Tigard voters approved a Downtown Improvement Plan in May 2005 which includes improvements to Fanno Creek Park and a plaza for Tigard residents to call their own.  The city council will soon be getting together to decide on a location for the new plaza.  The possible locations include the carwash on Main Street directly across from Burnham Road, the Dolan property between Stevens Marine and the Tigard Liquor Store on Main Street, the liquor-store site on the southwest corner of Main Street and Burnham Road and the most likely choice which is the Stevens Marine property on Burnham Road.  The council is leaning toward this last location because the opportunity for development nearby is greater.  The adjacent areas could hold condominiums and shops.  The idea is for Tigard to have a visibl... 08/30/2007

OK - I admit it. As a ex-dj, I have very strange taste in music. My three favorite artists are Elvis, The Beatles and Kiss. Don't ask how those three work together, but my kids do love the Kiss pinball machine we have in the garage.Well, after trying with my first two kids, and not quite getting the process right, my youngest has become my rocker girl! For you Kiss fans out there, you know the Alive albums start with, "You Wanted The Best, You Got the Best, The Hottest Band in the World _________" My three year old yells out "Kiss!!" loud and proud now!So for today's humor, here she is at a fundraising event I did for a non-profit organization, when she heard Kiss' "Rock and Roll All Night" come on the speakers.So what memories to you have of your first favorite band, or your kids'? 08/28/2007

TIGARD is getting a Washington County commuter rail which seems great for those who’d like to leave the SUV at home but for those who already live and work on the streets that it could possibly show up, it can mean a permanent commute out of Tigard.  One of the proposed stops on this line is 74th/Bonita but because there is a train crossing near there already they are thinking banning left turns on Bonita, by way of a median to avoid traffic back-ups on the train tracks.  The problem is that there are many long-standing, small businesses on these streets that would be negatively impacted by limiting the access to their buildings.  Some of these businesses have large trucks that have to do regular deliveries, often during rush hour.  The other street option is Durham and if you haven’t ... 08/22/2007

As I see more and more people trying to save money by doing there own home repairs, one big one is the roof. But so many people replace the roof and don't replace the ventilation.The ventilation in an attic is very important for a home for many reasons. One is that bathrooms and utility rooms produce moisture and that moisture always goes up. Without proper ventilation that moisture gets stuck in the attic and causes mold. This mold can start to form as soon as six months and within a year you may be replacing your brand new roof that you saved so much on installing yourself.Here are some recent examples of people who decided that replacing their own roof would save them money. Unfortunately, at inspection time, they ended up spending another $5,000 to replace it a second time in less t... 08/19/2007

This beautiful Tigard home is your oasis in the city. This lovely home features wonderful curb appeal, light & bright living room w/lots of windows, new modern interior colors, hardwoods, updated kitch & huge lower lvl family room. Fantastic park-like retreat in backyard is a must see with a custom covered, 18X28 clear cedar deck over looking the yard, trees and walking trails.Address: 4335 NE Hannah Ct. City/ST: Hillsboro, OR Zip Code: 97124 Location: 4335 NE Hannah Ct. Property Type: Single Family Home New or Resale: Resale Square Footage: 3040 Bedrooms: 4 Bathrooms: 3 MLS# 7066448 For additional photos and details visit http//:www.TonyandLibby.comor call 1-800-395-1151 code 608 for 24 hr recorded information This listing is brought to you courtesy of the Tony and Libby Kelly Group, K... 08/17/2007

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Schiller, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, had a press release and it doesn't look good.  The annual growth rate in prices of single-family homes has been declining since December of 2005.  There seems to be no indication of slowdown or turnaround and the U.S. hasn't seen levels this low since 1991.  On a positive note, of the 20 markets included 8 of them showed monthly positive growth.  That is huge when you compare it to winter and early spring where there was only one or two showing positive growth.  The really good news is that Portland is one of the markets still showing growth.  So while the whole country is in decline and people are complaining about the housing market remember, we don't have it nearly as bad as we could!http://www2.standardand... 08/09/2007

Downtown living in Tigard. This light & bright home features a gourmet kitchen w/maple cabs, hardwood floors, slab granite & stainless appl. Amazing open floorplan w/two story ceiling in family rm w/fireplace, lg bonus room upstairs & master br on main. Fenced yd w/deck backs to trees. MOTIVATED SELLERS. Resale Single Family Home $365,000 NEW PRICE! Address: 15740 SW Peachtree Dr City/ST: Tigard, OR Zip Code: 97224 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 full, 1 half Square Footage: 2412 MLS# 7058570 For additional photos and details visit http//:www.TonyandLibby.comor call 1-800-395-1151 code 604 for 24 hr recorded information This listing is brought to you courtesy of the Tony and Libby Kelly Group, Keller Williams Realty Portland Premiere,17700 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd, Portland, OR 97224 08/09/2007

There are many ways you can buy properties and sell them for a profit and one of the biggest is buying a fixer property, fixing it upand selling it. But, you can even make more from the property if yousell it on a lease option.I, myself, have just bought a fixer condo that in less than one year, with only about $5,000 in repairs, I will be able to lease option for at wo year period and make close to a $35,000 profit.This is how it works. First I am lease optioning the property with the right to fix it up and then purchase the property at a set price. The price is $17,000 less than current market  value and then I will purchase the  property on a traditional loan. Then, I can take out the equity and put a down payment on my next fixer. I also getall the tax benefits for the next two year... 07/27/2007

If you are selling your home on your own, I would like to congratulate you on joining me in the real estate business. I can understand that at times it can be frustrating and this is why I would like to help you.I am not asking to list your home, I am just asking you to let me help you. You need help with marketing and I am an expert in marking homes and getting buyers to call. I will help you get buyers to call you!What is in it for me? You can only sell your home to 1 buyer and if you have 150 buyers call you a month, I would love to have the opportunity to help those other 149 buyers find their dream home.How do I get these calls for you? I will teach you how to write a Craigslist ad that will get you calls to a 1-800 call capture system. This system captures the information of each ... 07/26/2007

PORTLAND, Oregon (CNN) -- is known for it's gray, bleak weather that spans the whole of winter.  You might be surprised to find that even in the drizzle, according to CNN, Portland is a great place to visit.  Of course the sun does come out on occasion and that just gives you even more options for things to do.  In fact, from the 4th of July through Halloween you can almost count on it.   What is nice about being a tourist in Portland is the transit system.  A visitor can easily and reliably get around to all the hot spots on their list.  http://trimet.org/  Places like downtown Pioneer Square for an outdoor movie.If your intent is to stray from the typical there are certainly some hotel options for you.  The Ace Hotel which originates in Seattle, Washington takes up a city block near t... 07/20/2007

Do you remember that folk song from the 60's? Well, if they only knew that every time I heard that song all I see is dollar signs, they would ban it from my radio.As an investor, I love to drive neighborhoods and look for the properties that all the flowers are now gone and have been replaced with two foot high grass and a flower bed of weeds.                                           To me this is usually a sign that something else is wrong and it usually ends up being financial. I check to see if the home is vacant, and if it is, I do my best to find the owner. If it is occupied I will either knock on the door or send them a letter and ask if it is for sale.They normally say "No, but if you would like, we would consider selling for the right price." Then every once in awhile, their ri... 07/16/2007

When you're young you think there is nothing that could get you to move out of the city.  Being away from the shopping, museums, nightclubs and food is unthinkable.  But then one day you find yourself an adult with kids and your priorities suddenly change.  Now you're looking at schools, yards and safety.   But there are suburb options that are not the cliche Leave it to Beaver neighborhood.  This list takes cities with 7,500 to 50,000 people and rates them by looking at economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community.  Also added into the equation is racial diversity, home prices and property taxes.  Because real estate prices have gone up some much recently it has been given extra attention causing some cities to do better than in the past ... 07/16/2007

June Residential Highlights Outside, the temperature continues to rise but the market is cooling when comparing June 2007 to June 2006. New listings continued to grow at 12.7%. However, closed sales and pending sales dropped 18.5% and 10.4%, respectively. As a result, there were 13,752 active listings at the end of June 2007. Given the month’s rate of sales they would last 5 months. Year-To-Date Trends Similarly, when comparing market activity for January-June 2007 to the same time period in 2006, new listings increased 14.4%. On the other hand, the number of pending and closed sales decreased 8.8% and 8%, respectively. Appreciation Using the average and median sale prices for the twelve months that ended with June 2007 compared to the twelve months ending in June 2006, the average sale... 07/16/2007

I thought about titling this blog "I feel the Earth move under my feet", it really was a toss up. (Feel free to vote on the title, I may just change it)                                                                I got a notice with my insurance renewal that my insurance company will no longer cover me in the event of an earthquake. So now I'm worried, if my dog starts acting weird and my insurance company won't cover me, that the big one is on the way.I can now buy earthquake insurance separate, but it will cost me! So if you own a home in an area where earthquakes happen, you may want to contact your insurance company to see if you are still covered. It might even be required by your mortgage company that you have earthquake insurance, so also check your mortgage paperwork.  07/15/2007

If you are, or are soon to be a college graduate ready to become a Young Urban Professional keep in mind that not all cities are created equal.  Things like opportunity, salary vs. cost of living and nightlife vary widely across the U.S.   Shocking as it may be (sarcasm) New York is the No. 1 best city for young professionals.  Not only is it home to some of the biggest companies in the world but the bar and club scene is out of control.  The rest of the top ten is finished off by San Francisco, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Denver.  Go Seattle!The top universities in the country; Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Stanford, Northwestern and Rice handed over their alumni list from 1997 (ten years ago).  These graduates were located today t... 07/13/2007

Portland State University researcher Jennifer Dill is conducting a new study detailing where, why and how often Portlanders ride their bikes.  The city is thinking it may be a useful planning tool in plotting the future of bike infrastructure in the city.  So far 500 adults have been surveyed by phone and 56 percent of the riders said they wanted to bike more but didn’t because of “too much traffic.” Thirty-seven percent cited a lack of nearby bike lanes and trails as their barrier. Those with a network of quiet streets near their home were more likely to ride regularly.Next Jennifer will have volunteers put GPS (Global Positioning System) units on their bicycles to track what routes are being used.  Portland is already considered a bike friendly city but Dill thinks we can do even more... 07/13/2007

When I was in college, I used to have a lot more time on my hands. I don't know what has happened, I've checked all the usual hiding places and I still can't seem to find that extra time anymore.With that extra time, I joined Big Brothers / Big Sisters, S.M.A.R.T. (Start Making A Reader Today) and other smaller community events. I can't seem to do that anymore. Maybe it is because I have kids of my own, or I always seem to be working or coaching a kids baseball or softball team.So now instead of being involved, I am left to donate money to groups to help out. I thought about doing this when I was doing a church activity as a Disc Jockey, (my old profession). Someone at the event asked if I ever gave back like other Realtors they saw. After I thought about it, I really didn't anymore bes... 07/12/2007

Tigard Police are trying to get neighborhoods out to this year's National Night Out. Target, the national sponsor for the crime prevention event, is also taking the opportunity to join in with the community's celebrations. This year 33 million people are expected in more than 10,000 communities across America will show their support on Tuesday, August 7th to promote police-community teamwork. Only through these types of partnerships can we create awareness, bring safety and reduced crime.The Target store located at 9009 SW Hall Blvd., with the Tigard Police, are encouraging the community to work together by hosting a National Night Out kick-off celebration at the store on Saturday, August 4th from 11AM until 1PM. Tigard area residents will be offered tips, handouts, giveaways, product ... 07/10/2007

CRIME Spotter is a visual representation of where crime has occurred. Going back 12 months, a database of crimes that gets turned into a map showing you what crimes are being committed where and how often.  This database is updated with new crime data each month.  You can enter in your address and see what's happening a mile in each direction from your home.   http://maps.tigard-or.gov/ Tigard is known for being a low crime area, safe for families.  It's citizens and police are proactive and informed creating a team determined to keep Tigard's crime below average, especially "stranger on stranger" crime.  This is another tool used to aid in the effort.  Step 1: The first page of CRIME Spotter opens with an Address Query box. Type in an Address Number and/or Street Name and then click S... 07/09/2007

As summer approaches and things start to heat up, you see air conditioners popping in windows all around the city.But, did you know burglars also notice this and take it as an open invitation to your home? The reason they do, is because they know to take the A/C out of the window and crawl in it takes less than 30 seconds. Also, if the windows are open for the A/C you don't have your alarm system on either.So, if you do want A/C, and have to install a window unit, please head down to your local hardware store and buy an A/C window guard. These are bars that connect to your house and go over the A/C unit, so no can break into your home.                                                           Easy break in                                              Safe homeFor more information on air... 07/05/2007