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Portland, OR Real Estate News

By Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging, "Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"
(Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR)
This home is an exceptional 1924 Crafstman bungalow in the excellent Portland neighborhood of Laurelhurst.   4 Bedrooms, 3 full Bathrooms, 2850 sq ft. Stunning updates with meticulous attention to detail include a professional kitchen with slab granite, S/S chef's appliances, master suite with dual vanities & shower heads, gorgeous hardwoods, and a huge media room in the basement.  
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By Adam H. Wise
(Real Estate Valuation Group)
So, I recently blogged about a client that tried to pressure me to change my analysis of market conditions in my appraisal to better suite his loan (i didn't do it).  Well the newest developments are that the appraisal fee is now over due.  I contacted the title company that was noted on the appraisal order to see what the deal was and when I would get paid.  The title company reported the check had been mailed out weeks ago to *******  appraisal company (this was not my company).   Well this broker went out and got another appraisal from another company that obviously did not check the declineing market box.  The title company paid out to that appraiser on that invoice and I am left holding the bag.  Why, because I did a great job and reported the actual market conditions.  This is why...
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By Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging, "Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"
(Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR)
Extraordinary custom Victorian built in 2003 in Portland's West Hills. One-of-a-kind home with handmade authentic period architectural details and wall finishes. Overlooks a peaceful greenspace ~ perfect home for entertaining.  This home sold less than a month after staging and listing!                                      
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By Wayne B. Pruner, Tigard Oregon Homes for Sale, Realtor, GRI
(Oregon First)
Portland Oregon: 5 Things To Do During July 2008 2008 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival - Waterfront Blues Festival Celebrate the Blues at the 2008 Safeway Waterfront Blues Festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park on the banks of the beautiful Willamette River in downtown Portland. Proceeds help the Oregon Food Bank fight hunger. July 3-6 Oregon Brewers Festival 2008 - Oregon BrewersOregon is the home to many craft beer makers and is going to celebrate the 21th annual Oregon Brewers Festival. Oregonians love their beer and this festival is regarded as one finest craft beer festivals in the nation. Each summer, the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon welcomes more than 50,000 beer lovers to the four-day event. Aficionados come from all over the country and the world to experience this hop r...
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By Tony and Libby Kelly, CRS, ABR, ePro, SRES, CLHMS, CDPE
(Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere)
The Tony and Libby Kelly Group | Keller Williams Portland Premiere | 503-753-7300 6327 SE 142nd Ave, Portland, OR Great Value in SE Portland OR. 3BR/2BA Single Family House offered at $199,000 Year Built 1999 Sq Footage 1,484 Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial Floors Unspecified Parking 2 Car garage Lot Size 3,920 sqft HOA/Maint $0 per month DESCRIPTION Looking for a great value or first home in Portland . . . this is it. This charming home features a huge master suite w/sitting area, modern interior colors, spacious open floorplan, pergo flooring, Vaulted Ceiling, center island in kitchen, roomy laundry room, and large fenced backyard. Possible boat/RV storage. Nice location on private street with communal area. see additional photos below PROPERTY FEATURES Living room Office/Den ...
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By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
Until recently, when someone requested a home, it was always 3 bedrooms / 2 baths...Oh, you know the rest. But, recently I've been noticing more and more of clients calling and asking me to exclude certain homes from their list, as they won't even consider looking at them.What is this one item that is beginning to be a thorn in my side? OIL TANKS! With the price of oil getting so high, more and more people won't even consider looking at a home with oil heat, and it seems to be the only type of home in their price range.I'm starting to wonder if more and more people are discounting the price of their homes because they have an oil tank instead of natural gas or electric heat. I'm guessing with summer coming this may be less of an issue, but at the same time as the price of a barrel of oi...
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By Sara Goodwin, Portland, Oregon Appraiser
(Estimation Nation Corporation)
  Today I took a few moments to find some properties in my own neighborhood where there is still money to be made in the art of ‘flipping'.   I singled out a few properties in the area where some investment gurus have made some minor to major changes and are still coming out ahead even in this debatable housing market slump.    This property was sold for $240,000 9/07 and is now pending at $350,000 (as of 5/08).   Before       After   This property was sold for $220,000 7/07 and again for $346,500 1/08.       Before       After   This property was sold for $230,000 6/07 and again for $374,800 2/08.       Before       After   This property was sold for $220,000 7/07 and again for $390,000 11/07  Before (this property sold in '0' days, so don't blame the Realtor for not taking photos :-) ...
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By Elena MacPhee, Principal Broker, ECOBroker
(Rose City Realtors)
I love finding new place to try around Portland. Pine State Biscuits have been selling at the Saturday Market for some time but recently opened a location in Belmont. So, when you have a chance to go (if you have not already).Try the biscuits & gravy at Pine State Biscuits, located at3640 SE Belmont StreetPortland, OR 97214(503) 236-3346Tuesday - Sunday 7am - 2pmhttp://www.pinestatebiscuits.com/ Where do you find your favorite Biscuits & Gravy? Enjoy!    
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By Leslie Stewart, Realtor, ABR, CRS, Oregon Licensed Broker
(Oregon Licensed Broker with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Real Estate Professionals)
Classical Chinese Garden, Portland Oregon   Tucked amongst the tall buildings in Portland is a gem of a tourist stop.  Add the Portland Chinese Garden to your list of things to do when in Portland. The garden itself encompasses approximately one city block.  A pebbled walkway leads you passed one of several of the limestone rocks imported from China.  It is reported that the Tai Hu rocks are prized for their four virtues which are: being top heavy, the rough texture, their slenderness, and the holes that allow the force of life to flow freely. The surrounding vegetation adds a colorful contrast to monochromatic rock formation.   The unique-shaped entrance entices the visitor to explore the courtyard of tranquility and leads to  joyful anticipation of what may be around the next bend.  S...
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By Sara Goodwin, Portland, Oregon Appraiser
(Estimation Nation Corporation)
North Portland: the seedy part of Portland by reputation.  Now I'm not saying that any part of Portland was ever ‘scary' by big city standards... I mean this is the city where even the thugs need coffee before they get about their business.  But North Portland was always considered the ‘affordable' area.  That ‘cute bungalow... tree lined streets... boarded up storefront' kind of charm.  Then came gentrification which was shortly followed by the rather irritatingly trendy name ‘NoPo'.  This is my home.  I have never had such a crush on an area.  It oozes character and charm and craziness and diversity.    Below are 100 reasons why I love my North Portland (in a sort of quasi alphabetical order).    Adidas World Campus:  Reborn from the old Kaiser Hospital facility is the Adidas World C...
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By Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging, "Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"
(Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR)
This Hemenway-designed English style home is an architectural gem, on the market for the first time in 62 years.  Gracious elegance and easy living combine to make this a wonderful family home;  2 bedrooms on each floor, 2 full bathrooms, and two fireplaces.  Incredible mature landscaping with magical spaces to entertain and play.  4 bedrooms, 2 baths, 3270 sq ft on a .24 acre lot
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By Wayne B. Pruner, Tigard Oregon Homes for Sale, Realtor, GRI
(Oregon First)
5 Portland Activities for June Oregon Zoo - This month a dinosaur exhibit goes up and lasts through Labor Day. OMSI - The largest collection of Chinese fossils is on display, featuring over 20 complete skeletons. After that, enjoy the planetarium, OmniMax Theater, and the science exhibits. All June. Portland Saturday Market - Celebrating its 35th year. Features handmade arts and crafts; food and entertainment too, from over 300 artisans. Portland Saturday Market Portland Rose Festival - One of Portland's signature events starts May 29 and ends June 8. This event features a parade, amusement park rides, family entertainment, and scores of different food booths. Rose Festival Association Portland Farmer's Market Portland Farmer's Market  bringing the best of the country to the heart of th...
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By Nick Krautter
(Keller Williams Realty / Portland Central)
Back by popular demand is my second installment of inventories by zipcode. This shows which parts of town and which types of property are selling and which ones are sitting. Inventory is figured in months with 6 months being balanced, less than 6 months favoring sellers and more than six months favoring buyers. If I missed your area just let me know and I'll add it in. Detached Homes:97214 - 2.9 months97217 - 2.9 months97212 - 5.2 months97203 - 5.2 months97202 - 6.0 months97232 - 6.5 months97210 - 9.2 months97227 - 9.5 months97201 - 18 months Condos 97232 - 5.0 months97214 - 7.8 months97210 - 8.9 months97202 - 11 months97209 - 11 months97203 - 15 months97212 - 19.3 months97217 - 29 months
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By Jessica LeDoux
(RE/MAX Signature Properties)
Portland Market Update RMLS - Neighborhood Statistics, Pending Sales on the Rise! Comparing April 2008 to April 2007, market activity remains slow.  On the other hand, month-to-month activity (March v. April) showed growth in some categories.  One area of growth from March to April was pending sales, which grew 6.8% (2,070 v. 1,938). This is the first increase in pending sales from March to April since 2005. New listings also grew 2.7% (5,295 v. 5,155). Closed sales dropped 6.4% (1,582 v. 1,691). This drop is on par with the last three years, though, as closed sales have dropped an average of 6.7% from March to April.    Please call or email me for more detailed market information.
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By Elena MacPhee, Principal Broker, ECOBroker
(Rose City Realtors)
I came across this op-ed in the Sunday October 7th Oregonian.The writer Caroline Rose, expressed things she loved about Portland.I couldn't have said it better, here's what she wrote: 'Upon reflection, as a full bloodied Oregonian, of my first month in Portland, my ponderings have led me to the following awareness's of what I now know to be true: No. 1   Wearing anything fleece in the forest is like wearing a magnetized bodysuit in an iron-filings factory.  You instantly become a science project for every seed on the planet that travels by clinging to the fur of the forest animals (or fleece garment of the ignorant). No. 2   Driving anywhere in Portland takes twice as long as you think it will. Not because of heavy traffic - no, far from it! Portland is home to the most courteous, passi...
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By Dmitriy Shulik
(Integral Home LLC (Portland Remodeling))
One must start with a comprehensive survey of the land. It must be investigated for any possible sinks or difficult to remove buried items. Plans must be made for where and how the various utility and sewer lines will connect the building with the rest of the system and the roads or access ways must be planned.Depending on the stability of the land and the type of structure to be created, calculations must be made to determine the load on the masonry and structural timbers that will bear the weight of the materials used. In a complex steel braced structure the strength of the foundation pilings and retaining walls must conform to Building Control standards for safety and durability. Adjustments will sometimes have to be made to fit the building's maintenance equipment into areas that ar...
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By Dmitriy Shulik
(Integral Home LLC (Portland Remodeling))
Lets look at the latest Cost vs. Value report from the Remodeling magazine, shows you how to get the maximum return on your profit. This report includes statistics from the national averages and for averages according to local regions. This report is based on the North West region of the US. Including Oregon (Portland Oregon Remodeling)Top Return on Investment for Mid-Range Addition of a Wood Deck: 108% Minor Kitchen Remodel: 103.5% Window Replacement (wood): 102.9% Window Replacement (vinyl): 98.5% Attic Bedroom Remodel: 98% Mid-range remodels of bathrooms and basements, as well as the addition of a second-story, all showed over 90% return on investment. Visit our site for all your Portland Oregon Remodeling needs.  
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By James Adair
(Mortgage Trust Inc.)
Something new has permeated the mortgage industry, and how loans are underwritten.  Fannie Mae (FNMA), and the Mortgage Insurance industry at large have begun to treat properties in so called designated "declining marketplaces" differently.  Properties that receive this designation have required higher downpayments, and better credit.  Portland Oregon has flirted with this designation, and by their numbers we are officially a "declining marketplace". However, speaking only of my business, this hasn't effected any of my clientel who are looking to make low or no downpayment purchases so far.  I think the areas that were hardest hit by this new scrutiny have been the southern California region, phoenix AZ region, Florida.... The usual suspects.  But I just came across this article detaili...
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By Darcie Pelsor
(Oregon First Real Estate)
                      Light & bright 20's bungalow. Beautifully finished wood floors, newer interior paint and carpet, built-ins, gas fireplace, updated kitchen and baths. Finished basement with family room, bonus room, bath and laundry. Private fenced backyard with mature landscaping, rock garden and fire pit. Address: 9460 N Oswego AvenuePrice: $299,000 * 1700* 3 Bedrooms plus bonus room in basement* 2 Bathrooms* Fireplace* Hardwoods* Fenced yard* Comes with appliances (refrigerator, stove and washer/dryer)* Taxes: $2633.97* MLS#: 8049170                                                                                                                                                                                   Call me or email me today for a private showing. Darcie Pelsor | Broker...
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By Maureen Bray Portland OR Home Stager ~ Room Solutions Staging, "Staging Consultations that Sell Portland Homes"
(Room Solutions Staging, Portland OR)
After this property had been on the market for a few weeks, the listing agent suggested the seller contact Room Solutions Staging in Portland OR for a home staging proposal for this 1916 bungalow.  There was dated carpeting in the living & dining rooms, and old venetian blinds that concealed beautiful leaded & beveled glass windows.  The first photo is how the house was shown online before;  the sellers agreed to remove the carpeting and refinish the beautiful hardwood floors as we recommended.  During staging we removed the blinds to let in the light and to showcase the beautiful leaded windows ...   Sellers who want their properties to SELL should contact a professional home staging company to advise what is necessary to make their home market ready.  We often find that for a minimal ...
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