Agent Profile
I am a top ranked agent serving the Portland area for over 20 years specializing in residential real estate sales and investments. I created this site as a real estate resource for buyers and sellers who want to be well informed about current inventory and pricing. If you are interested in actively tracking the market, please sign up to receive my daily listing email. We map every new listing each day then update the neighborhood maps. The map is emailed to you...simply click a neighborhood to see the listed properties for sale, complete with pictures, price and address. Agency Info
RE/MAX Equity Group
5800 Meadows Road, Suite 100
Lake Oswego, OR 97035
Lake Oswego Historic Home Tour
Walk through LO’s history! Self-guided home tour of five restored and preserved historic homes of Lake Oswego on May 15th. For more information & tickets click here
March 2010 Market Action Report
Comparing March 2009 to March 2010, there has been continual improvement in the first quarter of 2010. In the month of March, there was a considerable 51.9% increase in closed sales, new listings were up 35.3%, and there was a 46.7% increase in pending sales compared to that of a year ago.
From February-March 2010, closed sales significantly increased by 77.2%, pending sales were up 29.8%, while new listings increased 28.7%. Also, when comparing the month-to-month average sale price, there was a slight 2.6% increase ($280,300 v. $273,100) and a small 1.6% increase in median sale price ($238,900 v. $235,000).
Overall, the first quarter of 2010 has ended in a better position that that of 2009 first quarter. New listings, pending sales, and closed sales all rose when compared to 2009. Please do not hesitate to contact me today so we can talk about how you can take advantage of the current real estate market!
February 2010 Market Action Report
Overall, sales in the month of February have improved in 2010 compared to February 2009. There was an 18.4% increase in closed sales, with a large 45% increase in pending sales. New listings also rose 12.4%.
February 2010 compared to January 2010 shows closed sales rose 2.9% and pending sales increased 20.5%. When comparing the same period to January-February 2009, we see that closed sales increased 26.7% and pending sales went up 34.7%.
When comparing inventory in the month of February 2009-2010, we see that the total number of months it would take to sell all active listings has gone down from 16.6 to 12.9 months. A good indication that real estate activity is picking up in the early part of 2010. If you would like more information about current tax credits, short sale incentives, and how you can capitalize on the 2nd quarter 2010 real estate market, please give me a call today!
New Program Offers Cash Incentives for Short Sale Homeowners
Starting April 5, the Obama administration plans to put a new program in effect that will help distressed homeowners. This program was created in response to the growing number of Americans facing foreclosure and need a way out. With this program, $1500 will be given to short sale homeowners who decide to sell their homes for less that what is owed. If a homeowner is in a situation where they have to sell, such as facing foreclosure, short sales can be a great answer. Currently, however, there are challenges for a short sale to close in a reasonable amount of time due to inadequate short sale standardization among banks, creating frustration for sellers, buyers, and lenders alike. In response, the program plans to also handout cash to the lenders in hopes to help expedite and standardize the short sale processes. If you are facing a situation where you are thinking about entering into a short sale transaction, please contact me today. To read the full article from NY Times, click here.
Oregon Metro Plans Public Transit from Downtown PDX to Downtown LO
While there are still many specifications to work out, Oregon Metro has plans for a Lake Oswego to Portland Transit Project which could open by the end of 2016. There are several different options being proposed, such as a No-build option, enhanced bus system, and a full-on streetcar option.
To read the full article click here
Lake Oswego & Tigard Water Partnership
Even in a state with a high annual rainfall, abundant drinking water can be an issue. Such is the case for the city of Tigard, who has been buying water from Lake Oswego dating back as far the 1970′s. There will be certain water system improvements in the near future, however, and both cities will be sharing the improved drinking water and the associated costs.
To read the full article click here
January 2010 Market Action Report
While there has been a 6.2% decrease in new listings in January 2009 to 2010, a 43% increase in new listings from December 2009, just one month prior, indicates a trend of increased inventory after the new year.
Total market time has decreased by 4.7%, and closed sales have increased by 34.7% from January ’09-’10. This shows inventory is moving more quickly than it was at this time last year.
Median sales price has dropped 4% from January ’09 to ’10, indicating a continuation of a slightly downward trend on pricing. Combined with low interest rates, and the tax credit–now is a perfect time to buy, homes have never been more affordable!
Forbes Magazine: Portland Top Ten Cities to Buy
Still renting? Perhaps after you read Forbes article on why certain cities are better to buy than rent, you might re-think that decision. One of those cities is Portland. According to Forbes, if you’re thinking about making the upgrade to buy a house rather than rent, now is the time to do it. Forbes also claims prices are likely to go up in upcoming years, making now a perfect time to invest in real estate vs. wasting money in rent. The article describes Portland as “a picturesque, culture-driven city with good local services and amenities.” To read the full article, click here
December Market Action Report
In December, sales activity showed a bit of an improvement compared to a year ago. Closed sales were up 52.6% compared to December of 2008, pending sales rose 40.9%, and new listings rose 11.9%.
However, when compared to November 2009, closed sales fell 16.1%, pending sales dropped 14.1%, and new listings fell 15.8%. The median sale price is also down 10%.
If you are ready to be a homeowner, now is your time. The Portland area is seeing some of the best interest rates in 30 years, amazing prizes, and up to $8,000 in tax credit to spend freely.
Click HERE to view the full report
New Year, New Law
Along with the new year, comes a new law: the House bill 2377, or as we know it “Oregon’s hands free law”. Under this long overdue law, drivers must use a hands free device for their mobile phone while operating a vehicle. This comes after the astounding report by Oregon’s State Department of Transportation that between 2003 and 2008, more than 1,660 crashes involving drivers on cell phones occurred, including 21 fatalities.
To read more about the hands free law click HERE
