Recently I made the decision to join an up and coming brokerage on the Oregon Coast: Kamali Sotheby’s International Realty. It wasn’t an easy decision to make after more than 5 years at my previous brokerage but it makes great sense for my business. The power of the Sotheby’s brand, marketing initiatives and media partnerships really set SIR apart from the rest:

Geographically it’s much less of a change, my new office is located 587 Pacific Way in Gearhart. Lots of people scratch their heads when I tell them my office is in Gearhart… For me it’s pretty simple, I focus on selling real estate from Gearhart to Astoria. Being located in Gearhart saves me lots of time traveling up and down Hwy 101 in the Summer months and it’s only 10 minutes from downtown Astoria. Plenty of people with an Astoria address live further from downtown than that.

If you’re out and about feel free to stop in and check out my new office.  Here’s a sneak preview

preview of the Gearhart office

If you have 3 minutes I would really appreciate your feedback.

2011 Astoria real estate blog reader survey

Since 2006 there’s always been a handful of bank owned homes for sale at any given time.

They come in waves it seems…

Well, we’ve just been hit by a tsunami. The number of bank owned homes for sale in Astoria and Clatsop County has doubled in the past year. It skyrocketed over 30% in November alone.

What caused the huge increase last month? [Read more...]

Today I’m making some slight changes and updates to the site, improving loading time and making it easier to get around.

You might see something funky one minute, and gone the next. That’s just me working out the details.

The updated framework is made by the good folks at Studio Press.

This is a common question I get from many first time home buyers, and even from those that haven’t purchased a home in a while. There is no standard answer I can give that is correct for each and every scenario, but let’s look at a few financing options and other costs you’ll have in order to complete a home purchase.

What are closing costs?

Closing costs are just that, your total costs to close or complete the purchase. For our purposes let’s assume you are obtaining financing for all or most of the purchase price. Closing costs include the fees your lender charges to make the loan, appraisal fee, title and escrow charges, prorate of property taxes and the county recording fee. The total amount of these fees will vary based on the property, purchase price, lender and the borrower’s financial strength. [Read more...]

The Wall Street Journal published some tips on preparing a home for showings in the winter months. Many of these same tips apply to us in Astoria and the North Coast, as it’s not unusual to having showings on rainy and blustery days during the winter months.

From the WSJ:

Push for day showings: A home shows to its best advantage during daylight hours. “Encourage your agent to show your home before 3 p.m. and have it ready to show by 9 a.m. if you want the best results,” recommends Marlene Granacki of RE/MAX Exclusive Properties in Chicago.

Provide convenient parking: Would you want to walk far in cold weather or be forced to climb over a snow bank?

Don’t ignore the outdoors: Make a good first impression on buyers with a neatly maintained yard. Walks and steps should be kept clear, especially of snow and ice. (No seller wants to be slapped with a lawsuit over a broken ankle.)

Make it easy to enter: Winter showings can get off to an awkward start if prospective buyers arrive with snow or salt on their shoes. (Not to mention the extra cleaning required of home owners.)

Shine light: For a showing, turn on plenty of lights — even in the closets.

Keep odors under control: Homes tend to be stuffy in winter. If pets are in the house, consider running the furnace fan constantly during the day to keep air moving and dissipate odors. Avoid strong cooking odors, especially if a showing is scheduled that day.

Don’t roast buyers: Heat is nice during the winter but don’t blast buyers with hot air. Keep the temperature at a comfortable 65 degrees for all showings.

Cultivate a festive look: Appropriate decorations help give a home a cheerful look during the dreary winter months. “Holiday decorations can help homes sell, but don’t go to excess,” suggests Starr Zook of RE/MAX On Track in Aledo, Ill.

Don’t give up: Despite the special challenges of marketing a home during winter, there also are benefits, notes Laura Ortoleva, a spokesperson for the RE/MAX Northern Illinois real estate network. “Buyers out looking at homes in December or January are, as a group, quite serious about buying,” she says.

In my opinion the most important items are curb appeal, a clean entry with a place to remove shoes or put booties on and ensure the house smells fresh.

The article mentions that buyers out during the winter months or during stormy weather are usually serious, and that’s very true in my experience.