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Brightwood, Welches and Rhododendron Road Construction

by Liz Warren

Locals and travelers passing through the Brightwood, Welches and Rhododendron area in August will be slowed down a little bit by an Oregon Department of Transportation project. A long awaited turn lande will be added between Wildwood to Wemme. There will also be paving from the Hiway 26 Salmon River Bridge all the way to LoLo Pass Road.

Expect single lanes at times but the traffic will always be moving. If you would like more details on the project check out this link:

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION1/MtHood/project_wildwood.shtml

EVEN MORE RULES COMING for INVESTOR LOANS

by Liz Warren

Here is some more credit squeezing news. On August 8th of this year Freddie Mac is clamping down on invertor loans. The limit for multiple owner investment units will be a total of four vs. the ten they currently allow. Cash out refis on rental units will also be eyeballed closely with a high probability of higher interest rates.

An even larger looming problem is the PMI or private mortgage insurance issue. PMI is required when a downpayment is less than 20% of the total purchase price. Investor loans in declining or depressed markets will be completely out of luck, in other words, no PMI, no loan if less than a 20% downpayment. Shades of the 1980's! When I first started selling homes on the mountain we could not sell anything without at least 20% down because the lenders would not provide PMI for buyers in our area.

What does this mean as a buyer or seller in the markets of Government Camp, Rhododendron and Welches? So far we have not been declared a "distressed" or "declining" market for real estate sales so we have dodged that bullet. What it does mean is that there will be a shrinking pool of investment purchasers with credit restrictions and the probability of higher interest rates on those loans.

Zig Zag Riverfront Cabin Close to Government Camp!

by Liz Warren

Need a weekend getaway in the mountains? This charming 1930's cabin sits along the banks of the Zig Zag river in the pristine Mt. Hood National Forest. Located only 5 minutes to the ski slopes of Government Camp's Ski Bowl and Multorpor and just 5 minutes from Rhododendron and Welches for shopping. It has a toe warming stone fireplace, vaulted ceilings with wood beams, skylight and tons of windows. There is a kitchen that opens to the dining area and a big window to watch the wildlife go by. What's even better is that it is only about 5 minutes to premium skiing and just over an hour from Portland. Forget those expensive out of state vacations and use this getaway summer and winter and just a short drive from Portland! leased land in the Mt. Hood National Forest.

$129,500

Take a tour here

 

 

Credit Crunch Changes The Game

by Liz Warren

What will the credit crunch bring to today's market in the Welches, Rhododendron, Government Camp and Brightwood area?

1. Reduced equity lines of credit.

2.Removing subprime and Alt-A loans completely

3.Higher fees for loans that lenders do make.

Lending practices of the years 2002-2007 are over.

Results:

Builders will be building smaller homes.

Lenders will be lending much less money.

Buyers will be saving home and borrowing less.

Fewer buyers, fewer loan products, and higher loan costs create an even more competitive market for sellers and lowering  prices through that competition to sell.

 

Sandy Riverfront Acre with Well Built Contemporary Home!

by Liz Warren

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Hit the brakes! You will love this location right on the Sandy River with an entire acre to spread out and enjoy!  The well built home features a spacious great room with vaulted ceilings, skylights and a wall of windows to watch the water go by. Open design from an original Lindal Cedar home. Steps to river. Gazebo and a hobby outbuilding are a bonus. There's even a shop in the garage area for work projects. Throw the kids downstairs in the family room while the adults rule the upstairs.

Located only one hour from Portland, this is a fabulous full time or vacation home in a stunning setting.  Skiers will love the 15 minute drive to premium ski areas and the huge bonus of the Mt. Hood National Forest five minutes away!  Located near Mt. Hood in Brightwood. Only five minutes to the golf course in Welches at the Resort at the Mountain.

$459,950!

Take a tour here

 

Monday Morning Coffe- Inspiration to start your day.

by Liz Warren

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"You were born an original.
Don't die a copy."
 

~ John Mason

DUPLICATE YOURSELF!

Watch young children on the playground and you will notice them trying to duplicate each other. One hangs upside down on the monkey bars, and soon everyone is doing the same. Check out a pre-teen with a punky new hair-do, or a new style of "radical" footwear, and soon their friends are following suit.

It continues in high school too, with "tricked out" hot cars and cell phones. So . . . is it any wonder that we attempt to duplicate each other as adults as well? We look at our desk mate's approach to getting new business, then we do the same - regardless of the fact that said desk mate is getting no results.

Is there an alternative to this senseless copy-cat approach to life? Yes - but making the change may not be so easy. You begin by looking inside rather than outside. With all the distractions competing for your attention, this may be the most difficult step. Nevertheless, take a look inside to determine your best talents and skills. Ask yourself, "What do I do well? What are my strengths? What do I enjoy doing most?"

Next, write yourself a plan that incorporates your answers into a personal action plan. Remember, you were born an original, so put that originality to work. To help the plan work, avoid distractions from those who question your new direction, and learn to "duplicate yourself".

To avoid distractions, consider moving your desk, working from a home office, or avoiding the social scene at your office. Focus your time and attention on achieving your new-found objectives. To duplicate yourself, hire assistants to prepare direct mail or update your website. Avoid all tasks that you can hire someone else to do.

In short, live and act the part of the original you really are!

 

What about those JUMBO loans?

by Liz Warren

I read a recent article about Jumbo loans in California.  The temporary raised loan amount rate in the California market is $730,000 vs. $417,000 for our area. Lenders are reporting that it hasn't exactly helped the situation because rates on these loans are at least a point higher than stated rates on a 30 year fixed. In other words, if the rate quote is 6% for a 30 year fixed, a JUMBO loan, one over $417,000 locally would be around 7% and possibly more. Jumbo loans have had stricter qualifying conditions and good credit is a must.

These loans are sold to pensions funds and other secondary markets who are spooked from the sub-prime disaster. Therefore they are requiring tougher standards for the buyer qualification AND a higher interest rate. Well, the Californians are not rushing in to get these loans for new home purchases nor refinancing as the feds thought they would who raised the temporary limits to help things "move along".

We have seen the impact here in our local market from Government Camp to Welches and Rhododendron. The market above $500,000 has slowed substantially.  There have been three sales in the past seven months in the over 500K range for single family homes.

The Grand Lodges Condos in Government Camp are now closing and should produce several sales substantially over the barrier.

Agents in California feel it will take a year or so for Jumbo rates to come down. We'll see more movement, and sales when they do but until then, buyers will need great credit to even qualify for these Jumbo loans and count on at least 1% higher interest rates than the sub 417K conventional loans.

 

2007-Second Home and Investor Numbers Will Surprise You

by Liz Warren

This is a real eye opener considering 2007 reports on the market! Second home and investment buyers purchased about one third of properties sold in 2007 according to the National Association of Realtors. Vacation home sales only declined two percent from 2006 to 2007. (12% of total sales in 2007).

Despite the fact that we are in a credit crunch and in tough economic times, second homes are elective purchases. Locally we know that at least a third of homeowners in Portland have no mortgage. We also know that Oregon ranks 47th in the subprime problem-which means there is extra money available for purchasing second homes.

Actually, it’s a bonanza of an opportunity for buyers with super low interest rates, softening prices and increased inventory. Yes, primary home sales have softened the most but second home sales have not seen the declines locally that many media outlets have declared.

Believe it or not 28% of second home buyers paid cash for their purchase. Many second home  buyers are looking to purchase now knowing their investment will appreciate greatly in the next five to ten years. Portland metro has a particularly great opportunity with a recreational area so close to the city, many weekenders take advantage of the quick one hour drive making the Mt. Hood area a premium destination for a rec home that can be used year round.

Monday Morning Coffee: Inspiration For Today

by Liz Warren

INSPIRATION FOR TODAY:

"It's OK to build castles in the air . . .
so long as you build a firm foundation under them."
 

~ Henry David Thoreau

WANT TO ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING REALLY GREAT?

Ever dream of becoming a U.S. Senator? Want to become an anonymous benefactor of youth programs in your community? Want to rise to the top 1% of your profession? Inspirational artist D. Morgan puts it this way: "The impossible dream . . . isn't!"

So - how do dreams become reality? Once your dream becomes your passion, you can begin building the foundation that will support the eventual structure of your dream. Begin by reading and studying how others have achieved similar dreams.

For politicians-to-be, there are plenty of biographies that reveal the long road to election. For those who aspire to achieve peak earnings, mentors are plentiful. Hang out with, attend courses with, and "shadow" the real stars in your chosen field. Ask how they began their rise, how they blend their work and family, how they attract and retain clients and customers.

In most cases, you will find that the models you choose have also made hard choices. They have first adopted certain principles upon which their decisions are made. Their actions are congruent with those principles. They are not duplicitous in their dealings with others. Their "word is their bond." Their foundational character sets the tone for the structure of their dreams.

Finally, with the foundation in place - they just build. They create plans, they implement strategies to achieve those plans. They understand that their final success does not occur in one fell swoop. It is the result of many footsteps in the direction of their dreams.

So . . . go ahead and dream! Remember - destiny is not a matter of chance . . . it's a matter of choice!

Hiway 26 is Widening in the Hoodland Corridor

by Liz Warren

If you've noticed lots of BIG TREES coming down in the Brightwood area, the highway widening is beginning now. Streams of florescent tape mark  the North side of Highway 26 near Wildwood Park. Not only is the visual impact going to be huge, I feel sorry for the homeowners who have lost a major noise and visual buffer from their homes along this stretch!

This is the beginning of a summer full of road construction  and paving in the corridor from Brightwood, Welches and Rhododendron.  Locals and second homeowners will need to be armed with lots of patience this summer.

Displaying blog entries 1-10 of 40

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