Where to live in Portland -

Once you’ve successfully decluttered, it’s time to dispose of the unwanted objects. Donation is a worthy route, and more can be put to good use than you might think. For instance, tattered linens and towels can be donated to animal shelters or used as a green alternative to packing supplies. Other examples could be giving old DVDs and books to the local library or helping a family in need with toys and clothing that your kids have outgrown.

Clearing clutter in advance can make moving day much less of a hassle. However, if the idea of packing seems daunting or you’re feeling mover’s anxiety, let a moving team lend a helping hand. These professionals can simplify the process and dispose of redundant items all while ensuring your belongings arrive safe and sound at your new home.

For more tips on donating and decluttering during a move, please see the accompanying resource.

Infographic created by Big League Movers.

One of the most important considerations in any kitchen design project is the appliances. For a long time, most kitchen appliances more or less did the same thing, but that's no longer the case. Not all kitchen appliance brands are created equal. Although many large brands may offer various kitchen appliances, the best fridge, oven, stovetop, or dishwasher on the market could all be manufactured by separate companies. 

There are a number of factors that are important to consider when designing a new kitchen space. First, you need to consider how much room you have to work with because that will determine the size, and design, of the appliances you can consider. Next, you have to consider the décor and architecture of the other rooms and features in your house, ensuring that your new kitchen will fit seamlessly as the centerpiece of your home. You’ll need to assess your budget for the design or renovation and select the appropriate cabinetry, tiles, and countertops.

So, let’s look at the top five kitchen appliance brands!

KitchenAid

Established 1919, KitchenAid has developed a reputation as a premier choice for high-quality kitchen gadgets and appliances. There are various KitchenAid ranges available, but if you're looking for anything other than a dual-fuel range, then there are better alternatives on the market. As a side note, if you don't already have a KitchenAid stand mixer, then be sure to pick one up as this is an essential appliance for any kitchen.

 Bosch

Bosch has been making some of the best kitchen appliances in the world, and the truth is you don't last that long in business if you don't make high-quality products. All of Bosch's appliances are expertly constructed, with various styles and features for any preference. Bosch also provides their appliances with a safe and reliable warranty. With a vast selection of kitchen appliances worthy of acknowledgement, Bosch’s preeminent product is their industry-leading line of dishwashers. The best features found in the new lineup of Bosch dishwashers are exciting. The theme of the lineup is definitely customization options, and Bosch dishwashers certainly have the most customizable interiors on the market today.

 LG

You may already be familiar with South Korean powerhouse LG. They are one of the world’s leading electronics brands and have built a reputation for making long-lasting products for a fair price. In recent years, LG has been making an impressive number of sleek, innovative kitchen appliances.  Since the launch of their Smart appliance line in 2014, LG has been innovating in the kitchen appliances space. What’s interesting is just how good the new LG kitchen appliances are across the entire lineup. While a lot of companies excel in one particular area, LG have managed to produce remarkable options for ranges, fridges, and dishwashers.

Frigidaire

Frigidaire is known for being one of the most consistently reliable kitchen appliance brands in the world. With their expansive selection of kitchen appliances, you could depend on Frigidaire to outfit your entire kitchen for all your appliance needs. That being said, Frigidaire has built a reputation on their industry standard line of refrigerators. With a broad variety of styles and features, it’s easy to see how Frigidaire became a global leader in refrigerator manufacturing. With single door, double-door, and French door options available, Frigidaire no doubt offer the perfect fridge for you, no matter the size of your kitchen. 

GE

GE has long been considered a leader in the home appliances industry, and their new kitchen appliances prove that this reputation is still well-deserved. GE is known to have one of the best customer service departments of any major appliance manufacturer as well, and their warranties are among the best in the industry. All of the GE kitchen appliances are excellent, depending upon your design sensibilities, but their wall-mount ovens and portable dishwashers stand out and are among the best you can buy. 

Of course, it all comes down to your own personal design preferences. 

For more information on home preferences and Portland real estate, contact us!

When it comes to home architecture styles in Portland Oregon, the styles embody the spirit of Portland. The city is known well for its eclectic mix of people with different lifestyles, different interests, but also a shared love of everything PDX. The city’s eccentricity is magnified in its multitude of architectural styles.

As well as being pretty famous, Portland is also the most populous city in Oregon. Its fame for being such a highly desired place to live has led to some incredible nicknames like Stumptown, Portlandia, Beervana, The City of Roses, and The City of Bridges.

If you are looking to move or buy a home in portland, you might be surprised by the different architectural styles you may have to choose from when looking to purchase.

Craftsman Houses

You see craftsman houses pretty much all over Portland and especially in the inner Eastside and outer Northwest areas. Most of these homes date back to the 1910s and 1920’s when the Arts and Crafts movement was the ‘in’ thing. What’s interesting about Craftsman houses is that they don’t have wide-open rooms like ranch-style homes do, yet they still manage to give the impression of spaciousness, with their high ceilings and tons of exquisitely composed windows.

Portland Bungalows

Portland bungalows are similar to Craftsman houses, only smaller. Bungalow-style houses are considered an iconic part of Portland’s architectural history. People love these homes for their quirky design, sturdy structure, and inherent coziness that they exemplify. The Bungalow style was the height of fashion in the 1920s and their popularity at the time can be explained by the fact that they look very much like a Craftsman house, but being smaller, were more affordable. Original Bungalows were constructed entirely with wood and feature low-pitched sloping roofs, and a covered porch, and are further protected from the elements by a roof extension.

Mid-Century Ranch

The ranch-style homes in Portland were typical for the 1950-the 1960s when utility and style were at the top of the list for home design. Mid-Century Ranch houses have just one floor, but offer plenty of space with large rooms seamlessly flowing into each other. Ranch houses tend to be quite solid, and many have incredible floor-to-ceiling windows that just flood the entryway, in particular, with tons of natural light. 8-foot high vaulted ceilings are a distinctive feature of Mid-Century houses, making them feel larger than they actually are.

Tudor Revival Houses

True to their inspiration, Tudor Revival houses have a sort of English village charm, with steeply pitched roofs, arched doorways, exposed beams, towering chimneys, and classic geometric wood designs on their exterior. The Tudor style was very popular between 1920 and 1940. 

Foursquare Style Houses

Dating back to the 1800s, the Foursquare architectural style is one of the oldest in Portland. They have remained popular until today and it’s for this reason that this style is often referred to as “Old Portland.”

Cape Cod Style Homes

Original Cape Cod style homes were built between the 1930s and the 1950s. You can find these architectural wonders all over Portland, from East to West as well as in the ‘burbs. They’re easily recognizable by their moderately rectangular shape, very steep-pitched, front-facing roof, and centered front entryway.

Townhouse Style Homes

The Townhouse style belongs to the modern era and is becoming a common sight in Portland, especially in the inner East side of the metro area. Many developers are buying up older homes, tearing them down, and building two modern townhomes in their place. This trend recently appeared as the demand for housing in Portland started to grow past the available inventory. Because they’re smaller than their predecessors, these new townhomes are generally much more affordable than the older-style houses we’ve mentioned here.

No matter what your situation, Portland almost definitely has the right style of the house to meet your needs. If you are looking for a home in Portland, contact us!

Ideally, homebuyers would go into a home purchase with no debt and a healthy nest egg saved up to cover emergency expenses. However, with Experian studies showing that the average American carries $92,727 in debt, this scenario is not the reality for many homebuyers. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to manage your debt. Portland on the Market outlines a few here.

1. Reduce Your Spending

The first step in the debt reduction process is to reduce your spending. Start by tracking your spending habits. Review your purchases and look for spending that you can eliminate. 

If you are a business owner, consider organizing your business as a limited liability company. LLCs protect your personal assets and can save you money at tax time. However, different states have different rules about setting up LLCs, so be sure to check the rules in your state before taking this step.

2. Build Your Credit

Your credit score impacts both your chances of getting approved for a mortgage and the interest rates you will pay if you are approved. Building your credit before you buy a home can save you money on the total interest you pay on your mortgage. As you look into financing options thoroughly before buying a home – such as getting a PennyMac mortgage – familiarize yourself with available mortgage rates. Whether you're taking out a conventional, FHA, or VA loan, you’ll need to know what's affordable for you.

Before approaching a lender, check your credit report. If you find any errors, report them to the credit bureau. Your payment history plays a big role in your credit score. If you are behind on any payments, bring those accounts current or pay them off before you apply for your mortgage. 

Avoid taking on any new debt. Pay your existing debt on time and pay down your balances as much as you can. However, don't close your accounts after you pay them off. 

3. Create a Debt Reduction Plan

There are multiple ways you can approach paying down debt. The snowball method involves putting your extra money towards paying off your account with the lowest balance while making minimum payments on everything else. Once you pay off that debt, use the amount you were paying towards that debt to start paying off your next smallest debt.

The avalanche method focuses on paying balances with the highest interest rates off first. The best method for you depends on your budget and goals.

4. Keep Track of Your Debt

Tracking your debt makes it easier to evaluate how well your debt reduction plan is working and motivates you to keep going. You can track your debt by creating a spreadsheet, using a free credit monitoring service or using a budgeting or debt reduction app.

5. Stay Out of Debt

As you start paying off your balances, lenders will likely try to entice you into increasing your credit card limits, taking out new loans, and otherwise taking on new debt. Goodwill Community Foundation advises avoiding the temptation to take on new debt while you are trying to build your credit for a home purchase. One factor lenders consider is your debt to income ratio. This measures the amount of debt you have compared to the total amount of debt you could have. If you start running your credit card balances back up, your ratio will decline and you could undo your hard work.

Managing your debt before you purchase a home can help you afford the home you want and get approved for a mortgage with an affordable interest rate. These tips can help you get started. And when you’re ready to start searching for that perfect home, remember to let the Marcus Brown Properties Group be your guide.

It’s that time again! Time to embrace the chill in the air and get those kids out of the house for some fantastic, family-friendly events and activities to keep you busy throughout the PNW winter months. Bundle up and head out with this Portland Winter Bucket List!

Tubing on Mt. Hood

Pack up the snow gear and head to the mountain! The classic daytime tubing is perfect for the tubing purists, and for the adventurous set there is nighttime Cosmic Tubing, complete with 600,000 LED lights, laser light shows, black lights, colored lights, rock music and more.

Ice Skating

Strap on some skates! There are  options for indoor and outdoor local ice skating centers:

• Winterhawks Skating Center – Portland (year round)
• Lloyd Center Ice Rink – Portland (year round)
• Sherwood Ice Arena – Sherwood (year round)
• Hillsboro Winter Village – Open Ice Skating Plaza
• Christmas in the Garden at Oregon Garden – Silverton

Portland Hipster Santa

Men with bellies that shake like a bowl full of jelly are a dime a dozen during the holiday season, but luckily Portlanders have the one and only “Portland Santa,” (aka “Hipster Santa”). Portland Santa returns to Pioneer Place this year, complete with his Portland Airport carpet sofa, and is ready for his close-up with the kiddos!

Pittock Mansion’s Hobbies and Pastimes

This historical Portland home turned museum decks it’s halls every holiday season. From opera to knitting to beekeeping, this year’s Pittock Mansion Christmas will highlight some familiar and not-so-familiar hobbies and pastimes. See the Mansion in a whole new light as volunteer decorators creatively transform rooms into a hobbies and pastimes holiday extravaganza.

Christmas time at the Pioneer Courthouse Square

Get into the spirit with all the fun holiday events downtown at the square. Kick off the holiday season with the lighting Portland’s 75-foot Douglas Fir tree the day after Thanksgiving.

Local Holiday Events and Tree Lighting Ceremonies

Almost every town center celebrates the season with their own local events and tree lighting ceremonies! Check out your local city website for more information on dates/times.

ZooLights

A staple of the season, The Oregon Zoo’s annual, fantastic display of a million and half twinkling lights throughout the zoo and a train ride to boot! The day after Thanksgiving – January 1.

Christmas in the Garden

The Oregon Garden, located in the charming historical town of Silverton, pulls out all the stops for a Christmas extravaganza that includes a tram ride, ice skating, a traditional German market, snow-less tubing, and a glittering light display. The day after Thanksgiving – January 1.

Keep on the lookout for more information on fun events for the family.

For more information on the Portland area and Portland real estate, contact our office.

More Foodie Goodies in Portland

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Portland Making Waves with Recognition as the Pest Pizza City in America

Portland's Newest Food Trends and Spots

Happy Valley Food Cart Station - Best in Oregon

Portland Named America's Best Food City

Portland Best City for Foodies and Adventure

Portland’s Best Restaurants for Foodies

Who doesn’t love sitting by the fireplace, enjoying the warmth it provides and listening to its soothing wood-crackling sound? While traditional fireplaces are the gold standard for comfort in colder months, homeowners may want a little more from their fireplace, like heating efficiency. Where traditional fireplaces fall short, fireplace inserts pick up the slack without sacrificing aesthetics. This guide will cover what fireplace inserts are, the types of inserts, and how to choose between them.

A fireplace insert is an enclosed, fireproof combustion box that helps to trap heat, contain the fire, and make your fireplace more efficient for your home. Most fireplace inserts are constructed of steel or cast iron to withstand high temperatures, and they have self-cleaning insulated glass on the front. Both these components allow your fireplace to trap heat efficiently, and some units have blowers that distribute the hot air throughout your room.

If you are a snowbird and own property, winterization of a house is the process of preparing the property to be vacant during the winter. Typically, you will want to take these preventative steps this fall, ahead of the winter weather season. Being proactive can help protect against risks of damage due to bursting water pipes and other home and property issues.

Prevent Your Home From Appearing Unoccupied

You want to forward your mail, stop newspaper delivery and ask a friend to pick up items that may be left at your door. It is also important to arrange for someone to remove snow after storms so there is not a lot of water build-up. It would be super helpful to put motion-sensitive exterior lights and interior lights on timers and set them to come on at varying times to discourage prowlers.

Take Steps to Protect Your Home from Thieves

Confirm that your alarm systems are in working order and have been activated. Secure external doors and windows with deadbolt locks, and security-type hinges. Install slide locks or other equivalent security locks on sliding glass doors. Store valuables that you are not taking with you in a safe deposit box or other secure offsite location. Avoid posting your vacation or travel plans on social media sites, as potential thieves can use that information to learn when your house will be vacant.

Help Avoid Water Damage by Turning Off Your Water Supply

If a pipe bursts or leaks while you are away, it could cause significant damage. Consider completely turning off the water supply if you will be away for an extended period of time. If your home is heated by an older steam heating system, consult with your heating professional to determine if it is safe to turn off the water supply for your particular heating system.

Also, if your home is protected by a fire sprinkler system, ensure you do not turn off the water to this system. If you have turned off the water supply, drain your pipes of all water by opening the faucets, and flush your toilet to clear the water from the tank and bowl. Consider pouring antifreeze in toilet tanks and bowls to prevent any remaining water from freezing. Always use non-toxic antifreeze rated for plumbing systems. You may wish to hire a licensed plumber to complete these steps. The plumber can also confirm that the pipes have been thoroughly drained by blowing compressed air through the pipes.

Keep Your Home and Plumbing Warm

If you decide against draining your water pipes, keep the furnace running to help make sure the home stays warm and the pipes do not freeze. Keeping room and cabinet doors open can also help heat to circulate and warm the areas where pipes are located. Shut off the water to washing machines and dishwashers where possible, to avoid any leaks or broken hoses while you are away.

Turn off the heat source and water supply to hot water heater. Consider shutting off and draining outdoor faucets to prevent water damage due to freezing. Have a water flow sensor and low-temperature sensor installed on your main water supply pipe and hooked into a constantly monitored alarm system or your smartphone.

Winterizing may be an important factor in owning a home in the Portland area, depending on your lifestyle. For more information on homeownership in the Portland area, contact our office.

More Tips for Home Buyers:

Who Pays Realtor Fees?

What Type of House Does a Half a Million Get You in Portland?

Tips for Buying a Condo in Portland

What Millennials Want in the Housing Market

Why do School Ratings Impact Home Value?

Single-Level Homes are in High Demand in Portland

As the season begins to change, it's time to prep your home for falling leaves, cooler weather, and, eventually, winter storms. Tackling a few fall home maintenance tasks now can help ward off issues later in the season, so you can enjoy everything you love about autumn worry-free. Most of the tasks listed below are well within the average homeowner's ability. Even if you'd rather hire a professional to handle them, it can be well worth the expense. You'll save money in the long run by preventing costly damage to your home.

Clean your gutters

Your roof's drainage system annually diverts thousands of gallons of water from your house's exterior and foundation walls, so it's vital to keep this system flowing smoothly. Clogged gutters can lead to damaged exterior surfaces and water in your basement. They are also more prone to rust and corrosion. Before the leaves fly this fall, clean your gutters, then cover them with mesh gutter guards to keep debris from returning.

Seal up air leaks

A home with air leaks around windows and doors is like a coat left unbuttoned. Gaps in caulk and weatherstripping let cold air into your warm home, and sealing up a drafty house can save up to 20% on your heating bills, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Weatherstripping is easily the most cost-effective way to rein in heating and cooling costs. This humble material also reduces drafts and keeps your home more comfortable year-round. Because weatherstripping can deteriorate over time, it is important to inspect it periodically. If you suspect a problem with your weatherstripping, try closing a door or window on a strip of paper. If the paper slides easily, your weatherstripping isn't properly sealing the opening. Alternatively, close the door or window and hold a lighted candle near the frame.

Inspect your roof

Few homeowner problems are more vexing than a leaky roof. Once the dripping starts, finding the source of the problem can be time-consuming. Stop problems this fall before ice and winter winds turn them from annoyances into disasters. Start by inspecting your roof from top to bottom, using binoculars if necessary. Check ridge shingles for cracks and wind damage. Look for damage to metal flashing in valleys and around vents and chimneys. Scan the entire roof for missing, curled, or damaged shingles. Look in your gutters for large accumulations of granules, a sign that your roof is losing its coating, which can portend larger problems. Finally, make sure your gutters are flowing freely.

Protect faucets from freezing temperatures.

If you live in an area with freezing weather, take steps to ensure that outside faucets and in-ground irrigation systems don't freeze and burst. First, close any shut-off valves serving outside faucets, then open the outside faucet to drain the line. There may be a small cap on the faucet you can loosen to facilitate this draining. If you don't have shut-off valves, and your faucets are not "freeze-proof " types, you might benefit from styrofoam faucet covers, which are sold at many home centers. To freezeproof an in-ground irrigation system, follow the manufacturer's procedure for draining it and protecting it from winter damage.

For more information on buying or selling homes in Portland, and other Portland real estate please contact us anytime.

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Is it Better to Rent or Buy? Pros and Cons

Study: More Renters are Entering the Real Estate Market

Questions to Ask Your HOA

Sell Now - Rent and Buy Later?

When you place an offer on a home, you are essentially writing a purchase contract that the seller may agree to, or counter with changes. Once the price and terms of the home sale are mutually agreed upon, the purchase offer becomes a binding contract. For this reason, having the right contingencies in place is absolutely essential when you are buying a home. Without contingencies, you could be legally obligated to complete the deal, even if something beyond your control happens, such as your financing falling through, which is the most common.

Buyer contingencies are not a magic wand, however. Nor are sellers obligated to agree to all of them. Too many contingencies can cause a home seller to refuse an offer. Too few contingencies can mean inadequate contractual protection. Here are some of the typical contingencies that home buyers should consider when their agent recommends them.  Your agent should provide you with specific advice based on your personal situation.

Typical Contingencies

Financing contingency

If you are relying on a mortgage to complete the home purchase, a financing contingency is a must. In a rising-rate environment, your financing contingency can also be used to keep you from being forced to accept a more expensive mortgage, if your original financing falls through.

Homeowners insurance/Flood insurance coverage contingency

If the home you're purchasing has a lengthy or expensive claim history, is located in a flood plain, or is located in an area prone to natural disasters, you could be surprised by very expensive insurance premiums, or by difficulty in obtaining insurance at all.

Home inspection contingency

This basically says that the home purchase is subject to a satisfactory home condition report, completed by a home inspector of the buyer's choosing. If you are concerned about specific issues, such as water quality, pest infestation, or radon, you can add inspection contingencies for these areas as well.

Appraisal contingency

Sellers can be more optimistic about market value than what the bank appraisal will justify. When the appraisal falls short of the sales price, it can ruin your financing approval, unless the seller lowers the price, or you make a larger down payment to cover the difference. With an appraisal contingency, a low appraisal is not going to be your problem to solve. It puts the ball in the seller's court, to either reduce the sales price accordingly or allow you to exit the deal.

Occupancy contingency

If you need to take possession of the home as of the date of closing, or by a specific date in advance of the closing, put this stipulation in your offer. While sellers rarely offer occupancy in advance of closing, it may be allowed under certain circumstances, especially if the property is vacant. And while buyer occupancy of the home as of closing is customary, more sellers are seeking to extend their own occupancy. This is known as a sale-and-leaseback.

For more information on the home buying or selling process in Portland real estate, contact us.

As a real estate professional, one of your main responsibilities is to fight for the best interests of your clients. You need to know how to negotiate the deal in a way that represents your clients but is respectful of the buyer or seller. There are specific techniques that are known in this industry. 

Decide what you want to get out of the deal

Before you approach any negotiation situation, you need to decide what you want to get out of it. In other words, you have to define what winning means to you and your client. Winning isn’t always about the money. It could be a number of things depending on the deal. For example, do you represent a seller in a hurry to sell his/her home because of a job relocation, divorce, or life-changing circumstances?

If so, getting top dollar for the home isn’t the seller’s main priority. Winning, in this case, means selling the home ASAP. So in order to win, you would have to price the home to sell from day one.  Are your clients selling their homes because they plan on upgrading to a nicer, larger, and more expensive home? Then getting top dollar IS the main priority. In this case, it would be wise to set a bottom dollar amount, and not move from it under any circumstances.

Use an escalation clause on your offers

An escalation is a clause added to a standard buyer’s offer whose main purpose is to defeat competing offers. It does so by automatically increasing the buyer’s offer by a certain amount up to an upper limit. 

Make a conditional offer, based on market data

Perhaps the sellers bought their house in the middle of a market peak. Maybe they raised their family in this home, and those fond memories tied to the place blind them to the real market value of the home. Regardless of their reasoning, your experience as a real estate agent tells you that time, and piling monthly bills, have a way of bringing sellers back to reality. So you convince your buyers to make a conditional offer.

Find out why the other party wants to sell

When you know what motivates the other party to sell, you’re doing the real estate negotiations equivalent of peeking at their cards.  Of course, you can (and should) ask the seller’s real estate agent why his/her client is selling the home. Although the agent will most likely give you a reason, it’s likely to be a sanitized answer meant to appease buyers. If you want to find out the real reason why they’re selling the home, you may need to dig deeper.

The best time to find out is during that property’s open house. If the owners are present, you’ll have a golden opportunity to draw that information out. Enjoy the open house first, take a tour of the home, and make a note of genuinely praiseworthy aspects of the home.

Once you’ve done that, go ahead and strike up a conversation with the sellers. You don’t have to start up a real estate conversation either, just establish some rapport. Once you have a conversation going, just bring up the matter casually. Ask plenty of open-ended questions about their home, such as how long they’ve lived there, what made them sell the home, and where are they moving to. If the conversation is pleasant enough, you’ll be surprised how much info the seller will reveal outright.

For more information on purchasing a home in Portland and surrounding areas please contact us anytime.

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