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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Quick Fix for Water In Basement During A Storm - 11/10/09 08:11 PM
Late Saturday we had a typical fall drenching here in Portland and I got the nightmare call from a wonderful client who I helped buy a little cutie in the halcion days of last summer... "Keith, my basement's leaking what do we do?!" Ugh, I hate those calls, but here in Oregon they happen. I suggested she disconnect the offending downspout, which was gushing water next to the foundation and attach a gutter extension that can be purchased at any big-box hardware store, and route the river into the yard. That did the trick and the water stopped intruding. Next we … (0 comments)
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oregon: PDX REAL ESTATE: One Year Later... "Mr. Owner Maintain Your Home!" - 11/11/08 07:24 PM
OK, a year has gone by since you helped the Smith-Joneses buy their dream-home. At the time you noticed the two humongous broad-leafed Maples that overhung the front roof-line. Now you have the perfect opportunity to call and say: "Hi Mr. and Mrs. Smith-Jones, I'm just calling to remind you to get that gutter service over as soon as possible to make sure the water is going off the roof properly." What a great way to stay in touch and ensure your buyer's home is being well maintained, thus avoiding deferred maintenance issues when you eventually help them sell. Happy November!
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oregon: PDX REAL ESTATE: AS-IS CONDITION, A Low-Ball Strategy where Everyone Wins - 11/10/08 09:27 PM
Yes, we know, it's a buyers market. They can do whatever they like... if they're not picky. But what if they've found their dream-house? How can they still take advantage of the market and avoid having their low-ball offer rejected? One thing the buyer can do to get a good sale price is offer to take the house in AS-IS condition, while retaining the right to back out of the deal based on all the normal contingencies within the specified time-lines. If something big comes up in the inspection like a broken sewer line, or a lender required repair, the buyer can go back … (0 comments)
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oregon: PDX Real Estate: NEW CONSTRUCTION ISN'T ALWAYS PERFECT - 11/10/08 01:16 AM
Ah, the smell of a new home... just like a new car, a new home has that great smell when you first open the door, The aromas of wood floors and new paint combine to tickle the pleasure points in our brains... there couldn't be anything wrong with this new home! But wait, lurking just behind the brand-spanking-new kitchen cabinets on the ground floor is a punctured water drain pipe from the upstairs master bath. When the cabinet guys installed the kitchen cabs, they didn't know the screw they drove deep into the wall hit the pipe... and the only way my … (4 comments)
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oregon: PDX REAL ESTATE: Sellers, Get Real with Repairs! - 11/10/08 12:53 AM
In this market, being a listing agent can be FRUSTRATING but I just had a fantastic listing agent experience... MY SELLERS DID EVERYTHING I ASKED! Their small bungalow was built in 1921 and had been remodelled several years ago. I suggested they put on a new roof, paint inside and outside, add new exterior steps and decking, add some cute design elements like fish scales at the roof peaks, oh and PRICE THE HOUSE REASONABLY... AND THEY DID! We were under contract within two months. Then, during the inspection, several issues came up and my sellers gladly had them repaired. They did … (5 comments)
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oregon: PDX REAL ESTATE: Blood in the Water, Be the Shark! - 11/10/08 12:37 AM
It's November 9th, 2008 in Portland, Oregon and from my own business, I can tell you the real estate market is alive and well! My buyers are making offers, and when they're within reason, the the sellers are biting. That doesn't mean that unreasonable "low ball" offers are working. There are still plenty of offers being rejected outright without a counter. So "buyer beware" eventhough you're the shark, you must lure your prey! Happy hunting.
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Are you Selling or Listing? - 05/21/08 02:09 AM
A good broker friend of mine across the river in Washington said it best: "When I go to speak to someone about selling their home, I ask them, do you want to SELL your home or LIST your home?"
That's an amazing question that brokers wouldn't have considered asking two years ago, but now that it's costing a fortune to market a home, the question is imperative. Only a truely motivated seller will be successful selling their home in today's market, and the highest powered agent in the world can't do a thing unless it's priced to sell. That means the … (3 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Party Sewer Lines - 05/14/08 05:49 PM
It's rare, but every once in a while we'll run across a "party sewer line". In some really old Portland neighborhoods, usually built before or in the 1920s, sewer lines might be shared by several homes before running out to public sewer.
Last year I had a transaction where the sewer line ran into the backyard and connected to two other homes on a single line that only then ran to the public sewer... nowadays that's a big no-no! Today every home has its own line that runs directly to the public sewer.
This is just one more excellent reason to have a … (0 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Listing Tips: Furniture Throws - 04/10/08 01:06 PM
Well, it's time to stage your house for sale and we know it's a PRICE WAR and a BEAUTY CONTEST out there, so your home must absolutely shine!
But what if your furniture is old, worn, or just out of style, and you can't afford to put in new furniture or have a stager help out?
Well an easy fix is a "throw", you know, those really big rug-like pieces of fabric which are like tableclothes for furniture. They can change your ratty old wing-back into a stylish period peice or modern looker.
Throws can be bought at any of big-box bedroom, bathroom store for a fraction … (0 comments)
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oregon: What Do My 12 Year Old Son and Water Have in Common? - 03/21/08 01:47 PM
Believe it or not, as I was "speaking-with-conviction" to my son this morning as he lounged in bed about the importance of cleaning his room, even on Spring break, the part of my brain not being used drifted to a real life real estate metaphor.
Both adolescents and water have something in common: They both seek the path of least resistance and will always give way to the force of gravity. In the case of water, it rolls downhill, and in the case of teenagers, they get pulled along with their friends, and you hope they're good ones too!
When we help our … (5 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Dryrot, Eeewwww! - 03/12/08 10:49 PM
The word "dryrot" is a bit of an oxymoron, in fact it doesn't make any sense at all because it is a result of wet... so you would think it would be called, "wetrot".
Hmmm, so what is dryrot anyway? Dryrot is the result of moisture seeping into wood over a long period of time. Quite often it is seen at the end of eaves which are poorly covered by the roof, or flashed incorrectly. It is also seen under houses where plumbing leaks have seeped through the floors to the substructure of the house. Basically it can be found in any … (0 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Clean Your Ducts - 03/11/08 06:45 PM
All Winter we've been using our furnace air ducts to bring warm air from the furnace into our homes but now it's getting warmer so we're using our furnaces less. But don't forget that if you have an air-conditioning system, you'll be using your furnace air ducts all over again to cool things down!
In addition to the regular maintenance recommended by your heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) professional, it may be time to have your ductwork cleaned as well. Duct cleaners suck the accumulated dust and larger particles of dirt from your duct system, allowing your furnace and AC units to run cleaner.
Once the ducts … (0 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Open House Tips: Cookies, They Really Work! - 03/10/08 06:02 PM
Well, you've heard it a million times, but baking cookies before your agent holds an open house really makes your house feel warm and inviting. If it's not open house day, but you know brokers are coming with buyers, you should still bake!
Your basic chocolate chip recipe is all you need. The familiar aroma of freshly baked cookies gives folks that comfort food feeling, heightening the possibility that someone will connect with your home on a subconscious level. If you leave the cookies for folks to nibble, be sure to provide napkins so they don't leave crumbs. If you can't leave cookies, consider … (3 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Open Houses, Beware of Thieves - 03/10/08 03:51 PM
If you're listing for sale remember to CLEAR OUT THE VALUABLES, REMOVE DRUGS FROM THE MEDICINE CABINETS, AND LOCK UP FINANCIAL INFORMATION! Assume that if you're holding open houses, anything can be stolen. An agent holding open the house has only two eyes, and if he/she is escorting one person or group through the house, another can enter unseen. Sometimes thieves work in groups to distract the agent. Last year I had a listing that was hugely attractive and was on a busy street. On warm summer days I would get dozens through an open house. I had to impose a … (1 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: The Importance of Flashing! - 03/07/08 04:43 PM
As I write, my contractor is putting hammer to nail out back making a wonderful racket that will be my new deck! Through my experience with home inspections I know that my contractor needs to properly bolt the ledger board to the house with "lagbolts" and then add "flashing" where the deck meets the house to properly channel water away from behind the siding. Flashing comes in different shapes and can be made of different materials, but its job is to channel rain water away from the house and prevent it from getting behind the siding. In Oregon, as I've said many times, it's … (3 comments)
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oregon: Toilet Talk: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Listing Tips - 03/06/08 04:57 PM
Listing your home for sale? Then it's time to think about the throne! If the floor around your toilet is a bit spongy, or the vinyl is beginning to peal back, it may be because the wax ring inside the base where the toilet connects to the sewer line is corroded. It may need changing! Any good inspector will look closely around the base off all toilets; if they have a moisture meter, they'll check where the toilet meets the floor to detect signs of leakage. Before listing your home you may want to have a plumber come to check all the water connections and … (0 comments)
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oregon: Leave the Furnace ON! Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips - 03/04/08 01:46 PM
Is your house listed and Vacant? Well, if you live where it still gets chilly at night, know that the worst possible thing is to walk into a COLD house and expect a buyer to feel all warm and fuzzy. The sun may be out as Spring approaches, but a house without heat can feel like a freezer when you walk in, even if it's warm outside. Many times I've brought customers in houses, and it's colder inside than out!!!! So you agents and owners who have homes listed in chilly places, KEEP the FURNACE ON! Happy Selling, Keith Berne, RE/MAX … (4 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Your Home and Taxes - 03/04/08 01:29 PM
Hey Homeowner, don't forget that there are many tax deductions associated with homeownership. For instance if you've just purchased your home, you may be eligible for some tax deductions besides the ever popular interest deduction. Ask the IRS directly or consult with a professional tax preparer if you don't already have one and you might be pleasantly surprised that your home isn't just your happy living place, it may also be your happy money place! Happy Homeownership, Sincerely, Keith Berne, RE/MAX Equity Group, Broker, Realtor, GRI 503-734-6646, keithberne.com
Keith is not a tax professional, these are his opinions, not advice; seek a tax professional … (0 comments)
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oregon: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Should I Rent or Should I Sell? - 03/03/08 01:52 AM
For many sellers around the nation the question is "Should I Rent or Should I Sell?" and the answer is that only you can decide based on your current market for both rental and sales. While making your decision, remember this... if you wait to sell you may face the same market next year, only your home is ANOTHER YEAR OLDER, and so is its INTERIOR DESIGN AND CONDITION. By not selling now, you may simply be putting off the inevitable and may be deferring necessary maintenance like cleaning gutters, painting, and discovering hidden issues like dryrot. A renter might not be concerned … (0 comments)
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oregon: Doggone it, Consider Doggie Daycare when Listing! Real Estate Tips, Portland, Oregon - 02/29/08 03:58 PM
If you can see my photo, you know I love dogs (I'm the Broker, he's the barker)... so don't take this the wrong way. My miniature schnauzer Clyde is a typical, excitable smaller breed dog. If I was to sell my home, I would make sure Clyde was properly crated or better yet, gone when folks came to view the house. There is NOTHING more distracting to a potential buyer than a yappy dog, other than, perhaps, a biting dog. So no matter how much you love your dog, if you want to sell your house, consider doggie daycare! Happy Selling, … (8 comments)
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Keith Berne, Real Estate Broker, Realtor, GRI
Portland,
OR
More about me…
RE/MAX Equity Group, Inc.
Address: 6245 SW Capitol Highway, Portland, OR, 97239
Cell Phone: (503) 734-6646
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