rogue valley: Oregon Seeing The Light At The End Of The Tunnel In This Economy?
- 03/06/09 05:27 AM
At the Rotary Club of Ashland's weekly meeting, the speaker who packed the house was Tom Potiowsky, Oregon State Economist. The news Mr. Potiowsky relayed was not much of a surprise to anyone - we all know our local economy like our local real estate market has been a bit bleak. Although Southern Oregon was slower to arrive at the Housing Boom party, we did eventually find ourselves there, and we have been paying the price for our exuberance. But, Mr. Potiowsky says there are indications that 2nd or 3rd quarter 2009 may be the "technical" bottom for the recession we … (9 comments)
rogue valley: Rotary Club Of Ashland Oregon Holding Wine Raffle
- 03/05/09 03:12 PM
It's that time of year again! The Rotary Club of Ashland Oregon is holding its annual Wine Raffle Fundraiser. Want to enjoy a truckload of wine? Southern Oregon Wines as well as many others? The members of the Rotary Club of Ashland Oregon each donate two bottles of wine (that's usually over 250 bottles, folks!), and there are some exquisite tasting wines included. I'm probably going to bring a couple of bottles of Agate Ridge Vineyard's award winning Petit Syrah to go with the Roxy Ann wines that are liekly to be in the truck. If you twist my arm, I … (0 comments)
rogue valley: Crab Fest 2009 in Ashland Oregon a HUGE Success!
- 03/05/09 02:24 PM
Last weekend was the Rotary Club of Ashland - Lithia Springs annual Crab Fest here in lovely Ashland Oregon. The event was sold out, as the secret is out about not only do you really get a TON of delicious crab to eat with your meal, but you'll have great company, music and good stuff to bid on at a great Silent Auction, with all proceeds going to a worthy cause - Kids First! With over $30,000 raised, lots of good work will be done. Who says the economy is putting a crimp in fundraising events! Congratulations Rotary Club of … (0 comments)
rogue valley: REAL Help for Struggling Homeowners On The Horizon?
- 03/04/09 11:22 AM
Although the Making Home Affordable Program is to be made available to struggling homeowners today, and official announcement went out today from the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the banks and mortgage companies have not yet figured out the details of the Home Affordable Modification or Home Affordable Refinance programs. A call made to Countrywide Home Loans today to inquire about Note Modification through the "Making Home Affordable" program resulted in being directed to call back at the end of March. I hope they get on this soon, as some of the people I've been talking to have been teetering on the … (2 comments)
rogue valley: Want some of That $8,000 Credit On your 2008 Income Tax Refund Southern Oregon 1st Time Home Buyers?
- 02/25/09 04:05 PM
If you qualified for the tax credit as approved in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - i.e. you are a first time homebuyer (haven't owned a home in the past 3 years), your income does not exceed $75,000 for a single filer or $150,000 for a joint filer, and you purchase a home before December 1, 2009 you will be eligible to a tax credit of up to $8,000 or 10% of your purchase price, whichever is less. So, first time home buyers who have not yet filed their 2008 federal income tax return and your escrow for … (3 comments)
rogue valley: More Great Tax Credits for Southern Oregon Homeowners Making Energy Efficient Improvements
- 02/25/09 03:12 AM
The recently passed 2009 stimulus packages included some good news for homeowners who have been considering making improvements to their homes to increase their home's energy efficiency. Homeowners who are replacing their windows with those that exceed Energy Star requirements, having a U factor of .30 or better (the lower the number, the better the energy efficiency). Do you think $1,500 would help make this energy efficient improvement to your home in Southern Oregon? Check in to this, because depending on where you are located in Southern Oregon, such as in Ashland, there may be additional credits available to you to help … (0 comments)
rogue valley: Southern Oregon First Time Home Buyers ABC's of Homebuying Class 2/21/2009
- 02/13/09 07:06 AM
Hey, Southern Oregon first time home buyers, are you thinking it is time to prepare to buy your first home? Maybe you want to take advantage of the great opportunity that is likely to be approved by President Obama Monday February 16th, a true tax credit for up to $8,000? Southern Oregon Housing Resource Center and Rogue Community College will hold their next HUD approved ABC's of Homebuying class: Presented by ACCESS, Inc. AND THE SOUTHERN OREGON HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER February 21, 2009 at RCC Redwoods Campus, Grants Pass West Entrance 9:00 to 9:05 Introduction: Housekeeping Melodee Sewell, SOHRC at … (0 comments)
rogue valley: Welcome to My World – No Whining Allowed!
- 02/04/09 08:02 AM
Caught in the middle of a mini boom for refinancing, I've been a busy little bee here at Quality Home Loansin Ashland, Oregon. With the many changes going on in the mortgage industry, I've learned to allocate extra time in my day to keep up with these many changes, hopefully avoiding being blindsided when a program ends or runs out of money. And to keep up with this crazy market we're inlife of mine, a little cardio on the treadmill has been helpful for stamina building! Refinance boom due to the extraordinarily low interest rates might be enough to keep a … (8 comments)
rogue valley: Great Loan Option For Owner Occupied Buyers Purchasing Homes Needing Repairs
- 01/30/09 11:03 AM
Oregon Home Buyers and Real Estate Brokers, here's a tool you might put in your home buying chest. Did you know that if the property being purchased is an eligible property on the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing loan program: •a) Not only are some lenders able to fund these loans right now even though allocation has been depleted; but •b) You may be allowed to purchase a home that needs repairs of up to $10,000 and still proceed and close your transaction? If the home being purchased by an eligible buyer is a short sale or foreclosure, this can be a … (3 comments)
rogue valley: Bye Bye 4.50% Mortgage Rates! 5.50% Here We Come?
- 01/29/09 09:30 AM
If other mortgage companies have been anything like mine, it's been a pretty busy time these past 4-5 weeks! When the 30 year conforming fixed rates being locked in hit the mid-high 4's, the phones lit up like I haven't seen in a while.
Well, they are still lighting up, with homeowners and investors trying to catch the tail end of this dip in mortgage interest rates before they are gone. Already, I've seen a 3/8% increase in the rates for most of these fixed rate loan programs over the past week. The USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing program eligible buyers … (0 comments)
rogue valley: I Have A Dream Here In Southern Oregon on Martin Luther King Day 2009
- 01/19/09 10:52 AM
Today is Martin Luther King's Day, our day to look back and reflect on the accomplishments this amazing civil rights leader contributed to us all, leading to freedoms I think we so often take for granted today. We celebrate this day of remembrance that every four years takes place just before our Presidential Inauguration, and boy do I think we have a lot of reflecting to do this time around in January 2009! When my family arrived in Southern Oregon in 2004, we came with many dreams. A dream that my husband would find the satisfaction he hoped to gain from … (10 comments)
rogue valley: Have You Been To Bambu in Medford Oregon for Pan Asian?
- 01/19/09 09:22 AM
Last weekend, my husband and I recently tried a new Thai restaurant, but it wasn't to our tastes. Do you ever get your taste buds set for a specific restaurant's flavors and cooking styles and then forever compare the dishes you try from other restaurants to your favorite one? I managed to break the mold, though, when it came to my favorite Thai foods. Thai Thani's in Redondo Beach California used to be the Thai restaurant all others were compared to, and most really didn't bring the same sense of satisfaction. But, thank goodness, we found Bambu in Medford who no … (2 comments)
rogue valley: Ch…Ch…Ch….Ch….Changes – To USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing Program
- 01/14/09 04:49 AM
So, do you want the good news or the bad news first? Presuming you are like many who prefer to get the bad news out of the way first, the bad news is USDA Rural Housing programs have already depleted their available funds until Congress reallocates additional funds to them. Stage two of the bad news is the decision to be made on the proposed changes to the income calculations for the USDA Guaranteed Rural Housing program has been postponed until March 20, 2009 (or thereabouts). These proposed changes are:
Current base income limit for all non-high cost counties = … (12 comments)
rogue valley: Yes, USDA Guaranteed Rural Development Loans Can STILL Be Funded in 2009!
- 01/07/09 08:21 AM
A notification came out this week about the USDA Rural Development program having received such overwhelming attention lately, they are already almost out of funds only a week in to 2009, and expect to have these funds depleted before the end of this week. First response was "Oh Bummer!... this will prevent Joe, Sally, Fred Borrowers from being able to buy the homes they are in negotiations on in Southern Oregon and California", as this program has been a great tool for the first time home buyer with no down payment, but it turns out that is not the case. Thank goodness, … (6 comments)
rogue valley: Have You Been To Shoji’s in Medford Oregon?
- 01/05/09 08:29 AM
On special occasions, and sometimes just because we love the atmosphere so much, you'll find us dining at Shoji's in Medford Oregon. Shoji's is a Japanese Teppanyaki style dining experience like no other I have experienced - and this restaurant style is one my family chooses frequently. For my fellow California transplants, it is like Benihana's- only with flinging egg shells and a TON of rice! The Early Bird Special is until 6PM every day, which we've taken advantage of many times, not only getting us in before the crowds and seated quickly, but we double the meat portion. If we're … (5 comments)
rogue valley: Oregon Bond Lowers Rates (Finally!)
- 12/19/08 08:44 AM
I am a big fan of the Oregon Bond loan program for first time home buyers. It has been very sad not having this tool in my chest, while the State of Oregon grappled with the stagnant bond market, unable to sell the bonds that fund this program except for a few higher priced buyers in the bond market. These State Bond programs run through the individual State Housing Finance Agencies are suffering with the scondary market issues we've had in the mortgage industry for the past 18 months. Yesterday, the Oregon Housing and Community Service division who manages the Oregon … (2 comments)
rogue valley: Updated Borrower's Guide to Locking In Your Interest Rate
- 12/19/08 07:33 AM
Are you in the process of getting a home loan for a home purchase you are planning to make here in Southern Oregon? Or, maybe you heard about the incredibly low interest rates we've been seeing for qualified homeowners looking to get a lower interest rate than they have presently? Want to grab this opportunity before it gets away from you? Confused about the way the pricing can move in this extremely volatile market we've been experiencing in the mortgage industry? You need: A Borrower's Guide to Locking In Your Interest Rate (time to dust off an older blog, and update … (0 comments)
rogue valley: Rogue Valley Buyers Buying For Only $1,000 Per Month!
- 12/12/08 08:26 AM
There are bright rays of sunshine gleaming through the present real estate market here in Southern Oregon. For the first time in a long time, prices are in the range of the entry level home buyer. How did we get to this place?
Many economists and industry professionals believe that the price point for sustainable homeownership is 3-4 times the annual income for the household. Well guess what, Rogue Valley Renters? Those price ranges are here! Add to that some other great market conditions, such as:
For buyers in need of down payment assistance, there is a great program … (2 comments)
rogue valley: Y’All Come On Out To Talent’s First Talent Art Walk Y’Hear!
- 12/12/08 08:08 AM
1...2...3...yes three art walks for the Rogue Valley! Talent will be joining Ashland and Medford with putting on an Art Walk. Ashland has a First Friday Art Walk, Medford a Third Friday Art Walk, and Talent will keep art enthusiasts going by having a 2nd Friday Art Walk. Ten Talent businesses located on South Talent Avenue will hold tonight's first event from 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. with food and wine located at each stop.
An artisan who creates a wonderful client gift will be there. Cheri' of Paradise in Bloom who creates the most beautiful silk orchid garden art … (0 comments)
rogue valley: Medford Winter Light Festival Draws Crowd
- 12/06/08 08:23 AM
It's that time again, time for a favorite winter event, the annual Medford Winter Light Festival that is held in Vogel Plaza in Downtown Medford Oregon. Last night's crowd was awed by the beautiful tree, wonderful music provided by the North Medford High School Band and South Medford High School Choir. It was a beautiful, clear, cold night for this event that included music, booths and the arrival of Santa himself. A special treat for this year's event was the fake snow falling on Vogel Plaza. But one of our favorite things about going to events like the Medford Winter Light … (0 comments)
Loving the challenge of a career in mortgage|real estate since 1983, keeping up with the progression of changes in this industry keeps one on their toes. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger, right? Here's to a few more decades of strength building!
At the Rotary Club of Ashland's weekly meeting, the speaker who packed the house was Tom Potiowsky, Oregon State Economist. The news Mr. Potiowsky relayed was not much of a surprise to anyone - we all know our local economy like our local real estate market has been a bit bleak. Although Southern Oregon was slower to arrive at the Housing Boom party, we did eventually find ourselves there, and we have been paying the price for our exuberance.
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