Author: Dianne Gregoire

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Market Activity for January 12-18, 2009

Here is your market activity report for last week. There are 17 new listings, 9 pending sales, and 2 closed sales. When I did my search for new listings the report originally contained over 50 properties, which seemed way high to me. So I explored the market history on each of them and found that only 17 were truly new listings and all of the rest were old listings that were pulled and then re-listed with new RMLS numbers to “refresh” them. It’s a common practice to stimulate sales activity. However, I think it is helpful to see what is a actually a new listing versus this marketing technique. I can not promise that time will always permit me to take this extra step, but when I can, I will. I was also pleased to see 9 pending sales, which is a bit of a gain over what we were seeing in the holidays.

NEWLY LISTED (January 12, 2009 – January 18, 2009)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
LIST DATE
Address List Price #BR #Bths Total SF Prop Type List Date
57 GALEN ST $129,500 1 1 689 CONDO 1/17/2009
136 OSWEGO SMT $142,000 1 1 764 CONDO 1/15/2009
4 TOUCHSTONE DR $194,900 3 2.1 1,351 CONDO 1/13/2009
545 HEMLOCK ST $339,900 3 1.1 984 DETACHD 1/12/2009
3 SAINT HELENS CIR $359,000 2 2 1,472 DETACHD 1/12/2009
1234 MAPLE ST $379,000 3 2 1,947 DETACHD 1/14/2009
1052 YATES ST $389,900 3 1.1 1,286 DETACHD 1/12/2009
14498 CAMDEN LN $469,900 4 2.1 1,918 DETACHD 1/15/2009
6067 CLAIRMONT CT 529000 4 2.1 2,344 DETACHD 1/12/2009
1862 KILKENNY DR 549900 3 2.1 2,485 DETACHD 1/15/2009
827 5TH ST 550000 3 2 2,124 DETACHD 1/16/2009
745 4TH ST 579000 3 2 2,662 DETACHD 1/12/2009
4116 ORCHARD WAY 683950 5 3.1 4,078 DETACHD 1/16/2009
15713 TARA PL 729000 4 2.1 3,442 DETACHD 1/17/2009
13601 GOODALL RD 875000 3 1.1 2,662 DETACHD 1/14/2009
17404 BERGIS FARM DR 1297000 5 4.1 5,394 DETACHD 1/17/2009
13770 CAMEO CT 2298000 4 5.1 6,929 DETACHD 1/14/2009

PENDING SALES (January 12, 2009 – Janaury 18, 2009, 2008)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address List Price #BR #BTHS Total SF Prop Type CDOM
5225 JEAN RD $189,875 2 2 1,100 CONDO 168
6291 HARRINGTON AVE $249,900 3 2 1,472 DETACHD 99
4451 BERNARD ST $349,950 3 2 1,800 DETACHD 190
5079 W SUNSET DR $379,950 2 2.1 1,760 ATTACHD 336
18971 INDIAN SPRINGS CIR $399,950 3 2 1,525 DETACHD 9
4 BRITTEN CT $429,000 3 2.1 1,972 ATTACHD 74
1265 ROCKINGHORSE LN $444,000 4 3 2,402 DETACHD 189
5364 LANGFORD LN $715,950 3 2.1 3,022 DETACHD 258
14270 EDENBERRY DR 749900 4 2.1 2,935 DETACHD 104

SOLD (January 12, 2009 – January 18, 2009)

ADDRESS ORIG. PRICE SALE PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address O/Price Close Price #BR #BTHS Total SF Prop Type CDOM
7050 CHILDS RD $498,000 $385,000 2 2 1,693 DETACHD 573
2584 PARK RD $679,000 $480,000 4 2 2,302 DETACHD 279

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer.

If links to ACTIVE properties do not bring up property information, the listing may no longer be active, but rather expired, cancelled, pending, or sold.

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Open Houses for the weekend of January 17-18, 2009

golden-frontThere are 20 scheduled open houses being promoted on the RMLS this weekend, including my open house at 4447 Golden Lane. I’ll be there from 1-4. It’s an end-unit townhouse in Mt. Park with 2 bedrooms and 2.5 baths. Listed for $284,900, the Kitchen has new granite counters. There are walls of South-facing windows that let in lots of light and give the home large views of the gorgeous landscaping. To get there, take Carmen Drive to Fosberg, to Melrose, to Thundervista, to Golden. You’ll see my signs at the intersection of Fosberg and Melrose. Please come by, I’d love to meet you.

Here are the open houses scheduled for Saturday, January 17th:

624 Livingood Ln, $574,900, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, 2596 SF, Open 1-3
1322 Rosemont Rd, $749,900, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 3836 SF, Open 1-4

Here are the open houses scheduled for Sunday, January 18th:

4320 Cornwall St, $214,950, 2 BR, 1 BTH, 1000 SF, Open 2-4
4447 Golden Ln, $284,900, 2 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 1616 SF, Open 1-4
18959 Kristi Way, $384,400, 3 BR, 2 BTHS, 1778 SF, Open 1-3:30
1480 Hemlock St, $428,850, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, 2246 SF, Open 1-3
1650 Fircrest Dr, $429,000, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, 2268 SF, Open 1-4
3486 Ponderosa Loop, $429,000, 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 2453 SF, Open 12-4
75 Condolea Way, $449,000, 3 BR, 3 BTHS, 2131 SF, Open 1-3
2453 Marylhurst Dr, $479,000, 4 BR, 2 BTHS, 2073 SF, Open 12-3
5624 Southwood Dr, $599,900, 4 BR, 3 BTHS, 3120 SF, Open 1-4
3254 Duncan Dr, $599,900, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 3997 SF, Open 2-4
13222 Deerfield Ct, $679,500, 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 3022 SF, Open 1-3
3456 Chelan Dr, $709,900, 5 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 3677 SF, Open 1-3
5267 Lakeview Blvd, $750,000, 4 BR, 3.5 BTHS, 3425 SF, Open 1-4
426 7th St, $778,950, 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 2902 SF, Open 1-4
15195 Lily Bay Ct, $924,900, 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 4099 SF, Open 12-4
3030 Westview Ct, $959,000, 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 3415 SF, Open 2-4
943 Atwater Rd, $1,235,000, 4 BR, 2.5 BTHS, 3874 SF, Open 12-2
13200 Thoma Rd, $1,995,000, 5 BR, 5 full + 2 half BTHS, 7648 SF, Open 2-4

This is going to be a great weekend to see some houses. Enjoy the sunshine!

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What should I offer?

aressign1This is probably the single most common question that buyers universally ask. After all, you want to get the property for a fair price that is not too high, but you also have other concerns that you want to address. How do you frame the offer to cover all of your concerns?

The first step, in my opinion, is to have your Realtor prepare a market analysis for the neighborhood in which the home that you like is located. You want to know what other homes have sold for. The houses that are used should have sold as recently as possible, going no further back than 6 months. They also need to be as similar as possible in age, size, and condition. There will always be a bit of a range in the value. Houses that sell at the low end usually have issues with either condition or location. Houses at the high end are in top-notch condition with recent upgrades and remodeling. Then there is the average. An average home is clean and in nice condition but does not necessarily have completely new kitchens and baths, or perhaps has upgrades that are not high-end. The home you are considering: where does it fit in this range? Knowing what the neighborhood is selling for, and having an idea of where your prospective home fits in the range, will tell you what the market is proving to be the value for the home. This method allows you to know if a property is over priced or a smokin’ deal. You also want to take into consideration the market history on the property. If the house has been on the market for an extended period of time without dropping the price, then it is obviously over-priced and the seller will need to negotiate down to get it sold. If it’s been on the market a long time, but the current price is a recent and large reduction, perhaps the seller has already come down enough to have the house at a fair-market value. And a house that is newly listed is less likely to take a dramatically lower offer. I believe the best way to estimate value is to take the time to do the market analysis. It will tell you what the house is worth in the current economic climate.

My next advice to a buyer is to decide what is important to them, price or terms. If getting the house for the absolutely best price possible is the priority, then make the offer clean in other areas. Sure, come in 10% below the list price but don’t ask for new carpeting, a closing date after your son graduates from High School next spring, and not subject to the sale of your current home. If you come in low and then ask for the moon, most sellers will get mad and reject your offer. On the other hand, if you really do need to make your offer subject to the sale of your current home, then to get a seller to work with you, you are going to need to be more generous on price. I do believe that most sellers expect to negotiate and when presented with a reasonable offer will respond in kind and try to make a deal work. But do decide if your priority is price or terms and then frame your offer to accomplish your priority.

I also feel that before a buyer can make an offer, he or she needs to see enough homes to develop a sense for value. What does a $300,000 house look like? When you see enough of them, you start to get a feeling for the market and sense for value. You can tell when a house is in better than average condition and yet priced the same as the ones that are a mess. That is a good deal. That is the best way to buy. I think it takes looking at about 20 houses for a buyer to develop a good sense for value.

Also, make sure that you are working with a Realtor who knows the neighborhood. Homes in Beaverton sell under different circumstances than homes in North Portland. You need to be aware how individual areas of town are selling. And even within Lake Oswego there are high-demand locations that sell for more money and more quickly because of their location.

Your home is likely the largest purchase you will ever make. You want to buy the home that you love, but you also want to make a sound investment, and the first step is making the right offer.

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Market Activity for December 29, 2008 to January 4, 2009

The holidays are over, the snow has melted, and it’s time for the market to get going. This past week there were 13 new listings, 3 pending sales, and 2 closed sales. Of particular interest to me is the sale on Dellwood Dr. Dellwood is absolutely one of the prettiest streets in Lake Oswego. This was a house that Linda and I had toured together during a Broker’s Open. It was a mid-century modern in architectural design and was decorated in the same manner. It had been on the market for a very long time. An offer was accepted on it in mid December and it closed just two weeks later. For the location the house was a nice value and I sure the seller is happy to start the new year with the house sold.

NEWLY LISTED (DECEMBER 29, 2008 – January 4, 2009)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
LIST DATE
4 TOUCHSTONE $129,900 2 2 979 CONDO 1/1/2009
210 S STATE ST $199,900 2 1 1,284 CONDO 12/30/2008
3433 MCNARY PKWY $249,900 2 2.1 1,136 CONDO 1/2/2009
1635 ASPEN ST $345,000 3 2.1 1,618 DETACHD 1/2/2009
17755 HILL WAY $375,000 4 3 1,887 DETACHD 1/3/2009
845 LAKE FOREST DR $459,000 3 1.1 1,359 DETACHD 12/31/2008
4750 UPPER DR $469,900 4 3 2,692 DETACHD 1/4/2009
4691 SW HERITAGE LN $639,900 4 2.1 2,882 DETACHD 1/4/2009
1189 SUNNINGDALE CT $699,000 4 2 2,056 DETACHD 1/2/2009
1913 CHERYL CT $1,380,000 4 4.1 5,791 DETACHD 1/4/2009
16771 MAPLE CIR $1,650,000 3 3 2,074 DETACHD 1/3/2009
4398 Lakeview BLVD $1,895,000 4 2.2 3,309 DETACHD 12/30/2008

PENDING SALES (DECEMBER 29, 2008 – Janaury 4, 2009, 2008)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
4206 WOODSIDE CIR $284,900 2 2 1,799 ATTACHD 8/3/2008
1640 WORTHINGTON ST $359,000 4 3 2,342 DETACHD 10/28/2008
5350 LAKEVIEW BLVD $459,990 6 2.5 2,580 DETACHD 8/19/2008

SOLD (December 29, 2008 – January 4, 2009)

ADDRESS ORIG. PRICE SALE PRICE
TOT. BEDS
TOT. BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
2958 DELLWOOD DR $669,900 $547,000 4 3 3,272 DETACHD 775
14527 PFEIFER WAY $799,000 $650,000 4 3.1 3,788 DETACHD 120

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer.

If links to ACTIVE properties do not bring up property information, the listing may no longer be active, but rather expired, cancelled, pending, or sold.

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Open Houses for Sunday, January 4th, 2009

The holidays are behind us, the snow has melted, and it’s time to get back into the saddle. Here are this weekend’s open houses that are being promoted on the RMLS. All are being held open on Sunday the 4th.

12868 Boones Ferry Rd, a townhouse, $295,000, 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, open 1-3

5807 Ridgetop Ct, a house, $539,900, 5 BR, 2.5 Baths, open 1-4

624 Livingood Ln, a house, $574,900, 4 BR, 3 Baths, open 1-3

17512 Greenbluff Lot 1, a house, $1,425,000, 4 BR, 4 Baths, open 1-4

17554 Greenbluff Lot 2, a house, $1,850,000, 4 BR, 4 full + 4 half Baths, open 1-4

Have a great weekend.

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Attitude is Everything

You may have noticed that both Linda and I tend to approach our careers in real estate with a pretty positive attitude. We share a world-view that allows for positive outcomes. I don’t know about Linda, but I do know that I have received criticism for maintaining this perspective while so much that is going on in the world, particularly in the current economy, is just so terrible. Because we are beginning a New Year, and I intend for 2009 to be a great year, I thought this would be a good time to share with you where I learned my positive attitude.

For those of you who know me, you also know that my mom was a Realtor before me. She was my mentor and role model not just in life, but also as a Realtor. And she is the one who taught me to have a positive attitude. She taught it by example. Her story is really quite remarkable.

My mom, Audrey Slater, was 24 years old the summer of 1954. She lived here in Lake Oswego and was the mother of a young child. She was one of 8 people who were residents of Lake Oswego who contracted polio that summer. For such a small town, it was considered to be an epidemic. 3 of those 8 people died. My mom was one of the lucky ones. She wasn’t killed by it. But she was paralyzed from the chest down. At that time there was no vaccine to prevent polio and there was no proven treatment. Fortunately she was well cared for. The nurses and doctors wrapped her in hot, wet, wool blankets and regularly moved her to help prevent muscle atrophy. When she recovered her future was uncertain. She was told she could quite possibly never walk again. She absolutely refused to accept that possibility. She spent the next several years of her life regaining her strength and learning to walk all over again. She went from her bed to a wheel chair and then to crutches and finally to walking on her own. She went on to be the mother of 3 additional children, including me. I clearly remember her overcoming many challenges that being a polio survivor brought, and foremost in my mind I remember her on-going insistence on maintaining a positive attitude.

This was the era of Norman Vincent Peale. The author of “The Power of Positive Thinking”, he spread a message of hope and good living through books, letters, and his work with people.

My mom took it to heart. She used it to overcome so much. Today, after raising a family and being a very successful Realtor here in Lake Oswego for 28 years, she is such a fine example of a life well lived and a life that has been lived to its fullest, despite tremendous challenge.

Are these times hard? Sure they are. Do they amount to the sum of our human existence? Absolutely not. This is a moment in time: a moment in history. And, frankly, there is much to be hopeful and optimistic about. It is our challenge to choose how we approach the day. Are we going to make it a good day? Or are we going to surrender to negativity and allow it to become a bad day? Will we allow news reports to keep us from moving on with our lives? Will we allow fear to keep us from noticing all the good things about this point in time relating to real estate…like record-low interest rates and prices? I would argue that a positive mindset allows for more rational decision making when coupled with an assessment of the variables.

This does not mean that I am unwilling to be realistic about facts and the current economy. It does mean that I will approach the current market and find a way to make it work to my clients’ benefit, whenever possible. It also means that even when the situation is tough, I will pledge to handle it with grace and good humor.

Finally, I have a video I want to encourage you to watch. Think of it as a little New Year’s gift. This is a video of a man who has overcome adversity so far above and beyond anything that most can imagine. To view it, click here.

I would like to wish you a positive and prosperous New Year.

.

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Snowapalooza 2008

I wrote a post about the rainy season in Oregon not too long ago, so I was trying to avoid writing something about the past ten day’s snowfall. I mean, don’t we have anything more significant to talk about than the weather? But this has gotten to be too big of a deal not to mention it.

Snowfall in the Portland area happens, but it is light and some years, rare. We get so little snow that it only takes and inch or two to shut down schools. Most years it is comical how easily people in the Portland area will use a dusting of snow to create a good excuse to take the day off and go sledding with the kids. And snow at Christmas, well that is nearly always wishful thinking. Be careful what you wish for….

In the past 10 days we have had about a foot of snow and half an inch of ice. It is amazing. The temperatures have been below freezing for days in a row. It feels more like North Dakota than Lake Oswego. Well, maybe 12 inches is baby stuff for someone from North Dakota, but for us, it’s truly an event. It’s Snowapalooza 2008.

I am posting several photos that were taken in my yard. I am also posting a photo of my 20 year-old son’s friends who showed up at my house early in the event for some midnight barbequing. Oh to be twenty and so enthusiastic!

Temperatures are supposed to get up into the 40’s and 50’s over the weekend. So this will all soon be just a memory. In the mean time we are living in a winter wonderland.

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Market Activity Report for December 15-21, 2008

It’s Christmas, there is a foot of snow on the ground, and, yes, the market is slow. It is very typical that during the two weeks that kids are out of school and families are gathering, that the market creeps along. I believe the market will pick up when the holidays are over. In the mean time, here is your market activity report for December 15th to December 21st.

NEWLY LISTED (December 15 —December 21, 2008)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
# BEDS
# BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
LIST DATE
Address List Price # Bedrm. # Baths Total SF Prop Type List Date
4 TOUCHSTONE $184,900 3 2.1 1,350 CONDO 12/18/2008
3190 DUNCAN DR $304,900 3 2.1 2,401 DETACHD 12/16/2008
17100 BRYANT RD $425,000 3 3 2,032 DETACHD 12/17/2008
4280 CHAPMAN WAY $469,000 3 2 1,947 DETACHD 12/15/2008
815 10TH ST $539,900 3 2 2,190 DETACHD 12/19/2008
4004 MELISSA DR $598,950 3 2.1 2,840 DETACHD 12/17/2008
12424 SW 22ND AVE $999,900 5 4.1 4,771 DETACHD 12/15/2008

PENDING SALES (December 15 —December 21, 2008)

ADDRESS
LIST PRICE
# BEDS
# BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address List Price # Bedrm #l Baths Total SF Prop Type List Date CDOM
4000 CARMAN DR $144,000 1 1 767 CONDO 10/30/2008 226
5142 ROSEWOOD ST $339,900 4 2.1 1,784 DETACHD 9/22/2008 232
1971 PARK FOREST AVE $549,000 4 2 2,180 DETACHD 12/8/2008 13
13915 SUNDELEAF DR $998,000 4 3.1 4,090 DETACHD 10/1/2008 797

SOLD (December 15—December 21, 2008)

ADDRESS ORIG. PRICE SALE PRICE
# BEDS
# BATHS
TOT. SQ FT
 PROP TYPE
DOM
Address O/Price # Bedrm Total Baths Total SF Prop Type Close Price CDOM
4 TOUCHSTONE $124,900 2 2 984 CONDO $93,000 60
44 EAGLE CREST DR $154,900 3 2 1,085 CONDO $145,000 31
801 NORTHSHORE RD $879,900 4 3 2,144 DETACHD $925,000 6

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer.

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Open Houses for December 20th and 21st

I salute the brave Realtor who is hosting the only open house promoted for Lake Oswego on the RMLS this weekend:

41 Hillshire Dr, a detached home with 2670 square feet. Built in 1983, it has 4 bedrooms and 3 baths. it will be open this Sunday, December 21st, from 1:30 to 3:30.

Have a lovely weekend. Stay safe and enjoy the snow.

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Code of Ethics

While having lunch with friends recently one woman was telling us about the difficulty she had with some of her co-workers. I guess there was a good deal of gossiping and even some back stabbing that went on behind people’s backs. My initial reaction to her story was dismay over her situation and then personal gratitude that I don’t work in such circumstances. And then it occurred to me why I don’t have that sort of work environment. It’s the code of ethics! As a Realtor, I must adhere to a code of ethics that requires fair dealings with other Realtors. I simply am not allowed to say bad things about them. It then occurred to me that the general public probably doesn’t know about the Realtor Code of Ethics. At this time of year, when our thoughts are turned to family, friends, and religious celebrations, it seems appropriate to tell you about the Code of Ethics.

In order to be a Realtor in the State of Oregon you must agree to adhere to the Code of Ethics. Both the Oregon Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors require abiding by the Code of Ethics. It is possible to be a real estate agent without being a Realtor, but it is not possible to be a Realtor without meeting the requirements of the Code of Ethics. A Realtor is required to take training on the Code of Ethics every 4 years to make certain that he or she remembers and is familiar with this code. What is it? In a nutshell, it pretty much boils down to the golden rule. Be fair and honest in all of your dealings with clients and with other Realtors, just as you want them to be fair and honest in their dealings with you.

The Code of Ethics is actually a rather beautiful document. The Preamble begins “Under all is the land. Upon its wise utilization and widely allocated ownership depend the survival and growth of free institutions and of our civilization.” It is well written, well thought out, and something that can be applied to life as a whole. Besides the Preamble, there are 3 sections: Duties to Clients and Customers, Duties to the Public, and Duties to Realtors. Each section contains guidelines for fair and honest business practices, honesty in advertising, as well as professionalism and protection when dealing with the public. This code serves as a promise to the public that when dealing with a real estate agent that is a Realtor you can expect honest and ethical treatment in all of your dealings. How cool is that? Don’t you wish every profession had a Code of Ethics? I do.

Not all real estate agents are Realtors. So when choosing a professional to help you to buy or to sell a home, be certain to find out if they are a Realtor. If they have the Realtor designation, you can gain assurance that your transaction will be handled by someone who adheres to the Realtor Code of Ethics.

If you’d like to read the Code of Ethics, here is a link to the Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors where a copy is available: click here.