Thankful Thursdays ~ Enlightened Perspective - 06/25/09 02:03 AM
 
I have learned:  That into every really good thing I read, a few typos fall.
 
Don't let the typos below, keep you from enjoying peering into Andy Rooney's soul.
 
Via Liz Moras ~ Realtor, Landmark Realty Chilliwack (Hope, Abbotsford, Langley & the Fraser Valley):
If you take the time to read these ~ I promise you'll come awa with an enlightened perspective.  They're written by  Andy Rooney ~ a man who has the gift of saying so much with so few words........Enjoy~
I've learned...that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person...
I've … (5 comments)

What size (square footage range) of home is selling best in Eugene, OR's SANTA CLARA neighborhood (RMLS area) - 06/21/09 01:00 AM
Data-wise, what could be better than knowing the median home selling price for SANTA CLARA or any other Eugene, OR neighborhood (RMLS data area)?
The median home sales price (see my last blog entry) is a great measure of central tendency -- a way to know what a whole class of data is doing.
But there is just no substitute for knowing what size of home is really selling better than others.
Accordingly, below is a compilation of homes closed in May, 2009 in SANTA CLARA (North of Belt Line Road), grouped according to the range of the square footage of … (0 comments)

Eugene Oregon's SANTA CLARA Neighborhood Median Home Sales Price is Down in May 2009 (Data for 2002 - 2009) - 06/20/09 11:25 PM
In May, 2009, the median sales price for homes in Eugene, OR's SANTA CLARA neighborhood (RMLS area) was up from this April but down from May, 2008.
SANTA CLARA's median residential price for May was $226,700.  That is lower than the median for May in any the past four years -- putting this measure of central tendency back to approximately where it was at the beginning of the housing boom.
 
One half of all homes sold for more than the median, one half sold for less.
  The median is perhaps the more accurate measure of what is happening in … (0 comments)

Eugene, Oregon's SANTA CLARA Neighborhood: Active Listings are Down, Closed Sales are Flat, May 2002 - 2009 - 06/20/09 07:58 PM
In May, 2009, the inventory of homes for sale in Eugene, OR's SANTA CLARA neighborhood declined dramatically from the high recorded in May, 2008.
The number of active listings declined 34% from 2008 (and was also 23% lower than in 2007).
This is great news for SANTA CLARA sellers.  A decline in inventory is a necessary first step toward stabilized prices (and, later, increased confidence and increased sales) .
 

 
However, this trend was partially mitigated by the fact that the number of closed sales in the SANTA CLARA neighborhood stayed level in May, compared to the prior year.
… (0 comments)

Is the mortgage industry on the mend? - 06/17/09 01:06 AM
This is good news for sellers of properties listed a prices above the median.
Via Esko Kiuru - Las Vegas NV Mortgage Consultant (Mortgage Consultant):
Maybe it is if the focus is on the mortgage-backed securities market. More specifically on privately-issued mortgage bonds. Just a few months ago there was hardly any market for them at all, and if there were one, the prices of them were on life support.
But now this particular sector is stirring. At least a little bit. Mortgage bonds secured by 30-year fixed-rate prime paper issued in 2006-07 traded for 55 cents on the dollar in March, reports … (2 comments)

Not So Fast: Is the American Economy Really On Its Way to A Recovery? - 06/12/09 04:19 AM
Here is a second analysis from the same source that makes a lot of sense to me.
Via Ki Gray - Austin Real Estate:
Is the recession near the end? Is the American economy on its way to recovery? The answer is probably yes. That's good news, right? Not so fast, say some economic analysts. And they mean, literally, that the stock market may be rebounding a little too quickly.

According to a recent report at Yahoo Finance, the stock market's rally in recent months is a bit of a mixed blessing. The hope that the economy is on the rebound "has … (2 comments)

Mortgage Rates Skyrocket - 06/12/09 04:14 AM
Here are the sad new facts. 
 
But interet rates are still very low.
Via Ki Gray - Austin Real Estate:
Last week mortgage rates moved up rapidly, moving up from 4.91 to 5.29. This week mortgage rates again jumped up .3 points going from 5.29 to 5.59. On May 21st rates were sitting at 4.82 which was a 40 year low. Now just a few weeks later rates are at 5.59. This is the highest we have seen rates since November 26, 2008. Unlike last week this week all the other major mortgage products went up as well. The 15 year rate … (0 comments)

Federal Reserve's Beige Book - 06/11/09 05:29 PM
More good news.
Via Jeff and Heather Rickert, Realtor®, RSPS (Keller Williams Real Estate):
The Washington Post said:
 
The Federal Reserve's Beige Book report released Wednesday found five of the Fed's 12 regions reporting improved business activity. Most reported an increase in home sales and some stabilization in new-home construction, albeit at low levels. Good news!
The survey, which is based on phone interviews with businesses in all parts of the country, concluded that the recession is receding. The sense of improvement leaves observers wondering what the Fed will do about interest rates when it meets in two weeks.The Fed has left … (0 comments)

Congress could expand the tax credit - 06/11/09 05:23 PM
The following post is timely.
This whole tax credit idea was Johnny Izakson's idea to begin with.  He is a former RE broker.
He wanted $15,000 originally. 
But I am not sure extending the credit to all buyers will help in the end.
It will just bid up prices through demand-pull inflation.
Then what happens when it is due to expire?  A big nosedive for everybody.
I'd rather see the Congress make it $15,000 for first-time buyers and extend it to spring.  Then it should be cut down to $8000 again for an additional year.
But they had better act fast, … (2 comments)

How's the Economic Recovery Plan Working? - 06/10/09 01:43 AM
My sentiments exactly:
Via Tim Maitski "Video Agent Guy" (HomeAtlanta.com):
On January 10th 2009, the Obama team came out with their economic recovery plan that they were going to immediately get implemented.  They put out a really nice report with a lot of big numbers.  These are the best and brightest people working on the economic plan. 
They had one nice chart showing the projected unemployment rate with and without their plan.  Innocentbystander.net took the Obama team's graphed projections and plotted out the real unemployment numbers that actually took place over the last five months after the Obama plan was passed.
The "Without … (0 comments)

Negative People! - 06/10/09 01:24 AM
The following has nothing to do with Real Estate or Lane County, but it has a lot to do with Life.
I can't resist republishing it here.
Via Terry Chenier (Keller Williams Valley Realty):
Something to think about when negative people,
do their best to rain on your parade.
A client of mine
was at her hairdresser's getting styled for a trip to Italy.
She mentioned the trip to her hairdresser, who quickly chimed in..
"Italy! Why would you go there? It's crowded and dirty.
You're crazy to go to Italy! So, how are you getting there?"
"We're flying Air Canada", was the … (0 comments)

Yep, it's going crazy out there! - 06/09/09 03:03 AM
This post deals with Vancouver - Clark County, WA.
I strongly suspect we are seeing similar trends here in Eugene - Springfield - Lane County, OR.
Via Lynn Krogseng (Keller Williams Premier Partners):
My first peek at the week -WOW! Monday Market Snapshot 2009/06/08 The first statistic I pulled today was pending in my market area and WOW! 850 pending sales. Wow! That's 1050 for all of Clark County. The active available listings for my market area is 2933 and for the county 3908. The homes that actually sold was 61 for my area and 82 in the county. Ratios of active-to-pending continue … (0 comments)

What's More Important in Sacramento: Sales Price or Interest Rates? - 06/09/09 02:38 AM
This post gives great info for Sacramento, but it's main points apply here in Eugene - Springfield - Lane County, OR as well.
Via Elizabeth Weintraub, Sacramento Real Estate Broker, 916.233.6759 (Lyon Real Estate):
Not a day goes by when a Sacramento home buyer doesn't ask if the foreclosure shadow inventory is about to hit the Sacramento real estate market. Everybody knows that we have practically no bank-owned homes for sale in Sacramento, yet banks keep foreclosing. Realty Trac's web site reports Sacramento has 25,834 bank-owned homes but they are not on the market. To top it off, a week from Monday we're … (1 comments)

5 Steps to a CREDIT MAKEOVER - 06/09/09 01:09 AM
Of all the make-overs out there in world (TV included), here is the most important kind.
Via National Credit Fixers - Matt Listro:
A lot of homeowners have the mind set that making payments on time automatically equates to good credit and credit scores.  Unfortunately, this couldn't be further from the truth.
While paying your bills on time accounts for a large portion of your credit score, there's still a lot more to it. In fact, paying your bills on time only drives 1/3rd of the points in your credit score, which means that 2/3rds of your score has nothing to do with … (1 comments)

Who/Where/How/What/When to use the $8,000 first time buyer tax credit with an FHA loan - 06/07/09 03:40 PM
The following is a wonderful presentation on the $8000 refundable federal tax credit.
It well covers how and for whom the tax credit works.
 
The tax credit is a most positive factor in the residential real estate market right now.  It has had immense impact.
Via Pacita C Dimacali, Alameda & Contra Costa CA real estate (Gallagher & Lindsey, Inc. 510 748 1148):
MORE GOOD NEWS FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS!
WHEN The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 authorizes a tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence on or after January 1, 2009 … (0 comments)

Market Update - 06/05/09 11:22 AM
This Loan Officer's post on interest rates is not straight from the mountain top, carved on stone tablets, but it does well state information available on other sites.
His final conclusion is good advice to buyers.
Via George Souto (McCue Mortgage) FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages CT.:
This morning Kim Neilson our Executive Vice President at McCue Mortgage sent out an e-mail to all our Loan Originators explaining why we have been experiencing an increase in the mortgage interest rates over the last week. For those of you who have not heard, last Wednesday the mortgage rate increased significantly, and have continued to slightly … (0 comments)

UHH - OHH! Mortgage Rates Jump to Highest Levels in Last Six Months! - 06/05/09 04:03 AM
The following report out of Chicago raises a serious concern for the whole country.
Afterall, to coin a phrase:  It's the Housing Market, Stupid!
Via Dean Moss - Dean's Team Chicago Real Estate Team (Dean's Team - Keller Williams Lincoln Square Chicago):
Getting a bit nervous, folks?
About rates, that is!  Mortgage Interest Rates!
Despite still averaging historically low, according to U.S. Loan Giant Freddie Mac, average 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates jumped by 0.38% last week, to 5.29%, !up from a 4.91% average one week earlier.  This represented the highest average weekly rate in roughly six months!
The story was reported in an Associated … (0 comments)

The Swing of the Pendulum.... What Borrowers need to know - 06/04/09 04:32 AM
This is wonderful advice for buyers...especially first-time borrowers.  Underwriters are shooting at a moving secondary money market target.  They often through in requests that seem unnecessary.  Buyers must be patient.
Via James Downing - REALTOR®,GRI, ABR - DC Real Estate (Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage):
As we all know - in years past; just about anyone could get a mortgage.  Of course there were standards; but they pretty darn loose.  A mediocre credit score; very little cash and even shaky job history - would get you qualified for a mortgage.
The Pendulum had swung so far - that my dog could have been pre-approved … (0 comments)

Supply of Homes for Sale Has Turned the Corner in Lane County, Oregon - 06/03/09 03:04 PM
Over the last couple years, The Real Estate Market, nationally and locally, has just had two things to worry about: Supply and Demand.
 
Demand has been low, despite interest rates being at a lifetime low. The causes are well known. In Lane County, Oregon, Demand has run at about half of the boom level. 
The $8000 fully refundable tax credit for all buyers who have not owned a personal residence in the last three years has proven a great help.  Sales in the "starter home" price range (below $200,000?) have been brisk.  I recently searched for one couple's parameters in … (0 comments)

Wordless Wednesdays - Mother Nature's Ribcage - 06/03/09 12:21 PM
 
I love this pix from a REALTOR's vacation in New Hampshire.
At first glance, I saw an big arrow hitting a thin tree target.  I could even see the target shake from the impact.
I wanted to see the archer and the bow.
Oh, well.
Maybe her next post.
 
Via Irene Kennedy is waiting to work with YOU! (Weichert, Realtors in beautiful NJ):
… (1 comments)

Are Short Sales a salvation or a curse for the Seller? - 06/02/09 03:24 PM
 
The following post gives links to good information on the efffects of a Short Sale on seller credit.
Clearly, the effect on seller credit is directly related to what is negotiated with the lender in the Short Sale process.
It is also directly related to how much harm to the sellers' credit record has already occurred before the Short Sale begins.
If you are buyer or seller in Lane County, don't hesitate to call me re Short Sales.
 
Via Fred Chamberlin - Eugene/Springfield's #1 Experienced FHA Mortgage Consultant (Alpine Mortgage Planning - Eugene/Springfield OR):
Short Sales, Foreclosures, Deed in Lieu … (0 comments)

 
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Jim Hale - On the MOVE for You! Eugene - Springfield Oregon Real Estate

Eugene, OR

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Attractions, things to do, what's unique about living in Lane County. New listings, new real estate trends and market data by RMLS market areas (neighborhood), including Ferry Street Bridge, North Gilham, Coburg - I-5 North, River Road, Santa Clara, North Springfield, Bethel - Danebo, Veneta - Elmira, Creswell - Cottage Grove, Pleasant Hill - Lowell - Oakridge. Comments and updates on state and national real estate news, trends, hazards and opportunities.
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