Category: Selling Advice

Advice for home sellers in Lake Oswego, Oregon

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Market Activity ~ May 11-17, 2020

Last week in Lake Oswego, 23 New properties entered the market, 16 moved to Pending status, and 13 were “Closed”/Sold. We also have 219 homes for sale here, right now.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

NEW on Mkt (May 11-17, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
59 OSWEGO SMT $244,900 2 2 1140 CONDO
4626 LOWER DR / Main $245,000 2 1.1 1260 CONDO
4646 LOWER DR / Grnd $275,000 2 2 1260 CONDO
16250 PACIFIC HWY #50 $339,500 2 2 1305 CONDO
4386 THUNDER VISTA LN $399,900 2 2.1 1980 CONDO
27 GREENRIDGE CT $420,000 3 2.1 2140 ATTACHD
12806 SW BOONES FERRY RD $425,000 3 2.1 1174 CONDO
5215 MADRONA ST $479,900 3 2 1325 DETACHD
22 MORNINGVIEW CIR $562,500 3 2.1 3438 DETACHD
2941 SW ORCHARD HILL PL $750,000 5 3.1 3446 DETACHD
4089 MELISSA DR $815,000 4 2.1 2762 DETACHD
553 2ND ST $890,000 2 2.1 1816 CONDO
1766 PALISADES TERRACE DR $930,000 4 2.1 2805 DETACHD
19125 35TH PL $1,175,000 4 4.1 5153 DETACHD
671 5TH ST $1,285,000 4 2.1 2781 DETACHD
16206 REESE RD $1,625,000 4 3.1 3631 DETACHD
3920 UPPER DR $1,690,000 4 3.1 3800 DETACHD
18099 GREEN BLUFF DR $1,695,000 4 3.1 5343 DETACHD
129 FURNACE ST / Upper $1,995,000 4 4.1 4911 CONDO
19491 Lorna LN $2,195,000 4 4.1 4343 DETACHD
19494 SW LORNA LN $2,499,000 5 3.1 4830 DETACHD
1633 LESLIE LN $2,725,000 5 4.2 5921 DETACHD
13490 FIELDING RD $3,398,000 5 6.1 8286 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (May 11-17, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
9 OSWEGO SMT $175,000 1 1 764 CONDO 181
47 OSWEGO SMT $249,900 2 2 1212 CONDO 28
4455 THUNDER VISTA LN $330,000 2 2.1 2002 CONDO 5
19 BLOCH TER $420,000 2 2 1527 ATTACHD 73
16675 BONAIRE AVE $439,000 3 1 1020 DETACHD 40
1042 YATES ST $469,900 3 1.1 1100 DETACHD 4
100 KINGSGATE RD $515,000 3 2.1 1960 DETACHD 5
16824 SW Inverurie RD $565,000 3 3 1945 DETACHD 1
3721 TEMPEST DR $600,000 4 2.1 2572 DETACHD 46
6438 Frost ST $625,000 4 2.1 2269 DETACHD 39
184 D AVE $647,000 3 2.1 1636 ATTACHD 37
2535 GLENMORRIE DR $899,900 4 4 3134 DETACHD 87
5680 LA MESA CT $975,000 5 3.1 3405 DETACHD 3
475 IRON MOUNTAIN BLVD $1,379,000 4 2.2 3254 DETACHD 2
16895 CHAPIN WAY $1,439,000 4 3.2 5182 DETACHD 304
12822 ALTO PARK RD $1,495,000 4 4.1 3426 DETACHD 91

SOLD (May 11-17, 2020)

Address Opening Price Closed Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
5053 FOOTHILLS DR #A $329,900 $299,000 3 2 1252 CONDO 78
18540 SW KRISTI WAY $424,900 $424,000 3 1.1 1277 DETACHD 26
16910 TRACY AVE $450,000 $450,000 3 2 1176 DETACHD 2
19230 SW REDWING CT $455,000 $474,000 4 2.1 1842 DETACHD 62
1001 HALLINAN ST $569,000 $508,000 4 2 2580 DETACHD 30
100 LEONARD ST $569,000 $530,000 3 2 1736 CONDO 188
5511 ROYAL OAKS DR $575,000 $603,189 3 2 1898 DETACHD 6
16212 SW KIMBALL ST $599,000 $616,000 4 2.1 1844 DETACHD 4
2103 RIDGEWOOD RD $664,900 $656,000 4 2 1650 DETACHD 83
18679 INDIAN CREEK DR $659,428 $659,428 4 2.1 2292 DETACHD 2
4092 COLTSFOOT LN $750,000 $721,500 4 3 2405 DETACHD 3
4799 LAMONT WAY $925,000 $925,000 3 2.1 3142 DETACHD 1
5745 Washington CT $1,149,000 $1,035,000 4 3.1 2841 DETACHD

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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To Stage or Not To Stage

Twenty years ago staging a home prior to putting it on the market was not very common. Cleaning the house and hiding the litter box was enough. That has really changed. I think the biggest difference for this change is the Internet. 99% of buyers shop for their new home on line. Not only does staging your home dramatically improve the look of the house when people come to see it, but it makes the photos of the house really pop.

The National Association of Realtors did a study in which they surveyed Realtors who work with buyers and Realtors who work with sellers. 58% of Realtors think that a house will sell for more if it is staged. How much more varies. 29% believed a house would sell for 1-5% more. 21% believed a house would sell for 6-10% more. 3% felt it could sell for as much as 20% more.

Bear in mind that this still means that 42% did not give an opinion that it would sell for more.

My opinion is that the house still needs to be priced at market value. When you combine this with the staging the house will get lots of interest because the value will be so obvious. This can generate multiple offers and that is what will drive the price up. How far up? Easily 1-5%. More than that? Maybe.

What you don’t want to do is stage the house and expect to get more for it, and then price it above market value. Buyer’s are smart. They shop, they have aps, they are not likely to pay more than the property is worth, even if the staging makes the house look great. So when it comes to pricing, proceed with caution.

How much does it cost? According to themortgagereports.com, the initial consultation costs an average of $675. If you can do the staging with stuff you already own, then that would be it. Pretty cheap. If you are also needing furnishings the cost averages about $500-$600 a month for as long as it is needed in the house.

You don’t need to stage every room. The most important room is the living room, the family room, the kitchen/dining area, and the master bedroom. Beyond that, see what your budget can handle.

Last, staging is not a requirement. I still think decluttering and deep cleaning take the prize for the must do preparation for selling.

Please let Linda or I know if you need a reference for a staging company. We have our favorites and are happy to provide you with a list that will give you a good start.

As always, thanks for reading The Blotter,
Dianne

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Market Activity ~ Apr 27-May 3, 2020

Things are really holding very steady. Last week in Lake Oswego, 10 New properties entered the market, 18 moved to Pending status, and 10 were “Closed”/Sold. We also have 217 homes for sale here, right now.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

NEW on Mkt (April 27-May 3, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
6073 HARRINGTON AVE $448,000 2 1 1050 DETACHD
16229 Lake Forest BLVD $549,900 4 3 2094 DETACHD
14183 TAYLORS CREST LN $796,000 4 2.1 3551 DETACHD
16495 GLENWOOD CT $1,195,000 5 3.1 4533 DETACHD
3125 ALBER SPRING CT $1,198,000 4 3.1 4308 DETACHD
1225 LAKE GARDEN CT $1,295,000 4 3.2 3558 DETACHD
16364 IVY LN $1,595,950 5 3.1 4862 DETACHD
16621 GRAEF CIR $1,700,000 2 3.1 2506 DETACHD
14005 GOODALL RD $1,800,000 4 3.1 4809 DETACHD
3358 LAKEVIEW BLVD $4,485,000 5 4 5133 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (April 27-May 3, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
3956 CARMAN DR $299,990 2 2.1 1107 CONDO 63
12888 BOONES FERRY RD $415,000 2 2.1 1182 CONDO 44
15 SUMMIT RIDGE CT $419,960 2 2.1 1750 ATTACHD 42
1485 GREENTREE CIR $565,000 4 3.1 2440 DETACHD 3
19026 ARROWWOOD AVE $572,000 3 2 1850 DETACHD 3
4900 INDIAN CREEK CT $599,900 4 3 2124 DETACHD 33
16885 SW Denney CT $600,000 3 2 1712 DETACHD 26
4007 BASS LN $699,000 4 3 2648 DETACHD 14
620 1ST ST $750,000 3 3.1 1916 ATTACHD 34
4208 ALBERT CIR $790,000 5 3 2777 DETACHD 11
2152 WEMBLEY PL $799,000 4 3 2854 DETACHD 2
960 BULLOCK ST $849,900 3 2 3062 DETACHD 11
3996 TEMPEST DR $849,900 4 2.2 3397 DETACHD 5
5015 DENTON DR $950,000 4 2.1 3131 DETACHD 32
1666 LAKE FRONT RD $1,375,000 4 3 3312 DETACHD 54
718 3RD ST $1,590,000 4 2 3759 DETACHD 1
1646 LESLIE LN $1,868,000 4 4.1 4879 DETACHD 28
18404 OLD RIVER LNDG $2,098,000 4 4 4295 DETACHD 17

SOLD (April 27-May 3, 2020)

Address Opening Price Closed Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
66 GALEN ST / Upper $179,900 $175,400 1 1 690 CONDO 39
15490 BRIANNE CT $329,900 $329,900 2 2.1 1250 ATTACHD 5
102 GREENRIDGE CT $424,000 $424,000 3 2.1 2004 ATTACHD 197
731 CLARA CT $629,000 $629,000 4 2.1 2700 DETACHD 1
4595 HASTINGS PL $703,000 $695,000 4 2.1 2178 DETACHD 3
700 PEBBLE BEACH CT $850,000 $870,000 4 2 2527 DETACHD 2
5331 W SUNSET DR $960,500 $925,000 3 3.1 3606 DETACHD 137
2397 HILLSIDE LN $925,000 $925,000 5 3 3158 DETACHD 0
17084 CANAL CIR $1,850,000 $1,685,000 5 3.1 5104 DETACHD 68
1350 Andrews RD $2,150,000 $1,800,000 3 3.1 3377 DETACHD 530

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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News & Notes ~ March 2020 Numbers

Here is your look at the most recent data for the entire Portland area (March 2020) and how Lake Oswego fits in to this picture just below.

Inventory remains low and so basically, we have a housing shortage going on right now. Mortgage Rates are at 3.3% as of this writing. For the most part, Portland Real Estate is holding steady with prices improving and New Listings and Closed Sales, for instance up right around 25% from last month along with  Areas in & around Gresham, Oregon City, Milwaukie/Clackamas, & Hillsboro, are still the strongest as far as Appreciation goes.

According to the RMLS Market Action Report for the Portland Metro Area, March 2020:

  • There were 3,468  New Listings in March 2020 which decreased 1.0%  from March of 2019’s 3,504, and also increased significantly- up 25% from the previous month/February’s 2,759.
  • At 2,536, March 2020’s Closed Sales rose 7.9% over March 2019’s 2,183, but are up a whopping 24.2% from the previous month/February 2020’s total of 1,897.
  • At 2,347, March 2020’s Pending Sales are down 14.3% from March 2019’s 2,738, and also fell 9.7% from the previous month/February 2020’s total of 2,598.
  • The Average Sale Price in March 2020 of $465,500 is up $17,600 from last year/March 2019’s $447,900, and also up $7,600 from the previous month/February 2020’s $457,900.  
  • The “Median” Sale Price (the price smack dab in the middle of all sales) in March 2020 of $425,000 rose from last year/March 2019’s $399,000 by $26,000, and is also up $18,000 from the previous month/February 2020’s $407,000.   

Neighborhoods: March’s Average Sale Price + 12-month Appreciation:

  • North Portland:  $441,300              1.3%   (Feb $407,900)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $405,000
  • NE Portland:  $470,500                   3.3%   (Feb $482,200)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $420,000
  • SE Portland:  $442,600                   1.1%   (Feb $424,700)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $380,000
  • Gresham/Troutdale:   $355,000     4.7%   (Feb $376,600)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $356,000
  • Milwaukie/Clackamas:  $466,100  4.9%   (Feb $443,700 )
    •                                                     YTD Median: $425,000
  • Oregon City/Canby:   $447,000      3.8%   (Feb $448,600)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $430,000
  • Lake Oswego/West Linn:$687,400  2.7%  (Feb $705,100)
    •                                                      YTD Median: $586,000
  • West Portland:    $580,400             -1.5%  (Feb $581,600 )
    •                                                     YTD Median: $512,000
  • NW Wash County:  $544,200          0.1%   (Feb $510,400)
    •                                                      YTD Median: $475,000
  • Beaverton/Aloha:     $445,100       3.0%   (Feb $412,800)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $410,000
  • Tigard/Wilsonville:   $487,200        1.7%   (Feb $485,600)
    •                                                      YTD Median: $460,000
  • Hillsboro/Forest Grove: $406,900  5.8%   (Feb $414,200)
    •                                                      YTD Median: $391,000

LAKE OSWEGO:

The combined areas of Lake Oswego and West Linn  for  the month of February 2020 reported:

    •  305 Active Listings (Feb 226)
    •  183 New Listings     (Feb 151)
    •   87 Pending Sales    (Feb 119)
    •  103 Closed Sales      (Feb  72)
    • Average Sale Price for February: $687,400  (Feb $705,100)
      • NOTE: Higher-Priced vs Lower-Priced Homes Sales can skew the “Average” in any given month.  Lake Oswego has quite a variety, so this tends to be a less meaningful stat, generally speaking, in this niche.
    •  106 Average Days on the Market   (Feb 86)

 

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Market Activity ~ April 13-19, 2020

Last week in Lake Oswego, 13 New properties entered the market, 8 moved to Pending status, and 14 were “Closed”/Sold. We also have 211 homes for sale here, right now.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

NEW on Mkt (April 13-19, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
100 KERR PKWY#3 $210,000 2 2 823 CONDO
47 OSWEGO SMT / Main $249,900 2 2 1212 CONDO
45 EAGLE CREST DR #401 $285,000 3 2 1348 CONDO
4340 BOTTICELLI ST $399,999 3 3.1 2285 CONDO
17200 ROBB PL $610,000 3 2.1 2206 DETACHD
4007 BASS LN $699,000 4 3 2648 DETACHD
19 MONTICELLO DR $729,988 6 3 3537 DETACHD
10 BUCKINGHAM TER $759,900 4 3 3763 DETACHD
4208 ALBERT CIR $790,000 5 3 2777 DETACHD
960 BULLOCK ST $849,900 3 2 3062 DETACHD
4405 SUNDEW CT $850,000 5 3.1 4535 DETACHD
800 TERRACE DR $1,559,000 5 4.1 5359 DETACHD
18008 GREENBLUFF DR $1,849,000 3 3.1 4402 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (April 13-19, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
4 TOUCHSTONE #94 $145,900 3 2.1 1351 CONDO 198
18357 HEATHER ANN CT $560,000 3 2 1832 DETACHD 1
16212 SW KIMBALL ST $599,000 4 2.1 1844 DETACHD 4
1448 CEDAR ST $615,000 4 3 2544 DETACHD 244
2103 RIDGEWOOD RD $660,000 4 2 1650 DETACHD 83
4092 COLTSFOOT LN $750,000 4 3 2405 DETACHD 3
5745 Washington CT $1,149,000 4 3.1 2841 DETACHD
1350 Andrews RD $2,150,000 3 3.1 3377 DETACHD 530

SOLD (April 13-19, 2020)

Address Opening Price Closed Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
6207 HARRINGTON AVE $389,000 $389,500 3 1 960 DETACHD 11
15003 TWIN FIR RD $492,000 $470,000 2 1 984 DETACHD 88
1611 LEE ST $589,900 $599,900 3 2.1 2539 DETACHD 58
3745 DIVISION CT $599,900 $615,000 3 2 1390 DETACHD 3
1640 WOODLAND TER $619,900 $627,500 4 3 2398 DETACHD 6
1 PREAKNESS CT $645,000 $635,000 4 3 2373 DETACHD 6
17200 CANAL CIR $665,000 $665,000 3 1.1 1774 DETACHD 6
1925 MAPLELEAF CT $750,000 $750,000 4 2.1 2096 DETACHD 0
22 DOVER WAY $900,000 $900,000 4 2.1 3335 DETACHD 0
533 WEIDMAN CT $992,500 $980,000 5 3.1 4092 DETACHD 122
1259 LAKE GARDEN CT $1,099,000 $997,750 4 3 2263 DETACHD 0
13845 AMBERWOOD CIR $1,089,000 $1,100,000 4 3 3283 DETACHD 3
17614 BLUE HERON RD $1,239,000 $1,239,000 4 3 3320 DETACHD 2
467 9TH ST $1,385,000 $1,285,000 3 2.1 2979 DETACHD 54

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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Market Activity ~ March 30-April 5, 2020

I thought I’d look at the same approx week last year and see what the stats looked like. Here is the summary:  “Last week 29 New properties entered the market, 16 moved to Pending status, and 15 were “Closed”/Sold. There are a total of 237 homes for sale in Lake Oswego right now.”

THIS year/Last week in Lake Oswego, 15 New properties entered the market, 7 moved to Pending status, and 11 were “Closed”/Sold. We also have 211 homes for sale here, right now.

What this tells me is that people were slowed-down on making Offers last week, but properties are still hitting the market, inventory is about the same albeit a little under last year, and the number of sales is pretty close to what it was a year ago. Basically… I get the feeling that people are rightly spooked about the health crisis, but are taking extreme precautions and at the same time not letting that stop them from carrying on with their dreams inasmuch as selling or buying is the vehicle to that dream.

Dianne and I are here for virtual consulting appointments if you’ve been thinking about exploring a life change adventure in Lake Oswego! Interest rates are looking really good, and there are lots of properties out there.

We’re all going to come out on the other side of this if we’re staying safe and moving carefully… step by step. We can help.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

NEW on Mkt (March 30-April 5, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
16250 PACIFIC HWY #80 $239,000 1 1 841 CONDO
4324 BOTTICELLI ST $359,000 2 2.1 2260 CONDO
6050 FERNBROOK ST $434,900 4 2 1546 DETACHD
16675 BONAIRE AVE $450,000 3 1 1020 DETACHD
16885 SW Denney CT $625,000 3 2 1712 DETACHD
6438 Frost ST $625,000 4 2.1 2269 DETACHD
4262 COBB WAY $629,950 3 2 1618 DETACHD
184 D AVE $665,000 3 2.1 1636 ATTACHD
13841 VERTE CT $699,900 5 3 2341 DETACHD
10 OTHELLO ST $825,000 5 3 3600 DETACHD
5623 BAY CREEK DR $845,000 5 2.1 3042 DETACHD
5015 DENTON DR $950,000 3 2.1 3131 DETACHD
1103 C AVE $1,639,000 4 3.1 3530 DETACHD
1646 LESLIE LN $1,868,000 4 4.1 4879 DETACHD
931 ATWATER RD $2,695,000 4 4.1 5059 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (March 30-April 5, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
1664 BONNIEBRAE DR/Grnd $359,000 3 1.1 1303 CONDO 1
16910 TRACY AVE $450,000 3 2 1176 DETACHD 2
1285 Oak TER $600,000 3 2 1421 DETACHD 23
3721 TEMPEST DR $615,000 4 2.1 2572 DETACHD 4
4799 LAMONT WAY $925,000 3 2.1 3142 DETACHD 1
8 DOVER WAY $1,299,000 6 4.2 6093 DETACHD 130
17084 CANAL CIR $1,850,000 5 3.1 5104 DETACHD 68

SOLD (March 30-April 5, 2020)

Address Opening Price Closed Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
18660 DON LEE WAY $450,000 $440,000 3 1 966 DETACHD 0
5135 Tualata LN $525,000 $535,000 4 2 1534 DETACHD 4
17721 Arbor LN $589,900 $589,900 3 2 1521 DETACHD 2
15213 CANDLEWOOD CT $700,000 $685,000 4 2.1 2670 DETACHD 13
17896 KELOK RD $859,000 $792,500 6 6 4093 DETACHD 212
1317 LAUREL ST $899,900 $899,900 4 2.1 2259 DETACHD 6
4070 VIRGINIA WAY $915,000 $940,000 3 2.1 3501 DETACHD 2
17525 CHERRY CT $119,900 $1,080,000 5 3.1 4559 DETACHD 311
401 9TH ST $1,299,000 $1,299,000 4 3.1 4288 DETACHD 21
12812 GOODALL RD $1,895,000 $1,760,000 4 4.1 4808 DETACHD 283
2493 SOUTHSHORE BLVD $3,599,000 $2,947,000 5 5.1 7112 DETACHD 311

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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Real Estate in the Time of COVID

Dear Property Blotter Readers,

Dianne and I are thinking of you during this challenging moment & wishing health and peace to you and yours. I hope this is a time of staying at home with your loved ones & enjoying some things you usually don’t get to enjoy.

I’m told by my trusted Mortgage Advisors that mortgage interest rates are supposed to dip to 3-ish again shortly as that zero interest rate flushes out the crush that happened a few weeks ago when they went down that low (the saturation pushed them back up to 4-ish for a time). Sales are actually moving along really well in Lake Oswego and the overall Portland area right now (see Market Report). Prices are lowering in some cases and being pushed up in others with multiple offers. In other words- the usual, and right now we have 182 Active Properties for sale in Lake Oswego, with 87 currently Pending and 22 Sold/Closed last week. 22 of those Active Properties went on the market just last week.

The other day RMLS removed the Open House section from the site. Some Agents will still choose to have them and be very careful, but most are not doing so out of an appropriate abundance of caution, for now. Everyone is being extremely careful with sanitizing everything and following Seller guidelines for private in-person showings. Buyers are demonstrating a bit more discernment up front & are seeing only properties they’ve decided are on their “serious” list, which cuts down on any potential exposure for everyone as we all do our part. Typically hand-sanitizer is out, booties are used for shoes, Buyers are advised not to touch anything (for them and for the Seller) and Agents will generally wipe the lockbox, door handles, switches etc. Buyers are encouraged to bring their own wipes & sanitizer with them and to wear gloves and/or masks as warranted either by Seller instruction or their own sensibilities. Some Sellers will want their own Agent at showings to observe that nothing is touched in the home so that their Seller can return home with their mind at ease, and/but either way, Agents are doing their utmost to ensure safe protocols are followed.

As for promoting Listings, there are, of course, cool tools that can and are being promoted more liberally like Virtual Open Houses, Video Walk-Through’s and other things. Ask me if you’re interested in learning more about that.

In general, we all are in this together, and the camaraderie at-a-distance and diligence in every sector of the real estate community is truly impressive ~ People helping people fulfill their life-goals and stay safe & healthy in the process.

Please take care and do get in touch with me or with Dianne if you have a life-goal you don’t really want to put off ; ) We can make it happen, efficiently and safely.

Be Well~
Linda

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Market Activity ~ March 16-22, 2020

People have important reasons for either Buying or Selling a home, and those reasons remain even when storms rage outside. The real estate market in the overall area is very busy. Last week in Lake Oswego, 24 New properties entered the market, 15 moved to Pending status, and 22 were “Closed”/Sold. We also have 188 homes for sale here, right now.

Following is the breakdown for you according to RMLS:

NEW on Mkt (March 16-22, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type
4000 CARMAN DR, B27 $266,950 2 2 869 CONDO
4061 JEFFERSON PKWY $300,000 2 2.1 1462 ATTACHD
5056 FOOTHILLS DR #63 $318,000 2 2 1252 CONDO
12888 BOONES FERRY RD $419,900 2 2.1 1182 CONDO
15 SUMMIT RIDGE CT $438,888 2 2.1 1750 ATTACHD
18275 TERRY CT $439,900 3 1.1 1270 DETACHD
77 CONDOLEA WAY $520,000 3 3 2143 CONDO
121 WILBUR ST, A2 $537,500 3 2 1631 CONDO
6430 MCEWAN RD $549,000 6 2 1595 DETACHD
21 BECKET ST $649,900 4 2.1 3070 DETACHD
17200 CANAL CIR $665,000 3 1.1 1774 DETACHD
92 SW GARIBALDI ST $769,000 4 3.1 3172 DETACHD
17065 TUALATIN ST $869,900 3 2.1 2808 DETACHD
5267 LAKEVIEW BLVD $979,000 4 3.1 3454 DETACHD
14380 TRILLIUM CT $1,072,000 5 3 3962 DETACHD
13751 CAMEO CT $1,100,000 5 4 3350 DETACHD
4743 UPPER DR $1,128,000 4 2.1 3145 DETACHD
2100 RIDGE POINTE DR $1,150,000 5 5.1 5619 DETACHD
1983 RIDGEWOOD RD $1,198,000 5 5.1 4841 DETACHD
814 LAKE SHORE RD $1,249,000 3 2.1 2385 DETACHD
4190 CHAPMAN WAY $1,298,000 4 3.1 3624 DETACHD
714 EVERGREEN RD $1,369,000 4 3 3464 DETACHD
4720 FIRWOOD RD $1,395,000 4 3 3605 DETACHD
14190 SUNDELEAF DR $1,459,900 5 4 3688 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (March 16-22, 2020)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
66 GALEN ST / Upper $179,999 1 1 690 CONDO 39
#45 $234,900 2 1 852 CONDO 208
5054 FOOTHILLS DR, E $355,000 2 2 1252 CONDO 38
55 ORIOLE LN $399,000 3 2 1200 DETACHD 17
18540 SW KRISTI WAY $424,900 3 1.1 1277 DETACHD 3
19230 SW REDWING CT $455,000 4 2.1 1842 DETACHD 62
47 DA VINCI ST $599,000 3 2.1 2467 DETACHD 6
1285 Oak TER $600,000 3 2 1421 DETACHD 4
1640 WOODLAND TER $619,900 4 3 2398 DETACHD 6
16943 GREENTREE AVE $625,000 4 3.1 2433 DETACHD 4
4595 HASTINGS PL $703,000 4 2.1 2178 DETACHD 3
5688 RIDGETOP CT $799,900 3 3.1 3326 DETACHD 1
19505 OLSON AVE $842,700 5 2.1 3022 DETACHD 21
2397 HILLSIDE LN $925,000 5 3 3158 DETACHD 0
17506 Hill WAY $1,199,900 4 2.1 3163 DETACHD 300

SOLD (March 16-22, 2020)

Address Opening Price Closed Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
45 OSWEGO SMT / Lower $210,000 $200,000 1 1 764 CONDO 33
317 CERVANTES / Grnd $240,000 $236,000 2 2 1209 CONDO 178
16250 PACIFIC HWY #71 $245,000 $242,000 2 2 1305 CONDO 257
216 CERVANTES / Grnd $264,900 $270,000 2 1 1336 CONDO 3
17 SUMMIT RIDGE CT $325,000 $285,000 2 2.1 1844 ATTACHD 84
4210 WOODSIDE CIR $347,999 $350,600 3 2 1778 ATTACHD 151
4438 THUNDER VISTA LN #4438 $349,900 $358,900 2 2.1 2040 CONDO 164
4384 WOODSIDE CIR $375,000 $375,000 3 2 1705 ATTACHD 2
524 2ND ST $497,500 $490,000 2 2.1 1547 CONDO 2
2500 GREENTREE RD $559,000 $559,500 3 2 1502 DETACHD 5
7 PARTRIDGE LN $550,000 $562,500 3 3 2264 DETACHD 4
6450 FROST ST $594,900 $584,900 4 2.1 2216 DETACHD 3
2215 FERNWOOD CIR $600,000 $600,000 4 3 2640 DETACHD 0
2 MORNINGVIEW LN $685,000 $646,500 4 3.1 2898 DETACHD 241
18006 GIMLEY CT $688,000 $690,000 5 4 3110 DETACHD 3
17393 GRANDVIEW CT $824,500 $780,000 4 3.1 3672 DETACHD 108
14253 KIMBERLY CIR $895,000 $844,500 4 3.1 3527 DETACHD 40
14611 UPLANDS DR $975,000 $975,000 3 3 3028 DETACHD 2
1691 VILLAGE PARK LN $998,000 $998,000 4 3.1 3980 DETACHD 10
2050 CHILDS RD $1,295,000 $1,100,000 4 4.1 4814 DETACHD 272
17084 CHAPIN WAY $1,295,000 $1,250,000 4 3.1 4028 DETACHD 11
19097 Bryant RD $1,499,900 $1,510,251 4 4 3556 DETACHD 31

Criteria: Homes in the 97034 and 97035 zip code, listed, pending or sold between the dates listed above as reported by the Regional Multiple Listing Service (RMLS). DETACHD refers to Single Family Detached Residence, MFG refers to manufactured housing, and ATTACHD refers to single-family residences with some portion of the structure attached to another property, but not constituting CONDO ownership. DOM stands for days on market, or the number of days from when the listing became active and when it received an acceptable offer, with CDOM standing for “cumulative days on market” accounting for “refreshed” listings.

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Buyers Who Phish

There is a phenomenon that has been going on for a few years. It’s not new, it’s just become widespread. Perhaps you’ve experienced it. What I’m talking about is the unsolicited offer of interest in purchasing your house. These usually come in the form of letters in the mail, but I have had phone calls and text messages as well. One person included a $1 bill with each letter. I got quite of few of them, saved up the money on a magnet on my refrigerator, and then used it for a nice meal. That one in particular I really liked. I call these phishing buyers because they are phishing for houses that have not yet come onto the traditional real estate market.

I know not everyone gets these sorts of letters, but I also know that quite a few do. I know this because my clients tell me that they have received them and I frequently reach out to the letter writer to find out how serious their interest is. Up until about a month ago I’d never seen how this sort of offer might play out.

This brings me to the reason now is a great time to write about this experience. I have a client who is under water on her house. Job changes have made her life difficult and her house is now in foreclosure. She has been working very, very hard to keep her house, so this has been going on for quite some time. When you have this happen, the mortgage holder will start to put notices on the public record about the proceedings and when these notices come out, it brings out investors. Thus my client has been getting lots and lots of these sorts of letters.

Knowing she would be selling the house, we developed a strategy. She gave me all of the letters, emails, text messages, etc and I reached out to all interested parties. I let them know that yes, the house would be coming onto the market and that I was keeping a list of those who had shown interest. I let them know that I’d inform them when the house came up for sale. So, in a way, these folks had advanced knowledge. But I also wanted to let the true market forces play out to get my client the highest and best price for the house.

What these phishing buyers offer is that they will pay all cash, as is, and close in whatever time frame that works for the home owner. It’s very tempting. It would be rather ideal to be able to sell for cash, as is, and not have to show it to others. But at what price? What is the price of that convenience? Well, I had a chance to find out.

When this house came up for sale the ability to show it was very limited. I will not go into details here, but it made sense to set up 3 open houses over the course of 3 days. This allowed me to have control of the house and to talk to everyone who came through. The house is what is commonly called a “fixer”. It’s in a nice neighborhood. It’s the sort of property that investors are clamoring to find. I knew it would sell quickly. I did my analysis of the price. I looked at what it would be worth fixed up and then subtracted for what I thought it would take to bring it up to at least average condition. Then I found a nearly identical house in the exact same condition, in the neighborhood, on the same size lot. This was gold. This house really set the market value.

Over the course of 3 days we got 6 offers. Two came from the phishing buyers who had expressed interest via letters or other contact after they found it in the public records. 4 came from interested buyers who were working with Realtors. 4 of the offers, including the 2 “phishing” buyers came in between $35,000 to $85,000 below the asking price. 2 offers came in ABOVE the asking price. All 6 offers were all cash, as is, and willing to work with my clients time frame. The buyer in escrow really wants this house, and, in my opinion, is paying fair market value for it. It’s in escrow at more than the asking price.

Ok, every situation is different. I can not promise you that you would experience the same thing. But I do have a very strong conclusion. That is that you should not be tempted by the convenience of unsolicited offers that promise you an all cash deal, as is, unless you are not concerned too much about how much it will sell for. If you want to get more money for the house, I recommend you go after a buyer with those terms who competes for the house in the full market place to get you what the house is really worth.

That’s my 2 cents. Please let me know if you have any questions,
Dianne

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News & Notes ~ Feb Numbers 2020

Here is your look at the most recent data for the entire Portland area (February 2020) and how Lake Oswego fits in to this picture just below.

Inventory remains low and Buyers are out en force. Interest rates have taken a steep dive and that is fueling this busy season as well. We’ve got increases in every segment (New, Pending & Closed), with Pending & Closed Sales really jumping up from January, and everything up significantly from 2019. Sale Prices are up over Feb 2019, and down a little bit from January. Areas in & around Gresham, Oregon City, Milwaukie/Clackamas, & Hillsboro, are the strongest as far as Appreciation goes.

According to the RMLS Market Action Report for the Portland Metro Area, February 2020:

  • There were 2,759  New Listings in February 2020 which increased 12.9%  from February of 2019’s 2,444, and also increased slightly at 0.2% from the previous month/January’s 2,754.
  • At 1,897, February 2020’s Closed Sales were up 9.9% over February 2019’s 1,726, and also up 14.1% from the previous month/January 2020’s total of 1,663.
  • At 2,598, February 2020’s Pending Sales rose 17.7% over February  2019’s 2,208, and rose 14.4% from the previous month/January 2020’s total of 2,271.
  • The Average Sale Price in February 2020 of $457,900 up $16,800 from last year/February 2019’s $441,100, and came down $5,100 from the previous month/January 2020’s $463,000.  
  • The “Median” Sale Price (the price smack dab in the middle of all sales) in February 2020 of $407,000 was up from last year/February 2019’s $399,900 by $7,100, and up $1,000 from the previous month/January 2020’s $406,000.   

Neighborhoods: February’s Average Sale Price + 12-month Appreciation:

  • North Portland:  $407,900              0.8%   (Jan $392,900)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $385,000
  • NE Portland:  $482,200                   2.5%   (Jan $483,100)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $410,000
  • SE Portland:  $424,700                   1.1%   (Jan $427,000)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $370,200
  • Gresham/Troutdale:   $376,600     5.4%   (Jan $363,700)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $356,000
  • Milwaukie/Clackamas:  $443,700  4.3%   (Jan $451,300 )
    •                                                     YTD Median: $424,000
  • Oregon City/Canby:   $448,600      4.8%   (Jan $449,300)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $433,600
  • Lake Oswego/West Linn:$705,100  2.8%  (Jan $712,600)
    •                                                      YTD Median: $585,000
  • West Portland:    $581,600             -1.8%  (Jan $601,000 )
    •                                                     YTD Median: $510,000
  • NW Wash County:  $510,400         -1.2%   (Jan $498,000)
    •                                                      YTD Median: $460,000
  • Beaverton/Aloha:     $412,800       2.6%   (Jan $414,500)
    •                                                     YTD Median: $400,000
  • Tigard/Wilsonville:   $485,600        0.9%   (Jan $507,100)
    •                                                      YTD Median: $455,000
  • Hillsboro/Forest Grove: $414,200  5.8%   (Jan $419,500)
    •                                                      YTD Median: $394,300

LAKE OSWEGO:

The combined areas of Lake Oswego and West Linn  for  the month of February 2020 reported:

    •  226 Active Listings  (Jan 217)
    •  151 New Listings     (Jan 153)
    •  119 Pending Sales   (Jan 106)
    •   72 Closed Sales       (Jan   72)
    • Average Sale Price for February: $705,100  (Jan $712,600)
      • NOTE: Higher-Priced vs Lower-Priced Homes Sales can skew the “Average” in any given month.  Lake Oswego has quite a variety, so this tends to be a less meaningful stat, generally speaking, in this niche.
    •   86 Average Days on the Market   (Jan 117)