Showing posts with label Portland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Portland. Show all posts

Friday, January 27, 2012

Is It Possible to Turn Your Current Home Into Investment Property?

If you've ever considered keeping your current home as a rental, and using this "buyer's market" to get into your dream home, 2012 will be the time to seriously consider it. There are a lot of factors indicating that this is probably a wise decision if you have the means. Below are just a few things to consider:
  • I'm not going to lie - it's a tough market for selling your home. By keeping it, you could take advantage of market timing. I don't always recommend trying to anticipate or "play" the market (usually it's best to make decisions on what's right for your family, not by RMLS and NAR data), but in this case, you may be able to buy in a low market and wait several years for a small recovery before you sell.
  • Due to the recent decrease in home ownership in the past couple of years, the demand for rental property is at a high. I think it's a sad predicament - that housing is both difficult to find and at a premium. Moving out of your first-time home and adding a well-kept property to the rental pool might help both parties - renters and investors - in this climate. 
  • The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday that it anticipates keeping the federal funds rate low through 2014. While these inter-bank interest rates don't immediately affect consumers, they do eventually influence the interest rates consumers pay on their home loans. The challenge is that interest rates are higher for loans on investment property. However, if you've lived in your primary residence for a year or more (check the fine print on your loan terms), you may be able to keep your current loan in place and still take advantage of primary home rates on your new property.  
If you'd like to explore whether this option will work for you, it's usually best to start by speaking with a lender. The two of us can work together to help you figure out if there is enough equity in your home and if there are  mortgage options for this approach to work for you.  

If you'd like to start receiving listings that fit the bill for your next home sent directly to you, sign up via my search website here. If you need a lender suggestion, I work with some great people! Call me at 503-936-8705 or email amy@rosecityrealtors.com for contact information. 

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

July Market Action - Inventory

RMLS (Regional Multiple Listing Service) has released the residential review for the Portland Metro area.
NAR (National Association of Realtors) also put out numbers, you can read their report here.
As expected the pending sales that were generated as part of the tax credit have closed, so the number of sales has dropped significantly (both on a month-to-month and year ago analysis). Sales prices have also fallen, though much less dramatically. Given that the credit is out of the mix, I'm hoping that we will see more stable sales numbers in coming months, but I'll keep you informed whichever way it goes. As always, if you have any metro area real estate questions don't hesitate to give me a call at 503-453-6156.



Thursday, July 16, 2009

Warm Fuzzies


I ran across these wonderful creations and LOVE them!
Yes it's knit, Yes it's gloves, wraps & scarves. Yes it's hot here right now but it never stays this way. She's local and her stuff is so cute I just had to share.


Did I mention the hand bags...I've gotta make room in my closet!




How about a sale "Christmas In July"?
Check it out, be fun and fashionable!


Cofygirl
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=100719

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Farmers' Markets

Farmers' Market's I Love them, here are a few in the area you should check out.


Hollywood Farmers’ Market
NE Hancock /44th & 45th
May - Oct
Sat: 8am - 1pm

Interstate Farmers’ Market
Overlook Pk N Fremont/Interstate
Mid May - Sept
Wed: 3pm - 7pm


Lents Farmers’ Market
SE 92nd & SE Foster Rd
Mid June - Mid Oct
Sun: 9am - 2pm


Lloyd Farmers’ Market
NE Holladay St /7th & 9th
June - Sept
Tue: 10am - 2pm


Montavilla Farmers’ Market
7600 block SE Stark St
June - Early Oct
Sun: 10am - 2pm


Moreland Farmers’ Market
SE Bybee & 14th St
Mid May - Sept
Wed: 3:30pm - 7:30pm


Parkrose Farmers’ Market
NE 122nd & Shaver St
May - Oct
Sat: 8am - 2pm


People’s Farmers’ Market
3029 SE 21st Ave
Year-round market
Wed: 2pm - 7pm


Portland Eastbank Market
SE 20th & Salmon
Mid May - Sept
Thurs: 3:30pm - 7:30pm


Portland Farmers’ Market
South Park Blocks
Apr - Oct
Sat: 8:30am - 2pm


PDX Farmers’ Market Downtown
SW Salmon & Park
May - Oct
Wed: 10am - 2pm


PDX Farmers’ Market EcoTrust
NW 10th / Irving & Johnson
June - Sept
Thurs: 3:30pm - 7:30pm


Milwaukie Sunday Market
SE Main across from City Hall
Mid May - Oct
Sun: 9:30am - 2pm

Clackamas/Sunnyside Grange
132nd SE Sunnyside Rd
April - Oct
Sun: 11:30am - 3:30pm


Oregon City Farmers’ Market
2051 Kaen Rd at Beavercreek Rd
May - Oct
Sat: 9am - 2pm


Estacada Farmers’ Market
3rd & Broadway
May - Oct
Sat: 9am - 3pm
Fairview Farmers’ & Artists Mkt
Fairview City Hall 1300 Village St
April - Oct
Thurs: 4pm - 8pm


Gresham Farmers’ Market
Miller St between 2nd & 3rd
May - Oct
Sat: 8:30am - 2pm


Canby Saturday Market
1st Ave at Holly Street
Mid May - Mid Oct
Sat: 9am - 1pm


Boring Farmers’ Market
Boring Station/Trailhead Park
June - Early Sept
Sun: 10am - 3pm


Beaverton Farmers’ Market
Hall Blvd between 3rd & 5th Sts
Mid May - October
Sat 8am - 1:30pm


Beaverton Wed Farmers’ Market
Hall Blvd between 3rd & 5th Sts
Mid June - August
Wed 3pm - 6pm


Cedar Mills/Sunset Farmers’ Market
NW Cornell, 1 Blk W of Murray
End of May - Mid Oct
Sat 8am - 1pm


Forest Grove/Adelante Mujeres
21st Ave between College & Main
Mid May - Mid Oct
Wed 4pm - 8pm


Hillsboro Farmers’ Market
Courthouse Sq, 2nd & East Main
May - December
Sat 8am - 1:30pm


Hillsboro Tue Marketplace
Main St, 1st to 3rd Ave
Mid June - August
Tues 5pm - 8:30pm


Hillsboro Market @ Orenco Station
61st & Cornell Rd
May - Oct
Sun 10am - 2pm


Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market
Millennium Park, 1st & Evergreen
Mid May - Mid Oct
Sat 8:30am - 1:30pm
Hillsdale Farmers’ Market
SW Sunset Rd & Capital Hwy
May - Oct
Sun 10am - 2pm

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Zoo Tunes

Thought this Zoo Concert info was good.
I'm thinking the Tears for Fears would be a good one to go to with some friends.



Zoo Tunes Wednesday Concerts
Shows Start at 7:00 p.m. ($10.50 General Admission)
June 17th - Femi Kuti and The Positive Force
June 24th - Sly & Robbie and the Taxi Gang
July 1st - The 234th Army Band
July 8th - TBA
July 15th - Vieux Farka Toure
July 22nd - Riders in the Sky
July 29th - Orchestra Baobab
August 5th - The Wailers
August 12th - Jonatha Brooke
August 19th - Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca
ZOOBEAT Premium Concerts - Shows Start at 7:00 p.m.
June 19th - The B-52s $27
July 11th - Tears for Fears with Wainright $22
July 17th - Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Los Lobos $22
July 24th - Indigo Girls with David Ryan Harris $19
July 31st - Jewel $22.50
August 14th - Joan Baez $22
August 21st - Susan Tedeschi with JJ Gray & Mofro $22
August 28th - Amos Lee $19

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Forbes Ranks Portland, 7th of America's Fittest Cities

Health Lists & Rankings
America's Fittest Cities
Rebecca Ruiz, 05.26.09
A new report looks at 30 different measures to determine which cities' residents are healthiest.


In Depth: America's Fittest Cities When it comes to healthy living, Washington, D.C., is seldom mentioned in the same breath as cities like San Francisco, Portland, Ore., and Seattle, all of which are known for their active, health-conscious residents.

But according to a new report, the city of pomp and politics is the healthiest in the nation. In the second annual American Fitness Index (AFI), a publication released by the American College of Sports Medicine, Washington, D.C., edged out Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., Denver, Boston and San Francisco.

Read More Here: http://tiny.cc/6FXA7

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Buy Local Tip: Guitar Enthusiasts meet your new Love

Some time back I meet a great guy named Jiri Fercak, he’s a carpenter and makes great cabinets.
I loved his work so I had him build some cabinets for me. I’ve referred him to friends and they too love his work.

Now I come to find Jiri embarking on, what I will call a True Calling, Passion Project, Art...
The art of making beautiful guitars. Jiri is an artist and his work is AMAZING.

Here are a few pictures.



His site has a slide show and will be more content over the next few weeks so keep checking in.

I know it’s just a matter of time before I can say “I knew him when”

Best to you Jiri.

http://www.fercak.com

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Portland how I love thee

So I was recently ask to send a postcard to one of my cousins for a school project. The postcard was to be from family members, it should be from the city they live in and if they could include a note about the city, weather or things they like about their city.
I was able to find a great locale artist (www.redbatpress.com) that made postcards of the all the bridges, one of my favorite things about Portland.
Here's what I added to the back before mailing it off. I had a great time helping with this project, Thank you Michael....

PORTLAND:
Parks, largest urban park in U.S.
Ozone-friendly, recycling and alternative energy leader
Rivers and Bridges, 10 bridges over the rivers
Transportation, best mass transit system and only platinum rated bicycling city in U.S.
Leafy, trees, trees everywhere!
Affable, friendly and outgoing people
Novel, as in it's a unique place -and- we are voracious readers :)
Dining, world class cuisine and renowned local beverages (I wanted to put beer, wine and coffee, but this is an elementary school project)


Tell me what city you live in and what you like about it.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Why we LOVE Portland

So I found some old 'Best of' I thought were nice to see.
I did a quick check and added a few new ones.
Feel free to add any you know of, I'm sure there are so much more.
How can you not LOVE Portland.
________________________________________________________________________________

* Most Courteous Drivers in the Country., Auto-Vantage, Norwalk, Conn
* #1 Bike Commuting city in the Country., U.S.Census Bureau, 2005 commuting data
* #1 City for Sustainability., SustainLane 2006 & 2008 US City Rankings
* Best City for Seniors., Sperling's Best Places
* Best Eating Destination., 2007 Food Network Awards
* #1 City for Walking., About.com: Walking, 2006 #4 in 2005
* #1 City for Innovation., SustainLane, 2006 tied with Sacramento and Seattle, 2008 tied
* #1 City for Energy/Climate Change Policy., SustainLane 2006 & 2008 tied with San Francisco and Seattle
* #1 "Green" Economy City., SustainLane, 2006 & 2008
* #2 "Green" (LEED Certified Buildings) city in America., SustainLane 2006 & 2008 US City Rankings
* #2 City for Tap Water Quality., SusainLane 2006 & 2008
* #1 City for Knowledge Base., SustainLane 2006 & 2008, tied.
* #2 Fiscally Fit City (citizens' financial fitness)., Sperling's Best Places
* Best Domestic Airport., Conde Nast Business Travel Awards, 2006
* #4 Most Liveable City in the Country., Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 2007
* In the Top 10 Most Literate cities in the Country., Study by Dr. John W.Miller, Central Connecticut State University
* Most bike-friendly major city in the U.S., League of American Bicyclists
* #1 Access to the Outdoors., Travel&Leisure
* Best Place to have a baby., FitPregancy 2008, #4 in 2007
* Greenest city in the USA., Popular Science 2008
* #4 Best Housing Market in the US., Forbes 2009

Welcome

Hello to you.
I will tell you I'm not much of a 'wordsmith'.
I'm much more of a reader.
I will from time to time key in on real estate information I think you should know or about a 'great find' or fun fact about the city I love, Portland.
But for the most part I will post Real Estate related articles and facts that I find helpful. I of course will tell you were I found it. Feel free to ask questions or post comments. I'd love to hear from you.
Oh, Please the Golden Rule a good one, let's stick to it here.

If you already know what a great city Portland is drop me a note on your favorite part of the life here. If you have yet to find out, let me have the pleasure of introducing you.

Let the Blog-venture begin!
Elena