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Portland Metro Area Mortgage Interest Rates Could Become a Missed Opportunity

Portland’s mortgage interest rates have been so low for so long that there is the definite possibility that the real value they represent—for both Portland metro area home buyers and sellers—may now be being taken for granted.

It’s only natural. If you believe that past history is the best predictor of future performance, last January’s common wisdom that mortgage interest rates in 2014 would head up to at least 5% or more wouldn’t have fazed you a bit. One quick glance at the squiggly lines on a chart showing either 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgage interest rates reveals a pronounced downward slope. Ever since mid-year 2007, it looks like a playground slide. It does level off at the end, starting around three years ago; but if you take in the longer view, back to 1982, you see an even steeper tumble—all the way down from (gulp!) 18%! Only the bravest child would dare climb the ladder to that playground slide…

For a couple of years now, we assumed the bottoming-out of Portland mortgage interest rates would reverse soon enough. But, as The L.A. Times pointed […]

Reger2015-01-05T21:51:51+00:00

When Santa Really Does Deliver a New Family Home

Okay, granted: a new family home won’t fit under the tree…

This year, Portland TVs have been filled with commercials that mix Santa with new

automobiles. If you believe the ads, a number of automakers apparently offer models that will fly

like reindeer onto driveways for big boys and girls who are sufficiently nice. One dogooder is

portrayed stitching up Santa’s ripped tunic in an act of selfless unnaughtiness that earns him a

new sedan on the big day.

We are pleased to say we haven’t seen a National Association of REALTORS

Santa and elves flying a new home onto a surprised family’s driveway, but the idea is no more

divorced from reality than Santa’s barnful of vintage Mercedes (it looks like he loves the red

coupe best). If you’ve never thought about shopping for a home during the year-end holiday

season, you might be surprised to consider that in some cases this is a very fortuitous time of year

for home sales. Aside from the few who can actually give such a fantastic gift (it actually

happens!), there are a couple of other reasons why holiday Portland metro area home sales do […]

Reger2014-12-22T19:26:07+00:00

Who, What to Tip: Holiday Guidance for Portland Metro Area Homeowners

At holiday time, Portland homeowners can count on being flooded with decisions. For everything from the extent of front yard decorations to the menu decisions for family gatherings, more than anything, ‘tis the season for organization and planning. Homeowners have done their best to minimize the likelihood of travel-related scheduling emergencies—never mind the weird weather patterns that make that a coin-toss. They’ve either succeeded or failed in syncing their gift-shopping to take advantage of sales—although this year, 1-day sale announcements seem to be popping up and disappearing as fast as Whack-a-Moles. 2014’s calendar also reduced the number of days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, so there’s been less time to get everything done…
Given all that, Portland metro area homeowners can scarcely be faulted if they haven’t given a lot of thought to holiday tip giving: who, how much…the usual conundrum. We thought we would do some current research and offer everyone some guidance, but we should warn you: we didn’t find much.
We thought the answer would lie with Dr. Wm. Michael Lynn, the tipping universe’s reigning academic expert. In case you never suspected there […]

Reger2014-12-15T19:19:07+00:00

The Holidays: Once-a-Year Opportunity for Selling your Portland Home

We’re always a little surprised that more people don’t take advantage of the holiday season to sell their home. The spring selling season may be the most popular, but there are a host of reasons why, for a home that is already market-ready, you might think twice about waiting to list it.

Among the leading reasons that make this an especially advantageous time of year to sell a Portland Metro Area home is the financial motivation for some prospective buyers. Especially when an individual’s financial picture changes toward year’s end, a few prospective buyers find that the tax advantages of a purchase in the current year are reason enough to speed a sudden purchase. Classical supply and demand forces add yet another reason the decision to sell a home in Portland now could be a good one. Since Portland Metro Area listing volumes taper off toward the end of the year, the choices are relatively few, increasing the value of each to motivated buyers.

Experience tells us that the average holiday-season buyer does tend to be more highly motivated, if for no other […]

Reger2014-12-06T00:54:57+00:00