CENTRAL OREGON'S PREMIER REAL ESTATE SERVICE
It’s the time of year when real estate prices are falling and great deals abound. Three listings of mine have just been reduced in price. Click on any of the photos below to go straight to their details page.
Family Home In Traditions East Neighborhood in East Bend
Deschutes Mobile Home Park
Carbon monoxide detectors are simple fixtures located in most residential homes. They set off an alert when the colorless, odorless, and poisonous carbon monoxide gas is measured in a room. Oregon law requires them to be installed in homes with a CO source, or ones with an attached garage with that opens into the house. Other states have similar laws–mandating carbon monoxide detectors. All residential or rental properties transferring ownership need to be fitted with detectors before the sale.
Installation is relatively simple. If you cannot hard wire them in, some are designed to be plugged in, and some are battery operated. Oregon law requires any new instillations of CO detectors to be less than five years old. The best places to install are in hallways by bedrooms, or in each bedroom itself. Different manufacturers specify wall or ceiling, so read all packaging materials carefully.
Places you should NOT install carbon monoxide detectors are in garages, next to ceiling fans, gas burning appliances, gas fireplaces, gas water heaters, or in direct sunlight. More information about the regulations can be found on the Oregon fire marshal’s website at Oregon.gov. For residents of other states, visit your own fire marshal’s website.
Five of my listings are currently published in this month’s edition of The Real Estate Book. This is a great freebie that can be picked up all througout town. You will notice it from the bright yellow (or sometimes green) stand in the shape of a house.
The Real Estate Book is a half page booklet that is filled with current listings througout the area. For out of state buyers, this can be a great resource for their home search. Pick one up while you are visiting and browse through it on your way home. It is easier than attempting to navigate web pages, and it gives you a quick look at many of the local brokers and their styles of listings.
If you see a specific property in the book that catches your eye, get in touch with the broker as soon as possible. We put our phone numbers in for a reason! Don’t ever hesitate to call us, we will not bite. In fact, I find real estate brokers to be some of the most interesting folks to talk with. They are knowledgeable about the housing market, and also about the community.
All of the listings published in this booklet can be viewed online as well at The Real Estate Book Website. Grab a copy from your local yellow-house-on-a-pedestal, and begin seeing what is for sale in your area.
The Bend Bulletin reported yesterday morning that the Senate approved a bill that will transfer 910 acres of federal land in Oregon, to local governments. This means that Deschutes County will have 150 acres around La Pine to develop rodeo grounds and parks. 750 acres will provide a wastewater treatment plant for the City of La Pine, and the final 10 acres will be for open space throuout the city.
These lands will be put to good use in the City of La Pine. For a look at current property listings in La Pine use this link and choose from the Area drop down box.
Photo Credit: How Stuff Works
At this time of year, the weather is getting chillier, and people are spending more and more time indoors. This is all fine and good, unless your air quality indoors is poor. Researchers believe that the rise in asthma and respiratory illnesses is linked to indoor air quality. The US Environmental Protection Agency measures indoor pollutant levels two to five times higher then outdoor ones because insulation is so effective. While this is great for energy efficiency it is not great for overall health.
The first way to lower pollutants indoors is to stop them from getting in. Your shoes carry a fine layer of dust and mold on their soles, and leaving them at the door prevents this from spreading to the carpets. Every time someone walks across the floor is stirs up a cloud of dust for you to breathe in. Freshly dry cleaned clothes emit chemicals, and researchers suggest waiting a few days to pick them up from the shop, so all chemicals have time to dry. This situation can also be solved by choosing an ecologically friendly dry cleaning company that does not use toxic chemicals. Lastly, watch the fragrances you are using around your home. Some cause headaches and irritations, so use naturally based lotions, sprays, and soaps.
The second thing to think about regarding air quality is ventilation. Cooking causes many different odors, so remember to turn on your stove ventilation whenever possible. Remember never to start your car in a closed garage. The carbon monoxide omitted is very harmful. Also, if your home is fitted with a fireplace, make sure the flues are working properly, and the device is adequately vented.
Cleaning products are one of the biggest sources of potentially harmful chemicals. Switching to natural products is great, but be careful to do your research. Just because a product claims to be green or non-toxic does not mean it is the best one out their. Manufacturers have an immense amount of flexibility in their labelling, so you should do your own research before believing their claims.
Use some of these tips to improve the air quality in your homes. But also make sure to get outside–even in the cold. Invest in a warm jacket and have fun throughout Central Oregon during this gorgeous time of year.
For more tips on improving indoor air quality see Melinda Wenner Moyer’s article in Redbook
A Bend, Oregon home under a dusting of snow.
There is a hint of fall in the air today. Central Oregon temperatures are slowly dropping and all too soon cold winter weather will be upon us. This is the best time of year to assess winter heating and determine ways to conserve energy and save on heating costs. The following tips will help homeowners prepare for the cold weather. Some take only minutes, others require purchasing a few supplies or hiring a professional.
1) To begin, a home energy audit can be extremely beneficial in determining where your energy use is ineffective. Some electric or gas companies offer these audits for free, and sometimes government agencies offer heavy rebates. Check with your utility providers for more information.
2) Install a programmable thermostat, then lower temperatures while you are away at work and at night. This can create a 10% reduction in heating costs in only one season.
3) Clean or replace your furnace filters. Clean filters will help your furnace run more efficiently. Disposable filters cost only a few dollars. Reusable ones will cost around twenty five dollars.
4) Turn your water heater down. The recommended temperature is 120 degrees, but most water heaters are set high above that. If you have an old water heater, the insulation might be insufficient and you can install a specially designed water heater blanket to maximize efficiency.
5) Caulk and weather-strip your home. Seal any cracks around window frames, light switches, and electrical outlets with caulking. Replace old weather-stripping in exterior door frames to create a tight seal against the winter chill.
6) Keep windows covered at night. This prevents heat from escaping through the glass. Open up window coverings—especially ones with southern exposure—during the day, to absorb the plentiful Oregon sunlight.
7) Lastly, wear socks around your house. When your feet are cold, the rest of your body gets cold so as a habit, wear socks and the chill will be much less noticeable.
Enjoy the winter, and if you are a Central Oregon resident, enjoy the snow!
Sources: money.com, kcc.state.ks.us, realestateinsidernews.com
For years the “American Dream” has been homeownership; a place of your own, a picket fence, a garage and a backyard. Every two years, the real estate website, Trulia, surveys Americans on their views on homeownership. This year the results showed that, despite the recession and despite foreclosure increases, most adults consider their personal American dream to own a home.
Eighty percent of those surveyed, claim that they plan one more home purchase in their lifetime. They are not actively looking but it is one of their goals. Sarah Stelmock, a broker in Fredericksburg. Vermont, says it is inevitable that people will buy because real estate is one of the best investments available. Even the young generation, the Millennials aged 18-34, dream of homeownership. Sixty five percent claim it as a major part of their American dream. The only worrying factors to them are saving enough for a down payment qualifying for a mortgage, and job stability.
The information gathered in this year’s survey showed that people are not as interested in large homes. Dubbed the “McMansion” by Trulia, these homes are over 4000 square feet and often located in suburbs and rural areas. The up and coming homeowner is more interested in urban areas, for reasons such as proximity to shops and short commutes.
In Bend, Oregon, thirty one percent of the population is between twenty and forty. If trends from the Trulia survey are true, this is a demographic very interested in buying a home. They will be looking for residences close to the college, the grocery stores, and their workplaces. If the questions of down payment, credit, and job stability can be solved, now is an opportune time for them to enter the housing market and fulfil their American dream of homeownership.
Photo credits: trulia.com
Bend Premier Real Estate has a new partner organization, Horizon Vacation Rentals and Property Management. Owners, Scott and Edie Stovall founded the company over twenty years ago in Lincoln City and are excited to expand to Central Oregon. They will be located inside of our Franklin office and are excited to begin building relationships.
The company, Horizon Rentals, offers services to owners of vacation rentals. This can be as little as advertising on the horizon website, or as extensive as cleaning, service calls to guests, reservation overseeing, and advertising. For travelers, their services are different, offering interactive rental browsing on their website, and a hassle free rental experience.
We are excited about this partnership with Horizon Vacation Rentals, and the services we can now provide to Bend. A vacation rental may be the perfect solution if you are interested in visiting and shopping for real estate. Call the Bend Premier Office, 541-323-2779 to speak with one of their representatives.
(Bend, Oregon. Photo from city-data.com)
With everyone’s eye focused on the economic state of the country, people have been cutting expenses, paying off debt, and building savings. This creates a renewed desire to invest in future financial security.
Recent swings in the stock market have motivated people to enter the home market instead. People now want to invest in homes because they provide a hands-on feel and more stable long-term investment. Investors who have been on the sidelines in the past, are now jumping in because they see the housing market as being safer in times of economic uncertainty.
Bend Oregon properties are seeing historically low interest rates, and people who can invest should be aware that now is the time. For people seeking true hands-on investments, distressed properties are available as fixer uppers. Some of these can be purchased through short sale, foreclosure, or traditional methods.
Being active in the property preservation world, Bend Premier Properties sees these properties first hand, and works with buyers and sellers to promote real estate investment.
Foreclosure. The word makes most people shiver in horror. After dealing with many different foreclosures and mortgages from Countrywide, the Bank of America is starting to pay the price. As the status of the bank seemed to drop dramatically some decisions were made. It was time to change. The Bank of America has announced that 28 foreclosure preventions centers will be opened in 22 different states between today and the month of July. The Bank operates only 12 of such centers currently and states that these centers have been used by over 17,000 mortgage holders. Things are getting a bit crowded in these places.
These new centers will be placed in counties that have suffered the most from the mortgage downfall. In addition to the opening of new foreclosure prevention centers in July the Bank of America will continue to open new ones later on in the year.
The Bank says that specialists who work for the centers will be able to provide immediate loan modification answers to roughly one out of every three customers. The buildup behind an overloaded company will diminish: more employees will be able to help the people who call in. Hopes are that these specialists will get us further away from the trouble that the Bank of America got into in the first place.
With such a huge change in mind it can’t be ignored where the idea came from. Perhaps the tactful move on Bank of America’s part is a reaction to the demands being made of them: regulators and Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac have been bothering servicers to consider foreclosure a bit more seriously. The people are crying out for foreclosure prevention: someone has to give them what they need.
Just last month Fannie and Freddie started offering rewards to servicers who met a set of standards. Loan modifications needed to be taken care of by someone. These sought-after servicers needed to retrieve a formal review of each borrower, respond more swiftly to customers and speak more frequently with those who called in.
With such a drastic change floating through the U.S., high-ranking bank systems have received their orders: get the mortgage problems lined up and fixed. The deadline is sometime in mid-June with only 60 days after that to put their plans into action. A new wave of change is coming: let us pray that it works.
There is a way to avoid foreclosure. If you are searching for a way to avoid such terrible distress in Oregon, look for Bend Premier Real Estate. This local office will help you find affordable homes within your price range while offering outstanding advice. The office is located in downtown Bend on the corner of Bond and Franklin, and the doors are open to all. There is always someone who would love to hear about your wants and needs when dealing with property. Bend Premier Real Estate is a firm that specializes in the listing and selling of property all throughout Central Oregon in all price ranges. To learn more, visit us at bendpremierproperties.com or bendpremierrealestate.com. We are located at 550 NW Franklin Avenue. If you need to contact us, call our office at 541-323-2779 or Dan Cardot at 541-480-5291. If you’d prefer, send us an email to dancardot.bend@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you as you search for an affordable home or strive to avoid foreclosure.
