Letters To The Wall - Grants Pass Oregon As Veterans day comes again, I was reminded of a movie that I cherish.  It was given to me by my good friend Wes Carey and the movie he produced is "Letters To The Wall".  I am not ashamed to admit that it brought tears to my eyes and is a lasting tribute to our fallen heroes in Vietnam. These Veterans never received the gratitude they deserved because of the political atmosphere at the time of the Vietnam war, but we need to remember; they were ordered by their country (our country) to go. They deserve better than what they got! I highly recommend watching "Letters To The Wall".  If you can't find this DVD, contact www.GallopingPictures.com, "lest we forget." 11/03/2009

Today felt like a moment from the movie; Invasion of the Body Snatchers!  As I was sitting in my office, buried in paperwork, I was mesmerized by the view outside my window.  It was a beautiful sunny fall day in Southern Oregon, with blue skies and white patchy clouds floating effortlessly above.  Clearly, my attention span to the project at hand was hijacked by an invader of another sort.   In the 80's, I worked for a large insurance firm, who had announced that with the advent of fax machines, we would soon be a paperless society.  Not sure what paper they were smoking, but here we are 20+ years later, and still buried in paperwork.  Perhaps it's a sign...  After moving to the beautiful State of Oregon, I became far more conscious of my recycling habits than ever before.  I suppose wh... 11/02/2009

Mobile Truck Repair - Grants Pass Oregon If you're looking for a Diesel or gas mechanic who will come to you, here's your man. Hector Flores at Flores Roadside Truck Repair is a certified technician who will come to you! Hector offers Mobile Truck Repair and is excellent at engine repair and diagnostics.  He is also well qualified on springs, wheel bearings, hubs and brakes. Please give Hector a call for all your Mobile Truck Repair needs. Mobile Phone (541) 261-1369 His Mobile Truck Repair service areas include Grants Pass, Cave Junction, Selma, O'Brien, Rogue River and many locations along the Southern Oregon I-5 corridor.   View Larger Map 10/31/2009

Remember Veterans Day On November 11th Please fly a flag if you have one. Check with your local American Legion post and buy a poppy to wear on your clothes. I was born during World War II and my family has been hugely affected by wars as we all have. Let's take a look at all that we have and thank our Veterans because without their sacrifices we would not have the quality of life that we enjoy. 10/31/2009

Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking... into the future!  Just a reminder... don't forget to set your clocks BACK one hour tonight (Sunday November 1st) at 2:00am local standard time.  And, remember to check the batteries in your smoke alarms! DID YOU KNOW... Benjamin Franklin first suggested Daylight Saving Time in 1784, but it was not until World War I, in 1916, when it was adopted by several counties in Europe that initially rejected the idea. Not all places in the U.S. observe daylight time.  Hawaii and most of Arizona do not use it, and Indiana first began using it in 2006.   Many other countries observe some form of "summer time," but they do not necessarily change their clocks on the same dates as the U.S. Daylight time and time zones in the U.S. are defined in the U.S. Code,... 10/31/2009

Today was another fabulous day in Paradise!  I was on my way to meet some clients for the first time from Long Beach, California.  I wondered what they would think about our cold and cloudy weather today.  They asked if today's weather was a typical day in Southern Oregon.  My answer was; "yes, on any given day in winter, the weather may start off cloudy and end up with sunny blue skies in the afternoon." As we continued our tour of homes in the beautiful country side of Grants Pass, these folks were mesmerized by the beauty of the land and the friendliness of the people.  And, after a few short hours had passed, the skies turned sunny and blue.  At that moment, you would have thought that I was a prophet!  I smiled.  It was another fabulous day in Paradise! 10/30/2009

We Are Americans! Where Is Our Economy Headed?  One day we're up, the next day we're plunging downward.  Why? I really think that the government is so anxious to prove its' doing the job that every positive note is being blown way out of proportion.  The news media seizes any opportunity to have something new to say that they blow things even bigger.  Then, the truth comes out and oh no!  Back in the sewer again! We need to keep reading between the lines.  It is perfectly normal every Fall and Winter for things to slow down.  It's also normal every Spring for things to pick back up again. Some of the jobs that were lost are never coming back.  That's called change!  Look back in history; what happened to 8-tracks, slide rules, VHS and Beta Max? We cannot keep licking our wounds and wait... 10/30/2009

Updating Kitchens and Bathrooms, Grants Pass Oregon Kitchens and bathrooms, a woman's preference. If you're preparing to invest money to upgrade your home with a future sale in mind, make sure you spend wisely! Updating Kitchens and Bathrooms are your best bets.  With most women, I think the kitchen is likely the first concern and then the bathrooms. This kitchen if built today, rathen than five years ago would most likely have slab granite counter tops.  My last home had beautiful tile throughout, but when we went to buy our current home my wife said "it's slab granite or nothing!"  Make sure if you're going to do your floors in wood, to spend the extra money and get the genuine article, otherwise you might as well leave whatever you have on there, because you will not improve the valu... 10/30/2009

Today, I found myself giving a Eulogy for The Death of a Listing.  It was a difficult task, but a necessary one.  It read like this: Mr. Rambler passed away on Friday, October 30, 2009, leaving behind his faithful Realtor and beloved neighbors who were visibly shaken from his sudden untimely death.  Survived by two neighbors, (one of which is battling the cancer of all sales), who will go on to diligently maintain the local neighborhood watch program. It's a shame that very few buyers visited Mr. Rambler before his passing.  He lived a life of lonely solitude, which may have contributed to his premature death.  Mr. Rambler was a bit of a character, always wanting his cake and eating it too.  Perhaps his insatiable appetite for potlucks and newspaper ads contributed to his demise.  I'm s... 10/29/2009

Home buyer Tax Credit Extension - Grants Pass, Oregon I just received word from U.S. Congressman Greg Walden that he and 164 of his colleagues sent a letter to speaker Nancy Pelosi and minority leader Boehner urging a Home Buyer Tax Credit extension. Congressman Walden went on to say the national average home prices are down 15 percent and in some parts of Oregon even lower than that. The Home Buyer Tax Credit program so far has seen over 357,000 home buyers take advantage of it.  The current program is scheduled to expire November 30,2009.               Oregonians, regardless of your political party, call or write your senators and representatives now and urge them to support the Home Buyer Tax Credit extension. Thank you, Gary Swanson   10/29/2009

Real Estate Ownership in Oregon Because of the many terms we see every day and take for granted, I thought perhaps a quick explanation might be helpful for the home buyers and sellers in Oregon. In the state of Oregon, you may hold title: As an INDIVIDUAL  - Married or not, the spouse has no rights in the property. TENANTS BY THE ENTIRETY - Married couple - survivor inherits automatically. TENANTS IN COMMON - Two or more persons, unmarried.  Each owner with an equal and undivided interest in the entire property. ENTITY - A recognized legal entity, (LLC or Corporation, for example.) REGISTERED DOMESTIC PARTNERS - Persons of the same sex with rights and benefits the same a married persons with right of survivorship. SURVIVORSHIP ESTATE - Two or more persons, title passes to the survivor i... 10/29/2009

Facing Foreclosure - Grants Pass, Oregon A reminder to Oregonians Facing Foreclosure that we have new rights under Senate Bill 628 which passed September 28, 2009. This law REQUIRES lenders to meet with borrowers Facing Foreclosure. Oregonians who receive a foreclosure notice should call their lender to set up a meeting to discuss loan modification.  The notice should have a modification request form with it. Any questions you have may be answered by calling 1 (800) SAFENET and ask to speak with a "nonprofit foreclosure counselor." Act right away though, if you are Facing Foreclosure, as you only have 30 days from the date on the foreclosure letter.   10/28/2009

Homes For Rent Grants Pass Oregon When seeking Homes For Rent in Grants Pass, you can't go wrong with Paul and his great staff at Grants Pass Property Management.  They can be reached at (541) 476-8967. They have a wide selection of Homes For Rent, as well as a selection of condos and apartments.  We rented a nice home through them a year ago while looking for a home to purchase.  They deliver on what they promise and you can take the pressure off making a "too quick" decision on a purchase when the movers are coming. That way you have time to to allow me to help you search for your ideal home.   View Larger Map 10/26/2009

Cathedral Hills Park - Grants Pass Oregon The Cathedral Hills Park is not one of picnic tables and horseshoe courts. Cathedral Hills Park has a large acreage on its' top and sides where you can hike, ride horses or bike, but you can't drive there.  There are parking areas as different entrances where you may leave your vehicle and trails lead to the top and wind all over Cathedral Hills Park which is surrounded by private residences. This park is even more beautiful in the fall.  We heard the wild turkeys in the Madrones, Oaks and Manzanitas below us on the hill but did not get a chance to see them. The Grants Pass Country Club lies beconing in the afternoon sun and looks elegant from Cathedral Hills Park. Situated so close in, Cathedral Hills Park takes but a few minutes to reach from ... 10/26/2009

Today, I had the wonderful opportunity of working with A Realtor's Dream Seller, who is very motivated to list  her home for sale in       Grants Pass, Oregon.   We began by discussing some exterior maintenance items that needed to be addressed (i.e. raking leaves, painting the front door, etc.).  Then, we talked about curb appeal and the need for color at the entrance of the home (i.e. suggested some flowering plants). After moving on to the interior of the home, we chatted about some of the not-so-great features (i.e. dark rooms & hallway, cluttered rooms, closets & counter-tops).  Since many home buyers look in closets and drawers when viewing a home, I suggested boxing up the items that have not been used for some time and putting them in storage, and donating unwanted items to a ch... 10/26/2009

Retirement in Grants Pass Oregon Why Grants Pass for retirement? This area of Southern Oregon caters to retirees.  We do not have a state sales tax! Josephine County has some of the lowest property taxes in the state! Grants Pass appeals to people from all over the country because of our mild climate. Okay, so what don't we have? We don't have tornadoes, hurricanes, or high crime rates, or traffic jams, or long commutes, or smog, or tons of snow.  I could go on and on about what we don't have, but you get the point--  We don't have stress! So, come on pick up the phone and let me welcome you home!  Grants Pass is a great place for Retirement. View Larger Map 10/25/2009

Southern Oregon - A Gorgeous Palette of Color!  Fall is one of my favorite seasons in Southern Oregon.  The temperatures are cooler, the leaves on the trees are turning orange, yellow and red, and there is a certain calm in the air.  The Southern Oregon landscape is certainly beautiful year-round.  However, this time of year the colors are gorgeous.  One of the reasons I moved here from Southern California was to exchange the view of "brown" hills for "green" trees.  What I didn't know when I moved here in Spring, was I was in for a fall palette of color in Southern Oregon that was even more beautiful. There is something about color that ignites our senses.  I suppose that could be the reason many advertisers use "red" as the number one color in advertising.  I certainly love the color ... 10/25/2009

Lake Selmac near Selma Oregon Along the Redwood Highway, a pleasant half hour from Grants Pass, or a few minutes from Cave Junction takes you to a place where humans are accepted but not feared. Lake Selmac is another of Josephine County's parks and the  only "lake park" in the county. You'd better have your vehicle plates up to date because Mother Goose has a patrol to check you into the park at Lake Selmac. The geese and ducks came to greet the visitors in droves. Next time we'll have to remember to bring them some food as I felt bad when they gathered around and stood watching expectantly. The great crane thought this was too much commotion and decided against having his picture taken. The solitary swan spent its time eating and sunbathing while more geese and ducks picnicked around ... 10/25/2009

The Buyer who showed up in her Tinkerbell Pajamas!  We all know the real estate market is getting a little crazy these days, but when a buyer shows up at escrow to sign closing documents in her pajamas, you know something has really gone haywire! A certain Grants Pass Oregon real estate agent recently met her client at the Title Company to sign closing docs.  The buyer showed up in her pajamas with slippers and all (I'm not making this up!).  When the escrow officer asked the buyer if she brought a certified check for closing funds, the buyer said yes but couldn't find the check.  After searching for 30 minutes, the buyer called the bank and was informed that it would take a minimum of 3 days to complete a stop-payment on the funds.  Mind you, this was already a REALLY difficult real e... 10/23/2009

Deer Hunting in Grants Pass Oregon The opening of deer season started a short time ago in Southern Oregon and on one of our back country trips we met a deer hunter who hadn't even seen any sign all day. As we came back into the edge of Grants Pass that is posted against hunting, the deer were all over the place!         This buck ran from one yard to the other, and effortlessly leaped this four foot fence, with a doe right after him. On this day Deer Huntingwas best done by camera.  This little gal decided  not to follow the other two over the fence and just stayed on her side of the road. Have you ever noticed that the animals seem to sense that something is amiss and they gather in "no hunting zones"? We found one yard that had six deer laying on the lawn and we had to slow down and w... 10/23/2009