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Beaverton, OR Real Estate News

By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
AHHHHHH! It has come to that time again, where I just have to break down cry and spend another $4.99 on a new spatula. I know it seems insignificant, but it is just another thing in a long list of things that I have had to re-buy recently.Because there are moving boxes that I have yet to unpack, because the investment property is half the size of our old place, we have had to keep certain boxes in storage. The only problem is the boxes I bring home labeled kitchen supplies has books and CD's in it or my one labeled electronics has kids toys.WHAT HAPPENED? For anyone who has moved in the past 3 years and is considering moving again, learn from me, throw away the old boxes and start with new boxes without labeling on them.Or you too maybe asking...Where in the heck is my spatula?  
Comments 10
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
Sorry, I meant to say stated income loans are all but gone when it comes to buying investment properties. Why is that I say that I love the fact the stated income loan has all but gone of the way of the Dodo bird?First of all, my investors are saving more and more money by purchasing their investment properties with lease options and owner financing, and my sellers are starting to see profits of $20,000-$50,000 on their homes that are perfect for this type of investor.You see most of these homes that were bought on stated income loans before, were being bought as fixer uppers at really high rates of interest, usually around 10%, and really high closing costs. But, now they can buy these homes at 8% or less, or even as a lease option, fix it up and sell it and make even more without all ...
Comments 8
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
What's in a name? Well, from an investors stand point about $4000! Why do I say that? Let me tell you about one of my investors, and what a change in signs and how he advertised the property, is making him an extra $4000 a month.You see, one of my investors changed the sign on his apartment complex to condo homes and got the property re-zoned for condos. Now, instead of renting each property for $795.00 and getting a $750 security deposit, he is getting $5000 option money and $1295.00 per month from the lease option of the 10 units.What a difference the change of the sign did for his pocket book on a monthly basis. And on top of it, what he paid for the property, and if all ten unit options are exercised, at the end of the option period he will make between $500,000 and $600,000 dollars...
Comments 8
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
Recently one of my investors bought a house without my guidance, and because of this, he overpaid for the fixer by about $20,000.He thought to himself that he could fix it up and still make about $20,000 profit. The only problem with his idea was he over improved the home for the neighborhood. It is now $30,000 over the highest prices sale in the last year. We had an appraiser come in at my suggestion, and at the seller's expense, and the appraiser told my investor that if wanted it to sell, and appraise, then he would have to lower the price by $24,000.That meant a $4,000 loss for my client! You see, he put granite counter tops, hardwood floors, brand new bathrooms and even all new appliances. It all looks wonderful, but he could have stuck with a normal fix up and made a $10,000 profi...
Comments 10
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
This the second attempt to get more information out of me, about who I am and what makes me tick! Here is a link to my first MeMe back in October. I was really hoping to get lucky enough to go another 10 months without getting tagged again, but I wasn't so lucky.Pam Graham out of Florida was nice enough to tag me. I think she may have been in the sun a little too long if she finds me interesting enough to ask for yet another MeMe from me.But, I will see what I can dig up from my past that can help keep me from running for public office one day. As Adam and the Ants put it, "Don't drink, don't smoke, what do you do?" I guess I'm a "Goody Two Shoes" of sorts. I didn't have my first drink until my 21st birthday, and I fell asleep after drinking half a wine cooler. It would be another twelv...
Comments 16
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
I know its a rather gross question, but this is the question that was asked of my wife's woman's church group and she won! She had gone two weeks without a shower, for some reason, the same amount of time I have gone without a shower.You see, when me and my wife first got married 14 years ago, we would go camping a lot, without the joy of the RV and it's heat and warm shower. But, you see we went tent camping in Canada every anniversary for six straight years and we usually went without a shower during that time.I know some of you out there are now closet Grateful Dead fans and have a least gone a weekend without showering, but I would love to hear what is the longest you have went without showering. I'm putting bets on my friend Linda Scanlan, who also loves to camp and get out into th...
Comments 22
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
I've been trying to take some pictures for a blog I've had written for a week, and it just won't stop raining long enough for me to walk there. I love Oregon and its liquid sunshine, but the day the calendar flipped, and it said summer was over, it has been raining almost everyday since.The liquid sunshine does bring us beautiful, lush green forests, and beautiful autumns with the falling leaves all over the ground, but, dang it, Kodak doesn't make the Pacific Northwest EasyShare Waterpoof camera.So, please be patient with my local content blog, that I have been waiting to put up for a week, because without the pictures, it just wouldn't be the same. I feel even more sorry for my wife, who has been locked in the house, with the kids, for a week straight. You see, my kids are home taught...
Comments 9
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
I know it sounds harsh, but the statement is true! I've been to many investor clubs and talked to many "Real Estate Investors" that have been going to the meetings for 5 years, yet have never actually invested in a single piece of property.This is strange to me, but the more I talk to people the more I find out they call themselves investors because they buy all the books, go to every meeting and think they are experts. But, when you get right down to it, they are scared they will lose everything and will never actually invest anything more than the money they will pay for a book, a seminar, or the next year's investor club dues.I love talking to the soon to be first time investor that has the light in their eyes and is ready and willing to go! I've even helped some out by showing that ...
Comments 10
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
When you are out looking for a home yourself, what are the three biggest stresses in the process? The first is finding the home, of course, and that one can be solved possibly by you just putting your home on the market.The second is the inspection, and by spending $350-$400 on a pre-inspection, and including that with all the advertising material that is included with the home, that says to a potential buyer that this seller doesn't have anything to hide and when our inspector does an inspection there won't be any surprises.The third is the appraisal, and if you get an appraisal, this will make sure the buyer knows that the home will be under the appraised value when it comes time to get the loan.So, why not spend a little more before your sale to make sure you get the most when it doe...
Comments 10
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
Yesterday, at the open house I was doing, I had a person comment on how homes sales were down 21% in Beaverton, Oregon, and that was really affecting prices and she would never, ever offer full price on a property.I explained to her that she was right, home sales are down 21% in Beaverton, but that is just the attention getting headline. If you get to the facts behind that stat, you will see that even with the number of homes sales down 21% from last year, but the number of homes for sale is also down from last year.You see, you can't sell the same number as you did last year if you don't have as many homes for sale. If I only have 15,000 homes to sale, I can't sell 19,000 homes, the math just won't support it and then it gives me a figure that homes sales are down 21% from last year.Bu...
Comments 9
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
Today was just like any other day in the Clark household, that is until the monster was awoke. How did this happen you ask?I was lying in bed just like normal, when my three year old decided to attack me, but she took it too far! That is when it happened, she awoke the tickle monster and for the next hour the tickle monster attacked any all children that got within striking distance.So, for you families with young children, be aware of this sleeping monster! You should never underestimate it and always be on the watch out for it. I can't tell you what the tickle monster looks like, because it changes form every time. Warn your children to be on the lookout for this sleeping giant, because it lurks in every household with children and grandchildren, from what I understand.
Comments 12
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
Are you holding an open house on a cold and rainy day, like the one we are having here today in Beaverton, Oregon, and seem to have everyday during the winter? If you have never been to the Pacific Northwest during the winter, let me give you an idea what almost everyday is here.You get up to it being about 35° and raining, never quit cold enough to snow, but just enough that it makes it very miserable when it comes time to walk the dog at 6am. This weather continues from about October 1st - April 1 every year and boy is it fun.Well, we still have to sell homes and sometimes it is the little things that make a difference in selling a home. Today the home I was holding open always seems to get the question, "is that a gas or wood burning fireplace?" So today, I decided to show everyone a...
Comments 14
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
Oh, you think I'm joking, but every year its the same thing, just as I'm about to spend money on Christmas gifts for everyone, it never fails. Something, or in the case of this year, everything breaks down.Last year it was my car, this year it is my wife's car and the microwave and the stove. What is it about my house and cars that feel the necessity to break down at the most inconvenient time of the year?I've tried talking to them, being nice, and still! The car I can deal with, the microwave was a little harder, but the stove? I love my wife's baking and if the stove is busted that means I'm not getting fatter and I'm not happy! If my wife let's me thin out too much, I might actually be able to get this ring off and be able to leave her.We all know the only reason I'm staying is becau...
Comments 23
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
A client of mine who bought from me about 11 months ago, had a relative that was a real estate expert! OK, you know what I'm talking about, the favorite cousin that because they watch CNN every night thinks they know more about real estate than you do? Well, to top it off, this person lived in another state and was calling me a bold faced liar in front of her cousin.Well, guess who got the last laugh! Not to rub it in or anything, but the home that she was telling her cousin that was such a good deal is now under 5 feet of water. You see, this so called real estate expert, wanted her cousin to buy a property in a manufactured home park because of the tremendous savings. Well, I did the math, and after paying the fees to the park each month, after 3 years, she would have been going backw...
Comments 11
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
Right now I'm in a situation that I never thought I would be in, I have a client that trusts me almost to the end of the world. (Well, it feels like it anyway.)You see he has gone on vacation for six weeks to the Philippines, and says, "You know what I want, you have proven it twice now!" You see, both home inspections found some serious damage under the house to the foundation and the both sellers were not willing to pay to get them fixed.He says, "If you see my home, put an offer in and fax it to me in the Philippines and I will look at the pictures, the video, and start to order the inspections and appraisals."I'm not sure how I feel about this, and I've told him that I'm in a wait and see pattern on this one. This isn't an investor who buys homes just based on numbers or I wouldn't ...
Comments 14
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
The Highland Hills neighborhood of Beaverton, Oregon goes east from Murray to Hall Blvd and then South from Allen Blvd to Hart Road. The Highland Hills neighborhood features two parks, Channing Heights park and Fir Grove park for everyone to enjoy.As of 3/7/2008 here are the stats for the Highland Hills NeighborhoodTotal number of homes for sale:                      44Average List Price:                                            $347,073Average Days on Market:                                   78Total Pending home sales:                               14Average List Price:                                            $313,507Average Days on Market:                                   69Total sold in the last 30 days:                           8Average list Price:                           ...
Comments 0
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
The Sorrento Ridge neighborhood of Beaverton, Oregon goes east from Murray to Hall Blvd and then South from Hart Road to Brockman/Greenway Road. Hyland Forest park is the only park in the neighborhood.As of 3/7/2008 here are the stats for the Sorrento Ridge NeighborhoodTotal number of homes for sale:            65Average List Price:                                  $341,855Average Days on Market:                         76Total Pending home sales:                     14Average List Price:                                   $329,424Average Days on Market:                         66Total sold in the last 30 days:                 9Average list      Price:                               $339,683Average Sold Price:                                  $331,028Average Days on Market:               ...
Comments 0
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
The Aloha neighborhood of Aloha, Oregon goes east from 209th to 170th and then South from Tualatin Valley Highway to Farmington Road. There are a few parks in the area including Aloha park, Butternut park, Rosa park and Hazeldale Park.As of 3/7/2008 here are the stats for the Aloha NeighborhoodTotal number of homes for sale:        162Average List Price:                                $297,436Average Days on Market:                     70Total Pending home sales:                 22Average List Price:                               $281,598Average Days on Market:                     73Total sold in the last 30 days:            15Average list Price:                               $254,183Average Sold Price:                             $251,230Average Days on Market:                    93If ...
Comments 1
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
The Hart neighborhood of Beaverton, Oregon goes east 170th to Murray Blvd, the South from Farmington to Hart Road. The Hart neighborhood has many great parks like Schuepbach Park, Brookhaven Park, Hartwood Park, Summercrest East Park and Tallac Terrace ParkAs of 3/7/2008 here are the stats for the Hart NeighborhoodTotal number of homes for sale:        74Average List Price:                               $338,277Average Days on Market:                     70Total Pending home sales:                 22Average List Price:                               $322,555Average Days on Market:                     61Total sold in the last 30 days:             11Average list Price:                                $301,523Average Sold Price:                              $297,159Average Days on Market:   ...
Comments 3
By Todd Clark - Retired, Principle Broker Oregon
(eXp Realty LLC)
The Cooper Mountain neighborhood of Beaverton, Oregon goes east from Grabhorn Rd to 175th Ave, then north from Kemmer Rd to Farmington Road. The two parks in the area are Burnridge Park and Granada park.As of 3/7/2008 here are the stats for the Cooper Mountain NeighborhoodTotal number of homes for sale:          116Average List Price:                                  $503,459Average Days on Market:                         89Total Pending home sales:                   32Average List Price:                                 $366,450Average Days on Market:                       82Total sold in the last 30 days:              15Average list Price:                                   $448,424Average Sold Price:                                 $433,415Average Days on Market:                       ...
Comments 1