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Corvallis, OR Real Estate News

LaSells Stewart Center Watercolor Exhibits Aqueous Media: The exhibit will feature 20 pieces from the jury selection of the Oregon Water Color Society as well as art by Juror Betsy Dillard Stout Oregon Invitational Watercolor Exhibit: will feature work from local and regional watercolor artists. Accepted Artwork will be posted: June 22, 2011.<--> Exhibit Dates: Mon, 08/01/2011 - 8:00am - Tue, 08/30/2011 - 5:00pm Reception Date: Wed, 08/10/2011 - 6:30pm - 8:30pm Free and Open to the Public
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By Results Realty
(Results Realty)
Tuesday, 8 PM, July 26 - Central ParkSousa and Friends (Featuring Sue and Gail Gillespie, piccolos)! is sponsored by Corvallis Endodontics.Tuesday, 8 PM, August 2 - Central ParkHistory of American Popular Music (Featuring Branden Hansen, xylophone) is sponsored by Gracewinds Music, Inc.Tuesday, 8 PM, August 9 - Central ParkClassical Concert is sponsored by The Thursday Beanery Bunch.Tuesday, 8 PM, August 16 - Central ParkLots of Leroy (Anderson) (Featuring Jim Douglass, trumpet) sponsored by Mike & Alice Foster.Tuesday, 8 PM, August 23 - Central ParkJazz in the Park (Featuring Steve Matthes, jazz clarinet) sponsored by Mario & Alma Pastega Family Foundation.Tuesday, 8 PM, August 30 - Central ParkCommunity Band Favorites is sponsored by Mario & Alma Pastega Family Foundation. Photos by L...
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Your buyer found the dream home. Now the inspection report has come in and the rainbows and unicorns are seriously decimated by some dry rot and that the inspector mentioned "trip hazards".... It is time to put things into perspective and when you are an experienced agent, this should be a walk in the park. Read the report carefully. Sort through the recommendations. Ask your buyer to do the same and then discuss it. Your buyer might come up with problems like trip hazards. Those are mostly "liability remarks". The world is full of trip hazards. There is nothing you can do but watching your feet. But if the inspector does not mention it you might be willing to sue him because he did not let you know. This lovely treat is courtesy of lawyers, a sad but real issue in our society. But in t...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
As of 2 weeks ago ALL listings I took since the beginning of this year are either sold or in contract and then some (sellers who needed a new home, buyers coming from other leads...). So now I am on to new shores, working on two new listings while the "rest" is closing, all be done by September, need new fodder for the pipeline. Great feeling though, seeing that the methods work, especially for home that have been on the market forever, I took over and sold, like 2675 NW Glenwood, Corvallis, OR, on the market 655 days with three brokers, 41 days with me until accepted offer and I did not even do a significant price reduction. Great marketing, hard work, pro material and a great stager, there you go :-)
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
You want to make the most out of the time you spend with your buyer client (or with your buyer's broker if you are a buyer reading this). So here is a checklist for en efficient appointment: 1: Agents, know that your buyer is qualified for what they want to see. Prequalifications take little time and have vast impacts. 2: Buyers, make a "wine list". Get a good glass if wine and write down a list of 10 criteria you cannot live without (you think) and if you are buying with a partner he or she should do the same. Then cut those 10 down to five. Merge the two lists and (probably with the help of another glass) cut them down to five again. You will learn a lot about each other, find out things you did not know and the result are your non negotiables. 3:Buyers: Make a list of properties to s...
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By Mark Fullwiler
(Coldwell Banker Valley Brokers)
For any of you accustomed to reading my posts I'm sure you've noticed a long lapse in my postings. Well, I think John Lennon said it well "life is what happens when you're busy making plans". On February 23rd I was diagnosed with Leukemia (AML) which mandates a stem cell transplant which I will recieve on Thursday. I have been breezing through this whole ordeal with the incredible support of so many people. Thanks to a wonderful co-worker in the office who has proficiently taken over my business while I am attending to other matters my business is still cruzing along. Home prices in Corvallis are now just about where they were in late 2005 to early 2006 when the surge hit. Like I've stated previoulsy here in Corvallis we have experenced a "soft correction" of the market. I look forward ...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
This is a very humanely reaction. You made an offer and the seller simply took it. And instead of happily breathing a sigh of relief you call your agent and ask: should we have offered less? Every broker will roll their eyes at this question. If you have a good agent and there was a Market Analysis showing the current, appraisable value of the house based on past sales, you offered accordingly or even a bit under that and the seller took...... BE HAPPY! Second guessing is something everybody does. BUT: if your purchase is well researched and well founded, simply let it be. There is always the possibility that a better home for a better price is coming to the market. But there is no certainty and if the one you bid on is right for you than not only make a decision but stick with it. AND:...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
NO! not if you can avoid it. You have made the decision to sell. There are reasons for it. You have said good bye to the memories and the house has become an increasingly ugly burden. In reality, houses that don't sell are like divorced spouses living under the same roof with you. You want it to end. Of course there are markets right now and of course circumstances that will leave you no other choice than renting because you would go bankrupt, there are too many homes on the market where you are and the system is so clogged that nothing moves. But in our market here and in a lot of others, houses are actually selling. So why is yours not? No, it is not always the price and the market. More often than not it is marketing or more so the lack of it. What happens if you now take the house o...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
For a while now I am working with DocuSign. But whether it is this or any other form of electronic signing - I am hooked. My clients unison praise the effortless with which signatures can be done. They are independent from an appointment, do not need to be there to receive me, as long as they can log in to their email we are in business. I understand the reluctance this technology receives from colleagues. It sounds complicated and how the heck does this work? Easy enough. You as their broker open the program and upload the document. in DocuSign this is very easy and intuitive and since I hate long instructions that is paramount for me. I need to be able to simply start. So you loaded the document(s), next are the recipients, there are different categories, let's take the signers, which...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
Corvallis           Price Range Active Listings as of 6/30/2011 Sold Listings Last 6 Mos. Average Sold Per Month Months of Inventory Av. Days on Market Solds $0 - $99,999 1 3 0.50 2.00 116 $100,000 - $149,999 10 12 2.00 5.00 134 $150,000 - $199,999  32 32 5.33 6.00 110 $200,000 - $249,999 66 66 11.00 6.00 108 $250,000 - $299,999 52 29 4.83 10.76 129 $300,000 - $349,999 25 17 2.83 8.82 123 $350,000 - $399,999 46 11 1.83 25.09 160 $400,000 - $449,999 20 8 1.33 15.00 189 $450,000 - $499,999 10 6 1.00 10.00 157 $500,000 - $599,999 10 3 0.50 20.00 417 $600,000 - $699,999 4 2 0.33 12.00 189 $700,000 + 8 1 0.17 48.00 134   284 190   8.97 164
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
Momentum - that is the one thing that keeps a deal going. Swift actions to consolidate, to move, to finish tasks. You found a home you want to buy. You make an offer - and there is no reaction for two days. Ok, you gave the seller 3 days to answer but hey!, can't they act a bit faster. There is some anxiety here.... AND there might some buyers remorse creeping up. Did I offer too much? There was a house that came on the market just yesterday for 20K less, maybe I should look at that.  Did we make the right decision? You think you found a buyer for your home. The buyer's broker sends you an email, letting you know that they cannot make an offer just yet, any day now. No further reaction for two days. There is some anxiety here... Are you as a buyer fully prepared to actually act? Do have...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
This just came out and is very helpful in order to understand the difference between even close by markets, supporting the notion that all markets are (so) local: http://www.coldwellbanker.com/home_listing_report_infographic Play with it and it will help you to make decisions! 
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
My father was a developer. He was a true entrepreneur. He lost everything, literally everything, in World War II, after which he was dirt poor. He was a self made man who rose back to significance by enormously hard work, determination and engagement. He never whined, never complained, never scaled back. He had a flawless reputation. When he died the out-pour of grief from people he had touched was unbelievable. I bet he himself never knew how many people deeply admired him and would miss him so much. I use a lot of his little sayings. They are always spot on and bring home the message. If you want to have the last drop out of the bottle the lid will hit your nose Looking for that last 8th of a percent in a mortgage? And for that you accept working with some anonymous lender whose loan ...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
When my husband and I decided that where we lived in NY was not where we would grow old we started to explore where to move to. As this is a life altering and consequential decision and since we are Germans (;-)) we put a lot of serious effort into finding the right place to settle. Since our choice was the right one I guess I can give a little advice now as to how to approach this task: 1: Compile a list of features the ideal area or town should have. This should include: climate education opportunities for your children town/area size demographics house pricing affiliations (religious, personal, business, hobbies....) opportunities for your favorite sports and activities food and water resources economics This sounds very generalistic but if you dig a bit deeper this pretty much sums ...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
Whiile I fully understand the "has been in the family for 200 years" pieces, I do not understand why a piece of easily exchanged furniture will keep a buyer from buying a home. Pretty often we have Open Houses, are showing our listings or have buyers we show houses to and I do not know how often I heard that a bed, a dresser, a table or whatever else won't fit. The house is great, location is great, the price is right,everything is just fine - and then - a piece of furniture spoils it all. Again, I get the heirloom part but even that is sometimes hard to digest. Making a $300000 or $400000 decision dependent on a $500 piece of furniture.  Furniture is a commodity that is easily and inexpensively replaced nowadays. By negotiating the price down $1000 you are covered and  get a new piece ...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
This is a situation I had 4 times in the last 3 weeks and actually twice in the last 48hrs. We have multiple offers, we ask for "best and highest", we have offers after 2hrs on the market and agreements above asking. What does that tell you about the Corvallis Real Estate Market? First and fore most HOW LOCAL markets really are. And that in certain segments the market has indeed bottomed out here. Buyers know what a good deal is and they are literally jumping on it. I was in the office until 10pm three evenings in a row, writing offers, counter offers, arranging for inspections within 48hrs etc. Just like in the good old days. Are we out of the woods? No. But we are not facing a bottomless pit anymore and if you can show value it is actually recognized and taken up by well qualified buy...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
It is completely understandable and inanely human: you agreed to buy something and then start thinking about it: could I have gotten a better price? is it the right one? won't there be another one of the market that is better and cheaper But on the other hand it was spontaneously the right one when you saw it.  So what should be done right then and there, when you feel a bit squeezy about the decision you made? GO BACK TO THE FACTS! ask you broker to get you a fresh Market Analysis that shows where in the market the house agreed to buy is standing assuming you have at least an inspection but more likely also a financing contingency in the contract, wait until the inspection ahs happened. If it is really ok, one less thing to worry about write down why you made this decision and what of ...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
What the 90s were for Japan's economy is this decade for RE. The current over-correction will continue for at least 2 more years depending on how many more foreclosures and short sales are entering the market, my bet is more on 5 more years, not just because of the current shadow inventory (amount of homes reliably coming to the market but are not yet there) but because of another problem, prolonged high unemployment.   And where we find a new market equilibrium from where we start to have rising prices again is everybody's guess. Paired with all the other problems (debt, deficits) is the inability of politicians to look beyond their next reelection campaign and the unwillingness of the vast majority of the population to face the music and accept the truth about the economic reality pro...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
Looking through our MLS this morning I see a lot of properties with LOOONG DOMs (Days on the Market). I bet the sellers are unhappy. Staying on the market forever is frustrating. Hope dies last but there is a point... Presenting a home for sale is in essence not much different from presenting a meal: You can take the same ingredients, mash them all together for an unappetizing mush and they will nourish the same as the beautifully garnished and well placed presentation. But the beauty of a good presentation will for sure make the meal much more enjoyable and appealing to order and eat than the mush. So what can you do as a seller when your home does not find a lover? Sit down with your broker and ask for a truly honest opinion. Your broker might avoid telling you the truth because you m...
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By Annette Sievert, Corvallis, Oregon
(CB Valley Broker)
Corvallis           Price Range Active Listings as of 5/27/2011 Sold Listings Last 6 Mos. Average Sold Per Month Months of Inventory Av. Days on Market Solds $0 - $99,999 1 3 0.50 2.00 116 $100,000 - $149,999 5 11 1.83 2.73 137 $150,000 - $199,999  27 23 3.83 7.04 114 $200,000 - $249,999 46 56 9.33 4.93 124 $250,000 - $299,999 37 31 5.17 7.16 152 $300,000 - $349,999 26 18 3.00 8.67 131 $350,000 - $399,999 40 10 1.67 24.00 182 $400,000 - $449,999 21 11 1.83 11.45 211 $450,000 - $499,999 14 4 0.67 21.00 162 $500,000 - $599,999 10 2 0.33 30.00 221 $600,000 - $699,999 8 3 0.50 16.00 159 $700,000 + 13 * 0.00 * *   248 172   8.65 155
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