Tag: Dianne Gregoire

Posted on

To Stage or Not to Stage

When I council people who are wanting to sell a house the subject of home staging often comes up. Is it worth the cost? Will it result in a higher sales price? Good questions that I am going to tackle here.

First of all, selling home does require preparing the house. As I have mentioned before, getting it really clean is the first and most important thing that you are going to do. No one wants to buy someone else’s dirt. A dirty house will sell for significantly less than a clean house, in my opinion.

Before staging
The next stage of preparing a house to maximize it’s value is replacing worn surfaces such as carpets and counters, and then painting walls in good neutral colors that optimize the attractiveness of the house. I do believe you get your money back from carpet and paint. I want to be clear that I am not talking about remodeling kitchens and baths. While those are items that do improve the value of a house, I am addressing this blog post to the average person who wants to simply prepare a home for sale. I am not addressing the concept of a big remodel, commonly called a flip, to completely change a house.

Assuming the house is clean and has good carpet and paint, do you need to go one step further and have the house professionally staged with furniture and art work? I think it depends. If your property is in a high-demand price range, and in Lake Oswego that would be $500,000 or less, I just don’t think that home staging is necessary. A house in this price range is going to be given attention by buyers simply because it is affordable.

If your property is priced over $500,000 I do think staging is something that you may want to consider.

If you live in the house I don’t think you necessarily need to pay for the full services of a staging company that would require removal of your possessions and then the rental of new furniture and art. Rather, I think you may want to consider a one time consultation for a few hundred dollars. Actually, this is a service that I often do for my clients at no additional charge. I am not a professional stager, but I do have a sense of what looks good and what does not. The basic premise is remove clutter and over crowded furnishings to make rooms feel as large as possible.

After staging
If the house is completely vacant then putting a few decorative items into it will make if feel more warm and soften the hard edges of blank walls. I have a small supply of staging items that I often use in vacant homes.

If your house is clean and decorated in a tasteful manner I don’t think that you will sell for a greater final price with professional staging services. I do however think that your house will sell more quickly. This means that if your home is at a higher price point, staging can make your house stand out to buyers and can trigger a quicker offer.

Costs associated with home stage run as little as $200 for an hour’s consultation. If you do choose to have the house staged with furnishings and art, you pay by the size of the house and the length of time that the furnishings are rented. An average home runs about $3500 a month and a huge home can be as much as $9000 a month. On average sellers will rent the furnishings for a couple of months.

What it comes down to is the decision to stage or not to stage needs to be made on a case-by-case basis. Please give Linda or myself a call if you would like to get our opinion about your home. We are both familiar with the concept of home staging and we both have companies that do professional staging that we would be happy to refer you to.

Thanks for reading,
Dianne

Photos courtesy of stagetomove.com

Posted on

Market Activity Feb 26-March 4, 2018

Last week in Lake Oswego there were 15 new listings that came onto the market, 25 that accepted contracts and went into pending status, and 22 sold/closed sales. I always look for what my take away is when I do this. What I noted this week is how many of the pending and sold properties had been on the market for more than 100 days. 11 of the 25 that went pending, and 8 of the 22 that closed. I think this continues to be a refection of the low inventory. After such extended market time sellers rarely get the asking price, but buyers also hate to haggle over price. With many of these houses selling, I think it indicates the buyers are ready to do some negotiating because the house may be over priced, but it remains a good option with so few houses for sale.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

New on the Market (Feb 26-March 4, 2018)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
58 Galen St Condo $164,000 1 1 689
3433 McNary Pkwy #405 Condo $198,000 2 2.5 1208
45 Eagle Crest Dr #510 Condo $250,000 1 1 780
16250 Pacific Hwy #76 Condo $360,000 3 2 1745
3912 Carman Dr Condo $399,900 3 2.5 1326
200 Burnham Rd #211 Condo $450,000 3 2 1862
121 3rd St Condo $499,000 2 2 1065
120 Condolea Dr Attached $599,900 3 3 2958
13602 Provincial Hill Way Detached $675,000 3 2.5 2420
14145 Redwood Ct Detached $675,000 4 3 2558
4198 Glacier Lily St Detached $724,900 4 3 2806
17668 Woodhurst Pl Detached $895,000 4 2.5 4281
19320 Lorna Ln Detached $1,199,000 4 3.5 4192
149 Pine Valley Rd Detached $1,450,000 4 2.5 3220
17442 Ridgeview Ln Detached $1,475,000 4 3.5+.5 5063

Pending Sales (Feb 26-March 4, 2018)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
103 Oswego Summit Condo $199,900 2 1.5 1116 42
3433 McNary Pkwy #806 Condo $214,900 2 2.5 1136 203
4 Touchstone #130 Condo $215,000 2 2 984 5
4000 Carman Dr A11 Condo $249,900 2 2 869 18
3802 Botticelli St Condo $280,000 3 2 1224 26
18440 Carnegie Ave Detached $379,900 3 1.5 1182 267
466 5th St Condo $389,000 2 1.5 1092 71
47 Condolea Ct Condo $400,000 2 2.5 2157 1
4470 Golden Ln Condo $459,000 3 3.5 2102 3
1515 Cloverleaf Rd Detached $495,000 3 2.5 2206 7
1895 Greentree Rd Detached $549,500 4 3 2861 139
17790 Overlook Circle Detached $590,000 3 3 3480 22
17360 Hunter Ct Detached $645,900 4 2.5 3272 178
16977 Cherry Crest Dr Detached $649,900 4 2.5 3002 236
2401 Mayors Ln Detached $649,900 4 3 3004 1111
4729 Lakeview Blvd Detached $679,000 3 2.5 2551 75
13171 Sandalwood Ct Detached $685,000 4 2.5 3325 50
4745 Cambridge Ct Attached $699,900 2 2.5 3171 145
17110 Lowenberg Terr Detached $749,000 4 2.5 2732 145
4933 Lakeview Blvd Detached $996,000 4 3 3988 226
4591 Dogwood Dr Detached $1,100,000 4 3.5 4177 6
1144 Bayberry Rd Detached $1,449,000 5 3 3523 6
17104 Cedar Rd Detached $1,599,000 3 3 3345 163
13705 Knaus Rd Detached $1,848,000 4 3.5 5339 625

Sold/Closed (Feb 26-March 4, 2018)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
86 Kingsgate Rd C202 Condo $175,000 $225,000 924 39
5225 Jean Rd #313 Condo $270,000 $265,000 1,200 155
1776 Bonniebrae Dr Townhouse $331,000 $313,950 1,525 17
15494 Brianne Ct Attached $335,000 $336,500 1250 2
4000 Carman Dr #49 Condo $350,000 $360,000 1004 4
17755 Overlook Ln Detached $529,900 $404,000 3198 131
19241 Longfellow Ave Detached $439,900 $450,000 1188 3
16150 Lake Forest Blvd Detached $524,900 $527,000 2302 4
1601 Woodland Terrace Detached $609,900 $547,000 2594 126
780 Briercliff Ln Detached $599,900 $550,000 2502 97
21 Masaryk St Detached $615,000 $565,000 2773 80
1033 Spruce St Detached $575,000 $576,000 1623 6
17420 Schalit Way Detached $749,000 $675,000 2823 150
5925 Sunbrook Dr Detached $699,000 $690,000 3540 43
5693 Victoria Ct Detached $790,000 $690,000 3540 43
18336 Tamaway Dr Detached $745,000 $745,000 3372 6
803 Clara Ct Detached $769,000 $759,000 2857 54
17421 Brookhurst Dr Detached $779,000 $785,000 3756 10
18440 Delenka Ln Detached $799,900 $785,000 4668 234
13644 Melrose Pl Detached $869,000 $810,000 3564 154
19419 East Side Rd Detached $1,300,000 $1,190,000 4682 134
1316 Cedar St Detached $935,000 $825,000 3140 257

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.

Posted on

All Things Water

Lake Corp~

Learn what’s up with the health of Oswego Lake, water quality, various fees and restrictions overseen by Lake Corp and more:  CLICK HERE

Lake Oswego Water~

Learn about Lake Oswego water delivery, source, system etc:  CLICK HERE

AND HERE!

Rivergrove Water District~

Learn about Rivergrove water delivery, source, system etc:  CLICK HERE

Lake Grove Water District~

Learn about Lake Grove’s water delivery, source, system etc:  CLICK HERE

Posted on

Market Activity ~ Feb 19-25, 2018

Last week 15 New properties enter the market in Lake Oswego, 23 moved to Pending status, and 12 were “Closed”/Sold.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

NEW on Mkt (Feb 19-25, 2018)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
330 CERVANTES CIR $199,900 2 1 832 CONDO
4 TOUCHSTONEb #141 $210,000 2 2 979 CONDO
750 1ST ST C14 $299,900 2 2 1350 CONDO
4053 JEFFERSON PKWY $299,900 2 2.1 1462 CONDO
5051 SW FOOTHILLS DR C $344,900 2 2 991 CONDO
5861 BENFIELD CT $449,000 4 2 1557 DETACHD
16043 KIMBALL ST $469,900 3 2 1433 DETACHD
1515 CLOVERLEAF RD $495,000 3 2.1 2206 DETACHD
1991 GREENTREE RD $639,000 4 3 2655 DETACHD
852 A AVE $768,000 4 2 2362 DETACHD
2325 OAKHURST LN $789,000 5 2.1 3627 DETACHD
808 TIMBERLINE DR $799,000 4 2.1 3276 DETACHD
4591 DOGWOOD DR $1,100,000 4 3.1 4177 DETACHD
1144 BAYBERRY RD $1,449,000 5 3 3523 DETACHD
3919 SOUTHSHORE BLVD $1,749,000 4 3.1 4150 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (Feb 19-25, 2018)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
33 OSWEGO SMT / Lower $165,000 1 1 764 CONDO 183
47 EAGLE CREST DR #11 $180,000 2 1 932 CONDO 7
200 BURNHAM RD #208 $235,000 2 2 1320 CONDO 195
668 MCVEY AVE #46 $259,900 2 1 863 CONDO 49
5225 JEAN RD #510 $274,900 2 2 1100 CONDO 2
93 KINGSGATE RD $410,000 3 2.1 1669 DETACHD 427
6030 SHAKESPEARE ST $429,900 3 1 1056 DETACHD 337
18966 LONGFELLOW AVE $449,950 3 2 1330 DETACHD 26
14 AQUINAS ST $499,000 3 3 2531 DETACHD 153
40 NOVA CT $519,900 4 2.1 2308 DETACHD 2
4909 LOWER DR $525,000 4 2.1 1992 DETACHD 5
528 2ND ST $530,000 2 2.1 1568 CONDO 50
18426 SANDPIPER WAY $535,000 4 3 1884 DETACHD 5
1503 PINE ST $600,000 5 3 2792 DETACHD 152
1413 OAK ST $600,000 3 3 2424 DETACHD 23
3665 OLSON CT $675,000 4 3 2517 DETACHD 82
17167 CEDAR RD $749,900 3 2 2673 DETACHD 108
830 LAKE FOREST DR $749,999 4 2 2517 DETACHD 199
127 FURNACE ST #127 $799,000 2 2.1 1927 CONDO 1
17594 SHEPHERDS CT $825,000 4 2.1 3001 DETACHD 26
4101 VIRGINIA WAY $859,900 4 2.2 3231 DETACHD 29
3305 CEDAR CT $1,098,000 4 3.1 3986 DETACHD 11
1103 LAKE SHORE RD $2,595,000 3 3 3647 DETACHD 169

SOLD (Feb 19-25, 2018)

Address Opening Price Closed Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
16250 PACIFIC HWY #75 $279,900 $199,900 3 2 1593 CONDO 162
570 S STATE ST / Grnd $239,500 $239,500 2 1 914 CONDO 2
5353 LAKEVIEW BLVD $295,000 $388,000 3 2 2598 DETACHD 13
16855 GASSNER LN $449,900 $432,500 4 2 2258 DETACHD 30
3220 DUNCAN DR $649,000 $635,000 4 2.1 3042 DETACHD 188
13366 AUBURN CT $639,900 $639,900 3 2.1 2492 ATTACHD 0
5545 KILCHURN AVE $660,000 $650,000 3 2 2559 DETACHD 18
3242 GLENMORRIE DR $979,900 $940,000 3 2.1 3146 DETACHD 88
1555 Country Commons $995,000 $971,091 4 2.1 4191 DETACHD 273
4288 SUNSET DR $1,249,900 $1,220,000 5 4.1 3601 DETACHD 135
1972 CHERYL CT $1,999,999 $1,830,000 4 4.1 6952 DETACHD 89
17475 BLUE HERON RD $2,995,000 $2,850,000 5 5.1 5787 DETACHD 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.

Posted on

A Foreclosure Auction

In all my years of being a Realtor, and through the Great Recession of 2008-2014, I have never attended a foreclosure auction. That is, until this morning. It was pretty interesting.

I attended because of the circumstances of a friend. This is also a bit of a cautionary tale about the pitfalls of selling by owner and not using a Realtor. Prior to meeting me, this friend sold a condo here in Lake Oswego by owner. At the closing table, literally as she and her husband were signing the documents, it appeared on their settlement statement a charge to the Home Owner’s Association in excess of $20,000 for a special assessment. This should have been found out WAY before getting to the closing table. A good Realtor would have addressed this before even taking the listing. In any case, they were motivated to close on time and so agreed to take a promissory note from the buyer for the amount of the assessment with the agreement that the buyer would make payments to them to pay it back. The buyer failed to make the payments. She also failed to make the payments to her mortgage company and this condo was auctioned at the Clackamas County Courthouse this morning. My friend and I were both curious about the proceeding and so went to the auction.

I had heard it happens on the Courthouse steps. It’s snowing this morning and that may explain why it happened in the foyer of the Courthouse, just inside the front door. It’s so bizarre! People are coming and going and walking right through the proceedings.

We got there early and a small group of about 12 people gathered in wait. At precisely 10am a court clerk wheeled a small cart out into the hall with a sign that read “Sheriff’s Auction of Foreclosure”. She had a stack of 5 small files, one for each property being auctioned. She asked if any one wanted to register. Most of those gathered did. They approached the cart and pulled out cashier’s checks to show that they had certified funds to pay cash on the spot for the properties that they intended to bid on. Then the auction began.

It went really fast. 4 of the 5 properties received no bid and went to the bank who’s court proceeds of foreclosure seemed to also work as their bid on the properties. One house in West Linn was the deal of the day. It sold with one bid for $131,300, not to the bank that held the mortgage, but to a guy in a sweater and blue jeans who is probably an investor.

There was something very old West about the experience.

The guy who got the house in West Linn is taking a big risk. You have to have cash on the spot and you usually don’t get the opportunity to do much in the way of inspections. But at $131,300 the risk is pretty low as an average little house in West Linn, even talking the cheapest part of the market, is probably worth at least $275,000. I think the odds are good that the buyer will make out just fine.

It was an interesting experience that I felt like sharing.

Don’t hesitate to call or comment if you have any questions.
Dianne

Posted on

Market Activity Feb 12-18, 2019

Last week in Lake Oswego there were 19 new listings, 20 properties that went into pending status, and 9 sales that sold/closed. I have to take note of the pending sale at 16835 Greenbrier Rd. Yes, Lake Oswego has expensive luxury homes and a few sell every week, but this house, with 8852 square feet on the main lake sold in one day. ONE DAY! That is remarkable. The high-end market is booming.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

New on the Market (Feb 12-18, 2018)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
47 Eagle Crest Dr #11 Condo $180,000 2 1 932
199 Oswego Summit #199 Condo $194,000 2 2 1506
4000 Carman Dr A11 Condo $249,900 2 2 869
18440 Sandpiper Circle Detached $350,000 3 2 1447
6 Britten Ct Attached $399,950 2 1.5 1317
13 Bloch Terrace Attached $415,000 3 2.5 1972
18425 Woodside Circle Attached $539,000 3 3 2600
1660 Woodland Terrace Detached $566,500 4 3 2728
1714 Greentree Rd Detached $615,000 4 3 3110
4690 Auburn Ln Townhouse $673,000 4 4.5 2750
3088 Rosemary Ln Detached $719,000 4 2.5 3233
18462 Anduin Terrace Detached $725,000 4 2.5 2982
5616 Southwood Dr Detached $781,500 5 2.5 3043
1121 Devon Ln Detached $849,900 6 3 2968
16470 Phantom Bluff Ct Detached $925,000 5 3 2783
937 F Ave Detached $1,219,900 5 3 2736
18426 Sandpiper Way Detached $535,000 4 3 1884
800 Terrace Dr Detached $1,675,000 5 4.5 5339
1160 Northshore Rd Detached $2,498,000 2 2.5 2794

Pending Sales (Feb 12-18, 2018)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
160 Oswego Summit Condo $199,000 2 2 1383 23
45 Oswego Summit Condo $199,900-$224,876 1 1 764 13
200 Cervantes Condo $225,000 3 1.5 1138 11
4077 Jefferson Pkwy Condo $329,000 2 2.5 1462 218
1776 Bonniebrae Dr Townhouse $331,000 1525 2 2 17
5058 Foothills Dr A Condo $364,500 2 2 1252 86
18179 Pilkington Rd Detached $395,000 3 2 1290 266
15 Del Prado St Detached $520,000 4 2.5 2180 3
14595 Sherbrook Pl Detached $549,900 3 2 2028 78
683 9th St Detached $575,000 3 2 1396 4
25 Touchstone Detached $599,000 4 3 2194 2
17720 Overlook Circle Detached $615,000 4 2.5 3400 12
19 Westridge Dr Detached $624,800 4 2.5 3711 30
5693 Victoria Ct Detached $790,000 4 2.5 3540 43
1898 Oak Knoll Ct Detached $850,000 4 3 3102 184
282 Greenwood Rd Detached $890,000 3 2.5 2530 16
19419 East Side Rd Detached $1,300,000 3 2.5 4682 4
16250 Pacific Hwy #60 Condo $249,900 2 2 1305 34
16737 Maple Circle Detached $1,350,000 3 2.5 1633 4
16835 Greenbrier Rd Detached $5,950,000 6 5.5+.5+.5 8852 1

Sold/Closed (Feb 12-18, 2018)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
200 Burnham Rd #304 Condo $267,900 $225,000 1305 144
154 Oswego Summit Condo $274,500 $255,000 1,506 117
19136 Pilkington Rd Detached $389,900 $378,000 1,260 6
4340 Beasley Way Detached $409,900 $383,000 1384 13
1232 Cornell St Detached $569,000 $585,000 1647 4
385 Livingood Ln Detached $610,000 $600,000 2083 8
13300 Fielding Rd Detached $850,000 $900,000 2865 56
1968 Cheryl Ct Detached $1,399,000 $1,300,000 6153 368
2160 Childs Rd Detached $1,795,000 $1,535,000 3695 152

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.

Posted on

News & Notes ~ January 2018

Here is your look at the most recent data for the entire Portland area and how Lake Oswego fits in to this picture just below:

  • According to the RMLS Market Action Report for the Portland Metro Area, January, 2018:
    • There were 2,486 New Listings in Jan 2018 which was up 12.4% from Jan of 2017’s 2,212, and UP a whopping 53.7% from Dec of 2017’s total of 1,617.
    • At 1,628, Jan Closed Sales were down 11.9% from Jan 2017’s 1,847, and 30.7% from the previous month/Dec 2017’s total of  2,350. (***In contrast to all those people working to get “Closed” before year-end)
    • January’s Pending Sales (accepted offers), at 2,311 topped Jan of 2017’s 1,990 by 16.1% , and also increased 31.5% from the previous month/Dec 2017’s total of 1,757 (***It was actually the strongest January for Pending sales since January 2007’s 2,544)
    • The Average Sale Price in January of $436,400 was up $26,500 from January 2017’s $409,900, and also up from December 2017’s a whopping $421,700 by $14,700.   (***What a difference the turning of a year makes!)

Neighborhoods: January’s Average Sale Price + Appreciation (last 12 months):

  • North Portland:  $435,300              7.2%   (Dec 400,500)
  • NE Portland:  $445,800                   7.5%   (Dec 430,000)
  • SE Portland:  $380,900                   8.7%   (Dec 382,200)
  • Gresham/Troutdale:   $351,600   10.9%   (Dec 329,600)
  • Milwaukie/Clackamas:  $424,800  9.3%   (Dec 411,500)
  • Oregon City/Canby:   $408,600      7.3%   (Dec 402,100)
  • Lake Oswego/West Linn:$631,600 5.4%   (Dec 662,700)
  • West Portland:    $609,300             3.2%   (Dec 612,700)
  • NW Wash County:  $538,300          7.9%   (Dec 534,400)
  • Beaverton/Aloha:     $367,600        8.5%   (Dec 363,200)
  • Tigard/Wilsonville:   $428,400        7.2%   (Dec 435,700)
  • Hillsboro/Forest Grove: $390,300 10.4%   (Dec 366,800)

LAKE OSWEGO:

The combined areas of Lake Oswego and West Linn  for the month of January 2018 reported:

    •  281 Active Listings   (Dec 288)
    •  146 New Listings     (Dec 80)
    •  101 Pending Sales     (Dec 92)
    •   93 Closed Sales      (Dec 98)
    • Average Sale Price for Dec: $631,600  (Dec 662,700)
      • 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.
    • 93 Average Days on the Market   (Dec 73)
Posted on

Market Activity ~ Feb 5-11, 2018

Last week 13 New properties enter the market in Lake Oswego, 16 moved to Pending status, and 12 were “Closed”/Sold.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

NEW on Mkt (Feb 5-11, 2018)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
750 1ST ST E33 $197,000 1 1 986 CONDO
45 EAGLE CREST DR #402 $199,000 1 1 768 CONDO
200 CERVANTES $225,000 3 1.1 1138 CONDO
5056 FOOTHILLS DR C $364,900 2 2 1252 CONDO
17790 OVERLOOK CIR $590,000 3 3 3480 DETACHD
26 GROUSE TER $795,000 4 3 3857 DETACHD
116 MIDDLECREST RD $1,075,000 4 3 2545 DETACHD
3305 CEDAR CT $1,098,000 4 3.1 3986 DETACHD
418 NORTHSHORE RD $1,248,800 4 2 2838 DETACHD
1875 FERNWOOD DR $1,249,900 4 4 3279 DETACHD
16538 MAPLE CIR $1,299,000 4 3.1 2784 DETACHD
1059 BAYBERRY RD $1,548,000 5 3.1 3550 DETACHD
17399 CANAL CIR $2,349,000 4 3.1 4586 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (Feb 5-11, 2018)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
32 OSWEGO SMT $174,900 1 1 752 CONDO 125
86 KINGSGATE RD C202 $225,000 2 2 924 CONDO 39
5225 JEAN RD #313 $260,000 2 2 1200 CONDO 155
3802 BOTTICELLI ST $275,000 3 2 1224 CONDO 3
5353 LAKEVIEW BLVD $295,000 3 2 2598 DETACHD 13
15494 BRIANNE CT $335,000 2 2.1 1250 ATTACHD 2
4000 CARMAN DR #49 $350,000 2 1.1 1004 CONDO 4
17460 SCHALIT WAY $497,000 4 3 2190 DETACHD 174
17 FALSTAFF ST $579,000 4 3 2450 DETACHD 100
33 HILLSHIRE DR $677,000 4 2.1 2757 DETACHD 45
12788 SIERRA VISTA DR $699,000 4 3.1 2812 DETACHD 221
1418 Maple ST $799,950 3 2.1 2066 DETACHD
740 7TH ST $1,249,000 7 7 5431 DETACHD 268
4660 WILDWOOD ST $1,289,900 4 4 3709 DETACHD 36
2462 SUMMIT DR $1,575,000 3 2.1 3598 DETACHD 270
12384 SW CLARA LN $2,000,000 4 2.1 2007 DETACHD 446

SOLD (Feb 5-11, 2018)

Address Opening Price Closed Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
61 OSWEGO SMT $219,900 $220,000 2 2 1212 CONDO 10
4236 WOODSIDE CIR $395,000 $400,000 3 2 1524 ATTACHD 16
4978 GALEN ST $474,850 $449,000 2 2.1 1552 ATTACHD 78
9 FALSTAFF ST $577,000 $549,000 4 2.1 2436 DETACHD 315
1885 CREST DR $625,000 $565,000 4 2 2120 DETACHD 132
16946 BRYANT RD $999,000 $824,000 2 2 1390 DETACHD 171
160 IRON MOUNTAIN BLVD $825,000 $835,000 4 3 3090 DETACHD 9
1579 BAY VIEW LN $988,000 $965,000 5 3 4730 DETACHD 182
15800 OSWEGO SHORE CT $1,155,000 $1,100,000 4 3.1 4047 DETACHD 269
18246 BELLA TERRA DR $1,269,000 $1,195,000 4 3.1 4200 DETACHD 311
830 CABANA LN $1,324,900 $1,200,000 4 3.1 3029 DETACHD 202
16697 MAPLE CIR $5,250,000 $5,250,000 4 3.2 3311 DETACHD 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.

Posted on

The Internet House Hunt

The Internet is the single biggest change that I have seen happen to real estate in my 30 year career. I go back to the days of the massive catalogs that were published every two weeks and distributed to Realtors. Just think if it, every two weeks. By the time I received it, they were already outdated by today’s standards. I then experienced the data base being available in html. No photos, very cryptic, but at least it was current. Then our local multiple listing service made the big jump to a full fledged website, with photos! The RMLS in Oregon was the first full-scale Internet MLS in the country, or at least that is what I recall hearing.

Today we take all of that for granted. If you are looking to buy a house, that is what you do with your free time at work, at home, waiting on an appointment. We do it in the palm of our hand. It truly is remarkable.

It has completely changed the way that I show houses. Now my clients tell me what they want to see. I do still do property searches, daily, for my clients, but I then send them a link so that they can approve or disapprove of what I find. They also send me what they are finding and I put that onto our agenda. I no longer waste their time by trying to figure out what on the market will suit their needs. It did work the old way, but the new way is so much better!

That leads me to today’s topic, on-line websites where we all peruse the inventory.

I don’t have a favorite, but I do compare them. They can have wildly divergent opinions of value. I like to compare zillow, trulia, realtor.com, and redfin. I do this when I am doing a property analysis mostly because I know that the public is doing it and I need to see what they are seeing. I honestly don’t find one sight any better than the other. I do, however, have an opinion about their accuracy.

All of these websites base their valuations on statistical analysis based upon the public record. It is public record what other houses have sold for in the area with information on the year built, the size of the home, the type of roof, etc. However, the public record is often wrong. How this happens is a bit of a mystery. Sometimes it likely goes back to the difference between approval of building permits and changes made during construction. If the data isn’t updated in the tax assessors office, it stays out of the readily available public record. An easy example would be a 1920’s bungalow with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath that then had a second story attic turned into 2 more bedrooms. This is now a 4 bedroom house, but the tax record may still say it is 2 bedrooms. The bottom line is that the public record is not always accurate.

Additionally, the public record has no knowledge of condition of the property. Making it easy, let’s say there is a subdivision of 100 nearly identical houses that were built in 1998. Most are likely in average condition having been maintained with new carpet every 10 years and perhaps some new counter tops. Public record won’t know that a cat lady lived in the house and neglected to vacuum for the last 20 years. It also won’t know that one lucky couple won the lottery and put is subzero refrigerator, custom in-lay wood floors, and hand crafted plaster walls. The tax record does not know one is the epitome of luxury and one is one match away from an insurance claim.

The bottom line is that the tools on-line are remarkable, but you should take the values that are posted on line with a grain of salt. Ultimately you still need to get inside to see the house and the house still needs to be properly priced when listed for sale.

I hope you find this helpful,
Dianne

Posted on

Market Activity Jan 29-Feb 4, 2018

Pending sales are currently out pacing new listings. Inventory is sorely needed so if you are thinking about selling your Lake Oswego home, the time is ripe! Last we in LO we had 10 houses come onto the market, 15 go into pending status, and 11 properties that closed escrow.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

New on the Market (Jan 29-Feb 4, 2018)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
1776 Bonniebrae Dr Townhouse $331,000 2 2 1525
578 2nd St Condo $499,000 2 2.5 1302
1413 Oak St Detached $600,000 3 3 2424
17720 Overlook Circle Detached $615,000 4 2.5 3400
282 Greenwood Rd Detached $890,000 3 2.5 2530
13978 Westcott Ct Detached $985,000 4 3 3267
504 8th St Detached $1,075,000 4 3 2858
2057 Summit Dr Detached $1,279,000 4 3.5 4694
2735 Glen Eagles Rd Detached $1,379,900 4 3.5 2938
1093 Chandler Rd Detached $2,200,000 5 4.5 5331

Pending Sales (Jan 29-Feb 4, 2018)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
17570 Hill Way Detached $479,000 3 2 1378 5
1232 Cornell St Detached $569,000 3 2 1647 4
1601 Woodland Terrace Detached $599,000 3 3 2594 126
5545 Kilchurn Ave Detached $660,000 3 2 2559 18
13283 Fox Run Detached $724,900 3 2.5 2744 10
802 Clara Ct Detached $769,000 4 3 2857 54
17421 Brookhurst Dr Detached $779,000 4 3.5 3756 10
18840 Hill Top Rd Detached $899,999 3 3.5 4286 499
15620 Village Dr Detached $949,000 4 2.5 3324 28
1555 Country Commons Detached $995,000 4 2.5 4191 273
625 Carrera Ln Detached $998,000 4 33.5 5288 76
4136 Casey Ct Detached $999,000 5 3.5 4070 1
18171 Bryant Rd Detached $1,198,000 3 2.5 2984 201
3920 Upper Dr Detached $1,199,000 4 3.5 3800 127
1923 Mapleleaf Ct Detached $1,395,000 3 2.5 3190 253

Sold/Closed (Jan 29-Feb 4, 2018)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
4 Touchstone #93 Condo $224,900 $220,000 1351 17
3433 McNary Pkwy #604 Attached $269,000 $275,000 1,136 7
5225 Jean Rd #507 Condo $289,900 $279,900 1,400 121
1470 Boca Ratan Dr Townhouse $360,000 $360,000 1867 0
16890 Cortez Ct Detached $469,000 $460,000 2016 78
520 2nd St Condo $499,000 $495,000 1520 24
5524 Langford Ln Detached $570,000 $530,000 2038 96
1661 Woodland Ter Detached $625,000 $610,000 3178 32
8 Morningview Ln Detached $645,000 $635,000 3277 98
2155 Ridgewood Rd Detached $775,000 $760,000 3454 39
920 Atwood Rd Detached $1,995,000 $2,295,440 4851 165

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.