were too many links.  I’ve now created a page just for links.  Access to them is from the nav bar “Links” at the top of this blog.  Some additional links have been added to that page as well. There are more changes coming.  You will see a [...]

Summer has finally arrived here in Portland, at least according to the calendar. If you’re like me you couldn’t wait for summer and all the fresh fruit and vegetables available to us here. With the warmer days predicted this weekend and the July 4th holiday, you might want to head out to the fields. It’s [