Hellgate Canyon, Near Grants Pass, OR Here's another great reason to move to Grants Pass, OR. Scenery like this in many parts of our country would cost you a bundle to enjoy. Here, it is free! All we ask is for you to take whatever you bring with you,  back out when you leave, so others may enjoy the beauty without litter and the scars of man. This is the Hellgate Canyon where John Wayne and Katherine Hepburn fought the bad guys in the movie "Rooster Cogburn." My one regret is that I didn't accept the invitation to stay with the "Duke" and have a minor part in that movie when I was offered it. (He stayed near Grants Pass, OR for two weeks while filming the movie.) What is usually a rush of swirling, churning water with holes 40 to 50 feet deep is now, in Autumn, a lot lower and exposes... 10/11/2009

A Dam  Goodbye in Grants Pass, OR                                                                    The Savage Rapids Dam in Grants Pass, OR is no more. It stood since 1921, but Oregon's needs changed and she no longer needed the dam.  Besides that, recent studies by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife and the United States Fish and Wildlife have in the last two years come up with new statistics on the harm being done to our native salmon and steel-head by dams.  I remember all these last 39 years I have lived in Oregon, seeing them dump millions of hatchery fish into our rivers each year to spawn and replenish those fish lost by dying at the dams, unable to reach their spawning grounds.  Now they say the fish that spawn from these hatchery fish, mixing with the wild salmon and steel-head hav... 10/11/2009

Going Rogue In A Drift Boat From Grants Pass, OR The fall is a beautiful time to travel lazily downstream.  Drop off a vehicle down from where you want to start, go upstream to a good drop off area, and you'll wind you way through some of the world's most majestic scenery. It looks so different from the river. Be ready though, because the scene can change in the matter of a few short minutes, from tranquil to "keep the bow pointed downstream!" "Look out for that rock!" "Okay, we made it."  So are you ready to move to Grants Pass, OR yet?  Give me a call (541) 441-4410. Gary Swanson --  Re/Max Ideal Brokers, Inc. -- Grants Pass, OR   10/11/2009

Move to Grants Pass, OR Have you wondered what it would be like to work in Grants Pass, OR? As I sit here in my second floor office, I can see mountains.  If I walk across the building, I can see mountains.  If I go to the other two sides of the office building, I can see mountains.    When I first arrived here, I had not remembered that no matter where you look, you can see beautiful scenery.  Having lived in larger cities most of my adult life, it is a pleasure to look around and see something other than buildings and structures and all those other unpleasant things we associate with work.   No matter what you do here, it takes but a moment to realize that even though you're working, it's fun! So what are you waiting for?  Move to Grants Pass, OR. Gary Swanson -- Re/Max Ideal Brokers,... 10/10/2009

Move to Grants Pass, OR The city of Grants Pass lies in the beautiful Rogue River Valley about 60 miles north of Oregons' border with California. Records show the name Grant was chosen for the new town to honor General Ulysses S. Grant for his victory at Vicksburg in 1863  in our Civil War.   Since Oregon already had a town of Grant,  the US Postal department made them choose another, so it was named Grants' Pass.  Yes, with the apostrophe which eventually disappeared. From a town that originally was located at the site of a stage stop, namd Louse Creek, this place sure is great to live in. Come see us sometime, and you'll want to move to Grants Pass, OR. Gary Swanson -- Re/Max Ideal Brokers, Inc. -- Grants Pass, OR   10/10/2009

A beautiful reason to move to Grants Pass, OR A two hour drive from Grants Pass, OR leads you to the breathtaking Oregon coast and the town of Brookings-Harbor, Oregon.  From here northward are considered to be the most beautiful beaches in the entire state. Views of the striking Pacific ocean are plentiful and are protected from unsightly development my the state owning and maintaining numerous parks and waysides. You can sit and watch the ever changing kaleidoscope of green to blue waves as they plunge over the soft sands of our magnificent southern coast.  Unspoiled and minimally used areas of beauty dot the shore. So are you packing yet?  Move to Grants Pass, OR and help us enjoy all the surrounding beauty southern Oregon has to offer. 10/09/2009

AT YOUR SERVICE WHEN MOVING TO GRANTS PASS, OR As your agent, I am at your service when moving to Grants Pass, OR.  Whatever your specific needs are, I  will fill them.  For example, if you're looking for a modest home in a small subdivision, near the water, I can find it for you. When selecting your home, I'll  keep you out of the flood zones.   And I'll make sure that you're sitting high and dry! When it comes to assisting you in other matters, I can refer you to the proper people.  If you need a "bridge loan," I can refer you to the best lenders. Whatever you need, I'll earn your business.  Call me (541) 441-4410.  Let me welcome you home! Click here to check out my website.   10/08/2009

Here are the latest Grants Pass, Southern Oregon real estate statistics for September 2009. 1057 - Active Residential Listings 84 - Homes Sold 58 - Listings Pending 104 - Average Days on Market $214,160. - Average Sold Price Statistics provided courtesy of Real Estate Cafe.  Source of information is Southern Oregon MLS - Monthly NAR Statistical Report.  Information herein has not been verified and is not guaranteed. Click Here for more information regarding Grants Pass Southern Oregon Real Estate   10/06/2009

Going Rogue! - From Grants Pass, OR (no, not Sarah Palin's book) The Rogue River was born in Oregon's Cascade Mountains in what is now Crater Lake National Park.  It grew up along a winding path through the rugged mountains to the blue Pacific Ocean.  It's childhood was a rough one, and it matured with a reputation for being both beautiful and unpredictable, and above all, extremely wild. The Rogue River is aptly named after the Native American Tribes that lived in its valleys.  French Canadians employed by the Hudson's Bay Company, named the area Natives "Coquins," which is French for "Rogue," as the "Indians were known for their rascally ways," so is the river!  When you're on this river, you definitely know you're Going Rogue! Native tribes commonly referred to as the "Rogue Indians"... 10/04/2009

Moving to Grants Pass, OR and Josephine County, OR A great place to research the history of Grants Pass and Josephine County is the Josephine County Historical Society. It is staffed by local citizens who volunteer because of a love for the area and can always use help. They have a wealth of knowledge about the area and are truly public spirited, dedicated individuals who watch over an invaluable public trust. Anyone who moves to Grants Pass, OR and Josephine County, OR does so because they want to!  No one moves to such a beautiful country because they have no other choice. We're proud of our history and want newcomers to be also.  This is a photo of the Schmidt house which now belongs to the Josephine County Historical Society. They also have a research library located at 512 SW 5th S... 10/04/2009

A Great Bookstore for those Moving to Grants Pass and Southern Oregon A must stop for newcomvers to the Grants Pass and Southern Oregonarea is a small, but well-stocked store with the name Oregonbooks. Here you can find books on all interests pertinent to Southern Oregon from history, exploration, geography, geology, fishing, gold mining, golf, wilderness areas, hiking and the magnificent Rogue River.  This store is a must stop for anyone moving to Grants Pass and Southern Oregon.  Moving to Southern Oregon is an adventure. When my wife and I moved here, we immediately fell into studying the area.  It's like  nowhere else in the country!  There's so much to learn and do that every day is a vacation! Oregonbooks are located in the Grants Pass Shopping Center located at 939 NE "D" Street,... 10/04/2009

For the seventh year, the City of Grants Pass will celebrate Art Along the Rogue 2009 in Grants Pass, Oregon this weekend (October 3 & 4).  The annual music and street chalk art festival is making the move to Riverside Park this year.  Big broad strokes of pure brilliant color will transform Riverside Park into a super-sized art gallery at Oregon's largest street painting festival.  This event features nationally known street painters creating huge pastel chalk drawings on the street, alongside 40-50 regional artists & students. In addition to the art festival, The Art Along the Rogue musical showcase will feature some of the region's top musical groups from Beatles to bluegrass, funk to folk, and accordion to salsa music and more.  It's sure to be a Grants Pass crowd pleaser.  The even... 10/02/2009

Giant pumpkin on display at Real Estate Cafe in Grants Pass, Oregon!  Enter Jim Coons, a former Realtor turned gardener in Grants Pass, Oregon.  A friend gave Jim a starter plant of the Atlantic Giant pumpkin variety.  Coons has grown pumpkins in the past and he said some other varieties won him two pumpkin contests sponsored by Chet's Garden Center in Grants Pass, Oregon, but none were this big.  This whopper pumpkin weighs in at 270 pounds! The giant pumpkin will be decorated as a scare crow and displayed in front of Real Estate Cafe in Grants Pass, Oregon.      10/01/2009

Home For Sale In Grants Pass, OR - Another happy California transplant just made a terrific buy on a beautiful five acre hilltop home in Grants Pass, Oregons picturesque Colonial Valley. Where deer and wild turkeys greet you every day.  At $182,500 this is just another example of why Grants Pass, OR is the destination city of Southern Oregon. What are you waiting for?  Give me a call (541) 441-4410 and I'll find you a teriffic Home For Sale In Grants Pass, OR. Please click here to visit my website to look at the multiple listings for Grants Pass, OR and all the surrounding communities without having to input any personal information. 10/01/2009

Today is a day that I look forward to with great anticipation each week... because today is the Grants Pass, Oregon Saturday Growers Market.  I look forward to seeing my friends gathering at the Growers Market (practically the whole town comes out for it each week).  And, of course the most important part, is finding an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables to put in my wicker basket.  But before I make the journey downtown (just behind the Grants Pass Post Office), I will stop by the local Dutch Bros coffee house in Grants Pass and enjoy a cup of my favorite Oregon coffee.  They say it's the little things in life that matter, and I would have to agree. Melinda Peterson ~ Real Estate Cafe ~ Grants Pass, Oregon - Where Something Good is Always Brewing!    09/26/2009

The following pictures were posted on a Facebook group called "Really Bad MLS Photos."  It is hard to believe that there are Agents who think photos like this are acceptable to use in marketing a property for sale, let alone, placing the photo on the MLS.  Active Rain Professionals, what is wrong with this 1st picture?  I hope you have a sense of humor when you look in the window!  Perhaps some staging advice is in order from the Dog Whisperer :)  On a more serious note, why are we seeing more really bad photos like this posted on MLS?  I don't get it.  Perhaps picture-taking and staging should be required courses for all Agents to obtain their real estate license.  Am I being too hard here, or do you see really bad photos like this in your MLS?  Take a look at these pictures:   Check ... 09/25/2009

Many of my friends and Realtor colleagues have asked why I left the big box real estate franchise and started my own independent brokerage in the middle of a sagging economy.  It's a great question that is certainly worth answering.  And here it is... FEAR! In 2005, I experienced my best year in real estate, $17 Million dollars in sales, in a somewhat obscure little Pacific Northwest mountain town in Grants Pass, Oregon.  I had a fleeting thought of starting my own real estate brokerage then, but I was gripped by the fearful notion of leaving a fine-oiled machine for the extreme risky business of creating something new and independent.  Fast forward to 2007.  I started seeing MAJOR big box real estate franchises closing their doors, and/or downsizing all over the west coast, with littl... 09/23/2009

Here are the latest Grants Pass, Oregon real estate stats for August 2009. 1120 - Active Residential Listings 95 - Homes Sold 46 - Listings Pending 122 - Average Days on Market $210,405. - Average Sold Price Stats provided courtesy of Real Estate Cafe.  Source of information is the Southern Oregon MLS - Monthly NAR Statistical Report.  Information herein has not been verified and is not guaranteed. Click Here for more information regarding Grants Pass Southern Oregon Real Estate 09/22/2009

One More Reason To Move To Grants Pass, Oregon: A little over an hour from Grants Pass reaches the fringe of the Klamath National Forest. We drove on a series of gravel mountain roads until we were stopped by huge washed-out ravine that pronounced the road dead. From there a trail leads up the mountain in a series of switchbacks that makes the going a lot more manageable. Our path wound through the magnificent forests on trails made silent by the pine needles.  Not silent enough however for the ever present matre' des of the forests; the Jays.  They and the squirrels made certain we needed no further introduction on our trip through their gorgeous home. Our goal was easily reached as suddenly a beautiful mountain lake appeared before us.  A scene reminiscent of Jenny Lake in the Grand T... 09/22/2009

The Weasel Clause is like a slippery snake finding its way into the most obscure part of your real estate contract.  Like poisonous venom, the Weasel Clause is meant to take a bite out of you, in the event that someone doesn't like the way the deal is going and wants out.  The Weasel Clause can be a slippery way of escape out of a contract.  Usually disguised and stuffed in a sentence or paragraph of fluffy verbiage (where it is barely noticed), the Weasel Clause is ready to kill the deal in one bite!   Here are two classic examples of the Weasel Clause: 1. This offer is subject to Buyer obtaining financing with a lender of Buyer's choice, at terms and conditions acceptable to Buyer.  What terms & conditions are going to be acceptable to the Buyer?  If they are not defined upfront, they... 09/21/2009