No Sugar Coating Here!

September 2010 will go down in the record books as a rough month in Portland Real Estate. When comparing data from September 2009 to this September we had a decline in closing sales, pending sales and the number of new listings taken. With over 14,714 listings currently on the market, there are a lot of for sale signs hanging in Portland! Some of this can be attributed to back to school and changing of the seasons. Other reasons? It's just the market we are in.

So, Jen and Cindy keep saying its a good market. Really ladies?

YES. We repeat. YES, it is a good market. How, you ask?

If you are a buyer all of this means 3 things:
1. There are FOURTEEN THOUSAND properties to choose from
2. There is room to negotiate as owners of listings that are sitting on the market are feeling the pinch and may consider an offer they never thought they would. (We see it every week.)
3. Interest rates are still low. Super low.

It is a good time to be a buyer. Ask any of the buyers we have helped in September and October and they will tell you they feel like they got a fair to great price on the homes they have purchased. They have also gotten some great repairs done from sewer lines, oil tank decommissioning to windows included in the sales price.

If you are thinking about selling your home, houses that are priced 2-5% below market value and are in the correct condition are selling in the first 3 weeks. We just ran comps for a seller and found out that houses in his area are selling in 9-14days when priced well. Although his home is the nicest on the street it will be priced in the lower end of its price range with the hopes of selling in the first week.

The market stats are ugly. We know. However, buying and selling in an ugly market has its advantages. Maybe that is the sugar on top!

Great Pumpkin

Now that fall has officially arrived, it is time to begin gearing up for the holidays. First on the list is Halloween which means a trip to the pumpkin patch, corn maze and haunted houses. Below is a list of great Halloween activities that are sure to ramp you and your family up for the fast approaching holiday season.

Sauvie Island Corn Maze - The Maize
http://www.portlandmaze.com/

Scream At The Beach Haunted House
http://www.screamatthebeach.com/

13th Door Haunted House
http://www.13thdoor.com/pdx/index.php

Run Like Hell - Run on Oct 24th
http://www.terrapinevents.com/run-like-hell-portland_map.htm

Fantasy Train – Oregon City
http://www.fantasytrail.com/

Annual Squashing of the Squash - Oct 29the 10:30 a.m.
Howloween at the Zoo – Oct 30-31 11a.m- 4p.m
http://www.oregonzoo.org/Events/Calendar/2010/10oct.htm

It’s a Halloween Bash at the Children’s Museum - Sunday Oct 31st 10a.m – 3p.m.
http://www.portlandcm.org/calendar/view_entry.php?id=713&date=20101031

Laurelwood Pumpkin Carving Contest
http://www.laurelwoodbrewpub.com/2010/09/27/5th-annual-pumpkin-carving-contest/

The Anticipated Kitchen Remodel

The sunny days of summer that make working in the yard so appealing are fast behind us, which means it is time to move our focus inside. To get prepared for the projects ahead I have begun compiling a list of musts and wants, and a minor kitchen remodel is on the top of my list for wants. Along with the kitchen remodel comes beautiful new countertops so to get the ball rolling I researched countertop options. I found some really helpful information and cannot wait to put it to use when making our choice of countertops.

Countertop Options - Pros and Cons

Laminate: Easy to install yourself, it's inexpensive and low-maintenance but shows damage easily.

Ceramic tile: A classic style that can be installed by a seasoned do-it-yourselfer, ceramic tile is resistant to heat, scratches, and stains. The grout is not as hardy; it easily stains and can collect bacteria.

Wood: A great choice for a kitchen island surface, wood adds warmth; however, it must be treated with mineral oil often, and bacteria can easily breed in scratches in the wood.

Solid surfaces: Corian and Earthstone offer a seamless look that can easily be sanded if damaged but can crack from high heat.

Concrete: A custom look in numerous color and texture options, concrete must be sealed regularly.

Stainless steel: Resisting stains and standing up to high temperatures, stainless steel looks sleek but shows damage from scratches.

Stone surfaces: Expensive yet beautiful, granite holds up to common kitchen wear and tear, but marble must be resealed often.