-
re:PDX is presented by Claire Widmark, broker affiliated with M Realty LLC in Portland, Oregon.
Phone: 971-275-3691
Get Updates Automatically
Subscribe in a reader
Sniff Test. Is It Fresh?
So, we are presented with a fresh, crisp new year. New goals, new opportunities, new hopes….and new listings, if you’re a buyer waiting for a fresh batch to come on the market.
But are all new listings NEW?
Savvy real estate watchers know that the local multiple listing service, RMLS, resets its listing identification numbering system at the beginning of each year. Last year’s new listings were numbered in the 6000000 to 6110000 range. The higher the number, the more recent the listing.
New listings for 2007 will start with 7xxxxxxxx. But the new numbering doesn’t necessarily make it new on the market.
The property may well have been on the market in 2006 or even earlier. If the listing agreement expired, or the property was pulled off the market, or had a significant change to the listing (big price reduction, repairs, remodel, etc.), the listing agent might choose to re-list the property to reflect the new status.
Give it the true sniff test. The only way to know if a property has recently been on the market is to ask your broker or agent for a listing history. It’s an easy request for us to fulfill. You might learn it was on the market for 125 days, off the market for a month, and now re-listed. Useful information if you’re considering making an offer.
[tags] MLS, RMLS, listings, expiration, homes, Portland, Oregon [/tags]
Photo by portfolium, used under Creative Commons license.
Welcome 2007: Bright New Day?
Portland’s local leading newspaper, The Oregonian, ran an editorial yesterday highlighting a burgeoning optimism in Oregon residents.
It’s that time in Oregon. The new year arrives in a state that will awaken tomorrow feeling more optimistic, more hopeful, than it has in many years. For the first time since 2001, the mood in this state is lightening, and the shadows are growing smaller.
Why? Despite a slowing real estate market, the editorial points to reasonably strong economy, a new legislative session that inherits a positive tax base, new leadership in city and county governments, growth and development in many of Oregon’s communities. And even the real estate market is out-pacing national averages.
The pollster Moore Information recently surveyed Oregonians and found that 49 percent see their state headed in the right direction, while 36 percent still believe it is on the wrong track. That’s hardly wild, unalloyed optimism, but consider this: Only three years ago nearly 80 percent of Oregonians believed their state had veered off course.
That optimism, and other good PR, are influencing new immigrants to move to the state. I’ve talked to, emailed, toured properties, and represented purchases with several out-of-state buyers attracted to the natural and social resources of this area.
But there’s another side to the coin:
Of course, it is not all blue skies in Oregon. Rural communities still struggle to adapt to myriad challenges facing their traditional industries, agriculture, timber and fishing. The wood products industry lost another 2,000 jobs just over the last three months in Oregon. There is no end to the debates over the economic use or the environmental protection of Oregon’s natural resources. There will be more fights over land-use planning, wilderness, natural gas terminals, dam removal and forest health.
And more….
Oregon, remember, was built on optimism, beginning with the pioneers who made the long trek West. More recently, it was a bold state that protected public access to its beaches, cleaned up the Willamette River and led the nation in adopting innovative laws to govern land use, spur recycling and expand health care to the poor.
This state no longer has that kind of ambition or leadership. It’s not here. Not now. But as 2007 arrives, at least there is a glimmer of renewed optimism in Oregon.
Are you upbeat, pessimistic, or holding back judgment?
Here’s the full text of The Oregonian editorial. Photo by dan_photoman. Used under Creative Commons license.
[tags] new year, Oregon, optimism, pessimism, real estate [/tags]
Week Links – December 8, 2006
Time to catch up on some local and national real estate story links.
It’s a great time to buy a house, right? Maybe. — The Oregonian
Portland hasn’t seen a housing market like this one in at least 10 years.
Goose Hollow condo tower gets second chance — Portland Tribune
City approves a smaller Allegro
Poll: Worst of U.S. housing slowdown over — MSNBC
But survey of economists shows average home price will fall in 2007
Housing outlook in 2007? Weaker. — The Oregonian
Two experts predict there will be a shift to a buyer’s market with a slowing in the rise of prices
5 home trends we never saw coming — CNN/Money
Some unusual items that more and more home buyers have on their wish lists. Plus: What’s out.
Streetcar planning calls for patience — Portland Tribune
It’s time to slow down and figure out its next destination.
Avoiding foreclosure rescue scams — CNN/Money
Don’t be the next victim to lose your house to “consultants” who claims they will pay your mortgage.
[tags] real estate, Portland, national, U.S., housing, articles [/tags]
Photo by Don Gato. Used under Creative Commons license.
Week Links – November 24, 2006
The holiday season has arrived in Portland. I hope you’ve enjoyed Thanksgiving as much as I have.
Here’s a small collection of recent Portland and national real estate stories.
Oregon’s wine grape regions maturing — The Oregonian
Sharp-eyed consumers already are seeing new geographical place names on Oregon wine labels.
How to Check Your Credit Score Before Applying for a Mortgage — The Wall St. Journal
Portland real estate goes own way – up — The Oregonian
Economists Say Worst of Housing Bust is Over — The Wall St. Journal
Prairie Breeze — The Oregonian
Almost a century ago, architect William Gray Purcell subtly blended the Midwest plains and woodsy Northwest in his timeless Portland home
[tags] Portland, Oregon, real, estate, stories, media, reports [/tags]
Photo by dietpoison. Used under Creative Commons license.
Dartmouth St. Listing in Oregonian Home Section
Warning: Shameless self-promotion ahead.
The front page of the November 19 Sunday Oregonian Homes Section features my listing at 425 W Dartmouth in Gladstone.
I wish I could say the feature is due to my superior marketing skills, but alas, this week the Home section highlights properties that have undergone thorough remodels, and the writer happened to bump into my listing through the multiple listing service.
In this case, the home at 425 W. Dartmouth was redone from the studs out, including new plumbing, wiring, sheetrock, kitchen, windows, bathrooms, flooring, and paint.
At $279,000, it features 2,063 sq. ft, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a 8,750 sq. ft. lot and a huge (365 sq. ft.) master bedroom with fireplace.
I will be holding the home open on Sunday, November 19 between 1 and 4 pm. Come visit. Here’s a map.
[tags] remodel, home, house, Oregonian, open, Gladstone, article [/tags]
Week Links – November 10, 2006
A weekly list of national and local housing news, commentary, and opinion.
All Housing Markets Are Local, Except When They’re Not — NY Times
Portland expected to fare better than most U.S. communities
Metro and home builders’ group construct a new alliance — The Oregonian
After years of confrontation, regulators and developers collaborate to put on a “green” conference
Housing Consumers Suffering Information Glut – Realty Times
Housing consumers getting conflicting information, deferring decisions
In Face of Housing Slowdown, Homeowners Remain Optimistic – The Wall St. Journal
Despite news that the market is slipping just 6% of those surveyed in August said they think their home’s value will decline in the next 12 months.
A real estate reckoning — The Oregonian
The southwest suburbs’ framework of a housing slowdown lays a foundation for a more normal market
Lake Grove gets a little love — The Oregonian
Merchants, residents and the city are ready to renovate the area — now they just have to agree on a plan
Revenge of the second tiers — The Portland Business Journal
Portland among fastest appreciating markets, according to Zillow.com
[tags] real estate, news, links, reports, commentary, Portland, Oregon [/tags]
Photo by Barb. Used under Creative Commons license.
Week Links – October 29, 2006
A collection of recent news and editorial items about the Portland area.
Froth fading from condo boom — The Oregonian
The frenetic pace of sales and price appreciation that catapulted Portland’s urban condo market the past two years has calmed
Risky ‘flipping’ grows with area’s surge of recent projects — The Oregonian
Recent condo openings spur immediate resales, with markups
All grown up with places to go — The Oregonian
Washington County, once a sleepy suburb dependent on Portland, is blossoming into self-sufficient urban areas
In century-old building, architects see future — Portland Tribune
Opsis Architecture already sees payoff from sustainable showroom
Pole Position — Willamette Week
An up-and-down story of power lines under the tram.
[tags] Portland, Oregon, real, estate, links, news, editorial, homes, houses [/tags]
Photo by: shoothead. Used under Creative Commons license.
A Feast for Real Estate Gluttons
Gotta hankering for real estate fodder? Big fan of smorgasbords and all-you-can-eat joints? Then check out this list of the top 500 blogs covering real estate in the U.S.
The Pittsburgh Homes Daily blog took on the prodigous task of indexing blogs that track real estate issues. Here is the list of links, broken down by state.
Oregon has 5 active real estate blogs:
Portland Real Estate Blog
Portland Oregon Real Estate Blog
Eugene Oregon Real Estate Blog
Someday I Will Build a House
and of course…re:PDX.
Some of the 500+ real estate bloggers are prolific, so be forewarned. I have well over 50 of real estate blogs in my newsreader and I often don’t have time to read each day’s wealth of commentary, debate, and news.
My favorites (although most are real estate industry-oriented, and not targeted toward consumers):
The Future of Real Estate Marketing
Bloodhound Blog
Rain City Guide
The Matrix
BlueRoof Blog
Sellsius
The Real Estate Tomato
Perhaps the longest-running real estate blog, Grow-A-Brain, no longer covers just real estate, but now catalogues a daily laundry list of cultural stream-of-consciousness links. Very entertaining.
Photo by Agent Magenta, used under Creative Commons license.
[tags] blogs, real, estate, 500, Pittsburgh, homes, list, index [/tags]
You Can’t Hide Your Pryin’ Eyes
Real estate voyeurs may soon have more dirt to dish.
Homeowners in Multnomah County might be surprised to hear that sensitive personal information contained in county tax records may soon be accessed online at portlandmaps.com. It’s a move prompted by a recommendation from the county’s assessment and taxation department to make public records more user-friendly. Multnomah County would be the first in the tri-county area to make such data available.
A brief article in the Oregonian highlights some of the privacy concerns surrounding the publishing of information like homeowner name, address, and tax balance. The county recommendation would allow for a search on property address, but would not provide a lookup by name–a safeguard against stalkers, identity thieves, and other miscreants.
As it stands today, interested parties can get this public information by telephone or visit to the assessor’s office. From the Oregonian:
“If in fact it’s a public record, then there is no reason it shouldn’t be as easily accessible as possible,” said Duane Bosworth, a media lawyer and board member with Open Oregon, which fights for greater access to public records. Bosworth, who said he was not speaking for the organization, said he saw no safeguard to providing information over the phone but not the Internet.
I was surprised to see this story buried on the inside of the metro section. Perhaps we are getting numb to our lives being databased and searched. I suppose it’s the trade-off we get for Internet immediacy.
No word as to when the final decision will be reached by the county’s Board of Commissioners.
Photo by Von Hutchins. Used under Creative Commons license.
[tags] privacy, tax, records, Multnomah, country, portlandmaps, assessor, Portland [/tags]
An Unofficial House Style Study
Over the past couple months, I’ve been engaged in finding or pricing homes of unique character–a rare, modern ranch-style in Portland’s tony West Hills, and a Victorian in West Linn’s historic district of Willamette. These are challenging assignments because these styles are reasonably rare listings and therefore, are difficult to find comparables for pricing.
It led me to consider the mix of architectural styles available in the Portland area. While I hope to do a more definitive study in the future, here’s a peek at the composition of for-sale inventory throughout Portland and its suburbs, as found in the the local multiple listing service (as of June 1, 2006):
This survey of roughly 10,000 single-family homes is admittedly unscientific, and it only reflects homes in the MLS for sale, but I think it gives an indication of the prevalent housing styles in the Portland area.
Almost 1/4 of the homes on the market received the ‘Traditional’ tag, which is the local real estate association’s definition of a home that borrows from many architectural styles and does not hold to a specific historic detail.
The post-war ranch style makes up a 1/5th of the inventory, and Craftsman architecture comes in at around 10%. Because brokers can choose up to two styles to put in the listing, the 2-Story tag is probably used in conjunction with many styles (except maybe ranch).
Older cities like Oregon City and Portland will have a higher percentage of ‘vintage’ properties and styles, while newer suburbs like Tigard, West Linn, Gresham, Clackamas, et al., will hold closer to ‘Traditional’ and contemporary styles. A good broker can point you in the right direction if your heart is set on bungalows, colonials, four-square (Old PDX) and others.
[tags] architecture, housing, styles, Portland [/tags]
