Property Blotter

May 5, 2023May 5, 2023

Market Activity April 24-30, 2023

Last week in Lake Oswego we had 12 new listings, one of which sold quickly and appears here as a pending sale, 12 properties moved into pending status, and 14 sold/closed listings. This is very balanced with similar numbers in all 3 categories. This shows that it is neither a or a seller’s market. However, it feels to me like the market has shrunk as compared to last year. For May, these number feel small, at least to me.

See below for RMLS data.

New on the Market April 24-30, 2023

Address	Type	Price	Bedrooms	Baths	Sq. Feet
55 Galen St	Condo	$325,000	2	2	989
159 Oswego Summit	Condo	$395,000	2	2	1506
18314 Fernbrook Ct	Detached	$550,000	3	1.5	1036
114 Greenridge Ct	Attached	$624,000	3	2	1824
1368 Boca Ratan Dr	Condo	$625,000	2	2	1763
20 Partridge Ln	Detached	$850,000	5	3	3448
4798 Auburn Ln	Attached	$879,950	3	3.5	2700
60 Touchstone	Detached	$885,000	4	3	2657
17143 Rebecca Ln	Detached	$890,000	3	2.5	1943
592 Weidman Ct	Detached	$1,150,000	3	2.5	3035
14611 Uplands Dr	Detached	$1,595,000	3	4	3118

Pending Sales April 24-30, 2023

Address	Type	Price	Bedrooms	Baths	Sq. Feet	DOM
16200 Pacific Hwy #5	Condo	$499,900	2	2	1207	173
16880 Tracy Ave	Detached	$510,000	3	1	1080	97
4179 Douglas Way	Detached	$565,000	3	2	1447	4
4748 Amherst Ct	Attached	$675,000	3	2.5	3015	46
5434 Rosalia Way	Detached	$985,000	4	2.5	2677	5
23 Masaryk St	Detached	$1,050,000	3	2.5	2902	6
2468 Marylhaven Pl	Detached	$1,295,000	4	3.5	3606	34
5598 Luce Ln	Detached	$1,370,000	4	3	3432	4
5290 Childs Rd	Detached	$1,499,000	4	4.5	3671	47
1930 Indian Trail	Detached	$1,560,000	3	3	3260	5
566 4th St	Attached	$1,599,000	5	4.5+.5	3512	7
17367 Lake Haven Dr	Detached	$2,249,900	5	3	4225	2

Sold/Closed April 24-30, 2023

Address	Type	List Price	Closed Price	Sq Feet	CDOM
47 Eagle Crest Dr #31	Condo	$242,500	$260,000	1009	4
237 Cervantes #19	Condo	$315,000	$292,200	1216	54
4413 Thundervista Ln	Condo	$418,800	$416,000	1741	4
5465 Childs Rd	Detached	$789,000	$784,925	1544	7
1865 Mapleleaf Rd	Detached	$799,900	$800,000	1686	12
7 Hotspur St	Detached	$825,000	$810,000	2195	19
567 2nd St	Condo	$1,095,000	$1,095,000	1412	2
1380 Bonniebrae Dr	Detached	$1,250,000	$1,258,000	2940	5
4799 Lamont Way	Detached	$1,325,000	$1,325,000	3142	4
16461 Chapin Way	Detached	$1,475,000	$1,475,000	4012	4
16650 Fir Ln	Detached	$2,100,000	$2,100,000	3859	2
15880 Oswego Shore Ct	Detached	$2,225,000	$2,125,000	3977	26
13132 Thoma Rd	Detached	$3,650,000	$2,935,000	5434	336
14655 Uplands Dr	Detached	$3,300,000	$3,390,000	4775	211

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.

April 30, 2023April 30, 2023

This Week in Lake Oswego

Spring is in the air!

Here are my picks for what to do in Lake Oswego this week in person or online:

Mon, May 1, 2023 – 8:00AM-8:15 PM– Get Ready, Get Set, Get Gnomin’ – Lake Oswego Parks – 3 Gnomes are hidden in lake Oswego Parks on the 1st of every month, Play along and find the gnomes, posting photos of you or your dog with the Gnomes (if you do find them ; ) – For More Info & Zoom Link: CLICK HERE

Tues, May 2, 2023 – 5:30PM-6:30PM – First Tuesday Music (In Person or Online)~ Sharon Gan & Daniel Velasquez – Lake Oswego Library presents these two composers, teachers and accomplished musicians in recognition of Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage month, Dan and Sharon will take you on a musical journey to several of the countries that make up the AANHPI. Come and enjoy music from these countries! – Lake Oswego Library, 706 4th St, Lake Oswego More Info: CLICK HERE

Wed, May 3, 2023 – 7:00PM – If Walls Could Talk: How to Research the History of Your Home~ The Lake Oswego Public Library presents this informative program. Local researcher Char Green will take you through the steps of learning about the history of your home, including valuable tools for finding and then organizing your information. – Lake Oswego Library, 706 4th St, Lake Oswego – More Info + Link: CLICK HERE

Thurs, May 4, 2023 – 9:00AM-1:00PM– Indoor Playground at CCP (Ages 0-4) ~ Rain or shine- No problem! In-person playtime for your little ones. This is perfect activity for parents and caregivers & available for a $4 Drop-In Fee. ~ Cummins Hall of CCP, 1060 Chandler Road.– More Info: CLICK HERE

Fri, May 5, 2023 – 1:00-3:00PM -Pinochle Friday “Trick-Taking”- Have fun with other experienced players at the Adult Community Center – 505 G Avenue More Info: CLICK HERE

Sat, May 6, 2023 – 8:00-11:00AM– Annual Lake Run– Get out in the spring air and participate in this fun, annual fundraiser for Northwest Housing Alternatives – More Info & Registration : CLICK HERE

Sun, May 7, 2022 -Bryant Neighborhood Social Event- 4:00PM – Get to know your neighbors at this fun event with plenty of food and beverages & great company!~ Lakeridge Middle School, 4700 Jean Rd. – More Info + Links & Registration: CLICK HERE

April 29, 2023April 30, 2023

Market Activity ~ April 17-23, 2023

Last week Lake Oswego logged 24 properties entering the market/New, 16 Accepted Offers/Pending, and 8 Closed/Sold. Right now there are 134 properties available ranging from $154,900 to $9.9 Mil.

Here is the breakdown:

NEW April 17-23, 2023

Address	List Price	Beds	Baths	SF	Prop Type
29 OSWEGO / Grnd	$259,900	1	1	669	CONDO
3652 SW SPRING LN #4F	$400,000	2	2	1117	CONDO
480 S STATE ST	$480,000	3	2	1659	CONDO
10 GREENRIDGE CT	$520,000	3	1.1	2063	ATTACHD
4179 DOUGLAS WAY	$565,000	3	2	1447	DETACHD
4430 GOLDEN LN	$635,000	3	3.1	2165	CONDO
200 BURNHAM RD #311	$678,800	3	2	1862	CONDO
5434 ROSALIA WAY	$985,000	4	2.1	2677	DETACHD
5530 BAY CREEK DR	$995,000	4	2.1	2922	DETACHD
23 MASARYK ST	$1,050,000	3	2.1	2902	DETACHD
18 BECKET ST	$1,070,000	3	2.1	4553	DETACHD
16960 STAFFORD RD	$1,100,000	4	3.1	2845	DETACHD
8 GARIBALDI ST	$1,150,000	4	3	4080	DETACHD
5598 LUCE LN	$1,370,000	4	3	3432	DETACHD
3823 Carman DR	$1,395,000	3	3.1	2970	DETACHD
1930 INDIAN TRL	$1,560,000	3	3	3260	DETACHD
566 4TH ST	$1,599,000	5	4.2	3512	ATTACHD
53 EAGLE CREST DR	$1,700,000	5	4.2	4918	DETACHD
1658 VILLAGE PARK LN	$1,750,000	4	3.2	4634	DETACHD
814 LAKE SHORE RD	$1,790,000	3	2.2	2385	DETACHD
1273 WELLS ST	$1,795,000	5	3	4091	DETACHD
16650 FIR LN	$2,100,000	4	3.1	3859	DETACHD
18011 Kelok RD	$2,495,000	3	3	1840	DETACHD
13751 CAMEO CT	$3,995,000	5	4.2	4262	DETACHD

PENDING April 17-23, 2023

Address	List Price	Beds	Baths	SF	Prop Type	Days
35 CRESTFIELD CT #35	$299,000	2	1	921	CONDO	5
4347 SILVER CT	$534,900	3	2.1	1844	CONDO	12
206 GREENRIDGE DR	$597,000	3	2	1362	ATTACHD	32
17635 DEEMAR WAY	$695,000	4	2	1513	DETACHD	25
17220 REBECCA LN	$775,000	4	2.1	2004	DETACHD	5
3552 UPPER DR	$900,000	3	2.1	2750	DETACHD	4
624 LIVINGOOD LN	$975,000	4	3	2612	DETACHD	3
5530 BAY CREEK DR	$995,000	4	2.1	2922	DETACHD	2
13254 TWIN CREEK CT	$1,100,000	4	2.1	3470	DETACHD	40
3875 CARMAN DR	$1,395,000	4	4.1	3290	DETACHD	62
17623 BROOKHURST DR	$1,525,000	3	3.2	4194	DETACHD	41
530 MIDDLECREST RD	$1,600,000	4	3	3280	DETACHD	97
2126 WEMBLEY PL	$1,699,000	4	3.1	3603	DETACHD	83
1658 VILLAGE PARK LN	$1,750,000	4	3.2	4634	DETACHD	3
17101 CAMPUS WAY	$1,775,000	4	4.1	3367	DETACHD	28
16650 FIR LN	$2,100,000	4	3.1	3859	DETACHD	2

SOLD April 17-23, 2023

Address	Opening	Closed	Beds	Baths	SF	Prop Type	Days
200 BURNHAM RD #303	$369,000	$359,000	2	1	1185	CONDO	18
5062 FOOTHILLS DR, H	$459,900	$415,000	3	2	1252	CONDO	151
4433 THUNDER VISTA LN/Grnd	$450,000	$450,000	2	2.1	2002	CONDO	7
16200 PACIFIC HWY #14	$500,000	$498,000	2	2	1207	CONDO	5
4430 GOLDEN LN	$635,000	$635,000	3	3.1	2165	CONDO	0
16472 BONAIRE AVE	$650,000	$670,000	3	2	1464	DETACHD	5
3131 WESTVIEW CT	$1,750,000	$1,710,000	4	4.1	4597	DETACHD	28
13581 GOODALL RD	$3,100,000	$3,100,000	4	4.1	5141	DETACHD	1

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 (***We’ve used “Days” in each category for ease of understanding) .

April 24, 2023April 24, 2023

The Importance of Open Houses

In my 36 years in real estate, I’ve seen quite a few changes, as you can imagine. But one of the biggest ones is the importance of open houses.

In my early career the common perception was that open houses were a waste of time. I knew of agents who flat out told their seller clients that they would not be doing them. I’ve never had the belief. While it was true then, and is true today, many of the people who come through open houses are not actually buyers. But I have always done them. First it shows my seller clients that I am using every tool in my tool box to get their house sold. But second, I have sold numerous houses from people who have come through my opens.

What is different today is that open houses have become way more critical. Today’s buyer is able to be very independent. Nearly everything that they need to know about a houses is available on line. They like to be in the driver’s seat and tour houses independently of their agent. Then when they find a house that they’re interested in, they get their Realtor involved.

The first weekend of marketing is a true event. The routine is to put a house on the market on Thursday or Friday, market the open house date and time for Saturday and Sunday, and then hold it open and let the hordes inside. It works!

I hope that you find this information useful. As always, thank you for reading the blotter.

Dianne

April 22, 2023April 22, 2023

Market Activity April 10-16, 2023

Last week in Lake Oswego there were 9 new listings, 4 of which sold quickly and appear in this report as pending, 18 pending sales, and 13 sold properties. Check out the market time on the pending sales. 11 of the 18 went pending in one week or less. Conditions for selling a house are really favorable right now.

See below for RMLS data.

New on the Market April 10-16, 2023

Address	Type	Price	Bedrooms	Baths	Sq Feet
35 Crestfield Ct	Condo	$299,000	2	1	921
624 Livingood Ln	Detached	$975,000	4	3	2612
17656 Woodhurst Pl	Detached	$1,395,000	4	2.5	4597
1584 Oak St	Attached	$1,450,000	3	3	1860
3600 Upper Dr	Detached	$1,999,950	5	3	3771

Pending Sales April 10-16, 2023

Address	Type	Price	Bedrooms	Baths	Sq Feet	DOM
48 Eagle Crest Dr #5F	Condo	$300,000	2	2	1370	60
4413 Thunder Vista Ln	Condo	$418,800	2	2.5	1741	4
212 Greenridge Dr	Attached	$549,000	3	2	1292	1
5720 Kenny St	Detached	$630,000	3	2	1416	4
1966 Wembley Pl	Detached	$649,900	3	3	2103	4
3290 Childs Rd	Detached	$739,900	3	1	1708	9
5465 Childs Rd	Detached	$789,000	3	2	1544	7
18701 Bryant Rd	Detached	$789,000	3	2	1995	33
13594 Blazer Trl	Detached	$797,500	3	2	1996	73
51 Touchstone	Detached	$875,000	4	2.5	3105	6
191 3rd St #6	Condo	$950,000	2	2	1523	7
17502 Erin Ct	Detached	$999,000	4	3	3142	7
4799 Lamont Way	Detached	$1,325,000	4	3	3142	4
2803 Southshore Blvd	Detached	$1,495,000	4	3	3747	12
515 Laurel St	Detached	$1,588,000	4	3.5	3382	199
2950 Upper Dr	Detached	$1,899,000	3	2.5	3396	2
17147 Old River Dr	Detached	$2,995,000	4	4.5+.5	6900	6
2643 Southshore Blvd	Detached	$3,595,000	3	3.5+.5	4872	93

Sold/Closed April 10-16, 2023

Address	Type	List Price	Sold Price	Sq Feet	CDOM
46 Crestfield Ct	Condo	$295,000	$310,000	923	3
5133 Timbergrove St	Detached	$649,900	$635,000	1440	25
1501 Fernwood Dr	Detached	$799,900	$804,000	1934	6
4199 Fruitwood Ct	Detached	$949,000	$1,015,000	2230	3
18490 Ray Ridge Dr	Detached	$1,100,000	$1,188,000	3426	4
5308 Southwood Dr	Detached	$1,195,000	$1,200,000	3003	2
430 9th St	Detached	$1,199,000	$1,203,500	2756	2
2481 Marylshire Ln	Detached	$1,495,900	$1,370,000	4091	66
1261 Wells St	Detached	$1,600,000	$1,650,000	4316	105
13310 Atwater Ln	Detached	$2,350,000	$2,245,000	5697	22
4983 Park Bluff Pl	Detached	$2,349,500	$2,250,000	4088	239
13151 Thoma Rd	Detached	$4,500,000	$3,520,000	5461	208
1455 Chandler Rd	Detached	$5,475,000	$5,100,000	5588	155

April 16, 2023April 16, 2023

March 2023 – Portland Neighborhood Stats + LO

Overview/Fluctuations ~ March 2023 Market Data:

New, Pending & Sold Listings are all up from the previous month, which is what we’d expect at this time of year. Inventory stayed pretty close to last month, dipping a little. Prices are up everywhere except for Milwaukie, NW Washington County& Hillsboro. Activity is strong and this spring I think we’re looking at lots of Buyers out looking for homes & not as many houses available ratio-wise… You know what that means.

It looks like the jobs numbers are coming more in line w/what the Fed wants to see, so the big pain *may* be ending and rates may start to come down. Here’s what our resident expert has to say about that:

Rates: “We have seen the rate markets stabilize recently with rates staying in the lower 6% range.” Gary Boyer, Regional VP, Directors Mortgage

According to the RMLS Market Action Report for the Portland Metro Area-March 2023:

There were 2,623 New Listings in March– down 25.5% from 3,521 in March 2022 and up a whopping 48.7% from the previous month/Feb’s 1,764.
At 1,745 March 2023’s Closed Sales (Solds) are down 35.0% from March 2022’s 2,683, and/but up 21.7% from the previous month/Feb 2023’s total of 1,434.
At 2,079 March 2023’s Pending Sales (Accepted Offers) are down 31.7% from March 2022’s 3,045, and up 22.1% from the previous month/Feb’s total of 1,703.
The Average Sale Price for March 2023 of, $584,500 is down $26,400 from last year/March 2022’s $610,900, and up $15,300 from the previous month/Feb’s $569,200.
The “Median” Sale Price (the price smack dab in the middle of all sales) in February 2023 of $525,000 dropped $25,000 from March 2022’s $550,000, up $12,100 from Feb 2023’s $512,900.

LAKE OSWEGO:

162 Active Listings (Feb 149)
127 New Listings (Feb 92)
94 Pending Sales (Feb 54)
55 Closed Sales (Feb 58)
Average Sale Price for March: $991,500 (Feb $984,400)
NOTE: Higher-Priced vs Lower-Priced Homes Sales can skew the “Average” in any given month. Lake Oswego has quite a variety, so this tends to be a less meaningful stat, generally speaking, in this niche.
60 Days on the Market (Feb 57)

April 12, 2023April 12, 2023

Market Activity ~ April 3-9, 2023

Last week Lake Oswego saw 19 New properties enter the market, 9 move to Pending status, and 8 Sold/Closed. There are currently 125 properties available in Lake Oswego ranging from $154,900 to $9.9 mil.

Here is the breakadown:

NEW April 3-9, 2023

Address	List Price	Beds	Baths	SF	Prop Type
4347 SILVER CT	$534,900	3	2.1	1844	CONDO
5822 SW ROCKWOOD CT	$545,000	3	1.1	1092	DETACHD
1302 BOCA RATAN DR	$615,000	3	2.1	1739	CONDO
5720 KENNY ST	$630,000	3	2	1416	DETACHD
3290 CHILDS RD	$739,900	3	1	1708	DETACHD
5465 CHILDS RD	$789,000	3	2	1544	DETACHD
51 TOUCHSTONE	$875,000	4	2.1	3105	DETACHD
5865 SOUTHWOOD DR	$950,000	4	2.1	3035	DETACHD
191 3RD ST #6	$950,000	2	2	1523	CONDO
17502 ERIN CT	$999,000	4	3	3142	DETACHD
18086 JENIFERS WAY	$1,000,000	3	2.1	2582	DETACHD
4799 LAMONT WAY	$1,325,000	4	2.1	3142	DETACHD
19263 35TH PL	$1,425,000	4	3.1	3476	DETACHD
16461 CHAPIN WAY	$1,475,000	4	2.1	4012	DETACHD
2803 SOUTHSHORE BLVD	$1,495,000	4	3	3747	DETACHD
17285 TUALATIN ST	$1,579,000	4	3	4178	DETACHD
15203 LILY BAY CT	$1,595,000	4	2.1	3216	DETACHD
17147 OLD RIVER DR	$2,995,000	4	4.2	6900	DETACHD
13050 FIELDING RD	$3,200,000	4	5	4805	DETACHD

PENDING April 3-9, 2023

Address	List Price	Beds	Baths	SF	Prop Type	Days
237 CERVANTES #19	$315,000	2	1.1	1216	CONDO	54
4967 GALEN ST	$725,000	3	2.1	2223	DETACHD	4
647 2ND ST	$795,000	2	2	1457	ATTACHD	10
5865 SOUTHWOOD DR	$950,000	4	2.1	3035	DETACHD	2
3802 SOUTHSHORE BLVD	$995,000	4	3	1908	DETACHD	3
16461 CHAPIN WAY	$1,475,000	4	2.1	4012	DETACHD	4
1633 MAPLE ST	$1,495,000	3	3	3448	DETACHD	14
21 D AVE #8	$1,945,600	2	2.1	2183	CONDO	503
13050 FIELDING RD	$3,200,000	4	5	4805	DETACHD	1

SOLD April 3-9, 2023

Address	Opening	Closed	Prop Type	SF	Beds	Baths	Days
16061 WALUGA DR	$660,000	$450,000	DETACHD	676	1	1	45
11 EAGLE CREST DR	$575,000	$573,000	DETACHD	1522	2	2	4
765 10TH ST	$1,225,000	$1,000,000	DETACHD	2526	3	3	123
2329 STONEHURST CT	$1,250,000	$1,260,000	DETACHD	3622	4	3	5
4871 CENTERWOOD ST	$1,300,000	$1,350,000	DETACHD	2749	5	3	3
840 9TH ST	$2,150,000	$2,250,000	DETACHD	2835	4	4.1	4
614 CABANA LN	$2,498,000	$2,400,000	DETACHD	3257	3	3	2
17435 WREN CT	$3,695,000	$3,600,000	DETACHD	4134	4	4.1	156

April 8, 2023April 1, 2023

Lake Oswego Reads 2023

This is the 17th year of the Lake Oswego Reads program. The idea behind the program is to encourage the community to all read the same book at the same time. It draws the community together and creates connections on a very special level.

I am a reader. I always have a book going and a book lined up to start just as soon as I finish my current selection. I have really enjoyed the books chosen for LO reads. While the program is spearheaded by the library, community input is encouraged and the books that get selected have all been outstanding.

This year’s selection is The Seed Keeper by Diane Wilson. As explained by Melissa Kelly, the Director of the Lake Oswego Public Library, “The Seed Keeper is a novel of strength, perseverance, wisdom and hope. I was swept away by the story of Rosalie, a Dakhóta woman navigating a personal and family history of loss and hardship, who finds solace and strength in her relationship with nature and the life-giving seeds that the women of her family have nurtured across generations.”

Along with reading the book, there is a full month of events to enhance the experience and to bring people together. This year the events include an art show, programs about Native American Culture, nature walks to explore native species of the Willamette Valley, seed planting a Luscher Farm, and more. It all culminates on April 25th with a presentation given by the author. For the full calendar, click here. It will keep you busy if you do all of it!

Happy reading everyone!

Dianne

April 5, 2023April 5, 2023

Market Activity March 27-April 2, 2023

Last week in Lake Oswego there were 9 new listings, 20 of which sold quickly and appear in the report as pending, 12 pending sales, and 4 sold/closed properties.

The spring market, in my opinion, is getting off to a slow start. However, what is coming on the market is selling quickly. It remains a great time to buy or to sell a house. I am expecting the inventory to increase as we get further into the season.

See below for RMLS data

New on the Market March 27-April 2, 2023

Address	Type	Price	Bedrooms	Baths	Sq Feet
4 Touchstone #80	Condo	$245,000	2	2	984
4000 Carman Dr #60	Condo	$324,900	2	2	866
16250 Pacific Hwy #55	Condo	$370,000	2	2	1305
6 The Grotto	Detached	$649,000	3	2	1381
5178 Lower Dr	Detached	$694,500	3	2	1764
3290 Childs Rd	Detached	$739,900	3	1	1708
1228 Maple St	Detached	$2,279,000	4	3.5	3505

Pending March 27-April 2, 2023

Address	Type	Price	Bedrooms	Baths	Sq Feet	DOM
47 Eagle Crest Dr #31	Condo	$242,500	2	1	1009	4
4 Touchstone Dr #151	Condo	$299,900	3	2.5	1351	38
5062 Foothills Dr H	Condo	$429,000	3	2	1252	151
16200 Pacific Hwy #14	Condo	$500,000	2	2	1207	5
5650 Lakeview Blvd	Detached	$549,000	3	2	2715	2
16472 Bonaire Ave	Detached	$650,000	3	2	1464	5
13125 Vermeer Dr	Detached	$715,000	4	2.5	2046	5
7 Spinosa	Detached	$749,900	3	3	2295	9
19211 Indian Springs Rd	Detached	$759,000	4	3	2132	71
7 Hotspur St	Detached	$825,000	4	3	2195	19
2318 Hillside Ln	Detached	$1,195,000	4	3.5	3258	14
4947 Park Bluff Pl	Detached	$2,400,000	4	4.5	4292	372

Sold/Closed March 27-April 2, 2023

Address	Type	List Price	Closed Price	Sq Feet	CDOM
44 Eagle Crest Dr #23	Condo	$229,000	$231,250	798	44
219 Cervantes #219	Condo	$325,000	$267,500	1100	110
1120 Boca Ratan Dr	Attached	$550,000	$550,000	1611	44
49 Da Vinci St	Detached	$899,900	$822,000	2351	24

April 1, 2023April 1, 2023

So, It’s Key Day!

It’s been a long trek to the finish line & now you’re here! What can you expect, and before you get here, how can you plan so that it’s the best experience ever? Well, let’s take a look at a few random things that tend to come up, just for fun.

Personal Items & Trash – The standard OREF Residential Sale Agreement states: “Prior to Closing, Seller will remove all of Seller’s personal property (including trash).” Even though this is in the Agreement, people get confused about it all the time. I’ve had to deal with people’s sheds filled with boxes and all kinds of interesting things after Closing. Some people think you want their bags of redeemable cans in the closet, or that you want every can of paint they’ve ever decided to store in the garage “just in case”, or a stack of pallets on the side of the house, etc etc. Now, there are things people leave that are actually helpful, like a few cans of paint so that you can match or touch up if you want, maybe a lawnmower if the Seller is moving to a condo and you’re a First-Time Home-Buyer, or an unopened bag of lawn fertilizer (handy) or a set of yard tools…you get the picture. The biggest thing to remember here is that this should be addressed up front. These kinds of things can sometimes be talked about during the Inspection Period. It doesn’t hurt to just mention that you either do or no not want these items (“The Seller is removing everything from the shed & garage, right?”…”Those tires stacked in the back corner of the yard are being removed, right?”), and your Agent reminding the Seller’s Agent prior to Closing that the shed needs to be empty, etc never hurts. I had my own Seller tell me one time “I didn’t know I had to empty the shed!”. You may also write a final walkthrough into your Offer if you want to, but remember that if you’re competing, you may also want to consider leaving anything “extra” like this out of that initial Offer document, perhaps addressing it later on with an Addendum, or your Agent just checking in verbally on any final checklist items.
Clean – You expect your new home to be clean on the day you take Possession. The trouble is that, like one mentor-Agent of mine told me when I was new- “People are quirky”. Different people have different ideas of what clean means. Be prepared with Plan B as a Buyer if you are not satisfied with the level of clean that you find on Closing Day. You can line up a house-cleaner to help prior to moving day, or just prepare to give it a once-over yourself, or my favorite idea: Move in and then hire a house-cleaner to help clean AND instill order after the moving and chaos dies down a bit.
Possession Timing – That reminds me of the time I found myself on my hands and knees scrubbing a refrigerator at 4:00PM after dumping everything in it into black plastic bags because my Seller was confused about the 5:00PM deadline for move-out. He apparently thought of it as an easy-going goal to work toward and not as a contractual obligation, so when I showed up a couple hours ahead to help (upon learning he was still moving out) I ended up on my knees with cleaning products in Super-Woman mode. So… Pay attention to the dates & times stipulated in the contract, and as a Buyer, your Agent may want to check in with the Seller’s Agent ahead of time just to make sure everyone is on the same page. It has been a matter of discussion among Realtors recently as to whether a standard 5:00PM Possession in the contract meant anytime that day & 5:00 at the absolute latest, or: 5:00PM. (Yes, you can write in other times, but usually it ends up being 5:00PM….Funding & Recording often finalize around 4:00PM, for one thing.) The contract states “by 5:00PM”. This is generally interpreted to mean 5:00PM : ) unless the parties agree that the Seller is all moved out, Funding and Recording have occurred, and the Buyer is welcome to take possession earlier than 5:00. As with most things, communication and forethought are key.
Fixtures, “Smart Home” Features, and Appliances – This should all be spelled out waaay ahead of Closing day. Fixtures stay with the home unless otherwise specified in writing. Fixtures are understood to be things permanently affixed to the house or obviously meant to be a functioning part of the home. So, things like Wall-brackets for TV’s generally stay, BUT, some Sellers may get confused and think that they’re a part of their TV, or you may not have a wall TV and really prefer they take the brackets. The easy answer to this looming potential issue is to spell it out in writing, preferably in the Offer. The same confusion can arise over home video-monitoring systems, cameras, fancy remote-control tech toys for thermostats etc that may be part of a subscription package. Again, do it in writing so everyone is clear what stays and what goes. Appliances are always spelled out in the Offer even if they’re included in the Listing just so that everyone is in a good mood on Closing day & not “surprised” by misunderstandings.

All in all, the basic idea is to think ahead & talk through a plan with your Agent so that when you walk into your new home, you’re doing nothing but popping champagne, or jumping up & down, or running from room to room making happy sounds. It should be your Day of Joy!

One of my favorite overarching rules to live by that applies to so many things is summed up in this quote from Terry Josephson: “The more you prepare, the luckier you appear.”