Investment Properties in Lane County

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Lately, I’ve been working with a lot of investors. Often, I’m asked about how much our market improved in the past two years, and likewise, if foreclosures and short sales will decrease. That’s not the case!

There are some awesome opportunities and deals to take advantage of out there. These properties, such as rentals, make great investments, and are available up to $50,000 below market value right now. Once tenants move in, you can make a nice profit without much effort.

If you have any questions about investments or more, give me a call or send me an email today! I’d be happy to serve your real estate needs.

Click here to learn more about short sales

The Importance of Home Inspections

Selling your Lane County Home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Lane County Home? Search all homes for sale

Today, I'd like to talk about the importance of home inspections. Home inspections can be mutually beneficial to both buyers and sellers.

From the seller's standpoint, a pre-listing inspection can be very valuable. That way, you know about the issues with the property and you can get a lot of them taken care of up front. A buyer might misinterpret some minor issues as major issues, and having that pre-listing inspection can save you a lot of money.

From a buyer's standpoint, buying a home is one of the biggest investments you will make in your life. Having an inspection done will let you know what issues you might run into, and you can have the seller make some of those repairs. If you want to make the repairs yourself, the home inspection can help you create a maintenance plan.

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you!

What Are the Best Ways to Prepare Your Home for Sale?

Selling your Lane County Home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Lane County Home? Search all homes for sale

Today we are going to talk about how to get your home ready for sale in Oregon. The old cliche, “You never get a second chance at a first impression” is very true when it comes to selling your home. In the first 1-2 weeks your home is on the market, that’s when you’re going to get the most activity.  

During this timeframe, you want to make sure you get your house in tip-top shape. Don’t put things off until later, that rarely works out. When people show up, they want the home to be move-in ready, so that’s what you’ve got to give them. They want to have their socks knocked off.

 

Now let’s talk about some specific ways to get your home ready. Your first step should be making sure your landscaping is pristine, to increase your curb appeal. When buyers first pull up to the home, they are going to look at the yard right away. Impressing them outside is your first step.

However, you want that feeling to continue as they walk through your house. When they do come through the door, you want to have the entire place deep cleaned and decluttered, with family pictures put away and little knick knacks and other decorations in storage. Buyers are looking for that turnkey home, and properly preparing yours ensures it will stand out. This is how to get multiple offers and offers over asking price.

If you have any questions for us, feel free to give us a call. We can’t wait to hear from you!

Don't Ignore the Selling Power an Open House Brings

Selling your Lane County Home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Lane County Home? Search all homes for sale

For many, many years I didn't really believe in open houses as a selling tool. I primarily believed that they were simply for agents to recruit potential buyers. The likelihood of someone coming in and deciding to buy a home during an open house is not super high.

However, there are some factors that can make an open house worthwhile. If your home is in a desirable and high-traffic location, I think an open house can work very well.

I recently did an open house on a property that had 20 showings but received no offers. When I conducted an open house I got 3-5 people to come through, but 2 of those people absolutely loved the home and we got multiple offers and were able to sell the home above list price.

Given the right circumstances, open houses can help. If you live far away from town or are in a place that's not convenient, I would suggest going another route. People like the convenience that comes from an open house which is why it works in high-traffic areas.

If you have any questions or concerns about this issue, or if you'd like to learn more about Lane County real estate, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Why Should You Take Zillow's Values with a Grain of Salt?

Selling your Lane County Home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Lane County Home? Search all homes for sale

How does Zillow affect buyers and sellers in the Lane County area? Today, we'll explain that while Zillow is a useful tool, you need to be careful about trusting everything you find there.

Often, I meet with sellers who tell me how much their home is worth according to Zillow and buyers who question the price of homes I show them because of what Zillow told them. What many people don't realize is that there are a lot of things Zillow can't do. It uses a database-structured algorithm to come up with home prices, so there are a lot of things it cannot take into consideration.

Zillow has no way of taking into account a home's curb appeal. They have no way of separating a dream yard from a dumpy one. A home with a pristine yard and one with grass ten feet tall, given the same statistics, will be valued the same on Zillow. In some aspects Zillow can be pretty accurate, but it's best to take all the information you get there with a grain of salt. More often than not, Zillow's values are either low or high.

If you have questions about the best way to find the most accurate and up to date real estate information, don't hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I would love to assist you in any way possible!

What Is a Deficiency in a Short Sale?

Selling your Lane County Home? Get a free home value report
Buying a Lane County Home? Search all homes for sale

Today I'll be answering more questions about short sales. I'll be answering this question in particular:

What will happen to the difference of what I owe on my property and what the bank will receive once my property is sold?
 
This difference is known as the deficiency in a short sale. Almost 99% of the time, this difference is completely forgiven. It's hard to believe, but banks will just let that money go.

However, if this is not the case, then you'll need to speak with a qualified mortgage professional and possibly an attorney. If you find yourself in this unfortunate circumstance, then please contact me and I would be happy to refer you to some of my preferred vendors that could offer you assistance.

As always, if you're in need of a good real estate professional in Lane County, please consider me your #1 option!

What Do Recent Changes in The Lane County Market Mean for You?

The Lane County real estate market is diverse with both buyers and sellers alike seeking a variety of different properties. As a prospective seller, you can find out the market value of your property with a free home value report right here, or if you're looking to purchase in the Lane County area click here for full MLS access. Always feel free to reach out to us for any questions regarding the current market conditions, or the value of your property at  541-767-7653

What are conditions looking like in the early days of 2015 here in Lane County? Today, we'll discuss just that.

There are a lot of affordable options out there if you've been thinking about entering the market. Interest rates are likely to remain low for the duration of 2015, and Fannie and Freddie have recently announced a 3% down conventional loan product, which will make it easier for people with limited cash on hand to purchase a home. Additionally, the mortgage insurance for this new product will be lower than on an FHA loan.

A lender friend of mine recently shared the news that the USDA loan review period has been shortened. Instead of having to wait the original 35 business days, you now only have to wait 5-7  business days. This means, as a consumer, that instead of entering the escrow period of roughly 90 days, the timeline from contract to close will only last 30 days. This is a welcome change for home sellers who don't want to wait 90 days to sell their house! 

Thanks, so much for joining us today! If you have any questions about the topics covered today, or would like real estate assistance of any kind, don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us a quick email. We would love to hear from you!