If you are looking for homes for sale in Astoria and Clatsop county you must first find out how much house you can buy.  Contact us by clicking the Apply button below for a complimentary no obligation pre approval.   Mortgage rates you see advertised in newspapers are yesterday's rates. Online advertised rates are not always updated and often leave out loan terms.  The rate quotes we provide will take all compensating factors into consideration before providing you a quote. Astoria, Clatsop county and the state of Oregon will begin to see mortgage rates rise.  This is because the Fed is buying mortgage backed securities (MBS) which has kept mortgage rates artificially low.  When they announce that they will stop buying MBS you'll see mortgage rates begin to rise.     Astoria real es... 12/17/2009

In Astoria Oregon our market has of course felt the downturn based upon what is/has happened locally and the Real Estate Market in general. Interestingly enough, we were the one of the last areas in the Country to feel the effects of the market downturn. I think there are two reasons for this. 1. Our market is largely a second home community being located in Clatsop County right by the beautiful North Oregon Coast. 2. We are basically built out. The first thing I learned in Real Estate was the concept of supply and demand. That was over 35 years ago and the rule hasn't changed. More supply with less demand makes it a Buyers market. More demand with less supply makes it a sellers market. So, how do you get the best deal in today's market at the Coast? 1. This is obvious and the news has ... 12/16/2009

  If you are looking for homes for sale in Astoria and Clatsop county you must first find out how much house you can buy.  Contact us by clicking the Apply button below for a complimentary no obligation pre approval.   Mortgage rates you see advertised in Oregon's newspapers are yesterday's rates. Online advertised rates are not always updated either and often leave out terms and conditions.  You can be sure that our  rate quotes will take all compensating factors into consideration before providing you a quote. Astoria, Clatsop county and the state of Oregon will begin to see mortgage rates rise.  This is because the Fed is buying mortgage backed securities (MBS) which has kept mortgage rates artificially low.  When they announce that they will stop buying MBS you'll see mortgage rate... 12/14/2009

Astoria and Clatsop  County residents get to enjoy the currently low Oregon mortgage rates.  Refinancing can save thousands and a purchase is made possible with the lower payments.  Unfortunately all good things must come to an end.  In the not so distant future I predict that people will be at work talking about how they were lucky and locked in a rate below 5% and couldn't imagine having to take a 9% mortgage rate to get a loan.  I think higher mortgage rates are coming and I don't think we will see mortgage rates this low for at least a generation if not longer. Mortgage rates are low because the Fed is buying mortgages.  This is unprecedented and is not likely to happen again.  If you're smart you'll heed this advice. I'd like to offer one more suggestion:  If you are looking for h... 12/11/2009

THE ASTORIA BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION Did you know that: Astoria, Oregon was established in 1811 by the John Jacob Astor fur trading party, and became the first permanent U.S. settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.   City leaders began planning for a huge 200th. birthday celebration as early as 2008.  Committees have been actively planning for the event, which will include many educational & community-wide events of interest to the entire family.  A permanent exhibit at the Heritage Museum will enlighten us on the founding of Astoria, John Jacob Astor & the race for the beautiful Pacific Northwest. Like many historical venues, this celebration will include lectures, presentations & a full schedule of activities.  For more information please defer to the birthday party celebration websi... 11/30/2009

As you can see from the sales trends above, the highest concentration of sales is in the $ 200,000-250k price range for the second year in a row.  The introduction of the First Time Home Buyer's Tax Credit is to be acknowledged for the growth in these market segements.  For the first time in many years we're seeing the re-introduction of home listed below $ 200,000.  This is due in part to the entry of bank owned properties & short sales.  Inventory in our area continues to drop from the record highs of 2008.  Continued inventory declines are to be expected through the end of: 2009, when I expect another 100 listings to expire.  I'm optimistic that we'll start see signs of a recovery in mid-2010. Astoria has long been reported as a top Retirement City.  Now is the time for those lookin... 11/19/2009

A couple Saturdays ago I posted a "I don't feel like typing Saturdays"post with a picture of the Dismal Nitch and asked if you career was in one? But, because of that post I was asked by many, where it was and what it was all about. I have to admit when I stopped to get that at that sign, I didn't realize how important that spot was in America's history, but instead of what was supposed to be a 30 second stop for a great picture turned in to a 30 minute stop reading up on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.You see the Dismal Nitchwas the last stop before the group was supposed to meet up with supply ships off the Pacific Coast, but what Lewis and Clark didn't expect was one of the worst storms to hit the Pacific Coast. This storm trapped them on the Columbia River at a spot they named the D... 11/16/2009

  Classic New Contemporary Style Home has it all! Appointments include: large lot with coast range view, sought after 4-bedroom, 3-full bath floor plan, custom cabinetry with granite counters throughout, lower level family room, 3-car garage with shop & so much more! View More Information At: http://www.postlets.com/repb/2818122  10/29/2009

  Zillow.com is reporting that almost 25% of all mortgagors owe more money on their mortgage than their home is worth and that figure may increase to 30% by mid 2010.           Home values dipped in the second quarter from a year earlier in almost 90% of the 161 U.S. metropolitan areas surveyed by Zillow. 23% of mortgage holders were underwater at the end of June, Zillow said.  In June, foreclosures accounted for 22% of total U.S. home sales, and 29% of homes sold were purchased for less than what the owner originally paid, according to Zillow.    Is this the the stock market retracement everyone has been expecting? The indexes are weaker again this morning. If equities are entering a reversal and profit-taking period interest rates will head back lower. Can't be sure of the timing but ... 08/11/2009

Want a complimentary personal quote or loan pre approval?  Click here       Mortgage rates are higher!  See the Oregon mortgage rate chart below. Is this good news or bad news? Mortgage rates are higher but so are stocks. I guess it depends if you have a large investment portfolio, IRA, 401K or if you want the lowest mortgage rate.  Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?  You can!  First you have to understand how it works.  Stocks and mortgage rates have a love hate relationship.  When stocks are higher the market sells their mortgage backed securities (MBS) in the form of bonds which causes the mortgage rates to increase. Obviously in this scenario you will not get the lowest mortgage rate. When the market feels pessimistic about the economy and sells off stocks and diverts... 08/03/2009

No matter where you are in Oregon our branch office can assist you with providing current Oregon mortgage rates and originating your mortgage. Who are we? First Priority Financial is the largest mortgage brokerage in the United States with over 300 lenders and we carry two banking lines with Bank of America and Flagstar Bank allowing us the flexibility as a direct lender.  The best mortgage rates are found when you have many lenders to choose from.  Our corporate office is located in Fairfield CA but we have offices in all Western states and even as far as Florida and Raleigh, North Carolina.  We plan to be nationwide by 2011.  We are mortgage brokers who lend not only in Astoria/Seaside but but also statewide. No matter where you are in Oregon our branch office can assist you with prov... 07/27/2009

Rates are improving this afternoon!  Good news for those of you in a position to lock your rate.  Have a great day everybody! Mortgage Interest Rates* Rates as of Wednesday, 8th July, 2009:   Conforming APR Payment per$1,000 Jumbo APR Payment per$1,000 30-Yr. fixed 4.75% 4.794% $5.22 Call % 0.000% $0.00 15-Yr. fixed 4.25% 4.412% $7.52 for% 0.000% $0.00 7-Yr. fixed ARM 4.50% 4.541% $5.07 jumbo% 0.000% $0.00 5-Yr. fixed ARM 4.25% 4.428% $4.92 rates% 0.000% $0.00 10 Yr. fixed ARM 4.75% 4.894% $5.22 % 0.000% $0.00 5-Yr. Interest Only 4.25% 4.389% $3.54 % 0.000% $0.00 *Rates are subject to change due to market fluctuations and borrower's eligibility. Rates subject to change. Certain credit requirements and other conditions apply. This is not a guarantee to lend. Rates based on a 12 day lock ... 07/08/2009

Did you know that rates vary by state?  With one lender I even had separate rates for Northern and Southern California. I get separate rate sheets for each state or "adjustments" to the posted rate for each state.  This is why when people look online for the "National Average" 30 year fixed rate it can be misleading. Here are a couple of examples from rate sheets: States                                                                                          Adjustments FL, TX                                                                                                    0.125   OK, ND, GA                                                                                          0.000   AK,LA, AR, MS, TN, PA                                                                     (0 050)   ... 07/07/2009

Speechless Sunday   02/01/2009

We need Homebuyers here in Astoria,Oregon,Newport,Seaside,Tillamook,Oceanside,Ranchstyles,Painted Ladies, Craftsman, any style and we have them in Oregon, Come To the Oregon Coast to buy your next home, 10/20/2008

Having been in the real estate industry for over 14+ Years I have only shown a home 1 time and most of or just about all of my buyers come over the net. What people want is to know if the home that they are buying is a safe  buy and that can is done with the aids of professional people along the home buying routes, With the aids of the net and the fax machine and if the listing agent has done a good job of a digital  out lay of pictures there is no need to leave your office and drive around with the high price of fuel. 10/14/2008

 Now is the time to buy that luxury home that you have always wanted and  yet thought that you could never afford!Many homes have had price reductions to reflect the slow sale of their homes from the Oregon Coast To The Colorado Rockies. A1 Realty is ready to serve your homebuying needs. http://www.a1realty.efindagent.com 05/13/2008

If you lived in the 80's, the two Coreys really couldn't be avoided. They seemed to be everywhere! But, since this is the Inspired by Movie Song contest, I thought I'd better step it up and bring out a Corey and Steven Spielberg for this contest!Then to take it up from there, I decided to end my vacation by going to the houses where these next two films were made. I even added a 90's movie set for our younger viewers today.What movie that you can't forget brought Corey Feldman and Steven Spielberg together in the 80's? Of course it was "The Goonies" and it was filmed right here in Oregon about 15 minutes away from where I was on vacation. Not only is the Goonies a great movie, it taught you about team work and to never give up on your goal! Besides, how can you go wrong with a video tha... 04/27/2008

This article about the shift in advertising revenues from print and other traditional outlets to on-line marketing doesn’t surprise me. I have been preaching to my fellow Realtors about staying ahead of the curve and effectively spending your advertising dollars to the point that many are probably tired of hearing me quote response and effectiveness stats. With more than 8 in 10 consumers starting their search for a home on-line, how can you afford not to have your home in front of the majority of buyers? Many Realtors are beginning to learn that an on-line presence is not optional if you wish to grow your business in the future, but some of the old school folks in my market have me scratching my head. I see some Realtors actually ramping up their print advertising, in a time where som... 03/27/2008

On the March 15th. airing of the NBC Today Show famed real estate expert, Barbara Corcoran chose Astoria, Oregon as "one of the best areas to retire for city people in pursuit of a quieter place".  View the article at: http://www.barbaracorcoran.com/While I agree with most points in her article, Barbara falls very short in the data cited pertaining to our average home prices of: $ 153,500.For the record, I searched our MLS service and found a total of 3-active Astoria residential listings in that price point.  There were a few common denominators, all three were built prior to 1915, all are located on substandard sized lots, lack a garage and require some level of restoration.  Ironically enough, one would have to simply double that notion.  An active search of the inventory reveals tha... 03/22/2008