Since the 1970’s, an ongoing ‘tug of war’ has been at the center of Oregon politics. On one side is a coalition of environmentalists, some ardently anti-growth. On the other side is an equally diverse cross-section of private property rights advocates. So how does 1970’s Oregon relate to today? Ever since then, Oregon’s ‘urban-rural divide’ has […]
Oregon’s Real Estate Sky Isn’t Falling Yet
News outlets benefit from sensationalism, so sometimes it’s difficult to accurately assess headlines. No one can predict the future of Oregon real estate with 100% accuracy, yet there are basic facts for context about what some might presume is ‘clickbait’ news. The Long Game Depending on where in Oregon you live, our market has seen […]
Have Oregon Homesellers Missed The Mark(et)?
Given a recent rise in interest rates, some Oregon homeowners who planned on selling this year are now wondering about holding off. One reason given is that interest rates have dampened buyer activity. While it’s true higher interest rates make home loans more expensive, a key ingredient to selling any home is property inventory. The […]
Now Oregon Homesellers REALLY Need A Realtor
It may seem counterintuitive, but the ‘hotter’ the real estate market, the more sellers are likely to need a Realtor. Never has this been more true for Oregon homesellers. Here are a few reasons why, plus a secret some homebuyers don’t want you to know. The ‘I’ll Save On The Commission’ Fairy Tale Sellers sometimes […]
Helping Friends And Family Downsize
Those fortunate to live near parents, friends or family members are often faced with a dilemma. That question is ‘At what point should I help Mom, Dad or Uncle Joe move into housing that’s more appropriate?’ The process of this often-tricky situation can look quite different from person to person, depending on those involved. Do […]
How Your Home Price & Market Time Are Related
With rare exception, most home sellers hope to sell their property for the most money possible, a perfectly reasonable approach. Yet if you overprice your property in an attempt to maximize your return, you’re likely to sabotage your home selling efforts, have your property on the market longer and receive less at the closing table. […]
Real Estate Soft Landing or Crash?
Real estate isn’t always predictable. Given changing conditions, language used to describe housing is rife with lingo from other industries that experience constantly shifting events—some catastrophic—like aviation. While housing is axiomatically ‘grounded’ compared to the aircraft industry, from time to time Oregon real estate market activity is described as akin to a ‘bumpy recovery,’ ‘hard […]
Power Homeselling: 4 Steps to Winning with Multiple Offers
Many homesellers are intent on either the hope of selling fast, or at the highest price. Yet there’s a way to help you accomplish both of these goals. How is this possible? The secret is getting homebuyers to compete for your property. Curious? Find out more…in this helpful real estate podcast! https://episodes.castos.com/Helpful-Interesting-Information-on-Oregon-Real-Estate/Power-Homeselling-4-Steps-to-Winning-with-Multiple-Offers-.mp3 Click here or […]
How Weather Affects Homebuyers & Homesellers
Did you know weather can impact a home purchase or sale in ways you may not have considered? The type of weather conditions possibly affecting your next real estate transaction is wide-ranging, perhaps even surprising. What kinds of weather events should you look out for in your next real estate transaction? Find out more…in this […]
How to Sell Your Home with Minimum Hassle
Most of us are interested in avoiding hassles. Selling your house is no exception. But what about selling a home that could use some work, before you put it on the market? Concerned about the grind of preparing your property for sale? You’re not alone. Don’t fret about the work ahead! You have options. […]
The Perfect Home Sale: Fact or Fairytale?
Most residential real estate transactions are ultimately successful, meaning they actually ‘close.’ Such a ‘happily ever after’ scenario has sellers receiving their money and buyers, their new house. However, given the many steps along the way, many real estate transactions have a few ‘bumps in the road.’ Sometimes it’s a home inspection defect. At other […]
When’s Too Soon to List My House for Sale?
‘When’s too soon to list my house for sale?’ is a common homeseller question Realtors are asked. To be sure, there are a host of factors that influence the optimum time of year to sell. When considering the best time to sell your home, several factors stand out. One is the amount of homeseller […]
Can You Handle An Honest Real Estate Agent?
A famous, oft-quoted movie line is ‘You can’t handle the truth.’ Yet have you ever considered how that statement might relate to hiring a Realtor? In other words, since agents provide information that can help your bottom line, are you interested in being informed with the truth, or might you prefer not to know? It’s […]
Holiday Househunt Hysteria: Hot or Hoax?
Common wisdom suggests Oregon home sales should decline during the holidays. At first glance, this makes sense, given Oregon’s less favorable weather, less daylight and a general aversion to adding yet one more task to an already overloaded holiday schedule. However, there’s a compelling case that the time surrounding Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s is among […]
Lessons My Prisoner Clients Taught Me
Is it possible to sell your house…from the big house? In today’s program, we go behind the walls of freedom to see what it’s like to work with multiple convicted homesellers. We’ll also learn some life lessons from each convicted homeseller. Find out more…in this interesting feature article and podcast episode!
The Many Faces of Oregon
In Oregon, what some might call a lifestyle, others may consider a mindset or demographic. Each of these terms is an attempt to describe characteristics of those who live here and to put a ‘face’ to them. But why does this matter? It matters because a better understanding of Oregonians provides a sense of what […]
How Multiple Buyers Change Everything
What can buyers do to lower the volume, lessen their own anxiety and reduce the frenzy without getting caught up in the process, all while making sure they don’t miss out on the house of their dreams? Plus, what can sellers do to maximize their leverage in getting the best possible offer? And for both buyers and sellers, are there specific tips you can use to ensure you’re ‘in it to win it’ for your next home purchase or sale? Find out more in this helpful article and podcast, ‘How Multiple Buyers Change Everything.’
How to Take Advantage of Your Realtor
Gaining Advantage When buying or selling a home, any advantage could be helpful to make your decisions easier and more profitable. Few are more experienced and better positioned to provide homebuyers and homesellers with a meaningful advantage than an expert Realtor. That’s because seasoned real estate agents hold access to a literal wealth of information, which […]
How House Color Affects Your Selling Price
When paint time arrives, did you know some homesellers risk leaving ‘money on the table’ later by not taking advantage of ‘market-friendly’ house paint colors to more effectively attract homebuyers?
Realtor ‘Stress-Busting’ Tips for Homebuyers & Homesellers
Did you know the profession of real estate agent consistently ranks as one of the most stressful occupations? Yet, some Realtors seemingly deal with stress as if their work is a breeze. Ever wonder what their secret is? Burnout What is it that causes some real estate agents to ‘burn out?’ And as a homebuyer […]
What to Know When Moving to Oregon
Welcome to Oregon Perhaps you recently experienced a job change, or maybe you’re simply seeking something different and have decided to make a move. If your final stop is Oregon, you’re not alone, since it’s a common destination. But Why Oregon? You might have heard about Oregon’s livability (having three of the top 50 places […]
Stop Waiting For Your House To Sell
Especially during a ‘hot’ real estate market, it’s understandable how some homesellers may wonder “Why isn’t our house selling?” Some homesellers wait longingly, certain that if the sale of their property is ‘meant to be,’ a buyer will appear. But now, given a plethora of ways to gauge the popularity and market-friendliness of any listed […]
Secrets Your Realtor Knows
On many Realtor property listings, there are one or more sections reserved for ‘private remarks.’ This private information is usually intended for real estate agents. What are these ‘private’ remarks and do they include information potentially helpful to buyers? And why are these remarks private? Find out in this edition of the Oregon Real Estate Podcast.
Deputized: How 2 Oregon Realtors Become ‘Policemen for a Day’
A fellow Realtor and I had been asked by our seller client to assist with the removal of squatters on her property and also make homeselling suggestions prior to her placing the home on the market. As a result, we were told to meet police at the property to assist with access, so the house could be vacated. Little did we know that we would not just assist with access, but were also about to become deputized as temporary police officers!
Can I Trust My Oregon Realtor?
Trust is an important factor when buying or selling real estate. Thankfully, trusting your Realtor is not typically super risky. That’s because consumer surveys consistently reflect a high level of satisfaction with Realtor performance. One study by Forbes magazine revealed 96% satisfaction for the real estate industry. So if many real estate agents were dishonest, we could expect that figure to be much lower.
This doesn’t mean blindly signing off on every suggestion one receives from their Realtor. But obsessively hand wringing over transaction minutiae is one sure way to make the process less enjoyable. A recommended approach is for Oregon homebuyers and homesellers to carefully read all documents, ask plenty of questions and work with a recommended professional with a solid track record.
Finding Your Oregon Real Estate Superhero
To adults and kids alike, superheroes seem to have time-tested appeal. Some think it’s because they look different. Indeed, some superheroes dress uniquely. Others believe superheroes represent the ‘good guy’ and these days, we can always use more good guys and gals. Yet others suggest that superheroes are in the rescue business and we all […]
10 Reasons Oregon Homesellers Hire A Realtor
There are many good reasons why Oregon homesellers hire a Realtor, including the handful of sellers who first try the ‘for sale by owner’ or ‘FSBO’ route. Here are ten of the most common reasons why Oregon homesellers hire a Realtor to get the job done right. Click here to hear the audio podcast version […]
Why Does My Realtor Do That?
Realtors must follow many rules and according to consumer satisfaction surveys, real estate agents do an overall good job. Realtors are trained to abide by applicable state and national real estate laws, follow accepted business practices and the Realtor Code of Ethics, which is considered a higher standard of duty. Yet as in other professions, sometimes […]
Dancing The ‘Two Transaction’ Tango
Simultaneous/Consecutive Home Transactions: Selling one home and buying another are frequently linked activities. Click here or on the ‘play’ button below for the audio version of this presentation about how to minimize the bother and maximize your effectiveness when simultaneously home buying and home selling. https://certifiedrealty.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Dancing-The-Two-Transaction-Tango.mp3 We’ll also examine options to help decide if simultaneous or […]
5 Winning Homebuyer Tactics for Any Market
Regardless of the kind of market you find yourself in when buying your next home, there are key tactics buyers can use to make the process both more successful and considerably less stressful. What are these key homebuying tactics and how can you use them to navigate to a successful purchase? Find out here in […]
7 Strategies to Sell Your House Sooner!
Homeselling Strategies Sellers can employ certain key strategies to more successfully sell their home. What are these strategies and as an Oregon homeseller, what is it that you might need to know? As an Oregon homebuyer, it can be helpful to learn strategic insights on the homeselling process from an ‘insider’s’ view. Click here or […]
What’s An Oregon Acre Worth?
One frequent Oregon real estate question is ‘What’s an acre worth?’ When you think about it, this question is not so different than ‘What’s a car worth?’ since in each situation there are variables. With a car, the mileage and condition are very important to arrive at an accurate value. Land, too has unique variables. What are these variables and as an Oregon property buyer or seller, what is it that you may need to know? Find out here!
3 Questions Your Oregon Realtor Can’t Answer
Listen to the audio podcast of this presentation by clicking here or on the ‘play button’ above. When making the biggest financial decision of their lives, many homebuyers and homesellers understandably ask their Realtor to provide a professional opinion on a range of topics. Some common questions include if adding a bathroom will boost resale value, […]
The Power of Oregon Seller Financing
While most Oregon homebuyers use traditional loan providers like banks, mortgage brokers or credit unions, there are solid reasons (and a very helpful alternative) for purchasing a home without them. Buyers avoid traditional lenders for a variety of factors and when they do, one mechanism they frequently turn to is known in our area as […]
3 Key Steps to an Oregon Home Sale
Click here or on the ‘play’ button below to hear the audio podcast version of this presentation. Selling an Oregon home can sometimes seem overwhelming and complicated. Yet there is a logical framework to the entire process. Once grasped, this makes the task far less daunting. Easy As 1-2-3 There is usually a very logical progression to […]
Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door: Stigmatized Properties
Overview: Dealing with stigmatized properties can be unforgettable for both real estate agents and their clients. Also known as ‘tainted’ real estate among other monikers, the issue of stigmatized property is important for Oregon home buyers and home sellers. ‘…that long black cloud is comin’ down, I feel like I’m knockin’ on heaven’s door…’ Bob […]
5 Little-Known Oregon Real Estate ‘Insider Tips’
As with any occupation, there are ‘insider tips’ in real estate. Exactly what are these little-discussed pointers and how can they benefit non-Realtors? In this edition of the Oregon Real Estate Podcast, we’ll briefly note why this little-known information can be so important, then we’ll get to these 5 little known ‘insider tips.’ Hear the podcast […]
Add Oregon Homes to Endangered List
While we’re not quite at Passenger Pigeon or Dodo Bird levels yet, among the more scarce items in Oregon right now are available homes for sale. Scarcity By The NumbersNew figures for greater Portland and Salem show no sign of Oregon’s white hot real estate market slowing down, at least yet. The inventory, or housing supply […]
5 Reasons For Sunny Oregon Real Estate Skies
Now that Spring Break, Winter weather and ‘tax time’ are largely behind us, the forecast for Oregon real estate is sunny, indeed. Here are five key reasons for an optimistic 2016 Oregon real estate forecast, which are explained further below: 1. Interest Rates Remain Very Low2. Housing Inventory Is Very Low 3. Better Weather4. The ‘School […]
Oregon Housing: Holding Steady
Fresh figures were just released on Oregon’s real estate market by the Regional Multiple Listing Service, or RMLS. To put the results in a nautical vernacular, we remain ‘steady as she goes.’ Portland MetroLet’s begin with greater Portland, where our backlog of home supply is unchanged at 1.8 months. This means our housing supply remains […]
Portland Homes: Fade To Red
New figures from the Regional Multiple Listing Service suggest our current hot real estate market recently transitioned from white to red. No, that’s not wine we’re talking about. Instead, we’ve gone from white hot to red hot, because home supply just increased from a shockingly low 1.2 months to a slightly less alarming 1.8 months. […]
Oregon Real Estate: Breathtaking
There are many possible words to describe people, places, things and events. A recent shift in Oregon real estate brings to mind the word ‘breathtaking.’ And while that’s a term normally reserved for the Grand Canyon or certain Hollywood starlets, it also conjures the notion of astonishment, breaking fresh ground, entering a new phase, being […]
Oregon Farm Selling Made Easy
The sale of Oregon farms, ranches and similar rural properties usually has many ‘working parts.’ Yet there are seven basic steps to selling your Oregon farm. Since you won’t want to leave any money on the table, it’s best to do this right the first time. Here are those seven key steps to selling your Oregon farm, […]
Oregon Homeselling: Easy As Waltzing, 1-2-3!
While real estate can seem complicated, there is a logical progression helpful to selling an Oregon home and it’s truly as simple as 1-2-3. The process between buyers and sellers is routinely described as a kind of dance, so let the waltzing begin. Fundamentals There are plenty of related tasks associated with any real estate […]
Portland Metro: Still A Seller’s Market
Recently released housing figures confirm a continued “seller’s market” throughout the greater Portland metro area, which includes Multnomah, Clackamas, Clark, Washington and Yamhill counties. Multiple Market Factors Our sustained strong market is characterized by (1). Low inventory, (2). Short market times and (3). Rising prices. We currently have less than a two month supply of […]
Just Listed SW Portland Home!
This just-listed SW Portland home features nearly 2,600 square feet of living space on more than 1/3 acre, with a convenient downtown commute. Additional features include spacious rooms, a covered patio, plenty of storage space, a peaceful low traffic neighborhood, plus a detached double garage. Click here or on the below image to view the […]
Oregon Real Estate: What’s Ahead In 2015
Predictions well into the future are difficult to make with accuracy. Consider your local weather forecast. Even given advanced technology like satellite imagery, plus wind, barometric and temperature data, weather forecasters can get it wrong…and that’s for predictions merely a week or two away! Predicting Real Estate TrendsNow imagine the difficulty in predicting real estate […]
Why Use A Realtor, In 30 Seconds
A very telling article was recently released in a national real estate journal. In just two images, it explains why the vast majority of homesellers work with a Realtor.
How Your Home’s Bedroom Number Affects Marketability
Like elsewhere, homes throughout the Willamette Valley feature a variety of bedroom options. Can you guess the number of bedrooms most popular in our area? In the graph below, the answer to the most popular number of bedrooms isn’t even close. Three bedroom homes are by far the most popular in our region. Another related […]
3 Reasons To Sell Your Oregon Home Now
With the arrival of Spring’s beautiful weather, many Oregonians have heard someone say: “Now is an excellent time to consider placing your home on the market for sale.” However, you may wonder Why exactly is it considered such a good time to sell your Oregon property? Is it simply due to sunny skies? So if […]
Portland Home Prices Take A Breather
Greater Portland home prices recently experienced a break in their upward trend, according to the latest report from the S&P Case-Shiller home price index. This mirrors the national real estate picture. Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller home price index released Tuesday shows home prices across the 20 metros surveyed dipped 0.1 percent in January, but remained 13.2 […]
Sellers Getting Ahead of Spring Rush
A recent Realtor article suggests home sellers are now working to get a jump on the competition by placing their properties on the market ahead of Spring: The Spring selling rush may already be under way, as some home owners are already throwing their properties on the market to take advantage of rebounding home prices […]