Lake Oswego Real Estate Blog
As Christmas weekend approaches, Dianne and I wanted to take a moment and wish you a very peaceful and joyous holiday with your friends and family. It is such a pleasure for us to write this blog and to serve your needs through the year, and we appreciate each of you so much.
We will be taking a little holiday ourselves, and will be back with our weekly Activity Report on Monday, January 3rd, 2011. Till then…. stay safe, warm and happy.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!!!
Dianne and Linda
Last week brought 7 new listings, 6 pending sales, and 8 closed sales to Lake Oswego.
New December 13-19, 2010
| Address | Price | Type | BR | Bath | Sq Feet |
| 16250 Pacific Hwy #81 | $99,000 | Condo | 1 | 1 | 841 |
| 790 Boca Ratan Dr | $249,900 | Detached | 3 | 2 | 2112 |
| 12808 SW Boones Ferry | $279,000 | Attached | 3 | 2.5 | 1174 |
| 1635 Village Park Ln | $649,000 | Detached | 4 | 3.5 | 3338 |
| 727 Laurel St | $650,000 | Detached | 4 | 3.5 | 2924 |
| 1309 Horseshoe Curve | $849,000 | Detached | 4 | 3 | 3087 |
| 14062 Goodall Rd | $979,950 | Detached | 3 | 3.5 | 3887 |
Pending Dec. 13-19, 2010
| Address | Price | Type | BR | Bath | Sq. Feet |
| 200 Burnham Rd #204 | $119,000 | Condo | 2 | 2 | 1313 |
| 4438 Thunder Vista Ln | $169,900 | Condo | 2 | 2.5 | 2040 |
| 19211 Marlin Ct | $225,000 | Detached | 3 | 2.5 | 2091 |
| 19167 Longfellow | $279,000 | Detached | 3 | 2.5 | 1782 |
| 17952 Cardinal Dr | $304,900 | Detached | 3 | 2 | 1702 |
| 13888 Shireva | $475,000 | Detached | 4 | 3 | 3756 |
Sold Dec. 13-19, 2010
| Address | Orig. Price | Sold Price | type | Sq Feet | CDOM |
| 5057 Foothills Dr C | $189,900 | $179,000 | Condo | 1252 | 9 |
| 17335 Ashley Ct | $294,900 | $244,000 | Attached | 2161 | 83 |
| 32 Churchill Downs | $448,250 | $350,000 | Detached | 3016 | 272 |
| 2602 Orchard Hill Pl | $409,900 | $399,000 | Detached | 2568 | 44 |
| 4685 Upper Dr | $600,000 | $500,000 | Detached | 3341 | 68 |
| 17555 Redfern | $749,900 | $583,000 | Detached | 3007 | 256 |
| 3943 Tempest | $669,000 | $599,000 | Detached | 3714 | 119 |
| 3155 Douglas Circle | $985,000 | $915,000 | Detached | 4517 | 146 |
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, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings
According to the RMLS, there will be 18 open houses in Lake Oswego this Sunday.
| Address | Type | BR | Bath | Price | Open |
| 4057 Jefferson Pkwy | Attached | 3 | 2.5 | $179,900 | 1 to 3 |
| 4314 Botticelli | Attached | 2 | 2.5 | $229,000 | 2 to 3:30 |
| 18231 Terry Ave | Detached | 3 | 2 | $325,000 | 1 to 3:30 |
| 14251 Camden Ln | Detached | 3 | 2.5 | $380,000 | 2 to 4 |
| 17187 Carlson Ct | Detached | 4 | 3 | $395,000 | 12 to 3 |
| 775 Boca Ratan Dr | Detached | 4 | 3.5 | $439,990 | 1 to 3 |
| 326 Lake Bay Ct | Detached | 3 | 2 | $464,900 | 1 to 3 |
| 19415 SW Dogwood Ct | Detached | 5 | 3 | $499,900 | 1 to 4 |
| 19319 SW Dogwood Ct | Detached | 4 | 2.5 | $499,900 | 1 to 4 |
| 1278 Hide A Way Ln | Detached | 4 | 2.5 | $549,000 | 1 to 3 |
| 17981 Meadowlark Ln | Detached | 3 | 2.5 | $559,900 | 11 to 4 |
| 19263 Megly Ct | Detached | 5 | 3 | $559,900 | 1 to 4 |
| 19245 Megly Ct | Detached | 5 | 3 | $559,900 | 1 to 4 |
| 5511 Fieldstone Ct | Detached | 4 | 2.5 | $685,000 | 2:30 to 4:30 |
| 5533 Fieldstone Ct | Detached | 4 | 2.5 | $695,000 | 2;30 to 4:30 |
| 15622 Fieldstone Dr | Detached | 3 | 2.5 | $725,000 | 2:30 to 4:30 |
| 18209 Siena Dr | Detached | 5 | 3.5 | $1,058,000 | 1 to 3 |
| 18222 Siena Dr | Detached | 4 | 3.5 | $1,189,000 | 1 to 3 |
Have a great weekend!
As a seller, you want to do everything your time and your budget will allow to maximize the price you will receive for your home, and to shorten the length of time it takes to make that happen. Just because it is winter does not make the rules change. So, just like the rest of the year, you want to make your home look as attractive as possible. Today I want to concentrate on the exterior.
First, all of the usual apply: the paint and roof need to be in good condition with no peeling, moss or damage. The lawn needs to be mowed and edged. Trees and shrubs need to be trimmed back to enhance the house and not hide it. Please, please, please rake up and dispose of leaves and tree needles. I have shown homes that are literally buried in leaves. Why would any seller allow that to happen? It is insane. The only correction, beyond getting busy and fixing the situation, is to drop the price. I am serious when I say that a yard that needs leaf removal can cost a seller $10,000. A hard weekend of work or $10,000….hmmmmmm…. it seems pretty obvious to me. Leaving the messy leaves and needles all over the yard makes buyers think that this house needs work. And the compensation they want when they are going to have to do work is money.
Second, there are things you can do, at very little expense, that can actually make that winter yard both inviting and attractive:
Add splashes of color
Consider planting winter kale or pansies in the planters and boarders of your garden. At the holidays, festive decorations are both inviting and attractive, but do not go over board. You don’t want your house to scream “yard sale” rather than Happy Holidays.
Give it seasonal sparkle
Consider using winter greens (which you can often get free from the Christmas tree lots), along with holly and cones in otherwise dormant planters and window boxes.
Show off your garden’s livability
Do set out your yard furniture and tables. Keep them clean and inviting. You may not be actually using them much, but your buyer will look at the back deck or patio and quickly see it is a place to be enjoyed. Do not cover the yard furniture with plastic to resemble large rocks or meteorites that randomly plopped into the yard. You want the deck and patio to look like an extension of the living space in the house.
Keep the pathways clear
On extreme days, beyond raking leaves and needles, this may involve shoveling snow. Realtors and their clients need to be able to get to the house!
Keep decks and patios in good repair
Treat the wood so that is fresh and clean. You may need to replace rotted wood or even the entire deck. In this market a rotted deck will quickly turn off picky buyers. Again, you’ll probably loose more in price than the cost of the work. And this is the time of year when moss is a problem on both decks and patios, making them slippery and dangerous. Clean them up.
Light it bright
With the shortened days, it may be dusk or dark when buyers visit your home. Turn on all outside lights and consider adding a few temporary spot lights to focus on the homes architecture and landscaping.
Yard statuary helps, a lot
I don’t want to suggest that you go out and buy a bunch of garden art. But if you have it, make it visible. Place it where it will draw the buyers eyes out into the yard to see the flower beds and the features of the yard. You don’t want to allow the yard art to be too much or messy (again, not a garage sale), but creatively placed, even simple and inexpensive pieces such as drift wood, river rock, and small statuary will add a lot.
Create a photo display of sunny days
Set this up inside where it can be easily found and enjoyed. If you have a prized rose garden, let your buyer know that by showing a photo of the garden in full bloom.
The percentage of sellers who take the time to make their garden look good in the winter is very small. So when you do it, you will stand out. And that is a big factor that will play in your favor. I think the trick in selling a home is to know the market and then know how to work it to your advantage.
Best of the season, in all of its winter glory, to you.
Dianne
P.S. Thank you G.B. for sharing your beautiful garden with me. It was a total pleasure to meet you this morning. What wonderful ideas you have!
P.S.S. Further information can be found at www.Realtor.org/realtormag
Happy December to all our Property Blotter readers! I have so many people ask me lately: “People don’t buy houses during the holiday season do they?” The first full week of December in Lake Oswego posts 8 homes New on the market (or that have been off for at least 30 days as in the case of a couple of these below), 9 that have moved to Pending status, and 6 that have Sold. My experience has always been a busy one around this time of year!
In the “Sold” section below I added a column (sorry it makes things kind of squished). We usually show what price the property Opened at, and then what price it Closed/Sold at. I inserted the “List Price” in between so that you can see the progression from left to right of how the price shifted, (or not as the case may be).
Here is last week’s Lake Oswego Market Activity according to RMLS:
New December 6-12, 2010
| Address | List Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type |
| 44 EAGLE CREST DR #8 | $87,000 | 2 | 1 | 908 | CONDO |
| 18963 LONGFELLOW AVE | $299,900 | 3 | 1.1 | 1232 | DETACHD |
| 17614 SCHALIT WAY | $303,900 | 3 | 2 | 1561 | DETACHD |
| 18231 TERRY AVE | $325,000 | 3 | 2 | 1764 | DETACHD |
| 1459 GREENTREE CIR | $335,000 | 3 | 2 | 1683 | DETACHD |
| 1571 WOODLAND TER | $349,900 | 3 | 2 | 2400 | DETACHD |
| 1952 Park Forest | $389,900 | 5 | 3 | 2856 | DETACHD |
| 1901 CHERYL CT | $949,900 | 4 | 4.1 | 4863 | DETACHD |
Pending Dec. 6-12, 2010
| Address | List Price | # Bedrs | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type | CDOM |
| 4000 CARMAN DR 102 | $119,950 | 2 | 2 | 866 | CONDO | 39 |
| 200 BURNHAM RD 408 | $149,000 | 2 | 2 | 1335 | CONDO | 1172 |
| 46 GREENRIDGE CT | $189,900 | 3 | 2.1 | 2128 | CONDO | 131 |
| 18530 PILKINGTON RD | $229,900 | 3 | 2 | 1925 | DETACHD | 35 |
| 15824 BOONES WAY | $361,900 | 3 | 2 | 1895 | DETACHD | 58 |
| 4198 GLACIER LILY ST | $389,000 | 4 | 3 | 2806 | DETACHD | 3 |
| 16942 CHERRY CREST DR | $410,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 2363 | DETACHD | 11 |
| 17031 CRESTVIEW DR | $449,900 | 4 | 3 | 2403 | DETACHD | 496 |
| 14480 KRUSE OAKS BLVD | $725,000 | 4 | 3.1 | 4661 | DETACHD | 281 |
Sold Dec. 6-12, 2010
| Address | O/Price | List Price | Close Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type | CDOM |
| 1520 LABURNUM WAY | $299,000 | $299,000 | $285,000 | 4 | 2 | 1724 | DET | 464 |
| 17640 TREETOP WAY | $524,995 | $447,000 | $415,000 | 4 | 3 | 2718 | DET | 199 |
| 17455 BLUE HERON RD | $575,000 | $575,000 | $535,000 | 3 | 2 | 2572 | DET | 519 |
| 14370 PFEIFER DR | $669,000 | $629,000 | $610,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 3318 | DET | 98 |
| 920 OAK TER | $649,950 | $649,950 | $653,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 3467 | DET | 133 |
| 13322 LESLIE CT | $1,098,000 | $1,098,000 | $975,000 | 5 | 3.1 | 4449 | DET | 75 |
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, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings
There are 14 properties being held Open in Lake Oswego for Sunday the 12th.
Here is what’s on tap according to RMLS. Enjoy!
| Address | L/Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type | Time |
| 5055 FOOTHILLS DR C | $239,900 | 2 | 2 | 1252 | ATTACHD | 1-4PM |
| 19415 SW DOGWOOD CT | $499,900 | 5 | 3 | 3517 | DETACHD | 1-4PM |
| 19319 SW DOGWOOD CT | $499,900 | 4 | 2.1 | 3105 | DETACHD | 1-4PM |
| 1060 UPPER DEVON LN | $524,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 2400 | DETACHD | 1-3PM |
| 19245 SW MEGLY CT | $559,900 | 5 | 3 | 3490 | DETACHD | 1-4PM |
| 19263 MEGLY CT | $559,900 | 5 | 3 | 3213 | DETACHD | 1-4PM |
| 5511 FIELDSTONE CT | $685,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 3037 | DETACHD | 2:30-4:30PM |
| 5533 FIELDSTONE CT | $695,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 3115 | DETACHD | 2:30-4:30PM |
| 1100 UPPER DEVON LN | $699,000 | 4 | 3.1 | 3672 | DETACHD | 1-3PM |
| 1217 TYNDALL CT | $699,000 | 4 | 4 | 5181 | DETACHD | 1-4PM |
| 15622 FIELDSTONE DR | $725,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 3113 | DETACHD | 2:30-4:30PM |
| 649 9TH ST | $749,900 | 3 | 2.1 | 2812 | DETACHD | 1-3PM |
| 18209 SIENA DR | $1,058,000 | 5 | 3.1 | 3839 | DETACHD | 1-3PM |
| 18222 SIENA DR | $1,189,000 | 4 | 3.1 | 3998 | DETACHD | 1-3PM |
The holiday season is in full swing! It also means we are nearing year’s end, and the City of Lake Oswego is busy on many fronts related to planning in various areas, and of course there are toy drives, food drives and blood drives as well. Here are a few activities and events coming up in the next few weeks:
* Lake Oswego is hosting a Blood Drive at City Hall on Friday, December 10th from 10:00AM till 3:00PM. They say that walk-ins are welcome, and/but making an appointment in advance helps them to keep things moving along smoothly. If you’d like to schedule an appointment, please call 503 675 6394.
* The discussion and debate on new codes relating to “Sensitive Lands” is entering a new phase. The City Council is holding a hearing to discuss the code changes, and says that the changes have been designed to “…maintain legal compliance while decreasing regulations on sensitive lands.” The hearing is set for December 13th at 6:30PM in Council Chambers.
* Lake Oswego is exploring the possibilities for enhanced public transit between Lake Oswego and Portland. The Draft Environmental Impact Statement can be viewed here: DEIS A public hearing before the Project Steering Committee is scheduled for January 24th from 5:00PM – 8:00PM at the Lakewood Center.
* It’s Free Shred Day again!!! Bring your shred-ables to the West End Building at 4101 Kruse Way on Saturday, December 11th from 10:00Am till 1:00PM or until the truck is full.. For more information/guidelines etc, click HERE.
* Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation has a Questionnaire for your input. The purpose is to solicit feedback that will help them determine the way the park system will look in the next 10 – 15 years. To participate, click HERE.
* Lake Oswego’s Toy and Food Drives are nearing their deadlines. There are stockings that can be picked up and returned filled for needy families in Clackamas County. Drop off sites include City Hall, The West End Building and the Adult Community Center, but time is running out. Also, the Oregon Food Bank is in dire need of more donations this year. You may make a non-perishable food donation at any of the same drop-off locations. For more information please call 503 635 0257.
Moving into the full logistics of the holidays, market activity slowed down significantly last week. We had 7 new listings, 2 pending sales, and 6 closed sales.
We receive a weekly accounting of lockbox activity every Monday. It consists of a tally of the number of times that lockboxes were opened and the percentage change from the week prior. Last week saw a 39% decrease. So showings are way down. Having said that, I always like to point out that while there may be fewer buyers out looking, those that are doing so at the holidays are serious buyers. People don’t take the time to look at this time of year unless they are motivated to buy.
See below for further details:
NEWLY LISTED (Nov 29-Dec 5, 2010)
| Address | Price | Type | BR | Bath | Sq Feet |
| 4000 Carman Dr #108 | $109,900 | Condo | 1 | 1 | 767 |
| 4305 Silver Ct | $339,000 | Attached | 3 | 2.5 | 1835 |
| 4198 Glacier Lily St | $389,000 | Detached | 4 | 3 | 2806 |
| 17 Hidalgo | $429,000 | Detached | 4 | 3.5 | 3428 |
| 1217 Tyndall Ct | $699,000 | Detached | 4 | 4 | 5181 |
| 15622 Fieldstone Dr | $725,000 | Detached | 3 | 2.5 | 3113 |
| 582 9th St | $838,950 | Detached | 2 | 3.5 | 2841 |
PENDING SALES (Nov 29-Dec 5, 2010)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Bath | Sq. Feet |
| 156 Greenwood Rd | Detached | $309,900 | 2 | 2 | 3722 |
| 4114 Casey Ct | Detached | $785,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3405 |
SOLD (Nov 29-Dec 5, 2010)
| Address | Orig. Price | Sold Price | type | Sq Feet | CDOM |
| 692 2nd St | $299,000 | $255,000 | Detached | 1700 | 213 |
| 5188 Madrona St | $549,000 | $514,500 | Detached | 3183 | 36 |
| 1704 Glenmorrie Terr. | $599,000 | $575,000 | Detached | 3885 | 124 |
| 5001 Denton Dr | $759,000 | $753,000 | Detached | 3303 | 2 |
| 14089 Edenberry Dr | $840,000 | $840,000 | Detached | 3276 | 0 |
| 15446 Boones Way | $998,500 | $936,000 | Attached | 3364 | 84 |
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, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings
There are 28 houses scheduled to be help open this Sunday. I am impressed! Local Realtors sure are not taking it easy just because it’s the holidays.
Be sure to stop by and see Linda at her open house at 979 Devon. It is a fantastic property that is a standout in the market. Not only does it have 4 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths for $449,900, but it has been tastefully updated with granite, sub zero, new heat pump and hot tub as well. And to top it off: sweeping Mt. Hood views. This is a very special house. The floor plan allows for 1 bedroom and a full bath to be in a separate apartment. So the layout is ideal for someone who wants separate guest quarters or perhaps a home office that is its own space. I know LInda would love to meet you in person. She’ll be there from 2 to 4pm.
| Address | Price | # BR | # BTHS | Open | |
| 221 Cervantes | $144,000 | 2 | 1.5 | 1 to 3 | |
| 18530 Pilkington Rd | $229,900 | 3 | 2 | 1 to 3 | |
| 5055 Foothills Dr C | $239,900 | 2 | 2 | 1 to 4 | |
| 13990 Shireva Ct | $289,000 | 3 | 2 | 2 to 4 | |
| 53 Oriole Ln | $295,000 | 3 | 2 | 2 to 4 | |
| 5973 Kennycroft Way | $318,500 | 3 | 1.1 | 1 to 3 | |
| 4840 Lamont Way | $325,000 | 3 | 2 | 11:30 to 1:30 | |
| 4243 Albert Circle | $349,000 | 4 | 3 | 12 to 2 | |
| 17187 Carlson Ct | $395,000 | 4 | 3 | 12 to 3 | |
| 151 Del Prado St | $419,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 3 to 5 | |
| 775 Boca Ratan Dr | $449,850 | 4 | 3.5 | 1 to 3 | |
| 979 Devon | $449,900 | 4 | 3.5 | 2 to 4 | |
| 12 Scarborouh Dr | $479,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 1 to 4 | |
| 19415 SW Dogwood Ct | $499,900 | 5 | 3 | 1 to 4 | |
| 19319 SW Dogwood Ct | $499,900 | 4 | 0.25 | 1 to 4 | |
| 19443 Kokanee Ct | $499,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 1 to 4 | |
| 4398 Glacier Lily St | $500,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 11 to 1 | |
| 19263 Megly Ct | $559,900 | 5 | 3 | 1 to 4 | |
| 17981 Meadowlark Ln | $584,900 | 3 | 2.5 | 1 to 4 | |
| 5533 Fieldstone Ct | $695,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2 to 4 | |
| 5321 Amberwood Ct | $699,000 | 4 | 3 | 2 to 4 | |
| 1217 Tyndall Ct | $699,000 | 4 | 4 | 2 to 4 | |
| 15622 Fieldstone Dr | $725,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 2 to 4 | |
| 5320 Southwood Dr | $748,000 | 4 | 3 | 12:30 to 2:30 | |
| 18209 Siena Dr | $1,058,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 1 to 3 | |
| 18222 Siena Dr | $1,189,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 1 to 3 | |
| 1104 Forest Meadows Way | $1,495,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 1 to 4 | |
| 1968 Cheryl Ct | $1,595,000 | 4 | 4.5+.5+.5 | 1 to 3 |
Have a great weekend!
Running the Numbers
I spent a little time looking more closely at just how foreclosures and short sales are impacting the market here in Lake Oswego. I easily figured out that the two types of distressed housing make up about 20% of the current listings. But what I got to thinking about was a more specific breakdown of the two, and finding out which are actually selling. Here is what I found:
* There are currently 548 properties for sale (these are including all residential: condos, town houses, and detached)
* There are currently 80 sales pending (offer accepted and in escrow)
* In the last 6 months 324 properties have sold and closed. At this rate, it will take it will take a little more than 10 months to sell the current inventory.
* There are 33 Bank foreclosures for sale (6% of the inventory), 17 are currently in escrow (21% of the properties in escrow), and 56 have sold in the last 6 months (which represents 17% of the closed transactions).
* There are 73 short sales currently in the inventory (13% of our LO market), 14 are pending sales that have not closed, and truthfully may never close (17% of the properties in escrow), and just 19 that successfully closed in the last 6 months (just 5% of actual, closed transactions).
I think I had a sense of this: that there are lots of short sales out there but that not a lot of them actually become a sold property. It is clear in the numbers. Short sales represent 13% of the inventory but just 5% of the sales. Whereas foreclosures represent just 6% of the inventory, but are 17% of the sales.
If you or someone you know is a distressed homeowner, pay attention NOW.
There is Federal stimulus money that has not yet been used. So far it feels like it’s all gone to the banks and been of little or no help to actual home owners. This is about to change. Beginning December 10th and ending in mid January, you can apply for mortgage payment help. The program is called MPA (Mortgage Payment Assistance). In Oregon 5000 households will receive help. Here is how it works. Go to www.oregonhomeownerhelp.org and apply. Applying for this help is going to be very similar to applying for a mortgage. You will have to submit bank statements, tax returns, etc. Households will be deemed qualified or not. All of the qualifying households will be entered into a lottery and names will be drawn. The 5000 house holds selected will have the Federal Government pay their mortgage payments for 12 months. The money will be considered a no-interest loan that is forgiven 20% per year for 5 years. So if you stay in your home for 5 years it will be 100% forgiven. There a lots more details, and I am not an expert. If you or someone you know needs this help, go to the website and get the information. Households can begin applying on December 10th.
I know the whole bailout is super controversial. But households in foreclosure is a tragedy that affects families, neighborhoods, and our entire economy.
Helpful Resources:
As part of my continuing education to renew my real estate license I took a 7-hour class yesterday on Short Sales and Foreclosures. While lots of good information was given out, I think I most appreciated getting come contact info for home owners who are financially distressed. Here are some good resources:
* You can find foreclosure avoidance counseling at www.hud.gov/foreclosure
* There are numerous scams preying on distressed homeowners. If you are tempted to hire services from a company who claims to be in a position to help you, check them out first by going to www.fanniemae.com/homeowners/beware-of-scams.shtm , www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/puts/consumer/credit/cre42.shtm , or http://redtape.msnbc.com/2008/09/post.html
* Check out the Federal Government’s Making Home Affordable Program at http://MakingHomeAffordable.gov
* In Oregon check out www.foreclosurehelp.oregon.gov
Putting Things in Perspective
Every month households receive notices of foreclosure. These numbers are for the month of October 2010:
Clackamas County 1 in 402 households received this notice
In Las Vegas, in the same month, it was 1 in 6 households.
I hope you find this useful. Don’t hesitate to give myself or Linda a call if you have any questions.
Dianne