What Lucy Really Wants For Christmas And The True Meaning Of Christmas!

The holidays are quickly approaching. Growing up, I can't remember a Christmas where our family didn't watch Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy and the gang. Enjoy...



I'm with Lucy, real estate is the perfect Christmas present.

Linus, however, knows the true meaning of Christmas...



Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

For further information on the home buying process or selling process, contact Todd Adams at 503-332-5227 or visit Home Search

Buying A Home in 2012? Preparation Is The Key!

In a recent article posted by Trulia Staff member, Tara-Nicholle Nelson, she points out 5 things that every buyer should consider when buying a home in 2012. And the drum roll please...

1. Check your credit - it seems obvious, but so many people think they don't need to or they completely forget. You can save yourself a lot of time and pain by checking your credit before starting the loan process.
2. Do your research - Make plans to meet with a qualified mortgage broker - they can help you lay down a road map for getting your financial house in order and pre-qualifying you for a loan. Once you have an idea of the area of town you are interested in, contact me and I will further assist you in finding the home that best fits your needs. Internet searching is popular, but should not replace a visual inspection of the property.
3. Cash is king - It is good to have money for a down payment. You may decide that saving a little extra cushion for as Tara says "repairs, upgrade a couple of things, buy appliances or even just to hold onto in order to minimize your anxiety about depleting your savings."
4. Clear some stuff out - It's a great time to start fresh. You can donate for tax savings, sell stuff to deepen your cash reserve, or just clean out stuff you don't need.
5. Hold off on making big item purchases - Now is not the time to buy that new car you have always wanted, that can hurt your credit worthiness and postpone your dream of owning your own home.

If you are still on the fence about buying a home in 2012, then check out this video:





It's a great time to buy a home and preparing yourself will make the dream a reality. Say goodbye to 2011 and HELLO to 2012!

For further information on the home buying process or selling process, contact Todd Adams at 503-332-5227 or visit Home Search

My Mission

I am often asked why I decided to get into real estate.For those of you who are interested, here is my answer.

My passion for real estate began as a child when I would get together with my cousins to play the Parker Brothers board game “Monopoly.” I loved passing GO and collecting $200.00, but I loved it even more when I could take that static $200 and use it to invest in properties that would generate cash flow!

We live in the greatest country in the world. Our founding father’s believed in the dream to own property. Many fortunes have been made from real estate. I have been a real estate investor for over 11 years now and continue to appreciate the challenges almost as much as the cash flow.  

Not everything flows smoothly all the time. In 2005, one of my close friends discovered that his families’ dream of owning their own home had turned into a nightmare. The family was experiencing some hardships and payments were missed. The pain was very real for my friend and his family. The realty was just as harsh, so my friend came to me and asked me what they could do. At the time, I had never had anyone I know go through a foreclosure. For the first time in my financial life I was at a loss for advice. 

I decided to dive into real estate full force. It is now one of my goals to help those in need before it comes down to a foreclosure situation. There was a time when communities helped out one another because it was the right thing to do.  

I have a passion for real estate. I absolutely love the challenge of finding the right property for an individual’s needs or that of a family. I consider it my mission to help people avoid foreclosure by being up-to-date on the current market and understanding what moves to make to navigate the rough waters.

A wise woman once said “Dream and you shall also be there.”

For further information on the home buying process or selling process, contact Todd Adams at 503-332-5227 or visit Home Search

Harvard Study Finds That Owning Rental Properties Is An Avenue For Wealth Creation

In a publication by the Joint Center For Housing Studies Of Harvard University, it was found that the current economic conditions, coupled with "demographic forces" has resulted in bolstering rental demand. No surprise that increases in the renter population are due in large part to the increase, nationally, in home foreclosures. It should be no secret to investors that the study found for individuals as well as businesses, owning rental properties is an avenue for wealth creation.

Renters represent a diverse U.S. population, which is good news for investors. The perception of rental housing has been one of large structures in urban areas, when the facts suggest that half of all rental units are in buildings with four or fewer units and located in suburban areas.

The challenge will be for the government to support efforts to meet the need for affordable, quality rental housing. The key will be for investors to know which doors open the properties that will yield the most cash flow. To review the complete study, click here.

int Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
For further information on the home buying process or selling process, contact Todd Adams at 503-332-5227 or visit Home Search

Portland Rental Market Flourishes

The residential real estate market in Portland is flat lining, while investors are experiencing one of the most friendly markets on record. In a recent article of Oregon Business by Linda Baker, she points out that rental rates are "soaring" in Portland. The driving force behind this market is a continuous flow of new residents, backed by a limited supply.

The top 5 cities with low vacancy rates:     

1. New York, NY: 2.4%
2. Minneapolis, MN: 3.3%
3. Portland, OR: 3.4%
4. San Jose, CA: 3.4%
5. San Diego, CA: 3.4%

Apartment vacancy in Portland is hovering around at 3.4% - one of the lowest in the country.

Click here to read the full article

For further information on the home buying process or selling process, contact Todd Adams at 503-332-5227 or visit Home Search

Beautifully Maintained Briarwood Home - SOLD -

Beautiful, move-in ready ranch with great floorplan. Living room with fireplace opens to a spacious dining room and kitchen. Utility room with sink and cabinets. Vinyl windows throughout. Easy access to McLoughlin Blvd. Check out the "DETAILS" button below for more information!

Canoeing Through The Housing Market

In a recent article published November 7^th, 2011 by PMAR(Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors), Phil Querin of Querin Law, LLC writes about Fannie and Freddie and how both GSE’s (Government-sponsored enterprises) have “come under government ownership and control” recently. 

Phil goes on to say that since the collapse in 2007-2008 of the private secondary mortgage market, “there is no viable buyer of residential loans except the federal government. The question that is now being asked is when will GSE loans be shifted to the private sector? 

The good news, it is happening. The fact that the slowly developing private secondary market will want to offset additional risk assumed by taking on Fannie and Freddie loans is no surprise. Higher rates can be expected on such loans. 

The higher rates could be co-related to the elevated levels of REO inventory. The balance sheets of Fannie and Freddie continue to be poor. In an article published on November 3^rd, 2011 by housingwire.com, Jon Prior writes “At the same time Freddie unloaded the 25,300 REO (Real Estate Owned), it repossessed another 24,300 homes back into the inventory.”  If the market were to continue on this road, the GSE would reduce 1,000 REO’s from inventory every quarter and it would be close to 15 years before the glut of inventory is eliminated. 

Even with a glut of REO’s, the homeownership rate increased in the third quarter unexpectedly. In an article posted on DSNEWS.com on 11/02/2011, Krista Franks states “the .04 percent increase, which brought the homeownership rate to 66.3 percent for the third quarter, was not enough to post an annual increase.” Click here to view the article in its entirety.

The bottom line, the housing market is slowly coming back. Fannie and Freddie are slowly releasing loans into the private secondary market. Investors can expect a higher rate of return due to more risk.

For those of us fortunate enough, recently in Portland, to have been able to sit down and absorb John Mitchell’s “Economic Forecast 2012” we now know that the U.S.A. is at risk of a 2nd recession from any number of small events, nationally or globally that ripple back to the streets of main street. My proposals, keep your lifejackets on, oars in the water, and watch for any changes in the wind or ripples in the water.

 

For further information on the home buying process or selling process, contact Todd Adams at 503-332-5227 or visit Home Search