Tag: Linda Rossi Realtor

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Real Estate During the Holidays

Our teal pumpkin
Our teal pumpkin
First of all, Happy Halloween! What a great, fun holiday. At my house we are geared up. We have pumpkins carved, seeds toasted, candy at hand, and plans to play poker around the dining room table while we answer the door. The forecast is stormy with the rain lightening up just in time for the Trick or Treaters. Let’s hope the forecast is right. I really love having kids come to the door. We are giving out glow sticks as well as candy as we honor the new concept of putting out a teal pumpkin and offering alternatives to candy. We have LOTS of glow sticks because we poker players plan to be heavily adorned.

I think Halloween is the informal kick off of the holiday season. It is just weeks until Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s. So I want to take a moment to talk about what that means if you are selling or buying a home right now.

Buyers are out there. My listings are continuing to get showings and I am currently working with several ready buyers. Inventory is lower, so houses on the market are getting noticed. Interest rates are also low. In my experience interest rates tend to be the lowest of the year in the winter. If you are buying, these components make this a really great time of year to buy. I also think this is the best time of year to do a home inspection. If the house has water issues, they will be obvious. Last, if you are buying, a house that looks good on a rainy day will be spectacular on a sunny day.

240px-Jack-o'-Lantern_2003-10-31For those who are selling I want to talk about holiday decorations. I do think decorating for the holidays enhances the marketability of a house. I showed a house yesterday that was beautifully decorated for the fall. They had wreaths on the door and last summers flower pots were over flowing with silk leaves in the colors of fall and mini pumpkins. We were all smiling and commenting on how pretty they were as I worked to open the lock box. We entered the house ready to be impressed. But I also want to caution that the decorations that are specific to the holiday need to come down within a week of the passing of the holiday. A Christmas tree in April is a big NO!

So Happy Halloween to one and to all. May the day be festive with more treats than tricks!
Dianne

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Market Activity Oct 19-25, 2015

Last week was gorgeous here in Lake Oswego. The fall colors and the dramatic sunrises and sunsets really made it a wonderful week. Real Estate also continued to move right along. Yes, things have slowed, but there is NEVER a time of year when homes are not being bought and sold. Last week in LO we had 11 new listings, 16 pending sales, and 10 closed sales. I expect the next couple of weeks to be very healthy for selling as buyers work to time their purchase so that they can move into their new home before the holidays.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:

New on the Market (Oct 19-25, 2015)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft
65 Oswego Summit Condo $154,999 2 2 1140
4000 Carman Dr #74 Condo $164,900 2 2 836
4347 Silver Ct Condo $319,000 3 2.5 1844
6140 Burma Rd Detached $419,000 4 2 1656
18802 Redwing Way Detached $459,000 3 2 1550
5330 Carman Grove Ln Detached $675,000 3 3 2398
41 Touchstone Detached $689,500 4 3 3092
15821 Springbrook Ct Detached $699,900 2 2 2208
14435 Uplands Dr Detached $965,000 4 3.5 4822
18048 Eastridge Ln Detached $1,250,000 4 3.5 4231
17700 Upper Cherry Ln Detached $2,500,000 5 5.5 6850

Pending Sales (Oct 12-18, 2015)

Address Type Price BR Baths Sq Ft CDOM
57 Church St Condo $159,000 1 1 636 3
15 Oswego Summit Condo $164,900 2 2 1212 58
6213 Harrington Ave Detached $339,000 3 1 960 6
16735 Lake Forest Blvd Detached $349,900 3 2 1192 57
15 Greenridge Ct Attached $359,000 3 2.5 1996 89
17422 Blue Heron Rd Detached $399,900 3 2 1954 33
14752 Davis Ln Attached $435,000 3 2.5 1954 33
5875 Bonita Rd Detached $519,000 5 3.5 2650 27
4708 Hastings Pl Detached $575,000 4 2.5 2215 80
5124 Lakeview Blvd Detached $579,000 4 3 2932 20
6 Independence Ave Detached $615,000 3 2 2578 64
1052 Yates St Detached $664,900 3 2.5 2598 24
599 7th St Detached $775,000 4 3 2468 40
5459 Westfield Ct Detached $899,000 5 3.5 3670 33
725 5th St Detached $1,099,900 3 3 2748 72
3796 Lakeview Blvd Detached $1,995,000 3 2.5+.5 4150 448

Sold/Closed  (Oct 19-25, 2015)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
100 Kerr Parkway Condo $144,900 $153,500 822 3
4 Touchstone #152 Condo $168,900 $185,000 1275 3
5835 Carman Dr Detached $273,900 $227,000 1650 20
5052 Foothills Dr F Condo $220,000 $230,000 1252 2
1325 Bonniebrae Dr Attached $274,900 $277,500 1393 2
3190 Duncan Dr Detached $400,000 $377,000 2401 223
4926 Mulholland Dr Attached $550,000 $550,000 2376 1
15590 Tanager Dr Detached $585,000 $562,500 2532 31
13060 SW Elk Rock Rd Detached $825,000 $710,000 3681 155
581 2nd St #581 Condo $1,200,000 $1,100,000 2190 60

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.

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Market Activity ~ Oct 12-18, 2015

October 12-18, Lake Oswego we saw 8 New properties enter the market, 18 move to Pending status, and 17 “Closed”/Sold.  Its interesting to note that of the 16 that come up as “New”, 8 of those were not truly new, but rather “refreshed” and therefore not included below.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:

NEW on Mkt (Oct 12-18, 2015)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
13680 SHIREVA DR $459,000 3 2 1504 DETACHD
14356 HOLLY SPRINGS RD $510,000 4 2.1 1939 DETACHD
17200 CANAL CIR $668,000 3 1.1 1774 DETACHD
5322 CARMAN GROVE LN $715,000 3 2.1 2486 DETACHD
5349 CARMAN GROVE LN $745,000 3 2.1 2633 DETACHD
2043 RIDGEWOOD RD $885,000 5 3 3016 DETACHD
4155 CANAL RD $1,259,000 4 2.1 3736 DETACHD
2098 CREST DR $3,500,000 5 5.1 7837 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (Oct 12-18, 2015)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
210 S STATE ST#4 $219,900 2 1 1284 CONDO 44
3910 CARMAN DR $234,900 2 2.1 1129 CONDO 83
16 WHEATHERSTONE $325,000 3 2.1 1692 CONDO 3
12802 BOONES FERRY RD $339,000 3 2.1 1454 CONDO 25
18561 SW KRISTI WAY $349,000 3 2.1 1440 DETACHD 30
5336 TREE ST $379,950 4 2 1696 DETACHD 21
15213 QUARRY RD $399,000 3 2 1761 DETACHD 19
4291 WOODSIDE CIR $400,000 3 2 2026 ATTACHD 4
5882 KENNYCROFT WAY $409,990 3 2 1272 DETACHD 5
5749 WINDFIELD LOOP $419,900 3 3 1873 DETACHD 94
18275 PILKINGTON RD $439,000 3 2 2088 DETACHD 49
15948 QUARRY RD $445,000 2 1 920 DETACHD 116
2600 GLENMORRIE DR $495,000 2 1 1370 DETACHD 0
10 DEL PRADO ST $519,900 5 3 3104 DETACHD 65
4724 AVERY LN $599,900 4 2.1 2731 DETACHD 23
187 FURNACE ST $670,000 2 2.1 1927 CONDO 80
1600 OAK ST $900,000 4 3.2 4385 DETACHD 83
18711 WESTVIEW DR $949,900 4 3.1 3591 DETACHD 55

SOLD  (Oct 12-18, 2015)

Address Opening Price Closed Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
4 TOUCHSTONE #153 $145,000 $140,000 2 2 1031 CONDO 32
200 BURNHAM RD #408 $249,000 $241,000 2 2 1305 CONDO 21
210 S STATE ST #3 $297,500 $297,500 2 1.1 1495 CONDO 21
25 ORIOLE LN $449,950 $412,000 3 2 1460 DETACHD 32
26 SPINOSA $425,000 $415,000 3 2.1 2065 DETACHD 55
14314 ORCHARD SPRINGS RD #35 $434,000 $430,000 5 3 2238 DETACHD 5
4330 ORCHARD WAY $445,000 $445,000 4 2.1 2099 DETACHD 6
4840 DOGWOOD DR $475,000 $475,000 3 3 2716 DETACHD 22
120 CONDOLEA DRm- Main $549,999 $500,000 3 3 2958 CONDO 416
14674 RAINBOW DR $599,000 $556,500 4 3 3100 DETACHD 44
2470 MARYLVIEW CT $739,000 $710,000 4 2.1 3486 DETACHD 24
1267 CHERRY LN $849,000 $720,000 4 2 3311 DETACHD 308
141 BERWICK RD $750,000 $750,000 4 3 2336 DETACHD 0
5724 LA MESA CT $799,900 $763,500 5 2.1 3669 DETACHD 21
17980 KELOK RD $899,900 $885,000 4 2.1 2969 DETACHD 26
454 9TH ST $1,125,000 $1,100,000 3 4 3278 DETACHD 25
1653 Lake Front RD $3,900,000 $3,550,000 5 5.1 6274 DETACHD 175

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.

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Featured Property: 2 Walking Woods

2 Walking Woods
2 Walking Woods
You likely do what I do as you drive around town: look at houses and enjoy the changing decorations and landscaping through the seasons. For me, there are always houses that stand out. There is just something about them. Well, this is one of those houses.

Located at 2 Walking Woods, this house sits on a very prominent lot that looks out over the neighborhood. It’s at the corner of 2 streets that are the focus of your attention as you drive the curves of the road in Mountain Park. The style of the house is classic Cape Cod. It’s a style that you’ve seen in movies and in magazines and is just really attractive. The curb appeal of this house is a 10+.

Beveled and leaded entry doors
Beveled and leaded entry doors
With 4116 square feet, there are 4 bedrooms, a den with a closet that could be a 5th bedroom, living, dining, family rooms and an amazing vaulted bonus room with a wet bar. There are 3 fireplaces. The master is huge! The house was built with quality in 1979. The doors are solid core and the insulated windows are wood, not vinyl. The entry has stunning leaded glass doors and a sweeping curved staircase that is ideal for family photos. Over the years the house has been updated with a newer kitchen that features a cooking island, cherry cabinets and granite counters. There are shining hardwood floors throughout most of the main level.

Then there is the yard. The landscaping is superb. Attractively designed with a large covered deck, there a paths through arbors to water features and an abundance of blue berries, peach trees and pineapple guavas. The lot is 13,410 square feet.

This home is located in Mountain Park. Super convenient to both I-5 and 217, you are just minutes to shopping and dining. Mountain Park has one of the finest recreation centers in the metro area with swimming pools for exercise and for families, a gym, and over 15 miles of walking paths.

Chef's Kitchen
Chef’s Kitchen
Priced at $629,000, this house is a delight. I think subconsciously most people want to live in a house that when their friends come over they say “Wow”. This is that kind of a house. She is a grand lady.

Please call me today if you would like more information or if you would like to make an appointment to see her for yourself.
Dianne

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Market Activity Sept 28-Oct 4, 2015

Since the start of school it has felt, to me, like the market has slowed a bit as compared to the hot market we had in June, July and August. Last week’s activity in Lake Oswego brought us 14 new listings, 21 pending sales, and 10 sold/closed sales. This week my business has ramped back up and I have been hearing similar comments from other agents. It will be interesting to see if the numbers are up next week.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:

New on the Market Sept 28-Oct 4, 2015)

Address Type Price Bedrooms Baths Sq Ft
15230 Boones Way 1D Condo $205,000 2 2 1185
16250 Pacific Hwy #74 Condo $274,800 2 2 1,324
191 Oswego Summit #191 Condo $279,000 2 2 1506
14850 Twin Fir Rd Detached $439,000 3 3 2018
6411 Frost St Detached $518,000 3 2.5 2430
18529 Deerbrush Ave Detached $550,000 4 2.5 2461
16731 Alder Circle Detached $555,000 3 2.5 2301
5124 Lakeview Blvd Detached $579,000 4 3 2932
1053 Yates St Detached $664,900 3 2.5 2598
5937 Bay Point Dr Detached $789,000 4 2.5 3174
17154 Lowenberg Terrace Detached $799,960 5 3.5 3514
2337 Hillside Ln Detached $925,000 4 3.5 4932
17346 Canal Circle Detached $995,000 4 3 3406
120 Cabana Pointe Detached $2,199,000 3 3 3446

Pending Sales Sept 28-Oct 4, 2015)

Address Type Price Bedrooms Baths Sq Ft DOM
16250 Pacific Hwy #54 Condo $154,900 1 1 841 10
3892 Botticelli St Condo $231,000 3 2 1288 180
5064 Foothills Dr F Condo $269,000 2 2 1252 84
16200 Pacific Hwy #24 Condo $285,000 2 2 1190 62
5280 Chinook Ct Detached $315,000 3 1.5 1457 4
116 Greenridge Ct Condo $344,900 4 2.5 2832 0
16254 Roosevelt Ave Detached $349,000 2 1 1131 55
14314 Orchard Springs Rd Detached $434,000 5 3 2238 5
27 Del Prado St Detached $449,000 4 2.5 3341 7
18620 Indian CreekDr Detached $469,900 3 2 2064 2
6 Grouse Terrace Detached $544,900 3 3 3576 3
1511 Woodland Terrace Detached $599,900 5 2.5 3439 185
16 Westminster Dr Detached $625,000 4 3 3202 2
607 Ash St Detached $639,000 4 3.5 2860 72
12777 Sierra Vista Dr Detached $679,000 4 2.5 3144 135
2189 Fernwood Circle Detached $699,000 4 3 2921 191
23 Masaryk St Detached $724,000 3 2.5 2861 7
14205 Edenberry Dr Detached $735,000 3 2.5 3051 106
18360 Delenka Ln Detached $799,000 5 3.5 4828 154
18009 Braeden Ct Detached $829,000 4 2.5 3286 64
4112 Orchard Way Detached $950,000 5 4 4190 16

SOLD  (Sept 21-27, 2015)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
50 Cervantes Circle Condo $165,000 $170,000 1368 4
319 Cervantes Condo $199,900 $210,000 1209 14
3926 Carman Dr Condo $234,900 $234,900 1129 66
48 Eagle Crest Dr 3B Condo $246,900 $245,000 1,489 9
1448 Bonniebrae Dr Attached $250,000 $255,000 1008 1
6053 Fernbrook St Detached $338,000 $338,000 912 4
19431 Tualamere Ave Detached $339,900 $340,000 1200 14
1648 Ash St Detached $449,900 $483,500 1877 2
5466 Bay Creek Dr Detached $615,000 $585,000 2535 35
18086 Jenifers Way Detached $699,000 $699,000 2582 49

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.

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News & Notes ~ August Numbers

Here are the August numbers for Portland and the Lake Oswego/West Linn areas (RMLS lumps them together).

According to the RMLS Market Action Report for the Portland Metro Area, August, 2015:

  • There were 3,880 New Listings in August which was down a full 9.2% from the previous month/July, but up 8.3% from August of 2014.
  • At 3,098 August Closed Sales fell 10.3% from July’s numbers, and were up  19.8% from August of 2014.
  • August Pending Sales (accepted offers), at 3,347 were down 4.2% from the previous month, and fared 23.8% better than August of 2014.
  •  The Average Sale Price in August of $364,600 was down  $4,500. from July’s Average of $369,100, and up $24,600 from August of 2014’s $340,000. 

The combined areas of Lake Oswego and West Linn  for the month of August 2015 reported:

    •  454 Active Listings  (July was 447)
    •  228 New Listings   (July was 253)
    •  181 Pending Sales    (July was 190)
    •  181 Closed Sales   (July was 201)
    • Average Sale Price for August of $574,800. (July/$570,800)
      • 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.
    • Average Time on the Market: 59 Days (July was 65)
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Market Activity ~ Sept 21-27, 2015

Last week in Lake Oswego we saw 19 New properties enter the market, 24 move to Pending status, and 16 “Closed”/Sold.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:

NEW on Mkt (Sept 21-27, 2015)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
3696 SPRING LN #3B $269,900 2 2 1117 CONDO
15 GREENRIDGE CT $359,000 3 2.1 1996 ATTACHD
15213 QUARRY RD $399,000 3 2 1761 DETACHD
5336 TREE ST $399,950 4 2 1696 DETACHD
14314 ORCHARD SPRINGS RD #35 $434,000 5 3 2238 DETACHD
6192 HARRINGTON AVE $498,800 5 3 2817 DETACHD
6059 FROST LN $508,000 4 2.1 2281 DETACHD
5875 BONITA RD $519,000 5 3.1 2650 DETACHD
6 GROUSE TER $544,900 3 3 3576 DETACHD
4312 WOODSIDE CIR $548,000 3 2.1 2678 ATTACHD
4724 AVERY LN $649,900 4 2.1 2731 DETACHD
1255 BICKNER ST $875,000 4 2.1 2764 DETACHD
5459 WESTFIELD CT $924,900 5 3.1 3670 DETACHD
817 HOODVIEW LN $1,135,000 5 3 3446 DETACHD
1495 COUNTRY CLUB RD $1,175,000 4 2.2 4028 DETACHD
556 7TH ST $1,295,000 5 3.1 3911 DETACHD
12838 ALTO PARK RD $1,439,000 4 3.1 4475 DETACHD
13560 FIELDING RD $3,500,000 5 6.1 5310 DETACHD
1500 NORTHSHORE RD $15,000,000 5 6.3 13462 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (Sept 21-27, 2015)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
4000 CARMAN DR #88 $149,000 2 2 836 CONDO 15
4000 CARMAN DR #33 $165,000 2 2 1100 ATTACHD 3
4 Touchstone #155 $168,000 3 2.1 1351 CONDO 4
5225 JEAN RD #201 $224,900 3 2 1500 CONDO 34
5835 CARMAN DR $273,900 2 2.1 1650 DETACHD 20
4405 THUNDER VISTA LN $275,000 2 2.1 1922 CONDO 11
4458 THUNDER VISTA LN $279,000 2 2.1 2200 CONDO 76
16200 PACIFIC HWY #22 $299,000 2 2 1190 CONDO 7
4226 WOODSIDE CIR $329,900 3 2 1578 ATTACHD 12
4200 UPPER DR $350,000 3 1 1371 DETACHD 59
16500 LAKE FOREST BLVD $357,500 3 1 960 DETACHD 5
937 OAK ST $439,000 3 3 3153 DETACHD 40
18357 HEATHER ANN CT $439,900 3 2 1832 DETACHD 2
2301 WEMBLEY PARK RD $460,000 3 2.1 1864 DETACHD 17
7 FALSTAFF ST $549,900 5 2.1 2740 DETACHD 11
3232 WEMBLEY PARK RD $549,900 4 3.1 2805 DETACHD 108
4176 UPPER DR $550,000 5 3 2968 DETACHD 59
311 3RD ST $678,988 3 3.1 2123 ATTACHD 18
14036 MAJESTIC CT $695,000 6 3.2 4995 DETACHD 157
1943 INDIAN TRAIL $869,850 3 2.1 2960 DETACHD 4
475 8th ST $979,000 4 2.1 2699 DETACHD
583 2ND ST Upper $1,100,000 2 2.1 2190 CONDO 142
1075 CHANDLER RD $1,975,000 5 4.1 5710 DETACHD 48
16842 ALDER CIR $4,750,000 5 3.2 5144 DETACHD 68

SOLD  (Sept 21-27, 2015)

Address O/Price Close Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
47 EAGLE CREST DR #51 $90,000 $90,000 1 1 666 CONDO 9
668 MCVEY AVE Grnd $199,900 $189,500 2 1.1 976 CONDO 73
3864 BOTTICELLI ST Main $189,000 $197,000 2 1.1 1132 CONDO 3
200 BURNHAM RD #305 $269,900 $249,900 2 2 1328 CONDO 46
4097 JEFFERSON PKWY $259,000 $260,000 2 2.1 1359 CONDO 6
17872 PILKINGTON RD $254,900 $265,100 3 2 1056 DETACHD 30
17766 MARYLCREEK DR $769,000 $720,000 4 3.1 4439 DETACHD 68
5635 BAY CREEK DR $799,900 $800,000 4 2.1 3036 DETACHD 10
5484 WESTFIELD CT $795,000 $816,000 4 2.1 3062 DETACHD 3
1189 SUNNINGDALE CT $849,000 $831,000 3 2.1 2072 DETACHD 0
815 OAK ST $945,000 $905,000 4 3.1 3709 DETACHD 52
2464 PALISADES CREST DR $1,199,000 $960,000 4 2.1 3897 DETACHD 135
14355 FOSBERG RD $1,100,000 $977,000 5 3.1 5536 DETACHD 0
18347 LOTHLORIEN WAY $1,098,000 $1,000,000 5 3.2 4141 DETACHD 27
17320 LAKE HAVEN DR $1,235,000 $1,100,000 4 3 2703 DETACHD 212
1858 Highland LOOP $1,950,000 $2,350,000 4 4.1 4000 DETACHD

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.

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Consumer Protection and Closing your purchase/sale

I think we all realize that after the debacle of the housing bubble and melt-down of the mortgage industry in 2007 some major changes needed to happen. I have seen 2 implemented already and a 3rd is just about to be rolled out.

The first two were 1) tighter lending regulations that force a buyer to actually prove that they are qualified for a mortgage, and 2) tighter appraisal regulations that force appraisers to factually prove the value of a house.

The 3rd is designed to protect the mortgage borrower. Essentially what it does is it forces lenders to be accurate from the beginning so that a borrower does not run into any surprises at closing. It also builds in waiting periods so that a borrower has time to reflect upon the costs of their new mortgage and not be pressured into a loan that will not serve them well.

The first deadline occurs when a loan application is made. Within 3 days of the application the borrower(s) must receive a Loan Estimate, coming to be called an “LE”. Then, 3 days prior to signing their loan documents the borrower(s) must receive a Closing Disclosure, coming to be called a “CD”. The costs comparing the 2 documents must be within 1/8th (.0125) of the APR, annual percentage rate. If there is an overage, it is the fault of the lender and must be paid by the lender. This way the borrower is not going to be Oswego-Lakesurprised by unexpected loan costs and their experience should be less stressful.

Be aware that this system is going to create delays in closing on a purchase.

The biggest issue is that changes happen in a transaction. The sales price might change as a result of repair issues, the borrower may decide they want a different loan product, any number of changes can happen. In the past when this happened the loan application could simply be modified. There was lots of flexibility in the process. With the new regulations when this happens now essentially a new loan is applied for and the waiting periods begin again.

It is normal when you are buying a home to be excited to get into it. It is especially normal when selling a home to want to close as quickly as you can to know it is final and to receive your proceeds. Closing in 30-45 days has been the practice. With the new guidelines I believe closings will take at least an additional week or two. So plan on closings in 45-60 days, if not more.

The other issue is that mortgage companies and banks are being given all of the same regulations but are being allowed to determine their own methods for implementing them. It is very specific that both the LE and the CD go to all parties. I learned in a recent class I took on the matter that some of the larger lenders are thinking about using the US Postal service to send the notifications. Seriously? What if one of the parties is out of the country? Talk about creating delays. Flexibility will be the name of the game as these changes are implemented.

As a buyer and as a seller, please avoid the blame game. If these new regulations do create delays, don’t blame the other party to the transaction. They have no control over this and there are going to be kinks as Realtors, Title Companies, and Mortgage Companies implement systems and iron out the kinks.

Last, if you happen to have a home that is at least 3200 square feet, newer, with at least a 3 car garage that you want to sell here in LO, call me! I have a buyer who has seen everything out that and is chomping at the bit!
Dianne

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Market Activity Aug 31-Sept 13, 2015

This summer has been incredibly busy and last week was no exception. I am so grateful to Linda and Whitney for helping with this blog. Our village may be just the 3 of us, but it does take a village. With that in mind, this week’s market activity report is covering a 2 week period. In that time period there were 34 new listings, 40 pending sales, and 31 sold/closed homes.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS for last week:

New on the Market (Aug 31-Sept 13, 2015)

Address Type Price Bedrooms Baths Sq Ft
4000 Carman Dr #88 Condo $149,000 2 2 836
86 Kingsgate Rd D105 Condo $159,900 2 2 $924
48 Eagle Crest Dr 5E Condo $205,000 2 2 1443
210 State St #4 Condo $219,900 2 1 1284
4343 Beasley Way Detached $250,000 2 2 1110
4434 Thunder Vista Ln Attached $254,900 2 2.5 1970
1638 Boca Ratan Dr Attached $269,500 3 1.5 1403
5835 Carman Dr Detached $273,900 2 2.5 1650
18690 Don Lee Way Detached $350,000 3 2 1136
668 McVey Ave #57 Condo $350,000 3 1.5 985
18820 65th Ave Detached $399,900 3 2.5 2268
3674 Carman Dr Attached $449,000 3 2.5 1965
2301 Wembley Park Rd Detached $460,000 3 2.5 1864
4401 Oakridge Rd Attached $499,900 2 2.5 1702
17520 Redfern Ave Detached $549,900 3 2 1776
7 Falstaff St Detached $549,900 5 2.5 2740
1731 Woodland Terrace Detached $595,000 4 2.5 2714
13265 Fox Run Detached $625,000 4 2.5 2614
17927 Ridge Lake Dr Detached $649,000 4 2.5 2544
311 3rd St Attached $678,988 3 3.5 2123
2979 Rivendell Rd Detached $684,900 4 2.5 2537
SW Carman Dr Detached $699,900 3 2.5 2751
17337 Cedar Rd Detached $719,000 4 3.5 3080
20 Juarez St Detached $760,000 5 4 3464
5366 Amberwood Ct Detached $775,000 5 2.5 2878
13461 Streamside Dr Detached $796,000 4 2.5 3321
1061 Yates St Detached $839,900 3 3.5 2837
4855 Upper Dr Detached $849,000 4 3 2852
16633 Woodsman Ct Detached $949,900 4 4 4131
14261 Uplands Dr Detached $989,000 5 4 3843
1145 Timberline Dr Detached $1,065,000 4 2 4564
18036 Eastridge Ln Detached $1,150,000 4 3.5 4526
16686 Maple Circle Detached $1,195,000 4 3.5+.5 3311
13197 Thoma Rd Detached $1,495,000 3 3 3560

Pending Sales (Aug 31-Sept 13, 2015)

Address Type Price Bedrooms Baths Sq Ft DOM
47 Eagle Crest DR #20 Condo $104,000 2 1 1009 87
100 Kerr Pkwy #36 Condo $115,500 1 1 631 14
53 Galen Rd Condo $161,000 2 2 993 24
3433 McNary Pkwy #704 Condo $169,000 2 2 1008 46
4 Touchstone #152 Condo $168,900 3 2.5 1275 3
3433 McNary Pkwy #401 Condo $179,900 2 2.5 1208 14
668 McVey Ave Condo $194,900 2 1.5 976 73
4851 Madrona St Detached $215,000 3 2 1434 92
16250 Pacific Hwy #42 Condo $234,900 2 2 1350 17
3926 Carman Dr Condo $234,900 2 2.5 1129 66
200 Burnham Rd #408 Condo $249,000 2 2 1305 21
27 Aquinas St Detached $342,000 3 2.5 1568 73
16735 Lake Forest Blvd Detached $349,900 3 2 1192 19
3190 Duncan Dr Detached $375,000 3 2.5 2401 223
4871 Centerwood St Detached $375,000 4 3 2619 194
885 McVey Ave Detached $379,000 3 1 1292 3
89 Kingsgate Rd Detached $399,990 3 2.5 1713 15
1559 Worthington St Detached $409,900 4 2 2016 83
26 Spinosa Detached $419,900 3 2.5 2065 55
4330 Orchard Way Detached $445,000 4 2.5 2099 6
15144 Boones Way Detached $449,950 4 3.5 2409 37
3180 Edgemont Rd Detached $475,000 3 2.5 1704 5
12635 Adrian Ct Detached $549,000 4 2.5 2662 516
18121 Pioneer Ct Detached $550,000 4 2.5 2310 5
1161 Upper Devon Ln Detached $560,000 4 2.5 2265 420
15590 Tanager Dr Detached $569,900 4 2.5 2532 31
15001 Twin Fir RD Detached $585,000 4 3 2664 172
18086 Jenifers Way Detached $699,000 3 2.5 2582 49
13836 Amberwood Circle Detached $699,500 3 2.5 4183 184
13010 Sierra Vista Dr Detached $719,900 5 3.5 3450 142
13060 Elk Rock Rd Detached $725,000 5 3 3681 155
5833 Stewart Glenn Ct Detached $815,000 4 2.5 3258 52
1361 Country Commons Detached $995,000 3 2.5 3118 28
151 Berwick Rd Detached $998,500 4 3 4387 50
595 D Ave Detached $1,050,000 3 3 3760 75
2464 Palisades Crest Dr Detached $1,095,000 4 2.5 3897 118
454 9th St Detached $1,125,000 3 4 3278 25
17327 Kelok Rd Detached $1,150,000 3 3 2300 145
1097 Chandler Rd Detached $2,075,000 4 4.5 5313 410
1653 Lake Front Rd Detached $3,900,000 5 5.5 6274 175

Sold/Closed  (Aug 31-Sept 13, 2015)

Address Type List Price Sold Price Sq Ft CDOM
203 Oswego Summit Condo $174,900 $175,900 1506 357
3652 Spring Ln Condo $175,000 $180,000 1117 3
48 Eagle Crest Dr 4E Condo $209,900 $204,000 1489 12
3812 Botticelli St Condo $239,000 $220,000 1,200 $47
196 Cervantes Condo $239,900 $240,000 1241 12
48 Eagle Crest Dr Condo $250,000 $245,000 1550 169
12844 Boones Ferry Rd Condo $315,000 $306,900 1334 19
16536 Inverurie Rd Detached $315,000 $315,000 1064 4
16173 Lake Forest Blvd Detached $315,000 $315,000 1334 77
434 5th St Condo $324,900 $323,200 1092 4
5467 Kenny St Detached $345,000 $329,000 960 0
15879 Kimball St Detached $349,900 $352,277 1076 11
210 S State ST #9 Condo $366,000 $353,000 1516 12
27 Da Vinci St Detached $477,500 $472,250 2820 83
143 Kingsgate Rd Detached $475,000 $476,500 2,110 8
92 Tanglewood Dr Detached $529,950 $499,000 2600 23
855 G Ave Detached $599,000 $509,000 3165 5
41 Spinosa Detached $519,000 $535,000 2389 2
13010 Sierra Ct Detached $545,000 $555,000 3065 1
1270 Hida A Way Ct Detached $625,000 $625,000 2312 4
891 G Ave Detached $625,000 $635,000 2431 2
55 Northshore Rd #11 Condo $749,000 $647,000 1910 93
139 Del Prado St Detached $699,000 $675,000 2895 77
4833 Hastings Dr Detached $665,000 $701,970 2831 1
5148 Woodcrest Ln Detached $699,900 $735,111 3110 3
13447 Streamside Ct Detached $899,000 $830,000 3609 48
796 1st ST Detached $885,000 $841,350 4108 355
426 7th St Detached $925,000 $976,600 3046 4
18245 River Edge Ct Detached $1,100,000 $995,000 4830 18
18825 River Edge Ct Detached $1,390,000 $1,329,000 6620 450
778 Cabana Ln Detached $1,849,000 $1,750,000 3343 145

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.

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The Importance of 5%

l-lake-oswego-mansionOne of the most important services that I give to my clients is advising them about price. For people whose homes I am selling that advice is my opinion of what their house is worth. For people that I am helping to buy a home, that advice is what to offer. Both of these situations have in common the importance of 5%.

When you are selling your home
The first step in selling your home is consulting with a Realtor. I do a lot of preparation when I go into these appointments. I spend time on line looking at the statistics of home sales in the neighborhood, and then I spend time driving around the area looking at the comparable properties. Every neighborhood has a range of values, depending upon the amount of remodeling that has been done. So when I sit down with homeowners, I am pretty informed about what I want to advise. I am looking to list the house within 5% of what I think it is worth. I know that within this percentage the house is likely to sell. Higher than 5% and I know it will take a bit of a miracle to get the house sold, will lead to a potentially extended marketing time, and will likely end up with a lower final sales price.

So if you are planning to sell your home, please listen to your Realtor and take their recommended price very seriously. Please don’t list for more than 5% over the recommended price.

And if you have made the mistake of over-pricing, and it is time to do a price reduction, the reduction needs to be at least 5% to have an impact on the market.

For buyers making offers
The same 5% holds true when you go to make an offer. If you offer within 5% you have a high likelihood of coming to an agreement. If you offer less, it can shut down negotiations by offending the home owner. There are exceptions to this. I have learned to write whatever my buyer wants me to write because I have had low offers accepted that surprised me. It really comes down to the sellers situation and their motivation. But from my experience low offers generally do not come together. If you really want the house, offer within 5% of the listed price.

Good luck with your house hunting! And remember Whitney, Linda and I are hear to help if you need some great real estate advice.
Dianne