Mortgage rates still looking good

Mortgage rates were reported today to be near their all time lows. The cost of borrowing is a big factor in how people finance a home purchase. Low rates provide for many good opportunities if you are considering a new home in 2013.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com.

Sammy's flower shop in the Pearl

There is a nice scene outside this flower shop by our office. Holiday ideas from the realm of nature. Sammy's is located on NW Lovejoy between 11th and 12th.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com.

south waterfront condo inventory low

A current look at South Waterfront condo inventory.



Click here to see everything available for sale at South Waterfront.

My eight mile run today

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com.

The tree at Jamison Square

If you lived at Tanner Place, Riverstone, or Park Place, you might have a direct view of this holiday tree in Jamison Square.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com.

Monthly PDX housing report

The recently released Case Shiller index for September showed continued improvement for the Portland Area. Our latest numbers show an increase of 3.67% for the last twelve months. However, it's important to note that our housing problems were deep and that we still show a two-year drop of 2.22% and a 24.35% drop since our July 2007 peak.

Because of continued low interest rates and a shortage of inventory, most now believe that improvement in the housing industry can be sustained.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com 

Looking north to Vancouver, BC

Portland developers go far and wide to get ideas for condo architecture. In Vancouver, BC there are many buildings with lots of design ideas. Here is one we saw this along the waterfront this past weekend on our Thanksgiving visit.

Portland's South Waterfront has many interesting buildings. There is The Meriwether, The John Ross, and Atwater Place. There are also several apartment buildings and The Mirabella retirement center.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

jonathan adler now open in the pearl

Home design company, Jonathan Adler has opened a new store on NW Everett St in the Pearl District. It's across the street from The Casey in the new apartment building.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

Favorite Holiday Events

Below is a copy of the postcard we are sending to our client group. If you'd like to receive one, just call or email me.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

condo dweller newsletter sent

We've released our updated email newsletter yesterday. It talks about our improving market and gives interesting info on the Streetcar Lofts Building. You can read the newsletter for condo dwellers here. 

To learn more about Streetcar Lofts, visit our featured web page http://bpr.com/pearl-district-lofts-streetcar-lofts.html.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

lobby at the casey

The Casey Condominiums is one of the finest buildings in the Pearl District. It's lobby is intimate and features glass art from the Bullseye Glass Company. Not all units in the Casey are available thru the rmls system. There can be several private party "pocket" listings available. You just need to know who to check in with and that would be our team. We have sold private party units in the Casey. To know more about this fine condo building, visit our Casey feature page.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

Jamison

We're told the new restaurant, Jamison, is well regarding and very good. It's a great space looking out onto Jamison Square. This is a picture of their front door on a cloudy Autumn afternoon.

Jamison is located in the ground floor level of Park Place condominiums. To see what's available for sale in the building, visit our Park Place feature page.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

autumn color

There is but one day each year when this lovely Lace Leaf Maple is in perfect harmony with autumn. On that day, I snapped it's picture to share with you here.

Lace Leaf Maple, Portland, Oregon

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

Case Shiller continues to improve

The Portland housing market continues to show improvement based on yesterday's Case Shiller report. The data is from August, 2012 but has shown improvement five months in a row.

Our current market is one of low inventory and higher buying demand. This is putting upward pressure on home prices.  Combined with low interest rates, we think this is a very good time to consider a new home purchase.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

Dianne Rodway dedicates new Habitat homes

Our team leader, Dianne Rodway, dedicated two homes today for Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East. Dianne is a former president of the local habitat board and one of the houses dedicated today was sponsored by our brokerage firm, Realty Trust Group. With Dianne in this picture is Steve Messinetti, CEO of Portland local Habitat for Humanity chapter.

New home sales rise nationally

Wells Fargo Bank's economics team reports that new home sales rose 5.7 percent in September to a 389,000-unit pace. With sales up, inventories remain unusually lean. Prices are also firming. The median price of a new home is up 11.7 percent over the past year.

Our City Properties Group is having a very busy fall season and doing our very best to help the housing market move forward.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com. If it's a single family home you are interested in, visit www.sllhomes.com.

The blogosphere

We are happy to be a part of the collective community of blogs known as the blogosphere. Since all blogs are on the Internet by definition, they may be seen as interconnected and socially networked.

I did research on the blogosphere and found this on wikipedia: The term was coined on September 10, 1999 by Brad L. Graham, as a joke. It was re-coined in 2002 by William Quick and was quickly adopted and propagated by the warblog community. The term resembles the older word logosphere (from Greek logos meaning word, and sphere, interpreted as world), the "the world of words", the universe of discourse.

For those of us who are more visually oriented, I've provided this simple picture above  of the blogosphere:

www.bpr.com   pearldistrictrealtor.com   cityproperties.re  sllhomes.com

Casey corner

The City Properties Group just completed a non-RMLS sale of unit 1002 at the Casey. This is a beautiful SE corner condominium has some of the best views in the Pearl District. The 3 bedroom, 2600+ sqft unit features a smart electronic control system, large walk-in wine cellar, fireplace, terrace, and three parking spaces.The sale price was over $1.5 million. If you would like more details, please let us know. To see what's available at The Casey right now, click here.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

Loft at The Eliot

We just completed the sale of a one bedroom loft at The Eliot. It is a nice 12th floor unit facing to the west. It is 866 sqft and sold for $333,000.  

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com
   

Sold in One Day

Our team recently sold a southeast corner unit at the Metropolitan in just one day. Unit 812 had multiple offers and sold for full price. If you'd like to know more we'd be happy to talk to you.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

  

view at the plaza

You might recognize this view from a recently sold unit at Portland Plaza. It's a nice sunny look at the west hills from the eighteenth floor.

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com
 

Views at The Metropolitan

We've listed unit 812 at the Metropolitan. It is a terrific 1302 sqft unit with stunning views of downtown highrises and mountains to the east. It's pending now but you can see more properties for sale at The Met at this link:

http://www.bpr.com/pearl-district-condos-the-metropolitan.html








Here are a few photos of the unit 812

For more info on our team visit us at cityproperties.re, go to our condo site bpr.com, or my information site pearldistrictrealtor.com

Jamison boardwalk

An ideal way to beat the heat on a summer afternoon is to stroll the boardwalk along Jamison Square. Nearby, the fountain is overflowing with young children having a great time in the water.

Strolling along the Pearl District boardwalk at Jamison Square

Other sites you might like include bpr.com  cityproperties.re and pearldistrictrealtor.com

Hot Lips in the Pearl

I like to grab a little lunch at Hot Lips. Here are some places you may want to visit:

bpr.com  pearldistrictrealtor.com  cityproperties.re

Pearl District Art

This interesting piece has been on display in the North Park of the Pearl District. Since this park is now under construction, it has been moved to a "secret" spot. I found it today while taking a bike ride north of the Fremont Bridge.

Links you may want to follow:

bpr.com  pearldistrictrealtor.com  cityproperties.re
    

Signs of housing market improvement

According to Fannie Mae and an article in the Daily Real Estate News -

"economic activity slowed in the first half of 2012, but housing is one bright spot, according to Fannie Mae’s August 2012 Economic Outlook.

Home sales are projected to be 9 percent above year ago levels, and home prices are expected to continue to rise, according to Fannie Mae economists. A shrinking inventory of for-sale homes on the market has also led to a gradual pickup in home building in many housing markets across the market.
What’s more, residential investment is projected to contribute about 0.2 percentage points to the real gross domestic product this year -- which could mark its first annual contribution since 2005, Fannie researchers note. "

Source: Fannie Mae and “Housing Recovery Brightens Fannie Mae Economic Outlook,” 

Other links you may want to follow:

bpr.com  pearldistrictrealtor.com  cityproperties.re 
 

Pearl District Realtor

People often contact us after searching for a Pearl District Realtor online. To help you out, we've setup a new web page to help find us. It's www.pearldistrictrealtor.com. Simple right? Here you will find more information about our team and fun facts about me.  Enjoy!

You may also view condominiums for sale at our Buy Pearl Real estate site www.bpr.com.

Dare you not to peek!!
 
 

No parking facilities at new apartment buildings

According to an article found on www.opb.org -

"Apartment buildings are going up all over Portland, this summer. The construction is a positive trend in the sluggish economy. But nearly two-thirds of the recent projects are going up without any parking places.

This isn’t a reflection of a big change in policy – it reflects a change in demand.

City planners say the new push to build without parking fits within current zoning – and is consistent with the city’s planning goals.

Portland wants to grow up in terms of its density – and parking cars, meaning making the space and creating the space for them to park on a site can eat up a lot of space. So we’ve seen an increase in developers wanting to exercise a no-parking option, and use that space for units or for retail.

Of 40 apartment building projects to be filed in the last year and a half, 25 offer no parking."

Pearl District and downtown condos for sale can be found at www.bpr.com.  Our City Properties Group website is found at www.cityproperties.re.
  
  

Blogging from an ipad

This seems like a real challenge, updating a blog from my Ipad. Facebook and Twitter are easy, but a blog requires dexterity and manual thought to get the post just right. So here goes. I will leave this post with links to our web sites for all to see and admire.

For more info on condos visit bpr.com. To learn more about us, see cityproperties.re
 
 

Local housing market heating up

Based on a variety of recent reports, the overall housing market has improved and the local market is now on stable ground. The Case Shiller 20-city composite rose 2.2% in May  All 20 cities in the index saw monthly gains. Portland experienced a gain of 2.6% from the prior month. These reports certainly reflect the activity we see in our local market - more buyers buying, more price competition, decreased inventory of homes for sale.

www.bpr.com    www.cityproperties.re
 

Bridgeport Elegance in the Pearl District

This featured condo at Bridgeport condominiums is an exceptionally well maintained SW corner unit with large wrap around deck, wood floors, dining area with a sunny alcove, gas fireplace and designer switches. Master suite has walk-in closet, nice built-ins, master bath with dual sinks and spacious walk-in shower. Great Pearl District location close to Tanner Springs park, bike route, and the streetcar line.

It's 1390  square feet, comes with parking and separate storage, and is a very good value at $580,000. Below is a link to the virtual tour and a few pictures. 

click here for virtual tour

For more info see our web sites www.cityproperties.re and www.bpr.com

       

An Encore Please

We've listed a terrific one bedroom condo at the latest Hoyt St project - Encore. It was purchased last December but a change of plans forces the sale. The unit is on the fifteenth floor overlooking the new Fields Park in the North Pearl District. It's in new condition, staged, and priced well at $389,000.

To see a complete list of Encore properties for sale thru the RMLS  system, please visit our bpr.com web page here: bpr.com/pearl-district-condos-encore.html

 

   

Real Estate Market Continues to Improve

Recent RMLS reports show pending sales going up, closed sales going up, and new listings going down. This is shifting the supply & demand curve in favor of sellers. Already we are seeing multiple offers in several areas of the city and numerous full price sales. Many agents report multiple offers in the double digits. 

For expert advice on selling or buying a home in today's rapidly changing market, please give us a call.

www.cityproperties.re   www.bpr.com   www.SLLHomes.com
 
  

How low can interest rates go?

For the second consecutive week, fixed-rate mortgages reached new all-time records lows, offering another big boost to home buyer affordability.

The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.83 percent for the week ending May 10, posting a new record low from last week’s 3.84 percent average. The 15-year fixed-rate mortgage also posted a new record, averaging 3.05 percent this week.

Here’s a closer look at mortgage rates for this week:

• 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.83 percent, with an average 0.7 point, down from last week’s previous record of 3.84 percent. A year ago at this time, 30-year mortgages averaged 4.63 percent. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage, the most popular choice among home buyers, has averaged below 4 percent for nearly every week — except for one — since Dec. 8, 2011, according to Freddie Mac. 
• 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 3.05 percent, with an average 0.7 point, dropping from last week’s previous record low of 3.07 percent. Last year at this time, the 15-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 3.82 percent. 
• 5-year adjustable-rate mortgages: averaged 2.81 percent, with an average 0.5 point, dropping from last week’s 2.85 percent average. Last year, 5-year ARMs averaged 3.41 percent. 
• 1-year ARMs: averaged 2.73 percent, with an average 0.5 point, rising from last week’s 2.70 average. A year ago, 1-year ARMs averaged 3.11 percent.

Source: Freddie Mac

For more information about our teamm please visit our website www.cityproperties.re.
For condo information visit www.bpr.com
For single level living visit www.sllhomes.com

Celebrating another condo sale in the Pearl District. This is a 1375 sqft, 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit at Tanner Place. The condo comes with 2 parking spaces which helped us sell it for full price in just three weeks.

To learn more about our group, visit us at cityproperties.re

To see a comprehensive list of condominiums available for sale in the Pearl and downtown Portland, please visit our condo site located at bpr.com.




  





    

Market activity picking up

New reports from RMLS show increasing home sales in the Portland area. That plus a reduced number of new listings coming on the market is pushing our inventory level down. When inventory levels come down, prices can get pushed up. We are already seeing multiple offers in several parts of town.

For more information about our team, visit us at www.cityproperties.re.








 

Experience matters

Does Your Agent Pass the “10,000 Hour Rule” Test?

We do!!   www.cityproperties.re    www.bpr.com   www.sllhomes.com

Just Sold at The Avenue

The team just completed a sale at The Avenue Lofts representing the buyer. It was unit 330, a really nice one bedroom unit facing the courtyard. The building has a tax break until 2015 making ownership there more affordable.  Kelly from our team helped the purchaser. The sale price of $255,000 included some of the furnishings.

If you are interested in pearl district condos, please contact us or visit our www.bpr.com website. Here is the feature page we have for The Avenue Lofts.

 
  
   

Six Best Real Estate Investment Markets

Realtor.com recently released its picks for top investment markets, based on February 2012 data of 146 markets on housing inventories, price trends, and unemployment rates. The following are the six housing markets that came out on top as best investments: 

1. Tucson, Ariz.       Median list price: $170,000
2. Austin, Texas      Median list price: $229,500
3. Kansas City, Mo.  Median list price: $134,950
4. Baltimore, Md.     Median list price: $239,500
5. Fort Worth, Texas    Median list price: $160,000
6. Salt Lake City, Utah Median list price: $195,000

for information about Portland Real Estate or to learn more about the services we provide to investors, please contact us or visit our website at www.cityproperties.re.

    

Rare Spring Snowfall

Japanese Maple Tree with Snow

www.bpr.com   www.cityproperties.re   www.sllhomes.com
  
  

Tanner Place #308

A view of our new listing at Tanner Place. It's a 2 bedroom, 2 bath contemporary with views of the Tanner place courtyard, the Irving street walkway and down buildings. The unit features wood floors, a fireplace, outdoor patio, and 2 individual parking spaces. Please contact us directly for more details.

For more information on Tanner Place, visit our bpr.com web page here.

 

www.bpr.com  www.cityproperties.re   www.sllhomes.com

      

open house visitor

This young fellow attended my open house on Sunday. Our listing is at 5833 SW Lane in the Wilcox West neighborhood. It is very well priced at $405,000, needs some cosmetic updating, has vaulted ceilings, and a large back deck.

You will find more information about this home on our website "Featured Properties" page located here.

I think this critter attended mainly for the food.




www.bpr.com   www.cityproperties.re   www.sllhomes.com
   
     

Sunrise over Mt Hood

Sun rising over Mt Hood as seen from Portland West Hills

www.bpr.com   www.cityproperties.re   www..sllhomes.com

 

Portland Plaza Luxury

Our listing at Portland Plaza is getting a lot of showings this past week. It's a terrific 18th floor condo located downtown, near PSU.  It features mahogany floor, heated bathroom floors, tile showers, jacuzzi tub, custom cabinets & concrete counters. It has a sophisticated HP wireless smart screen plus new A/C, water heater, and furnace. On the kitchen are new Electrolux and Bosch appliances, wine fridge, and W/D. This wonderful downtown condo has breathtaking views and more upgrades than typical at this price.

For more information and a virtual tour, please visit our bpr.com feature page for Portland Plaza.

outdoor pool at Portland Plaza

www.bpr.com   www.cityproperties.re   www.sllhomes.com