Oregon Real Estate Podcast

When paint time arrives, did you know some homesellers risk leaving 'money on the table' later by not taking advantage of 'market-friendly' house paint colors to more effectively attract homebuyers?

While most Oregon homebuyers use traditional lenders like banks, mortgage brokers or credit unions, there are solid reasons (and a very helpful alternative) to purchase a home without them. Buyers avoid traditional lenders for a variety of factors and when they do, one mechanism they frequently turn to is known in our area as seller financing. What Is Seller Financing? Also called owner financing,...

Perhaps you've seen TV shows and movies about life behind bars, or read prison-related books. But regardless of how stories about prison are shown in the media, the simple fact is that most people have never been incarcerated. As a result, one common question about prison life is if it's very much like how it's portrayed...or is it significantly different than that? There are also other questions...

One reason buying or selling a home is different than other transactions is because with real estate, egos are sometimes involved. We often hear about the importance of 'curb appeal,' or making a home look good from the street. Yet the 'curb appeal' that could be a deal-maker or deal-breaker in your next real estate transaction might be as simple as 'curbing your own ego.' Curious? Find out more.....

Despite the significant disruption of Coronavirus in our daily lives, homes throughout Oregon continue to be bought and sold. Inventory currently remains low, meaning buyers compete more for fewer available homes for sale. If you plan to buy a home now, you need a game plan to score your home purchase touchdown. Here are five helpful home purchasing 'plays' to help you get over the goal line and r...

While real estate forecasting carries with it a degree of uncertainty, as the saying goes, "To be forewarned is to be forearmed." With this in mind, here are six key considerations homesellers can expect this year.

As we move through Spring, 2020 in the current Covid-19 environment, many are wondering how Oregon real estate is being affected by the Coronavirus and what to expect ahead.

Given present concerns about the COVID-19 or Corona virus, many Oregon home buyers and home sellers are concerned about how it may affect their next real estate transaction. Related questions include "Will I be able to get a loan?" to "Are buyers still interested in buying?" and "Is the market going to improve, worsen, or stay the same?" Added concerns surround what many formerly took for granted,...

At what point should the conversation about downsizing begin and how might this affect one's lifestyle? Learn more in this helpful podcast episode!

With rare exception, most home sellers hope to sell their property for the most money possible. That’s a perfectly reasonable approach. Yet if you overprice your property in an attempt to maximize your return, you’re likely to sabotage your home selling efforts, have your property on the market longer and even receive less at the […]

Real estate isn't always predictable. Given changing conditions, language used to describe housing is rife with lingo from other industries that experience constantly shifting events—some catastrophic—like aviation. While housing is axiomatically 'grounded' compared to the aircraft industry, from time to time Oregon real estate market activity is described as akin to a 'bumpy recovery,' 'hard ride...

Every experienced Realtor has them: Stories rarely shared with clients that involve particularly unnerving moments in an agent’s real estate career. In this case, we aren’t talking about simple cases of a flea-infested house, or one with no water or electricity. The topic? Stigmatized properties.

When multiple buyers express interest in a property by each writing an offer, the balance of power has shifted substantially in favor of the seller. As a result of this decided shift, buyers typically become more competitive. Why? Because fear of loss can be a powerful motivator. What can home sellers do to maximize their leverage in getting the best possible offer? Find out more in this informati...

One simple way for homesellers to improve their results is by taking advantage of the current housing market. While homeselling is typically easiest in what's known as a 'seller's market' when housing supply is low, homesellers can make this technique work in most market conditions. This is akin to the art of judo, where you use your opponent's weight against him or her. To do this requires having...

Did you know weather can impact a home purchase or sale? The type of weather conditions possibly affecting your next real estate transaction is wide-ranging, perhaps even surprising. What kinds of weather events should you look out for in your next real estate transaction? Find out more...in this informative real estate podcast!

Who wants to spend days, weeks or even months preparing a home to sell? For many, that task is on a par with dental visits and working on taxes. So when getting ready to place your home on the market, what's a homeseller to do? The good news is that as a homeseller, you have options.

Most residential real estate transactions are ultimately successful, meaning they actually 'close.' Such a 'happily ever after' scenario has sellers receiving their money and buyers, their new house. However, given the many steps along the way, many real estate transactions have a few 'bumps in the road.' Sometimes it's a home inspection defect. At other times it's a lendability issue, like an app...

‘When’s too soon to list my house?’ is a common homeseller question Realtors are asked. To be sure, there are a host of factors that influence the optimum time of year to sell. When considering the best time to sell your home, several factors stand out. One is the amount of homeseller competition based on […]

A famous, oft-quoted movie line is 'You can't handle the truth.' Yet have you ever considered how that statement might relate to hiring a Realtor? In other words, since agents provide information to help your bottom line, are you truly interested in being informed with the truth, or might you prefer not to know?  It's no surprise that some sellers and home buyers aren't always willing to deal with...

Common wisdom suggests Oregon home sales activity should decline during the holidays. At first glance, this makes sense, given Oregon's less favorable weather then, along with less daylight and a general aversion to adding yet one more task to what is for some, an already overloaded holiday schedule. However, there's a compelling case that the time surrounding Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year'...

The diversity of Oregon residents is hardly surprising, given the fact that a majority of Oregonians are not native to our state. It turns out that fewer than half of Oregonians were born here, with more than half hailing from somewhere else—most often California & Washington. In fact, roughly one in five Oregon residents were born in California! So what are the faces of Oregon...and how might thi...

When multiple buyers express interest in a property by each writing an offer, the balance of power has shifted substantially in favor of the seller. As a result of this decided shift, buyers typically become more competitive. Why? Because fear of loss can be a powerful motivator. And while it's possible for three, four, or even more buyers to compete for the same house, the principle is essentiall...

A common saying states 'Knowledge is power.' Have you ever wondered what kinds of information others may have about you? You may not have considered how much insurers know about you, your home, or car, but the insurance industry holds quite a bit of information that can significantly affect your insurance costs, especially if it's either incorrect or incomplete. The bottom line is that while insur...

In most relationships, business or otherwise, there's some usual 'give and take.' In the end of such encounters, both sides typically benefit, making the situation a 'win-win' outcome for those involved. And that's why 'taking advantage' of your Realtor as a helpful resource needn't be adversarial. Instead, providing counsel and information is what expert real estate agents do best. And leveraging...

Did you know the profession of real estate agent consistently ranks as one of the most stressful occupations? Yet, some Realtors seemingly deal with stress as if their work is a breeze. Ever wonder what's their secret? And is there something homebuyers and homesellers can learn about defusing stress using tips from real estate professionals who work daily 'in the trenches' while handling  potentia...