Broker Duo
Displaying blog entries 11-20 of 86
February just flew by!
FREE MLS Search (All Active Listings)
Did you know February is also:
Great American Pie month?! (scratching head) Oh no! Well, I still have a few hours left to bake one up, wish me luck! Remember, Broker Duo, for all of your real estate needs.
QR Codes (Quick Response Codes), the latest craze.
"QR Codes are two-dimensional bar codes that you might have started noticing on web sites, in magazines or on products when you go shopping. They allow you to quickly scan them with your camera and either launch a web site, show product info, display plain text, SMS message and much more."
For information on how to use a QR reader and some great applications for your mobile phones, click the appropriate link below.
Blackberry: http://www.mobile-barcodes.com/qr-code-software/blackberry/
iPhone: http://news.cnet.com/qr-code-readers-for-iphone
Android: http://www.simplehelp.net/2010/03/15/how-to-read-qr-codes-with-your-android-phone/
Happy scanning!
Mortgage rates eased again this week according to a survey by Freddie Mac, as fears about the economic impacts of turmoil in the Middle East helped depress yields on long-term bonds, including those that fund most home loans.
For the complete article follow: http://www.inman.com/news/2011/02/24/mortgage-rates-ease-again
If you have been out viewing property we recommend you get in contact with your lender to discuss current mortgage rates and potential loan programs available to you. If you do not currently have a Lender, please give us a call and we'd be happy to refer you to our preferred partners 541-497-6511
If you haven’t already prepared for winter driving … it’s absolutely time now. Extremely cold weather with very low snow levels is forecast for this weekend – just in time to inspire vehicle emergency preparedness. During challenging weather and road conditions, any time of the year, you and your vehicle need to be in optimal condition for travel. Now is not the time to worry about your vehicle condition, if you have needed emergency supplies on board, or what kind of weather is ahead.
• Is your vehicle fit for challenging weather travel? Check tires, tread, pressure. Check wiper blades. Check lights and their adjustment. Check brakes. Check fluids. Do you have traction tires or chains if needed?
• Are you fit for driving? Free from illness, intoxicants and distractions? Are you rested?
• Know before you go? Check road and weather conditions before you travel. Postpone travel if needed. On the web check www.tripcheck.com or call 5-1-1 from your cell phone for ODOT road and weather conditions. Check National Weather Service on line at www.weather.gov/portland.
• Let someone know about your travel plans. When you leave, route, call when you arrive.
• Have an emergency vehicle kit on board – in every car. Basic supplies to keep you warm and protected from cold and wet, food and water, tools, etc. Visit http://www.co.benton.or.us/sheriff/ems/documents/travel-kit_brochure.pdf for a holiday gift card and suggestions for the contents of a do-it-yourself vehicle emergency kit.
• Slow down and maintain extra distance between you and other vehicles. Inclement weather and road conditions will dramatically increase the stopping distance you will need. Allow extra time to get to your destination so that you are not hurried along the way.
• When temperatures plummet – be careful of road ice and parking lot. Sometimes ice on roadways and in parking lots can be difficult to see – “black ice” is a hazard here. Be careful.
• Keeps leaves and debris clear of drains and culverts. Leaves and debris can create localized flooding, and then can freeze into a slippery hazard on roadways. Do your part to minimize this problem.
If you haven’t already prepared for freezing temperatures around your home or business, now is also the time to do that!
• Close or cover outside foundation vents
• Disconnect and drain hoses and cover outside faucets
• Inside, open cupboard doors to allow household heat to reach perimeter plumbing
Finally, when weather conditions become extreme or power is interrupted – check on others to make sure they are warm and supplied with food, medications and other essentials. A quick visit or a phone call can make all of the difference in the world to someone alone or otherwise vulnerable to extreme weather.
RealtyTrac statistics reveal that, while foreclosure filings were up 1% in January over December, they were down 17% compared to a year ago. There were 261,333 default notices, eviction notices, auctions or repossessions filed in January for an average of one notice per 497 homes.
January was the third month that filings have fallen below 300,000 after 20 months previous to that where filings exceeded that threshold.
Only 75,178 households received default notices in January, which was the lowest lis pendens/notice of default month since July 2007. Notices filed in non-judicial states were down 8% from January 2010, while notices in judicial states were down 39% year over year.
A total of 108,002 properties were scheduled for auction, a drop of 13% from January 2009 and the lowest total since February 2009.
There are many great bank owned deals on the market. If you'd like to see whats out there visit www.FindOregonDeals.com
Buyers have the edge!
According to Lawrence Yun, chief economist from the National Association of REALTORS®, “Home buyers over the past year got agreat deal, and buyers for the balance of this year have an edge over sellers. Affordability could reach a generational high in the second half of this year because of rock-bottom mortgage interest rates, helped partly by the Fed’s very accommodative monetary policy.
For more reasons why now is prime time to buy a home, contact us and we’ll send you a free e-book.
Why pay someone else’s mortgage? Stop renting, and buy a home now while the market is hot. Call me for a free report on our local market. There are a lot of great deals to be had and mortgage rates are still low.
To calculate your OWN
Rent vs. Buy analysis
SafeHaven needs help with kittens and puppies that are too young for adoption, pregnant or nursing cats and dogs, ill or injured animals that need a quiet and loving place to convalesce. If you have room in your home and in your heart to help foster an animal in need for a short duration please contact SafeHaven at 541-928-2789
If you think fostering an animal is something you would be interested in, you can download the foster care application here or pick it up at the shelter.
http://safehavenhumane.com/foster_care.html
Foster care providers help SafeHaven Humane Society find forever homes for many more animals that it would without them. Foster Homes are an invaluable part of our organization. Foster care providers open their hearts and homes up to animals, providing them with round the clock care and socialization that the shelter is unable to provide. SafeHaven provides all the supplies and medical care necessary for the animals, while foster homes provide the love and time!
The most common need for foster care is for pregnant cat,
a nursing cat with kittens, and orphaned kittens, who are too young for adoption. By placing these animals in foster care, the shelter is able to house more adoptable animals. More importantly, foster care protects kittens from illness and provides the crucial socialization, and in some cases round the clock feeding, needed for kittens to develop into healthy adoptable cats!
Though not nearly as often, foster care is sometimes needed for dogs as well. Pregnant dogs, as well as a mother with her littler of young puppies would be candidates for foster care. Occasionally we get young puppies that need to be fostered for a few weeks until they are old enough to be adopted. As with kittens, foster care provides puppies with round the clock feeding and socialization that the shelter is unable to provide. Sometimes dogs with special needs or who are recovering from surgery will be placed in foster care until they are adoptable.
Fostering an animal is a wonderful way to experience watching a young animal grow, while still having your own pets responsibly spayed and neutered. It is a wonderful way to experience the joy of owing a pet for those who are unable to make a permanent commitment to an animal. If you think fostering an animal is something you would be interested in, you can download the foster care application here or pick it up at the shelter.
You spend time every morning and evening in the bathroom. Why not make it look as stylish as the rest of your house? As long as the layout works, upgrading the surfaces and replacing fixtures can take the room to a whole new level. Here are some suggestions, including a few that are low-cost but high-impact:
1. Paint the walls with mold- and mildew-proof primers and paints.
2. Install new cabinet hardware for an instant visual impact.
3. Replace faucets and fixtures on the sink, tub, and shower. Choose stylish models in a popular finish such as satin nickel.
4. Upgrade towel bars, the toilet paper holder, and lighting fixtures to match.
5. Add a pop of color with towels, soaps, and candles.
http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/month-by-month-home-improvement-plan/?page=3
Displaying blog entries 11-20 of 86
