Are you presently renting a home and want to make the step to homeownership, but don't have a large down payment, good enough credit, or been in your present job long enough to get a traditional mortgage?Then getting a home with a lease option may be a great way for you to get in to your first home. A lease option requires very little down, usually equal to the first months rent, and then monthly payments usually not as high as if you were paying a traditional mortgage.Unlike rent, the down payment is yours to keep if you exercise the option to purchase the property, in the time set in the contract, and it goes toward your down payment or closing costs. Also, part of your monthly rent may also go toward your closing costs or down payment depending on your contract with the seller.If the... 11/04/2007

Last night, one of my clients decided that after the inspection, based on the watermarks on the sump pumphome, they were scared that the home may one day flood and with their luck, it just wasn't worth the risk.They decided a home in a possible flood plain was too much risk for them. But, I had another client that I thought this home would be perfect for and I told them this. They said, "Feel free to show it to them."In a gesture of kindness (the first buyer knew I was showing the home at 1pm) to the new potential buyers, they arrived a little early and caught my buyers who also arrived early and said, "This home won't work for us, but Todd thinks it will work for you. We have already paid for, and had, the inspection so we thought we would just give you this. So here you go." Then they... 10/30/2007

Travel and Leisure took 25 major U.S. cities and rated them placed them 1-25 on 63 categories.  It covered the topics of After Dark, Characteristics, City Scape, Culture, Food/Dining, People, Shopping and Type of Trip.  Naturally you are dying to know how Portland fared in these areas and we did well exactly where you would expect us to.  We ranked #1 in seven categories which were Public Parks/Spaces, Pedestrian Friendliness, Access to Outdoors, City Scape Overall, Environmental Awareness, Ease of Getting Around/Public Transportation and Characteristics Overall.  With numbers like these we could become a major tourist draw.  Luckily we didn't score dead last in anything but we did get some 24s and 23s.  Sports Fan Vacation, Luxury Boutiques, Jewelry, Clubbing and Big-Name Restaurants d... 10/26/2007

For my daughters 9th birthday she gave me a gift. She wanted a party that ended up costing .50 in gas and $1.92 in cupcakes. How did this happen? Well, have you ever heard of Home Depot's Kid's Workshops that they have every few Saturdays? Home Depot also offers their Kid's Workshops to parents as a Birthday Party and it is completely free! They set up the table have people there to help the kids build a variety of things. (Bird house, Racing car, Fire truck, Tool box or a Plane.) You can have as few as two kids all the way up to 350! And as Home Depot put it "You can bring anyone from one to two hundred and one years old, everyone is welcome"The kids each get a Home Depot apron with their name on it, a pin of the item they made, and then get to take the item home with them to show off ... 10/21/2007

I'm living in an investment property of mine right now while I fix it up and sell the other 38 units in the condo conversion project for the owner. Well, I've heard of neighbors like this, but in the past 20 years of living on my own, I've never experienced it!Let me tell you about my neighbor Bonnie! Bonnie is a wonderful 78 year young lady who has lived in the complex for the past 20 years and has never been late with her rent. The owner loves her so much as well, that he bought her unit and told her she could stay and he would never increase her rent as long as she wants to stay.Bonnie has the most beautiful yard and she did it all herself including the grass trees. She watches out for everyone. Tonight she saw a door that was left open and she thought maybe the person had left for w... 10/20/2007

September Residential Highlights When comparing September 2007 to September 2006, new listings decreased 2.3%. Closed and pending sales fell 25.5% and 25.7% respectively. At September’s rate of closed sales, the 16,054 active residential listings would last approximately 8.6 months. The 8.6 months of inventory is the highest rate since January 2000, when inventory reached 10.1 months. Additionally, inventory reached 8.5 months in January 2001. Appreciation Using the average sale prices for the twelve months that ended with September 2007 compared to the twelve months ending in September 2006, the average sale price appreciated 6.9% ($337,700 v. $315,800). Using the same formula, the median sale price also appreciated 7.5% ($285,000 v. $265,000 Third Quarter Report In third quarter of 2... 10/17/2007

Oregon A booming local economy has rained appreciation in the Oregon housing market and the faucet doesn’t look like it’s turning off for some time yet. Although sales of homes have slowed in the Portland area, the national trend of a depreciating housing market hasn’t hit Portland. Prices are up and should stay that way through the year’s end. The median price for a home has hit $241,000 and Housing Predictor now forecasts that Portland will see healthy appreciation of 6.7% in 2007. Driven by a healthy job market, housing prices in Portland have more than doubled in the past decade. Oregon is the third fastest growing state in the nation.   City    Median Price   Forecast   Portland      $ 241,000         6.7%   Eugene      $ 206,000         5.2%   Salem      $ 190,000         6.4%   M... 10/17/2007

 Englewood Park in Tigard, Oregon is a wonderful little park full walking and bike trails wide enough for everyone to enjoy year round, thanks to some recent improvements to the path that used to flood during the winter months.  This park features 3 play structures along its paths and many bridges crossing over Fanno Creek. It also gives you a view of one of the four of the old Tigard Windmills. (This one is missing the windmill, but still shows just some of the history of Tigard.)Crawdad in Englewood park in Tigard, OregonThe park is divided in to two sections, an east and west portion, but has a crosswalk to get from one side to the other. The creek has wildlife year round that can be fun to watch as you are standing on the bridges looking down. From time to time you can even see kids... 10/13/2007

Recently I wrote a blog about some unfriendly visitors to the park behind the condo conversion project I am presently working on. We had a large Hornet's nest in a tree in Englewood Park and some workers from the city actually got stung. Click here to read that postThey had pointed this out to me while showing the property to avoid us from getting stung ourselves. After my client left, I saw some other workers down at the project. I found a worker and asked what was going to happen to the nest. They said they were going to spray the nest killing all the hornets, since it is in a park that kids frequent often. I asked after they spray the nest if they could leave it for me to remove and give it to my brother who is a sixth grade science teacher at a local school in Tigard.The worker I wa... 10/13/2007

Mortgage Rate News/Analysis The Fed has been lowering key short-term interest rates for a couple of months now. On September 18, they dropped the federal funds rate by 1/2 percent. What is the Federal Funds Rate? Suppose a bank has excess funds. They hold them in reserve at the Federal Reserve Bank. They may choose to lend them overnight or for a couple of days to a bank that is temporarily short on funds. One bank can lend their "federal funds" to another bank. That is the Federal Funds rate. The discount rate is the interest rate at which banks borrow money directly from the Federal Reserve. Back in August, the Fed cut the discount rate by a 1/2 percent, too. Most experts feel further interest rate cuts are in the future. Why does the Fed cut short-term rates? The intent is usually to... 10/11/2007

Well, I am certainly a real estate agent and not a handy man. I can now admit this. I had a leak in ourbathroom sink and I thought I could save $45 by spending $4.99 on a used home depot self help repair book. I WAS WRONG!I've now spent $45 + $12 in gas and the $4.99 for the used home depot self help repair book. No matter how many times I showed the sink the picture in the book and yelled at "SEE, THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK LIKE", it still leaked!So, now I'm waiting for a plumber to come out and fix my fix, and since it is a weekend, we have no water in our bathroom for the weekend. I might as well put a handy man on speed dial and I can tell you right now it won't be my home number that I will be calling for repairs to get done.Hmmm, wonder if my wife would consider a secon... 10/06/2007

As more and more parts of the country are seeing a fall in real estate prices, the prices here in Oregon seem to be staying steady and even going up in some areas. But, what if you are moving from out of state and don't know what to look for?I would suggest, before you look for a home, look for a great company to work for! There are a lot of great companies here in Oregon that are always hiring and most do so online.Nike, Intel and all area hospitals and schools all hire online and are looking for great qualified people.What I can do for you once you have a job lined up is we get you to Oregon. I help set up a place for you to stay and store your stuff. Even if you have pets, they can stay with you until we find you the perfect home.I can even set up a storage unit, so you can store you... 09/27/2007

The long awaited Fed decision arrived with a bang! The Fed surprised many economists and traders with a half percent cut in both the Fed Funds and Discount Rates. Stocks soared higher and enjoyed their largest gain since 2003. What does the Fed cut mean? Rates on consumer debt, car loans, and Home Equity lines will all benefit. But because Home Loan rates are tied more closely to inflation, it is not uncommon to see less of a reaction...or even an opposite reaction in mortgage rates. The Fed cut also hurts rates of return on investments, which gives foreign investors less incentive to invest in US securities. This has sent the Dollar much lower against the currency of most major foreign countries. This makes foreign goods more expensive for us to buy, which adds to inflation pressures. ... 09/20/2007

As a lot of you know I live in a condo conversion project and half the complex is still occupied by renters while we remodel the vacant ones. Well yesterday, while showing one of the units, I see one of the renter's cars drive by with their 11 year old son at the wheel and his best friend in the passenger seat.I saw the mother a few minutes later and asked if I saw what I just thought I saw and she said, "Yes! I taught him to drive." OK, then. This project has many kids and they are always playing in the parking lot and this kid goes driving off and on to the street? What the heck?So after talking to the manager whom said she thought she has seen that before also, but wasn't sure, told me I should call the police and report it. About an hour later the police showed up and questioned the... 09/16/2007

Stevens Marine on Burnham Street was chosen,as expected, as the site for a future public plaza that is hoped will become the cornerstone of the Tigard revitalization effort.  Currently it is just the concept that has been approved.  There are still many more hoops to jump though yet.  This site had been favored because it has the capacity to hold the Tigard farmers' market, with the temporary closing of some side streets, and the owner's willingness to work with the city on this project.  Not to mention the available options to make it visible, which is a major problem with downtown Tigard currently.  The next phase includes talking to and working with neighboring property owners.  The idea being for all to redevelop the area together, at the same time, instead of the plaza going up an... 09/10/2007

I was showing some property Friday when a construction worker came up to us warning us to be careful. What do you mean be careful? He said to follow the fence line and come toward him and he'd show us.This is what he showed us. Wow! I haven't seen a wasp's nest this large since I was a kid. I warned the listing agent and really hope he, or the sellers, put up signs or bring in an exterminator before someone really gets hurt.  09/08/2007

Absolutely gorgeous one level executive luxury in Tigard! This spacious home features almost 3,000 sqft on main, French country decor, gourmet kitchen w/granite & SS appliances, hardwoods and tile flooring, coved & vaulted ceilings, multiple skylights, multi-rm surround sound system, & a covered backyard patio overlooking greenspace. 1000sq.ft partially finished lower level with seperate entry.Address: 13369 SW 129th Ave City/ST: Tigard, OR Zip Code: 97223 Location: 13369 SW 129th Ave Property Type: Single Family Home New or Resale: Resale Square Footage: 3945 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 full, 1 half MLS# 7089266 For additional photos and details visit http//:www.TonyandLibby.comor call 1-800-395-1151 code 611 for 24 hr recorded information This listing is brought to you courtesy of the To... 09/05/2007

Fantastic Tigard home in lovely Dover Landing. This light & bright home, located next to the Tualatin River trail/bike path, features hardwood entry, family room w/ wood stove ready fireplace, modern interior colors, and skylights. Updates include new 90% efficiency furnace and stainless gas convection range & micro. The backyard showcases a huge deck and well maintained yard. Address: 10545 SW Tualatin Drive City/ST: Tigard, OR Zip Code: 97224 Location: 10545 SW Tualatin Drive Property Type: Single Family Home New or Resale: Resale Square Footage: 1794 Bedrooms: 3 Bathrooms: 2 full, 1 half MLS# 7088424 For additional photos and details visit http//:www.TonyandLibby.comor call 1-800-395-1151 code 610 for 24 hr recorded information This listing is brought to you courtesy of the Tony and ... 09/04/2007

Two nights ago a toddler was hit by a police cruiser as the mother tried to cross a busy highway at night. Lucky for everyone involved, it does look like the toddler will live. But, my question, and everyone I talk to about this, is why was the mother crossing a very busy highway at night and second how she couldn't see the police lights.How hard is it to see even a regular car's lights at night? Now, this officer says he had his police lights on and this young mother said she didn't see him. I find this very odd and I feel sad for this mom, but I still think she should be written a ticket for jaywalking. I know what a lot of you saying, don't punish the mom when she is already feeling bad.I know this will traumatize the police officer and effect how he does his job, and more than likel... 09/04/2007

It seems that all these Portlanders commuting on their bicycles everyday is it's own advertisement.  Many people who would have never, ever dreamed of leaving their car at home are now getting exercise and saving money.  After all we are one of the most bike friendly cities in the country, why not try it out?  Last year volunteers counted over 12,000 daily bike trips across the Hawthorne, Broadway, Steel and Burnside bridges.  That is 8 percent more than 2005 so now bicycles are accounting for 1 out of every 10 vehicles on these bridges.   The popularity is growing by leaps and bounds.  While many still ride just for recreation, it's becoming increasingly more common to run errands or commute to work on a bike.  Because of this trend of fun AND functionality the bicycle of choice is mor... 08/31/2007