My Baby isn't a Baby Anymore - 07/31/11 12:24 AM
Our daughter turned 18 today!  

I can not believe our once little bundle of joy is no longer a "child." I remember the day we brought her home.  So precious, so sweet.  Wow, 18 years have gone by so fast.  Where did the time go?  One minute we are changing diapers and the next we are having driving lessons.   Looking back, it feels like just a couple years have passed.

Congratulations Kavika, we love you!
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Why I Chose Real Estate - How my niche found me! - 07/30/11 02:40 AM
Why I Chose Real Estate - How my niche found me!
 


Before I could walk, I was fascinated with horses.  I know I drove my parents crazy.  Sorry Mom and Dad!  My family never had extra money, so I was limited to my Grandparent's horses (they lived 6 hours away) and neighbor horses.  


Planning and Goal Setting:  I remember looking in the classifieds once at the horses for sale, begging my parents to go look at some cheap horse.  By then we lived in town, I just assumed we could put the horse in the backyard. … (9 comments)

I want to live in the country! But I need to sell my city house first. HELP! - 07/28/11 05:29 PM
I want to live in the country!  But I need to sell my city house first.  HELP!
The thought of having to move twice overwhelms most home owners around Salem, Oregon.  So how does one coordinate the sale and purchase of a new home efficiently?
The first thing you must do is determine your current market value of your city home.  Do you have any equity?  Or, are you upside down?  Be sure to use comparables from your neighbor hood within the last 6 months, since this is what the appraisers will use too.  To request a current market value of your … (3 comments)

Mini Farm For Sale-Willamette Valley Oregon - 07/27/11 07:26 PM
Mini Farm For Sale-Willamette Valley of Oregon
Looking for more than just a couple acres?  How about 10!  
This nicely updated home has a lot to offer:
3 bedrooms 2 baths engineered hardwood floors newer carpet vinyl windows SS appliances tumbled tile kitchen counter tops tile backsplash granite counter in master bath almost new 32x60 shop with 2-12 foot RV doors irrigation rights Flat, 10.52 acres $350,000  Get more information and additional pictures of this fine Oregon mini-farm!   … (2 comments)

2 Acres and Single level home for sale-Outside Salem Oregon - 07/27/11 06:55 PM
This well-cared for single level home is just outside Salem, Oregon in Aumsville.  
Just a few features of this home include:
2 Flat Acres 1866 sf home Built in 1987 Shop Garden Shed and Green house Deck 3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms Large, open kitchen, dining and living room Lots of storage RV Disposal hookup $278,000 See more photos and information about this home. … (1 comments)

Price Reduced on Oregon Horse Property - 07/26/11 03:07 PM
Price Reduced on Oregon Horse Property
This totally remodeled house comes with a covered arena and 6 stall barn!
3200 sf house 4 bedrooms 3 bathrooms hand scraped hickory floors granite counters all new appliances all new windows new cedar siding 60x120 covered arena with sand footing 6-12x12 stalls grooming stall loft tack room room to add 3 more stalls 3 +/- acres Now $620,000 … (0 comments)

Price Reduced on Oregon Ranch - 07/25/11 01:09 PM
Price Reduced on Oregon Ranch!
Looking for a home on the range?  This 63 acre property is looking for you!  
2880 SF house 4 bedrooms bonus room 3 bathrooms 2 car attached garage 20x40 Shop 37x72 Barn with tack room and trailer parking Irrigation rights Approx. 5 acres in Xmas trees Mostly level ground   … (1 comments)

If government officials worked like real estate agents... - 07/20/11 02:39 PM
 
If government officials worked like real estate agents.....
 
They would work holidays, weekends and evenings to get the job done They would finally get a bill together, but then it gets squashed in excessive red tape from government lending regulations ( Oh wait, that already happens) Government officials would head concessions, like part of their personal paycheck, to get various agencies to come together They would answer their phone, email or text in response to the client they serve, in this case, the public They would act according to their client's wishes (within the law of course) They would not collect a paycheck until the job was completely … (61 comments)

Speechless Sunday - 07/17/11 06:27 PM

 
 
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Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Salem and Keizer Oregon April 2011 - 07/14/11 04:16 PM
Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Salem and Keizer Oregon April 2011
 
April of 2011 was a long, slow haul for sellers of acreage homes around Salem and Keizer.  Just 7 units were closed in escrow, one less than April of 2010.  The average sold price also feel tremendously, $305,500 from $550,737 in 2010.  Sellers could expect to close in about 6 months, or 186 days from the date of listing the home with a professional real estate agent.

 
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Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Salem and Keizer Oregon May 2011 - 07/14/11 04:15 PM
Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Salem and Keizer Oregon May 2011
Country homes around Salem and Keizer saw a dramatic decline in the average sales price in May of 2011 over 2010.  The average sold price fell from $396,315 in 2010 to just $303,975 in 2011.  The number of units sold year over year did not fluctuate much, 11 were sold last May, 10 were sold this May.  The properties that did sell around Salem and Keizer took about two and a half times longer to sell, at 194 Days On Market, vs. 85 in 2010.

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Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Linn County Oregon May 2011 - 07/13/11 08:44 PM
Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Linn County Oregon May 2011
Homes in the country on acreage around Linn County took much longer to sell in May of 2011, 240 days or 7 months to be exact.  This was 70 days longer than the 8 homes sold in May of 2010.  This may 11 homes were sold.  However, the average sold price also fell dramatically, $225,909 down from $373,787.

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Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Marion County Oregon May 2011 - 07/13/11 08:44 PM
Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Marion County Oregon May 2011
 
Homes around Marion County in Oregon took longer to sell this May than last, 178 days vs. just 130.  And while the average sales price also fell from $341,383 to $292,150, 15 properties sold.  That is a 150% increase over just 6 units in May of 2010.  So while the number of properties sold increased, property values continue to decline.

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Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Polk County Oregon May 2011 - 07/12/11 03:07 PM
Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Polk County Oregon May 2011
The number of homes on acreage sold continued to decline in May of 2011, in fact just 3.  Only 5 sold in May of 2010.  However, the homes that did sell, sold for slightly more than the average $365,000 in May of 2010, at $367,166 this May.  In fact, those homes were such good deal they even sold faster over the previous year, at 208 days on market vs. 232 days.  

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Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Polk County Oregon April 2011 - 07/12/11 03:06 PM
Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Polk County Oregon
Country homes in Polk County of Oregon sold for more money this April vs. April of 2010, at an average sales price of $286,883.  That is a 20% increase over homes sold in April of 2010.  These homes did take much longer to sell though, an average of almost 11 months, 329 days.  Back in April of 2010, the 5 acreage homes sold took just 116 days.

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Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Marion County Oregon April 2011 - 07/11/11 02:01 PM
Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Marion County Oregon
Homes with acreage around Marion county in Oregon sold faster in April of 2011 than April of 2010, just 154 days vs. 240.  However, the averags sales price was much lower.  There were 18 acreage properties sold in April, but the average sold price was just $265,655.  That was 26% less than the average sold price of $359,987 in April of 2010.

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Acreage Real Estate Market Review for Linn County Oregon April 2011 - 07/11/11 02:00 PM
Acreage RealEstate Market Review for Linn County Oregon
 
Homes with acreage around Linn County in Oregon sold much faster in April this year vs. 2010.  On average, the country homes took just 138 days vs.  265 days in 2010, twice as fast!  The same number of units sold, 13, in April of 2010 and April of 2011.  The average sales price did fall 17% to $227,663 April 2011 over April 2010.

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Search for Silverton Oregon Acreage Homes - 07/10/11 12:02 AM
 
 
Looking for a home on acreage in Silverton Oregon?  See them all here at once!
 You can narrow the search down by your price range, # of acres or size of home. 
 
 
Currently, at the time of this blog post, there are 59 acreage homes for sale in Silverton ranging from $84,000 to $1,500,000 so there is something for every budget!
Silverton Oregon is a great little town of about 10,000 people just 13 miles Northeast of Salem. Nicknamed "Oregon's Garden City" Silverton is home to the Oregon Garden on Cascade HWY. Silver Falls State Park is … (0 comments)

Emergency Homeowners Loan Program | $50k Given To Underwater Owners - 07/09/11 05:40 PM
Have you heard of this special program for additional funding for home owners in need of mortgage assistance?  Please let me know if you, or anyone you know has applied for this program, I would like to hear the results.  But don't wait, the deadline is fast approaching!
Via Tim and Julie Harris (Harris Real Estate University):
For the roughly four million homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments, the federal government is offering yet another remedy: free money to catch up on their loans.
STOP and READ NOW: What do to the top 7439 REO Listing Agents in the US … (0 comments)

Search for Turner Oregon Acreage Homes For Sale - 07/09/11 05:35 PM
Like to see what acreage homes are currently for sale around Turner Oregon?
 
Try this list of acreage country homes in Turner priced up to $300,000.
 
Or spend a little more on one of these acreage properties between $300,001 to $400,000
 
Still looking for a bit more? Check out these homes in Turner between $400,001 to $600,000
 
Perhaps the most expensive homes in Turner?
 
If you are ready to buy an acreage house in Turner, Oregon, let's get started!  Call or email to have your questions answered by someone that specializes in acreage real estate.

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Looking for other horse people to ride with in Oregon - 07/09/11 01:41 AM
Attention ladies!  Looking for fun group to ride your horse with?  Or attend other horse related events with?  Check out 40 Something Cowgirls!
This group was founded by Kristi Williams and a few friends when they decided it was about time to get back in the saddle!  The group officially formed in May of 2010, so while it is still in it's infant stage, there are over 500 members all accross the country and 90 new chapters ready to form.
Just one visit to the calendar on the 40 Something Cowgirl page gives you a taste of the wide variety of … (5 comments)

Why is now the best time to buy horse property in Oregon? - 07/08/11 11:00 AM
 
Now is the best time to buy horse property, large or small, in Oregon!
 
Dreaming of your horse living at home with you?  Maybe you want to look out your window while making breakfast and see your horse anxiously waiting for you.  Or, maybe you want to start a boarding facility but never thought it was possible.  With falling interest rates and depreciating prices, now may be a perfect time to explore the option.
Interest rates continue to hover under 5%, since they change all the time we will use 4.5% for an example.  Let's say you had your … (2 comments)

An Interesting Perspective on Today's "Green" Concern For the Environment . . . . . - 07/07/11 07:09 PM
Fellow equestrian specialist wrote this very sensible article about our "green" activities now vs. the past.  I could not agree with her more.  Back then, we didn't government agencies telling us how to live green and recycle, it just happened!
Via Brigita McKelvie - Lehigh Valley, PA, Rural & Horse Properties & Farms (Cindy Stys Equestrian and Country Properties, Ltd.):

Brigita McKelvie is a REALTOR®  (Pennsylvania License #RS297130) with Cindy Stys Equestrian & Country Properties, specializing in rural and horse properties and farms.  She has an e-Pro® (Certified Internet Expert) designation and a GRI (Graudate, REALTOR® Institute) designation. You can contact her … (0 comments)

My Active Rain Success Story - A Paycheck! - 07/07/11 06:11 PM
Recently I was contacted by fellow AR member Trisha Bush, of Walla Walla Washington.   She had a referral for a sweet couple wanting to buy here in Salem Oregon and wanted to know if I could help them.  

 
 
They initially wanted to look at condos to reduce their yard maintenance.  We went out one day and looked at condos, but our market really doesn't have much to offer in the way of single levels.  We made plans for the next day to look at residential homes.  I found them a couple they really liked, so it … (8 comments)

 

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