If you are looking for real estate in Salem Oregon and want to live in a stable neighborhood, Woodscape might be a good choice for you. Now Woodscape is actually three separate sections, Woodscape, Woodscape Glen, and the newest part, Woodscape Green. Homes in the original part of Woodscape were built in the 1970's and have more contemporary architecture. These homes are tucked into mini-forests as the builders/developers did a nice job of keeping trees on the property. Now those trees are nice and large. Woodscape Glen was built mostly in the late 1980's-1990's and these are well maintained homes. The newest addition has many nice homes that are built by Sunco and JR Loney. View Larger Map The neighborhood sits right next to Pringle Elementary school and the new Wes Bennet Park. The pa... 04/07/2009

Lots of positive financial news out there this week: 1. Existing home sales rose 5.1% in February2. Proposed changes to accounting rules, specifically the "mark-to-market" rule3. Orders for manufactured goods rose 1.8% in February All of this spurred the Dow to rise and give us the third day of positive movement, temporarily pushing the Dow above 8,000 for the first time in 2 months. The significant monthly unemployment report is due out tomorrow however and negative numbers are predicted. I think all of this signals that the bottom is behind us or near and that we may be looking at the other side of the rebuilding and regrowing.  This is significant to us because this probably means home buyers that aren't out there already may not get in until the upswing and rates may be starting to ... 04/02/2009

What a great month it has been here at www.realestatenugget.com.  This is our new FREE real estate listing service which covers ALL types of real estate; our motto is "FREE listings for LIFE" because we developed this site for our broker friends who are tired of being nickled and dimed......  This business is hard enough, we finally got fed up with always paying for services and marketing that current technology has made available for FREE.   Obviously our home state of Oregon is really starting to take off...  Local brokers are starting to recognize the ease of use, the fact that it's FREE, and also the fact that your post stays on our site until they are deleted by the brokers.  This means that you don't need to constantly repost week in and week out.   We've seen some posts starting ... 04/01/2009

I've listened to several of Dave Ramsey's radio shows over the years.  Although I do agree with many of his financial principals, I'm not the biggest fan of his.  I've been told I may have a different perspective toward him if I went through one of his studies.  I feel like he has a course of action he sells, or recommends, to everyone regardless of their circumstances.  I'm not a cookie cutter kind of guy. So I saw Dave on the news this morning.  (It was on CNN, CNBC or Fox but I can't remember.  Maybe I can get some help on this in the comments?)  He was fielding questions about the real estate market and financing.  It was a short interview but his passion to his points were a bit surprising.  Here are a few of the keys he passed along: -Now is the best time to buy a house in the las... 04/01/2009

Thinking about putting your home on the market?  Don't worry . . . People will understand you are getting ready to move and see past your "stuff".                             We all live busy lives and after all -- you've got to live there while it's still for sale right?               Serious buyers will still be able to see the room sizes, features and the beautiful ammenities you home has to offer -- like this master bedroom fireplace!                                 Or this fabulous master bath that is so spacious!  So don't waste your time and money on home staging -- and everything will be just fine -- less stress for you the homeseller!                       APRIL FOOLS!!!!         With more homes on the market buyers can be choosy and most look first on the internet -- your home... 04/01/2009

Many people believe that the pathway to a great credit is to not have much of it.  Unfortunately, this lack of credit can have the opposite effect.  Credit scores are numerical predictors of how likely a borrower is to default on a loan.  They are designed to measure how well a borrower manages credit, not how little of it they have or how quickly they can eliminate it. Having fewer credit accounts leaves a person with less room for error.  35% of a one's credit score is based on their payment history.  As an over-simplified example, let's say a borrower makes a late payment to one of four creditors because of something unexpected in life.  This can have a much smaller negative impact on their credit score than someone who makes a late payment to the one and only credit account they hav... 03/31/2009

I've gotten many calls and emails over the past few months asking what rates are.  People are hearing that the government is going to make them go down to 4%.  The bad news?  The government doesn't dictate interest rates, the market does. However, last week's announcement that the Fed will buy $300 billion in Treasuries over the course of the next six months coupled with its continued purchase of mortgage-backed securities has pushed rates on most conventional mortgage programs into the 4's.  The Fed has been buying what it needs to buy and investing where it needs to invest to help influence rates this low, but again, he can't make them do anything.  Now is a great time for people to refinance or go out and buy a house if it makes sense for them because interest rates are so low.  It i... 03/24/2009

Who reads more than headlines today? We're inidated everywhere we look. But, what is the news doing for our confidence. The Title of this post is the front page story of the Statesman Journal. People around town have a nicer name more sacrastic name for it. My argument is that while most of us scan the media, the real story is hidden in the fine print. This story states that while 9.7% is not great we are still below the state level. So why not a Headline like "Salem-area Jobless Rate below State Average".  I know the stories that bleed lead, but sell papers with good stories, not misleading headlines. While my rant may go unnoticed the housing industry seems to be picking up. There are many indicators including some new construciton starts and an increase in loan applications filed. So... 03/24/2009

Okay, okay...this post really has little to do with Salem Oregon real estate...unless you are relocating here and want to learn about Oregon. I like wine and like to support our local vineyards because we have some good wine here.  The WSJ (Wall Street Journal) had a nice article and video about Oregon wines.   The State of Oregon Pinot   You can visit my website for a list of local Salem area vineyards.  Evesham Wood is really great wine, and I have been known to bring it to the closing table for some of my buyers. Enjoy!   03/19/2009

03/18/2009

Federal Reserve Surprises Financial Markets Here we go again, with the talking heads on financial news misinterpreting the impact of the Fed's actions on home loan rates. Here's the scoop. What the Fed just announced is huge – they have committed to buy another $750B in Mortgage Backed Securities, and $300B in Treasuries. But what does this mean and why do you care? Their actions provide a demand for Mortgage Backed Securities, which should help keep a ceiling on home loan rates moving much higher in the foreseeable future. That's good news, for homebuyers who are seeing the bargains out there and understanding that now is the time to act. Good news for those who are ready to refinance too. But an important distinction – this does not mean rates may move significantly lower. Depending ... 03/18/2009

Accessing your credit profile will not hurt your credit score, it won't even be reflected on your report.  In fact, you are encouraged to access your credit profile on a regular basis to fight fraud and identity theft.  Regularly checking your report will also help you correct any mistakes quickly so that your score is not negatively impacted by inaccurate information.  Generally, the longer inaccurate information remains on your report or the more time that passes before you realize your identity has been compromised the longer and more costly it is to make it right. You can check you report for free at http://www.annualcreditreport.com/.  Unfortunately, there isn't anywhere to get the scores for free but they can be accessed from this site.  Other people advertising "free" credit repo... 03/17/2009

Operation Love Boxes is a program that has given me extreme pleasure.  My friend, John Baker, a great local agent and philanthropist, and his church and local community, started the program in November of 2005.  The idea is to fill standard boxes to the brim with candies, granola, stationary, wet wipes, small books and anything else that might be handy for a solder that hasn't seen home in a while.  The boxes are sent with a domestic flat rate for very little postage.  These are just simple things, from home, to remind our troops overseas that we love, miss and support them. I have only been involved for a few months now and the thank you emails that we have received have been incredible.  I urge you to check out the website and start your own Love Box Operation.  It is easy, view the v... 03/17/2009

To view original visit Conrad's Strong Foundation. The thought of money management, budgeting, saving, etc. is on the minds of many of my clients. Consistent news of our economic recession forces many to think about their personal finances as a whole. As I advise my clients from the financing perspective of real estate, a personal budget or financial plan plays a large part in the analysis. Regardless of how much money one makes or how much debt one has, a common theme I can see in our culture today is that it is easier to make money than it is to manage money. Money management/financial planning/budgeting are simply missing from our basic fundamentals of education in our country. Because the lack of financial education has been prevalent for so long, we are now seeing the consequences... 03/16/2009

We've had POSTS from Oregon, North Carolina, and Florida.  Several Florida brokers have offered their support, and their listings look great.  Way to go FL!!!  We love you!  Thank you!     Which will be our next state?  NC is lagging behind FL and OR right now..........let's go NC!   Visit www.realestatenugget.com!!!  Free Listings for Life!   Hey, check out www.realestatenugget.com our new FREE listing site.   We're a Salem based start-up and we need your support!  Post your properties!   Your listings will stay on our site indefinitely, until you delete them, so you don't need to worry about reposting weekly because ours is sorted by price...and you can easily create an account from where you can modify your listing, or manage multiple listings!   And, if your adept at using Postlets ... 03/16/2009

I'm so excited about the power of networking, and the real power of Active Rain.  Days ago I launched www.realestatenugget.com, our new FREE listing site for commercial and residential real estate....  I've been inviting brokers to visit our site and POST their properties.   And today we reached an exciting milestone:  We received Listing Posts in Florida!  This is really cool for me because I'm based in Oregon.  Our website is designed to be national, but there's something really rewarding to plant the seed and watch it grow.  There's a first for everything.  We're hoping that this will just continue to grow, but we need you all to POST.  There's no reason not to.  It's a great way to cross market and continue building on your SEO strategy, and when you post your properties, it brings ... 03/14/2009

Yesterday was the third day in a row with sunny weather.  That is pretty unusual in March on this side of the Cascade Mountains.  With the benefit of the sun rays for warmth I started turning over my cover crops in preparation for the later spring plantings.  Two years ago I harvested my first ripe tomato in mid October, and vowed to do better the next year.  I discovered two books, written by the same author, that were a tremendous help.  Anyone on this side of the Cascade Mountains that wants to grow their own vegetables should read these books: Gardening West of the Cascades and Growing Vegetables When it Counts both by Steve Solomon.  These books cover gardening from general to specific and most importantly ideas for the Westside gardener.   Many books have been written about how-to... 03/14/2009

Recently we were doing a staging project on a home that had beautiful vinyl flooring in the kitchen - but the sheen in the center of the floor was dull and made the flooring appear old and tired.  When viewed from the adjoining dining room a buyer would assume the vinyl must be replaced.  We used Rejuvenate on the floor and it did live up to it's advertising claims! The floors are as shiny as new!  The floor was thoroughly cleaned before using and two coats were applied.  The entry for this home was a slate that was dull and had some stains as well.  This product made the stone shine and look refreshed and beautiful.         Rejuvenate Floor - Restorer and Protectant is a  polymer-based floor finish that instantly restores shine to almost any floor in one easy application.  It fills and... 03/14/2009

Did you know that you don't have to file an individual federal tax return by April 15th if you are getting a refund? If an individual is getting a refund on their federal taxes, they have 3 years to file and claim their refund.  So first-time homebuyers who are shopping for a home right now but haven't found one yet do not have to settle for a home they don't love just so they can close prior to April 15th.  People should of course consult their tax preparer because everyone's tax situation is different, but this tidbit of info may help sell your expertise to a potential client. 03/13/2009

  Hey, check out www.realestatenugget.com our new FREE listing site.   We're a new start-up and we need your support!  Post your properties on www.realestatenugget.com.   Your listings will stay on our site indefinitely, until you delete them, so you don't need to worry about reposting weekly because our listings are sorted by price...and you can easily create an account from where you can modify your listing, or manage multiple listings!   And, if your adept at using Postlets and other HTML code generators, you can paste the long code into our description box:  simply go to the description box, click on the HTML icon and paste your HTML code into that box.   It's also great for SEO strategy because you can link to your website, your name, your company, AND your listings gain exposure. ... 03/13/2009