Marisa's Blog

Local Weekend Events in Portland Oregon

Marisa Swenson (M Realty) — Sat, 16 May 2009 18:16:39 -0700

There are a couple of things going on this weekend in Portland and the surrounding areas that look interesting. We all know there is awesome weather coming for us in the next couple of days because that’s all people can talk about! So that means we need to get outside and get some vitamin D into our systems.

Friday

Everyone Who Looks Like You at Milepost 5 - 8pm, $15 Hand2mouth theater production.(also playing Sat and Sun).

Youth Group at the East End - 9pm, $8, good band from Australia. 203 SE Grand

Saturday

Alberta Art Hop - Alberta will be closed, 11am - 6pm, there is a parade at 3pm, local artists, dancers, crafts, food. Perfect weather to be outdoors this weekend!

Mt. Tabor Art Walk - 11am-5pm, here is the map.

10th Annual UFO Festival at Hotel Oregon McMenamins - all things UFO plus the keynote has had encounters, should be interesting. 310 NE Evans St. McMinnville, OR

Twilight Rummage Sale at the Eagles Lodge - 5pm - 9pm, cool, vintage things for sale, 50th & Hawthorne

Sunday

Frank Black and The School of Rock at Berbatis - $12, there is a show at 1pm and one at 5pm, very talented kids back Frank Black as he sings Pixie’s songs, awesome! 213 SW Ankeny

From my blog

Portland Oregon's Montavilla Neighborhood

Marisa Swenson (M Realty) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:36:14 -0700

The Montavilla Neighborhood celebrates it’s 120th birthday this year. Established in 1889, the Montavilla Neighborhood quickly developed into a thriving community of small businesses and growing subdivisions. The name Montavilla came to be the popular term by the land surveyors platting out subdivisions since the original name of Mt. Tabor Villa Addition was a little too cumbersome. Today, Montavilla is still a thriving community (the 2nd largest neighborhood in Portland) that hosts many small businesses, a popular community center, and it’s very own farmer’s market. Montavilla is in SE Portland bordered by the North Tabor (previously Center), Madison South, Hazelwood, Powellhurst Gilbert and Mt. Tabor Neighborhoods.

Neighborhood Facts:

Association - Montavilla Neighborhood Association

Population - 15,987

Households - 6,025

Owned - 3,665 (61%)

Rented - 2,360 (39%)

Median home price - $225,000

Median household income - $38,854

Popular businesses in Montavilla:

Bipartisan Cafe

Flying Pie Pizzeria

Ya Hala Lebanese Restaurant

Salty’s Dog and Cat Shop

Paperdoll Card Shop

Bazaar of the Bizarre

The Country Cat Restaurant

The Academy Theater

Johnny’s Original Montavilla Barbershop

Thatcher’s Restaurant and Lounge

First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Can be Used For Down Payment on FHA Loans

Marisa Swenson (M Realty) — Tue, 12 May 2009 21:26:56 -0700

Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced today that the FHA is going to permit its lenders to allow home buyers to use the $8,000 first time home buyers tax credit as a down payment. Talk about getting buyers off of the fence! I know a lot of states had already figured out a loan system to allow this "advance" but for those that hadn't this seems like an even greater opportunity for first time home buyers using an FHA loan. The issues that I had heard from everyone was the fact that most everyone had to have 3.5% down for the FHA loans, so this seems to loosen that restriction. Shaun Donovan stated that the FHA approved lenderes will be allowed to "monetize" the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. The eligible first time home buyers will be able to access the funds immediately at the closing table.

More info here