Maybe you have a green thumb and you've already been gardening this year or you're like me and didn't have time and wish that you would have, and you're already thinking about what you'll do next year when the season rolls around... Well, guess what, it's never to late to have a garden!  There's always "Winter Gardening" Here's some GREAT information I found and had to share... The zucchini is starting to produce and summer salads are a staple of evening dinners. It's tempting at this time of the year to put your feet up, relax and enjoy the bounty of your hard work. Yet by November, I'm often left wishing I had put in a little more effort in July so that I could harvest fresh food through the wintertime. July is the ideal month to start a winter garden. A couple of weeks seeding and ... 07/27/2008

There's no doubt about it, the smell of school is in the air.  As summer turns to autumn, the falling leaves and cooler weather come as welcome reminders that a new school year is right around the corner. To help ease the transition as your students head out the door, here are some tips from your friendly local real estate team "The Gardner Team" to ensure that they're ready (even if they're not exactly willing):   Be sure students have received all required immunizations and physicals-particularly if they participate in extracurricular sports-and that registration forms are completed. Encourage school-year sleeping patterns a few weeks before school starts to help with the transition to early bedtimes and wake up calls. Make a list of contact information in case your student needs to ... 07/26/2008

Are you thinking of selling your home yourself?   Food for Thought...   As licensed Oregon Realtors and specialists in the Sherwood community, we understand the nuances of our real estate market and we always get the optimum price with our years of professional experience, respected name and seamless success formula of our proven Signature Home Selling System.   You really don't save a commission working without a Realtor, because only a licensed Realtor has the tools and proven marketing technique to sell your home for the highest possible price, in the shortest amount of time.  Did you know that over 50% of those who try to sell their home on their own do not sell at all or they sell at less than the current market value and that over 70% of FSBO's end up listing with a Realtor anyway... 07/26/2008

  Keeping informed with GOOD Market Data is money in your pocket...  And when you don't have to pay to get it, well now that's even better!  Contact us for an in-depth real estate and community market data  Track housing market conditions, sales, supply and demand trends Know the going rate for the average dollar per square foot Homes for sale and the prices they're asking Community & School info   We can offer you real-time analytics directly from our local MLS We know you want real information from the real place that matters!   This graph is an "at a glance" view for Sherwood - The current average $ PSF is $180.00 Call Jason Gardner Today for a CMA and Market Report (971) 832-1234 06/20/2008

102% Financing for Sherwood, Oregon. Guaranteed!! It is becoming harder and harder for a home-buyer to purchase a home, yet there are still many affordable homes if you have a down payment or the advantage of a program that helps you qualify for more home. Through a litle used federal government loan program, we are able to offer financing up to 102% of the appraised price on the purchase of a new home. This allows for the purchase price, seller contributed closing costs and the cost of the one time mortgage insurance.  Eligible Persons Have an adequate and dependable income. Must be a U.S. citizen or be legally admitted to the United States for permanent residence. An adjusted annual household income that does not exceed the published limits for Washington county . Call me for informat... 03/26/2008

03/21/2008

Owners hope to head off trouble and speed sales by hiring their own inspectors.  By Frank Nelson, Special to The LA Times August 26, 2007JUDY MELLO wasn't looking forward to buying a new place to live, imagining a lengthy, complicated and perhaps stressful experience."I figured it was going to drag on for months and months," she says. "But it wasn't like that at all."In fact, it took Mello, a retired registered nurse, a total of only 3 1/2 weeks to buy a $500,000 condominium in Carpinteria, a small coastal town a few miles south of Santa Barbara.Although a number of factors smoothed the process, Mello says an inspection report commissioned in advance by the sellers played a large part in her decision to buy and helped speed the sale.As housing sales continue to bog down -- last month So... 03/17/2008

Click Photo for Sherwood Gazette Story February 2008:  New Plaza Coming to SherwoodIf you know Sherwood, then you know it's one of Oregon's fastest growing towns.  Just in 2007 CNN's Money Magazine named our beautiful little town one of the TOP BEST PLACES TO LIVE IN THE NATION.  Just after that huge story and testimony of our community hit the net and news stands everywhere, rumor has it that major companies started calling in about making Sherwood their next home.With many new developments, including the new school project on the way, this Plaza couldn't be coming at a better time for Sherwood's next - up and coming growth spurt.  After seeing the sign posted on Tualatin Sherwood Road, just there on the corner near Red Robin, it occurred to me "this is a sign"... a sign that this plaz... 02/25/2008

Do you know anything about Sherwood Oregon?  Please Share with us!Sherwood Oregon has a new meeting place for residents, community members and the like.This public Sherwood blog-site is ALL About Beautiful Sherwood Oregon, It's Neighborhoods, Local Real Estate, Local News, Local Community Happenings, Local Events, Things to do in Sherwood, Our Sherwood Schools, Old Town-Historic Sherwood, New Town Sherwood and Anything Else... "Sherwood"  http://activerain.com/groups/sherwoodoregon  Here's a Place for Everyone and Anyone to Talk Sherwood Facts, Ask Sherwood Questions,  And Get Sherwood Answers!  Feel Free to Create Your Own Topic or Comment on These Current Sherwood Topics Here or throughout the Sherwood Oregon site...  http://activerain.com/groups/sherwoodoregon  ______________________... 02/24/2008

Christmas time 2007 brings yet another hunt for the perfect Christmas tree, and we have found it at Sleighbells in Sherwood, Oregon.The family, as usual, went out as the festive Christmas spirit abounded.  We found our tree, cut it down, and while we waited for them to bundle our tree, we went in for hot cocoa as a family. (This is something they offer for free while you wait.) Here is the family in front of our new tree, shortly before we cut it down.  Here are a few photos of the Sleighbells Christmas tree farm and shop that is open year round to buy festive Christmas items and decorations.  After we got the tree, with all the recent rains here in Oregon, that the kids were just too muddy to put in my Jeep, and I decided to tie them to the top with the tree. Merry Christmas            12/07/2007

August Residential Highlights The market continues to follow the trends of recent months. While new listings continue to grow, the number of transactions are down. However, home prices continue to rise at a steady rate. The number of new listings in August grew 9.1% compared to August of 2006. On the other hand, pending sales dropped 18.1% and closed sales fell 13.1%. At the end of August 2007, there were 15,782 active residential listings in the Portland Metro area. Given the month’s rate of sales they would last 6.2 months (see table to the right).   Year-to-Date Trends When comparing the period of January 2007-August 2007 to the same period in 2006, new listings have grown 11.8%. Pending sales fell 11.7% and closed sales decreased 8.1%.   Appreciation Using the average and median sal... 09/17/2007

Liv Warfield will be bringing her own brand of soul and R&B to Sherwood's Stella Olsen Park on Wednesday, July 11th from 6:30 to 8:30.Liv currently lives in OR, but hails from IL and is a promising young singer. Check out her website for a little more info on her and to sample her tunes.Here's a glimpse: "Liv Warfield is one of the rare modern soul singers who can show respect for the founding mothers and fathers of R&B without sacrificing the very modern style of her own voice. She is at her best in performance, simultaneously dictating the pace and tone of her backing band and guiding her audience along with all that soul. To the sick and weary, I would recommend a Liv Warfield show over chicken soup." -Casey Jarman, Willamette Week Sample her music************************************... 07/10/2007

The Sherwood Saturday Marketis open every Saturday from May 5th through September 29th, 2007. Their operating hours are 9am-1pm. Located at the City of Sherwood-City Hall along Pedestrian Walkway, 22560 SW Pine Street, Sherwood, Or. 97140 ***Note: On June 9th, the market will be closed due to the popular "Cruis'in Sherwood" car show.***While not the biggest Saturday Market in the area, it is a lot of fun and is a nice get-away for the day.Market Vendor Site Links ( Just a few of the many vendors)Gramma's Store Jeweled Elegance by Heather Pierce John Twist Mountainside Herbal Nursery Northwest Imagery by David Gilmore Photography Pure Pizazz Sesame Donuts The Blue Lightning Band The Sound Waves Band 05/16/2007

 The Sherwood Chamber of Commerce represents and promotes Sherwood business and the surrounding community. The variety and scope of Chamber activities are unlimited. There is no better way of getting your name out there in our growing community.This weeks schedule:Monday May 14th - Sherwood Family Eye Health- Ribbon Cutting - 4:30 PMTuesday May 15th - Hunter's Ridge - Mixer - 6PMWednesday May 16th Board Meeting - 7:30 PM Up coming events:Tuesday May 22 - Comfort Inn Mixer - 7:30 AMFriday June 9th & Saturday June 10th - Crusin' SherwoodTuesday June 26th Annual Dinner - more details to followJoin us at the Chamber!!For membership info, contact Larry Morris @ larryhmorris@gmail.com or 503-421-0096Larry Morris is a loan Officer with Equipoint Financial Network in Newberg, Oregon. He special... 05/13/2007

The Sherwood Chorale with Michael Allen Harrison in "Stand By The Music" is being presented May 18th and 19th at 7:30 PM at the Sherwood High School Performing Arts CenterAlso performing:The Sherwood Children's Chorus and The Sherwood High School Concert Choir."The Voices for the Performing Artsfoundation (VPA) has blossomed from the seeds sown by the Sherwood Chorale, now in it's fourth year.  The non-profit organization was formed in January of 2005 as a vehicle to take the fund raising mission of the Chorale to greater heights.  Concerts by the Sherwood Chorale in 2004 and 2005 raised funds for the Sherwood High School Choral Department for music, curriculum, and accessories for the new grand piano.  In 2006 the funds were used to provide two student scholarships and teacher grants."... 05/13/2007

Sherwood Oregon voters will be deciding soon whether or not to annex Area 59, an 80 acre area just north of town into the city. While there will be some residential use, the main beneficiary will be the school district. The plans are for the Sherwood School District to purchase 29 acres and build a new elementary school and middle school. Money would come from a $98 million bond that we approved last November. The current capacity of the Sherwood schools is over limit and still growing. I've listened to several presentations at the Sherwood Chamber and this is a change that needs to happen. We've seen a lot of growth lately and now we need to build the schools to continue to provide the quality education that Sherwood is known for.Vote YES! 05/03/2007

Today is my 5 year anniversary. It's amazing to reflect on all of the changes that have taken place. It is both of our first, and only, marriages and we are both in our 40's. 6 years ago I wasn't married, didn't have a kid, worked part-time in ministry, lived with a bunch of guys in what Portland calls the "hood" and really didn't see any chance of change. But God had other plans. Yeahhhh.I am truly blessed. I am married to the woman of my dreams and am more in love today then the day I married her. I have the best son in the world (next to me of course). I love my job as a Loan Officer and really cannot imagine doing anything else. We live just past the suburbs in a wonderful community of Sherwood, Oregon. As my wife and I like to kid. "It's good to be me."It took me a while to realize... 04/26/2007

Sherwood is a great little city located just minutes southwest of Portland Oregon in Washington County, Oregon. It is a residential community in the Tualatin Valley southwest of Portland. The population was 11,791 at the 2000 census. The 2006 estimate is 16,115 residents.Before it became a city, the area that is now Sherwood was inhabited by the Tualatin Indians. The first wagon train arrived in 1843, and by 1853, Sherwood was being settled by farmers. Their houses were build with logs from the forest once covered the area. They grew almost everything they needed, and twice a year, they took a three day journey into Portland for salt, sugar, syrup and others. The perfect combination of traditional and innovative distinctive elements, Sherwood offers a charming mixture create a unique ha... 04/25/2007

When is a Mortgage Pre Approval not a Pre Approval?   There is a lot of discussion about the need for a pre-approval letter when buying a new home. Most Realtors will not accept an offer on a home without one, and many will not even show a home. But what is a pre-approval letter and is it really any good? First, we need to look at the difference between a pre-approval letter and a pre-qualification letter. A pre-qualification letter is really just the Loan Officers hunch that the borrowers are good for the loan and that a lender will probably give the borrowers a loan. They have answered a few questions correctly, have decent credit and appear to have the income necessary to make the payments. A pre-approval letter is supposed to be more in depth and based on an actual analysis of the b... 04/24/2007

Buydown options A buydown is a type of financing where the buyer or seller pays extra points (also called discount points) to reduce the interest rate on a loan.Buydowns make it easier to qualify for a loan because they lower a loans interest rate. They can also allow you to buy more house for your money. There are generally two types of buydowns:a permanent buydown and a temporary buydown. A permanent buydown lets you pay extra points to get a low interest rate over the life of your loan. A permanent buydowncan be paid by the seller or the builder as an incentive to finalize a sale by creating lower monthly payments. Sellers can also benefit from assisting with a buydown with a difficult to sell property or during slower market conditions. It increases the buyer's ability to qualify fo... 04/19/2007