Real Estate Talk Blog for the Willamette Valley

Albany

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 99

• Average price - $171,695
• Median Sale Price - $173,742
• Average Days on the Market - 118
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $113.41

  Current Active Listings - 383

• Average Price of Active Listings - $205,851
• Months of Inventory - 12.51

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 92 / Value $17.6 million

• Total Contingent- 39
• Total Pending - 53

Corvallis

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 82

• Average price - $272,934
• Median Sale Price - $256,800
• Average Days on the Market - 134
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $155.24

  Current Active Listings - 212

• Average Price of Active Listings - $334,467
• Months of Inventory - 7.76

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 48 / Value $12.2 million

• Total Contingent- 20
• Total Pending - 28

Lebanon

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 63

• Average price - $143,574
• Median Sale Price - $146,575
• Average Days on the Market - 236
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $102.19

  Current Active Listings - 146

• Average Price of Active Listings - $164,118
• Months of Inventory - 6.95

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 39 / Value $7.2 million

• Total Contingent- 17
• Total Pending - 22

Upcoming Guests Scheduled:

March Guests:

March 18 - Steve Yerger, ServPro - what to do AFTER a disaster.

March 27 - Monthly Foundation Show with Mary Hartley

Are you a First Time Home Buyer? Do you want to participate in Real Estate Talk? Dave is looking for someone to go through the process "on the air" by working with him, and letting the listeners know how things are going throughout the entire process. The person(s) selected will receive some nice gifts as a way of saying "thank you." Jay Chase Inspections will provide the Pest and Dry Rot Inspection at no charge to the buyer(s) selected for this program. Corvallis Moving and Storage will provide the Local Move (packing not included).



For more information, contact Dave at realestatetalk@kgal.com < " target=_newmailto:realestatetalk@kgal.com> .

Watch Dave's complete Real Estate Talk for this week at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntkzX9t6pRM

Albany

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 87

• Average price - $170,203
• Median Sale Price - $173,742
• Average Days on the Market - 118
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $114.58

  Current Active Listings - 376

• Average Price of Active Listings - $204,103
• Months of Inventory - 12.97

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 91 / Value $17.3 million

• Total Contingent- 33
• Total Pending - 58

Corvallis

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 79

• Average price - $274,426
• Median Sale Price - $256,000
• Average Days on the Market - 136
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $156.52

  Current Active Listings - 196

• Average Price of Active Listings - $330,480
• Months of Inventory - 7.44

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 52 / Value $13.5 million

• Total Contingent- 30
• Total Pending - 22

Lebanon

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 61

• Average price - $144,036
• Median Sale Price - $146,575
• Average Days on the Market - 227
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $102.51

  Current Active Listings - 138

• Average Price of Active Listings - $164,457
• Months of Inventory - 6.79

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 40 / Value $7 million

• Total Contingent- 20
• Total Pending - 20

Upcoming Guests Scheduled:

March Guests:

March 13 - TBD

March 18 - Steve Yerger, ServPro - what to do AFTER a disaster.

March 27 - Monthly Foundation Show with Mary Hartley


Are you a First Time Home Buyer? Do you want to participate in Real Estate Talk? Dave is looking for someone to go through the process "on the air" by working with him, and letting the listeners know how things are going throughout the entire process. The person(s) selected will receive some nice gifts as a way of saying "thank you." Jay Chase Inspections will provide the Pest and Dry Rot Inspection at no charge to the buyer(s) selected for this program. Corvallis Moving and Storage will provide the Local Move (packing not included).



For more information, contact Dave at realestatetalk@kgal.com < " target=_newmailto:realestatetalk@kgal.com> .

Watch Dave's complete Real Estate Talk for this week at KGAL's Real Estate Talk w/ Dave Pautsch on You Tube

"Are you working with a Realtor?"

This question and its answer has been the source of many tears and huge amounts of frustration on the part of real estate professionals.  Too often the buyer, either not understanding their relationship with another real estate professional, or looking for immediate gratification - or sometime the perception of a better deal - will say "No" and end up writing an offer.

Here are three reasons why every buyer should sign a Buyer-Broker (B-B) Agreement and "hire" a real estate professional that they like and trust.

1. Confidentiality for your personal information. When you buy a home you are going to share lots of personal information; about finances specifically.  A B-B agreement establishes an important (legal) Agency relationship that protects that information from being shared or used against you.

2. You become a top priority for your agent.  Real estate is a time management business.  The best agents work with a lot of clients.  If you have special needs (and most first time buyers do) - or require special assistance, a top agent CAN'T take the risk of spending hours doing the research and property searching you need if they aren't sure that a relationship exists.

3. Prevents conflicts of interest.  Whether or not an agent can represent both a buyer and a seller in the same transaction is different from state to state.  In Oregon, it's perfectly legitimate and done all the time.  However, it has to be fully disclosed to all.  If that is something that makes you uncomfortable, having a B-B agreement can eliminate the problem.  You can have an agent who is only representing you.

We all understand it when the shoe is on the seller's foot - there is a CONTRACT that establishes the relationship between the agent and the seller.  It defines the relationship and provides for protections and fairness for both parties.  The same is true for Buyer's Agency. 

The bottom line.  Find a Real Estate Professional that you like and trust and HIRE them to be YOUR agent.  And the next time someone asks "Are you working with a Realtor?" - Say Yes!

Albany 

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 94

• Average price - $173,624
• Median Sale Price - $174,371
• Average Days on the Market - 120
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $115.48

  Current Active Listings - 377

• Average Price of Active Listings - $204,404
• Months of Inventory - 12.03

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 88 / Value $16.4 million

• Total Contingent- 36
• Total Pending - 52

Corvallis 

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 77

• Average price - $276,654
• Median Sale Price - $254,900
• Average Days on the Market - 137
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $158.05

  Current Active Listings - 197

• Average Price of Active Listings - $326,820
• Months of Inventory - 7.68

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 52 / Value $13.5 million

• Total Contingent- 29
• Total Pending - 23

Lebanon

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 66

• Average price - $144,501
• Median Sale Price - $147,838
• Average Days on the Market - 221
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $101.90

  Current Active Listings - 141

• Average Price of Active Listings - $164,530
• Months of Inventory - 6.41

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 39 / Value $6.7 million

• Total Contingent- 19
• Total Pending - 20

Upcoming Guests Scheduled:
March Guests:

March 4 - John's Waterproofing - water in the crawlspace? What to do about it

March 13 - TBD

March 18 - Steve Yerger, ServPro - what to do AFTER a disaster.

March 27 - Monthly Foundation Show with Mary Hartley



Are you a First Time Home Buyer? Do you want to participate in Real Estate Talk? Dave is looking for someone to go through the process "on the air" by working with him, and letting the listeners know how things are going throughout the entire process. The person(s) selected will receive some nice gifts as a way of saying "thank you." Jay Chase Inspections will provide the Pest and Dry Rot Inspection at no charge to the buyer(s) selected for this program. Corvallis Moving and Storage will provide the Local Move (packing not included).


For more information, contact Dave at realestatetalk@kgal.com < " target=_newmailto:realestatetalk@kgal.com> .

Watch Dave's complete Real Estate Talk for this week at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgK9VEoiIds

  SOLD (past 90 days) – 106

• Average price – $179,985
• Median Sale Price – $175,629
• Average Days on the Market – 121
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $116.33

  Current Active Listings – 382

• Average Price of Active Listings - $204,861
• Months of Inventory – 10.81

  Pending/Contingent Sales – 76 / Value $14.1 million

• Total Contingent- 32
• Total Pending - 44

Corvallis

  SOLD (past 90 days) – 86

• Average price – $272,859
• Median Sale Price – $250,750
• Average Days on the Market – 132
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $158.42

  Current Active Listings – 207

• Average Price of Active Listings - $320,683
• Months of Inventory – 7.22

  Pending/Contingent Sales – 44 / Value $11.9 million

• Total Contingent- 29
• Total Pending - 15

Lebanon

  SOLD (past 90 days) – 64

• Average price – $142,154
• Median Sale Price – $147,838
• Average Days on the Market – 219
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $101.91

  Current Active Listings – 135

• Average Price of Active Listings - $162,871
• Months of Inventory – 6.33

  Pending/Contingent Sales – 38 / Value $6.8 million

• Total Contingent- 16
• Total Pending - 22

Upcoming Guests Scheduled:

February Guests:

February 18 - Listener Questions with Dave

February 27 – Monthly Foundations Show with Mary Hartley

Are you a First Time Home Buyer? Do you want to participate in Real Estate Talk? Dave is looking for someone to go through the process "on the air" by working with him, and letting the listeners know how things are going throughout the entire process. The person(s) selected will receive some nice gifts as a way of saying "thank you." Jay Chase Inspections will provide the Pest and Dry Rot Inspection at no charge to the buyer(s) selected for this program. Corvallis Moving and Storage will provide the Local Move (packing not included).

For more information, contact Dave at realestatetalk@kgal.com.

  SOLD (past 90 days) – 114

• Average price – $181,055
• Median Sale Price – $174,500
• Average Days on the Market – 117
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $115.72

  Current Active Listings – 373

• Average Price of Active Listings - $204,896
• Months of Inventory – 9.82

  Pending/Contingent Sales – 75 / Value $13.7 million

• Total Contingent- 32
• Total Pending - 43

Corvallis

  SOLD (past 90 days) – 87

• Average price – $274,866
• Median Sale Price – $253,000
• Average Days on the Market – 133
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $158.93

  Current Active Listings – 206

• Average Price of Active Listings - $323,345
• Months of Inventory – 7.1

  Pending/Contingent Sales – 42 / Value $11.1 million

• Total Contingent- 29
• Total Pending - 13

Lebanon

  SOLD (past 90 days) – 62

• Average price – $144,394
• Median Sale Price – $148,050
• Average Days on the Market – 220
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $102.28

  Current Active Listings – 136

• Average Price of Active Listings - $162,946
• Months of Inventory – 6.58

  Pending/Contingent Sales – 40 / Value $6.9 million

• Total Contingent- 16
• Total Pending - 24

February Guests:

February 13 – Do you have a wood stove in your home? Find out about changes to DEQ regulations that will have a major impact on you when you sell the house! Ron Cairns of Albany Stoves is my guest.

February 18 - Listener Questions with Dave

February 27 – Monthly Foundations Show with Mary Hartley

Are you a First Time Home Buyer? Do you want to participate in Real Estate Talk? Dave is looking for someone to go through the process "on the air" by working with him, and letting the listeners know how things are going throughout the entire process. The person(s) selected will receive some nice gifts as a way of saying "thank you." Jay Chase Inspections will provide the Pest and Dry Rot Inspection at no charge to the buyer(s) selected for this program. Corvallis Moving and Storage will provide the Local Move (packing not included).

For more information, contact Dave at realestatetalk@kgal.com.

I had Ron Cairns, owner of Albany stoves on the radio show last weekend.  Ron alerted me to some significant changes coming down the road with regard to DEQ regulations on wood stoves.

In years gone by, when a home owner was selling a home with a wood stove, the term "Woodstove is Buyer's Responsibility" was a standard disclaimer that let the seller off the hook for an otherwise uncertified wood stove.  No more!

Beginning in January, 2010, there is a new line on the standard Seller Property Disclosure Statement regarding wood stoves, and in August 2010 it will be ILLEGAL to sell a home with an uncertified wood stove installed.

Your options:

(1) Remove the wood stove
(2) Remove the wood stove and install a NEW wood (or pellet, or gas) stove that IS certified

Here's the problem.

  It is a very difficult challenge to determine if your wood stove is CERTIFIED.  Generally, if it was installed before 1984/85 when DEQ started doing the certifications (there is a permanent label on the stove) you can be sure it is NOT certified.  There is a period of time when stoves may have been installed that were produced before the certification; and even though they are the same make, model, and otherwise identifical...No label - No Certification - No SALE!

Let me allow the expert to tell you;  Here's a link to Real Estate Talk from 13 February, 2010 - Ron Cairns of Albany Stoves gives you the information better than I ever could:

http://www.kgal.com/mp3b/KGAL_2010_02_13_1000.mp3

Trying Something new...Check out this week's update on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZIBlG6wCog

Albany 

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 126

• Average price - $183,309
• Median Sale Price - $176,256
• Average Days on the Market - 123
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $116.25

  Current Active Listings - 377

• Average Price of Active Listings - $206,154
• Months of Inventory - 8.98

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 59 / Value $10.5 million

• Total Contingent- 27
• Total Pending - 32

Corvallis

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 89

• Average price - $271,083
• Median Sale Price - $254,450
• Average Days on the Market - 141
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $157.56

  Current Active Listings - 193

• Average Price of Active Listings - $321,554
• Months of Inventory - 6.51

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 31 / Value $8.7 million

• Total Contingent- 21
• Total Pending - 10

Lebanon

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 63

• Average price - $143,475
• Median Sale Price - $147,000
• Average Days on the Market - 226
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $104.10

  Current Active Listings - 136

• Average Price of Active Listings - $163,519
• Months of Inventory - 6.48

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 35 / Value $6.2 million

• Total Contingent- 12
• Total Pending - 23

Upcoming Guests Scheduled:
February Guests:

February 13 - Do you have a wood stove in your home? Find out about changes to DEQ regulations that will have a major impact on you when you sell the house! Ron Cairns of Albany Stoves is my guest.


Are you a First Time Home Buyer? Do you want to participate in Real Estate Talk? Dave is looking for someone to go through the process "on the air" by working with him, and letting the listeners know how things are going throughout the entire process. The person(s) selected will receive some nice gifts as a way of saying "thank you." Jay Chase Inspections will provide the Pest and Dry Rot Inspection at no charge to the buyer(s) selected for this program. Corvallis Moving and Storage will provide the Local Move (packing not included).


For more information, contact Dave at realestatetalk@kgal.com < " target=_newmailto:realestatetalk@kgal.com> .

Albany

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 130

• Average price - $182,899
• Median Sale Price - $176,028
• Average Days on the Market - 124
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $116.65

  Current Active Listings - 378

• Average Price of Active Listings - $208,116
• Months of Inventory - 8.72

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 64 / Value $11.4 million

• Total Contingent- 26
• Total Pending - 38

Corvallis

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 90

• Average price - $273,177
• Median Sale Price - $254,450
• Average Days on the Market - 136
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $159.18

  Current Active Listings - 192

• Average Price of Active Listings - $320,840
• Months of Inventory - 6.4

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 31 / Value $9.3 million

• Total Contingent- 18
• Total Pending - 13

Lebanon

  SOLD (past 90 days) - 65

• Average price - $141,807
• Median Sale Price - $147,000
• Average Days on the Market - 219
• Average Dollar per Square Foot - $103.27

  Current Active Listings - 136

• Average Price of Active Listings - $165,568
• Months of Inventory - 6.28

  Pending/Contingent Sales - 35 / Value $6.0 million

• Total Contingent- 12
• Total Pending - 23

Upcoming Guests Scheduled:
January Guests:

January 30 - Foundations Show Kick Off - The ABC's of Real Estate with Dave and Mary Hartley


Are you a First Time Home Buyer? Do you want to participate in Real Estate Talk? Dave is looking for someone to go through the process "on the air" by working with him, and letting the listeners know how things are going throughout the entire process. The person(s) selected will receive some nice gifts as a way of saying "thank you." Jay Chase Inspections will provide the Pest and Dry Rot Inspection at no charge to the buyer(s) selected for this program. Corvallis Moving and Storage will provide the Local Move (packing not included).


For more information, contact Dave at realestatetalk@kgal.com < " target=_newmailto:realestatetalk@kgal.com> .

Its been said that there are only TWO ways

to determine the absolute value of a property for sale;

(1) the Price that a qualified buyer is willing to close escrow OR

(2) the Price that the Seller is willing to continue to own it.

    With that in mind, our job as Real Estate Professionals is to find Number 1!  We'll do a comprehensive Market Analysis, giving you an idea of the current active and recently SOLD listings that are similar to yours, but at the end of the day, this is more ART than SCIENCE and at best, we are creating a starting point to test the Market's response.

 There IS a "Magic Number"

 at which the market will respond with enough activity (showings) to get you an offer - or maybe multiple offers.  If you assume that the market is going to remain absolutely FLAT for the next six months, it doesn't matter if you hit the Magic Number on day 1 or on day 180...that IS the number at which your house will get the market to positively respond.  Time is money, right?  Wouldn't your rather get the best offer you're going to get early in your listing experience rather than wait 6 months to get the same offer?

    Unfortunately, we all know that the market will not stay absolutely FLAT and, in our current environment, it means the Magic Number is going to nothing but go down, and with it the negotiating leverage that you have to hold on to even that price.  High Days on the Market statistics are ammunition for buyer low ball offers!  And the longer you've been sitting without an offer, the more likely you are to make the move to being a "Highly Motivated Seller" who will "Consider All Offers."

Bottom line

 List your home at the best guess of your home's Magic Number, and be prepared to adjust based on market activity.  Schedule your first 2 or 3 price adjustments at the time you start the listing...don't waste time!  The sooner you find the number, the sooner you'll see an offer and the more likely you are to be able to negotiate from a position of strength.