by Betsy Ballantyne
betsy@betsyballantyne.com
Portland Fix it Fair in Portsmouth Neighborhood Jan. 21, 2012! Check it out!
January 12th, 2012 
admin Portland Housing Stats from November 2011
January 11th, 2012 admin 
Next week the numbers for December will be released but before we look at those I wanted to take a minute and look back at what was happening with the Portland area Housing Market in November. This also comes after many articles coming out these first few weeks in January saying that the Housing Market will finally rebound in 2012 and that we will definitely see an increase in home prices here in Portland.
Similar to October 2011, sales activity in the Portland Metro area showed improvements in closed and pending sales this November 2011 compared with November of last year. Closed sales went up 18.9% in November 2011 compared to November 2010. Pending sales rose 18.2%, while there were 18.1% less newly listed residential properties. A month-to-month comparison of the previous month of October 2011 with November 2011, shows closed sales rose 3.2% from 1,474 to 1,521. Pending sales fell 10.3% from 1,878 to 1,685. New listings were down from 2,433 to 2,026 (-16.7%).
16 New Businesses in Portland in December 2011!
January 10th, 2012 admin 
I love reading about the new businesses that have opened up in the past month. I think it’s so important to support small local businesses but even more I am inspired by these people. Running my own business I know first hand how difficult it is and I get re-energized reading about other people in Portland and their new businesses. So check it out. I’m posting just the North and NE new businesses but to see the rest you can click the link at the bottom!
Portland General Electric on Effectiveness of Clothes Machine Washing w/ Cold vs. Hot Water
January 9th, 2012 admin Here’s another great video from our very own Portland General Electric. I was surprised to find out that washing your clothes in hot water is almost always as effective as washing in cold water. The only time hot water is necessary is with wine stains!
But are clothes getting clean clean? Like getting rid of bed bugs or a nasty virus? Yes, because the dryer gets rid of all those things! Even hang drying works if the sun is out because it also heats up enough to kill all that gross stuff. Pretty helpful information I thought, thanks PGE!
by Betsy Ballantyne
betsy@betsyballantyne.com
Buying a Foreclosure in Portland? Things every Buyer should Know!
January 6th, 2012 admin 
Are you looking to buy a home in Portland? Curious about buying a foreclosure in Portland? In a December survey, Trulia found that 49 percent of Americans were at least somewhat likely to consider buying a foreclosure, up from 45 percent in May 2010. But the number of US adults who believed there are disadvantages to buying foreclosures had also increased, from 78 percent to 81 percent over the same time frame.
4 Ways Portland Sellers and Buyers can avoid Surprises at the Closing Table
January 5th, 2012 admin 
I used to pass a mortgage company billboard on the freeway every day that read: “Surprises are for birthday parties.” (Implied: surprises are usually unpleasant when they arise in the context of real estate transactions.) The worst case scenario that looms large in the minds of buyers, refinancers and sellers alike is that they’ll get to the close of escrow and some big glitch will arise, coming between you and your home – or your cash.
Here are 4 key need-to-knows to help you avoid getting a nasty surprise at the closing table when buying or selling a home in Portland.
5 Things Portland Home Buyers do That Can Kill a Deal
January 4th, 2012 admin 
These days you see endless articles on all the tips and tricks for sellers to get their home sold and what they need to do to appeal to more buyers. Portland home buyers also need to take heed and be aware of what not to do when trying to buy a house.
I can’t tell you how often I hear buyers comment that it’s a buyer market and therefore a seller should take whatever it is they dish out. Remember what they say about assuming! Not all Portland sellers are under the gun to sell. Most of the buyers I work with find themselves (much to their own shock) in a multiple offer situation. Yes, in this market! So avoiding seller turnoffs can create a transactional environment of cooperation that, in turn, can empower you to score a better price, get extra items you want thrown into the deal, and even negotiate more flexibility around your escrow and move-in timelines – all perks that can make your life easier and your budget go further.
Here’s a few of the most common buyer-perpetuated seller turnoffs, with tips for sellers on how to keep an emotional (and economic) even keel, even if your home’s buyer makes some of these waves:
Which is more Efficient & Cheaper, Hand Washing or Dishwasher?
January 3rd, 2012 admin
If you live in Portland and Portland General Electric provides your electricity, like me you receive a little handout in the mail with your bill. I rarely look at these but when I do I have found that PGE does a good job of providing it’s Portland consumers with tips to being more efficient. For a long time after buying my own home, we lived without a dishwasher. And for a long time I convinced myself that this was a fine way to live because I was being more energy efficient. So is this true? Well, there’s no straight yes or no answer. A lot of it has to do with how you wash your dishes, either by leaving the faucet running or using a two sink method. And whether you have an old, inefficient (regardless of age) or new efficient dishwasher. Here’s the breakdown of efficiency:
Hand Washing (running water method)–> $85 a year
Hand Washing (rinse only)————–> $23 a year
Hand Washing (two sink method)——-> $13 a year
Machine Washing (old dishwasher)——> $30 a year
Machine Washing (new but inefficient)–> $29 a year
Machine Washing (new & efficient)—–> $14 a year
by Betsy Ballantyne
betsy@betsyballantyne.com
Portland Seller Tips and Portland Buyer Pet Peeves
January 2nd, 2012 admin 
This week I’m going to cover the ups and downs, tips and tricks, insider secrets and need-to-knows of real estate this past year for Portland area buyers, sellers, owners and renters.
2011 was a tough year for home sellers in Portland – or at least, for those home sellers who were not in the know about things they can do, big and small, to get what they need despite the scary market climate. So lets go over some seller tips that can help all sellers have success in 2012. This first list runs down the top things that sellers do that send buyers running. If you plan to sell in 2012 or ever, take heed of these suggestions and make sure you are not one of the offenders.
Top 3 Real Estate Deal Killers–And How Portland Buyers Can Avoid Them!
December 29th, 2011 admin 
Once upon a time, Portland homebuying was a much less dramatic affair then it is today. The house hunt was fun, if suspenseful, and then there was another exciting whirlwind of inspections, closing and moving in. Today, though, as soon as buyers get the gumption to jump off the rent vs. buy fence, they find themselves on another edge – the edge of their seats, through the entire escrow process waiting to see what obstacle will emerge next, and whether their transaction will survive it.
Deals get killed all the time, and buyers can’t relax until they have keys actually in hand. Here are three of the most common real estate deal-killers, and some steps buyers can take to deactivate them.
