Pie!
Why Some Homes Sell Faster than Others
New Survey Finds Misconceptions About Down Payments Keeping People From Purchasing Homes
One of the main reasons people aren’t buying homes is they think they can’t afford it—especially the down payment. But, as it turns out, there are plenty of buyers out there who actually can afford to purchase a home, but their misconceptions about affordability are holding them back from making a move.
According to a recent survey from lender Laurel Road, 53% of Americans are concerned about their ability to afford a home. But a lot of that concern is because they don’t know what their options are.
A solid 58% of Americans surveyed said they planned to put down a 20% payment on a home, but 35% (and 46% of millennials) didn’t think they could afford to save that kind of down payment. But with alternative lending options, you don’t need 20% in order to buy a home! According to the National Association of Realtors, the median down-payment for first-time buyers is at 6%—significantly less than the 20% the majority of Americans believe they need in order to purchase a home.
The Takeaway
Your misconception about how much you need for a down payment could be holding you back from purchasing property. Explore the alternative loan options available to you and make your dream of owning a home a reality!
Portland Trivia
There is an actual organization with the moniker “Keep Portland Weird!” Don MacLeod, owner of “Music Millennium”, one of the oldest record stores in the Northwest, founded “Keep Portland Weird” to help keep one of the main sources of PDX weirdness- its unique local businesses- alive.
Oaks Amusement Park in the Sellwood District is full of fun facts and history! It was built in 1905 as a trolley park, and has operated continuously since then. As the park is located on the Willamette River, it sometimes floods. The skating rink floor is built on pontoons so it can be detached, float above the water, and be reattached after the flood subsides. Craziness!
If you are looking for some good clean fun in Portland, you might want to spend some time at the Vacuum Cleaner Museum. This museum, located in Stark’s Vacuum Cleaner’s store at 107 NE Grand Ave., houses over 300 vacuums. Just don’t walk in and tell them their museum sucks…(haha)
The name of the city of roses was decided by a coin toss! It was a decision between the hometowns of two men, one from Boston, MA and the other from Portland, ME. Obviously, the latter won…
They offer legal marriage ceremonies at Voodoo Doughnuts. That is SO Portland!
The “Benson Bubblers” you see around downtown Portland were donated to the city as an alternative to drinking in the pubs.
The International Rose Test Garden has over 500 different types of roses that have grown since 1917.
*Trivia courtesy of www.funtrivia.com
Happy Halloween
This is the time of year for haunted houses. They pop up for a few weeks, people flock to them, and then they disappear until next year.
Some people love the controlled scare of haunted houses, while others wouldn’t be caught dead (pun intended) in one.
But what about a real haunted house? How many people really want to flock to them?
Surely there’s some people who would love to check one out. But how many people would actually buy a house that’s haunted?
Which brings up a question we hear in real estate once in awhile…
If a house that’s for sale is haunted, do real estate agents need to tell you?
Real estate rules, regulations, and laws vary from area to area, so there’s not just one answer to that.
But in our area…
…you know what, instead of just giving you the answer, why don’t you take a guess.
What do you think the rule is in our area? Also, do you think owners and real estate agents should disclose if a house is haunted or not?
Looking forward to seeing your response!
Best,
Christy
P.S. Would you buy a haunted house?
The Most Gorgeous Autumn Hike
An hour west of Eugene, you will find one of the most beautiful autumn hikes ever in the Siuslaw National Forest, called Sweet Creek Falls. Around every corner you will find another gorgeous waterfall. At the start of the trail is Homestead, and the trail continues about a mile to Sweet Creek Falls and another trailhead. This hike is around 2.2 miles round trip and gains just 350 feet of elevation. Recreation Fee Pass (Northwest Forest Pass) parking permits are required at the trailhead. They cost $5 per car per day
National Nut Day
Today is National Nut Day.
Did you know that peanuts aren’t even nuts?
Nope. They’re legumes. But they get lumped in with every other nut out there, by lots of people.
Same with real estate agents…kind of.
There’s certainly some real estate agents out there who are nuts…and the ones who aren’t often get lumped in there with them.
I want to make this industry as nut-free as possible, so…
I’d love to know:
What drives you nuts about real estate, or real estate agents?
International Coffee Day
Bad coffee should be illegal, so let’s get some good stuff together!
International Coffee Day is today, September 29. (Not like every day isn’t “coffee day” for some. It’s pretty much Realtor fuel lol.)
Anyway, I feel like I’m always saying to myself, “We should grab coffee sometime!” You and me.
And then I don’t reach out because we’re so busy all the time.
Today was the perfect reminder for me to reach out. So instead of grabbing and guzzling our coffee solo, you want to actually sit and sip together and catch up one of these days?!
If so, let me know a good time and place for you…
10 Best Houseplants to Improve Indoor Air Quality
I really like spider plants, pothos (that Devil’s Ivy) and Sansaveria (snake plant). You really have to work hard to kill those, but trust me, I have tried really hard!
A few of the ones shown but not named at the bottom do great, too. You have a ponytail palm, Boston fern, and two bromeliads – all of which are very happy indoors.
These ALL make great housewarming gifts, too!
How to Fix and Flip Houses
Fixing and flipping houses has become an exciting and profitable hobby (and sometimes full-time career) for many people, but these delicate real estate investments can be trickier than they seem.
