First Time Homeowner Tax Credit - 01/31/10 11:21 AM
First Time Homeowner Tax Credit
For those of us with clients qualifying for the $8,000.00 First Time Homeowner Tax Credit, we need to remember that if the home is converted to a rental within 36 months, the $8,000.00 must be repaid.
For existing homeowners, there is no requirement that they sell their current home to be eligible for the $6,500.00 tax credit, but they are not eligible for the credit if they use the new home purchase for a rental.
If we suspect this will be the case, we need to make them aware of this fact.
… (2 comments)

Clean and Green Tax Deductions - 01/29/10 12:36 PM
Clean and Green Tax Deductions
For those of us who have clients making expenditures that qualify for energy savers, we need to know;
It must be their principal residence. Includes windows, doors, skylights, water heaters, roofs, biomass stoves, etc. Can deduct 30% of the qualified expenditure up to an aggregate amount of $1,500. To get the full explanation, we can go to www.energystar.gov.  Also, stores such a Home Depot, Lowes, Menards and others will know the rules.
 
… (1 comments)

Is Applying For A Loan Modification A Big Fat Waste of Your Time? For Some It Is - 01/29/10 12:36 PM
 
Via American Pacific Mortgage- Karen Cooper, Oregon & California:
Confused about the myriad of guidelines for home loan modification programs like the Home Affordable Modification Program? Hearing about families who get different|varied results when they are trying to keep their homes after falling behind on their payments due to financial hardship they have experienced? Need help deciphering what alternatives are available based on YOUR family’s individual circumstances?
 
A Southern Oregon homeowner found out in less than 24 hours why they were not eligible for the various programs they were hearing so much about, such as the Home Affordable Modification Program. … (0 comments)

Southern Oregon Homeowners Receive Home Affordable Modification Program IN TEN DAYS!!!! - 01/29/10 12:30 PM
Karen Cooper and Access Inc. have some terrific help for homeowners in need of foreclosure help. 
Via American Pacific Mortgage- Karen Cooper, Oregon & California:
Although this is not necessarily a typical time frame, a Southern Oregon family received their Home Affordable Modification Program offer TEN DAYS AFTER their request was submitted to their lender through ACCESS Inc./Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center.
 
TEN DAYS!!!!! 
 
Yes, other families go through the frustrations of longer time frames, lenders who lose their paperwork or continually require updates because they are taking so long to process the paperwork. But remember… TEN DAYS is possible!!!! … (0 comments)

Toyota Takes A Hit! - 01/29/10 11:53 AM
Toyota Takes A Hit!
Toyota stock is taking a hit right now because of sudden, uncontrolled acceleration.
This problem has been there for several years now, and up until recently, Toyota has denied that is was anything other than floor mats making the accelerator stick.
It is reminiscent of the real estate market in the fact that the problems have been there for a long time, but because of a false inflation it has been able to sustain itself until the bubble finally burst.  Which only shows that you can cover up a problem for so long before it bites you.
Fortunately for both of us, … (9 comments)

Rogue Valley Humane Society - Grants Pass, Oregon - 01/28/10 10:13 AM
Rogue Valley Humane Society - Grants Pass, Oregon
Marriage in the Dog house starts at the Rogue Valley Humane Society.
 
 
 
 
 
Diane and Kenway Mead will be married on Saturday, January 30th at the Rogue Valley Humane Society.
The couple met on the Internet while playing on a cribbage site when she lived in North Carolina and he was in Vancouver, Washington.  When they finally got together, first they fell in love, and then they found Grants Pass, Oregon and fell in love with it!
They moved here, and then fell in love with the Rogue … (1 comments)

Tomb Of The Unknowns - Arlington National Cemetery - 01/28/10 10:06 AM
Tomb Of The Unknowns - Arlington National Cemetery

Were you aware that the guard must change every half hour, twenty-four hours a day, every day of the year?
To be guard at the Tomb Of The Unknowns;
the guards must meet size requirements, and commit to two years of service to guard the tomb.  The guards live in military barracks under the Tomb Of The Unknowns.  They cannot drink any alcohol while on or off duty for the rest of their lives. 
 After two years of service, they receive a wreath pin to wear on their lapel.  Only 400 pins … (3 comments)

Five Secrets for Buying the Best House for Your Money - 01/28/10 12:37 AM
This is a great post by Mary and Bill Watkins.  Following these five steps will make your home-buying process much easier and even fun!
Via Real Estate One:
Everyone wants to know how to buy the best house for their money.  And, there are several ways to go about doing just that.  Therefore, we would like to share five secrets for buying the best house for your money. 
1. Get Pre-Approved - Don't just get pre-qualified if you want to get the best property for the least amount of money.  If you get pre-approved for a home loan, you have a better chance … (1 comments)

Credit Score Damage - 01/28/10 12:36 AM
Ron Wickes posted this great blog about how seemingly "small" payment oversights can affect your credit score, especially if you've got good credit.
Via Ron Wickes (Keller Williams):
I often get people asking me how much one late payment damages their credit score. My answer always has been "more than you can imagine". Well last November Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) released a summary of what they call their "damage point scenarios" and how much those scenarios will damage your credit score. I along with many others in the real estate, mortgage and credit restoration industry was amazed at the affects of these "damage … (0 comments)

BAMA BAILOUT BACKFIRES? - 01/27/10 11:29 AM
BAMA BAILOUT BACKFIRES?
Used vehicle prices are up!
How well do you think the "cash for clunkers" program really worked now that we're well past it?
We can already see what the affect the shortage of those trade-ins has made in the automobile market.  Sixty percent of those vehicles that the U.S. Government has destroyed would have been re-sold!
Maybe they didn't get the best gas mileage, but three or four out of every five of them were good, serviceable, and dependable vehicles that would have helped a lot of families!  There are a lot of people who would have been able to get … (3 comments)

We've Got To Hold On! - 01/26/10 10:59 AM
We've Got To Hold On!
Is the fear of loss prompting short-sales and foreclosures?
I hear some homeowners say that they could probably hang on to their homes, and make the payments, but realizing that the homes' value is so much less than what they owe; why bother?
People are motivated by two main factors; a hope for gain, and a fear of loss.
In the current mortgage situation, the hope for gain that normally is so critical in home ownership is not presently there.  Kind of like paying the remaining balance on a dead horse.
Has a lot of the … (3 comments)

On This Day In History - January 26th - 01/26/10 01:10 AM
On This Day In History - January 26th
~~  1925 ~~  Paul Newman was born in Shaker Heights, Ohio.
~~  1934 ~~  The movie "Pardon My Pups" with Shirley Temple opened.
~~  1935 ~~  Bob Uecker, Major League Baseball catcher and broadcaster was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
~~  1958 ~~  Ellen DeGeneres was born in Metairie, Louisiana.
~~  1962 ~~  The movie "The Three Stooges Meet Hercules" opened.
~~  1965 ~~  The movie "How To Murder Your Wife" with Jack Lemon opened.
~~  1998 ~~  President Bill Clinton uttered his infamous statement, "I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss … (6 comments)

GPS Units CAN GET YOU KILLED! - Southern Oregon - 01/25/10 10:56 AM
GPS Units CAN GET YOU KILLED! - Southern Oregon
In late 2008, we moved to Southern Oregon, and right away I purchased a new GPS Unit, which I felt would not only help me get around in a new area, but also when I entered the real estate profession.
In most cases, the GPS Unit has been accurate to within a mile, but sometimes it's just plain nuts!
The danger in relying on GPS Units lies in traveling across our vast mountain ranges to the Pacific Ocean or Northern California.
Just last week some businessmen just about got stuck for the … (8 comments)

Shiny Brass = Kiss of Death - 01/24/10 01:46 PM
Liz Jenkins posted this great blog about doorknobs and fixtures that I want to share with you.  Thanks Liz!
Via Liz Jenkins (a fresh space :: home staging & thoughtful organizing):
It's everywhere, that shiny brass!  You see it on doorknobs, light fixtures, cabinet pulls, faucets and more.  When I do staging consults, recommending that people update their fixtures and doorknobs is one of my key points.  Nothing says, "lowball me" or "this house hasn't been updated" like a pitted, tarnished, shiny (or not so shiny anymore) brass front door knob.  
Now of course, it can depend on the price point of … (1 comments)

Indoor Winter Fishing - Northern Minnesota - 01/24/10 12:19 PM
Indoor Winter Fishing - Northern Minnesota
An adventure in Northern Minnesota.  Minnesota has over 12,000 documented and named lakes.  Leach lake is one of the largest, and I had a great adventure there a while back.
It was a sunny but bitter cold day and I went with friends in their truck out on the frozen lake.  We passed a car with two long poles lashed across the top and protruding about ten feet past the front and rear bumpers.  I inquired as to their use and was told that if the car broke through the ice, the poles would catch … (4 comments)

Creating Josephine County - Southern Oregon - 01/22/10 11:18 AM
Creating Josephine County- Southern Oregon
Before Oregon's statehood, the Rogue Indian Wars were keeping the Southern Oregon settlers on constant guard.
Murders committed by California and Southern Oregon gold miners against peaceful villages of Indians had the two camps fighting continually.
The settlers in the area felt, and rightfully so, that they were not being adequately protected by the government.
By forming a new county, there would be more protection granted by the state.
George Briggs had been elected to the territorial legislature in 1855 from Jackson county, Oregon.
On January 22, 1856 they passed a law forming Josephine County.
George … (1 comments)

SNAKES ON THE PLAINS? - 01/22/10 11:04 AM
SNAKES ON THE PLAINS?
Yes, there and most everywhere else in the Southern United States!
If you really want to read something that's more scary than global warming for our immediate future, go the United States Geological Survey website.  Read the survey entitled, "Giant Constrictors."
We've all heard about how serious the python and anaconda problem is in Florida, right?  Now experts are predicting this problem to spread north to Maryland, across the Southern USA to California, and up to Southern Oregon.
If this problem is not confronted immediately, at the rate these creatures are multiplying, there won't be a dog, … (7 comments)

Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson - 01/21/10 12:07 AM
Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson

"Stonewall" Jackson was born on January 21, 1824 in Clarksburg, Virginia (it is now in West Virginia).  "Stonewall" Jackson was a Lieutenant General in the CSA (Confederate States of America), and has been described by military historians as one of the "best tactical commanders in history."
He received his famous nickname by his refusing to retreat and ultimate victory at the first battle of Manassas (Bull Run).
The nickname came when Brig. Gen. Barnard Elliott Bee, Jr., chided his own troops to re-form by shouting, "There is Jackson standing like a stone wall."
He was accidentally shot by … (7 comments)

Leupold & Stevens of Beaverton, Oregon - American Made! - 01/21/10 12:05 AM
Leupold & Stevens of Beaverton, Oregon - American Made!
Congratulations to Leupold & Stevens, makers of the world's best optical instruments including; rifle scopes, telescopes, binoculars, rangefinders and other top of the line products.
Two years ago, Leupold & Stevens purchased Redfield, which was based in Denver, Colorado.
At one time, Redfield was a premier competitor to Leupold & Stevens, but the optics line was being produced overseas, and they eventually went under due to poor investments and losing ventures.  Prior to their demise, Redfield was a quality product, and did not deserve to go under.
Leupold & Stevens will be bringing the … (0 comments)

Home For Sale - Rogue River, Oregon - 01/20/10 10:54 AM
Home For Sale - Rogue River, Oregon  MLS# 52905843 $289,000.
509 Cypress Avenue, Rogue River, OR

A lovely custom-built Home For Sale just minutes from Grants Pass, Oregon located in the City of Rogue River.
This 2,368 square foot home built in 2004 and sits on a generous .23 acre lot at the end of a quiet street. Large picture windows abound in this Home For Sale, with views of majestic mountains and hills in every direction.

As you enter the custom-built door into the elegant foyer, notice the abundance of maple flooring throughout the vaulted great-room.

Opposing built-in bookcases guide … (7 comments)

Real Estate Humor At It's Finest! - 01/20/10 10:52 AM
Derek Meyer, posted this very funny blog, and I just had to pass it on.
Via Derek Meyer (Ameri-Title):
I just had to share. Very Funny Short For Realtors. Have A Great Day! … (2 comments)

7 ways to improve your home's sell-ability - 01/19/10 01:20 PM

Via Tera White (Lake and Town Realty):
In this economy, houses aren't selling like they used to. If you have a house on the market, or are considering selling yours, there are some ways to improve your chances. Here are seven tips that will make it easier to sell your house and make a smooth transition from one owner to the next.
1. Maintain neutralityCustomizing your home is great if you plan to stay there, but extreme colors and themed rooms can scare off potential homebuyers. If you have customized every room with extremely bright or dark colored paint, wallpaper or wall … (1 comments)

Home With Acreage For Sale - Selma, Oregon - 01/19/10 12:03 AM
Home With Acreage For Sale - Selma, Oregon           $200,000 MLS# 52908755

Just a minute from beautiful Lake Selmac finds this well-maintained Home With Acreage For Sale on 10.5 acres of level, treed, fully-usable land.
Reeves Creek runs through the property, and also qualifies for huge tax break because of its' forested acres.

Gorgeous Lake Selmac! What else can one say about such a beautiful lake. Fishing here is fantastic and record bass are still being caught in these waters. The kingfishers sit along the shore watching the hundreds of geese and ducks as they enjoy the protection of Josephine County's only lake park. In … (0 comments)

Wildlife Images Red Tailed Hawk Replaced By Tiger Woods - Grants Pass, Oregon - 01/19/10 12:02 AM
Wildlife Images Red Tailed Hawk Replaced By Tiger Woods - Grants Pass, Oregon
The Buick Corporate Hawk appeared in their commercials for many years until being replaced by the Tiger.  Maybe Buick wishes they could trade back!
The hawks name was "Happy" and her home was Wildlife Images on the Rogue River in Grants Pass, Oregon.
This red tailed hawk is among a lot of wild friends at Wildlife Images, a non-profit sanctuary.
J. David Siddon and his wife began their venture back in the 70's as a place to care for sick and hurt wild animals and birds.  His son, … (4 comments)

Ice Fishing Memories - 01/18/10 11:18 AM
Ice Fishing Memories
Ice Fishing in Northern Minnesota is quite a sport.

As a youngster, I remember long hours in the fish house with my father.  Each season, he would haul the "outdoor toilet" looking shack out on the ice, chisel a hole in the ice about four feet square and push the "fish house" over the hole where it would sit until spring.
He had a fake minnow on a line suspended from the ceiling and down in the water.  He made the minnow from tin, and it had movable fins that he could twist, so that when he … (4 comments)

Happy Birthday Benjamin Franklin - January 17, 1706 - 01/17/10 12:08 PM
Happy Birthday Benjamin Franklin - January 17, 1706
Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17th, 1706 in Boston, Massachusetts.  He was one of the most influential men in the history of the United States.
So influential in fact, that it is likely that if asked, a great number of Americans believe he once served as President of the United States, and indeed he could have.
One quote the great scholar made that I especially like is:
"Those who beat their swords into plowshares usually end up plowing for those who kept their swords."
Also, this great man, as … (1 comments)

New Motorcycle Law For Oregon - 01/16/10 09:51 AM
New Motorcycle Law For Oregon
 
The Oregon state legislature has decided to try to do something about the greatly increasing motorcycle casualties across the state by passing a New Motorcycle Law.
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation's records from 2002 to 2008, "the number of crashes in Oregon for all vehicles decreased by 13%."  For this same period, the number of motorcycle accidents increased by almost 51%!
For many years motorcycle riders under 21 years old have been required to complete a training course titled, "TEAM OREGON" Basic Rider Training. 
Beginning January 1, 2011, the new bill will … (0 comments)

Pet Exerciser - Annoying Times Ten! - 01/15/10 11:22 AM
Pet Exerciser - Annoying Times Ten!
We have two miniature Schnauzers and they are getting more exercise this winter than ever without us having to go out into the cold.
The TV commercial for Papa Murphy's Pizza is a ringing doorbell and could not be more annoying.  It comes out of nowhere, and you don't get a chance to mute the TV, as the ring comes first.  The "boys" go absolutely nuts, barking and running around, and if you know Schnauzers then you know they are absolutely impossible to quiet down after they get started.  It takes about a full three … (16 comments)

Free Annual Credit Report - 01/15/10 12:13 AM
Sandy Shores wrote a great blog about reviewing your credit report on a regular basis.  You should do this at least yearly.
Via Sandy Shores, Melbourne/Palm Bay FL, Brevard County Real Estate & Investing (M & M Real Estate Inc. www.SandyShoresMelbourne.com):
Do you know what's on your credit report? Identity theft is on the rise and today it's important to review your credit report on a regular basis.
Or if you are considering buying a home soon, it is important to know what info your credit report contains before starting the homebuying process.
According to the Federal Trade Commission in 2003  FACTA requires … (2 comments)

Ten-Digit Dialing Comes To Southern Oregon - 01/14/10 10:34 AM
Ten-Digit Dialing Comes To Southern Oregon
I moved to Southern Oregon in September of 2008, and it seemed as if I took a step back in time to a more simplified lifestyle!
Even the phones were easier to use.  It was not any longer necessary to include an area code when calling.
 Now, we're suddenly thrust forward again, as our population is growing and we're adding new area codes, so back to Ten-Digit Dialing.
 
 
 
When I was growing up in Minnesota in the 40's and 50's, I picked up the phone and an operator answered, I gave her … (4 comments)

Bonneville Power Administration Hires Woody Guthrie To Sell Oregon - 01/13/10 10:10 AM
Bonneville Power Administration Hires Woody Guthrie To Sell Oregon
A little known fact about the BPA (Bonneville Power Administration) is that in May of 1941, they hired Woody Guthrie to promote their efforts.
They wanted to promote the administration in their dam building and cheap electricity to overcome public resentment of the dam.

Woodie Guthrie, (July 14, 1912 - October 31, 1967) was hired for 30 days in May of 1941, and in that time he wrote 26 songs, including "Roll on Columbia."  The promotion worked well, and the Bonneville Power Administration forged ahead to become the excellent company it … (2 comments)

High Noon - January 12th, 1905 - 01/12/10 11:29 AM
High Noon - January 12th, 1905
Born on this date;

Woodward Maurice Ritter, better known as "Tex" Ritter and father of actor John Ritter.
For those of you who don't remember Tex Ritter, try the singer of the theme song for the academy award winner High Noon starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly.
Happy Birthday Tex!
… (0 comments)

Homes For Sale in Grants Pass and Rogue River Oregon - December 2009 - 01/07/10 12:12 AM
Homes For Sale in Grants Pass and Rogue River Oregon - December 2009
The following results for the month of December 2009 for Grants Pass and Rogue River were compiled from records of single-family residential homes listed with the Southern Oregon Multiple Listing Service.
This inventory may be misleading when you consider all of those people who have either withdrawn their homes temporarily from the market and/or all those who are waiting until the market gets stronger before they attempt to list their Home For Sale.
December 2009 Grants Pass and Rogue River Real Estate Statistics
Number of Homes Sold: 69
 Number of Homes Actively on the … (0 comments)

Homes For Sale in Josephine County Oregon - December 2009 - 01/06/10 12:18 AM
Homes For Sale in Josephine County Oregon - December 2009
The following results for the month of December 2009 were compiled from records of single-family residential homes listed with the Southern Oregon Multiple Listing Service.
This inventory may be misleading when you consider all of those people who have either withdrawn temporarily from the market and/or all those who are waiting until the market gets stronger before they attempt to list their Homes For Sale.
December 2009 Josephine County Real Estate Statistics
 Number of Homes Sold: 74  
 Number of Homes Actively on the MLS: 733                    89 are Short Sales                    53 are Foreclosures
77 Are New … (0 comments)

Low to no cost enhancements to help sell your Bethlehem home - 01/05/10 12:06 PM
How To Sell Your Home - Grants Pass, Oregon
 
Via Wendy Benedict ~ Lehigh Valley, PA Real Estate (Coldwell Banker Heritage Real Estate):
Looking to make your Bethlehem home stand out against the competition, but have limited funds or time for remodeling projects?  Here are some low to no cost/high impact ideas that will score big with the buyers and turn that 'FOR SALE' sign to 'SOLD!!'
Make a good first impression.  No one is impressed if the exterior is messy.  Sweep the front porch, dust for cobwebs and clean the windows. Paint the front door an eye-catching color and make sure the lock does … (0 comments)

Jump Off Joe Creek - Grants Pass, Oregon - 01/05/10 10:28 AM
Jump Off Joe Creek - Grants Pass, Oregon
There are some interesting names given to landmarks in Southern Oregon.  Take Jump Off Joe Creek for instance. 
I've heard of " Jump Off Joe" at the coast near Newport, Oregon, but just north of Grants Pass, Oregon is "Jump Off Joe Creek."

Named for Joe McLoughlin, the son of Dr. John McLoughlin who had a major role in the first settling of Portland.  Dr. John had been with Hudson's Bay Fur Company and the main street; (McLoughlin Boulevard) that runs through Oregon's first Capital, Oregon City, is named after him, as well … (0 comments)

January 5th - A Look Back In History - 01/05/10 12:01 AM
January 5th - A Look Back In History
History shows the following happened on January 5th.
~~~  1889 - The word "hamburger" first appeared in print in the Walla Walla Union, a Washington newspaper.
~~~  1910  Hugh Brannum, better known as "Mr. Green Jeans" on the Captain Kangaroo show was born.
~~~  1914  Henry Ford announced the $5-per-day minimum wage.
~~~  1925  In Wyoming, Nellie Ross became the first woman Governor of a state.
~~~  1933  Calvn Coolidge, our 30th President died in Massachusetts.
~~~  1993 The last legal handing was carried out in America.  Washington state executed Westley Dodd by hanging.
… (2 comments)

Things are Great! Thank You For Asking! - Part II - 01/03/10 11:57 AM
Things are Great!  Thank You For Asking! - Part II
Now that my last blog dealt with the uncomfortably negative side of human nature, now I will set out to make a genuine and outward positive effect on my surroundings.
This will be a great year for real estate!  I really feel that we can affect our environment in a very positive way by projecting positive vibes! 
When asked how things are going, the answer is; FANTASTIC!
For a while this last year it seemed as though our news media had hired some salespeople to edit their broadcasts -- Things coming from our national media … (3 comments)

Things are Great! Why Do You Ask? - Part I - 01/02/10 11:49 AM
Things are Great!  Why Do You Ask? - Part I
I'm writing this blog in two parts, as the thoughts tie in, but I wish to keep the negative and the positive apart.
Let's start with the negative --  When someone asks you, "How's business?" are they really expecting a positive response, or hoping for a negative one?
I know it's hard for many people to understand, but I've made a lifelong study of people, and I can assure you that many of those who ask about our business, or our well-being, are actually unaware that inwardly they are anticipating and … (5 comments)