Buying a home is usually one of the most significant purchases made in a lifetime. Multiple factors affect its price and affordability for the buyers. Beyond the home's style, size, and age, location is a leading contributor to its price being higher or lower than what the buyer may expect. Time is money, so people should prioritize buying real estate in a location that saves them time getting to work, school, and other frequented locations. Keep reading to learn about five ways proximity to commuting options affects a home purchase. Location Makes a Difference The old saying, "It's all about ..read more

The typical homeowner is not only interested in reducing their energy bills, but they also want to reduce their carbon footprint. Keep these eco-friendly renovations and installation ideas in mind when building a custom home or upgrading one currently occupied. These tips will save occupants money and are likely to get home sellers a solid return on their investment. Since sustainable design is helping drive the luxury home market, implementing energy-efficient practices can attract buyers down the line. Keep reading to learn about the best high-ROI energy-efficient upgrades for your home. Sol ..read more

1.      Pittock Mansion The mansion was initially built in 1914 as a private home to Oregonian publisher Henry Pittock and his wife, Georgina Burton Pittock. The mansion has 23 rooms: library, sewing room, Turkish smoking room, five large bedrooms, and two sleeping porches. It has a curved wooden floor with a unique oval shape with wings attached overall view. If you are in love with historic house tours, then the Pittock mansion is a place to be. 2.      Peninsula Park and Rose gardens It was initially established to serve as a testing ground ..read more

A question many hopeful home buyers are asking right now is “Why is it so hard to find a house?” This is a highly competitive seller’s market, according to the National Association of Realtors the average home across the country is receiving 4.8 offers and the number is increasing. This is mainly due to the fact that the housing inventory is so low. Low inventory is not a new thing it has been happening for some time now, but it has become more of a challenge to buyers over the past year. March of 2021 saw around 117,000 fewer listings than March of 2019. This is a 19 percent decrease in home ..read more

Cash is definitely king in this seller's market. If you don't have cash, chances are your offer will get shoved to the bottom of the pile. Cash is talking these days and for folks that are barely squeaking by or have little to no down payment, it's getting harder and harder for them to actually find a home and have their offer accepted. But what if you have all the cash in the world but not necessarily full cash to buy the home outright? Should you put as much down as possible? Should you stick with the 20%? If you have an influx and a good cash flow, how much should you really put down on a h ..read more

If you’ve been seriously considering selling your home, you may have noticed how quickly the housing market has been drying up. House after house has sold at lightning speed with buyers eager to move to all kinds of different locations. Home value has skyrocketed across many places in the United States over the past couple of years, and the trend doesn’t seem to be halting any time soon. That said, is it possible to price your house too high? Will a house sell in a neighborhood with no inventory, even if the price is very high? Let’s discuss. At the end of the day, no matter what your real es ..read more

Deciding to move is one huge decision followed by a series of many more choices. Once a renter realizes it is time to invest in property, they are faced with the first decision- where to move? Which city? Which neighborhood? What’s important in this decision, and what’s worth sacrificing? How do goals dictate the size, space and/or location of a new place? Finding a property you like in the right spot, with the right amenities and within budget can be hard. When someone’s on the home hunt, here’s a look at four of the factors that come into play: Size of city: Buyers need to determine if they ..read more

In today's crazy real estate market a lot of people are waving the home inspection but not everyone. Home inspections are still one of the number one ways to find out as much as possible about the integrity and structural condition of the home. It's definitely something that should be considered when making an offer and choosing to buy a home. The last thing you want is to have thousands of dollars worth of repairs after you've already signed on the dotted line. Home inspectors typically specialize in one or two areas such as septic, roofs, electrical, or plumbing but can offer general informa ..read more

Despite a year of new challenges resulting from a global pandemic, the real estate market is alive and well across the United States. That is no less true in Portland, Oregon, where home inventory has continued to go down and value has continued to go up. In December of last year, home inventory in Portland dropped to a whopping 0.8, which basically means that homes will be lucky to stay on the market 24 days once they’re up for sale. If you’re a home buyer, this kind of market can be very frustrating. Increased home prices make it more difficult for families struggling through the pandemic to ..read more

Lake Oswego is not only a city in the Portland metro area but it's also a lake. It's primarily in Clackamas County with small portions extending into Multnomah and Washington counties. This beautiful part of the country has stunning lakefront homes and waterfront estates surrounding the 405-acre lake. The town was incorporated in 1910 and was the hub of organs brief iron industry in the late 19th century and today is a suburb of Portland. It's home to about 40,000 residents. If you're planning a home on the lake, here are five things you should probably know about Lake Oswego. #1. You don't ha ..read more