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Sellers Don’t Sell on Your Own Just Because It’s a Sellers’ Market In a sellers’ market, some homeowners might be tempted to try to sell their house on their own (known as For Sale By Owner, or FSBO) instead of working with a trusted real estate professional. When the inventory of homes for sale is as low as it is today, buyers are eager to snatch up virtually any house that comes to market. […]
buyers How Upset Should You Be about 3% Mortgage Rates? Last Thursday, Freddie Mac announced that their 30-year fixed mortgage rate was over 3% (3.02%) for the first time since last July. That news dominated real estate headlines that day and the next. Articles talked about the “negative impact” it may have on the housing market. However, we should realize two things: 1. The bump-up in rate should […]
Bene's Blog Is It a Good Time to Sell My House? Last year, many homeowners thought twice about selling their houses due to the onset of the health crisis. This year, however, homeowners are beginning to regain their confidence when it comes to selling safely. The latest Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) by Fannie Mae shows that 57% of consumers believe now is a good time to sell. Doug Duncan, Vice President and […]
market news Will Low Mortgage Rates Continue through 2021? With mortgage interest rates hitting record lows so many times recently, some are wondering if we’ll see low rates continue throughout 2021, or if they’ll start to rise. Recently, Freddie Mac released their quarterly forecast, noting: “The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage hit a record low over a dozen times in 2020 and the low interest rate environment is projected to continue […]
buyers Involving Children in the Home Buying Process One of my clients recently asked me how much consideration she should be giving to her child’s desires when buying a house.  Since I was an elementary school teacher for 15 years before becoming an agent, she thought I would have an opinion.  I suppose I do, but it is complicated. Buying a house is […]
market news Owning a Home Is Still More Affordable Than Renting One If spending more time at home over the past year is making you really think hard about buying a home instead of renting one, you’re not alone. You may be wondering, however, if the dollars and cents add up in your favor as home prices continue to rise. According to the experts, in many cases, it’s still more affordable […]
buyers The Importance of Home Equity in Building Wealth Homeownership has always been the first rung on the ladder leading to household wealth. As Freddie Mac recently posted: “Homeownership has cemented its role as part of the American Dream, providing families with a place that is their own and an avenue for building wealth over time. This ‘wealth’ is built, in large part, through the creation of […]
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 […]
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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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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