(Cindy's Blog about Portland Oregon Real Estate & Stuff) Tualatin, Oregon is a suburb that is about 20 minutes South of Downtown Portland. It's proximity to all the major roads such as I-5, and I-205, places the City of Tualatin in a great location. The home prices currently in December of 2010 are showing the lowest home price of cute 2 bedroom Condo (Short sale)listed at $85,500 10061702 to an exquisite home listed for $2,790,000 10056241 out of the 155 homes currently listed. In this post, I am highlighting all the starter homes that are detached..that are not a Condo or Townhome on the market. There are currently 27 detached homes with the price range up to $250,000. I would say that about 85% of these homes are either listed as a short sale, or bank owned properties, but there are ... 12/19/2010

Here is the latest 12 month Market Trend Report for Tualatin, Oregon. We are always one month behind so these are the statistics for November, 2010. It looks like the inventory inched down slightly from 8 months to 7.9 months. What this means is that it would take 7.9 months to sell all the current active homes on the market. An average inventory would be around 5-6 months, so anything above that would be a buyer's market, and anything below that would generally be a sellers market. Inventory in months is calculated by dividing the active listings at the end of the month in question by the number of closed sales for that month. It looks like the median cumulative days on the market went from 54 to 79 days and the sold per listed price % went up since October. I haven't gotten the latest... 12/12/2010

Are you like me and have many gift cards that have been hidden in drawers, piles or in your wallet that have gone unused? I hate to admit this, but I was going through a few stacks of piles (yes, I am a "pile" person) and found a couple of gift certificates and gift cards that have been unused. One restaurant card for $50 "expired" in July, and I have another one for $100 towards a spa treatment of my choice which expires the end of this year as well as one for a massage!! What?? I can sooooo use a massage..and man, I know I can use one of those facial treatment for my skin...I mean, who doesn't want to look younger?? I also have several Starbucks cards that probably have less than a dollar on them...but while I am sitting on all these cards not taking advantage of these products and s... 12/06/2010

One of the main reasons cited for buyers not taking advantage of the historically low interest rates today is a concern for job loss after the home purchase. This of course is a very valid concern. What if you could ask the seller when offering on their home to pay for a Job Loss protection Program where you would have Mortgage Payment Protection Benefits that pay up to $1,800 per month for up to 6 months with the coverage extending for 2 years following the mortgage closing date? Well you can! Prudential NW Properties' Job Loss Protection Program might be something to look into. All homes listed with Prudential NW Properties are eligible for this coverage so if you are looking to sell your home, you might want to have an advantage over your competition by offering this to the buyers. C... 12/01/2010

Cindy's Blog about Portland, Oregon and stuff When a friend e-mailed us and said he had two extra tickets for a premier wine tasting event called ¡Salud! The Oregon Pinot Noir Auction and asked if we wanted to go....we quickly responded YES! Last nights function was held at the Domaine Drouhin winery in Dundee Hills...just on the border of Dundee and Dayton. Since it started at 3PM, It took us about 50 minutes to get there from our home in West Linn as this was prime traffic hour on a Friday night. On a normal weekday, it wouldn't have taken so long.The drive was worth it and as you can see from the picture, it was a gorgeous fall day in Yamhill County, so pretty country to drive in. When we entered the winery, we were told there were three floors. On each floor were  Oregon's most cele... 11/13/2010

(Cindy's Blog about Portland Real Estate and stuff) Here are the latest market trend statistics for Tualatin, Oregon for the past 12 months. Looks like the home inventory down slightly from 8.3 months to 8 months. Check out the graphs to see the difference between September and October. If you have any questions, or would love to recieve market reports directly to you, please feel free to contact me at my cell 503-819-5241 or e-mail cwestfall@prunw.com     PDF Tualatin Market Trends Nov. 11 2010                        11/11/2010

  As an Affiliate of Prudential NW Properties, and like a good percentage of Brokers in the company, I donate a portion of my earnings to a great program called Transitional Youth. As we all know, with many agents leaving the business, and a few less transactions, the donations that were given when these transactions closed have decreased. Transitional Youth was created by Prudential NW Properties' owner and President Bert Waugh Jr. and works to  supply food, shelter and clothing through its outreach centers in downtown Portland and Vancouver. It now also has a ranch that helps these kids to transition from living on the streets to helping them obtain full time employment and eventually moving on to living independently. In one year, it is estimated that the outreach center will serve ... 11/08/2010

As we often discuss with our potential clients, and remind our current clients, the way a home is presented is critical in the present real estate market.  The combination of pricing and presentation is key to a successful sale. Presentation doesn't have to mean full staging, but your home must be presented in the best possible way, whether it is occupied or vacant.  If your home is occupied, a consultation with a stager is always recommended to get an objective perspective from a professional who knows exactly what it takes to make your house show its absolute best.  If your home is vacant and isn't staged, every minor flaw and detail will be magnified to potential buyers.  A home that we recently staged just before Halloween had been occupied and the owner moved out leaving behind a f... 11/07/2010

  Tualatin, Oregon..Highlighting the Fox Hills neighborhood Tualatin, Oregon (Pronounced TU-AAH-LA-TIN) has several sections and neighborhoods and  today I'm going to start with highlighting the Fox Hill neighborhood.  I will admit that I am partial to it as I had the pleasure of living there for several years and got to know several very nice people. I loved that this was the type of neighborhood that people got to know you and your family..and vice versa. Fox Hill is tucked behind the Legacy Meridian Park Hospital and is bordered between Borland Rd. and Nyberg Ave. This neighborhood is an established neighborhood with most of the homes having been built in the mid to late 80's. Sitting in a fantastic location for easy access to both I-5 and I-205, this neighborhood has it all. Within ... 11/04/2010

Have you been "PIP"d this month? Do you know how much your home is worth? ** Some of my neighbors and friends get PIP'd each month. ** My past clients get PIP'd each month. ** Even though I am a real estate Broker, I love to get PIP'd each month. ** If you have your home listed with me, you get PIP"d each WEEK!  As I said, I love getting my Property Investment Profile (PIP) each month. I get to see all the action specific to my own neighborhood. I have mine set up for all the homes within a 1/4 mile of my house.  Each month I get a detailed report of all the active, pending and sold listings in this area. Doesn't everyone want to know what your neighbors' house actually sold for?? I can also pull up pictures and maps, and unlike many other programs out there, these homes have the addres... 11/01/2010

Each year as Halloween comes around, I get a bit worried about my dog. I have passed on going to some parties so I can be home with her as I know she is going to be having a rough night when the doorbell rings constantly. For me, the only thing I have found to work was to dress warm and sit outside to give out the candy so the bell doesn't ring and drive her crazy. Even then I know it will be a night of her barking like crazy so make sure she has plenty of water. Lots of dogs will get "spooked" if they are left alone so you might want to think about putting them in their kennels if they go in. (Mine never did take to the kennel) or make sure someone is home with them. Keep in mind that dogs will eat candy left around and some of it can be toxic if not deadly, so keep it out of reach. I'... 10/31/2010

  It's Halloween weekend. Whether you are going to party, the mall, an event or out trick-or-treating, here are some general safety tips. 1. Please be extra observant when driving around. This is a common time where kids will run out into the road to cross the street. Look under cars as you are driving to see if there are little feet and drive slower in those local neighborhoods. 2. Many stores are selling those night glow sticks that you can wear around your wrist or neck. These are great for better visibility. 3. Don't eat any candy unless the person giving it to you is known and trusted. I know this is a hard one for many kids (adults as well).  Along these lines, don't overeat candy. Those little bite candies tempt you to want to try them all. 6. Watch for costumes getting too clos... 10/29/2010

Are you waiting for home prices to drop more before you buy? In some areas, yes, prices might go down some more, but when will you know that they have hit bottom? Chances are, it will be when they start going up! It is so hard to know how to time the market that even all those folks with degrees in Ecomomics can't even predict this. What I do know, is that we are seeing RECORD LOW interest rates. The rates right now as of October 27th, 2010 are starting to inch up and are around 4.5%. Still very low! If you are a first time homebuyer , a homeowner that is perhaps needing a larger home, or someone wanting to invest,  there are a few things to consider: 1. Do you have money for a downpayment saved. Many first time homebuyers can qualify for an FHA loan with as little as 3.5% down. Yes, it... 10/27/2010

When I first moved to Tualatin in 2000, my husband and I stumbled on this garden place tucked away behind Ibach Park at 21550 SW 108th Ave. The place was smaller but so inviting as my husband and I strolled around amongst all the plants and pretty displays. The owner Jonn Karsseboom (AKA J-Dog) came over and helped us choose some plants for our yard and took the time to chat with us. It was only as we were leaving did we notice the sign that said it had been closed an hour earlier, but Jonn never gave any hint that it was closed, and gave us such great customer service that we go back often. Even if we don't purchase anything each time, just meandering through his place is a treat in itself. Over the years he has expanded from when we first met him and this past year he added a coffee c... 10/22/2010

     Come one and all to Tualatin's 7th Annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Reggatta! http://www.ci.tualatin.or.us/departments/communityservices/recreation/PumpkinRegatta.cfm It's that time of year again when folks will get into those huge gourds and race around the Lake at Tualatin Commons this coming Saturday October 23rd..rain or shine! This is a fun time for all so try not to miss it! While you're out there check out the costume contest, do some pumpkin carving while listening to live music. Nothing like watching a bunch of crazy (yes...that water is COLD!) folks trying to stay afloat. Those huge pumpkins are amazing.         10/18/2010

  Cindy's Active Rain blog 10/16/10   Last night I had the pleasure of watching a great benefit concert given by several local musicians Aaron Meyer, Michael Allen Harris, Cloverdale and Julianne R. Johnson fundraising for Transitional Youth. Not only did these artists give their time and talent, but all proceeds of the tickets went right to Transitional Youth. Transitional Youth is a program that was founded by the President/Broker/Owner of Prudential NW Properties, Bert Waugh Jr. It has been his passion to help homeless youth to not only get off the streets, but to help transition them so when they are ready, can move into jobs to support them. It was heartwarming to hear a young man speak about how this program has changed his life, how he is now out speaking in schools and public fo... 10/16/2010

(Cindy's Active Rain Blog) Here are the market trend statistics for Tualatin, OR. that are from the RMLS (regional multiple listing service) for the past year. If you notice the months of inventory, Tualatin is at 8.3 months compared to 11 months with Portland Metro as a whole. If you have any questions, or would like to receive more statistics on Tualatin, or another area, please feel free to contact me. Thanks for reading! pdfgenv4 10/14/2010

A referral to me is sorta like babysitting. You are trusted with the care of people that have been sent to you, just as you would be trusted with the care of someones children. Any time a referral is given, be it for an agent, contractor or what have you, what I am hoping for is for them to do a great job for that person. There is nothing worse than when you refer someone to another and they fall short. It doesn't look good on you at that moment. I don't know about you, but when I used to babysit (going back a ways here), I would be ever the more diligent knowing that I was trusted to make sure the kids were safe, fed and put to bed as if the parents were home. When working with referred clients, I am so very concious of the person who sent them to me. I know I am a good agent, and they... 10/11/2010

Holiday time is fast approaching and Sellers will be wanting to pull out their favorite holiday decorations to display. This is a great time to to be reminded that how we LIVE in a home is not how we live in it when we are trying to SELL a home. I know this is sometimes hard to do (especially in a home where there are small children) . I once showed a home that had so much christmas stuff that you couldn't even see the room, let alone walk around..the Seller even had a different holiday teddy bear on each step going to the second level. The last thing you want is to have the rooms appear smaller than they are and have the Buyers looking at your things..and not the house. This is not the time to be displaying the villages, train sets and all the other large displays that will distract th... 10/07/2010

It's that time of year again where the sun goes down earlier and soon we will fall back an extra hour. At this time of year its a good reminder to make a few simple changes. For Sellers: * Please leave a light on at the front door as well as the entry so the light switch is visible for the next room. It can be scary walking into a dark home..especially if it is a vacant one. * As hard as it can be, diligence on falling leaves and snow need to be addressed. At least a path to the front door. *Place a mat at the front and rear entry points for wiping feet before entering the house. * Keep the temperature in the home comfortable. A freezing home can make buyers move quickly through it. For Buyers: * Try to be more tolerant of said leaves and snow as most sellers are working during the day ... 10/05/2010