Tag: Linda Rossi Realtor

Posted on

~Make Your Momma Proud~ (or… How To Act in an Open House)

It’s summertime and we’re all kicking off our shoes enjoying the warmer temperatures & the feeling of less restriction overall.  Kids are lounging, we’re eating later & the sun is out… till 9:00!!  I love summertime…  something about the relaxed feeling of everyday life (while we’re not rushing around that is…) is just so pleasing. Reminds me of childhood I suppose, and the absence of school for a few months.

While we’re all a bit more laid-back, there are a few things to remember when you’re out on a Sunday (or Saturday) and touring Open Houses.  I thought it might be helpful to list some do’s & don’ts just for fun:

* You may be encountering a Realtor, or an Owner.  Either way, get out your best manners and make sure to ask if you may entere with shoes.

* If shoes are welcomed, please remember to wipe your feet, and if wearing stiletto heels, take them off anyway as a courtesy. Some wood floors will receive permanent indents from heels… pine, other soft woods, etc… and what a horrible feeling that would be to notice as you look backward!

* When meeting the Owner, remember that this is his or her beloved “home”, and keep any negative comments to yourself.  Leave that kind of delicate conversation to the Realtors.

* When meeting the Listing Agent, make sure to announce if you are already working with your own Realtor.  They will not mind at all, and in fact will appreciate your information greatly (Your Realtor will appreciate it too!).

* Remember not to divulge your innermost secrets to the Agent or Owner.  Your motivations for your own home sale & your subsequent purchase and other personal details are your own business, and sometimes information divulged in this preliminary stage while your Realtor is not there with you can come back to haunt you when you are in the negotiating phase.  You have every right to know all kinds of things pertinent to the home itself, and they have a right to know basically who you are, and that perhaps you might be interested in the home and plan to talk with your agent about another showing with him or her. Alternately, perhaps you think it’s a lovely home but it will just not suit your particular needs., and this is perfectly fine to communicate, and appreciated by Sellers and Agents alike.

* If you have voiced that the home will not work for you (don’t forget to to throw in a compliment or two anyway!) and are asked to share feedback on the home, feel free to do so.  Just remember to be polite.  Good feedback can come in handy for their selling process.

* If you are a neighbor and “just looking”, let this be known as well.  No one will mind at all, and you may want to mention that you are happy to pass information about this great home on to friends of yours whom you might enjoy having nearer to you.

* If you are looking for a home for yourself, bring a notepad and do ask pertinent questions about the home.  If you forget a notepad, utilize a flyer to make notes.  This comes in handy later when you are trying to remember characteristics of various homes.  When you see a lot of homes our brains have a difficult time distinguishing important details without this kind of reference.

* Ask before snapping photos or taking videos.

* Do not bring food or drinks into the home with you, and do not assume that beverages in the refrigerator are there for your consumption.

* Speaking of opening cabinets, closets and refrigerators, this is a really good idea so that you can see how much space there really is for storage. Some bedrooms look as though they have a lot of closet space until you open the doors and find that the closet is a foot deep and doesn’t span all the way from side to side.  The same is true for pantries etc.

* Opening drawers is fine as well, let’s say, in the kitchen… but when in peoples’ bedrooms and personal bathrooms, use your good judgment and do not open drawers and medicine cabinets at all.  Privacy is to be respected, and you do not want to be accused of taking anything such as jewelry or medicines either (this has been known to happen). Most Sellers will remove personal items, but some will not.  Just mind your P’s & Q’s and respect privacy in these areas.  If you decide you want to make an offer on this home, there will be plenty of time to inspect drawers in these areas further down the line.

* Refrain from using the restroom unless it is absolutely necessary.  If it is, remember that people will be following you with the idea of possibly purchasing this home after you exit.  Be kind to the Seller and leave everything tidy & fresh.

* If you are bringing children into the home, be extra vigilant and do not allow them to run through it or play on the couches or take food or drink from the refrigerator.  Treat the experience with the care you would appreciate if it were your home, and keep the environment welcoming for others who are also there & perhaps pondering purchase.

* No pets, please.

I hope these ideas were helpful & good food for thought.

Happy house-hunting!

Linda

PS- I am holding my listing at 979 Devon Lane Open this SATURDAY from 1 4 PM with LIVE MUSIC and hopfully clear skies for views of Mt Hood & Mt Adams!  Come say hi & listen to some great tunes with Michael Mandrell,  Mimy, and Jimmy Free.  I can’t wait!!

Posted on

Market Activity for June 13-19, 2011

Last week in Lake Oswego there were 18 new listings, 16 pending sales, and 18 closed sales.

See below for further details (data derived from RMLS):

NEWLY LISTED (June 13-19, 2011)

4638 Lower Dr A2, $99,000, Condo, 2 BR, 1.5 Baths, 1260 sq. ft.
86 Cervantes Cir #86, $132,000, Condo, 2 BR, 1.5 Baths, 912 sq. ft.
15442 Stephanie Ct, $329,900, Attached, 3 BR, 2.5 Baths, 1662 sq. ft.
17737 Overlook Circle, $$359,900, Detached, 4 BR, 2.5 Baths, 2250 sq. ft.
16250 Pacific Hwy #70, $374,500, Condo, 2 BR, 2 Baths, 1380 sq. ft.
312 4th St, $399,000, Attached, 2 BR, 2.5 Baths, 1731 sq. ft.
13854 Provincial Hill Dr, $419,900, Detached, 3 BR, 2.5 Baths, 2726 sq. ft.
1249 Larch St, $421,900, Detached, 4 BR, 4 Baths, 3544 sq. ft.
764 2nd St, $425,000, Detached, 3 BR, 2.5 Baths, 1548 sq. ft.
211 Hidalgo St, $429,000, Detached, 4 BR, 2.5 Baths, 2635 sq. ft.
2376 Fernwood Circle, $525,000, Detached, 4 BR, 2 Baths, 2574 sq. ft.
15180 Boones Way, $549,900, Detached, 5 BR, 3.5 Baths, 3961 sq. ft.
657 9th St, $689,000, Detached, 3 BR, 2.5 Baths, 2812 sq. ft.
3623 Eena Rd, $769,000, 4 BR, 3.5 Baths, 3350 sq. ft.
1944 Palisades Terrace Dr., $839,900, Detached, 4 BR, 2.5 Baths, 4256 sq. ft.
13371 Atwater Ln, $999,000, Detached, 4 BR, 3 Baths, 4795 sq. ft.
1777 Atherton Dr, $1,595,000, Detached, 6 BR, 4.5+.5+.5 Baths, 6332 sq. ft.
13413 Fosberg Rd, $3,000,000, Detached, 3 BR, 2Baths, 2118 sq. ft.

PENDING SALES (June 13-19, 2011)

200 Burnham Rd #201, $110,000, Condo, 1 BR, 1 Bath, 897 sq. ft., 167 DOM
4765 Firwood Rd, $155,000, Detached, 3 BR, 1 Bath, 1348 sq. ft., 9 DOM
17950 Kelok Rd, $199,900, Detached, 3 BR, 2 Baths, 2376 sq. ft., 168 DOM
4184 Virginia Way, $229,900, Detached, 3 BR, 2 Baths, 1700 sq. ft., 2 DOM
5207 Rosewood St, $289,900, Detached, 3 BR, 2 Baths, 1438 sq. ft., 6 DOM
16026 Parker Rd, $299,900, Detached, 3 BR, 1 Bath, 1620 sq. ft., 265 DOM
1981 Mapleleaf Rd, $320,000, Detached, 3 BR, 2 Baths, 2015 sq. ft., 5 DOM
4697 Oakridge Rd Lot 05, $362,900, Attached, 3 BR, 2.5 Baths, 1738 sq. ft., 98DOM
2355 Greentree Rd, $379,900, Detached, 3 BR, 2.5 Baths, 2016 sq. ft., 294 DOM
75 Hidalgo St, $659,999, Detached, 4 BR, 3.5 Baths, 4036 sq. ft., 60 DOM
14600 Pfeifer Way, $675,000, Detached, 4 BR, 2.5 Baths, 3462 sq. ft., 24 DOM
1872 Palisades Terrace Dr, $699,000, Detached, 5 BR, 4.5 Baths, 4744 sq. ft., 211DOM
14231 Dolph Ct, $725,000, Detached, 4 BR, 2 Baths, 2580 sq. ft., 23 DOM
620 9th St, $799,000, Detached, 3 BR, 3.5 Baths, 2780 sq. ft., 213 DOM
4679 Dogwood Dr, $799,900, Detached, 5 BR, 3.5+.5 Baths, 4351 sq. ft., 409 DOM
215 Chandler Pl, $925,000, Detached, 3 BR, 2.5 Baths, 3119 sq. ft., 250 DOM

SOLD (June 13-19, 2011)

16200 Pacific Hwy #5, Condo, Listed $204,900, Sold $150,000, 199 DOM
17401 Hill Way, Detached, Listed $264,900, Sold $230,000, 90 DOM
18690 Don Lee Way, Detached, Listed $259,900, Sold $236,000, 22 DOM
15119 Quarry Rd, Detached, Listed $264,900, Sold $275,000, 15 DOM
19026 Indian Springs Rd, Detached, Listed $497,000, Sold $330,000, 630 DOM
16266 Inverurie RD, Detached, Listed $399,900, Sold $380,000, 21 DOM
344 4th St, Attached, Listed $399,500, Sold $390,000, 0 DOM
14674 Rainbow Dr, Detached, Listed $499,950, Sold $409,000, 206 DOM
1831 Kilkenny Dr, Detached, Listed $425,000, Sold $411,000, 8 DOM
4683 Trillium Woods Lot 7, Attached, Listed $436,150, Sold $427,000, 0 DOM
5167 Woodcrest Ln 22E, Detached, Listed $547,500, Sold $547,500, 0 DOM
19200 Megly Ct, Detached, Listed $569,900, Sold $554,900, 73 DOM
5287 Langford Ln, Detached, Listed $750,000, Sold $570,000, 342 DOM
5320 Southwood Dr, Detached, Listed $795,000, Sold $670,000, 243 DOM
16818 Sylvan Ct, Detached, Listed $849,000, Sold $725,000, 33 DOM
2778 Glenmorrie Dr, Detached, Listed $1,199,000, Sold $1,150,000, 471 DOM
1115 Northshore Rd, Detached, Listed $1,379,000, Sold $1,175,000, 385 DOM
3648 Lakeview Blvd, Detached, Listed $2,295,000, Sold $1,494,000, 267 DOM

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

Open Houses for 6/19/11

According to the RMLS there are 14 houses that will be held open this Sunday:

17737 Overlook Circle, detached, $359,900, 4 BR and 2.5 Baths, open 1 to 3

14372 Camden Lane, detached, $399,900, 3 BR and 2.5 Baths, open 12 to 2

17071 Rebecca Lane, detached, $399,900, 4 BR and 3 Baths, open 1 to 3

17095 Rebecca Lane, detached, $399,900, 4 BR and 3 Baths, open 1 to 3

1820 Kilkenny Dr, detached, $424,000, 4 BR and 2.5 Baths, open 2 to 4

14361 Sherbrook PL, detached, $449,900, 3 BR and 2.5 Baths, open 1 to 4

2376 Fernwood Circle, detached, $525,000, 4 BR and 2 Baths, open 1 to 3:30

5843 Ridgetop Ct, detached, $525,000, 4 BR and 3 Baths, open 1 to 3

19 Juarez St, detached, $550,000, 3 BR and 2.5 Baths, open 3 to 5

17997 Braeden Ct, detached, $629,900, 3 BR and 3 Baths, open 2 to 4

2300 Childs Rd, detached, $735,000, 3 BR and 2 Baths, open 1 to 3

620 9th St, detached, $799,000, 3 BR and 3.5 Baths, open 1 to 4

17503 Cherry Ct, detached, $875,000, 4 BR and 3.5 Baths, open 3 to 5

2650 Glen Eagles Rd, detached, $925,000, 3 BR and 4 Baths, open 12 to 3

Thanks for your patience with the “new” look of this report. My computer is in the shop. Things should be back to normal in a few days.
Dianne

Posted on

Values on the Lake

As a Realtor in Lake Oswego, one of the most common questions I hear is “How much does it cost to buy a house on the Lake?” Now that the lake is full, and the sun is coming out, it seems like a good time to do a little analysis and answer this question.

There are 3 distinct types of water front property: canals, bays, and the main lake. The values are specific for these 3 areas. The canals have more shallow water and houses that face one another from one side of the canal to the other. These properties typically have the lowest values. There are 2 bays, one at each end of the lake, and these bays are shallow, but wide enough for water skiing. The main lake is by far the most valuable. Spectacular is the word that comes to mind. If you can afford it, this is the most beautiful setting.

Canals
There are currently 3 houses for sale on canals. The least expensive is $649,000 and the most expensive is $949,000.

There are 4 canal properties that are pending sales. The least expensive is listed for $749,000 and the most expensive is listed for $1,499,000.

In the last 12 months, 4 canal properties have sold and closed. The least expensive was sold for $510,000 and the most expensive was sold for $845,000.

Bays

There are 5 houses for sale on either of the two bays. The least expensive is listed for $599,000 and the most expensive is listed for $2,300,000.

One house on a bay is a pending sale that was listed for $950,000.

2 houses located on either bay are closed sales from the last 12 months. The least expensive was sold for $625,000 and the most expensive sold for $800,000.

Main Lake

23 houses on the main lake are currently for sale. The least expensive is offered at $924,900 and the most expensive is offered at $15,000,000.

1 house on the main lake is in “bumpable buyer” position. This means that a buyer has made and had an offer accepted that is subject to the sale of their current home. The list price on this house is $1,595,000.

4 houses on the main lake are sale pending. The least expensive was offered at $879,000 and the most expensive was offered at $1,985,000.

11 main lake houses became closed sales in the last twelve months. The least expensvie was sold for $300,000. (Really, an incredible value, probably reflecting land value. It was a short sale that was on the market for nearly a year. I do not know the details of this sale, but logic tells me that there were likely extreme structural or condition issues.) The most expensive was sold for $1,900,000.

Analysis

So to answer the question “What does it cost to buy a home on the Lake?”, with this information I’d suggest it costs about $500,000 to $845,000 to buy a house on a canal; it costs about $625,000 to $800,000 to buy on a bay; and to get on the main lake, you might find a screaming deal for $300,000, but you can go as high as $1,900,000.

Notes

There has not been a closed sale over $2,000,000 in the last 12 months, yet of the 23 houses on the main lake currently for sale, 12 are listed for more than $2,000,000. This tells me that there are 12 home owners who are up against this economy in a very hard way.

The most expensive house for sale on the main lake is Jantzen Island, a 5 acre private estate. It has been in the news of late because the current owner, Jerry Stubblefield who founded Avia Shoes, and Chris Dudley, last year’s Republican candidate for Governor, are involved in a lawsuit over a 3.75 million dollar loan and ownership of Oregon’s most prestigious piece of real estate. The house was built in 1930, it has 13,500 square feet with 4 bedrooms, 6 full baths, and 2 half baths.

There is only one house for sale right now on the main lake that is priced at less than a million dollars. It’s a 1938 Tudor with 2889 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3 full and 1 half baths, and it is neither a foreclosure or a short sale. If I were in the betting state of mind, I’d predict that this house will go pending long before the $2,300,000 house offered for sale on one of the bays.

I hope you find this information helpful. Give Linda or myself a call if you have any questions,
Dianne

Posted on

Market Activity ~ June 6 – 12, 2011

There are 18 New properties that have come on the market, 13 in Pending status, and 9 Sold during last week’s 7-day span.  We continue to see a good representation of activity in all price ranges in all three of these categories.
See below for further details (data derived from RMLS):

NEWLY LISTED (June 6-12, 2011)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
330 CERVANTES CIR 13C $84,000 2 1 832 CONDO
4765 FIRWOOD RD $155,000 3 1 1348 DETACHD
165 Oswego Smt 165 $189,900 2 2 1383 CONDO
3808 BOTTICELLI ST $194,888 3 2 1203 ATTACHD
42 ORIOLE LN $259,900 3 2 1290 DETACHD
4912 LOWER DR $289,000 3 2 1539 DETACHD
5207 ROSEWOOD ST $289,900 3 2 1438 DETACHD
3311 FIR RIDGE RD $359,000 3 2.1 2112 DETACHD
1610 LEE ST $480,000 4 3 2616 DETACHD
1021 YATES ST $489,900 3 2.1 1985 DETACHD
10 MORNINGVIEW CIR $519,900 4 2.1 2850 DETACHD
1033 YATES ST $539,900 4 3.1 2889 DETACHD
427 9TH ST $699,900 5 3.1 3250 DETACHD
1985 COUNTRY CLUB RD $789,900 4 4 3634 DETACHD
4155 CANAL RD $850,000 4 2.1 3736 DETACHD
17090 CHAPIN WAY $875,000 3 3 3480 DETACHD
2650 GLEN EAGLES RD $925,000 3 4 2632 DETACHD
1051 SUNNINGDALE RD $1,100,000 4 3 4161 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (June 6-12, 2011)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
668 MCVEY AVE 74 $145,000 1 1 636 CONDO 139
16089 LAKE FOREST BLVD $209,900 3 1.1 1201 DETACHD 331
6367 HIAWATHA CT $329,900 3 2 2230 DETACHD 3
680 TIPPECANOE CT $335,900 4 2.1 1900 DETACHD 57
2089 GLENMORRIE DR $349,000 2 2 1551 DETACHD 351
1119 OAK ST $474,900 4 2.1 2123 DETACHD 283
14867 TWIN FIR CT $525,000 6 3.1 3641 DETACHD 94
13554 ROGERS RD $569,000 5 2.1 2922 DETACHD 87
17610 BROOKHURST DR $729,000 5 3.1 4160 DETACHD 37
4018 COHO LN $779,900 4 4.1 4777 DETACHD 302
583 2ND ST Upper $849,000 2 2.1 2304 CONDO 35
18122 MEADOWLARK LN $927,000 3 2.1 2898 DETACHD 83
18000 EASTRIDGE LN $1,200,000 4 5.1 5554 DETACHD 695

SOLD (June 6-12, 2011)

Address O/Price Close Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
5432 KENNY ST $230,000 $213,000 3 1 1352 DETACHD 34
5978 FERNBROOK CIR $309,000 $291,000 3 2.5 1612 DETACHD 41
1952 PARK FOREST AVE $359,900 $356,900 5 3 2856 DETACHD 157
1970 GREENTREE RD $399,900 $375,000 4 3 2428 DETACHD 72
12139 ORCHARD HILL WAY $389,000 $380,000 4 2.1 2632 DETACHD 25
17055 CRESTVIEW DRIVE $424,900 $417,000 4 3 2575 DETACHD 287
1643 VILLAGE PARK LN $799,900 $588,525 4 3.1 4505 DETACHD 440
18955 BRYANT RD $749,900 $695,000 4 2.1 3647 DETACHD 537
425 NORTHSHORE RD $1,175,000 $960,000 4 3 3270 DETACHD 450

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

Open Houses ~ June 12, 2011

Is Rose Festival really over tomorrow?! That’s what it says on their page… Oh well. Summer is in full swing! Enjoy Lake Oswego’s Farmers’ Market, concerts, and all of the other fun summertime activities to come as we enter what is MY favorite time of year (any brethren summertime-lovers out there??).

If you are looking for a home, or just want to get out and enjoy the day, there are a whopping 36 Beautiful Homes to be held Open in Lake Oswego this Sunday.

Below is what’s on tap according to RMLS. Have fun! And, as always, feel free to email or call Dianne or myself if you find “the one” & need some help.
Here you go:

Address L/Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type Open
48 EAGLE CREST DR 5F $184,000 2 2 1370 CONDO 1-3PM
4316 BOTTICELLI ST $189,000 2 2.1 2098 TOWNHSE 2-3PM
446 5TH ST $250,000 2 1.1 1092 TOWNHSE 12-2PM
1991 GREENTREE RD $419,000 3 3 2655 DETACHD 12-2:30PM
1561 WOODLAND TER $425,000 3 2.1 2184 DETACHD 12-2PM
1820 KILKENNY DR $429,000 4 2.1 3040 DETACHD 1-3PM
4750 Auburn LN $439,000 4 3.1 2679 TOWNHSE 1-4PM
19521 SW DOGWOOD CT $469,900 5 2.1 2953 DETACHD 10AM-5PM
2375 DELLWOOD DR $475,000 4 3 3690 DETACHD 1-3PM
19487 SW DOGWOOD CT $479,900 4 3 3105 DETACHD 10AM-5PM
4654 Auburn LN $480,000 3 3.1 2732 TOWNHSE 1-3PM
4 NANSEN SMT $529,000 4 2.1 3255 DETACHD 1-3PM
19285 MEGLY CT $539,900 5 3 3275 DETACHD 10AM-5PM
1217 TYNDALL CT $549,000 4 4 4922 DETACHD 2-4PM
2400 DELLWOOD DR $549,900 4 3 3180 DETACHD 1-4PM
8 DEL PRADO ST $579,000 5 3 3637 DETACHD 1-3:30PM
19240 MEGLY CT $579,900 5 3.1 3633 DETACHD 10AM-5PM
19 JUAREZ ST $599,000 3 2.1 3584 DETACHD 3-5PM
5542 DUNMIRE DR $599,900 4 2.1 3204 DETACHD 10AM-5PM
5515 DUNMIRE DR $629,900 4 3 3287 DETACHD 10AM-5PM
5511 FIELDSTONE CT $638,950 4 2.1 3037 DETACHD 12-2PM
17997 BRAEDEN CT $639,890 3 3 2984 DETACHD 1-3PM
5533 FIELDSTONE CT $648,950 4 2.1 3115 DETACHD 12-2PM
14136 HEATHROW LN $649,000 4 2.1 2955 DETACHD 1-4PM
17884 KELOK RD $650,000 5 3.1 4124 DETACHD 2-4PM
17896 KELOK RD $650,000 5 5.1 4323 DETACHD 2-4PM
15622 FIELDSTONE DR $688,950 3 2.1 3113 DETACHD 12-2PM
14100 REDWOOD CT $689,000 4 3 3134 DETACHD 1-3PM
1872 PALISADES TERRACE DR $699,000 5 4.1 4744 DETACHD 1:30-4PM
217 5TH ST $775,000 3 2.1 2097 DETACHD 1-4PM
18977 BARTON RD $878,950 4 3.2 5076 DETACHD 2-5PM
18020 SKYLAND CIR $895,000 4 3.1 3210 DETACHD 1:30-3:30PM
4160 LAKEVIEW BLVD $1,099,000 4 4.1 3904 DETACHD 2-5PM
112 NORTHSHORE CIR $1,695,000 4 3.2 3632 DETACHD 1-5PM
2936 SW LAKEVIEW BLVD $2,100,000 5 3.1 4179 DETACHD 1-3PM
1017 LAKE FRONT RD $2,997,000 5 4.1 4071 DETACHD 1-3PM
Posted on

Tips and Tidbits

Your Personal Information – When you are ready to sell and embarking on setting up your listing, you and your Realtor will discuss what (if any) things other than those materially significant to the property may be relayed to an approaching Buyer’s agent. You will likely discuss that you, as the Seller, have confidentiality with your agent unless you specifically direct them to release certain information not material to the property. So, if you are relocating and that is the reason for your move, you may want to ask your agent to go ahead and let agents know (or not). If you are getting married and combining households you may or may not want this shared. If you are really wanting to generate offers and want to let people know that, you -may- want your Realtor to put something like “Motivated Seller” in the remarks… but remember that if you do this, you are letting people know that you will likely accept less than the offer price. The gist is that your personal information is between you and your agent. Sometimes it can be helpful to ask them to share some things if it gives a clear signal that is one that you want to give such as:
* That you are either really motivated, or really relaxed about the sale (depending on your situation),
* That you are in one circumstance or another that may be generally favorable to any Buyer (& therefore that you want communicated),
* That you are putting the home on the market or BOM (back on the market) due to some circumstance not related to the condition of the property, etc.

Then again, you can choose to relay absolutely no personal information at all. Ask your Realtor what he/she thinks. You’re in the driver’s seat.

Inspections – Talk w/your Realtor about inspections and what is allowed during a transaction. The standard contract pretty much allows for the potential Buyer to inspect the property and systems on the property during their allotted time period (often 10 business days). There is also an inspection addendum that sometimes accompanies an offer detailing more specifically what inspections the Buyer may want to employ, and that has a teensy little addition to be aware of that, if filled in, could allow/tack on a few extra days beyond what is specified in the contract for a Buyer to review of all inspection documents & reports & finish negotiating. Just be aware of this and talk with your Realtor about any affect it might or might not have on your transaction time-line should it come up.

Pricing and Negotiating – These days, in my experience, most people offer less than the asked-for price unless it is a multiple offer situation or there are other extenuating circumstances, so don’t be offended by this if you are selling. It is just a sign of the times. How much you offer as a Buyer, or how you respond to an offer as a Seller are things to discuss in depth with your Realtor. The offer ought to be based on real market value, and of course that is a mixture of recent local market data and what an arms-length Buyer is willing to pay for any particular property. Many Buyers note changing market conditions and their anticipation of market decline when offering significantly less than you are asking as a Seller. Your Realtor will be able to counsel you as a Seller on whether or not these rationale are based on any reasonable conjecture or not with regard to your specific property, it’s location, parameters, and recent local market activity. In the end, you as the Seller hold the cards, as you get to decide to either sell or not to sell given what is presented to you and what the limits of negotiation yield.

Hope this info is helpful!
Very Best,
Linda

Posted on

Market Activity for May 30 to June 5, 2011

There were 20 new listings in Lake Oswego last week, 23 houses that became pending sales, and 8 closed sales.
See below for further details (data derived from RMLS):

NEWLY LISTED (May 30-June 5, 2011)

Address Type Price Sq FT BR Baths
86 Kinsgate Rd C204 Condo $95,000 938 2 2
4000 Carman Dr #23 Condo $107,000 866 2 2
15360 Twin Fir Rd Detached $289,000 980 3 1
3077 Diane Dr Detached $299,000 2634 4 1.5
4675 Oakridge Rd Lot3 Attached $364,900 1738 3 2.5
4677 Oakridge Rd Lot 4 Attached $369,900 1738 3 2.5
652 D Detached $385,000 1486 3 2
4671 Lakeview Blvd Detached $429,950 2061 3 2
16925 Depot St Detached $499,950 2631 4 2.5
1931 Park Forest Ct Detached $649,900 3866 6 4.5
1708 Oak St Detached $699,000 3450 4 3
18014 Gimley Ct Detached $749,900 4355 5 3.5
3103 Wembley Park Rd Detached $825,000 3597 4 3.5
1427 Horseshoe Curve Detached $1,089,000 2142 2 2
13600 Goodall Rd Detached $1,195,000 3111 5 2.5
1007 Lake Front Rd Detached $1,195,000 1799 3 2
1780 Ridgecrest Dr Detached 1,200,000 2694 4 2.5
1596 View Lake Ct Detached $1,249,000 4814 5 4.5
2936 Lakeview Blvd Detached $2,100,000 4179 5 3.5
1617 Lake Front Rd Detached $2,999,000 4610 4 4.5

PENDING SALES (May 30 to June 5, 2011)

Address Type Price Sq Ft BR Baths CDOM
16250 Pacific Hwy #81 Condo $79,000 841 1 1 167
86 Kingsgate Rd D204 Condo $89,900 924 2 2 26
85 Oswego Summit #85 Condo $129,000 1212 2 2 2
45 Eagle Crest Dr #520 Condo $129,000 768 1 1 72
17950 Kelok Rd Detached $199,900 2376 3 2 153
8 Condolea Dr Condo $239,900 1312 2 2 121
540 Milburn Ct Detached $250,000 1560 3 2 10
17944 Tualata Ave Detached $388,950 2325 5 3 275
4101 Virginia Way Detached $389,000 2752 5 3.5 299
344 4th St Attached $399,500 1731 2 2.5 0
4727 Cambridge Ct Attached $399,900 2914 2 2.5 10
1051 Timberline Dr Detached $399,950 2422 4 3 21
4737 Lakeview Blvd Detached $439,000 2546 4 2.5 15
4869 Sage Hen Way Detached $519,900 2863 5 2.5 150
5155 Woodcrest Ln 21E Detached $565,000 3056 4 2.5 0
5035 Woodcrest Ln Lot19 Detached $585,300 3161 4 2.5 0
1100 Upper Devon Ln Detached $599,000 3672 4 3.5 205
19345 Riverwood Ln 5west Detached $605,900 3367 4 3.5 0
5231 Denton Dr Detached $669,000 3031 4 2.5 4
13254 Deerfield Ct Detached $699,900 3118 4 2.5 26
2811 Arrowhead Ct Detached $879,000 3740 4 3.5 419
11 Hillshire Dr 1/2 Detached $899,000 5163 5 4.5 65
667 Lake Bay Ct Detached $899,900 3361 4 4 422

SOLD (May 30 to June 5, 2011)

Address Orig. Price Sold Price Type Sq Ft CDOM
4425 Thunder Vista Ln $179,900 $147,000 Condo 1518 110
4263 Woodside Circle $244,900 $232,000 Attached 2026 64
19250 Maree Ct $319,000 $281,000 Detached 1519 81
510 5th St $399,000 $357,350 Attached 1524 53
1766 Fern Place $365,000 $360,000 Detached 1937 18
1930 Indian Trail $856,000 $644,000 Detached 3260 332
3931 Bass Lane $1,150,000 $645,000 Detached 3310 682
1956 Cheryl Ct $1,295,000 $1,300,000 Detached 5173 16

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

Open Houses for June 5th, 2011

This is going to be a seriously great weekend to get into some open houses. Not only is it the National Association of Realtor’s Nationwide open house weekend, but we are forecast to have 80 degrees and sunshine! Making the most of the opportunity are 41 open houses currently scheduled with the RMLS. Enjoy!

Address Type Price BR Baths Open
221 Cervantes Attached $128,000 2 1.5 12 to 2
1400 Bonnie Brae Dr Attached $141,500 2 1 1 to 3
5061 Foothills Dr G Condo $169,000 2 2 1 to 3
5064 Foothills Dr H Condo $199,900 3 2 1 to 3
8 Condolea Dr Condo $239,900 2 2 1 to 3
14402 Sherbrook Pl Detached $309,000 3 2.5 1 ro 3
62 Weatherstone Ct Attached $325,000 4 3.5 1 to 3
6367 Hiawatha Ct Detached $329,900 3 2 1 to 4
5324 Lower Dr Detached $330,000 3 2.5 2:30 to 4:30
29 Becket St Detached $399,900 3 2.5 1 to 3:30
2697 Lookout Ct Detached $415,000 3 2 11 to 1
3554 Tempest Detached $419,500 3 2.5 1 to 4
17360 Hunter Ct Detached $450,000 3 2.5 1:30 to 4
19443 Kokanee Ct Detached $474,000 4 2.5 12 to 4
1210 Wells St Detached $475,000 6 3.5 1 to 3
12 Scarborough Dr Detached $479,900 4 2.5 2 to 4
919 Cumberland Rd Detached $495,000 4 3.5 1 to 4
31 Touchstone Detached $499,900 5 3 1 to 3
5843 Ridgetop Ct Detached $525,000 4 3 12 to 2
17981 Meadowlark Ln Detached $529,900 3 2.5 11 to 2
3815 Southshore Blvd Detached $548,000 4 2 2 to 4
13554 Rogers Rd Detached $589,000 4 2.5 1 to 4
19 Juarez St Detached $599,000 3 2.5 11 to 4
5511 Fieldstone Ct Detached $638,950 4 2.5 2 to 4
5533 Fieldstone Ct Detached $648,950 4 2.5 2 to 4
19124 Megan Pl Detached $649,900 5 2.5 1 to 4
1931 Park Forest Ct Detached $649,900 6 4.5 12 to 3
17896 Kelok Rd Detached $650,000 5 5.5 12 to 2
17884 Kelok Rd Detached $650,000 5 3.5 12 to 2
5231 Denton Dr Detached $669,000 4 2.5 1 to 3
15622 Fieldstone Dr Detached $688,950 4 2.5 1 to 3
5625 Southwood Dr Detached $689,000 4 2.5 12 to 2
629 Iron Mountain Blvd Detached $699,900 3 2 2 to 4
4076 Orchard Dr Detached $700,000 4 3.5 11 to 1
14231 Dolph Ct Detached $725,000 4 2 1 to 4
4018 Coho Ln Detached $779,900 4 4.5 12 to 3
18977 Barton Rd Detached $879,000 4 3.5+.5 2 to 5
4160 Lakeview Blvd Detached $1,099,000 4 4.5 2 to 5
3149 Douglas Circle Detached $1,195,000 4 3.5+.5 12 to 2
1066 Northshore Rd Detached $1,393,000 4 5.5 2 to 4
2572 Glen Eagles Pl Detached $1,698,500 5 4.5+.5 2 to 4
Posted on

Opportunities and Attitudes

Please forgive me if I tend to be relentlessly optimistic. Believe me, if there is anyone who understands that the last several years have been a real estate horror story, it’s me. Having said that, we have to work with what we have to work with. Even in the most challenging times there remain ways to take advantage of the circumstances and use them to your benefit. It just might make you some money. It also just might make you a person who finds that today is a good day.

So it is with some pleasure that I found some great information in two recent editorials by Robert J. Samuelson. Mr. Samuelson is a contributing editor for Newsweek magazine and for The Washington Post. He has been writing about business and economic issues since 1977.

I’d like to share with you some of his recent commentary:

Young buyers to catch a break
Published on May 9, 2011, this editorial focused on the benefits that the recent housing market holds for young buyers. The benefits are two fold. First, prices have plummeted. “Up to a point, the lower home prices merely deflate the artificial ‘bubble.’ But there’s evidence that the declines transcend that. The National Association of Realtors routinely publishes a housing ‘affordability’ index, which judges the ability of median families to buy the median-priced home at prevailing interest rates. By this measure, existing homes are the most affordable since the index started in 1970.” This means that young buyers have a better opportunity to enter the housing market. Second, today’s new construction is coming down in size. “From 1973 to 2007, the size of the average new home grew by about 50 percent, from 1,660 square feet to 2,521 square feet. By 2009, that was 2,438 square feet, with more declines expected.” Being less expensive to heat, cool, and maintain, these smaller homes are also a boon to home buyers. Samuelson argues that the main beneficiaries of these changes are young buyers. “…crisis pass and have unintended consequences. The young just might catch a much-needed break from this one.” As a Mom with 2 kids about to have their first taste of home ownership, I hope this is true.

Greatest barrier to recovery could be pessimism”
This commentary was published on May 23, 2011. In it Mr. Samuelson states “It may be time to move beyond pessimism. Ever since the financial crisis, Americans have wallowed in fear and anxiety.” While acknowledging that there remains real hardship, he also points out that “the recovery seems increasingly self-propelled. Americans are shopping again, albeit with less fervor; exports are improving; companies are hiring. Massive government spending and the Federal Reserve’s low interest rates seem less crucial to growth. Although this is good news, the pervasive post-crisis gloom prevents us from acknowledging it.” Mr Samuelson sees 3 imbalances that abetted the recession: consumer overspending, the trade deficit, and the housing “bubble”. Consumer spending has dropped way down. Consumer debt service (repayment of principle and interest) has gone from 14% of personal income to 12%. At the same time the saving rate has gone from 1% to somewhere between 5 and 6%. “The difference exceeds $200 billion in potential annual purchasing power.” As for the trade deficit, “By 2010, the overall deficit had dropped by $496 billion.” Yep, billion. Finally, housing: “True, it’s still depressed. But the worst may be past. Mortgage delinquencies are falling. Meanwhile, pent-up demand is growing.” He concludes with this observation: “…the larger message is that the recovery is feeding on itself. Healthy economic growth doesn’t have to be supported by government and, ideally, is not frustrated by perverse policies. The greatest barrier to recovery now could be psychology–stubborn gloom–which conditions household and business spending decisions. There is a curious role reversal. Foolish optimism led to the financial crisis and recession by assuming things would work out for the best. Now, reflexive pessimism weakens growth by ignoring good news or believing it can’t last.”

I found both of these commentaries really informative. I have no idea how long this housing down turn will last, but I find it helpful that within the National media there is now a dialogue that is suggesting both an economic recovery and a silver lining that can be found in the current economic climate.

Thanks for reading,
Dianne