market news Why It Makes Sense to Sell Your House This Holiday Season If you’re one of the many homeowners thinking about taking your house off the market for the holidays, hang on. You definitely don’t want to miss the great selling opportunity you have right now. Here’s why this month is the optimal time to make sure your house is available for holiday buyers. The latest Existing Home […]
market news September 2020 Real Estate Statistics   If you are a numbers person, this post is for you.  The following link provides an in depth look at the real estate data in Portland, Oregon for September 2020.  The report includes available inventory, average list price, average days on market, sold vs. list price, and months of inventory broken down by areas […]
Bene's Blog Sellwood and Westmoreland Neighborhood The Sellwood/Moreland neighborhood in Portland is one of the most desirable on the east side.  We love Portland’s east side because every neighborhood has its amenities close enough to walk or bike to—and not just grocery stores: coffee shops, restaurants, bakeries, wine stores, etc.  Sellwood/Moreland has two of these little commercial strips, each with its […]
buyers Why Is It so Important to Be Pre-Approved in the Homebuying Process? You may have heard that pre-approval is a great first step in the homebuying process. But why is it so important? When looking for a home, the temptation to fall in love with a house that’s outside your budget is very real. So, before you start shopping around, it’s helpful to know your price range, what you’re […]
market news What Are Experts Saying about Home Prices? Last week, a very well-respected real estate analytics firm surprised many with their home price projection for the next twelve months. CoreLogic, in their latest Home Price Index said: “The economic downturn that started in March 2020 is predicted to cause a 6.6% drop in the HPI by May 2021, which would be the first decrease in annual […]
market news What Are Experts Saying About the Rest of 2020? One of the biggest questions on everyone’s minds these days is: What’s going to happen to the housing market in the second half of the year?  My clients in Portland, Oregon want to know if they should still buy or sell.  Based on recent data on the economy, unemployment, real estate, and more, many economists […]
Bene's Blog Eastmoreland Neighborhood The Eastmoreland neighborhood is known for its architecture and tall, mature trees.  Reed College Way runs North/South through the middle of the neighborhood with a wide median lined with mature trees in a double row split by a dirt path down the middle.  Reed College is located on the North end of this road and […]
neighborhoods Woodstock Family Protest There have been protests and marches all across the country in response to the murder of George Floyd by police officers in Minneapolis.  I have a thirteen-year-old who began asking daily if I could take him to the protests in Portland.  Because of the large police presence and the threat of violence, I hesitated taking […]
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buyers Financing Your First Home in Portland (or Anywhere) Buying a home for the first time is exciting and scary.  This is most likely the biggest purchase you will make in your lifetime.  But how are you going to finance it? When people finally make the decision to buy, they often start with figuring out how much they can afford.   There are all sorts […]
buyers How to Buy Safely in Portland We are still seeing a lot of real estate activity in Portland these days.  Despite the Stay at Home order, the low mortgage rates and low inventory are sending first time buyers out to look for homes.  Others were planning a move before COVID started and are continuing with their plans.  Still others realize that […]
neighborhoods The Woodstock Neighborhood Goats I love seeing goats in Portland.  Here we are, walking down a typical Woodstock neighborhood street, when there, in front of us is a man walking his two goats.  One of them stops short and refuses to go any further—stubborn animals—because that is not the way she is used to.  Further north, on one of […]
market news Why Home Equity Is a Bright Spark in the Housing Market Here in Portland, Oregon many of us don’t even know anyone who contracted Covid-19.  But all of us know someone who has lost a job, whether temporary or permanent.  Many people are scared about what this means for the future of the economy and to the housing market. Given how we have seen more unemployment […]
Uncategorized Door Paint Paint.  I always get excited about choosing a paint color—and I always choose wrong.  The shade I pick out is perfectly lovely; it just doesn’t work in the room.  It is not that I don’t do some research.  I always read up first.  But the truth is, different designers have different opinions.  Some say that […]
Bene's Blog Missing Woodstock Time is going by in a different way these days.  I am starting to miss little things intensely.  I miss hanging out in the sun on the New Seasons’ roof; I miss walking up to Woodstock and being among people.  I can recall the sinking feeling I got when Grand Central closed. The first week […]
Bene's Blog Walks around Woodstock My walks around my neighborhood have become longer and more frequent during the Covid-19 stay-at-home orders.  I always enjoy my walks here, but this spring is particularly sunny and warm.  Every time I walk I am reminded about why I love my neighborhood, but also why I chose to move to Portland when my family […]