Remodeling? Home Improvement on your fall list?

Don't miss the first home show of the year...

Thursday at 11:00am - October 3 at 6:00pm
Location: Portland Expo Center
2060 North Marine Drive
Portland, OR


Get help finishing an existing project or start a new one!The Portland Fall Home and Garden Show is the foremost fall show of its kind in Oregon state featuring exhibits for the do-it-yourselfer and the professional contractor alike. The show is a unique marketplace to shop, compare and save on a total selection of home-related products and services for building, remodeling, gardening and decorating. Fall is the best time to plant for spring. Fall is also a great time to begin interior redecorating and remodeling. Experts in remodeling and home builders exhibit the latest and best products and services to those attending this home and garden show. Meet the top kitchen and bath remodelers, heating and air conditioning specialists, window, roofing and siding remodelers, flooring, water conditioning and home security experts and top real estate agents. Come browse, bring a notebook for jotting ideas, and take in the seminars at this years show.

For a discount coupon for Thursday or Friday:
http://otshows.com/shows/pfhs/attendees/discount_coupon.htm

Post a comment and let us know that you went and what you thought of it!

Sunday Parkways Gets Ready to Roll Through NW Portland

Portland’s Sunday Parkways is a program in which the City of Portland turns automobile-free streets over to bikers, walkers and runners. The City of Portland held its first Sunday Parkways event in North Portland in June of 2008 and due to its wild success, 5 events were planned throughout the city this summer. As the summer comes to an end, so does Sunday Parkways with this Sunday marking the final event of the year - and it’s all the buzz.

This Sunday the 4.5-mile Northwest Portland Sunday Parkways route will have two loops, connecting SW Stark Street, Old Town Chinatown, The Pearl District and Northwest neighborhoods. With live music, food vendors and family friendly activities along the route at Couch and Wallace Parks, Sunday Parkways is the perfect opportunity for you and your family to get out and be active together. So pull out those running shoes, bikes, strollers or even roller skates and enjoy the NW Portland city streets filled with surprises around every corner...all automobile-free.

Sunday, September 26th
10 am - 3 pm
For More information:
http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=51515&a=286802

Sales Prices are Up!

Sales prices are up! Who Knew?

So it is only a 1% increase in price comparing August of 2010 with August of 2009, but an increase is an increase right? Comparing July to August of this year we also saw an increase in the sales price of homes in the Portland Metro Area. Again, the increase was small but the average sales price went from $297,000 to $299,300. Baby steps!

If we are seeing these increases then why does the news keep talking about the gloom and doom of the real estate world? While prices are up, the number of houses actually changing hands and closing is down. Way down. When comparing August of 2010 and August of 2009 we have 25% less sales and an increase of inventory that would last us 11 months! That is the down side.

To recap: prices are up, sales are down. That sounds like something straight out of my Econ 101 class in college. I didn't like econ then and I don't like econ now. Let me try to translate this. If you are selling or buying you can expect prices to be about the same as they were a year ago or maybe a little bit more but sellers are facing a lot more competition so houses need to be impeccable or priced correctly for any blemishes....

Call or email with questions about this latest information that just came out this week.

Jen and Cindy

Race for the Cure

Don't we all know someone who has been effected by this awful disease?

The Portland Race for the Cure is this weekend and as the daughter of a breast cancer survivor of 23 years, this is a cause near and dear to my heart. Donate, walk it, talk about it or just think about it this weekend but PLEASE do something as it is going to take everyone to get rid of this awful disease. Too many people in our lives have gotten to know this disease too well. It is one thing to have a parent or an aunt diagnosed with it but when it happens to our peers at a young age it hits even closer to home.

This past year, my friend Becky found a tumor. At the time she discovered her tumor she was planning her wedding and thinking about her future. That instantly became secondary to fighting this ugly monster. Instead of becoming a Bridezilla, Becky became a Breast Cancer Butt-Kickingzilla and has been beating it ever since. The Butt Kickingzilla has many of the same traits as a Bridezilla, she became bossy, demanding and even a little irritable. The good news was, it wasn't at people, it was at this little thing growing inside her breast! After what seems like a million doctor appts, needle pokes, trips for chemo and everything else she had to endure, I am happy to report that this Cancer Butt Kickingzilla has successfully defeated her foe! Becky is on the road to recovery and we couldn't be more grateful. I think the scariest thing about this for those of us who know her is that Becky is a healthy and vibrant person, just reiterating that this nasty disease can find anyone!

I am writing in honor of my mom and Becky and asking that you take a moment to visit Becky's website and make a donation. She has currently raised the third highest amount of any team in the Portland Race for the Cure. You can sign on by going to

http://race.komenoregon.org/goto/beckyhornsten

If you are interested in taking part in the race, http://www.komenoregon.org/Race_for_the_Cure/ is where you need to go to sign up to walk or sleep in for the cure. Check it out.

Don't miss this chance to make a difference!

The Market Rebound

With the many real estate and economics related questions we all have, the biggest one for many of us seems to be when will the real estate market rebound. The reports, which seem to be posted daily, point in many different directions and lead us to believe that the truth is nobody really knows. One promising article in Bloomberg/Businessweek last month predicts the housing market will be at its strongest by 2014, with Oregon and Washington seeing some of the biggest increases. Read the entire article