Home prices for Portland real estate continue to decline slowly.  The latest Case-Shiller Index shows a 7.6%  drop in home prices comparing August 2008 to August 2007.
Portland fell to #7 in the 20 city index from a spot at #3 in the previous report.  Portland is experiencing a housing slump just like the rest of [...]

I thought I would share the 2008 Apartment Review by Mark Berry.  It’s a pretty quick and complete over-view of what’s happened this pst year nationally, regionally, and locally to impact the supply and demand for apartments, and ultimately how this has translated to vacancy and pricing of Portland’s apartment market.
I pulled out the following [...]

Mortgage Rates ended up on the week and are trending higher.  But with volatility reigning supreme on Wall St and in the bond market, who knows what Monday will bring!  I’m beginning to feel like we have a yo-yo like pattern of rates swinging between 6% and 6.5% week over week.  [...]

In September the softening of our real estate market finally caught up to Northeast Portland, where months of supply swelled to almost 10 months.  The simple rule of thumb to label a real estate market a “sellers market” if there is less than 6 months of inventory, a “balanced market” if there is about 6 [...]

Once again, the Standard & Poor’s Case-Shiller index report, shows that Portland area home prices are down.  This time it’s down 6.6% in July as compared to July 2007.  Not so bad compared to the rest of the major markets.  Portland decline puts it as the 5th best market in the 20 city index.  The [...]

Median home prices in SE Portland dropped $30,000 in September.  That’s a whopping 12% month-to-month decline.   This repeats a similar seasonal pattern from the past two years.  The best explanation we have for this “September Effect” is that sellers are more serious about selling at the end of the summer, and will drop their [...]

What is a Self-Directed IRA?
A self-directed IRA is really not that different from any other IRA. The term “self-directed” simply indicates that you choose your IRA’s investments. Most investment brokerages and banks that offer “self-directed” IRAs limit clients to the scope of their own investment products. Custodians without proprietary products do not need to impose [...]

As active Portland real estate agents, and investors, we come across great deals all the time.  It’s a great time to be a buyer of Portland real estate and start building your nest egg.  We are seeing some great deals on bank owned property, short sales, and those with looming foreclosure dates.  Whether you are [...]

Fabulous Westmoreland location just a couple blocks from the heart of Westmoreland shops and restaurants and Eastmoreland Golf Course.  Family-friendly floor plan with 3 bedrooms and full bath on upper level with high ceilings and large walk-in closets.  Hardwoods, beautiful fenced back yard with deck from kitchen, fireplace, many updates.  One of the most desirable [...]

The bond market finally capitulated slightly this week giving mortgage rates a little relief after 4 weeks of extreme volatility.  Rates lowered by about .25% overall.  One thing that seems to have happened in the last 2 weeks is the shrinking of available loan programs.  In the conforming or “agency” loan universe (loans purchased by [...]