Kristie McDonald

11540 SE Hidalgo Ct. Clackamas, OR 97015 (just across Sunnyside Road from Happy Valley)

$358,000 GOTO: www.HomeInClackamas.com

This home is located in the Happy Valley, Clackamas area just outside Portland Oregon and is in immaculate condition. The downstairs (with it's own seperate entrance) is perfect as a mother-in-law suite or an apartment already having it's own kitchenette, bath, access to back yard (as well as garage and side yard). Below are some of the features! I've never had such an amazingly well kept listing! -Kristie McDonald Everything. Portland. Real Estate.

• Pre-inspected to show fantastic condition of home
• Home warranty offerred
• 4 Bedrooms & 3 Full baths (this doesn't include the downstairs mother in law space as a bedroom)
• 2725 Square Feet
• Almost a 1/4 acre lot
• Covered Deck, RV Parking, oversized fenced yard & brick patio
• Theater room
• tempstar Furnace w/ Electrostatic UV filter/ air purifyier
• 75 Gallon Water Heater
• Central Vac & AC
• New 10x12 Tuffshed
• Amazing garage with 230 amp & plenty of storage. PERFECT garage!
• Jacuzzi Tub, Remote blinds.... I could go on and on.

I have another buyer who is insistant on waiting to purchase until the rumored 4.5% interest rate arrives. When rates are already low, home prices are great and the selection of inventory is broad THE LAST THING ANYONE NEEDS is a rumor of a lower interest rate that keeps buyers sitting on the fence and missing what could be a limited time opportunity happening right now. I have several buyers who insisted 6 months ago that they were going to wait for home prices to reduce and because they waited they have found they are no longer eligible for the loan they were depending on.

4.5% Interest rate? Rumor has it that only so many buyers would even qualify... if you are a buyer on the fence make sure you have a good view and are sitting securely, an unexpected wind may attempt to push you off.

Stay in close touch with your lender and know your market so you recognize a great home price and you're qualified when your time is right~! Portland, Oregon is one of the few states holding up well in this crazy market! -Kristie McDonald

Read the article on Paulson Denies Rumored 4.5% Mortgage Interest Rate Plan HERE.

My area of expertise is in an area known as Happy Valley where literally 1 out of 4 homes (Big McMansions I might add) are short sales. My buyer wrote a very low offer on a home there. The listing agent seems unfamiliar with the short sale process and worse yet unfamiliar with the area. This home was overpriced, especially for a short sale which explained why she had yet to collect an offer (most short sales in the area are priced so low they attract numerous offers). Anyhow, I asked if she'd mind if I submitted a letter and comps to support our low offer and she seemed overjoyed that I offered and in fact encouraged it. After submitting the information both her and the bank were amazed to see the data and what it suggested. What I was told would be a verbal counter in less than a week has turned into weeks and she says they are uncertain what to do.... I suspect they are requesting another appraisal.... (many of these banks are going off dated appraisals from 6 months back).

I believe that providing the market data and comps was our offer, especially considering how overpriced it is was a good decision. I'm curious if other agents out there do something similar..... ? -Kristie

I'm beginning to see and experience sales fail due to appraisals not meeting the sales price; I think this will become more problematic as time passes. Some homeowners are selling extremely low to get out of the game in aniticipation of a worsening market, other homeowners having to sell short....... there's the homeowner that is having to reduce his price significantly to stay competitive with the surplus of homes on the market (especially with the abundance of new construction)..... and then the paranoid home buyer fearing that he's paying too much and should have waited. With all this, layer in the fact that not all homeowners are able to reduce their price to the buyer's expectation without having to sell short. NOW we have appraisers getting too tight on the appraisals. If things don't loosen up we are going to head into a real estate home market traffic jam. -Kristie