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realtor: 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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realtor: 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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realtor: 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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realtor: 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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realtor: 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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realtor: 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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realtor: 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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realtor: 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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realtor: 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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realtor: Know What You Owe! Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Keith Berne, Broker - 02/27/08 05:40 PM
BEFORE listing, know how much you owe on your home! It is CRITICAL to the sale process. Be sure your Realtor prepares a Sellers' Net Sheet to help determine what is owed on your house at closing. The Net Sheet will only reflect what you've told your broker, so go through all your files, contact your lender(s) and find out who's owed what so the Net Sheet is complete. You may want to order a preliminary title report from your escrow company BEFORE you get into a sale contract so there are no surprises. The Preliminary Title Report should find liens attached to the house. Sometimes sellers … (0 comments)
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realtor: Rent or Buy? Portland, Oregon, Real Estate Tips, Keith Berne, Realtor - 02/26/08 03:53 PM
I received an excellent question today: Is it better to rent or buy in this market? Well, with rates low and sellers willing to deal... now is a great time to buy. Of course, arguments could be made in either direction with proofs on both sides of the question. But one thing is as clear as glass; WHEN YOU RENT... YOU'RE PAYING SOMEONE ELSE'S MORTGAGE... WHEN YOU BUY, YOU'RE PAYING YOUR OWN. Happy Days! Keith Berne, Re/Max Equity Group, Broker, Realtor, GRI 503-734-6646
Comments not intended to solicit currently listed properties.
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realtor: Don' Trip! Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips From Keith Berne, Realtor - 02/26/08 03:18 PM
This may sound silly, but when going through open houses, or when tourning homes with your broker... WATCH YOUR FEET! Let me explain. As a Realtor I'm always looking up when I tour homes... why? Because in Oregon, it's all about rain. So when I'm inside a house I'm looking at ceilings to see if they have water stains or cracks, and when I'm outside I'm always looking for downspouts and seeing how rain runs off the roof and where it goes. Several times in the course of my career, while looking up, I have missed the occassional sunken living room … (0 comments)
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realtor: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips: Did you rent your listing last year? - 02/25/08 04:40 PM
In 2007, many listings became rentals when they didn't sell. Now that spring has almost sprung it may be time to reconsider listing, especially if the rental idea didn't work out. Now that the market has had its reality check, perhaps its time to be more flexible on the price and retest the waters! Happy Selling, Keith Berne, Re/Max Equity Group, Broker, GRI 503-734-6646
Comments not intended to solicit currently listed properties.
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realtor: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips, Keith Berne: Sun's Up! - 02/22/08 12:42 PM
The days are getting longer and it hasn't rained for almost a week! If you're thinking about a Spring listing: Trim those hedges and overhanging tree branches, fertilize those lawns, clean up the yard debris from last Fall, replace those broken fences, consider an exterior paint job, and a new roof if yours is a goner... this year it's a BEAUTY CONTEST so be HOUSE BEAUTIFUL AND SELL, SELL, SELL! Keith Berne, Broker, GRI, Re/Max Equity Group, 503-734-6646
Comments not intended to solicit currently listed properties
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realtor: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Tips, Landscaping! - 02/20/08 11:29 PM
Spring has almost sprung! If you are listing your home, it's a good time to think about CURB APPEAL. All those wonderful plants in the front that you love so much because they are lush and provide shade, may look like a jungle to the prospective buyer. They may also shade your house from valuable sunlight. Consider the help of a professional landscaper to tame your wild yard to make the front of your home sparkle! Happy Selling! Keith Berne, Broker, GRI Re/Max Equity Group, 503-734-6646.
Comments not intended to solicit currently listed properties.
… (2 comments)
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realtor: Portland, Oregon Real Estate Market: Listing Tips - 02/14/08 12:38 PM
At this week's sales meeting a smart colleague put it succinctly: "You're in a price war and a beauty contest, baby!" She used this line to inform a seller what they needed to do to get SOLD in today's real estate market. Your listing will sell but you must come out of the shute at the right price and with every affordable upgrade. Trying to sell at the highest comp level, but with early 90's tile countertops, old carpets and shiny gold fixtures won't cut it. If you can't afford cosmetic upgrades then you will need to adjust your price. Don't … (0 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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