Dianne, Whitney and I wish you the very best of everything in the New year!
We sincerely hope that we can be of service to you personally if ever you should need it.
Market Activity ~ Dec 14-27, 2015
As the year draws to a close and the holidays are in full swing, we here at the Property Blotter have had our hands full serving our clients AND spending time with our families : ) We hope this has been a similarly busy and Joyous time for our loyal readers!
This Market Activity Report reflects the last two weeks of activity here in Lake Oswego.
Dec 14-27 in Lake Oswego we saw 10 New properties enter the market, 22 move to Pending status, and 34 “Closed”/Sold.
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:
NEW on Mkt (Dec 14-27, 2015)
| Address | List Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type |
| 15938 QUARRY RD #3A | $169,900 | 2 | 1 | 988 | CONDO |
| 668 MCVEY AVE #42 | $260,000 | 2 | 1 | 836 | CONDO |
| 1775 KILKENNY RD | $484,900 | 4 | 2 | 2560 | DETACHD |
| 1430 LARCH ST | $529,000 | 3 | 3 | 2279 | DETACHD |
| 2 CREEKSIDE TER | $549,900 | 5 | 2.1 | 2906 | DETACHD |
| 5646 GRAND OAKS DR | $729,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 3388 | DETACHD |
| 1317 LAUREL ST | $735,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 2259 | DETACHD |
| 5330 LOWER DR | $749,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 2526 | DETACHD |
| 4287 HAVEN ST | $1,249,950 | 4 | 3.1 | 4007 | DETACHD |
| 3133 DOUGLAS CIR | $1,350,000 | 4 | 3.1 | 3981 | DETACHD |
PENDING SALES (Dec 14-27, 2015)
| Address | List Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type | CDOM |
| 16250 PACIFIC HWY #54 | $124,900 | 1 | 1 | 841 | CONDO | 97 |
| 4634 LOWER DR Grnd | $139,900 | 2 | 1.1 | 1260 | CONDO | 4 |
| 44 EAGLE CREST DR #6 | $139,900 | 1 | 1 | 798 | CONDO | 6 |
| Upper | $146,000 | 1 | 1 | 829 | CONDO | 232 |
| 48 EAGLE CREST DR #2C | $149,900 | 3 | 2 | 1623 | CONDO | 410 |
| 4 TOUCHSTONE #150 | $149,900 | 2 | 2 | 984 | CONDO | 9 |
| 19251 Indian Creek AVE | $350,000 | 4 | 2 | 1550 | DETACHD | 40 |
| 17273 BRYANT RD | $395,900 | 3 | 1.1 | 1452 | DETACHD | 251 |
| 17422 BLUE HERON RD | $399,900 | 3 | 2 | 1954 | DETACHD | 94 |
| 6210 CHILDS RD | $400,000 | 3 | 1.1 | 1296 | DETACHD | 125 |
| 5849 FERNBROOK CIR | $419,500 | 3 | 1.1 | 1239 | DETACHD | 3 |
| 4660 UPPER DR | $509,000 | 4 | 3 | 3100 | DETACHD | 155 |
| 5554 ROYAL OAKS DR | $525,000 | 3 | 2 | 1861 | DETACHD | 255 |
| 5192 COVENTRY CT | $550,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 2259 | DETACHD | 3 |
| 6150 KENNY ST | $559,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 2070 | DETACHD | 150 |
| 547 2ND ST Upper | $625,000 | 2 | 2 | 1529 | CONDO | 38 |
| 19468 35TH CT | $788,500 | 3 | 2 | 2641 | DETACHD | 3 |
| 408 NORTHSHORE RD | $929,900 | 4 | 4 | 3753 | DETACHD | 0 |
| 806 6TH ST | $1,099,900 | 4 | 2.1 | 2730 | DETACHD | 123 |
| 3137 DOUGLAS CIR | $1,450,000 | 4 | 3.1 | 4246 | DETACHD | 0 |
| 15845 OSWEGO SHORE CT | $1,875,000 | 4 | 4.2 | 5500 | DETACHD | 583 |
| 1193 FAIRWAY RD | $3,095,000 | 5 | 4.2 | 7028 | DETACHD | 153 |
SOLD (Dec 14-27, 2015)
| Address | Opening Price | Close Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type | CDOM |
| 61 GALEN RD Grnd | $110,000 | $110,000 | 1 | 1 | 550 | CONDO | 3 |
| 66 OSWEGO SMT #66 | $124,900 | $115,500 | 1 | 1 | 764 | CONDO | 12 |
| 192 OSWEGO SMT #192 | $144,750 | $148,600 | 2 | 2 | 1383 | CONDO | 304 |
| 4 TOUCHSTONE #130 | $159,900 | $175,000 | 2 | 2 | 984 | CONDO | 2 |
| 75 GALEN RD Grnd | $171,900 | $178,500 | 2 | 2 | 993 | CONDO | 3 |
| 200 BURNHAM RD #406 | $265,000 | $220,000 | 2 | 1 | 1199 | CONDO | 153 |
| 27 AQUINAS ST | $380,000 | $342,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 1568 | DETACHD | 142 |
| 80 KINGSGATE RD | $349,900 | $360,000 | 3 | 2 | 1186 | DETACHD | 3 |
| 5934 KENNY ST | $389,900 | $391,000 | 4 | 2 | 1596 | DETACHD | 62 |
| 2301 WEMBLEY PARK RD | $460,000 | $400,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 1864 | DETACHD | 17 |
| 55 NorthShore RD #4 | $415,000 | $410,000 | 2 | 2 | 1554 | CONDO | 36 |
| 19229 LONGFELLOW AVE | $419,900 | $423,000 | 2 | 2 | 1740 | DETACHD | 4 |
| 3674 CARMAN DR | $449,000 | $430,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 1965 | ATTACHD | 38 |
| 2222 CREST DR | $639,000 | $497,250 | 4 | 3.1 | 2820 | DETACHD | 133 |
| 17520 REDFERN AVE | $549,900 | $499,999 | 3 | 2 | 1776 | DETACHD | 48 |
| 4095 COLTSFOOT LN | $500,000 | $500,000 | 3 | 2 | 1958 | DETACHD | 0 |
| 316 MIDDLECREST RD | $664,000 | $546,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 3202 | DETACHD | 75 |
| 4724 AVERY LN | $599,900 | $595,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 2731 | DETACHD | 23 |
| 207 EVERGREEN RD | $579,000 | $600,000 | 3 | 3.1 | 1789 | ATTACHD | 37 |
| 1293 TIMBERLINE DR | $699,000 | $612,000 | 3 | 3 | 2957 | DETACHD | 85 |
| 1053 YATES ST | $664,900 | $660,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 2598 | DETACHD | 24 |
| 15821 SPRINGBROOK CT | $699,900 | $668,779 | 2 | 2 | 2208 | DETACHD | 10 |
| 13485 STREAMSIDE DR | $749,900 | $720,000 | 3 | 3 | 3023 | DETACHD | 18 |
| 17454 CANAL CIR | $805,000 | $755,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 2475 | DETACHD | 47 |
| 1255 BICKNER ST | $875,000 | $850,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 2764 | DETACHD | 53 |
| 1651 VILLAGE PARK LN | $899,000 | $862,000 | 4 | 3.1 | 4273 | DETACHD | 230 |
| 17346 CANAL CIR | $995,000 | $887,500 | 4 | 3 | 3406 | DETACHD | 37 |
| 1211 Bayberry RD | $1,125,000 | $977,750 | 6 | 5 | 4277 | DETACHD | 79 |
| 769 2ND ST | $1,125,000 | $1,050,000 | 5 | 2.1 | 3308 | DETACHD | 900 |
| 725 5th ST | $1,124,900 | $1,075,000 | 3 | 3 | 2748 | DETACHD | |
| 2091 SUMMIT DR | $1,150,000 | $1,100,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 2660 | DETACHD | 40 |
| 13180 SW Thoma RD | $1,250,000 | $1,184,690 | 5 | 4.1 | 5043 | DETACHD | 96 |
| 3796 LAKEVIEW BLVD | $1,995,000 | $1,840,000 | 3 | 2.2 | 4150 | DETACHD | 448 |
| 17700 UPPER CHERRY LN | $2,500,000 | $2,350,000 | 5 | 5.1 | 6850 | DETACHD | 8 |
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.
Secret Rooms
One thing that always interested me about custom houses is the potential for them to have secret rooms, panic rooms, or underground bunkers. It isn’t that I am paranoid of ever needing to use them, it is more so that the mysterious allure of them existing is something that intrigues my inner child. Books like: The Secret Garden, Alice in Wonderland, and even Anne Frank had a hidden passageway that were either critical or whimsical. In movies they where what bridged the gap between what is real and what is fantasy: Coraline, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Sleeping Beauty.
In person I have only a few recollections of seeing thoroughly hidden secret rooms, one that was more-so just a tiny door which lead into a much larger room. And in girl scouts I had a troop mate that had a hidden reading nook in her house above her bedroom. Of course I visited the Winchester Mansion, which had secret rooms, secret stair cases, and a wild assortment of wacky architectural direction.
My friends know that I am a broker, and often times will send me links to custom houses where people have put forth the effort to make secret rooms. About nine times out of ten they are panic rooms (my friends and I are really into zombie games, so it is kind of a joke with us). But every now and then we stumble across hidden man caves. Where sports and games line the wall of a hidden room, and one entire side of the wall is a large flat-screen TV; of course designed for the discerning and incognito game enthusiast. The hidden reading nook is a popular one, where you climb a tiny staircase behind your bookshelf to a little cozy room next to a window.
In perspective you can really have a secret room for just about anything. The whole point to it being there is that is, for whatever reason, your personal little space.
So that is what I have to share with you this week. I hope you all are having some good holidays this time of year. Have fun and stay safe!
*disclamer* This photo does not belong to me.
Market Activity Report Dec 07 – Dec 13, 2015
It is nice too see that the market for Lake Oswego is very healthy this winter. Also a proud shout-out to my Mother! Her listing at 2 Walking Woods went pending.
7 new houses hit the market this week, 17 have gone pending, and 11 beautiful Lake Oswego homes sold. What a great start to the Holidays.
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:
New on the Market (Dec 07 – Dec 13, 2015)
| Address | Type | Price | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Sqft |
| 4000 CARMAN DR #12 | CONDO | 158,500 | 2 | 2 | 866 |
| 228 RIDGEWAY RD | CONDO | 159,900 | 1 | 1 | 746 |
| 4386 THUNDER VISTA LN | CONDO | 274,900 | 2 | 2.5 | 1925 |
| 524 COUNTRY CLUB RD | DETACHED | 549,900 | 2 | 2 | 2168 |
| 1992 PALISADES TERRACE DR | DETACHED | 849,900 | 5 | 3.5 | 4140 |
| MEADOWCREEK CTR | DETACHED | 975,000 | 4 | 4 | 3421 |
| 556 7TH ST | DETACHED | 1,239,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 3911 |
Pending Sales (Dec 07 -Dec 13, 2015)
| Address | Type | Price | Bedroom | Bathrooms | DOM |
| 380 BOTTICELLI ST | CONDO | 167,000 | 2 | 1.5 | 21 |
| 200 BURNHAM RD #205 | CONDO | 220,000 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| 3886 BOTTICELLI ST | CONDO | 220,000 | 2 | 1.5 | 30 |
| 454 5TH ST | CONDO | 323,000 | 2 | 1.5 | 28 |
| 5800 SEVILLE AVE | DETACHED | 399,000 | 3 | 1.5 | 40 |
| 14356 HOLLY SPRINGS RD | DETACHED | 489,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 60 |
| 1651 LARCH ST | DETACHED | 489,900 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 225 HIDALGO ST | DETACHED | 499,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 21 |
| 6150 KENNY ST | DETACHED | 559,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 137 |
| 2 WALKING WOODS DR | DETACHED | 599,900 | 4 | 3 | 85 |
| 1805 GLENMORRIE TER | DETACHED | 689,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 8 |
| 16717 SYLVAN CT | DETACHED | 699,999 | 4 | 3.5 | 176 |
| 18383 ANDUIN TER | DETACHED | 759,900 | 4 | 2.5 | 0 |
| 1330 PINE ST | DETACHED | 775,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 149 |
| 17154 LOWENBERT TER | DETACHED | 819,960 | 5 | 3.5 | 65 |
| 17620 WOODHURST PL | DETACHED | 1,050,000 | 4 | 4 | 290 |
| 990 TERRACE DR | DETACHED | 1,075,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 186 |
Sold/Closed (Dec 07 -Dec 13, 2015)
| Address | Type | List Price | Close Price | Sqft | DOM |
| 5225 JEAN RD #201 | CONDO | 224,900 | 205,000 | 1500 | 72 |
| 42 ORIOLE LN | DETACHED | 350,000 | 355,000 | 1290 | 8 |
| 16500 LAKE FOREST BLVD | DETACHED | 339,900 | 357,500 | 960 | 5 |
| 15213 QUARRY RD | DETACHED | 399,000 | 390,000 | 1761 | 19 |
| 3778 RIVERS EDGE DR | DETACHED | 769,000 | 660,000 | 3022 | 101 |
| 19133 MEGAN PL | DETACHED | 774,500 | 725,000 | 3724 | 115 |
| 13461 STEAMSIDE DR | DETACHED | 796,000 | 775,000 | 3321 | 70 |
| 1600 OAK ST | DETACHED | 900,000 | 865,000 | 4385 | 83 |
| 17353 RIDGEVIEW CT | DETACHED | 1,285,000 | 1,179,000 | 4032 | 198 |
| 3070 WEMBLEY PARK RD | DETACHED | 1,459,000 | 1,409,500 | 4032 | 127 |
| 1097 CHANDLER RD | DETACHED | 2,450,000 | 1,910,000 | 5313 | 410 |
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.
Congratulations Linda and Serge!
I want to extend a huge, happy congratulations to Linda Rossi and Serge Ouattara. They were married yesterday surrounded by their many friends and loved ones.
I don’t remember exactly when I met Linda, but I know it has been at least 10 years. She is just the most wonderful person. She and I have shared our real estate journey, but we have also shared our personal journey. We were Realtors during the great recession, we both faced serious health issues, we both raised sons who are nearly the same age, we have seen each other stay steadfast and strong. Serge came into Linda’s life about 3 years ago (forgive me Linda if I don’t have the time lines exactly right). From the day she met Serge there was a spark of something special. Serge is a wonderful man and he has brought joy into Linda’s life. I am just thrilled for the 
two of them.
So congratulations Linda and Serge. Here’s wishing you a lifetime of friendship, love, and laughter.
Market Activity Nov 30-Dec 6, 2015
Last week in Lake Oswego there were 9 new listings, 14 houses that went into pending status, and 17 closed sales. Yes, this is about a third of what happens in June, but it is still a very active market. I expect to see lots of closed sales in the next week or so as people make the move to their new home before the holidays.
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:
New on the Market (Nov 30-Dec 4, 2015)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft |
| 4 Touchstone #150 | Condo | $149,900 | 2 | 2 | 984 |
| 5094 Galen St | Detached | $369,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 1438 |
| 51 Oriole Ln | Detached | $399,900 | 3 | 2 | 1216 |
| 14352 Sherbrook Pl | Detached | $445,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 1806 |
| 17765 Treetop Ln | Detached | $598,000 | 4 | 3 | 3046 |
| 6720 Childs Rd | Detached | $1,295,000 | 6 | 5.5 | 6914 |
| 19342 Lorna Ln | Detached | $1,298,800 | 5 | 3.5 | 4114 |
| 17337 Bergis Farm Dr | Detached | $1,595,000 | 4 | 4.5 | 4810 |
| 915 Atwater Rd | Detached | $1,895,000 | 5 | 4.5 | 4102 |
Pending Sales (Nov 30-Dec 1, 2015)
| Address | Type | Price | BR | Baths | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 75 Galen Rd | Condo | $171,900 | 2 | 2 | 993 | 3 |
| 48 Eagle Crest Dr | Condo | $185,700 | 2 | 2 | 1545 | 37 |
| 4 Mountain Circle | Condo | $303,000 | 2 | 1.5 | 1598 | 23 |
| 1248 Oak St | Detached | $310,000 | 2 | 1 | 900 | 19 |
| 6355 Dawn St | Detached | $345,900 | 3 | 2 | 1268 | 18 |
| 56 Aquinas St | Detached | $439,000 | 4 | 3 | 1811 | 12 |
| 123 3rd St | Condo | $450,000 | 2 | 2 | 1206 | 22 |
| 17162 Warren Ct | Detached | $515,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 2231 | 3 |
| 19365 35th Ct | Detached | $579,500 | 4 | 2.5 | 2484 | 6 |
| 14001 Westcott Ct | Detached | $679,900 | 3 | 2.5 | 3223 | 213 |
| 13679 Melrose Pl | Detached | $699,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 4752 | 0 |
| 4150 Upper Dr | Detached | $1,050,000 | 4 | 3.5 | 3465 | 1 |
| 3820 Southshore Blvd | Detached | $1,098,888 | 5 | 4 | 4855 | 157 |
| 2912 Wembley Park Rd | Detached | $1,100,000-$1,300,000 | 4 | 4.5 | 154 | |
Sold/Closed (Nov 30-Dec 6, 2015)
| Address | Type | List Price | Sold Price | Sq Ft | CDOM |
| 86 Kingsgate Rd D105 | Condo | $159,900 | $156,000 | 924 | 58 |
| 53 Galen Rd #53 | Condo | $159,900 | $161,000 | 993 | 24 |
| 210 State St #4 | Condo | $219,900 | $207,000 | 1284 | 44 |
| 6073 Harrington Ave | Detached | $250,000 | $250,000 | 1050 | 0 |
| 4458 Thunder Vista Ln | Condo | $289,000 | $279,000 | 2200 | 76 |
| 16524 Roosevelt Ave | Detached | $349,000 | $349,000 | 1131 | 55 |
| 16735 Lake Forest Blvd | Detached | $349,900 | $350,000 | 1996 | 89 |
| 15 Greenridge Ct | Attached | $359,000 | $350,000 | 1996 | 89 |
| 18305 Fernbrook Ct | Detached | $399,900 | $425,000 | 1300 | 2 |
| 14752 Davis Ln | Attached | $445,000 | $447,000 | 1954 | 33 |
| 14754 Davis Ln | Attached | $460,000 | $448,000 | 1925 | 83 |
| 4595 Hastings Pl | Detached | $589,000 | $600,000 | 2176 | 1 |
| 4744 Cambridge Ct | Attached | $605,000 | $605,000 | 2856 | 0 |
| 17533 Brookhurst Dr | Detached | $749,000 | $739,000 | 4002 | 72 |
| 599 7th St | Detached | $800,000 | $758,000 | 2468 | 46 |
| 18009 Braeden Ct | Detached | $849,000 | $820,000 | 3286 | 64 |
| 1233 Bickner St | Detached | $800,000 | $848,967 | 3150 | 0 |
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.
The Holidays in Lake Oswego!
It is indeed a Winter Wonderland every year in Lake Oswego!
Here are just a few options for your To-Do list:
- Sat & Sun 12/5 & 6, 9AM-12PM~ Gingerbread House Workshop at Luscher Farms!
- Sat, 12/5, 6 PM ~ Von Trapp Holiday Concert! at Lake Oswego High School
- Wed, 12/9 ~ Traditional Holiday Folk Songs Performance! at the Library
- 12/7, 9, 11,16,18 6:30PM & 19th 4PM ~ Christmas Ships Trolley Excursions!
- Sat, 12/19 2-8PM ~ Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides! at the Main Fire Station
Market Activity ~ Nov 23-29, 2015
Last week, Nov 2-8, Lake Oswego we saw 4 New properties enter the market, 4 move to Pending status, and 11 “Closed”/Sold.
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:
NEW on Mkt (Nov 23-29, 2015)
| Address | List Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type |
| 4333 WOODSIDE CIR | $124,900 | 1 | 1 | 764 | CONDO |
| 66 OSWEGO SMT #66 | $359,000 | 3 | 2 | 1532 | ATTACHD |
| 670 IRON MOUNTAIN BLVD | $674,900 | 5 | 3 | 3275 | DETACHD |
| 19285 MEGLY CT | $1,649,000 | 4 | 3.2 | 5421 | DETACHD |
PENDING SALES (Nov 23-29, 2015)
| Address | List Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type | CDOM |
| 9 ORIOLE LN | $439,000 | 3 | 3 | 1928 | DETACHD | 10 |
| 19626 PERCH CT | $465,900 | 3 | 2.1 | 1770 | DETACHD | 8 |
| 706 5TH ST | $1,099,900 | 4 | 2.1 | 2730 | DETACHD | 173 |
| 13624 GOODALL RD | $1,449,000 | 4 | 4.2 | 4411 | DETACHD | 262 |
SOLD (Nov 23-29, 2015)
| Address | Open Price | Closed Price | # Beds | # Baths | Total SF | Prop Type | CDOM |
| 4434 THUNDER VISTA LN | $254,900 | $252,000 | 2 | 2.1 | 1970 | ATTACHD | 36 |
| 16 WHEATHERSTONE | $325,000 | $332,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 1692 | CONDO | 3 |
| 1228 CEDAR ST | $349,500 | $335,000 | 3 | 2 | 1302 | DETACHD | 43 |
| 116 GREENRIDGE CT | $344,900 | $344,900 | 4 | 2.1 | 2832 | CONDO | 0 |
| 18561 SW KRISTI WAY | $349,000 | $355,000 | 3 | 2.1 | 1440 | DETACHD | 30 |
| 5253 TIMBERGROVE ST | $357,500 | $372,000 | 3 | 2 | 1410 | DETACHD | 8 |
| 5875 BONITA RD | $519,000 | $515,000 | 5 | 3.1 | 2650 | DETACHD | 27 |
| 10 DEL PRADO ST | $519,900 | $517,000 | 5 | 3 | 3104 | DETACHD | 7 |
| 12777 SIERRA VISTA DR | $694,000 | $671,000 | 4 | 2.1 | 3144 | DETACHD | 135 |
| 1032 WESTWARD HO RD | $969,000 | $1,100,000 | 4 | 3.1 | 3824 | DETACHD | 797 |
| 13710 KNAUS RD | $1,950,000 | $1,750,000 | 4 | 4.2 | 5780 | DETACHD | 538 |
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.
Write A Note With Your Offer
With the cold weather out in force, and people preparing for the holidays, it would be safe to assume that the real estate market might be slow; that houses and the demand for houses decrease. However I have personally noticed that this is not the case.
I am working with about five people right now, who are all buyers. Three of which are ready to pick a house and start calling the moving company, two are just casually looking for “the house” to emerge from slumber somewhere within the Portland Metropolitan area. It is with my active buying clients that I am starting to see a trend: Every house we place a bid on has some kind of bidding war going on! Most of which have a set deadline where the listing agent will present all offers to the seller, and the seller will pick their highest and best bid to win the house.
Unfortunately, for those looking to move right now, this means that you may have to pay more for a house that needs a bit of work. Something I was telling one of my clients just last week was:
“The cost for this house is not in the quality (as it needed a new roof and some major work in the kitchen, yard, and bathrooms), but what you are paying for is the convenience of location.” (not to mention it had other bids, but we did not know this at the time)
This was kind of a jagged pill to swallow because she did not want to move so far out of town that she felt so out of reach from her friends and family, but she also did not want to spend all of her money on a house that would require more money to fix up. I don’t think anybody wants to feel left out of the goings-on when you have everybody so close into Portland.
So one of the things that I have suggested when we decide we want to enter into a bidding war for a property close to home, is write a letter. Simple and sweet. The thing about writing a small one-page note (and maybe a scanned picture) is that you are reaching out to the seller on a more human level. Selling your house can be pretty emotional, sure the highest and best bid might be the greater offer. But sometimes there are sellers that are willing to sell their home to a reasonable buyer who reminds them of themselves, or has something interesting going on in their lives (marriage, children, cool hobbies). I once had a buyer whose bid was accepted because I had mentioned that my buyer collected motorcycles! It really could take just that simple thread of showing a bit of identity with your offer that means you beat all offers out of the water.
In any case, my buyers are still surfing the market looking for the right house, as I have noticed all have multiple offers. And I’m sure if you are in the market to buy right now you may be running into the same issue. So try writing a little one page note introducing yourself and your family, and who knows. It might just evoke the holiday spirit, and you win a bidding war on the house of your dreams.
Written by: Whitney Gregoire
Market Activity Report Nov 16 – 22nd, 2015
Hope everybody had a wonderful and safe holiday! Looks like the week before turkey day was pretty busy! We had 13 pending properties, and 18 that where sold. 8 new houses have hit the market, feel free to check them out!
Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:
New on the Market (Nov 16-22, 2015)
| Address | Type | Price | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Sqft |
| 95 OSWEGO SMY | CONDO | 135,000 | 2 | 1.5 | 1116 |
| 3804 BOTTICELLI ST | CONDO | 167,000 | 2 | 1.5 | 1143 |
| 668 MCVEY AVE #40 | CONDO | 175,000 | 1 | 1 | 626 |
| 3954 CARMAN DR | CONDO | 219,900 | 2 | 2.5 | 1132 |
| 5340 CHIN00K CT | DETACHED | 410,000 | 3 | 2 | 1862 |
| 225 HIDALGO ST | DETACHED | 499,999 | 4 | 2.5 | 2299 |
| 547 2ND ST | CONDO | 625,000 | 2 | 2 | 1529 |
Pending Sales (Nov 16-22, 2015)
| Address | Type | Price | Bedroom | Bathrooms | DOM |
| 61 GALEN RD | CONDO | 110,000 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| 16250 PACIFIC HWY #54 | CONDO | 134,900 | 1 | 1 | 63 |
| 668 MCVEY AVE #25 | CONDO | 299,900 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 4347 SILVER CT | CONDO | 319,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 26 |
| 27 AQUINAS ST | DETACHED | 342,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 142 |
| 6355 SW DAWN ST | DETACHED | 345,900 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| 18802 REDWING WAY | DETACHED | 439,000 | 3 | 2 | 34 |
| 1371 KOAWOOD DR | DETACHED | 599,900 | 4 | 3 | 115 |
| 13485 STEAMSIDE DR | DETACHED | 729,900 | 3 | 3 | 18 |
| 1255 BICKNER ST | DETACHED | 850,000 | 4 | 2.5 | 53 |
| 18945 BRYANT RD | DETACHED | 987,000 | 5 | 3 | 24 |
| 2091 SUMMIT DR | DETACHED | 1,150,000 | 3 | 2.5 | 40 |
| 1300 FOREST MEADOWS WAY | DETACHED | 1,299,000 | 5 | 3.5 | 88 |
Sold/Closed (Nov 16-22, 2015)
| Address | Type | List Price | Close Price | Sqft | DOM |
| 100 KERR PKWY #36 | CONDO | 115,500 | 115,500 | 631 | 42 |
| 4000 CARMAB DR g107 | CONDO | 174,800 | 171,013 | 1100 | 3 |
| 3696 SPRING LN 3B | CONDO | 269,900 | 285,000 | 1117 | 14 |
| 12802 BOONS FERRY RD | CONDO | 339,000 | 339,000 | 1454 | 25 |
| 5336 TREE ST | DETACHED | 379,950 | 379,950 | 1696 | 21 |
| 17701 BLUE HERON WAY | DETACHED | 418,900 | 380,000 | 2002 | 205 |
| 89 KINGSGATE RD | DETACHED | 399,990 | 394,000 | 1713 | 42 |
| 5882 KENNYCROFT WAY | DETACHED | 409,990 | 409,000 | 1272 | 5 |
| 17280 WESTVIEW DR | DETACHED | 487,000 | 487,000 | 2324 | 19 |
| 16731 ALDER CIR | DETACHED | 555,000 | 550,000 | 2301 | 8 |
| 15001 TWIN FIR RD | DETACHED | 585,000 | 575,000 | 2664 | 172 |
| 16 WESTMINSTER DR | DETACHED | 625,000 | 622,000 | 3202 | 2 |
| 607 ASH ST | DETACHED | 659,000 | 629,200 | 2860 | 72 |
| 2395 PALISADES CREST DR | DETACHED | 649,900 | 640,000 | 3397 | 141 |
| 17337 CEDAR RD | DETACHED | 719,000 | 653,500 | 3080 | 29 |
| 1061 YATES ST | DETACHED | 839,900 | 825,000 | 2837 | 33 |
| 1075 CHANDLER RD | DETACHED | 1,975,000 | 1,794,421 | 5710 | 48 |
| 1845 HIIGHLANDS LOOP | DETACHED | 2,500,000 | 2,230,000 | 5001 | 138 |
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.