George's Blog

Lot #4 in Paradise Terrace Subd Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:18:41 -0500

$109,000 Enjoy beautiful ocean views from this .49 acre large city lot in the Paradise Terrace subd near the top of a coastal hill. Utilities are available at the property line.

Legal description: 3215-33C TL 2128 PARADISE TERRACE SUBD, LOT 4

Lot #13 in Paradise Terrace Subd Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:12:28 -0500

$89,000 for Large .53 acre wooded city lot in secluded subdivision. City water & sewer and power are available at the lot line.

Legal description:TRS 3215-33C TL 2117 Paradise Terrace Subd, Lot 13

Lot #14 in Paradise Terrace Subd Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:03:03 -0500

$89,000 .67 acre large city lot with older trees at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac. City Water & Sewer and Power are available at the lot line.

Legal description: TRS 3215-33C TL 2116 PARADISE TERRACE SUBD, LOT 14

Lot #15 in Paradise Terrace Subd Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:57:55 -0500

$89,000 .59 acre large wooded city lot on a private cul-de-sac in a newer subd. in the city. City water & sewer and power are available at the lot line. There is an ocean view from a portion of the lot.

Legal description: TRS 3215-33C TL 2115 PARADISE TERRACE SUBD, LOT 15

Paradise Terrace Subd Lot #16 Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 23:50:27 -0500

$89,000 for .87 acre large wooded lot in private subdivision at the N.E. edge of town. City water & sewer and power are available at the street.

Legal description: TRS 3215-33C TL 2114 PARADISE TERRACE SUBD, LOT 16

SMARTMONEY MAG SMEARS REALTORS - "I WON'T LET TERMITES - OR PESKY INSPECTORS - KILL A DEAL"

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:15:36 -0500

SMARTMONEY MAGAZINE article by SmartMoney Magazine Staff Published July 7, 2009

The tone of this article is wrought with shameless self promotion for the magazine and the named sources that are quoted in it. The writer(s) also make reference to quotes from un-named sources in a very unprofessional job of reporting. They are creating a story and their story in untrue

"I won't let termites - pesky inspectors - kill a deal - The writer(s) cite Steve VanGrack, former chairman of the Maryland Real Estate Commission for the following statement: "We have had cases where [brokers have] been deceptive about termites and flood damage."

Then the writer(s) cite S. Woody Dawson, a structural inspector and owner of Dawson Inspections in Connecticut for the following statements:

1) "One time I had a broker tell me that unless I told her the results of my inspection - which is confidential between myself and my client - she wouldn't let me get up on the roof,"

2) "I got out my ladder and told her that unless she was big enough to stop me, I was going up there - she wasn't big enough."

The writer(s) summarize by making the following statement: "What you need to worry about , though, are the home's features that he [the broker] keeps to himself."

The writer(s) is/are generalizing an indiviual incident and using a broad brush to paint a dark portrait in an overt attempt to defame Real Estate Brokers and their profession.

Write to your State and National Association of Realtors.

SMARTMONEY MAG SMEARS REALTORS - "SOMETIMES I FORGET WHOSE SIDE I'M ON"

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 13:00:25 -0500

SMARTMONEY MAGAZINE article by SmartMoney Magazine Staff Published July 7, 2009

SOMETIMES I FORGET WHOS SIDE I'M ON - The writer(s) make the following unsubstantiated claim: The past 15 years have seen the proliferation of the buyer broker, agents who are supposed to work strictly in the buyer's interest, helping him get a fair price on a home as well as a avoid pitfalls along the way. Unfortunately things don't always work unfold so nicely. While buyer may think they're getting a boker who isn't commission-hungary, many buyer agents are just that.

Then the writer(s) cite Max Gordon, an Overland Park, Kansas - based real estate broker and attorney as the source of the following statement about buyer brokers: "Buyer brokers are sometimes too focused on closing the sale and getting that commission"

The writer(s) then add their own unsubstantiated claim: so it's often in their best interest to see you pay as high a price as possible.

Then the writer(s) cites Stephen Israel, President of Buyers Edge, in a statement that some brokers who call themselves buyer advocates are actually working for companies that also represent sellers. "Brokerages offer bonuses to buyer agents if they sell an in-house listing.

Yellow journalism lives on at SMARTMONEY MAGAGZINE through overt acts to fabricate false claims, sensationalize individual behavior then attribute it to all members of our profession and smear Realtors through unsubstantiated claims, They have clearly demonstrated their disregard for the truth by making unsubstantiated claims and through poor fact checking in an overt attempt to defame Real Estate Brokers in a self-serving attempt to draw on buyers fears.

Write to your State and National Association of Realtors.

SMARTMONEY MAG SMEARS REALTORS - 'I'M NOT OBLIGATED TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT FOR YOU"

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:35:03 -0500

SMARTMONEY MAGAZINE article by SmartMoney Magazine Staff Published July 7, 2009

"I'M NOT OBLIGATED TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT FOR YOU" - This statement is attributed to Stephen Israel, President of Buyer's Edge, a Bethesda Md. - based company. The writer(s) of this article are intent on sowing seeds of distrust in the buying public and site a source who is certainly trying to promote his own business as a 'buyers representative.' The writers attribute the following statments to Israel:

1) "If you tell the broker that you're willing to pay $500,000 but want to offer $450,000, they'll pass that on to the seller. The have to."

2) "When somebody asks for [a preapproval], find out who they're representing," "If they represent a seller - or someone in their office does - they shouldn't have it. The broker may tell you she will be impartial, but how can she be?"

Again, this is poor fact checking in an overt attempt to defame Real Estate Brokers.

Write to your State and National Association of Realtors.

SMARTMONEY MAG SMEARS REALTORS - THINK YOU'VE HAD NO OFFERS?...

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:18:41 -0500

SMARTMONEY MAGAZINE article by SmartMoney Magazine Staff Published July 7, 2009

'THINK YOU'VE HAD NO OFFERS? ACTUALLY THERE'VE BEEN SERVERAL' - This statement is attributed to Sean McNeill who is identified as an independent real estate broker based in New York City. The writer(s) then attribute the following statements to McNeill:

1) "the broker thinks it's too low for his own purposes,"

2) "He want to hold out for a bigger commission."

Then the writer(s) fabricate their own claim in the following statement: "Another possibility is that there's an outside broker (or 'co-broker') circling your house, and the primary broker is waiting for one of his own clients to make an offer so he can keep the full 6 percent to himself." This qualifies as nothing more than unsubstantiated gossip that is harmful to hard working professional brokers in all markets.

Poor fact checking and unsubstantiated allegation in an overt attempt to defame Real Estate Brokers.

Write to your State and National Association of Realtors.

SMARTMONEY MAG SMEARS REALTORS - MY FEES ARE NEGOTIABLE

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:00:44 -0500

SMARTMONEY MAGAZINE article by SmartMoney Magazine Staff Published July 7, 2009

My Fees Are Negotiable - While this is a true statement the context in which it is made is misleading at best and factually wrong. For example, the writer(s) make the claim that the number of brokers sharply increased during the housing bubble and 'that same surplus of brokers is still out there competing for even fewer listings.'

Poor fact checking in an overt attempt to defame Real Estate Brokers.

It should be obvious that there is a glut of properties on the market. In my local market we have an inventory that will take 5 years to sell off. Yet the writer claims that there are 'fewer listings.'

Write to your State and National Association of Realtors.

See related blogs.

Vista Dr Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 23:39:24 -0500

Legal Description is 3115-33C TL 2132

Enjoy beautiful ocean and lake views from this 3.51 acres estate property on a hill above town & within city limits. Behold the daytime views of the ocean and lake, the painted skies at sunset, and the 'dark skies' at night.

This is a unique setting in the trees on a coastal hill.

1975 Dee Terrace Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:28:34 -0500

$149,000 for 1/2 + city lot with ocean & lake views!

Enjoy spectacular panoramic views of ocean, lake, sunsets, & Cape Blanco lighthouse from this large city lot in Paradise Terrace subd. City water & sewer and power are available at the street.

245 Sixteenth St. Port Orford, Oregon

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:25:32 -0500

$289,000 2BR, 2 BA Nearly New Cape Cod

Enjoy seaside living, distant ocean views, & the sounds of surf in this 'like new' Cape Cod with a Cathedral ceiling in the living room. The local builder used quality materials, took pride in his workmanship & incl upgraded: 2" thick wood floors; kitchen cabinets; dual pane windows/french door; & upgraded appls. Walk to beaches, Art Studios, Theatres, & shopping w short drive to fishing, kayaking, hiking, & birding.

41495 Old Mill Rd Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:50:09 -0500

$475,000 Country Estate with 2 BR, 2 BA, 2065 sf main house and 1 BR, 1 BA ~1500 sf Guest House, and ~1500 sf shop.

Enjoy Coastal Living in a Country Manor with many upgrades incl custom rock work, heated tile flooring, gas fp & stove, spiral staircase, decks & patio. GuestHome ~1500 sf 1 BR, 1 BA, Kit, & xlg Greatroom w open beams, 12" pine floors, LP FP & Bar. ~1500 sf shop. Prof hardscapes/landscapes incl River rock walls, raised gardens, fruit trees, fenced yard, paved drive & RV sites.

337 Twelfth St Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:24:33 -0500

$169,900 - 4 BR, 2 BA on .15 acre city lot in quiet neighborhood.

Well maintained 'Cozy Cottage' in an historic part of town on a short street segment with mature trees & shrubs which create an added sense of privacy. It is within walking distance to the beach, stores, restaurants, library, community center, & theatres. This home was remodeled approximately 10 yrs ago. The remodel included the xlg country kitchen, a metal roof & more.

96086 McGribble Rd Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:51:55 -0500

$1,250,000 Luxurious 79 acre Creekside Mountain Retreat in the Siskiyou Nat'l Forest - OFF-THE-GRID.

Post & Beam construction 1783 sf 3 BR, 2 BA Chalet with cedar siding & shake shingle roof & in-house sauna. Great room has open-beam ceiling, rock fireplace, & hardwood floors. MBR has rock fireplace & balcony. The kitchen has LP gas appliances & granite counter tops. Large wrap-around decks, two large trout ponds, large vegetable garden and custom landscaping. The private Guest House has 1 BR, 1 BA, & large living room with wood stove. It is foot bridge accessible across Bald Mtn Creek. Watch the wild steelhead trout & salmon migrations, watch birds in their natural habitat, and enjoy the peace and serenity of the Siskiyou Forest.

The Broken Tree Ranch/Retreat has a low carbon footprint with its own hydro electric power generating system with gasoline generator backup system, satellite tv, internet, & phone,

Thirteenth St Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:39:25 -0500

Sale Pending 07-08-09

$140,000 RVers dream location near lake and public boat launch at Garrison Lake in Port Orford. Newer ~2000 sf shop with metal sides, metal roof, & Large bay doors. Pole barn & concrete slab construction. ~480 sf wing is finished & used as a recreational room for RVer guests. There is no BA in the shop. The current owner used the water & BA in his adjacent residence or in his RV. The shop has its own power & sewer connections with power & sewer connections for the RV site.

Adjacent 1468 sf 2 BR, 2 BA 1988 remodeled contemporary home on 2.17 ac lot, .24 acre corner lot, & .16 acres lake view lot are also available for purchase with the shop or separately.

1205 California St Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Fri, 29 May 2009 14:08:29 -0500

Sale Pending 07-08-09

$274,500 Leisure living on the lake at Garrison Lake in Port Orford.

2 BR, 2 BA 1468 sf contemporary 1988 remodeled home in a private 2.17 acre lake side setting with upgrades in the kitchen, bathrooms, skylights, and flooring with a new roof. Great room has vaulted ceilings, skylight, ceiling fan & bamboo flooring, Kitchen has upgraded gas appliances & cook island. The large ~532 sf lake view deck is accessible from the Great room & Kitchen. There is also an ~116 sf lakeside deck & RV parking. The MBA has a jet tub & there is a hot tub outside.

Easy flow floor plan that is easy to clean & easy to maintain. RV parking

Happy Mother's Day

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Mon, 11 May 2009 00:18:43 -0500

Did you know that the earliest "Mother's Day" celebrations in the U.S. were mostly marked by women's peace groups. A common early activity was the meeting of groups of mothers whose sons had fought or died on opposite sides of the American Civil War. For more details on "Mother's Day" celebration click on this link

42150 Gold Run Rd Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Sun, 10 May 2009 00:02:42 -0500

$399,000 for an ocean view and this 1576 sf 2 BR, 2 BA Custom Built (1996) home on 1.19 acres. This well maintained home has a greatroom with cathedral ceiling, fireplace, & ceiling fan, upgraded italian tile & WilsonArt flooring, granite counter tops, crown molding, portico over front entrance and an artists studio. XLG decks (~46'x~20', & ~30'x~5'), paved circular driveway & parking, greenhouse, landscaped fenced yard with flowers, raised beds, fruit trees, & blueberry bushes.

Discover Port Orford One of Oregon's Most Idyillic Seaside Towns.

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Sat, 09 May 2009 23:35:22 -0500

Get away to Oregon's Hidden Seaside Town is the title of the article recently published in Sunset Magazine.

The hidden seaside town is Port Orford and the writer, Susan Houser, and the photographer, John Clark, have done a very good job of portraying "the not-so-sleepy charms of one of Oregon's most idyllic seaside towns."

I've been telling you all about Port Orford in my localizm blog but here is an outsiders opinion that substantiates what I've been blogging about.

23 Percent Completion Rate of Short Sale Transactions

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Sat, 09 May 2009 23:18:59 -0500

According to research firm Campbell Communications, “Three out of four potential short sale transactions fail, principally because the mortgage servicer takes too long to respond to the offer.” After foreclosure, these properties are sold at a price on the average of 20 percent below market and thus they further depress the price of real estate.

There are two primary reasons for this practice that at first look appears to be against the “best interest” of the banks and their investors. According to Arthur Delaney and Ryan Grim in their Huffington Post article dated 5/8/09

The first reason is "securitization, the method by which banks bundle together different mortgages and slice them up and sell the pieces to various investors. Securitization makes negotiating a real estate sale that results in a loss nearly impossible. Accoding to Dave Liniger, founder and chairman of the global real estate company Re/Max, "... so many of the banks' mortgages have been securitized, put together and bundled, sold off to Iceland or China or some godforsaken place, The bank has to go through all of the various people who are stakeholders and it becomes a very lengthy process, and the bank is turning off the realtors by not even getting answers back to them, sometimes for months."

However, the second and perhaps the more important reason cited by Delaney and Grem is that “Banks have little incentive to untie those bundles. Since mortgages are listed on the banks' balance sheets at the value of the original loan, if they complete a short sale they must record a loss on their balance sheets.”

Apparently, banks drag the process out as long as possible because it allows the bank to list the “original value of the loan” on its balance sheet until it is sold as a foreclosed property. Postponement of their losses is an accounting maneuver to make the banks appear to be more solvent than they really are.

My Psychic Counselor Said:

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:16:17 -0500

A friend of mine who is also my neighbor and a client has one of her properties listed with me. During previous visits my friend has ‘WOW'd me with stories about psychic readings and the uncanny accuracy of her most trusted psychic counselor. So recently, when she was in need of some additional comfort and reassuring words with regard to the sale of her property I asked her: ‘Well what does your psychic counselor tell you?' She answered that she hadn't consulted her and then added: ‘But I will make an appointment today.' I asked her to call me and share the news when she received it and she said she would.

Yesterday, I received the call from my friend/client who was in much better spirits. She had discussed many personal concerns with her counselor but with regard to the sale of her property the counselor advised her that someone with the letter ‘D' in their first and last names would ultimately sell her property. The irony is that there is a well established brokerage in the town next to us by the name of ‘D..... D....' Her psychic counselor is out of state and she has never been to our town and has no ‘first person' experience of our area yet she made a prediction that could easily be correlated to this brokerage. Our hopes were buoyed by the news and to be honest we are both more than a little excited about the possibilities. Time will tell.

Here is the AR link to this property:

I will keep you all posted on our progress but that's all for now.

Choosing Your Place

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:55:40 -0500

The conventional wisdom is that you have to go talk to people who live in a place, and you have to visit the place. If the place is in a climate zone that has seasonal changes, you need to experience it in all four seasons. Correcting the ‘wrong place' decision has complexities similar to those experienced when correcting a ‘wrong relationship' decision or a ‘wrong employment' decision.

Many people don't even think about the meaning of place in their lives but when you ask them you quickly realize that their place is a critical contributor to their happiness. When people find a place that fits them, it gives them more energy. Home Buyers have always been attracted to aesthetics and amenities. However, while some people enjoy their privacy and the quiet comforts of home many others like to meet people, make friends, and join groups. Many people's lives are enriched by sharing their lives with families and friends, participation in school activities, community organizations, and/or social groups. These activities are critically important and add to their enjoyment and quality of their lives. What people are saying is they are not going to be fulfilled in a place that just has a ‘nice house.' They want to live in a place that gives them excitement and energy as well as comfort.

So, when helping your buyers choose where they are going to live we frequently have to ask them what kind of ‘Place' they are looking for and then ask appropriate questions to learn what gives them excitement, energy, and comfort.

Galleries Port Orford, OR 97465

George Bennett, Sole Proprietor, GRI, ABR (Neath The Wind Realty) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:04:43 -0500

Local artists and craftsman display their work in 4 of our local galleries.

Master wood worker and wood carver displays his own work at the Cook Gallery at the corner of 7th and Oregon St.

The Johnson Gallery is at 530 8th St.

The Pottery Gallery is in the 900 block of Oregon St/Hwy 101.

The Triangle Gallery at the intersection of Hwy 101 and Oregon St.