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Beautiful Houses • Current Portland Real Estate Market Information • Daily House Idea • Decorating Ideas • House Ideas • kitchen ideas • March 23, 2014

What’s new in kitchens in 2014?

by Cary Perkins

I recently had the opportunity to view a presentation by Jonathan Hopp of Neil Kelly.  He spoke to the new and exciting changes in the world of kitchens – remodeling and new construction.  My favorite reference from the talk was about the fact that "backsplashes are the jewelry of the kitchen."  It's true!  You can have a totally neutral look and then jazz it up with a backsplash, which is often easily changable if you're ready for a new look.  Read on and hear what else Jonathan has to say……

 

 

What we are seeing increasingly in kitchens is a move toward quartz materials for countertops.  The advantage of quartz is that it comes in a variety of colors and patterns.  Technology has advanced to create finishes that more closely resemble limestone and marble – which are two materials I would hesitate to use in a heavily used kitchen.  Quartz has all the inherent advantages of granite, in that it doesn’t scratch easily, is heat resistant and comes in large slabs.  The pricing is similar to granite depending on the manufacturer, but you can expect that this popular product will be on the higher end of materials and well worth the price in durability and longevity.

 

 

The back splash is the jewelry of the kitchen. Most commonly the counter material is more neutral in tone, and frequently is chosen to compliment the flooring material or blend with the cabinetry finishes.  The back splash, however, is where designers are having fun.  With literally hundreds of new products on the market, the selection is greater than ever.    Manufacturing techniques have resulted in designs that weren’t available only a few short years ago.  I think the backsplash is one of the most important elements in determining a kitchens overall look and appearance.  In rooms where everything else is neutral, the backsplash is that final item that determines a kitchen’s look.  I say, have fun with the backsplash.  There generally isn’t a large quantity, so the cost is not extreme.  When you look at kitchens you will notice how much it draws the eye.  And, unlike cabinets, or counter tops, it is an easy way to add style without spending a fortune.

 

 

 

 

My favorite product recently is the advancement in porcelain tiles.  Resembling everything from limestone to hardwood flooring, this material expands the options for durability to an entirely new level.  As with other materials, the advancements in printing and fabrication have allowed porcelain tiles to achieve a new level of design.  Sculptured surfaces and graining are just a start.  The printing and transfer techniques now add a new realism to the material like never before.  Porcelain tiles are inherently durable and can stand up to wear and tear like nothing else.  The latest trend is newer sizes such as 12 x24, 24 x24 as well as smaller mosaic blends.  No longer are we stuck with the ubiquitous 12” square tile. 

 

If you'd like advice for your kitchen, please call Jonathan for a private consultation!

 

http://www.neilkelly.com/personal-pages/jonathan-hopp/

 
Cary Perkins,
Windermere Top Producer
Fun With Real Estate
Current Portland Oregon Real Estate Information,
Highlights of Portland Oregon, House Ideas
Portland Oregon Homes

by Cary Perkins

Portland Real Estate, Portland Oregon Top Producer, Windermere Top Producer, Portland Realtor, Portland Homes for Sale

Current Portland Real Estate Market Information • Moving • Portland Oregon Real Estate • Portland Real Estate Statistics • March 20, 2014

First Time Homebuyers – Spring 2014 Market Information

by Cary Perkins

 

 

The housing market is still far from normal. On a positive note, the pipeline of foreclosure inventory has shrunk, new delinquencies have declined, and home prices have surged. However, we have not settled into a stable supply and demand equilibrium.

There is still a historically low share of first-time homebuyers, currently trending at 27% of sales based on the prior three months, as compared to the normal share of about a third of buyers.

 

 

First-time buyers (% of existing home sales) 

 

If you're waiting to make your first move, please consider contacting a repuatable lender right away.  (I'm happy to share the contact information for some of Portland's best lenders)  It's a very detailed process, but I'm happy to help walk you through it.  Once you've been approved for a mortgage, we can start looking.

 

With thanks for the report from the Merrill Lynch housing research department, and Bill Denton, Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor.   If you would like to speak with a wealth manager, please call me for a recommendation and more information.

 

 

 

 

Portland Oregon Real Estate Information, House Ideas, Portland Oregon Highlights.
Caryperkins.com…   Windermere Top Producer….Fun With Real Estate

by Cary Perkins

Portland Real Estate, Portland Oregon Top Producer, Windermere Top Producer, Portland Realtor, Portland Homes for Sale

Current Portland Real Estate Market Information • Moving to Portland • Portland Oregon Real Estate • Portland Real Estate Data • Portland Real Estate Statistics • March 18, 2014

Is there a new real estate bubble?

by Cary Perkins

 

 

Portland is currently a very hot area for real estate. In fact, it is not unusual in several neighborhoods for there to be more than 5-10 or more offers for the same property, driving the price up 10% or more above asking price.

People have asked whether this is an indicator of another bubble waiting to explode all over the area’s real estate market. The last time home prices ticked up like this was just before the market correction.  So is this an inflated market or just the sign of a market continuing to find its new normal?

 

According to the Case Shiller Home Price Index released last month (February 25) showed that through the end of December, in the United States, home prices were up 11.3% overall which was the best year since 2005 according to the Chairman of the S&P Dow Jones Index Committee, David M. Blitzer. Some standout markets in 2013 included:

Several of those markets were hit very hard in the downturn and the numbers listed above reflect a rebound (such as Detroit, Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix, and Tampa), but what about Atlanta, Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco and Seattle?

Several of these markets are driven by pent-up demand and the loosening of credit. However, it is important to take a closer look at these markets, and any other market that is seeing high demand, to determine where the demand is coming from and if that demand is sustainable.

For example, in looking at Portland, there are several factors at work:

  • Migration to Oregon from other states is very high. In fact, Portland has one of the highest migration totals in the country in 2013.
  • Foreign and domestic investors are investing in the Portland housing market and the surrounding areas due to the potential for higher rents in these areas.

When demand occurs for more than one reason, it is a sign that a market is healthy, not spiraling out of control.

We must also take into account that credit is loosening up from recent years, but it is nowhere near as loose as it was in the years leading up to the market correction. New guidelines have been set in motion to prevent the kind of collapse we have had in the past. Credit score requirements are on the way down for loans. In fact, as reported by the LA Times last week, lenders are reducing the required credit scores for FHA loans and are allowing some with credit scores of 600 to receive mortgage funding. Lenders are also raising the debt-to-income ratio limit.

I don't believe this is a bubble. This is a direct result of pent-up demand from buyers who have been waiting almost three years to buy. Buyers who were getting ready to buy a year ago chose to wait because of issues the country was having with the debt ceiling and there was a lack of confidence in the market. Consumers are feeling more confident now and they show that confidence in buying real estate. In some markets there just isn’t enough inventory to go around. The increased consumer confidence along with the lack of new construction inventory has created a storm of demand. 

by Cary Perkins

Beautiful Houses • Current Portland Real Estate Market Information • Front door • House Ideas • Portland Oregon Real Estate • March 1, 2014

Low Housing Inventory requires Creative Thinking

by Cary Perkins

The Spring housing market is off to a bit of a slow start, thanks to an extremely low inventory of homes for sale.  Listings are starting to trickle onto the market, but some Realtors are struggling to find homes for their ready, willing, and able buyers. 

One way to make a match in this tough market is to have an open mind about what you hope to live in -vs- what is currently on the market.

If you need an amazing contractor to help transform an ordinary home in the extraordinary home of your dreams, I can help you with that.  My book of names includes talented architects, builders and designers. 

Open your mind to the possibilities……let's see what we can find.

 

 

 

 

photo credit unknown – found via Pinterest

 

 

 

Portland Oregon Real Estate Information, House Ideas, Portland Oregon Highlights.
Caryperkins.com…   Windermere Top Producer….Fun With Real Estate

by Cary Perkins

Beautiful Houses • Current Portland Real Estate Market Information • Moving to Portland • Portland Oregon • Portland Oregon Real Estate • Portland Oregon Realtor • February 17, 2014

A Portland Real Estate Year in Review

by Cary Perkins

 

Thank you for your business and all your referrals… what a wondeful year it was.

 

 

Portland Oregon Real Estate Information, House Ideas, Portland Oregon Highlights.
Caryperkins.com…  A Windermere Top Producer….Fun With Real Estate

by Cary Perkins

Current Portland Real Estate Market Information • House Ideas • Portland Oregon Real Estate • February 14, 2014

Micro Housing – coming soon to a city near you?

by Cary Perkins

 

 

 

MICRO HOUSING – A micro-apartment, also known as an apodment or microflat, is a one-room, self-contained living space, usually purpose built, designed to accommodate a sitting space, sleeping space, bathroom and kitchenette within around 150–350 square feet.

“Micro housing” is fast becoming a reality in markets all across the country.  For those who haven’t heard much about it, micro housing is fully functional living space in a very small square footage blueprint (under 600 square feet).

Japan has been building micro housing units for years. It is now a very important part of urban markets everywhere. New York, Boston, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, Seattle and even Cleveland have micro housing product. Micro housing is also huge in Canadian markets such as Vancouver and Toronto where it is a much-needed segment of the market.

Micro housing is not only a solution for buyers who can’t afford larger space. In fact, in some markets micro housing is the preferred high-demand product type for a certain segment of the population. Micro housing is generational and lifestyle-driven by Baby Boomers wanting to have a small space in urban communities and young professionals wanting to be close to work and to the urban hub. Additionally, consider that a large part of our population is single. Back in the 1950s, the United States’ adult population was about 10% single. Today that number is closer to 40%. Single people require smaller living spaces than their coupled counterparts. With younger people choosing to get married later in life with higher rates of divorce coupled with Baby Boomers wanting spaces in urban areas along with young professionals – this all adds up to a much greater demand for micro housing.

Urban areas are beginning to recognize the need for micro housing in their urban centers. While in the past, a larger living area was required, in many cities across the country, planning and development departments are beginning to regulate micro housing as a separate entity. This is a clear indication that they are beginning to see the reality of its long-term place in the market and eyeing it as a solution for high-demand areas close to commerce as it also lessens the demand on mass transit the closer to work people live.

Mark my words – micro housing will become the buzz word in real estate in the next two years, just like “short sales” was when the market tumbled. Watch for many more micro housing developments to spring up in urban areas all around the country in years to come.

 

 

Portland Oregon Real Estate Information, House Ideas, Portland Oregon Highlights.
Caryperkins.com…  A Windermere Top Producer….Fun With Real Estate!

 

by Cary Perkins

cary perkins • Current Portland Real Estate Market Information • Portland Oregon Real Estate • October 21, 2013

Windermere is Paperless!

by Cary Perkins

 

 

Add Documents

 

In a paper-driven business that requires a LOT of forms, (if you've done a transaction lately, you'll know exactly what I mean) it takes a forward-thinking company to get rid of the paper.   I'm so happy to say that Windermere in Portland has taken the leap. 

 

Starting today, all transactions will be handled without the bulky paper files.  Our notes,  correspondence, and all transaction paperwork will be stored and instantly backed up and encrypted in secure servers in multiple locations worldwide!  Having numerous back-ups besides our local server is especially reassuring when dealing with such important documents. 

 

Not only is our system secure, it is totally customized to the Windermere way.  (We follow strict guidelines about paperwork – our commission checks are dependent upon perfect files -well ahead of what is frequently the case in the industry.) 

 

Our paperless transactions are also web-based, so that no matter where we are, we can instantly access a contract, a page of notes, or a home inspection report and deal with it from in the field, where, if you're a busy Realtor, you will most often find yourself.

 

What this means for my clients is a smoother experience and the knowledge that no matter what or when they need it, I have access to their transaction file – even if it's years later and they have an important  question or wondered who was the contractor who fixed their plumbing, it's at my fingertips.

 

For me, it's like a silent assistant organizing my paperwork and file drawers.  Not only that, it sends me a message to get a signature or submit a document to the escrow agent or lender. 

 

No more paper waste, faxes and copies,  This is revolutionary!

 

Once again, it makes me really proud to be working with Windermere – one of our country's top-notch Brokers. 

 

 

 

 

Portland Oregon Real Estate Information, House Ideas, Portland Oregon Highlights.
Caryperkins.com…  A Windermere Top Producer….Fun With Real Estate!
Portland Oregon Real Estate • Portland Oregon Restaurants • December 28, 2012

Raven and Rose – Downtown Portland’s Newest Restaurant

by Cary Perkins

 

I've been waiting for something wonderful to open in the Ladd Building, which was scheduled to be demolished to make way for the Ladd Tower, but was saved, moved, and then moved back again into the shadow of the tower.  Very dramatic.  But then it sat empty for a long time, and so I'm just thrilled that it's now getting the happy ending it deserves!  See the Oregonian article about the new restaurant, Raven and Rose, that is set to open there next week. 

Portland Oregon Real Estate

 

When downtown Portland's new restaurant Raven & Rose officially opens next week in the historic Ladd Carriage House, diners may feel they've been transported back to the Victorian era.

"My number one goal was to create a space that looked like it belonged in this building," said owner Lisa Mygrant during a walk-through of the two-story gastropub on Wednesday. "It has a timeless feel. It could have belonged to that era or now."

Turning the restored 1880s building, which is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, into a restaurant took just over 14 months, Mygrant said. Much of that time was spent creating the physical infrastructure for the restaurant, since the carriage house was basically a hollow shell with no pipes, duct work or wiring.

The main floor features an exposed kitchen with a wood-fired oven made out of bricks reclaimed from the carriage house's original fireplace and chimney. Gas lanterns are suspended over booths, as well as two-person tables along a long, cushioned banquette. In the center of the dining room is a custom-made bar with a hand-hammered zinc top, complete with four wines and nine beers on draft, including one cask-conditioned ale.

Steps to the second floor lead to a waiting area outside of the restaurant's pastry kitchen, as well as what may be the restaurant's crown jewel, the "rookery" bar, located where the carriage house's hay loft originally was. The space features another custom-made bar, a library nook that can be used as a private meeting space, and leather couches in front of a gas fireplace. The space also will contain a pool table.

Raven & Rose is aiming for LEED gold-certified status, and reuse of materials has been emphasized throughout the restaurant's design. Bar tables have been constructed out of old walnut shipping crates, and the upstairs floor is made of reclaimed and refinished horse fencing. Over the restaurant's entryway is a ceiling that was part of the carriage house's original living quarters.

The initial menu from longtime Portland chef David Padberg (Wildwood, Clarklewis, Park Kitchen) will feature rustic, wood-fired dishes, like a recent braised short ribs, Yorkshire pudding, roasted root vegetables and beet-kidney sauce that was served at a thank-you dinner for the restaurant's construction crew. Behind the bar is Dave Shenaut, (formerly of Beaker & Flask and Riffle NW), who has designed a menu of historic cocktails designed to evoke the building's history.

The restaurant is just the latest chapter in the building's long history. It went up in the 1880s to house Portland business leader William Ladd's carriages, horses and coachmen. In the 1920s, it was converted into shops and offices, and was remodeled as a law firm in 1972. But in the middle of the last decade, as plans got underway to build the Ladd Tower, a 23-story apartment building on the same block, the carriage house was tapped for demolition. Preservationists rallied to save the building.

In 2007, the building was placed on blocks and moved several blocks west on Southwest Columbia Avenue, where it sat in a parking lot as construction progressed on the tower. It was moved back the next year, then underwent extensive restoration to its exterior, outside walls and roof. Construction on Raven & Rose began in late 2011.

Raven & Rose will officially open for happy hour and dinner Tuesdays through Saturdays beginning Friday, Jan. 4. The restaurant plans to add full daily lunch and dinner service by early March.

Raven & Rose is at

1331 S.W. Broadway

503-222-7673

ravenandrosepdx.com

 

adapted from an article that appeared in The Oregonian on December 28, 2012 titled Restaurant first-look: Inside downtown Portland's Raven & Rose in the historic Ladd Carriage House / oregonlive.com

http://www.oregonlive.com/dining/index.ssf/2012/12/restaurant_first-look_downtown.html

Current Portland Real Estate Market Information • Selling Your home • Selling your home during the holidays • October 30, 2012

Selling your Home during the Holidays?

by Cary Perkins

Selling During The Holidays?

During the holidays, many sellers withdraw their properties from the market and wait until January to re-list. Most often, it’s because of family visits and holiday celebrations. Let's face it – who wants to keep their house clean enough for buyers when you're in the midst of baking, wrapping presents and partying?  However in today’s market, having your home for sale during the winter holidays can give you a real competitive edge.

Serious Buyers. Only really serious buyers are looking for homes during the holidays.  Would you rather be attending holiday events and getting your shopping done, or driving around in the rain and cold looking at homes?  Buyers' dedication and commitment to the home buying process during this time makes them much more serious buyers than the summer tire-kickers. Most buyers start their search on the internet and will spend their holiday break surfing the web looking for homes. With more free time, buyers and their families will spend more time dreaming about what they will do in 2013. Why not have your home prominently featured on the Internet where they can discover it?

Less competition. With fewer listings, there is less competition for those serious buyers.  You'll lose this edge in January as more sellers trickle back into the market, slowly increasing to normal levels by Spring.

Moving up before prices increase.   We've hit the bottom of the housing crisis and are finally rebounding.   Given a 3% annual increase in the market, higher in some areas of Portland, a $250,000 house will gain $7,500 in value, while a $500,000 house will gain $15,000 in value.  Your leverage in buying up to the next level house is much higher in actual dollars.  Additionally, the cost of borrowing money has never been less – your move-up can be locked in at today's low interest rates.

Holiday decorations.  Give me a call to have my professional stager help you with both your holiday decorations and staging your home for sale at the same time. Buyers are emotional during the holidays. You can capitalize on their emotions by using high quality holiday decorations to showcase what your home has to offer, as well as let buyers experience the dream of living in your home.

Higher appraisal values.  Recent strong sales support the rising appraisal values of homes. With the market increase in sales of non-distressed homes, now is the best time to sell. The percentage of bank-owned and foreclosure homes has shrunk, giving appraisers more information on the sale of regular homes as they begin to increase in value for the first time in over five years.

 

 

Cary Perkins | Perkins & Perkins | Windermere Realty Trust

(503) 720-4455 | caryperk@windermere.com