Counting Our Blessings

Thanksgiving is far and above my favorite holiday of the year. I think I love it so because it hasn’t been commercially hijacked (although the lines at Costco this morning does put some holes in this thought), and it revolves around giving thanks, being with our loved ones, and pausing to reflect on our own personal bounty.

Call me sentimental, but I guess I feel abundantly thankful. In that spirit I thought I would share with you the story of my favorite Thanksgiving memory.

I spent August of 1979 to February of 1980 living as a college student in Besancon, France. It’s about 3 hours by train East of Paris and only about 45 minutes from the Swiss boarder. I was on a study abroad program organized by The State University of New York, New Paltz. Rather than living with families, those of us in the program lived in college dorms and in-town apartments. We Americans gravitated to one another and became fast friends.

As Thanksgiving approached we realized that our host country would be oblivious. That was not, however, going to dampen our efforts to celebrate our uniquely American holiday. My cohort was Kathy. She and I declared the Wednesday and Thursday of Thanksgiving week our own personal holiday and cut classes for two full days. We had access to a friend’s apartment with its unbelievably undersized range (I recall 2 burners and an oven about 24 inches wide). We had no recipes whatsoever.

The first task was grocery shopping. We had no vocabulary for turkey, cranberries, or stuffing. And did you know that when you try to describe jello to a cashier in France in 1979, that they would have no idea whatsoever what you are talking about? The high point of the purchasing was going into a butcher shop and finding a small turkey, probably 12 or 15 pounds, with a bow tied onto it! That butcher had either been to the U.S. or watched a lot of TV.

Cooking was a total adventure. Remember that I mentioned we had no recipes? It was “my Mom does it this way” and “I think I remember my Mom doing this”. Some how we pulled it off.

I recall about 10 of us, all American students, sitting down to a very memorable meal. The part I recall most fondly, aside from laughter and amazement that we had somehow pulled off Thanksgiving, was realizing we had no electric mixer to make whipped cream. We poured the heavy cream into a bowl, added a fork, and passed that bowl around the table with each of us taking turns hand mixing until we had traditional whipped cream. It was just so memorable.

I really do love Thanksgiving. This year I am thankful for my health, that my recent college graduate daughter has a job, that my son has healed from his injury and will soon be discharged from the Marines, that the remainder of my family and friends are in good health and a part of my life. I am also thankful, as a Realtor, to have business in this economy. So I am thankful to my clients who put their trust in me and allow me to be their Realtor.

I think a really wonderful reflection on Thanksgiving was in this morning’s Oregonian. Shoshana Winebury of Seattle reflects on the meaning of Thanksgiving as seen through her experience teaching refugees English as a second language. For the full story, click here.

I want to wish you a lovely Thanksgiving. No matter your place in life, no matter your circumstances, Thanksgiving is a day to reflect and feel gratitude.
Dianne

Celebrating Veterans and VA loans

With Veteran’s Day occurring this Friday, 11/11/11, it seems appropriate to take a moment to look at the benefits that our Veterans have earned as a result of serving our Country.

VA loans are one of the few remaining sources of 100% financing. The veteran still has to qualify their income and their credit. And the amount of the loan can not exceed the appraised value. The seller can pay up to 4% of the sales price towards the Veteran’s closing costs. And the loan can be as much as $417,000. The Veteran’s credit score must be 620 or greater, which is pretty generous as compared to conventional financing which often requires a score of 650 or higher.

The house must also qualify for the loan by being in structurally sound condition. It does not have to be updated or new. It simply has to be in good enough condition to move right in with no broken windows, peeling paint, or that sort of thing.

This loan is available to Veteran’s for the rest of their lives. It can be used over and over again (only one loan at a time, however). So it is not just for the first-time purchase.

Who is eligible? Veterans, active-duty personnel, certain reservists and National Guard members, surviving spouses of persons who die on active duty or die as a result of service-connected disabilities, spouses of active duty personnel who are missing in action, captured in the line of duty, or forcibly detained by a government or power.

How does it work? The VA guarantees to the lender that if the veteran does not pay his loan the lender will be reimbursed. This means that there is no monthly mortgage insurance on this loan. There is what is called a VA Funding Fee that is usually added to the loan amount. This fee is waived if the Veteran or Service Member is disabled in the line of duty.

In addition to the VA loan, there are a couple of other great programs for Veterans. I highly recommend that if you or one of your relatives are a Vet that you visit HOWNW.com, a website devoted to military homeownership resources. There are many, many programs including the Dreammakers Grant which provides 3 to 1 downpayment assistance up to $5000.

If you are looking for a good lender to help you obtain a VA loan, I want to recommend Naida Paris at Northwest Mortgage Group. I have known and worked with Naida my entire real estate career, 24 years. She is probably the most ethical person in the mortgage lending business. And she is an expert about VA loans.

If you are currently on Active Duty, or if someone you know and care about is on Active Duty, I highly recommend you share with them this link. It is a 5 minute video that explains the Service Members Civil Relief Act. This Act requires that Active Duty military can not be charge more than 6% on their debt. That’s right, even on credit cards, they can not be charged more than 6%. It also protects them from eviction or foreclosure.

Why are VA loans so important to me? Well, I’m the Mom of a Marine (wounded in Afghanistan 5/2010), the wife of a Marine, the daughter of a Sailor, the grand daughter of a Soldier, the daughter-in-law of an Airman, the sister-in-law of an Airwoman, the sister-in-law of 4 Marines, and the Aunt of both a Marine and an Airman. Yep, my family is pretty strongly committed to the values of serving our Country.

If you are a Veteran, I would love to help you obtain your next home.
Dianne

Market Activity Report ~ Oct. 31 – Nov. 6, 2011

In Lake Oswego there were 20 New properties entering the market, 15 in Pending status, and  15 marked as Sold during the last week according to RMLS.
See below for further details:

NEWLY LISTED (Oct. 31-Nov. 6, 2011)

Address List Price # Beds # Bath Total SF Prop Type
3950 CARMAN DR $140,450 2 2.1 1101 CONDO
210 S STATE ST 6 $174,900 2 1 1495 CONDO
1373 BONNIEBRAE DR $209,000 3 2 1393 ATTACHD
6218 NOKOMIS CT $224,900 3 2 1512 DETACHD
3300 WEMBLEY PARK RD $229,000 2 1 2094 DETACHD
18408 DON LEE WAY $246,170 3 1.1 1528 DETACHD
2134 WEMBLEY PARK RD $289,000 3 1.1 1736 DETACHD
5057 W SUNSET DR $299,000 2 2.1 1720 CONDO
668 MCVEY AVE 70 $299,000 3 1.1 992 CONDO
4050 VIRGINIA WAY $359,000 3 2 1344 DETACHD
1590 LARCH ST $365,000 6 2.1 2836 DETACHD
533 2ND ST 110 $415,000 2 2 1274 CONDO
2955 WEMBLEY PARK RD $425,000 3 2.1 2620 DETACHD
2775 VALE CT $429,000 4 2.1 2994 DETACHD
1033 Yates $469,900 4 3.1 2889 DETACHD
2011 RIDGEWOOD LN $550,000 5 3.1 3012 DETACHD
1876 PALISADES LAKE CT $694,900 3 2.1 3178 DETACHD
15468 Boones WAY $724,900 4 2.1 2425 ATTACHD
850 SCHUKART LN $750,000 4 3 4378 DETACHD
18110 SIENA DR $1,278,850 4 3.1 4311 DETACHD

PENDING SALES (Oct. 31-Nov 6, 2011)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type CDOM
5786 WASHINGTON CT $194,400 3 2 1876 DETACHD 20
6062 BURMA RD $203,062 3 2 1875 DETACHD 441
14402 SHERBROOK PL $279,000 3 2.1 2039 DETACHD 299
2125 WEMBLEY PL $330,000 3 2.1 2193 DETACHD 114
1193 TROON RD $370,000 3 2.1 2558 DETACHD 72
4972 SUNTREE LN $379,000 3 2.1 1874 DETACHD 177
46 TOUCHSTONE $399,000 4 3 2271 DETACHD 169
12 YORICK ST $416,000 4 3.1 2428 DETACHD 21
18606 WESTVIEW DR $499,950 3 2.5 2783 DETACHD 105
16925 DEPOT ST $499,950 4 2.1 2631 DETACHD 157
13354 TWIN CREEK LN $545,000 5 2.1 3134 DETACHD 58
17997 BRAEDEN CT $619,680 4 3 2984 DETACHD 907
2941 WESTVIEW CIR $689,000 4 2.1 3075 DETACHD 78
17147 OLD RIVER DR $1,998,000 4 4.2 5961 DETACHD 581
12900 FIELDING RD $4,395,000 6 7.1 7527 DETACHD 33

SOLD (Oct. 31-Nov 6, 2011)

Address List Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Prop Type O/Price Close Price CDOM
96 GALEN ST $53,900 1 1.1 552 CONDO $53,900 $51,900 11
4638 LOWER DR A2 $99,000 2 1.1 1260 CONDO $99,000 $90,000 93
48 EAGLE CREST DR 3B $134,900 2 2 1489 CONDO $134,900 $134,900 37
4473 GOLDEN LN $155,000 2 2.1 1980 CONDO $249,000 $155,000 347
5064 FOOTHILLS DR H $185,000 3 2 1252 CONDO $209,900 $180,000 203
3797 LANEWOOD ST $249,000 3 1 2560 DETACHD $249,000 $239,900 126
3305 UPPER DR $299,999 3 2 1484 DETACHD $324,900 $298,400 172
14 HOTSPUR ST $399,000 4 2.1 2626 DETACHD $399,000 $390,000 5
1991 GREENTREE RD $399,999 3 3 2655 DETACHD $414,999 $397,520 160
3109 DOUGLAS CIR $499,900 3 1.1 3386 DETACHD $599,900 $400,000 647
19487 SW DOGWOOD CT $459,900 5 3 3105 DETACHD $469,900 $444,900 230
727 6TH ST $679,900 4 2 2884 DETACHD $799,950 $655,000 601
13658 PROVINCIAL HILL WAY $749,000 5 4 3853 DETACHD $799,900 $740,000 91
1715 EDGECLIFF TER $1,295,000 4 4.1 4929 DETACHD $1,295,000 $1,125,000 475
1066 Northshore RD $1,195,000 4 5.1 4224 DETACHD $2,395,000 $1,375,000 239

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

Open Houses ~ November 6, 2011

Here are the homes available for you to tour Sunday:

Address L/Price # Beds # Baths Total SF Style Open
5054 FOOTHILLS DR, H $187,000 3 2 1252 TOWNHM 2-4PM
1674 FIRCREST DR $249,500 4 2 1998 DETACHD 1-3PM
6263 SW CHILDS RD $264,900 4 2 1600 DETACHD 2-4PM
17040 FERNWOOD DR $339,000 3 2 1919 DETACHD 2-4PM
1278 HIDE A WAY LN $350,000 4 2.1 2632 DETACHD 1-3PM
4050 VIRGINIA WAY $359,000 3 2 1344 DETACHD 2-4PM
1820 KILKENNY DR $392,000 4 2.1 3040 DETACHD 2-4PM
1657 CAMPUS WAY $399,900 4 3 2292 DETACHD 1-4PM
13020 PRINCETON CT $444,000 4 2.1 3004 DETACHD 1-4PM
1850 EGAN WAY $543,900 6 3.1 4543 DETACHD 1-4PM
14175 TAYLORS CREST LN $595,000 3 3 3250 DETACHD 1-3PM
1931 PARK FOREST CT $599,000 6 4.1 3866 DETACHD 1:30-4PM
5604 GRAND OAKS DR $685,000 5 3 3676 DETACHD 1-3PM
17406 BROOKHURST DR $689,900 5 3.1 3775 DETACHD 2-4PM
4102 CHAD DR $739,000 4 2.1 3054 DETACHD 1-3PM
17930 BLUE HERON DR $750,000 5 4.1 5069 DETACHD 1:30-4PM
17090 CHAPIN WAY $775,000 4 3 3480 DETACHD 12-3:30PM
755 6th ST $825,000 4 3.1 3973 DETACHD 1-4PM
582 9th ST $838,950 3 3.1 2841 DETACHD 1-4PM
568 9th ST $838,950 3 3.1 2825 DETACHD 1-4PM
340 RIDGEWAY RD $899,000 4 3 3796 DETACHD 1-3PM

News & Notes

What’s Happening in Lake Oswego?

* Writing an Ethical Will / A Family Legacy – Marcia Liberson, and ethicist and social worker will lead a 2-part program at the Adult Community Center. It will include personal reflections from your life, and will incorporate values, dreams, advice & promises to share with your family and loved ones.  Nov 2 & 9 from 10AM-12PM

* Community Culture Summit – Enjoy appetizers and discuss Lake Oswego’s Community Culture as a part of the city;s Comprehensive Plan.  5:30PM, November 3rd, at Lake Oswego High School.  For more information CLICK HERE.

* Watercolor Painting Exhibit – There will be an exhibition of Rudy Stevens’ students art at teh West End Building on Nov. 4th from 6-9PM.  The West End Building is located at 41-1 Kruse Way.  Enjoy appetizers and meet the artists!

* Lake Oswego Emergency Preparedness Expo – James Roddey, and aware-winning educator, will share information about how to [prepare today for potential disasters of tomorrow. He will speak on “The Big One” regardingn the apparent inevitability of a major NW earthquake and how to prepare for it, among other preparedness topics such as food and water storage, emergency kits, CPR and more.  November 5th, 1-5PM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 14903 Westlake Drive.

* Friends of Iron Mountain / Invasive Species Removal Day – Bring your shovel and gloves to the Brookside Trailhead on Iron Mountain Blvd. Refreshments will be served, and you will be joining with your neighbors to really make a difference in Lake Oswego.  November 6th from 1-3PM.

*

 

 

 

Market Activity for Oct. 14-30, 2011

In Lake Oswego there were 9 New properties entering the market, 14 in Pending status, and 6 marked as Sold during the last week according to RMLS.
See below for further details:

NEWLY LISTED (Oct. 24-30, 2011)

Address Type Price Sq FT BR Baths
5332 Tualata Ct Detached $199,000 1658 3 1.5
5220 Firwood Rd Detached $234,900 1300 3 2
15275 Boones Way Attached $275,000 1321 2 2
1401 Greentree Circle Detached $325,000 1683 3 2
13125 Vermeer Dr Detached $327,000 2046 4 2.5
1850 Egan Way Detached $543,900 4543 6 3.5
872 Country Commons Detached $599,000 2800 4 2.5
103 Garibaldi St Detached $724,997 3262 4 3.5
507 Ash St Detached $1,100,000 3100 3 3

PENDING SALES (Oct. 24-30, 2011)

Address Type Price Sq Ft BR Baths CDOM
200 Burnham Rd Condo $93,500 959 1 1 12
159 Oswego Summit Condo $159,900 1506 2 2 385
1764 Conifer Dr Detached $295,000 1200 3 1 53
5755 Windfield Loop Detached $324,900 1561 2 2 107
755 5th St Detached $349,000 927 2 1 163
1050 Sunningdale Rd Detached $365,000 1616 3 1.5 62
5192 Coventry Ct Detached $365,000 2259 4 2.5 2
4660 Black Forest Ct Detached $390,000 2157 4 2.5 15
19443 Kokanee Ct Detached $397,000 2807 4 2.5 364
18180 Pioneer Ct Detached $399,500 2380 4 2.5 107
5843 Ridgetop Ct Detached $475,000 2897 4 3 196
16925 Depot St Detached $499,950 2631 4 2.5 150
17665 Kelok Rd Detached $949,500 1820 3 2 66
17554 Greenbluff Detached $999,000 5042 4 4.5+.5 239

SOLD (Oct. 24-30, 2011)

Address Orig. Price Sold Price Type Sq Ft CDOM
86 Kingsgate Rd F106 $99,000 $78,000 Condo 849 867
3676 Spring Ln 2C $139,900 $130,000 Condo 1762 36
18207 Westminster Dr $409,900 $409,900 Detached 2258 24
3149 Douglas Circle $1,195,000 $950,000 Detached 5237 80
17255 Canal Circle $1,200,000 $1,165,000 Detached 4256 5
2936 Lakeview Blvd $2,100,000 $1,700,000 Detached 4179 120

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

Open Houses for Oct. 30, 2011

This Halloween weekend Lake Oswego has 16 open houses currently scheduled. Enjoy the weekend and have a safe and Happy Halloween.

Address Price Bedrooms Baths Open
221 Cervantes $125,000 2 1.5 1 to 3
6929 Montauk Circle $134,900 2 1 1 to 3
16212 Lake Forest Blvd $249,000 3 2 2 to 4
7 Britten Ct $249,000 4 2 1 to 3
4793 Auburn Ln $377,900 3 2.5 12 to 3
1278 Hide A Way Ln $399,000 4 2.5 1 to 3
13020 Princeton Ct $444,000 4 2.5 12 to 2
6 Sherwood Ct $539,900 4 3 1 to 3
580 Weidman Ct $599,000 5 3.5 1 to 3
14231 Dolph Ct $650,000 4 2 1 to 4
17110 Lowenberg Ter $689,000 4 2.5 2 to 4
17090 Chapin Way $775,000 4 3 12 to 3:30
2650 Glen Eagle Rd $875,000 3 4 12:30 to 2:30
1427 Horseshoe Curve $879,000 2 2 1 to 3
17282 Lake Haven Dr $1,199,000 4 2.5 1:30 to 4
112 Northshore Circle $1,695,000 4 3.5+.5 1 to 5

Buying A Condo

Condos appeal to buyers for a couple of very specific reasons. First is the appeal of having all of the exterior maintenance taken care of for them. If you travel a lot, are physically unable to do yard work, or simply prefer having someone else take care of things, a condo might be a good fit in your life. The other significant reason people may choose a condo is it is a great first purchase. Condos can often be bought for significantly less than a detached home.

Lake Oswego has a very large assortment of condos. Mountain Park was one of the first planned communities in the U.S. and a big part of that plan was an assortment of condominiums. At the very top of Mountain Park is Oswego Summit with it’s 2 swimming pools and views of Mt. Hood. Then there are the luxury condos that have been built on the Willamette River, on the Lake, and in First Addition. These complexes are located in highly desirable areas and have features such as secured parking and large terraces.

Some quick stats:
There are currently 68 condos for sale in Lake Oswego priced from a low of $43,500 (932 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 1 bath) to a high of $1,895,000 (on the Willamette River with 4784 square feet, 3 bedrooms and 3 1/2 baths).

21 Condos are in escrow with accepted offers waiting to be closed.

54 condos have sold in the last 6 months.

At any given time you’ll find a good selection to choose from.

There are some specific things you need to think about if you are considering a condo purchase. When you make an offer, make sure it is subject to review of these items:

Ask to read the last 12 months of minutes from the Home Owner Association meetings. If there are problems in the complex, people will be talking about them at these meetings. This is probably the easiest way to find out issues.

Make your offer subject to obtaining and approving of financial statements for the HOA (Home Owner’s Association). You want to see that the HOA has been doing maintenance and upkeep. That they have reserves being built up on account for significant repairs such as roof replacement or paving. And you want to see that they are projecting future expenses and not just working on an emergency basis.

Ask the seller for full disclosure of any upcoming special assessments or any litigation that the HOA may be involved in.

When you have your home inspection done, have the inspector walk the complex and inspect it as well. Does he/she see dry rot on decks or worn roofing shingles? If so, find out if the HOA has plans to address correcting these issues.

Buying a condo is different from buying a house. You are buying into a community with shared responsibilities and obligations. You want to make sure the HOA will be a good fit for you and not throw any surprises your way after you move in.

There is a tendency to want to buy a condo with small HOA dues. The HOA dues are paid monthly, in most cases, and cover things like landscape maintenance and repair of the exterior of buildings. Sure, it’s nice to have small monthly expenses. But the problem with small HOA dues is that money is then not collected for future expenses. And when those expenses arise and there is not enough money in reserve, then all of the members of the HOA have to pony up and pay a special assessment. These assessments can be in the thousands of dollars. So do your homework and get to know the HOA before you buy. Don’t necessarily opt to buy a condo just because the HOA dues are small. Small monthly dues can mean big special assessments later.

Please let us know if you have any questions about condos. Linda and I are here to help.
Dianne

Open Houses for October 22, 2011

22 homes are scheduled to be held open this Sunday in Lake Oswego. Enjoy!

Address Price Bedrooms Baths Open
16250 Pacific Hwy #55 $175,000 2 2 1 to 3
6016 Bonita Rd $229,999 4 2 1 to 4
6263 Childs Rd $264,900 4 2 2 to 4
16695 Glenwood Ct $379,000 4 3 12 to 2
4660 Black Forest Ct $390,000 4 2.5 1 to 4
19443 Kokanee Ct $397,000 4 2.5 1 to 4
1657 Campus Way $399,900 4 3 1 to 4
14361 Sherbrook Pl $429,900 3 2.5 1:30 to 4
7 Del Prado St $435,000 4 3 12 to 3
13020 Princeton Ct $444,000 4 2.5 1 to 3
5698 La Mesa Ct $600,000 4 2.5 1 to 3:30
15633 Fieldstone Dr $618,950 4 2.5 1 to 3
5533 Fieldstone Ct $628,950 4 2.5 1 to 3
17601 Woodhurst Pl $649,000 3 2.5+.5 1 to 3
5056 Denton Dr $649,900 4 2.5 2 to 6
14231 Dolph Ct $650,000 4 2 1 to 4
15622 Fieldstone Dr $668,950 3 2.5 1 to 3
5604 Grand Oaks Dr $685,000 5 3 1 to 4
17406 Brookhurst $689,900 5 3.5 1 to 3
17930 Blue Heron Dr $799,000 5 4.5 1:30 to 4
18308 Meadowlark Ln $1,395,000 4 3.5+.5+.5 1 to 3
17700 Upper Cherry Ln $2,375,000 5 5.5 1 to 3

News & Notes

* Watershed Health Open House – Oct. 22nd at Hazelia Field/Luscher Farm – Come and learn more about the city’s work to improve watershed health and water quality and how you can help.  There will also be pumpkin decorating activities for kids!

* Drug Take-Back Day – Oct 29, 10AM – 2PM  at the Lake Oswego Adult Community Center/505 G Ave. – Dispose of your unwanted or expired medications.

* Foothills Framework Plan –  The draft is available HERE.  Learn more about the city’s efforts to put a plan together that transforms the 107-acre area into a vibrant, river-front  neighborhood for housing and businesses.  Click HERE to learn more about the project and what’s behind it.

* Help Meals on Wheels – During the month of October you can help deliver a healthy lunch to a home-bound senior by choosing to add the cost of 1, 3 or 7 meals to your grocerey bill at New Seasons Market in Mountain Park!

Here are some Market Notes for you~

According to the RMLS Market Action Report for September 2011, the combined area of Lake Oswego and West Linn  reported:

  • 773 Active Listings
  • 156 New Listings
  • 101 Pending Sales
  • 82 Closed Sales
  • An average Sale Price of $474,800.
  • Average Time on the Market: 166 Days