Selling or buying a home in Portland? You may have this item on your to-do list: Dealing with decommissioning the wood stove. Wood stove decommissioning is still a hot topic in Portland because many homes have older wood stoves that are not EPA-certified, and therefore are illegal to sell with the home. Period. Real estate sales contracts will let you choose to make the seller or the buyer responsible for the removal, but the removal of the wood stove in Oregon is not negotiable. It doesn’t matter if the wood stove is not in use, if it is in a shop or garage, or if the wood stove installation is otherwise up to code. If the stove itself is not...
The post Wood Stove Removal in Oregon: A Complete Guide appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Wood Stove Removal in Oregon: A Complete Guide
March 28, 2023
Selling or buying a home in Portland? You may have this item on your to-do list: Dealing with decommissioning the wood stove. Wood stove decommissioning is still a hot topic in Portland because many homes have older wood stoves that are not EPA-certified, and therefore are illegal to sell with the home. Period. Real estate sales contracts will let you choose to make the seller or the buyer responsible for the removal, but the removal of the wood stove in Oregon is not negotiable. It doesn’t matter if the wood stove is not in use, if it is in a shop or garage, or if the wood stove installation is otherwise up to code. If the stove itself is not...
The post Wood Stove Removal in Oregon: A Complete Guide appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
I love writing about real estate commission. Licensed for 20 years now, I have always been surprised when Realty companies and other real estate agents are hush-hush about their commission rates. I have the opposite approach. My commission rates are transparent and upfront and I write annual reports on local and national real estate commission rates, divided into what sellers agents are charging and what buyers agents are receiving. Typically when a homeowner hires a Realtor to sell the home, they pay both the sellers agent and buyers agent fees. Let’s say the total commission charge is 5% (a common rate these days), the sellers agent might take 3% of that and give 2% to the buyers agent (check your...
The post Average Buyers Agent Real Estate Commission, 2023 Report appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Average Buyers Agent Real Estate Commission, 2023 Report
March 27, 2023
I love writing about real estate commission. Licensed for 20 years now, I have always been surprised when Realty companies and other real estate agents are hush-hush about their commission rates. I have the opposite approach. My commission rates are transparent and upfront and I write annual reports on local and national real estate commission rates, divided into what sellers agents are charging and what buyers agents are receiving. Typically when a homeowner hires a Realtor to sell the home, they pay both the sellers agent and buyers agent fees. Let’s say the total commission charge is 5% (a common rate these days), the sellers agent might take 3% of that and give 2% to the buyers agent (check your...
The post Average Buyers Agent Real Estate Commission, 2023 Report appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
As we move into April 2023 after a period of market stabilization, we can anticipate that the Portland housing market will start to warm up as more new homes are listed and buyers become more active. Inventory has been declining since the start of the year and home sales have been rising to meet the supply, and with the market reinvigoration that comes with Spring, we can reasonably expect sales to continue in an upward trajectory. Portland Inventory Has Likely Bottomed-Out and Will Rise in April We are currently positioned on the brink of a wave of new home listings typical of the Spring housing market, so inventory should start climbing as well. But despite an increase in inventory, if...
The post Portland Real Estate Market, April 2023 Report appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Portland Real Estate Market, April 2023 Report
March 24, 2023
As we move into April 2023 after a period of market stabilization, we can anticipate that the Portland housing market will start to warm up as more new homes are listed and buyers become more active. Inventory has been declining since the start of the year and home sales have been rising to meet the supply, and with the market reinvigoration that comes with Spring, we can reasonably expect sales to continue in an upward trajectory. Portland Inventory Has Likely Bottomed-Out and Will Rise in April We are currently positioned on the brink of a wave of new home listings typical of the Spring housing market, so inventory should start climbing as well. But despite an increase in inventory, if...
The post Portland Real Estate Market, April 2023 Report appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
The neighborhoods across Portland have so much to offer – whether you’re visiting from out-of-town or want to buy a home in an area that matches your specific wants and needs. What makes Portland neighborhoods unique is that they each have their own distinct “feel”, shaped by their natural surroundings, local businesses and restaurants, and of course the people who live there. The appeal of some of these neighborhoods is the proximity to nearly everything a resident could want, and often within walking distance, so there’s hardly a need to venture outside the neighborhood for daily necessities. Others are surrounded by natural beauty while also enjoying quick access to downtown. In this article we’ll explore ten desirable Portland neighborhoods based...
The post Top 10 Portland Neighborhoods in 2023 appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Top 10 Portland Neighborhoods in 2023
March 17, 2023
The neighborhoods across Portland have so much to offer – whether you’re visiting from out-of-town or want to buy a home in an area that matches your specific wants and needs. What makes Portland neighborhoods unique is that they each have their own distinct “feel”, shaped by their natural surroundings, local businesses and restaurants, and of course the people who live there. The appeal of some of these neighborhoods is the proximity to nearly everything a resident could want, and often within walking distance, so there’s hardly a need to venture outside the neighborhood for daily necessities. Others are surrounded by natural beauty while also enjoying quick access to downtown. In this article we’ll explore ten desirable Portland neighborhoods based...
The post Top 10 Portland Neighborhoods in 2023 appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Living in a city often means living in tight spaces. Portland is no different, especially with the possibility of an increase in additions and new construction, thanks to the city’s new Residential Infill Project (RIP). Homeowners install fences on their properties for a variety of reasons: to keep pets and children safe, to serve as a tidy perimeter for landscaping, and to maintain privacy. It’s been said that good fences make good neighbors, but fences can also cause antagonism when disputes between neighbors arise over property boundaries. Here, we’ll sort through Oregon fence laws and local codes and restrictions and offer some useful tips for resolving fence conflicts peacefully. What Causes Fence and Boundary Conflicts Between Neighbors? Previous negotiation—Your neighbor...
The post Whose Fence is it Anyway? How to Resolve Fence Problems with Your Neighbor appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Whose Fence is it Anyway? How to Resolve Fence Problems with Your Neighbor
March 17, 2023
Living in a city often means living in tight spaces. Portland is no different, especially with the possibility of an increase in additions and new construction, thanks to the city’s new Residential Infill Project (RIP). Homeowners install fences on their properties for a variety of reasons: to keep pets and children safe, to serve as a tidy perimeter for landscaping, and to maintain privacy. It’s been said that good fences make good neighbors, but fences can also cause antagonism when disputes between neighbors arise over property boundaries. Here, we’ll sort through Oregon fence laws and local codes and restrictions and offer some useful tips for resolving fence conflicts peacefully. What Causes Fence and Boundary Conflicts Between Neighbors? Previous negotiation—Your neighbor...
The post Whose Fence is it Anyway? How to Resolve Fence Problems with Your Neighbor appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Selling homes for more than twenty years now (licensed in 2003), one of the rules of thumb in the real estate market I tell my clients is that new construction homes sell for a lot more per square foot than resale homes. Appraisers would never compare new construction homes with resale homes when conducting a report, and Realtors worth their salt would never compare the two when preparing a home value estimate for a client. But in all my years I’ve yet to find a good place to get the hard data, the difference in price per sq. ft. between new and resale homes in our area. So I decided to start my own annual reports on this, so I...
The post New Construction Homes Sell for 16% More Per Sq. Ft. than Resale Homes appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
New Construction Homes Sell for 16% More Per Sq. Ft. than Resale Homes
March 17, 2023
Selling homes for more than twenty years now (licensed in 2003), one of the rules of thumb in the real estate market I tell my clients is that new construction homes sell for a lot more per square foot than resale homes. Appraisers would never compare new construction homes with resale homes when conducting a report, and Realtors worth their salt would never compare the two when preparing a home value estimate for a client. But in all my years I’ve yet to find a good place to get the hard data, the difference in price per sq. ft. between new and resale homes in our area. So I decided to start my own annual reports on this, so I...
The post New Construction Homes Sell for 16% More Per Sq. Ft. than Resale Homes appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
In their 2022 Housing Survey, NeighborWorks America found that nearly nine in ten Americans agree that homeownership is important, and many see both increased feelings of security and connection to their community as significant benefits of owning a home. In reality, being a homeowner extends beyond the property itself to a sense of ownership and shared responsibility in the neighborhood, which leads to more involvement in the community and reduced crime, among other benefits. While owning a home is rewarding, there are times when renting may be a better fit. We’ll explore the options for each in light of the current housing market. Factors to Consider When Deciding to Rent or Buy The first and most obvious consideration is finances:...
The post Rent vs. Buy a Home in Portland, Oregon? A Financial Calculation 2023 appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Rent vs. Buy a Home in Portland, Oregon? A Financial Calculation 2023
March 13, 2023
In their 2022 Housing Survey, NeighborWorks America found that nearly nine in ten Americans agree that homeownership is important, and many see both increased feelings of security and connection to their community as significant benefits of owning a home. In reality, being a homeowner extends beyond the property itself to a sense of ownership and shared responsibility in the neighborhood, which leads to more involvement in the community and reduced crime, among other benefits. While owning a home is rewarding, there are times when renting may be a better fit. We’ll explore the options for each in light of the current housing market. Factors to Consider When Deciding to Rent or Buy The first and most obvious consideration is finances:...
The post Rent vs. Buy a Home in Portland, Oregon? A Financial Calculation 2023 appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Preparing to buy a home for the first time can be a daunting prospect with all of the factors to consider and steps to complete, not to mention the large financial investment involved in the initial downpayment. Because this is often the part of the home buying process that buyers either find most intimidating or that discourages them from homeownership altogether, we’d like to highlight the many financial assistance programs that are available to help make the dream of homeownership a reality. We’ve done the work of sifting through the federal, state, county and city programs to share the best down payment programs available in the Portland metro area. These programs apply to a range of income levels, so you...
The post Down Payment Assistance Programs for Home Buyers in 2023 appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Down Payment Assistance Programs for Home Buyers in 2023
March 10, 2023
Preparing to buy a home for the first time can be a daunting prospect with all of the factors to consider and steps to complete, not to mention the large financial investment involved in the initial downpayment. Because this is often the part of the home buying process that buyers either find most intimidating or that discourages them from homeownership altogether, we’d like to highlight the many financial assistance programs that are available to help make the dream of homeownership a reality. We’ve done the work of sifting through the federal, state, county and city programs to share the best down payment programs available in the Portland metro area. These programs apply to a range of income levels, so you...
The post Down Payment Assistance Programs for Home Buyers in 2023 appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Underneath the plains of Romania lies a cave that has been sealed off from the rest of the world for 5.5 million years. According to the BBC, “While our ape-like ancestors were coming down from the trees and evolving into modern humans, the inhabitants of this cave were cut off from the rest of the planet.” Insects, spiders, fungi and bacteria evolved separately in the low-oxygen environment, and scientists have discovered at least 33 species that exist nowhere else on earth! Does this cave sound like a place you know? Before a house becomes a “property” listed on the real estate market, it’s somebody’s home. And some of these homes have been, like Movile Cave, sealed off from the rest...
The post Selling Mom and Dad’s Portland Home appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Selling Mom and Dad’s Portland Home
March 8, 2023
Underneath the plains of Romania lies a cave that has been sealed off from the rest of the world for 5.5 million years. According to the BBC, “While our ape-like ancestors were coming down from the trees and evolving into modern humans, the inhabitants of this cave were cut off from the rest of the planet.” Insects, spiders, fungi and bacteria evolved separately in the low-oxygen environment, and scientists have discovered at least 33 species that exist nowhere else on earth! Does this cave sound like a place you know? Before a house becomes a “property” listed on the real estate market, it’s somebody’s home. And some of these homes have been, like Movile Cave, sealed off from the rest...
The post Selling Mom and Dad’s Portland Home appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Portland’s real estate landscape is vast! There’s a specialist for nearly every activity — and that’s a good thing. To have a hassle-free real estate transaction, you need someone handling the mortgage, someone looking at the title, someone inspecting the home, etc. That’s why a system has developed over the decades in which, in a given home sale transaction, there’s usually one real estate agent for the seller and one for the buyer. Now some real estate agents will take that a step further and exclusively represent sellers or exclusively represent buyers as a career specialization choice to serve their clients in the most effective manner. Top 3 Advantages of a Sellers Agent Specialist 1. Improved Customer Service When I...
The post Real Estate Agent vs. Sellers Agent Specialist: What’s the difference? appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.
Real Estate Agent vs. Sellers Agent Specialist: What’s the difference?
March 8, 2023
Portland’s real estate landscape is vast! There’s a specialist for nearly every activity — and that’s a good thing. To have a hassle-free real estate transaction, you need someone handling the mortgage, someone looking at the title, someone inspecting the home, etc. That’s why a system has developed over the decades in which, in a given home sale transaction, there’s usually one real estate agent for the seller and one for the buyer. Now some real estate agents will take that a step further and exclusively represent sellers or exclusively represent buyers as a career specialization choice to serve their clients in the most effective manner. Top 3 Advantages of a Sellers Agent Specialist 1. Improved Customer Service When I...
The post Real Estate Agent vs. Sellers Agent Specialist: What’s the difference? appeared first on Real Estate Agent PDX.