Questions about Portland area schools come up a lot when I’m working with buyers. Either they are planning for their future family or have children nearing school age and want their home purchase to be near their child’s new school. Years ago there were few if any good resources on all the different schools and how they compare to one another, but now there are a few out there. One of these is Trulia. They provide info on all the schools (private and public) and include ratings provided by parents, former students, teachers etc. You also get to see things like test score results, details on additional programs the school may offer and children per classroom averages to name a few. So check it out and let me know what you think!
18 New Pdx Businesses in Oct!
November 2nd, 2011 
admin 
Lilac Wine in Kenton
I love seeing new businesses open up. Opening a business is no easy thing, especially in this market. So it’s nice to see an article like this. Go check them out and support your local business!
Portland Home Stats
November 1st, 2011 admin I love a good graph on home values or a pie chart on home types. This particular page is pretty cool. If you click on Portland Home values it takes you to another page where you can choose between all the different neighborhoods in Portland and how they compare to one another. Check it out!
Acronyms in Real Estate!
October 31st, 2011 admin Have you ever noticed all the acronyms that real estate agents have after their names? Ever wondered what those meant? There are so many acronyms used in real estate, either in listings or after agent’s names. I have a few myself but have chosen to not use them after my name because I assume people don’t know what they mean. On the other hand, I suppose people might assume that those acronyms make that agent extra extra awesome? Well in any case, I saw this great article today about the acronyms used in real estate and their definitions. It’s pretty funny I think and I’m sure there are more than what is shown here.
Portland Tree Rebates
October 30th, 2011 admin Do you know that the City of Portland will reimburse you for part of the cost when you plant a tree in your yard? Treebate is a seasonal program available September 1, 2011 and April 30, 2012. Go here to see how to get your Treebate.
Short sales up to 8 months to close!
October 28th, 2011 admin Every buyer I work with wants to know what the deal is with short sales. And many come equipped with little or inaccurate information about them. So each time I find myself giving the dreaded “short sale speech.” The reason I dread it is because there are so many unknowns with short sales. And almost all of the buyers I work with end up leaving them out of the search because of that. Few people out there have the luxury of waiting 8 months for a sale to close…let alone the patience. And I don’t blame them one bit! Here’s an article about the 5 most common complaints about short sales and foreclosures. There are some typos in the article but the content is good.
I want to buy a home in Portland, now what?
October 27th, 2011 admin I am a planner by nature. I like to make lists and be organized. And I’m guessing some of you are like me. So if you are that way (and even if you aren’t) and are considering buying a home in Portland in the next year or sooner, here is an article that gives you a timeline of what you need to be doing now to prepare for buying that home. Happy reading!
Haunted Portland
October 26th, 2011 admin 
I don’t know about you, but I tend to be pretty rational about the whole ghost thing. I like to think that it doesn’t freak me out or make it a little harder for me to go to sleep. However, when given a good back story about a haunted home, street, cemetery or whatever and I tend to get the chills. You know the kind, when the hair on your arms stands up! Ok, sorry was getting carried away there. This is a great article from last year on haunted places around Portland. Get spooked here
Fall Home Checklist
October 25th, 2011 admin When any of my clients buy a home, I always try to stress how important it is to keep up with the basics of home maintenance. You will be so happy you did when you go to sell and when you avoid costly issues because of your regular maintenance. So as winter nears, it’s time to prepare your home for cold weather. Please consult a professional in regards to all of these suggestions.
1. Tune up your heating system. A technician will inspect your furnace or heat pump to be sure the system is clean (new filter) and in good repair so that it can achieve its manufacturer-rated efficiency.
2. Buy a programmable thermostat. Or, if you already have one, double-check the settings. Energy Star says that, on average, for an initial investment of $50 to $100, you will save $180 annually on heating (and cooling) bills if in winter you keep the thermostat set to no higher than 70 degrees Fahrenheit when you’re at home and awake and no more than 62 degrees when you’re away or asleep. While you’re at it, check the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon-monoxide detectors.
Rents are Rising…a lot!
October 23rd, 2011 admin Many of the first time buyers I work with, especially recently, express their frustration for the high cost of renting these days. For many it has pushed them to take the necessary steps into purchasing, especially because the rent they are paying now is equal to what they would pay for a mortgage! Rents are rising at a 5.17 percent annual rate — up from last year’s 4.72 percent rate. There are 1.4 million new renters this year and with that, more investors looking for properties to buy and rent. Read more here.
