Real Estate Information

This Saturday 6 high school Robotics teams will be coming together at Crescent Valley High School for a Scrimmage.  Starts at 11:00 and goes to around 4:00 PM.  This is a sport for the Technology students.  We are trying to get a fan club going for this sport.  It is a yearly event and the Finals are in Portland at Memorial Coliseum in March.  You can learn more about the Philomath High School team, which is the one that I am involved with at  http://www.team847.com   These kids are fantastic and we want to encourage these students.  They even received a grant from NASA.  There is a lot of great information on this First Force and how it got started on the web site too. 

The Scrimmage at Crescent Valley High School starts at 11:00 AM and goes to 4:00 PM.  It is free so come watch the fun, as the teams learn what they need to change on their robot before the finals in March. 

The news gave a quick report on the Corvallis market but really did not give much time for feed back.  See clip below. 

Corvallis market has always been protected in the since that we are very cautious of our annexation process and green space protection.  The market prices like any commodity is driven by supply and demand. The desire to live in this type of community still seems to be the main factor in supporting today's and tomorrows pricing.

Every one is wondering about the tax credit extension or not and what is the difference in the extension.  Check out these two articles by NAR National Association of Realtors.

NAR website released a great article regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

See attached article of click here:

If you were wondering what the form looks like for the first time home buyer credit here it is.

5405 Form 

The thing to remember here is that you need to have that home purchased and closed in Escrow by November 30th.

So, if you have been putting off looking for that home your all most to late.  It takes an average of 60 days to get a home closed these days do to all the new lender requirements and underwriters reviews. 

Give me a call today and we can get started on your new home and tax credit savings.

I was sent this link today and thought it would be of value to all.  If your going to do a remodel or update on your home you should read this. It could be $$ back in your pocket.

The federal stimulus package contains $4 billion in incentives that could jump-start your business while helping your clients to a more energy-efficient future. This entire issue of Remodeling is devoted to in-depth coverage of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, to help you take advantage of all the new programs offered. From detailed requirements for building and systems to rules for claiming tax credits, we give you the tools to turn the stimulus package into a business opportunity.

If you were planning on making changes to your home in the next year or two, you might want to consider taking a more green approach to remodeling projects such as replacing windows and doors, etc.

A tax credit program available for consumers through the new stimulus package can help you out on your taxes, when you decide to help out the environment.

This tax credit program could earn you up to $1500 back on your taxes! Certain credits are available to consumers that decide to take a more environmentally-friendly approach to replacing windows, garage doors, insulation, heating/cooling systems and more to your existing home or new construction.

In addition to a tax credit in the following year, the benefits for adding these energy-efficient products to your home will most likely result in lower energy bills in the years to come.

More information on which types of remodeling qualify, limits to the tax credit and other FAQ’s are available at the Energy Star website, so please visit http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=products.pr_tax_credits for details.

*ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping Americans all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

Many are waiting to buy until the market hits bottom.  But what they don't know is that by the time we are at the bottom we will be on our way back up.   The time to be making those deals is now, there is a window of opportunity to purchase.  Once we start up the other side you will quickly have many other buyers to compete with and your negtiating power will be gone.

Click on the link below to view a graph that demonstrates the time to buy in this market.

Click here to view graph.

It was just a short time ago that the number one way most buyers found their new home was through a Real Estate Broker.  The internet has now over come that number.  Recent stats show that 34% of Buyers find their home on the internet while 32% find it through a Real Estate Broker.  Obviously these stats are rather close. 

See list below for more details:

                  Real Estate Agent                     32%

                 Internet                                   34%

                 Yard Sign                                 15%

                 Friend/Relative                         7%

                 Home Builder                            7%

                 Newspaper Ad                            3%

                Direct from Seller                         2%

                 Home Book /Magazine                 1%

Internet use has gone from 18% in 1997 to 87% in 2008.  That is tremendous.  But in today’s market I think the truth is that the Internet and Broker are equally important.  You may do a lot of searching on line by your self but if you don’t have a Broker plugged into your wants and needs the really good deals will be missed.  See, Brokers do a lot of networking and when a good, no a great listing comes on the market it is gone before it hits the web.

So, in spite of the rising percentages for the internet, be sure to be in contact with your agent. 

To learn more details give us a call.

The cold weather just keeps coming.  As a note for those of you who were looking  forward to removing your vent and faucet winterization, don't do it yet.  According to the weather man we are still going to have another couple of days of cold wearther.

My flowers are up and primrose, pansies do fine in the cold weather.  So, at least you can get a little color in you flower beds. 

We will be holding an open house on March 15, 3334 Avondale Place in Philomath. Stop by and bring a friend.

Wow, more tax credits, you now can get an $8,000 tax credit if you are a first time home buyer.

What is the definition of a first time home buyer?  Never owned a home before or has not owned a home in the past 3 years. 

It's a great time to buy!