20 Ways to Add Curb Appeal to Your Home

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If your home’s curb appeal makes a great first impression, everyone — including potential home buyers — will want to see what’s inside.

Better Homes and Gardens has shared some simple, low-cost improvements that you can do in a day, a week, or a month.

Check out the entire article here.

Ways to celebrate moms in Portland this Mother’s Day, May 13

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Portland Palate has shared with us some great places to take the women in your life for Mother’s Day 2012.

Enjoy Brunch:
Andina- Lunch and Dinner service for Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 8. Mama Doris will gift each mother with an alfajor.
Besaw’s-
Bistro 921-Brunch buffet, open from 10:30-1:30. We will be offering complimentary champagne along with live jazz and a rose for every Mom!
Blue Hour-Join us for Mother’s Day Brunch! 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, prix frix menu at $45 per person.
Brix Tavern- Brunch Buffet
Gracie’s- Buffet is available 11am-3:00pm. Buffet prices are $55 per person for adults and $25 for children 10 and under.(Breakfast 8-10 and dinner 5-9)
The Heathman Restaurant- Buffet $38 adults $17 for children 12 & under 9:00am-3:00 pm
Jake’s- Special Mother’s Day Brunch Menu
Mother’s Bistro-
Oregon Zoo- Buffet including assorted pastries and muffins, scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage, omelets, French toast, salads and desserts. Reservations recommended. $24 for ages 12 and older $10 for ages 3 to 11
Urban Farmer- Opening at 3pm for an early Dinner. Spring Salmon, Roasted Tenderloin, Braised Lamb. Strawberry Shortcake, Spiced Honey Cake, Chocolate Souffle Cakes.
Screen Door-
Salty’s on the Columbia- Brunch Buffet $49.99 + $5 unlimited mimosas
Wong’s King Seafood: Traditional Chinese Dim Sum

Tour A Garden:
This time of year, the Roses aren’t quite ready, so your best bets are to take Mom to:
Portland Japanese Garden
Portland Chinese Classical Garden
Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden

Spa Day:
A day at the spa is a luxurious gift
Coldwater Creek Spa (Bridgeport Village)
The Dragontree (NW Portland)
Spa Willamina (NE Portland)

Homeownership rate drops to 15-year low

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

According to the Niche Report, the share of privately owned U.S. homes fell to a 15-year low in the first quarter, government data showed on Monday, suggesting that falling house prices are discouraging Americans from owning homes.

The homeownership rate slipped to 65.4 percent, the lowest level since the first quarter of 1997, the Commerce Department said. The rate was at 66.0 percent in the fourth quarter.

Read the article here.

“Finding Portland” video amazingly showcases Rose City visuals

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Waller, owner of Uncage the Soul Productions in Southeast Portland, brings us “Finding Portland,” an approximately four-minute video taken in March and April with time-lapse visuals of the City of Roses.  The time-lapse medium ”offers us a completely different perspective than you have in the everyday experience,” says Waller.  This video received a two-minute standing ovation after being presented at the Gerding Theater for the first time.

Check it out here.

 

 

 

Are low-ball offers a thing of the past?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Realtor Magazine has reported that, last year, 10 percent of REALTORS® complained about receiving low-ball offers on listed homes — offers usually submitted by the buyer for 25 percent or more below the list price, according to a National Association of REALTORS® survey of its members. But that number has dropped drastically.

According to a survey this March of 4,500 agents and brokers, no REALTORS® complained about low-ball offers. The main problem nowadays: The sudden drop in inventory of for-sale homes has led to fewer homes available to sell.

For home buyers who still think they have a chance of hitting it lucky with a low-ball offer, they’re finding in many markets that their offers are more often being rejected or countered closer to the original asking price, the Los Angeles Times reports.

West Neal with Prudential Olympia in Olympia, Wash., recalls a buyer who came in recently with an offer of $150,000 for a home listed at $250,000. Eventually, they negotiated a final sales price of $230,000, but it took a lot of negotiating on the agents’ parts to get the buyer higher.

“Low-ball offers are down a lot because we’re seeing more homes come on the market that are more realistically priced,” Neal told the Los Angeles Times.

Source: “Low-ball Offers Decline in Some Housing Markets,” Los Angeles Times (April 22, 2012)

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