Halloween Trick or Treating from Grants Pass Oregon Halloween is just around the corner, so I'd like to share this great JibJab sendables with everyone. Just click on the JibJab sendable below, see me and my dogs and Mr. Kitty too!  You can make your own by going to http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/B2H4fjKRJbMcvv1N.  It's free and it's fun.  It appears that for a small fee, you can download it to your computer, download it to Powerpoint, upload it to YouTube, etc. Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today! So don't forget all those ghosts and goblins, because Halloween Trick or Treating is coming  soon.   10/23/2009

I thought I would share the Free Pumpkin Carving Stencils for 2009 that we downloaded for free and some of the other ornate ones we found that we haven't tried yet.  Happy pumpkin carving everyone!  Stop by office in Grants Pass, Oregon and see our 270 pound pumpkin on display at Real Estate Cafe! The first one we did was from Celebrating-halloween.com and they have a ton of different free pumpking carving stencils to download from the very simple classic patterns to much more ornate. We just did a classic jackolantern but there were tons to choose from.           Carvingpumpkins.com has some very ornate and pop culture focused stencils. We loved the Michael Jackson but have not attempted it yet since I think we'll need a bigger pumpkin.            Spookmaster.com shares a daily free pu... 10/22/2009

Relocate to Southern Oregon WE DON'T WANT YOU IN OUR STATE! That was the message from Oregons' governor, Tom McCall.  If I remember correctly, it was about 1970 at the national governors' conference.  He shocked the nation!  Governor McCall made national news, when he said to the world, "We welcome you to visit our state, but please don't plan to move here." A disturbing message to me as I sat watching that speech from my home in Arlington Heights, IL, since I had already decided to Relocate to Oregon.  A few months later I entered the state along the Lewis and Clark trail and I said aloud, "okay, you can drop the gates, I'm home!" Some of you readers will remember the huge billboard on Hwy 5 about 40 miles inside Oregon's border with California.  The billboard said, "High water mark 19... 10/22/2009

Illinois River Near Grants Pass Oregon The fall is an excellent time to explore the banks of the now tame, scenic wonder Illinois River.    The Illinois River courses through the mountains on its' way to join the mighty Rogue River where they become one awesome force of nature. You can see where the high water line is by the rock coloration and by the barely visible dirt banks across the meadow where the trees start, and by the logs, left high and dry when last Springs' levels receded.   Along the Illinois River is a great place to just relax and realize how fortunate we are that this wild country still exists. Access to the Illinois River is a short drive from Grants Pass along the scenic Redwood Highway. View Larger Map   Gary Swanson ~~ Re/Max Ideal Brokers, Inc. ~~ (541) 441-4410. 10/21/2009

Crashing Home Values In Grants Pass Oregon The Crashing Home Values in Oregon homes have had a devastating effect on our economy as we all know, but what about the underlying Gremlin  that is tipping us even further into the real estate depression? The Crashing Home Values have caused massive short sales and foreclosures, but the Gremlin  that I speak of is the Gremlin of despair. Take the family who purchased their home in 2005 or 2006, paid all the money in the world, as everyone was doing then!  The way home values in Oregon were going, you just knew you were set to make a healthy profit when you sold. For a lot of home buyers, it didn't make a difference whether or not the home met all of the criteria, just to get in a home was the important thing.  Then you could take your time sea... 10/21/2009

Going Out on a Limb in Southern Oregon Out N' About Treesort & Treehouse Institute By Alexa Meisler, editor of the online travel magazine 52perfectdays.com Southern Oregon is a beautiful and picturesque area offering Rogue River adventures, wine tastings, the Oregon Caves, Shakespeare Festival and wonderful camping. But did you know, beyond the camp sites, hotels and motels there are unique accommodations where you can literally climb a tree to go to bed? The Out N' About Treehouse's located near Cave Junction, offer more than a step up from traditional camping with their four star Treesort lodging as well as on-site activities such as horseback riding, zip line rides, art classes and full service spa (of course located in a treehouse). Whether you are looking for a family adventure or ... 10/21/2009

Feng Shui Home Staging for Grants Pass, Oregon You don't need to believe in Feng Shui, pronounced fung′-shway′, but using Feng Shui Home Staging when selling your home just may help you sell it faster, which may also translate to selling your home for more money. Feng Shui Home Staging uses the placement of objects to create positive energy, harmony and a feeling of well-being in your home. Feng shui means "wind water", and the theory is to live in harmony with nature.  It is believed to have began in China's West Han dynasty in the third century B.C. Some of the simple things you can do to incorporate Feng Shui Home Staging into your home are: Make sure the path to your front door is clean and free of clutter.  Trim back any bushes near the entrance to your home, they may be sending vi... 10/21/2009

1738 NW Highland Ave - Grants Pass, Oregon 97526 Beautifully remodeled 3 bedroom, 2 bath, 1533 s/f home for sale on .19 acre in a desirable NW Grants Pass, Oregon neighborhood.  Spacious kitchen featuring newer appliances, cabinets, counter tops and more. Beautiful gas fireplace & oversized utility room. Detached 2-car garage is set back from the road allowing for ample parking. Large rear yard is fenced and private. District 7 Schools and within walking distance to parks and shopping.  $173,250.  MLS#52905410  For more information regarding Grants Pass Southern Oregon Real Estate - contact Melinda Peterson - Broker  Real Estate Cafe  541-659-1620 10/20/2009

Geology on the Illinois River Near Grants Pass Oregon On the east fork of the Illinois River just a short distance from where the East and West forks join.  We keep coming back to this now gentle agua serpent because there's so much to see in the way of Geology on the Illinois River  when the water's down as it is here. The shapes created by tons of rushing water over the years are incredible. Here are two rock shapes that were a long ways off the cliff we were walking on.  The first one appeared to be some piece of a roof structure from across the river.  I couldn't tell from where I was what it would look like when the camera produced a 12 power image.  We decided to walk down to the water because the image could not be made out with the human eye. And this one looked lik a large piec... 10/20/2009

Little Falls on the Illinois River Near Grants Pass Oregon A great time to see this falls is in the Autumn at the lowest water level of the year. Note the smoothed rocks overhead which means the normal flow is well over where I'm standing. Soon the mountains will fill with snow and rain and this river will fill once more to its' raging glory.  Little Falls on the Illinois River is not as spectacular as other falls, but the sheer beauty surrounding it is well worth the pleasant trip down the well maintained trails. To feed this powerful river, there are hundreds of gullies like this one, that flow into the Illinois the entire length of its' course, and during the Spring runoff or anytime after there has been a rain in the mountains, these channels are overflowing with raging torrents, cr... 10/20/2009

Realtors are like Kindred Spirits!  A kindred spirit is someone who feels and thinks the way you do and understands you better than you understand yourself.  A kindred spirit is a person who shares the same view of life as you.  They are people with whom you communicate and understand nearly effortlessly, and when you don't agree, then you agree to disagree without arguing.  You know they will share your assessment of situations and people. You don't necessarily have to be alike because there is an absolute understanding between you, and an easiness to your relationship.  A kindred spirit is a rare kind of friend. On first meeting a kindred spirit, you feel that you have known them all your life.  You can laugh and cry with them, and because they know you inside and out, they will not ... 10/19/2009

Covered Bridges in Oregon are a sight to see!  Oregon has the largest collection of covered bridges in the West and one of the largest in the nation. The covered bridge building tradition in Oregon dates back to the 1850's.  Out of necessity, pioneers built with the materials at hand.  Douglas fir was abundant in western Oregon and well-suited for bridge construction.  To increase their useful life, houses were constructed over the timber trusses to protect them from the damp western Oregon climate. The heyday of covered bridge building in Oregon occurred between 1905 and 1925 when there were an estimated 450 covered bridges in the state.  By 1977, this number had dwindled to 56.  The picture (above) is the Grave Creek Bridge in Sunny Valley (Southern Oregon), which is located approxim... 10/16/2009

Radio Controlled Jet Planes - Grants Pass, Oregon Talk about a great hobby, and talk about a great place to practice it - Grants Pass, Oregon.  Flying Radio Controlled Jet Planes requires a lot better weather to practice this hobby in than you find in a lot of the country, but here, in Southern Oregon we have the most ideal flying conditions.  There are so many sunshiny days, and even our winters are perfect for outdoor activities. It wasn't that many years ago that remote controlled planes were all just limited to small gas engines and propellers.  Now these Radio Controlled Jet Planes are equipped with jet engines.  This hobby has really blossomed in a few short years.  And if you're going to get into it, I would recommend CamLex Enterprises. CamLex is a portland company who is a dist... 10/16/2009

Firearms in Grants Pass When I arrived in Grants Pass last year I already knew what the attitude was toward private citizens owning handguns.  This place reminds me of my hometown in Minnesota, where people take you at face value until you prove otherwise. Since I have shot Firearms for over 50 years, I will not live anywhere that violates my second amendment rights, so I immediately set out to find a local gun shop that I could trust, and I found it. Fox Firearms is a small, super-friendly company that will take care of all your shooting needs.  They handle most handguns, rifles, shotguns and a wide variety of ammunition.  You'd better be legitimate though, because these folks are legal all the way. They will take the time to explain the Firearms to the novice and have a ton of patienc... 10/16/2009

Best Burgers in Grants Pass, Oregon It's no contest, Jimmy's Classic Drive-In has the Best Burgers!  They are always juicy, they always use fresh ingredients, and will cook it just the way you want it. My favorite burger is the "Buffalo Bill," a 1/3 pound buffalo burger with Jimmy's homemade sauce, mustard, ketchup, tomato, pickle and lettuce.  My wife's favorite is the "Earth Angel," a Gardenburger with homemade sauce, lettuce, tomato and pickle.  She's a vegetarian, although I have seen her sneak a "GTO," a BLT on grilled Sourdough before. Whether you order what we like or one of their many other selections, like the "La Bamba," with roasted green chilies, pepperjack, spicy mayo and fixins' or the "Big Bopper,"  with THREE 1/3 pound patties, swiss, american and pepperjack cheeses, Jim... 10/16/2009

It's a sad day in Grants Pass, Oregon today for the Dutch Bros. family, as Dane Boersma, who founded the Dutch Bros. coffee empire with his brother Travis 17 years ago, died early this morning from Lou Gehrig's disease. Boersma, 55, was diagnosed with the debilitating disease in 2004.  A service is set at 1 p.m. Monday at Parkway Christian Center, 229 N.E. Beacon Drive, Grants Pass. The brothers launched the company with a coffee stand in 1992 in Grants Pass, Oregon.  Today Dutch Bros. has more than 150 coffee stands in seven states. It recorded more than $50 million in sales in 2008, Travis Boersma said. Dane Boersma is survived by his brother Travis, wife Sandy, his daughter Dana Sawyer, and his sons, Brant and Jonah Boersma. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Dutch Bros. family d... 10/15/2009

3 Bedroom Foreclosures For Sale, Grants Pass, Oregon Times are tough, and we all want to get good value for our money, and that is certainly true when buying a home.  In fact, we want great value, and buying a foreclosed home is a terrific way to do that! As I am writing this, there are 45 active foreclosed homes for sale in Grants Pass, and 56 in Josephine County, Oregon. Of the 45 in Grants Pass, 23 of them are 3 Bedroom Foreclosures For Sale,  currently priced between $60,000 and $450,000.  They range in size from 970 to 3324 interior square feet, and .11 and 10.1 acre lot sizes, so there is a wide variety to choose from. Of course, there are other foreclosures for sale that have 4 bedrooms or more, and even 1 and 2 bedroom homes and condos. I can help you find 3 Bedroom Foreclosures... 10/15/2009

How To Properly Price Your Home, Grants Pass, Oregon So how do you pick a price that will sell your home fast and still not be too low? It's kind of like "Goldilocks and the three bears!"  You must pick a price that is "not too high" so it won't sell, "not too low" so it sells too fast and leaves money on the table, but it must be "just right" so it sells quickly but gets the maximum dollars. It does seem like a fairy tale; so How To Properly Price Your Home.  First of all, if you have decided to sell, hire a Realtor!  I recommend not trying the "do it yourself" game unless you are very experienced in such matters. Many sellers want to experiment with the market by pricing their home too high to start, just in case there's a sucker out there who doesn't know values.  Well, trust me, the... 10/15/2009

The Grants Pass Oregon jet boat season has come to an end, but there are still some great buys on homes for sale in Grants Pass Oregon. There are some great great buys to be had in the Grants Pass Southern Oregon real estate market.  With only 7 weeks remaining to qualify for the first time home buyer's tax credit, buyers need to expedite making an offer on a home.  Given the time frame involved, it may be very difficult, if not impossible, for first-time home buyers to secure a contract on a short sale purchase and have it close escrow prior to November 30.  However, it may be possible to secure an offer on a foreclosure, new construction, and existing homes for sale and close escrow within the time frame required to qualify for the tax credit. For more real estate information about Gr... 10/13/2009

Beginning the Wilderness Experience From Grants Pass, OR Fall is a great time on the wild Rogue River. It looks so peaceful as it languishes through what normally are some of the most treacherous areas you could ever imagine. A favorite place we have found can be reached by a trail that starts about 200 feet above the water, and winds slowly downward through the striking Manzanita and pine trees. Mixtures of oak and a host of other varieties of deciduous trees are warmly welcoming the change of season with their colorful spectrum of fall dress. The slow-moving water is still full of deep pockets and treacherous rocks laying in wait to take you from tranquility to disaster, so one must always respect the mighty Rogue River. Hey, I'm wearing myself out having tons of fun trying to get yo... 10/11/2009