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re:PDX is presented by Claire Widmark, broker affiliated with M Realty LLC in Portland, Oregon.
Phone: 971-275-3691
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Week Links – November 3, 2006
A weekly (sorta) collection of links to local and national real estate news.
Frenzy following city’s rental houses — The Oregonian
Portland-area landlords are enjoying a jump in demand for rental homes
Is housing out of the woods? — MSNBC/Business Week
A growing chorus of experts says the worst may be over for home sales
New home price plunge biggest since ’70 — CNN Money
Prices post nearly a 10% decline from a year earlier and more than 15% from peak; lower prices lift September sales 5.3%.
The bubble-proof economy — CNN Money
Real estate and home building are struggling but most other sectors seem set to ride out the storm.
Pioneers with an innate feel for ornate facades — The Oregonian
Restoration of the historic Bickel Block
Condos: enjoying the breezy lifestyle — West Linn Tidings
The Bay Roc on Lake Oswego turns to condos
The condo life — The Tigard Times
An affordable townhome project opens in Metzger (Tigard)
Banks take a new tack on mortgage lending — Wall St. Journal
Get a mortgage from another lender and we will pay you $250.
Does It Pay Off to Relocate To a New Locale for Your Job? — Wall St. Journal
[tags] Portland, Oregon, real estate, news, links, stories [/tags]
Photo by: photophasia. Used under Creative Commons license.
Home Inspections….Exposed!
Prevailing wisdom for homebuyers includes the hiring of a professional home inspector to evaluate the condition of your intended purchase.
While you aren’t legally required to perform a home inspection, Oregon’s real estate contracts have a nearly a full page of 6-point type devoted to contingencies for a professional home inspection, and also provides language to conduct additional inspections for such issues as lead-based paint, septic systems and wells (where applicable). Many homebuyers will opt for tests on things such as sewer lines, heating and cooling systems, roofing and siding materials, and more.
In other words, it’s an important piece of due diligence for the homebuyer (yes, even for new construction).
First-time homebuyers might be unfamiliar with what the professional inspection looks for (and sometimes more importantly, what they don’t look for). The American Society of Home Inspectors has put together a narrated, virtual tour of the standard practices for home inspections. The narrative is a little stilted and repetitive, but the multimedia presentation helps explain the inspector’s process and the common defects they might reveal.
ASHI’s visual tour inspection highlights home features such as the structure, exteriors, roofing, plumbing, electrical, heating, air conditioning, interiors, ventilation and fireplaces. It’s an interactive presentation, allowing you to click on various components of the home and highlighting some of the most common issues that arise.
If you’re curious what security your $300+ home inspection fee actually provides, visit the virtual home inspection tour at the American Society of Home Inspectors. Their FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section is good, too.
[tags] home inspection, ASHI, home buyer, real estate, virtual tour [/tags]
Photo by feralboy . Used under Creative Commons license.
