Post date: December 13, 2012
Portlanders, take note:
Portland real estate experts have warned us all: If you think rents are high now, just wait for 2013. “Prices are low, mortgage rates are at historic lows and all the major indicies are positive and suggest that home prices are more than likely increasing. And... Read More
Portlanders, take note:
Portland real estate experts have warned us all: If you think rents are high now, just wait for 2013. “Prices are low, mortgage rates are at historic lows and all the major indicies are positive and suggest that home prices are more than likely increasing. And the trend is in place to reliably predict increasing rents” writes Bob Broad on Portland Real Estate Café.
Post date: November 1, 2012
When I generally write about the Portland, OR metro, I point out how affordable it is to buy a home and live here, particularly in comparison to San Francisco, CA, where I lived before immigrating to PDX. But not every corner of the metro has the same price point, and Lake Oswego is one... Read More
Post date: October 25, 2012
Lonely Planet, famed travel advisor to the young, the adventurous, and the shoestring budget, has announced 10 reasons to visit Portland, OR. I’ll veer off from LP’s points, and add a few more, but let’s start with a few hits off their list.
1. Beer: With over 30 breweries perfecting... Read More
Post date: October 11, 2012
If you're hoping to buy a foreclosed property because you hope to get a great deal, you may have noticed there aren't a ton of them on the market in Portland these days. Concentrated in the far corners of the metro, foreclosures remain some of their lowest levels in years, with filings... Read More
If you're hoping to buy a foreclosed property because you hope to get a great deal, you may have noticed there aren't a ton of them on the market in Portland these days. Concentrated in the far corners of the metro, foreclosures remain some of their lowest levels in years, with filings down 67% from 2011.
Post date: August 9, 2012
As a new homeowner in Portland, I can’t help but feel Oregon has my back when I read news of programs the state has created to protect me from losing my home. And that’s exactly what Oregon has done. Thanks in part to an innovative, and apparently very effective median program, Oregon... Read More
Post date: June 14, 2012
Public Schools in Vancouver, WA: Focus on Elementary Schools
Many cities make special requirements for enrolling children in elementary schools. In some cases, for example in San Francisco and New York City, the city institutes lotteries to ensure diversity in schools, meaning that... Read More
Public Schools in Vancouver, WA: Focus on Elementary Schools
Post date: June 7, 2012
In this final chapter of our series on the Portland condo vs. the Portland single-family home, we focus on single-family homes. According to MLS records for April of 2012, the median list price for single-family homes (SFH) was $238K. The median sold price, however, was $220K, which... Read More
In this final chapter of our series on the Portland condo vs. the Portland single-family home, we focus on single-family homes. According to MLS records for April of 2012, the median list price for single-family homes (SFH) was $238K. The median sold price, however, was $220K, which indicates a little wiggle room for buyers in terms of making an offer.
Post date: May 31, 2012
Understanding the Expenses and Regulations of Condo Ownership: Your HOA
Condos might seem to we first-time buyers more simple than their single-family brethren. But we need to know that though condo management is indeed a shared process, that process doesn't necessarily mean condo-living... Read More
Understanding the Expenses and Regulations of Condo Ownership: Your HOA
Condos might seem to we first-time buyers more simple than their single-family brethren. But we need to know that though condo management is indeed a shared process, that process doesn't necessarily mean condo-living is complication free. The first thing to understand: Your HOA.
Post date: May 24, 2012
Easier to Get Your Foot In?
As a first-time buyer, I definitely understand the allure of a condo. The logic of a condo purchase, in many parts of the country, is that condos are often less expensive than their single-family counterparts, particularly when comparing the two properties if... Read More
Easier to Get Your Foot In?
Post date: May 17, 2012
It’s easy for a first-time buyer to feel the lure of a condo. I know this: I am a first-time buyer too. As proverbial virgins to the game of real estate, we see condos as less intimidating because we aren’t going in alone: The Home Owners Association (better known as HOA) protects us.... Read More
It’s easy for a first-time buyer to feel the lure of a condo. I know this: I am a first-time buyer too. As proverbial virgins to the game of real estate, we see condos as less intimidating because we aren’t going in alone: The Home Owners Association (better known as HOA) protects us.
