Getting a Home Loan - Are You Ready to Fly?

Mike Hammel, a mortgage broker with C2 Financial Corporation, shared a list of 83 ways you may hit turbulence on the road to homeownership.  Here are just a few....

• Buyers not telling the truth on loan applications
• Late payments showing on Buyer credit report
• Buyers make a large purchase on credit prior to closing
• Seller is unable to clear liens on the property
• Buyer loses job prior to closing
• Appraised value is lower than purchase price
• Inspectors or appraiser are not available as soon as needed
• Seller needs more time to move out delaying the close date 

Your Financing Strategy Matters! Lenders can help you be aware of the do's and don'ts of using your funds or credit while in the process of purchasing a home.  Your lender can also be helpful in overcoming some of the obstacles you might encounter - or being creative in finding ways to help the home purchase move forward after incurring some unforeseen turbulence.   

When obtaining financing for purchasing a home, selecting the right lender is just as important as selecting the right Realtor.  Look for a lender:

• Who is local to your market 
• Has great communication skills - with you, your agent and the cooperative agent, and the title/escrow officer 
• Has a great relationship with the lender's processing and underwriting departments 
• Is creative in removing contingencies when needed and possible, and 
• Has your best interests in mind while working with you on your home purchase.

If you are thinking about buying a home and want a referral to Mike Hammel, or another local mortgage lender, let me know!

October 2018 Real Estate Market Statistics

The following is the latest Real Estate Market Statistics for October 2018.
Click here for the full report

• Sales:   2,440 in October 2018 vs 2,565 last October  -4.9 %

• Pending Sales:   2,484 in October 2018 vs 2,705 last October:  -8.2%

• New Listings:   3,100 in October 2018 vs 2,981 last October:  4.0%

• Average Sales Price:   $453,600 in October 2018 vs $429,400 last October:  5.6%

• Total Market Time: 53 days in October 2018 vs 44 days last October:  19.7%

• Inventory in Months: 2.7 months in October 2018 vs 2.1 months last October

Inventory by Area:

• NW Washington County   2.83 months
• Beaverton/Aloha               1.80months
• Hillsboro/Forest Grove     1.55 months

What Makes You a Good Neighbor?

According to Realtor.com's recent Good Neighbor report, you don't necessarily need to be friendly to be considered an easy person to live next to.  Sometimes, just being quiet and respectful of others' property is enough.

Trust and dependability plays an integral part in helping a neighborhood feel like a 'home' - and most people generally think positively about their neighbors. The report found that the best trait in a neighbor is trustworthiness, whereas the worst trait was seen to be someone who is disrespectful of property.

Below is an infographic displaying some of the key findings of the Good Neighbor report.

Based on the report findings, there's a 75% chance the folks you live next to consider you a good neighbor!

Adapted from RISMedia's HouseCall Blog

Homework Series - November 2018

HouseLogic also suggests these are 6 tasks every homeowner should do in November:

1. WASH BED PILLOWS - with fall being the height of the guest season, you want your guest pillows fresh! Pop them in the washing machine and dryer for an all-over clean feeling.

2. CLEAN THE MATTRESS TOO - the guest mattress needs to be its freshest as well. Vacuum it, then wipe it down with a cloth dampened with an upholstery shampoo. Let it dry fully before making up the bed to prevent mold.

3. INSULATE WINDOWS - keep your cozy vibe inside!  Hang drapes as close to the windows as possible and keep the heat inside.  You can also add clear Velcro strips or dots to the back of the drape and attach to fasteners on the wall to help insulate.

4. STOCK UP ON SNOW SUPPLIES - while we don't get much snow in Oregon, relative to other areas across the country, it's still important to have a minimum of supplies on hand for those few snowy days.  Take advantage of seasonal sales so you aren't rushing out to compete for supplies when the weather changes.

5. TRIM TREE BRANCHES - Take precautions to prevent loose branches from hitting the roof or allowing pests to explore the roof and inside access by trimming any branches that hang over the roof top or eaves.  Keep limbs and branches at least 3 feet from the house.

6. GET A CHIMNEY SWEEP TO INSPECT THE FIREPLACE - if you have a wood burning fireplace, it's time to dust off and sweep the chimney.  A professional chimney sweep will ensure your wood burning fireplace burns more efficiently and will help prevent chimney fires and carbon monoxide poisoning during the winter.

Extra Tip - If you don't already have a chimney cap, this is also the time to add one to stop wild outdoor critters from crawling down it - and into your house!

Blessed, Grateful, Thankful

My husband, Scott, and I have a passion for traveling.  A dream of mine came to reality this year when Scott and I traveled to Africa for a three week vacation.


In large part, our trip was made possible due to our clients trust and support of our roles in Real Estate - my having served my clients and their referrals in buying or selling a home, and Scott providing home inspection services.  For this, we are Thankful!

Enjoy a few photos from our safaris