Sweet Home, OR

I have had several people interested in obtaining a USDA home loan for property in Marion, Polk, Linn and Benton Counties. I've put together a map of part of the county that should help in identifying areas that qualify for this program. I would also recommend you contact Leslie Stewart with Prudential Real Estate Professionals in Stayton for help in finding that property, especially in Marion and Linn Counties. You can call Leslie at 503-769-3448 X 1910 or her cell at 503-932-8202.

As you might know - it's one of the last TRUE 100% home loans available - and it doesn't have PMI! The rates are comparable to FHA, so it's a very affordable payment! You do not have to have PRESTINE credit, but we generally want to see scores above 580, and 12 months of "clean credit."

USDA does require that the property be located in a less populated area. It does not need to be a farm - but it can't be located downtown either.

The "darker" areas do NOT qualify. However, as you can see - that is basically the the Salem area for Marion and Polk counties, Albany for Linn County and Corvallis for Benton County - urban growth boundary and anywhere else in these counties are eligible for this type of financing. That includes Stayton, Dallas, Sweet Home, Philomath and Harrisburg as part of the counties that are included in this financing.

If you are interested in property in this area and would like to see if the address falls within the USDA "footprint" click here.

So - THE TIME IS RIGHT! We have many properties on the market, we have MONEY TO LEND, and the Federal Government is giving First Time Homebuyers a $7500 tax credit if they purchase prior to next summer!

For more information on USDA loans, and to see if your household income qualifies for this NO PMI loan, please click here

What: Oregon Jamboree

Where: Sweet Home, Oregon (Sankey Park area)

When: August 1, 2 & 3, 2008

Who: Country superstars, soon to be superstars and past superstars

Why: Best country music venue in Oregon

This year's Oregon Jamboree offers something for young and old country music fans. From newcomers Kellie Pickler and Rissi Palmer to venerable Glen Campbell, if you like country music, this is a must see event.

Kellie finished sixth on American Idol's fifth season and she will be performing Saturday, August 2. Rissi just released her self-titled album that is moving up the charts is also on Saturday. Glen Campbell (for those elder statesmen out there, like me) finished first as the Rhinestone Cowboy. He is scheduled for Sunday.

Unbelievable would be the way I describe the lineup of stars. Trace Adkins, Joe Nichols, Neal McCoy, Sugarland, Randy Owen, Confederate Railroad, Phil Stacey, Western Underground and Trent Tomlinson. Topping that off is the comedy of Williams and Ree, billed as "The Indian and the White Guy." I have seen these guys and they crack me up. They hit the stage on Friday.

The festival offers camping (both RV and tent), food booths, beer and wine gardens and several special displays. There will also be the Sweet Home Arts & Crafts Festival on Friday and Saturday with sales booths nearby. According to the website, there were still a few (very few) tent and RV sites available. Call them to be sure, 541-367-8800.

You can find out more about the festival by visiting their website at: http://www.oregonjamboree.com/index.asp.

Rocking out with Trace Adkins singing Honky-Tonk Badonkadonk, or holding the tears back with Sugarland's Stay, all in all, this promises to be another unbelievable weekend in Sweet Home.

By the way, this is not the "first" annual event. The Jamboree was a brainchild of the Sweet Home Economic Development Group to help make up for the lost revenue from timber harvest. Sweet Home had always been a logging town and felt the cut back in available harvest in a very real way. This is their 16^th event and they seem to be getting it right year after year.

(Photos are from the Oregon Jamboree website. Top - Glen Campbell, Middle - Williams & Ree, Bottom - Trace Adkins)