Living Beaverton - Your guide to everything Beaverton

One of my clients called me today and asked if I knew where to get, "Merry Christmas - We've Moved" cards, because they seemed to have looked everywhere and just couldn't find them. They called me in the hopes that I would have an answer. I said I didn't, but I would post it within Activerain, my blog site, and I bet someone out there would know where to find them.

So, fellow Rainers, don't let me down and give me some help finding these cards!

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739
Todd@IFoundYourNewHome.com
www.ifoundyournewhome.com

Your clients have got themselves a great 30 year fixed rate loan at a wonderful rate of 5.5%. So they close on their home and that is when the letters start. Refinance! Save money each month! Pay off your credit card bills! Heck these letters start before the house has even closed because of the credit bureaus selling their information to every loan chasing mortgage broker out there.

But, what you really need to do is warn them about is the scams out there. The misleading letters that attempt to get people to switch their mortgage from their current lender to some scum bag that tricks them in to a higher loan percentage and huge closing costs.

My parents recently closed on their new home and within days they started receiving letters saying they should refinance to save money. But, one that they got really concerned them and they almost fell for it had they not called me first.

The letter said that, "Your interest rate lock expires in 60 days and that your interest on your current loan will go up if you don't call in today and lock in your rate." They thought this was from their current lender and panicked that they didn't have a 30 year fixed like they thought and that in 60 days their interest rate was going to rise and they wouldn't be able to afford the payments if it went up too high.

I assured them that they had a 30 year fixed and even pulled their loan paperwork out and checked it with them again. If they read the fine print, they would have seen that it wasn't from their current lender and that they may not have an adjustable rate mortgage.

But, had they fallen for this, they very well could have refinanced within 60 days of closing, costing them 1.5% higher interest rate per month and an additional $10,000 in closing costs. So warn your buyers that these letters are out there and they are just out to get in their pockets. They need to just put them in the circular file by their desks.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Today is Friday, November 28, 2008 and it is time for another breakdown of homes sales in the Washington County, Oregon market. This week the stats came out for September 2008 versus September 2007 and the numbers are pretty amazing. With the average drop in home pending sales in Washington County since this time last years is 30.95% and now we are starting to feel the pinch of short sales and foreclosures hitting the market. It has caused the average home sold price to drop 4.05% since in the last month. This is an interesting situation, because for the first time we are seeing prices start to fall, but I’m interested in seeing the next couple months as I have started to see a little more buyer activity this month versus last month. I look forward to reporting this falls sales at the end of November and hopefully I will have some good news.

So, if you have a family home that you are thinking about selling, this is a great time to get it on the market!

Here is a breakdown of homes sales for the week by neighborhood. Just click on the link to your neighborhood for the complete breakdown of what the average of homes that are on the market, how long they have been on the market, how many have sold, what their average price was, and how long they were on the market.

As always, if you are looking to buy or sell in the Washington County, Oregon area, I would love to show you how you can save the most money by being on your side during the negotiations.

Neighborhood # of Active Listings

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

To me this sounds like a silly question and the same with my friends who are even of different religious backgrounds from me. They tell me that it's what I believe in and they would never be offended by me wishing them a Merry Christmas, just as I'm not offended by them wishing me a Happy Hanukkah and having dinner with them and eating Kosher.

So, this is the announcement of a new group...The "I'm in real estate and I'm proud to say the words "MERRY CHRISTMAS"" group. This group will only be taking posts from November 28^th through January 31 of each year. These posts will be for real estate success stories or just Christmas stories that end with you wishing your clients and friends a Merry Christmas proudly and not being afraid to say it in public.

There is no "HOLIDAY TREE" at the Clark household and I hope there isn't one at your house either.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble (I would like to thank everyone for choosing me as the food of choice when it comes to saying thanks) Gobble, Gobble (This is my Thanksgiving thanks, translated by Todd) Gobble? (What do I have to be thankful for?)

Gobble, Gobble (I have a lot to be thankful for) Gobble, Gobble, Gobble. Gobble? Gobble (I have a wonderful year of getting really fat and have you seen the Hens? They are hot!) Gobble, Gobble (I guess I am also thankful not to be a Chicken, you guys eat them all year long. I never want to see a KFT (Kentucky Fried Turkey))

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble (I also don't see kids having so much fun drawing chickens, no they trace their hands and honor me!) Gobble, Gobble, Gobble (The president can pardon me if I'm good enough, name another bird that gets that honor) Gobble, Gobble, Gobble. Gobble? Gobble, Gobble (I still think I should have been chosen as the nations bird over the eagle, but hey what can I do? Not my fault Ben Franklin was out voted)

Goggle, Gobble (Don't be sad for me) Gobble, Gobble. (I am happy with my life) Gobble, Gobble (I have a lot to be thankful for) Gobble, Gobble (and I am proud you have chosen me to show that thanks)

Gobble, Gobble (Happy Thanksgiving)
Gobble, Gobble (Tom Turkey)
Gobble (Oregon)

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble, Gobble, Gobble (P.S. - Don't forget to call Todd for any of your Real Estate needs in Washington County, Oregon at 503-524-9494)

One of my clients who owned rental properties prior to me knowing him had one of them he wanted to put on the market because the clients weren't paying their rent. I advised him that if they weren't paying, then more than likely, the property was going to be in less than salable condition when they got it back and that the tenants would probably not make it easy to sell. So my suggestion was to have them evicted prior to putting the home on the market.

He went of over to the property and the person on the lease agreed to be out by the 1^st of November, but there was a problem. There was another adult living there who wasn't on the lease. He told me about this person and I told him you need to get that person to sign on the lease or it may be harder than you think to get the person out. And that while he was at it, he should even get the person who said they would be out by the 1^st sign a 30 day eviction notice.

My seller decided that he didn't need to do that and the person didn't move out on the 1^st as promised, but was out by the 7^th with a little talking to. However, the other person is still there and has no plans to leave. He asked why and she told him that she has no money and no place to go. He told her that if you don't pay rent and don't move out, neither do I! This just upset her and she slammed the door in his face.

Now, the problem is getting her evicted without her being on the lease. There was no contract and now he has to spend money to hire an eviction company to get her out and spend money in court.

So, if you have a rental property make sure you have everyone over the age of 18 sign the lease agreement so you don't have the same problem that this landlord is now having with his property.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Well, this is a loaded question, but I can tell you that on my website, I have links to all the area schools and the report card given to them by the state. As for my kids? Well, they are home taught, the teachers are all right, not a lot of kids per class, but recess with dad is a lot of fun.

For more information on home schooling, I suggest you check out Calvert School and you will be amazed at what you read. I know that it isn't for everyone, but I know for my kids, they are better people for being home taught.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

If you have never been on a listing appointment for an expired listing, then let me tell you when you finally do, you are in for a real treat. The one thing I can tell you about your appointment is that the seller wants to sell. Its your job to find out why it didn't sell and how to fix it all in less than 15 minutes, or it is too late and they move on to the next agent on their list.

I went on a listing appointment last week on an expired listing and I have to admit I was agent number 4 of 4. Personally, I love to go last, because if they haven't already signed, then those other agents hadn't done what they came there to do and that was to list that home and help these people get it sold.

But, today was different. I was on the defensive from the start. They said they had already picked the agent they were listing with and they just wanted to give me a fair chance. I then told them, "Well let me put my comps away and my listing presentation away, because I'm not going to waste your time or mine." (I do this because I know it relaxes them, thinking I'm not going to try to sell them on me.)

Then I said, "If you don't mind though, I would love to sit and chat and find out what made you choose that agent, so I can improve my business and maybe be better during the next listing presentation I do?" They agreed and this is where the fun began!

This home had been on the market for 8 months with only 2 price reductions. The home was a fine home, but I felt about $20,000 over priced from everything else I saw sell in the neighborhood of this home. I decided to ask, "So, what was it about this agent that really impressed you?" They said, "This agent had great marketing and has been in business only a couple years, but has a marketing background and thought they could not only get us the previous asking price, but even raise the listing price by $40,000."

OK, I was pretty much done here and only asked a few more questions, just to make it look like I wasn't insulting them, or this other agent. But, how in the world does this agent think that they are going to get $40,000 more for a property that hasn't had anything done to it and has already been on the market 8 months? This agent lied to them to get the listing and NO buyer's agent will ever show this property. As soon as they look at the MLS history and see that the home was $40,000 cheaper 2 weeks ago, why on earth would they show it now?

So if you are a seller and you think it sounds too good to be true, it's because it is. A listing agent can't sell a home for $40,000 more than what it wouldn't sell for 3 months ago. (At least not in this market.) If you want to make more money on your property from the sale, may I suggest you look in to Owner Financing?

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

Please don't judge me too harshly until you read the whole post. I didn't do it, but I still have an urge to go back and steal from this REO for the greater good. You see I am married with three kids. I've had tough times in my life and if you listen to the news everyday, you would think the banks were eating soup and sandwiches every night with the shortage they have. (I don't consider a Twenty Two Million dollar bonus a shortage, for the record.)

But as we walked in to this vacant REO property today, it looked like any other. It was beaten down by the time of not being loved by its previous owners. I'm sure at one time they loved it, but when the time came that they knew they were going to lose their home, they just stopped loving it and taking care of it.

 As my buyer's walked through this house with me right behind listening to the conversation, but never saying a word, that is when we walked into what was a kid's room. There they were, two boxes of perfectly good kids toys that some how got left behind. I have to admit this brought a little tear to my eye, knowing that this child is now without a home, friends, and now possibly his favorite toys. That can't be easy on a child and from the toys I figured they couldn't have been much older than six.

Knowing it was an REO is when my thoughts went to stealing from the REO house. I knew that even if an offer came in today that it wouldn't close until January or February, because the banks are so "efficient" at their jobs.

My idea was to steal these two boxes and give them to someone like Toys for Tots, or the Sunshine division, so that some other child, where Christmas is going to be less than desirable because of the situation their parents are in, doesn't get deprived and can get some new toys this Christmas.

Now, I'm not going to do it, but I have to say it really is tempting, because I'm guessing these toys will just be thrown out by the new home owners or the bank if they do anything with them.

Sad in Oregon...

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739

I've written several posts about other agent's buyers calling me after the fact about advice and what they should do. In all those cases I did what I could to help these people, knowing that I wasn't going to get paid for that advice. I also knew in the end that most of these people would never want to trust another real estate agent again after losing usually their home and most of their life savings. 

Well, I am finally getting paid for all the time I have spent helping other agent's clients. One of those people that called me last year, based on my posts about lease options and owner financing, and had lost their home, told a friend of theirs that there was only one ethical agent they could find and that was me and to give me a call.

So if you get a call from someone else's client, don't say sorry I can't help you and leave them hanging, give them the advice they seek, and in the end you may get paid for your help, like I will be.

Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739