Helping Families Home - Your Oregon Real Estate Blog

Activerain Love Story – Love has found its way 64 years later

2008-07-25T18:06:51Z

I love Activerain and yesterday was just another reason to love it even more. I have a house listed that has some amazing history behind it and one of the things that was found during the remodel was some love letters written during World War II.

The Schiller Station home was an amazing home that was a stop along the Portland to Estacada rail line and the Schiller family built this home along the rail line in 1912 where they raised their five kids. In 1951, after all the kids had moved out, and even though some of the kids still lived in the neighborhood, they sold part of their farmland, along with the Schiller Station home, to a family with six kids.

Now, let's fast forward to 2008 where my client and builder brought this home back to life and now put it up for sale after four long years of work. The flyer box is outside and a friend of the family that moved in during the summer of 1951 drives by and grabs one of those flyers. One of things we advertised with this home was that we found a lot of things in the walls like magazines, post cards, and even some love letters from 1944.

I wrote a post about these on Activerain and when she searched for Schiller Station, she came up with my Activerain post about the home and the love letters. It seems the postcard that we thought was the Schiller's turned out to be of the Walker Family that moved in over the summer in 1951. The person who picked up the flyer recognized her friend from the picture on the postcard. She went to the website to see a larger picture so she could confirm that it was her friend's picture. She contacted her friend, who used to live in the house and told her what she had found. The prior occupant of the house contacted me to see if she could get the postcard back.

The current owner, of course, agreed and last night we spent two hours walking through the home, found out what has changed in those 50+ years, and to our surprise she brought even more pictures of the home and her family to share with us. I will be getting copies from her soon.

Well, as we talked and showed her the post cards, we showed her the love letters since her last name matched the one on the cards. Guess what, those letters were being written to her mom from her father who had written them while at basic training in 1944.

Now, here is the awesome news about those love letters. Her mom is still alive and we have handed all the love letters over to her. Her mom is going to be coming out in the next few weeks and we can't wait to walk her around the property and show her how good it looks now, and hopefully, even get some more stories about the house.

So, thanks to Activerain and the story of the love letters, love have found its way 64 years later, but the love letters have now been returned to their rightful owner and we couldn't be happier about it. I can't wait to write about how the showing goes with mom and what she thinks of the remodel.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Washington County, Oregon home sales week in review by neighborhood (7/25/2008)

2008-07-25T17:22:46Z

Today is Friday, July 25, 2008 and it is time for another breakdown of homes sales in the Washington
County, Oregon market. This week the stats came out for June 2008 versus June 2007 and the numbers are pretty amazing. Despite an average drop in home sales in Washington County of 33.95% from last year at this time, the prices still rose and average of .62% from last year. This is an interesting situation, because even though we have less people buying, we also have less people selling. So what does this mean to buyers who think we are completely in a buyers market? It means you better act fast before the interest rates rise and you lose the home of your dreams to someone else who decides not to wait. I look forward to reporting this summers sales at the end of August and hopefully I will have some good news.

So, if you have a family home that you are thinking about selling, this is a great time to get it on the market!

Here is a breakdown of homes sales for the week by neighborhood. Just click on the link to your neighborhood for the complete breakdown of what the average of homes that are on the market, how long they have been on the market, how many have sold, what their average price was, and how long they were on the market.

As always, if you are looking to buy or sell in the Washington County, Oregon area, I would love to show you how you can save the most money by being on your side during the negotiations.

Neighborhood # of Active Listings

Aloha Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	193
Bull Mountain North Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	104
Bull Mountain South Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	155
Cooper Mountain Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	150
Greenburg Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	80
Greenway Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	46
Hart Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	95
Highland Hills Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	70
Lexington Neighborhood, Aloha, Oregon :	49
Mountainview Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	151
Murray Hill Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	135
Sexton Mountain Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	156
Sorrento Ridge Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	86
Summer Lake Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	68
Summerfield Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	34
Tigard Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	30
Walnut Grove Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	49

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

How far do your clients go to say hi?

2008-07-24T08:35:39Z

Have you ever had a client say hi to you in a store, a movie theatre or maybe even a restaurant? Well, I know I have, but the other night one of my past clients scared me pretty darn good just to say hi.

It was 9:30 at night and we were driving down one of the local highways and came to a stop light. I was just looking at the light when out of the darkness came a knock on my window. It seems two cars back was one of my clients and she just wanted to say hi.

I told her, "You scared the crap out of me! You could have just called and said you were behind me!" Nope, she thought it would be more fun to scare good old Todd and say hi and wave to my family.

I'm glad my clients like me enough to want to say hi, but I think in the future I would prefer that they did it at a public place such as a store or a restaurant.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photo courtesy of Cieleke

I’m white trash…but secretly I’m green inside

2008-07-23T22:25:04Z

I'm proud to be the white trash of the room. I sit there in the corner of this house and do my job. Call me what you will, but I know that my job is more important than what my outside portrays. I have two siblings on each side of me and they are white trash also, but I'm the one that is really green on the inside.

You see, every Wednesday I'm taken out with my sibling to the curb, but unlike my siblings who fill the landfill, I'm filled with recycling that can be reused. I am truly green inside. I'm proud to be the white trash (can) that sits quietly, that looks like all the rest, but it is my green insides that make me the proudest in the room.

So, please don't judge me for being white trash, because on the inside, I'm really helping the environment. Tell your owners that they too can be proud of their white trash if they just remember to be green once a week and look for the items that have the recycling symbol on the bottom.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Recycling logo courtesy of scol22

Activerain Newbie Alert – Wow, you can’t ask for much more than that

2008-07-22T16:38:20Z

Hey everyone, help me welcome Mona Makela, the owner of Heavenly Maid Cleaning Service to Activerain. I met Mona about 6 months ago when she and her crew were doing the cleaning at our condo conversion projects the day before clients were to move in.

She and her team came in and did a great job. They left the place move-in ready despite what they had to clean up after. They were left with a lot of construction dirt and debris, but they left that place spotless!

Now after talking to Mona and finding out more about her company I thought that leaving a place clean for someone would be enough of a service, but when she told me about her gift package that included a massage and a house cleaning for only $110, I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

I've certainly been thinking that my wife might be getting some maid service this Christmas, but if you know someone who has a birthday coming up in the Portland area, can you think of a better idea of not having to clean the house on their birthday and while the house is getting cleaned they are getting a massage? (I know I can't)

So, if you are looking for some good affordable maid service then I suggest you look no further and give Mona a call.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

My first actual fishing trip (Guest Post)

2008-07-22T10:52:35Z

My first actual fishing trip was with grandpa, dad and my grandma came too, but she read instead of fished. We started at 9:30 and ended about 12:55, but we didn't catch anything.

Grandpa was the only one to lose his bait, but I was the only one that got 3 nibbles. We saw a couple of osprey though. Here is a picture of them, taken by my grandpa.

On our way back we saw this old water wheel and on the way there and back we saw this eagles nest, we knew it's an eagle's nest because dad and grandpa saw an eagle there on their last fishing trip. (The eagles nest and water wheel are pictured below)

Its 1:45 now and we're looking at old barns on our way home. Grandpa is taking pictures of them, below are just some of the pictures that Grandpa took.

Its 2:45 now and we just past a McDonalds and grandma asked if I wanted some ice cream and of course I said "YES"

Its 3:20 now and we are in Scotts Mill and we saw a deer in the road in front of us. (Didn't get a picture of him) I had a lot of fun fishing even though we didn't catch anything. I loved my first actual fishing trip.

Notice no fish on our chains :(

Meesha Clark

Surely people wouldn’t do that? Yes they would, and don’t call me Shirley

2008-07-21T23:05:34Z

Have you ever had a buyer sue you? I haven't and I'm glad for that, but more and more people are starting to sue when things don't go their way. In the last two weeks I've read of at least three cases where a person who bought a property in 2005 and 2006 were now suing their agent and the appraiser for paying too much for their homes.

There's another situation where people are suing a person who agreed to do a lease option with them because at the end of the lease they decided not to buy and now wanted their option money back. What part of option did you not understand? You were buying the right to purchase the home at a certain price. You don't expect you deposit back when you put something on lay-a-way at a store do you?

So far I haven't heard of anyone suing a lender for giving them the loan or the underwriter for approving the loan, but I'm guessing that will be coming. When did we, in this country, become so egotistical that we blame everyone else in the process for the mess we are in now.

I've read some fun debates on Activerain in the last couple weeks about who is to blame, but every one of the short sales I've done in the last year have had nothing to do with the original loan or the home. It has to do with the person losing their job or getting behind because of a medical problem, divorce or in once case a death. Now, these are all things the Realtors or the mortgage brokers could not have controlled. So, do we blame someone else?

How about we just work together to fix the problems that are plaguing real estate right now and stop pointing fingers at each other and trying to take each other to court? I think the public is taking a long hard look at all of us right now. I think we just need to worry about what we need to do to fix it instead of trying to figure out who is to blame.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photo courtesy of creationc

Should the banks listen early to avoid costing themselves thousands?

2008-07-21T10:04:43Z

Many of us have taken vitamin c when we feel a cold coming on and why do we do that? Because we know if we don't we could be missing a lot more work and money during the down time while we try to get better.

But, why don't the banks take this same approach when it comes to home owners? If a home owner who has had a good payment history calls them and says, "I'm in trouble and I'm about to go in to default." The bank tells them, "Sorry, there is nothing we can do for you until you are late on your payments."?

WHAT? This makes no sense to me? Once they are late, they can't possibly re-finance, and the bank has to pay lawyers to send out letters and file with the courts a notice of default. Why can't the banks be pro-active and take the home owners word for it and figure out a way to help them and save themselves thousands in the process?

If I were the bank, I would say, "I'm sorry to hear this and let us see what we can do to help you in your situation." Then proceed to ask why they are going to go in to default, was it a temporary job loss, relocation, death? There are lots of reasons people get in trouble, but with a little thinking outside the box on the side of both parties, their may be a win-win for everyone involved that hasn't been thought of yet.

I want to see the banks succeed and the housing industry to survive, but unless someone rips up the scripts these banks are given, I'm afraid it is going to be the same thing over and over until half the banks are gone and no one is lending.

In a way, I almost wish it would happen. Then my niche of owner financing could make me even more money, but that isn't why I do what I do. I do what I do to fill a gap in the industry. But as the gap gets bigger, than I guess I'm going to have to step it up and be the one thinking outside the box and do what the banks won't!

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photo courtesy of svilen001

I had a very nice family stop off today at my open house, but we had a language barrier

2008-07-21T00:37:30Z

Today, while doing my open house at the condo conversion project, we had an unexpected family drop by and I was glad to help them out, as always. Now, the problem was we had a language barrier and clearly they couldn't live here and I had to help them.

You see, I helped this family despite our language barrier all the way to their new home. Was I what you call steering? Well yes, I'll admit that. This type of family wasn't welcome here, they just didn't fit in and living here could have been dangerous for them.

That is my career choice. I love Helping Families Home even when I can't let them live in the place I presently represent. Now, I can see some of you getting mad at steering, but this family needed help and I helped them the whole half mile that they needed to move.

Here are the pictures from the model home all the way down to the creek.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

What you say may cost you when buying a home

2008-07-20T00:47:09Z

When I'm working as a buyer's agent, and I take a buyer out to look at homes, I always tell them never to talk about the house too much while we are in the house. Just look around, leave, and then we will talk about it in the car.

The reason I do this is sometimes the sellers are home, and in one case a few years ago, the seller was video taping the house. In my experience, a buyer that says too much is costing themselves thousands of dollars.

No matter what you say, good or bad, it can affect how the seller will react to an offer from you. If you compliment the house too much and act like there is no other house in the world that is this perfect for you, the seller will never consider a lower offer or possibly do any repairs for you if they any come on the inspection. WHY? Because they know you won't walk away, it is the house for you! I try to personally present my offers for buyers to sellers. I tell the seller that they like they home, but I never say that the home is the only one. I mention we saw others, some better priced, but this had a couple features they liked better. This gets the sellers to realize they may walk if they don't get their price.

But, what if you insult a seller? What if they only went next door and as you are walking out of the house, they hear you say... "That house was perfect for us, but how ugly was that couch and the color in that living room, that has to go!" Well, you have just insulted the seller, just as much as had you put in an offer for $100,000 less than asking price. When people are put on the defensive, I've found that they are less willing to negotiate.

I hope this helps you in understanding why it is so important when looking at houses to be smart about what you say, or don't say, when looking for your perfect home. If you are interested in finding a home in Washington County, Oregon, please give me a call, I would love to help you find that perfect home at the perfect price for you!

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photo courtesy of scol22

Washington County, Oregon home sales week in review by neighborhood (7/18/2008)

2008-07-18T19:39:41Z

Today is Friday, July 18, 2008 and it is time for another breakdown of homes sales in the Washington
County, Oregon market. Summer has arrived and the good news is we are starting to see more and more families looking for homes in the 3 to 4 bedroom and between the prices of $250,000 and $350,000. I think by summers end we will have seen some good sales, but I don’t think any where near the rate we saw last summer. Prices are still staying relatively steady in Washington County, but sales over all are down since last year. I look forward to reporting this summers sales at the end of August and hopefully I will have some good news.

So, if you have a family home that you are thinking about selling, this is a great time to get it on the market!

As always, if you are looking to buy or sell in the Washington County, Oregon area, I would love to show you how you can save the most money by being on your side during the negotiations.

Neighborhood # of Active Listings

Aloha Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	189
Bull Mountain North Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	106
Bull Mountain South Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	156
Cooper Mountain Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	140
Greenburg Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	79
Greenway Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	48
Hart Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	92
Highland Hills Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	66
Lexington Neighborhood, Aloha, Oregon :	50
Mountainview Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	155
Murray Hill Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	134
Sexton Mountain Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	150
Sorrento Ridge Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	81
Summer Lake Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	63
Summerfield Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	35
Tigard Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	28
Walnut Grove Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	47

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Improve your neighborhood – Volunteer!

2008-07-17T10:31:11Z

One of the factors that can affect home prices is the schools in an area and how they grade on the state and federal tests. A lot of families don't want to live in an area where the schools are known for not being the best in the area.

But, what if you were to volunteer once a week at one of these local schools? Join S.M.A.R.T. (Start Making a Reader Today) or come in the classroom and just ask the teachers how you can help. These little things can really help the teachers focus more on what needs to be done for education instead of the little things.

Both of my parents, my grandparents, and brother have all been teachers. I have noticed that in the years the kids do the best are the years they have the most help from adults in the classroom.

I volunteer, from time to time, in my mom's classroom as well as having volunteered for the S.M.A.R.T. program. I have to say that it can be very rewarding when someone you are teaching excels to new heights. One year I had a student move from Romania and she couldn't speak a word of English when she arrived at school and joined S.M.A.R.T. But 3 weeks later, she was speaking, reading and even wrote her first article for the school news paper. (If you don't think that impressed me, you are dead wrong!)

You can volunteer as little as one hour a week to a full day a week and whatever you put in can improve not only the school but the value of the neighborhood. For more information on volunteering at your local school, I suggest you contact the principal at the school closest to you.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Divorce and your home…What should you do?

2008-07-16T23:37:44Z

Yesterday I got a call from a person who is friends with one of my clients. She had a question about her home and if one of the two people on the title could sign over the title to just one person.

I asked what the reason was for taking the person off the title and if they were on the loan. She said it was because she and her husband were getting a divorce and that they wanted to transfer title to the other.

I then asked to whom the title was being transferred? I told her that the title would change, but the loan would remain in both their names unless they refinanced. I said that is where the real risk was in a divorce.

If you transfer title, the person who doesn't have title to the home can still have their credit affected if the person goes in to default even if their name isn't on the title.

She told me that, that part was covered as the divorce papers state that the payments were the sole responsibility of the person on title. I said, the problem is the bank doesn't recognize the divorce papers. They go with the agreement that has already been signed by both parties. (Both parties are responsible for the loan, no matter who lives where.)

Another concern with keeping your name on the loan is that you may not be able to get a loan for a new home for yourself, because you are still responsible for the first loan on the house. So, if you find yourself in a divorce situation and neither party has the ability to refinance the home in their own name, it maybe in the best interest of everyone involved to sell the home.

For more information on a house in a divorce situation, I do suggest you talk to a good divorce lawyer as your future home buying ability and credit maybe on the line.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photo courtesy of Kiomi

I don’t care what your buyer needs, I’m not with holding a document from title

2008-07-16T08:14:12Z

Yesterday I got a call on one of my listings and they ended up spending an hour and a half in the property, measuring, looking at insulation, and checking the electrical. Clearly they were interested.

Then the buyer's agent calls me later that day and says they would like to present an offer for full asking price plus $10,000, but they want the owner to carry a 20% 2^nd, at 10% interest and pay the buyer's closing costs.

So, far it seemed like a pretty fair offer for my client since it was an investment property with no mortgage on it. This was a great deal for my client, to make some extra money over the next 5 years of the contract and get rid of the property after only a few days on the market.

After I call the agent back and say that they would accept such an offer and to present it, this is when he dropped the bombshell. "Great, I'm glad your client is willing to help mine get another investment property. Oh, one thing I forgot to mention with you on the phone is that the 2^nd can't go through title. We need it to show like he is putting 20% down on the property and then your client can record the contract the day after close, is that alright?"

"Hmmmm...Let me think....NO! That is mortgage fraud and my client nor I will have no part of it!" "We do this all the time and my client says it is perfectly legal as you recording the contract" "Well, got some bad news for you, it isn't legal and you may want to contact your company lawyer and check with them, because it is mortgage fraud and a great way for you to land yourself in jail!"

The offer never came through and my client was a little upset with me, but once I explained what the other person was trying to do and how it could land him in trouble also, he seemed to have calmed down and thanked me for watching out for him. He also asked "How would a person doing a For Sale by Owner know not to do that and not just taking the word of a buyer's agent and the buyer?" I told him, they wouldn't and if they get caught, it would be big trouble for everyone involved!

So, if you have someone telling you for any reason not to give documents to title, then I would question the legality of it.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Our first fishing trip of the year and we caught our limit! (Detroit Lake)

2008-07-15T10:59:33Z

Detroit Lake is one of my father's and my favorite fishing spots. This year we both got to do something that we have never both done at the same time, we both left with our limit of fish, and they weren't light weights either.

Detroit Lake is just over an hour and forty five minutes from Beaverton, and I have to say well worth the drive. This year, because of the late start of the fishing season, the fish were bigger and they were very hungry.

Here is a map showing our favorite fishing spot on the lake. Just promise that you will call us and make sure we aren't going to be there the day you plan to go, we don't want to catch all your fish!

Click on the map for directions from Google.

When the sun is out, this lake has one of the most beautiful views. On a regular basis you can see Osprey and eagles. I didn't get any pictures of them this year, but we are always watching for them.

Below you can watch the panoramic view of Detroit Lake from the dam as we were fishing. I took this after I had already caught my limit and I was waiting for my dad to get his, it only took him another 20 minutes. But, I do have to brag that I caught my limit first.

My dad and I enjoyed this first trip of the year so much, that on Wednesday we have decided to take my oldest daughter, who is finally starting to get excited about fishing and no longer gives up after 20 minutes. So look for our updated fishing report with another special guest post from my daughter.

For more information on fishing at Detroit Lake and what we were catching, with feel free to call or e-mail me anytime.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

You hired who? The one that said…Just because they offered to do it for 1% less?

2008-07-14T10:27:41Z

Recently, I met a seller that was planning to sell their property across from one of my listings. He is a very nice gentleman, but the house did need some updating and probably some staging to get the best price for the home.

But, what the other agent, who had just walked in to his house, said something that just floored me, and yet he still hired her to list his home. I asked him what he thought needed to be done for the house to get sold, and then I would give him a few more pointers just to make sure it sold fast and for top dollar.

He said it needed some painting, new windows and just some general updating and he thought that should be about it and I suggested also have it staged. A staged home sells faster and for more money almost 100% of the time, in my humble opinion. I showed him some listings and the difference staging makes and the difference in what they sold for, unstaged and staged, in the same neighborhood. He was floored, but not surprised when he saw the pictures.

I was talking to my clients and they said he decided to hire another agent that came over and talked to him. They also said if this person had told them what she had told the neighbor, not only would she probably have been punched, but she would have gotten thrown out the door before she could have gotten the next sentence out.

What did this agent say to this seller? "How do you expect to sell this home with all this garage sale furniture?" Yep, they were there when she said this and couldn't believe their ears! They had to walk out because they got mad and didn't want to say something that they would regret. But, in the end he hired this (as far as I'm concerned) very rude agent all because she offered her services for 1% less than I was.

I'm not sure I could take that kind of abuse from anyone for a savings of $2,500. I've seen people get divorced over lesser comments than that! So, why anyone would hire someone so rude as to insult someone's material possessions is beyond me! Now, did I think the furniture needed to be removed to sell the place? Yes, but I went about it in a much more tactful way and suggested a home stager, and I never personally attacked him or his way of life.

So, if you are in the Beaverton, Oregon area and are looking to sell your home for top dollar, and want to be treated like you are supposed to be, then give me a call, I would love to talk to you about the sale of your home.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photo courtesy of atroszko

Family ownership maybe coming back

2008-07-13T23:05:22Z

Over the past couple months I've noticed more and more families looking at homes together, not just for their opinion, but to have the whole family living in one household together. Be it to cut the costs of home ownership or to have a live in baby sitter, more and more families are choosing to live together under one roof.

I've had two listings in the last 4 months that the family was selling because they were going to move back in with their parents. They are buying homes that have mother-in-law quarters, as I call them, or even properties with a 2nd home on them.

Has anyone else seen this trend happening? I even am working with a builder that is working on a 24 unit project that is using this as part of their plan. He is building 12 almost duplex homes with one larger, 3 to 4 bedroom sides, connected to a 1 to 2 bedroom smaller unit for parents or children without kids.

I think it is a great idea and can't wait until he is done and the project starts to sell and if you are a family looking for a home, please give me a call anytime.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494

Photo courtesy of Meelin

Watch what you sign, it could cost you when trying to sell your home

2008-07-13T10:36:15Z

Contingencies in a real estate contract are normal, but they usually only last about 10 business days, and that accounts for the inspections and the financing contingencies. But, as the seller what other things should you watch out for?

In this market more and more buyers are trying to sell their own house while trying to find another with better payments or closer to town. But, to avoid getting stuck with two mortgage payments they will put an offer in contingent upon them selling their home.

Most of the time, I advise sellers not to accept and offer like this, because buyers tend to not look at homes that have a bumpable buyer, because they are afraid to waste their time and lose it if the other buyer purchases the property. In most cases though, the 1^st buyer can't remove their contingency and go forward with the purchase. You see it is a double edge sword. You have one buyer who is afraid the first is going to take it from them and the other who more than likely can't perform if put under the gun.

One option is to give a buyer a time limit on how long they can keep the house off the market, or give them the option to let you keep it as an active listing, but give them the first right of refusal.

I saw one seller last year sign a contingency offer that made it so the seller had the give the buyer 60 days to perform if another offer came in. Now, did that buyer perform? NO! Did the other buyer walk when they found they had to wait 60 days to find out if they were going to get the home? YES! Basically the seller had their home off the market for six months and had nothing to show for it!

Is their a right time to or way to take a contingent offer? Certainly, I've had sellers take a contingent offer, but require the buyer to put a $15,000 non-refundable earnest money deposit down. What this does it makes sure the buyer does what ever they have to do to get the home and if they have the walk, the seller gets some kind of compensation for their time and trouble. You see you have to make it a win-win for both buyer and seller.

For more information on selling your home in the Washington County, Oregon area, please feel free to call or e-mail me anytime.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photo courtesy of davdibiase

After negotiating with the president of the bank on behalf of my client, now what?

2008-07-12T01:32:59Z

Earlier this year, I took on a listing that was to be a short sale and two other listings for a person that weren't going to be short sales. But, my client had an 800 credit score and had never missed a payment.

The problem was he over-remodeled a property and it was now not going to be able to sell for what he owed. My client didn't want to rip off the bank and not pay them what was owed, but wanted to some how come up with an arrangement with the bank that they will get all their money owed if they promised not to damage his credit.

He hired me because of my creativity and on a recommendation from a mortgage broker he went to college with. I came up with a solution that he thought was wonderful and I presented it to the loss mitigation department. They said, "HELL NO! We will not do that. Your client is just going to have to sell it and if his credit is ruined, he should have thought of that before he remodeled it."

Here was my proposal to the bank and why they didn't except it at first I will never know. My client would do a short sale on the one property and whatever the loss was to the bank on the commission, closing costs and the remainder of what was owed on the loan would be put on one of the vacant lots that were also for sale. You see the bank was going to get every dime they were owed and my client's credit was going to be saved!

After getting a "HELL NO" from the loss mitigation department, I had to think outside the box and decided to get in touch with the president of the bank and explain to him that this is why the banks were in trouble. People were offering them ways to get paid every dime they were owed and instead of thinking, they were like robots, trained to say "NO" to everything.

Well, to my surprise, I got a response from the president of the bank and he agreed that my offer was very smart for my client and for the bank, and agreed to the arrangement. He sent a letter to every manager in the company and CC: me with the e-mail telling his managers of my proposal and that saying no to something like this was not a very smart business decision, and just because it hasn't been done before at this time in the banking industry, we have to think outside the box and if someone comes up with an idea that gets the bank paid, but is unorthodox, to except the offer.

I was proud of this president to take this stand. I thought I'd finally found someone in a bank that was willing to listen and do something to help the little guy when they needed it and in the process help the bank.

Now, today I found out this president of the company I talked to is out of a job! The president that thought my idea was smart for both my client and his company was Michael Perry of IndyMac bank, and now I'm not sure what the situation for my client is.

I'm hoping the FDIC will see to it to honor Michael's acceptance of our offer and let my client keep his credit and the bank get their money.

Only time will tell!

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photos courtesy of mikecco and abenjumeda

Washington County, Oregon home sales week in review by neighborhood (7/11/2008)

2008-07-11T15:48:49Z

Today is Friday, July 4, 2008 and it is time for another breakdown of homes sales in the Washington
County, Oregon market. This week we have seen a little bit of a slow down in sales and that could be due to the 4th of July weekend and no one was looking at homes. Let’s see what happens this week and hope things pick up. Summer has arrived and the good news is we are starting to see more and more families looking for homes in the 3 to 4 bedroom and between the prices of $250,000 and $350,000. I think by summers end we will have seen some good sales, but I don’t think any where near the rate we saw last summer. Prices are still staying relatively steady in Washington County, but sales over all are down since last year. I look forward to reporting this summers sales at the end of August and hopefully I will have some good news.

So, if you have a family home that you are thinking about selling, this is a great time to get it on the market!

As always, if you are looking to buy or sell in the Washington County, Oregon area, I would love to show you how you can save the most money by being on your side during the negotiations.

Neighborhood # of Active Listings

Aloha Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	193
Bull Mountain North Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	108
Bull Mountain South Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	138
Cooper Mountain Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	150
Greenburg Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	80
Greenway Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	49
Hart Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	89
Highland Hills Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	61
Lexington Neighborhood, Aloha, Oregon :	52
Mountainview Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	135
Murray Hill Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	124
Sexton Mountain Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	150
Sorrento Ridge Neighborhood, Beaverton, Oregon :	86
Summer Lake Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	63
Summerfield Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	35
Tigard Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	30
Walnut Grove Neighborhood, Tigard, Oregon :	50

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

As the market changes, so are my clients

2008-07-09T23:58:36Z

In the last couple months, I've seen an interesting thing happen in my niche market of Lease Options and Owner Financing. There are more and more agents trying to get into my niche as they realize I'm doing more and more business.

But, what happens when you get in to a niche you don't understand? You usually get yourself in trouble! I was approached a couple months ago by an agent that said he specialized in short sales and foreclosure properties and wanted me to partner with him to help him buy and sell these properties.

But, after hearing his proposal, something sounded not quite on the up and up, and I told him that at this time I would have to pass. Well, he decided to venture out and try to go it alone and now I find out that he is under investigation both from the real estate board and the police, for his activities.

But, what is happening to me is my niche that I started 3 years ago is now starting to get to the point that they are the ones with the good credit and are now either looking to sell their previous home and move up, or just refinance into a traditional loan and stay right where they are at. (Which I think is great!)

But, you see, my website is designed more for the average person, it doesn't look as slick as many other sites I've seen. I'm starting to lose some of the main stream buyers and sellers that are not already my existing customers because the website was focused mainly on my niche market and not the general public. Now, my niche does get me a regular paycheck, but it doesn't bring in the big dollars.

I do work with traditional financing and love it those when the process goes smoothly, but I'm starting to think I need to rewrite my website to focus more on a cross between my niche and the traditional market. As more and more agents leave the business, I am seeing an increase in calls, but I know with my numbers that are visiting my site every month that it certainly could be more!

So, the time for a change has come, and over the next couple months, I think I will be revamping my website to appeal to a broader market and hopefully, catch my niche with my blogs as well as the traditional market, that is clearly interested in what I am offering!

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Beaverton Oregon: Another reason people who visit end up staying

2008-07-07T08:12:02Z

What makes a place worth living in? There are many answers to this, but when I think of places I want to live, I think of livability! What is livability? To me this means when I need or want something, the ease of getting it or doing it is always at hand.

In Beaverton, Oregon, I've never felt this was an issue. If I want something to do, be it taking a walk, seeing a movie, or eating anything your heart desires, it is always within driving distance.

One of the things I love most about Beaverton is that even what we don't have within the city like the beaches or mountains, they are still within an hour to an hour and a half away.

With three kids, I'm always looking for ways to entertain them that doesn't cost me money. With the great parks system that Beaverton has in the Tualatin Valley Parks and Recreation department, there is never a shortage of parks that are well maintained to keep the kids entertained.

Below are pictures from the various parks I've taken my kids as well as links to my reviews for those parks.

Hiteon Park
Fir Grove Park
Tualatin Hills Park & Recreation
Commonwealth Lake Park
Greenway Park

Another great thing about Beaverton is its restaurants. No matter if you are in the mood for pizza, burgers, sandwiches, Thai, Chinese, Mexican, it really doesn't matter, it is all here and there for you to enjoy.

21 Teriyaki & Bento (503)848-6532
Aloha Bar & Grill (503)649-7994
Annie's Restaurant (503)649-1191
Azteca Mexican Restaurant (503)643-8269
Beaches Restaurant (503)579-3737
China Moon - (503)350-1888
Elmer's Pancakes (503)641-7992
Godfather's Pizza (503)629-5400
McCormick's Fish House (503)643-1881
McGrath's Fish House (503)646-1881
McMenamins (503)644-4562
Newport Bay (503)620-3474

One thing people look at for livability is how many jobs are available within the area. Well, with two of the biggest employers in the world located right in Beaverton and on the outskirts in Hillsboro, both Intel and Nike are bringing lots of dollars in to the area in the form of guests and employment.

If you see me, don't hesitate to stop and chat I love to talk about Beaverton. If you aren't from the area, give me a call, I would love the chance to tell you even more great things about Beaverton, Oregon, and why I say if you visit, you will end up staying!

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

The 2nd biggest 4th of July parade in Oregon was once again great!

2008-07-06T23:32:28Z

The Hillsboro, Oregon, 4^th of July parade was once again a great success with thousands of people showing up to see the parade that had kids, dogs, public officials, and everyone smiling.

This year we sat in front of my co-coach of my daughter's softball team who happens to have a house right on the parade route, and what awesome seats they were! Everyone brought food. A few girls had spent the night and were ready for the parade when we arrived!

This parade was better than the ones I had remembered from the past, and that may be because during the past parades, I remember it being 90-95 degrees and this year it was a comfortable 65 degrees out.

The Hillsboro police motorcycle division, put on one great show for the kids and the kids loved it! They were followed by the fire department and other local businesses with floats, old cars, and local high school bands. I think my favorite band was the "Get A Life" marching band that had shirts saying "We may miss a note, but we will never miss a meal"

Kids collected lots of candy tossed from most floats and fun was had by all! Keep it up Hillsboro, and I look forward to next year where our softball team is already making plans of entering a float or just march down Main Street! Hmmmm, I wish I could think of someone to sponsor their float. (LOL)

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Did we go to far the other way?

2008-07-06T10:45:57Z

In 2005 and 2006 everyone who had a name could get a traditional mortgage, but then the economy changed, and prices started to fall. Homes are now worth less than they were when people bought them. The mortgage industry is in turmoil and things are looking more and more uncertain each and everyday.

Today we have loan guidelines changing 3 or 4 times a day and even the underwriters can't keep up with all the guideline changes. But at the same time even when a qualified buyer produces a down payment and has a good credit score, they still won't sign off on loans. They are afraid to give a person a loan that may later, even remotely, default because it could be their job now.

But, what happens if they start to give no one loans? It is almost getting to that point from what I've seen and if this happens they will lose their jobs anyway as the companies are going to have to start laying underwriters off, because they have no income coming in to the banks.

In the last 2 months, I've had well qualified buyers, who passed the automatic underwriting guidelines, get told 3 days before close that the banks guidelines have changed and they no longer will give them a loan, even if they bring in more money.

As a nation, it amazes me that when something goes south, we panic and do the exact opposite of what we should do. Think about the stock market, traditionally, when the stock market starts to crash, people start to sell their stocks while the rich start to buy. There is a reason this works, they don't panic and over react and at this point in our mortgage crisis, this is exactly what I see happening. People are panicking and doing the exact opposite of what they should be doing.

There are so many options out there that should be looked at to help people who are in trouble that would keep the banks from losing millions, but they would rather overreact and lose even more.

When are we going to figure out doing what may feel wrong may actually be the right thing to do? We aren't trying to break the bank we are actually trying to fix it!

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Photo by woodsy