Welcome to my new Quarterly e-newsletter!
Clients have asked and I’m responding! Beginning this quarter I’ll be sending you important updates and information about the Portland real estate market every 3 months! Feel free to unsubscribe at any time, but know that if you do – you’ll never be able to hear from me again due to unsubscribe rules. So, an idea: just delete my emails if you don’t need the info now and stay on my list to continue receiving email updates.Thanks for being an awesome part of my business and network!
Recently on the blog…
SELLERS ALERT!! 6 Things To Know About the Home Energy Score
By 2050, Portland wants to slash the city’s carbon emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels. To help reach that goal, all Portland homes going for sale will need to obtain a Home Energy Score beginning Jan. 1, 2018.
You might be asking yourself: what is a Home Energy Score? How much does it cost and how do I get one? More importantly, how do I get a good one? Well, I wasn’t the winner of Natural Awakenings Magazine’s 2012 Favorite Green Realtor Award for nothing—green is my personal and professional passion.
Read On To Find OutSeptember’s Scouting Report
Fewer buyers got into contract, with pending sales lower by 7.6% of what we saw at the same time in 2016. New listings were also noticeably down – 150ish fewer on the streets than both the month prior, and August 2016.
Despite all of this, house prices continued to slowly shimmy upwards, up 9.3% over this time last year, with an average sales price of $429,000 across Portland metro. Whew.
Buyers may be able to work this market-in-flux to their advantage, so reach out if you’re considering a move. It could be a great time to scoop up some real estate.
See the Full ReportWhat you need to know…
As the season’s start to change, here are a few tips to keep your home in top condition amidst the prediction of yet another wet and brutal winter…
My ‘before winter’ checklist:
- Clean your gutters and roof
- Make sure your drainage system is routed away from your home
- Ensure your home has proper sloping (away from foundation) as much as possible
- Service and clean your furnace
- Replace your air filter
- Clean your ducts (especially if you have pets) *Be careful to hire the professionals or it can make you more sick*
What to do if freezing temps occur:
- Winterize your outside faucets
- If you have a crawlspace: If, and only if, there are freezing temps for more than a day, close your foundation vents to avoid freezing pipes. BUT! More importantly you must be sure to open them back up right away so any moisture that does get trapped in your crawlspace can dry out or else you’re creating the perfect opportunity for mold to grow.
- If you have a high efficiency furnace: You may also have a plastic condensate drain pipe that pumps water to the exterior of your home. Avoid this pump from dumping water in the basement (or wherever it is located) by ensuring the condensate drain is kept unfrozen. You could insulate around the drain or use my technique of unfreezing it once with a hair dryer (or your hands) and then keeping the furnace on frequently enough to where it won’t freeze again.
Featured Listing: Custom Home in Cedar Mill
9275 NW Burntknoll Ct., Portland, OR 97229
- Built 2011
- 4 bed + 2.5 bath
- 1,983 sq ft
- Gas fireplace
- Extra large double garage
- House is pre-wired for tech gadgets
- Wired with learning Nest thermostat + smart garage opener
- Lot size: .15 acre
- Taxes: $4,858.42 /yr
- Schools: Cedar Mill, Cedar Park, Sunset High
- MLS#: 17244540
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