Carla Muss-Jacobs, ABR, CEBA, e-PRO, Realtor

Portland, OR Real Estate

Supra Lockbox Activity, week ending Oct. 11, 2009

The lockbox is the magic access key that allows agents to open the doors on listed property. It also keeps statistics, and as you can see, there has been a 10% DECREASE in activity, and this includes Portland, OR real estate activity. In a nutshell, listing showings are DOWN, on average, by -10.4%.

With the $8,000 tax credit expiring, school back in session full swing, summer over and fall here, is the Metro Portland area going to see a cooldown?? It will be interesting to follow the Portland, OR real estate trend with showings going up, or down?

BUYERS: What that means for you . . . the properties you have interest in might not have the level of activity as expected. These showings are for the RMLS Supra lockbox in the state. The Portland, OR real estate market might have slightly higher levels of activity.

SELLERS: Check and see with your listing agent if the STAT above, of -10.4% decrease is holding true with your property. Are you getting any more showings, or has activity level dropped??

Congress has done GOOD!

My association, PMAR (Portland Metro Area Realtors) and OAR (Oregon Association of Realtors) have lobbied hard -- as I'm sure you local and state NAR affiliates have: to keep banks out of the commerce of Real Estate.

The result: Permanently taking banks OUT of the real estate equation.

The Thank You to the left reads:

"Congress has permanently ensured that local consumers will continue to have a choice in real estate by keeping banks from getting into real estate brokerage. This reinforces America's tradition of keeping banking and commerce separate and keeps real estate markets competitive. Home buyers and sellers can rest assure that they'll continue to receive local, personalized service from their neighborhood real estate professionals.

REALTORS(r) thank you for protecting consumers and keeping the market competitive."

They (banks) have been trying for years and years to get involved in the real estate buying/selling side: the commerce.

And now, it finally seems that Congress has finally put this to bed.

"The Community Choice in Real Estate Act"

This is a good thing . . . a very good thing!

I am very proud of the Oregon Congressmen: David Wu, Earl Blumenauer, Peter DeFazio, and Greg Walden who co-sponsored this act. KUDOS to the hard efforts on this. It's been a long process.

This is the 3rd-Quarter update of Supra Lockbox activity ending 2009.

The Supra Lockbox is the magic key that allows Realtors(r) to access listings. I like this chart 'cause it's pretty. But, seriously... it does provide an overview of ACCESSED Supra Lockboxes for the State of Oregon.

This graph shows all activity for Oregon, but the Metro Portland follows the trends, and since it's such a vast market area in the state, I feel the graph is accurate. The graph is provided to me by the RMLS, with forwarding and share options. I'm sharing.

As you can see, the first week of July '09 shows a rather slow pace, but throughout the 3rd Quarter, activity was very consistent.

Halloween, a once PAGAN festival has gained favor in the United States, but only recently, since the 1950's actually.

And it's odd, because by tradition, it's one of the World's oldest festivals, dating back to as early a 800 B.C.

Having roots in the seasonal shift, from the planting season, harvest to the dormant times of winter solstice, villages would get together to burn the husks and cast off of the harvest. Talk about telling ghost stories around a campfire . . . this is said to have been how Halloween began, in the ancient isles of the Celts.

The Celts believed that the turning seasons, from growing, to harvest to still life held magical and mystic powers. And they believed the pivot was an opening for the dead to transcend to earth again -- during the shifts of seasons . . primarily the Fall into Winter.

Even in Mexico and other South American countries, the day after "All Hallows Eve", November 1st, is considered the Day of the Dead, "Dia de los Muertos" where the souls can walk again on the earth. Kinda CREEPY!!

To combat this creepy day after . . . The Christians and Catholics have coined Nov 1st . . . ALL SAINTS' DAY to honor the Saints, known . . . and . . . unknown! Still kinda creepy.

BOO!

But now it's a fun time, thanks to the GIANT candy lobby, and the ADA. But, if you're wondering where to take the little darlings for some Fall / Halloween fun, here is a list of area seasonal events:

The Pumpkin Patch - Sauvie Island / www.ThePumpkinPatch.com/

Mon-Thursday 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. / Fri-Sun 9 a.m. - 10 p.m. Directions: Click here

• PYO (Pick Your Own) Pumpkin Patches
• Hayrides
• Corn Mazes
• Haunted Houses
• Petting Barn

Lee Farms - Tualatin Oregon / http://www.leefarmsoregon.com/

Call for hours / Directions: Map/Directions

• School Tours
• PYO Pumpkin Patch
• Country Store / Bakery
• Hay Maze
• Hay Rides / Pony Rides

Roloff Farm Pumpkins - Helvetia Oregon / http://mattroloff.com/pumpkin/

Friday, Saturday & Sundays (Oct. 2 - Oct. 31) 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

• PYO Pumpkin Patch
• Petting Zoo
• Hay Maze
• Face Painting
• Pumpkin Fun House
• Wagon Tours
• Gift Barn

(The Roloff Family have their own Discovery Channel TV show, "Little People, Big World")

For more locations throughout the state, please visit: The State of Oregon http://www.stateoforegon.com/directory/corn_mazes_and_pumpkin_patches.html

Remember: CALL FIRST for Hours & Directions

DIY Sunday will be a weekly blog (hopefully) where DIY (Do it Yourself) tips will be provided. Sunday is supposedly the "day of rest" but it's the first day of the rest of the week. So if you want to look at it that way, there's really no rest for the weary! Get cracking . . . . and DIY! And with that being the case . . . what better day to start a DIY project.

HOME STAGING

This DIY Sunday tip -- home staging -- could be good advice for SELLERS, but also for people who just want to freshen up their humble abodes.

1) Less is More: This is Rule #1, Numero Uno . . . Are you REALLY reading all those books in the corner of the living room? Are all those kitchen appliances, and gadget on the countertop actually being used in food prep on a regular basis? If not -- store things out of sight!

2) Be Realistic: One of the things that the expensive -- it ain't cheap -- professional "Home Stagers" have is realistic tastes. They aren't going to be hanging the family photos haphazardly in the small, narrow hallway. Why? Because it makes the area look too small. A small hallway will look MUCH larger with ONE centrally placed wall hanging (painting, tapestry, etc.) Take the little KITCHEY objects off the wall! You don't need an expensive Home Stager to tell you that. DIY.

3) Brighten the Area: Those expensive Home Stages are not afraid of color! You shouldn't be either!! DIY and PAINT some walls! If you have a small, narrow hallway (#2 above), it's probably also a little dark. I have one of these too. My solution: A nice Lemon Chiffon paint color. Not BRIGHT, NOT GLARING. But I did paint the walls in the hallway Yellow. Bright colors don't ABSORB the LIGHT! A lighter, brighter color will REFLECT light, and that's what you want!

DIY and go to Home Depot or Lowe's and ask some of the paint experts. They are there for one reason, and one reason alone: To SELL PAINT! Ask them to help you with color matching schemes.

Lowe's has a really good "How To Paint" site. To quote: "Want the most from your decorating dollar? The key is color-paint color. It's one of the least expensive but most dramatic changes you can make in your home." http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=howTo&p=BuyGuide/ChsIntPnt.html

4) MATCH . . . DO NOT MIX!: The expensive home stagers never mix. They match! The area rug has some blue in it, and guess what . . . so will the SLIP COVER they put over that dingy couch they want to "refresh." DIY and match colors with: area rugs, window treatments (shades, curtains, sheers.)

5) Find Good Deals: There are all kinds of GREAT deals to be had. Why spend money on an expensive "home stager" who will charge you for their time, PLUS whatever they use for your home. DIYand shop online. Some retailers have great sales. I bought a large 5 x 8 area rug, hallway runner and 2 x 3 rug combo for $99. Keep your eyes open for 40% - 60% off accent pieces . . . they're all over! JC Penny has a great website for window coverings, house accents. I purchased embossed mini-blinds (the top / bottom down type) for large windows, and ended up spending $29/window (name brand Levalor!!) DIY sure I had to install them, but it was EASY!

6) Get Some Fresh Ideas: If you think you can't do what an expensive home stager can . . . think again! Go to your local book store, and head straight to the magazine section. Browse, then buy a few of the home decorating issues. Even . . . gulp . . . consider Martha Stewart. Just look at the pictures . . . then put the magazine down, and look at your living room. Want the same look?? You CAN achieve this, maybe not Wainscoting and Crown Molding perfection, but you CAN DIY.

My Motto for all my DIY projects has been: It's better then it was!

http://www.DIYnetwork.com/