How to Avoid a Moving Service Scam

Most people move in the summer, but moving scams can happen at any time of the year. Protect yourself, your family, and your belongings by knowing how to identify a moving service scam. 

Are they who they seem to be?

Just because a name is similar to a large, reputable company doesn't mean it’s actually associated with that company. Check their website to see if they’re actually associated with the company or if they’re freeloading on someone else’s good reputation.

How are they asking for payment?

Most reputable companies charge by the weight and distance, so they will need to see your belongings to make an accurate estimate. Get at least three estimates so you can see how each company compares to the others. If one company charges significantly less, it may not be reputable. Asking for payment up front is also a red flag; most companies will not require a deposit. 

Be aware of your rights.

Scammers make money when people don’t understand their rights or don’t take important precautions. Always get a written estimate from your moving service. That way, if you do end up with a bill that’s significantly higher than your estimate, you’ll be able to fight back. 

If you need a recommendation for a reputable moving company, let me know! I can help you find your next home and a good moving company to help you settle in.

Preparing for the 2019 Real Estate Market

Watch these Video clips from a Principle Broker, Lender, Home Inspector and Escrow Officer to learn valuable suggestions on how to navigate the real estate market in the Portland, Oregon metro area in 2019.

   
Some of the great suggestions for Sellers include considering a pre-listing home inspection, taking care of minor or smaller repairs prior to listing, and preparing your home for showings and a Buyer's home inspection.

For Buyers, we hear about being aware of the current mortgage rates when you begin the buying process, understanding your finances and comfortable payment levels, and being clear on what you want in a house to ensure you find the right home to buy.

Both Sellers and Buyers need to be aware of high levels of cyber fraud in the real estate industry, using secure means of communication and in general communicating regularly with your Realtor, Lender, and Escrow Officer to ensure a smooth closing.

Give me a call if you are interested in more information about how you can be successful in meeting your real estate needs in 2019!  503-495-3533

Selling Your Home? Make Sure the Price is Right!

If you’ve ever watched “The Price is Right,” you know that the only way to win is to be the one to correctly guess the price of the item you want without going over! That means your guess must be just slightly under the retail price.

In today’s shifting real estate market, where more inventory is coming to market and home values are projected to appreciate at lower rates, homeowners will not be able to price their homes as aggressively as they were able to just last year.

They will have to employ the same strategy: be the closest without going over!

As we have explained before, pricing your home at or slightly below market value actually increases the number of buyers who will see your home in their search!

Over the last six months, more inventory has come to market while the months’ supply of inventory available has dropped. This means that the demand for homes to buy is still very strong throughout the country!

Homeowners who make the mistake of overpricing their homes will eventually have to drop the price. This leaves buyers wondering if the price drop was caused by something wrong with the homes when in reality nothing was wrong, the price was just too high!

Bottom Line

If you are thinking about listing your home for sale this year, let’s get together to properly price your home from the start!

December 2018 Real Estate Market Statistics

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

• Sales:   1,846 in December 2018 vs 2,350 last December  -21.4 %

• Pending Sales:   1,599 in December 2018 vs 1,757 last December:  -9.0%

• New Listings:   1,255 in December 2018 vs 1,617 last December:  -22.4%

• Average Sales Price:   $452,400 in December 2018 vs $428,700 last December:  5.5%

• Total Market Time: 64 days in December 2018 vs 55 days last December:  16.4%

• Inventory in Months: 2.5 months in December 2018 vs 1.6 months last December

Inventory by Area:

• NW Washington County   2.74 months
• Beaverton/Aloha               1.38months
• Hillsboro/Forest Grove     1.75 months

How to Boost Your Curb Appeal in Winter

Just because the temperature is freezing doesn’t mean you can’t warm buyers’ hearts with your home’s exterior during the winter. Here are a few tips to help make your property inviting.

1. Door Number One Don’t miss the opportunity to make a great first impression. New doors are worth the investment. Or, give your door a fresh coat of paint and upgrade your handles and knocker with some shiny bling. When appropriate, brightly colored doors can create a charming focal point, especially during winter when the world can seem white and grey.

2. Plant Some Green Evergreen shrubs look terrific in pots on the porch and can add allure to your home’s entry.

3. Keep it Safe Be sure that all walkways are clear of snow and ice. In addition to helping to prevent dangerous slips, the clean lines of a shoveled driveway look great and imply your property is well cared for.

4. Stash Santa Past January 1, be sure to take down distracting holiday decorations. No blinking lights, reindeer on the roof, and no inflatable snow snow globes. You can, however, dress up your front door with a non-denominational winter wreath.

5. To Sit, Porch-ance to Dream If there’s room on your porch, consider adding a rocking chair or bistro set. While prospective buyers probably won’t consider whiling away the evening out there in winter, the furniture can remind them how nice it is to sit there in warmer weather.

Looking for more ways to prepare your property to go on the market? Contact me today.

How to Prepare a Personal Property Inventory

Happy New Year! As we begin the new year, now is the perfect time to make plans and resolutions. I’d encourage you to make one of your resolutions creating a property inventory for your home or renter’s insurance. Not sure how? Here are a couple of ways to create your inventory. 


Having homeowner's or renter's insurance is crucial to ensure your home and family are protected in case disaster strikes. You want to also ensure you maximize how much you can recover in the event of a disaster. Having homeowner's or renter’s insurance isn’t the only step. Once you have insurance, you need to inventory all your belongings: furniture, appliances, clothing, collectibles, jewelry, cleaning supplies, toiletries, even the food in your fridge. This can be a daunting undertaking, but having an accurate inventory of your belongings can more than double the amount of reimbursement you can request. Here are a couple ways to create your inventory; be sure to check with your policy first to see what type of inventories they accept.

Option One: Take Pictures
Photographing or videotaping everything in your home is one of the fastest ways to create a personal property inventory. Just take a photo of every room in your house facing each direction. If you use this approach, be sure to take photos or videos of all drawers in both open and closed positions. If you have a drawer or closet full of items, pull everything out and spread it out on a bed or table to get a clear view of everything within. 

Option Two: Write Everything Out
One of the bes,t though most time consuming,options is to go room by room and create a comprehensive list of everything in your home. A program like Google Sheets is great for this because it's easy to access, easy to edit, and can be accessed from any device if your computer or flash drive is damaged. Next to each item, jot down how much you paid for it or its estimated value. If you have receipts or model numbers for an item, or if you know when an item was purchased, add that in your document as well.

Remember, creating an inventory isn’t a one-time thing. It will need to be updated. Whenever you purchase a big-ticket item, such as a new appliance or electronics, scan or photograph the receipts and add the items to your inventory.


If this year you or someone you know wants to make a move, let me know! I’ll be glad to help.