The U.S. Postal Service announced that the price of a first-class stamp will increase from 42 cents to 44 cents on May 11, 2009. That gives you plenty of time to stock up on what the Post Office calls its “Forever Stamp,” a special stamp that has no price denomination printed on it but is good for any first-class letter weighing up to one ounce -- forever, no matter how much postal rates increase in the future. This means you don't have to locate and horde a bunch of one- and two-cent stamps to mail your letters after the increase. You can simply purchase these special stamps at today's 42-cent rate and use them now or in the future, even if postal prices double or triple. The forever stamp, an idea adopted in Europe years ago, was adopted in the US in 2007 and features the Liberty Bel... 02/20/2009

RealtyTrac comes out with national foreclosure data every month, and according to their latest report, Oregon ranked #5 for foreclosure rate with a 1 in every 357 homes being served with a foreclosure notice.     What does this mean for Salem Oregon home buyers and sellers? Foreclosures are definitely running hotter in general. Foreclosure notices in January were down 20% from December of 2008, but are up 14% from January 2008.     With the moratorium on foreclosure notices by Fannie Mae, I am afraid that these numbers are probably a little bit lower than they should be. I would expect that as Fannie starts to file these notices we will see a jump in foreclosures.   Now, foreclosures have always been a small part of our Salem Oregon real estate market (1/2-1%), but that is changing. The... 02/13/2009

I'm writing to share my recent experience of the last two months.  I am a new ActiveRain contributor, and I've been really interested in investing time and energy into this forum because I believe in the value of SEO strategies, and the power of blogging in general.   I've been explaining to friends and colleagues that we really can't know the full value of our blogging and general internet activity at this moment, but it's the sort of activity that will pay dividends down the road.  In one or two years, those of us who are actively working this medium will be miles and years beyond our competitors who are missing the boat.   I wanted to share that in the last two months alone, I've been contacted by several local brokers, a title representative, and today, a long lost friend living in ... 02/13/2009

I thought about putting this in the wordless Wednesday but then I wouldn't have been able to explain who and what this was. Several members of the Active Rain Community got together, at my instigation, for lunch at the Macleay Country Inn, just outside of Salem Oregon on Saturday. Who you see here, left to right are: Melina Tomson, Tomson Burnham LLC, Salem; Leslie Stewart, Prudential RE Professionals, Stayton; Cecily Park, Windermere/Pacific West Properties, Salem; Sean Keene, Keller Williams, (Salem) Portland; and Sandy Edwards, Prudential, Stayton. Margaret Oscilia, Creative Concepts and Contracting, Salem had to leave for an appointment and missed the picture. I, of course, was not in the picture, I was taking it. We had a great time, many of us meeting for the first time after shar... 02/04/2009

If you are like me you know some people. You probably don't remember everyone you grew up with or meet but every once in a while they resurface and you connect. The power of Facebook is amazing. Some I have been found by many and found some too. It is awesome to see what others are doing and were they are. The coolest part is being in a service industry and finding serving some of these people. Now I must say the blogging and the Facebook don't seem like work but it is a good way to prospect. Heck, I even have my car the REMAX Scion XB on Facebook. (add it as a friend if you want) The best part is the stream of people that know and like you come to you with their business. So, next time you feel guilty for adding friends while working don't. Get onboard and find those people you've lost... 01/27/2009

Well, we get it....  Times are tough....  Banks aren't lending....  Investor confidence is at an all time low....   But let's remember that what has made Salem Oregon a strong market over the last several years is the simple fact that our population is growing rapidly.  People love Oregon.  And our pricing is still afordable in relation to other markets.   One thing I love about real estate is the seasonal aspect of it.  People tend to hole up for the winter and hibernate through the cold months, and then once Spring starts thawing things out, so too investor confidence is renewed.  One consideration is that the down market has coincided with the winter months.  I truly believe that Obama's new vision, the changing seasons, and the undeniable growth of the North West will buoy our marke... 01/23/2009

My office tours every week. Something I noticed is everytime we go out we beat each other up. We all come back with price as the biggest factor. I have calculated an average of 8% less that list price. Why do we do this? We are trying to get realistic. We are trying to get prices down. The real question we need to askl is why are we taking listings that are overpriced. We may not be buying listings but we are not being realtistic with ourselves or sellers. I purpose when we are taking a listing we have tour. Get an honest opinion before and then base condition upgrades from there. I know this is backwards but what kind of impression does that leave a seller with. If 20 agents say its worth X are they likely to listen? What I see is after the fact the tour feedback says lower the price a... 01/20/2009

  Seasons change, elected officals terms of service end and with it bring new oppurtunities. History is forming us as a nation. We are becomes something new. We are living within our means, we are creating our destinies and now is more exciting than ever. No, I did not steal these words from President Obama, but he and I both know what we have to do. We have to get out in our communities and make a difference. We have to own up to our mistakes and make resolutions for change. You may be asking what does this have to do with real estate? Well it means helping your neighbors sell their homes by keeping your up. I means finding creative ways to revitalize our neighborhoods. It means volunteering at schools, it means changing our mindsets from me to we. Housing is something that we will al... 01/20/2009

Being in this industry everyday it is hard to look at it objectively. The market is what it is but sometimes I am surprised at what I see and hear. Banks have lots of inventory. Buyers want a deal but also want to see what rates will do. Sellers want to sell but there is so much competition that they have to make thier homes attract which means price. I had a conversation with a buyer just yesterday. I have been in contact with this buyer for a long time. He said to me, "If I buy this house, it will be $120 less than my rent". No lie folks. That is what he said to me. I didn't do the math for him, but he gets it. That open my eyes to the oppurtunities that lie ahead. Times are risky, but with risk comes reward. Let's sharpen our tools, find properties that make sense for buyers and sell... 01/16/2009

If you are planning to visit one of the over 200 wineries scattered throughout the beautiful Willamette Valley, it's hard to know where to start. The Valley region is home to more than two thirds of Oregon's wineries and vineyards. It's our moderate climate that makes this possible. We have warm summers with cool evenings; an Indian summer often shortened by maritime rains; wet, (did I say wet?) mild winters; and long, often rainy (have I said wet yet?) springs make for an extended growing season allowing the ripening process for wine grapes to be gradual. What ensues is complex fruit flavors and aromatics. The Willamette valley is best known for their exceptional Pinot Noirs. Because of the similarities in our climate with the the Burgundy and Alsace regions of France, we have often be... 01/10/2009

We love to discover local companies doing great things for our communities - making our beautiful Willamette Valley a even better place to live! The Mid Valley offices of Ticor Title have an annual fundraiser benefiting the Marion-Polk Food Share, Salem Area Realtors Community Fund and other food banks and charities in Silverton, Woodburn, Monmouth, Independence, Dallas and Linn/Benton counties.  Realtors, Ticor employees and lenders participated in raising money and food donations equivalent to 2,787 pounds.  Prior years have been cash donations only.  This year, in light of the rough economic times food donations were also sought.  Rosi Green - a business development specialist at Ticor Title branches in Woodburn, Silverton and Salem (and Active Rain member as well) said that since t... 01/07/2009

I finally understand.  I always wondered how the NAR forecasts were so much more optimistic than other ones.  I think I understand why now... As I was drinking my green tea this morning and crunching data, I felt my head roll back in my eyes as the gobs of numbers started to blend together.  Did I just run data on duplexes or houses?  Lots or bare land?  As my head lolled to the side, I realized that the data looked better that way.  I like the charts better upside down... According to my upside down chart, we are experiencing a nice steady rise in the average and median home prices.  Now I was afraid that I was going to have to tell you that the average home price dropped in 2008 over 2007, BUT  I don't. I just need to turn the graph upside down.  See?  Life is better this way. For tho... 01/04/2009

We spent December 31st destaging a beautiful home - incredible architecture that was brought to life with our staging.  Since it is so fresh in my mind, I pondered whether it is my favorite . . . .       This was a stunning transformation - but as I review my photos from 2008 -- there are so many that I fondly remember - The one that gave hope to a home listed for far too long:   Or the house that had been on the market for MONTHS -- it was transformed and sold quickly when a little "tweaking" and painting was done: Or perhaps the townhome that was staged and won awards on the Tour of Homes: As I look through this years jobs, I find too many favorites -- great transformations and successes, fond memories and new relationships.  We have given hope and a quicker sale to sellers who were f... 01/02/2009

Supermarket SecretsHelpful Tips to Save You Time and Money   Many of us think of supermarket shopping as a dreaded chore. For most, the reason is two-fold: time and money. Here are a few tips that'll help you save on both.A little organization goes a long way. A supermarket's busiest times are weekdays between 5 and 7pm and weekend mornings. The slowest times are weekday mornings as well as popular TV nights. By planning ahead (and setting your TiVo®), you'll minimize the time you spend at the market. Also, try not to stray from your shopping list and never shop when you're hungry. Both faux pas are notorious for adding time to your excursion.Be friendly. People who work in service industries are exposed to unfriendly customers on a daily basis. A smile and a simple "hello" go a long w... 12/22/2008

Hailing originally from Illinois, I have to say the one thing I sometimes miss about the Midwest is snow. Oregon has mountains so I can get my snow fix every year, but I do have very fond memories of playing in the snow...including the Midwest blizzard of '79...Now that was snow...but I digress... We don't get snow very often here in the Salem Oregon area because the clouds keep it warmer in the winter.  My son, who is 8 1/2, has been able to walk outside the house and play in the snow three times in his lifetime.  This past week was one of those times.  What people relocating from snow climates need to know about Oregon and snow... I think the city of Salem owns about 2 snow plows...Don't expect to see one of these mythical machines on our roads too often. Due to this lack of snow plow... 12/21/2008

  How are you planning to market your home for the best price and quickest sale?  You’ve heard over and over again that it’s a buyer’s market right now.  Achieving success in the selling game requires some preparation and knowing your buyers is an important step! There are two types of buyers right now – one that wants to squeeze every last dime out of the price and options – a bargain hunter, whether they are looking for an investment or residence.  They are less emotional about the process – just out for the best deal.    The other buyer is looking for their home – perhaps a place to raise their family, have friends over for an evening -- to be a safe haven themselves and for their loved ones.  When you think of such phrases as “home sweet home”, “there’s no place like home” and “hom... 12/20/2008

Twinkling lights, music and tales from the past, can only mean that Magic is in the air! Our annual holiday event will be taking place December 19th through the 23rd, so take out your mittens and warm coats and get ready for the holidays! We’ll have lights, music, kids activities, living history, guided tours, craft demonstrators and more each night.   Magic at the Mill, an annual celebration now in its ninth year, finds Salem's premiere history museum bedazzled with hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights.   Twinkling lights, which cover much of the historic Mission Mill Museum grounds, will light up Friday and be supplemented with live music each night, free crafts for children, historical interpreters, living-history presentations and craft and blacksmith demonstrations.  Each nigh... 12/18/2008

  There is such a wealth of information on the internet, through websites, blogs . . I get great ideas and when I'm stumped - it's the first place I look.  So frequently I see a blog or photo and say - wow -- I've got to remember that . . . and then when the situation arises, I draw a blank!  Usually when I'm looking for a solution for a problem I search online and after some time find what I'm looking for and I find at least two other great ideas I want to remember! Once I read that we waste years of our life searching for our keys, missing socks and other important things in our lives.  Wonder if they factored in all the hours I spend looking for information online?   Even if I bookmark it - I can waste precious time looking for the information again!  I've also tried saving documents... 12/15/2008

Rates have dropped but my buyers are not calling me back. Is the Christmas Season the focus of buyers attention? Why now? Don't get me wrong I am thankful. I have buyer with a house in escrow and the lender renegoiated the rate. It is saving them about $85 a month on PI. I love that. The media loves to hamper or production say "Rates could get even lower". Again this is great but the sense of urgency is stiffled by this stuff. Are the rest of you seeing an increase in buyer activity? 12/08/2008

This beautiful home languished on the market for 15 months prior to staging.  The owners had contacted us about staging but didn't feel they could afford it and the MLS photos did it no justice.  With 85% of all buyers looking first on-line when they choose homes to see in person - how important is a great on line presence?  We think it's essential! About four months after our first consultation, the owners decided to try staging.  The furnishings and accessories we brought in made the rooms come to life and the owners were amazed at the transformation. These are a few of the great photos that were put on the MLS and in advertising.  This listing that had been on the market for so long, immediately begin to see lots of viewings and an offer was received within weeks! We destaged the hom... 12/06/2008