Pride of Ownership

.....is evident in this ONE owner Timberline Rim home. Great full time , retirement or Getaway dwelling. Great Room Design. 3 Bedroom/ 2 bath. Large back deck for Summer entertaintent. Tons of storage inside and out. Looking for an Office in the home, Artist's studio or Room with a View for Guests? This home has THE STUDIO in your dreams! Oversized garage too.

Check Out the Single Property Tour on the link below.
http://64884epinetreeway.epropertysites.com/

Great Welches Home

Great Home in Welches. Family Room Addition with Propane Incert New covered Front Porch in '07. Free Standing Propane stove in Dining Rm. Granite Countertop inKitchen. Fenced back yard w/Garden/Tool Shed. Well maintained home. Upstairs has a 595 sq ft unfinished bonus Rm not calculated into SqFt. Just needs Sheetrock & Carpet.Could be Master Suite,Office in the Home Or Young Person Play area. Lots of Outside Living.
http://68199etwinberryloop.epropertysites.com/

You Don't Need Paint to Make Your Mt Hood Home Green

The environment is a major news issue and everyone is thinking green. Sometimes it seems difficult to go green in your everyday life, but just a few simple steps can move you down the path to a green home in Brightwood, Sandy, Rhododendron, Government Camp or Welches. You won't even have to break a sweat or crack open a can of paint.

In the Laundry Room pick machines for your Mt Hood home that have an Energy Star rating for peak performance to conserve water and electricity. According to Planet Green, an Energy Star washer saves enough water over the machine's life to provide drinking water for six people for a LIFETIME. It will also save you hundreds of dollars in utility bills over an average 11 year machine lifespan. Use natural drying when possible. Hang clothes on a clothesline in the sun on nice days.Use green products to wash your clothes. Laundry soaps that contain phosphates are dangerous to the environment. Look for products made from bio-degradable phosphate free materials.

At the Store buy your cleaning supplies and cleaning detergents as concentrates so you get more in each bottle. The fewer bottles you buy throughout the year the less ends up in a landfill.Buy florescent bulbs instead of incandescent and carry your purchases home in reusable shopping bags.

Eat Green Right from Your Backyard You can make your home in Brightwood, Sandy, Rhododendron, or Welches your very own grocery store. Check out the Great New Welches Home if you are looking for a site for a Garden in the Links below. It doesn't take a huge space to grow a garden big enough to feed an average family each year. You will harvest fresh vegetables you know are free of pesticides and herbicides that are bad for the environment and your health.If you'd like more tips on going green, subscribe to my blog. Each week you'll get free tips like this one sent to your email inbox. It only takes a few seconds to subscribe now.

Great Welches Home with Sunny Site for a Garden:
68303etwinberryloop.epropertysites.com/

Energy Star:
www.energystar.gov/

Planet Green:
planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-index/index.html

Grow a garden:
www.backyardgardener.com/veg/

Tips for First Time Home Buyers in the Mt Hood Corridor

Are you considering buying your first home? I'm sure you already know that now's an amazing time to buy your first home. You have the perfect combination of low interest rates, lower home prices and President Obama's stimulus plan which gives you additional incentive to buy now.

To help make your first time home buying experience the best it can be, here are some tips:

1. Know What You Can AffordIt is easy to get carried away with what you want versus what you can actually afford. Start with reasonable expectations.
2. Decide Exactly What You NeedConsider your current family status and what your immediate future might hold, then decide on the number of bedrooms you require and the amenities you feel you can't do without. If you love to cook, a well-equipped and spacious kitchen will be important. If you eat out 90% of the time, it is wasted space.
3. Make Good Use of the InternetIf you're like millions of other Americans, you spend a lot of time online. Make use of the many available free programs and calculators to give you a better idea of what you can afford and what your mortgage payments will be. There are mortgage calculators that give you an instant idea of what each home you find will cost you monthly.
4. Don't Hesitate to Ask QuestionsCall around to get insurance quotes so that you have a reasonable estimation of what to add to the total cost of your monthly mortgage. Check the information on Mt Hood Corridor towns, like Welches, Brightwood, Rhododendron or Government Camp to find home properties you are interested in & find out what the taxes are, utilities have run, what water system/or well the home is on and what the sewage disposal system is just to name a few questions to find out. Add that amount to your total monthly mortgage cost too. The Taxes will be going up in the area of the Oregon Trail School System. A great new High School was voted in November 2008!!

Buying your first Mt Hood home should be the thrill of a lifetime and with proper planning it can be. If you'd like to work with a real estate agent who specializes in helping first time home buyers get their dream home at the best price, call me today at 503-706-7101 or email me at blythe@servingmthood.com .

Stimulus Plan:
www.premiercapitalmortgage.com/2009_Stimulus_Plan

Mortgage calculators: Link to the mortgage calculator on your website. If you don't have one, link here:
www.mortgage-calc.com/

total cost of your monthly mortgage:
www.loanpage.com/morpay.htm

Welches Home in Great Neighborhood!

SUNNY Location, Home faces South and back yard is full of SUN! New Carpet, Freshly painted. Fully Fenced back Yard. Fully landscaped, Room for Veggie Garden too. 3 Bedroom,plus Den/Office or 4th bd without a closet. Master downstairs. Laminate Floor in Kitchen and Dining Area. Propane FS Stove. Immaculate-MOVE in condition! Beautifully Maintained!

http://mthoodhomes.vflyer.com/home/flyer/home/2428998

Stimulus Isn't Just for First Time Home Real Estate Buyers

All the talk is about how the President's stimulus plan helps out new and first time home buyers. The good news is that it also helps homeowners. You can get stimulus plan benefits from your existing Mt Hood real estate too. Add a little green living to your environment and you'll be pocketing some change at the end of the year from your income tax return.

Under the stimulus plan, both eco friendly new home purchases and eco friendly improvements on existing homes are tax deductible. Now's the time to make your home more energy efficient and get a break at the end of the year for your efforts.

Going green saves money, makes your living environment healthier, and improves the world we live in. To reap the benefits from the stimulus plan, you can make major home improvements such as adding solar power or moderate priced home improvements such as adding low flow water fixtures.

You need to make your home improvements soon to get the stimulus plan benefit. The plan only allows for the tax benefits through the year 2010. Why wait? Use this as motivation to get your projects started (and completed) now.

Here are a few additional eco friendly home improvements to consider for your Mt Hood Home whether it's located in Brightwood, Welches, Government Camp Or Rhododendron real estate:
• Re-cover your roof: The color of your roof can make a big difference in how well your attic retains or refracts heat and cold.
• Install an energy efficient Energy Star furnace: Make sure it has a high SEER rating (seasonal energy efficient ratio).
• Install energy efficient Windows, Doors and Skylights

With a little work and a reasonable investment, your Mt Hood real estate will not only pay you back in dividends for years to come, it could get you a great tax break. If you need more ideas for how to make your home energy efficient and get tax credits, give me a call at 503-706-7101 or email me at blythe@servingmthood.com.

Stimulus plan:
www.reversemortgageadviser.com/blog/reverse-mortgages/economic-stimulus-plan-mortgage/

Eco friendly improvements:
www.toolbarn.com/articles/tips-to-be-green.html

Energy Star:
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_improvement.hm_improvement_index
OR
www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=windows_doors.pr_taxcredits

How You Can Get the Best Price When Buying Real Estate On Mt Hood

The Mt Hood real estate market is a homebuyer’s dream right now! Whether you're looking to buy a full time home, vacation getaway or an investment property, it's the perfect time. There is a lot of inventory, home prices are down, and interest rates are favorable which means that well-informed buying could benefit you in the long run. There are several tips I can offer you on how to get the best price when you buying a home:

• Shop around in the neighborhood where you're looking to buy. The only way to know if you're getting a good deal is to look at home prices in the same neighborhood. Ask your real estate agent for listings that are similar to the other homes in Brightwood, Welches, Rhododendron or Government Camp and the home you are interested in. Evaluate the homes and their prices to ensure that you’re getting a good price. Your real estate agent can help you with this evaluation. Ask for a Market Analysis.
• Play the negotiator when writing your contract! One way to try to bring down the price of the home is to offer a lower price on your contract. Offering a slightly lower price than what the homeowner is asking is a place to start trying to save some money. If the homeowner is firm on the listing price, you can look to cut costs in other areas. One way you may be able to lower your cost is by asking the seller to pay your closing costs.
• Check how long the house has been on the market. If a home has been on the market for an extended period, the homeowner is going to be more likely to lower the price. A house that has not had any offers in a few months gives you, the homebuyer, an advantage. The homeowner may be willing to lose a few thousand dollars in order to sell the property to you

Especially now, it’s possible to get a good price in the Mt Hood real estate market. Let me help you negotiate an excellent price for your new home. Call me today at 503-706-7101 or email me at blythe@servingmthood.com . If you would like to see Listings on Mt Hood you can sign up for listing alerts at www.servingmthood.com.

Negotiator
www.work911.com/articles/negotiate.htm

Closing costs
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closing_costs

Investment property
www.investorwords.com/2624/investment_property.html

Wise Investments to Prepare your Mt Hood Home for Sale

If you're thinking of listing your Mt Hood Home for sale and know it needs a little sprucing up, here are a few tips on the smartest home improvements you can make to help sell your home faster and for more money.

• Kitchen remodeling stands at the top of any list of most attractive projects for re-sale value. Crisp clean new cabinets, fresh tile and countertops all make for buyer approval and is money well spent.
• Bathroom remodeling is a good bet but not nearly as good as adding additional bathrooms, unless your home already has a lot of them.
• Adding central heat and air to replace floorboard or radiator heat is a huge selling point for any Mt Hood home for sale.
• Installing a deck or patio. This one hovers close to the middle of the do/don't numbers but it is still a nice investment that can make your home feel more comfortable and give it more 'space.'

Items that are less likely to be worth the money include:

• Installing a backyard pool. Some people think a pool is attractive. To many buyers, it's nothing but additional work and expense. Unless you live in a climate where the majority of people want a pool, steer clear of this investment.
• Converting your basement into a finished living space. Many buyers like a finished basement, but it's the main living space that counts most to them. Your money would be better spent above ground.
• A large landscaping job. It adds pleasure for you but not immediate gain in measurable value.

It is important to fix up your home to get it ready for buyers. But with money tighter than we've seen it in a long time, you need to focus on those improvements that will give you a good return on your money. If you'd like more tips on what works and what doesn't when fixing up your home In Rhododendron, Brightwood, Welches or Government Camp for sale, I can help. Call me today at 503-706-7101 or email me at blythe@servingmthood.com.

www.1to1house.com/fix-ups.html Kitchen remodeling: www.hgtv.com/kitchens/index.html Installing a deck: www.hgtv.com/topics/decks/index.html

Golf Villa Just Sold

Welches, Oregon Townhome

Part of the Rippling River Homeowner's Association on The Resort at the Mountain 27-Hole public golf course. This townhome is located on the Foxglove Course which has been newly enginerred this winter.

Check out the Virtual Tour at mthoodhomes.vflyer.com/home/flyer/home/2393726

Looking for Golf Course Property in Welches,? Give me a call at 503-706-7101

Barriers to Selling a Home Here On Mt Hood

The Biggest Barriers to Selling Your Home
Often they are those you create yourself by wanting a quick sale or not learning all there is to know about presenting your house to its best advantage. When you first begin to think about selling your home it seems easy. Put a sign on the lawn and list it. Once the shine wears off of the desire to do it all yourself, you might need some tips to help sell your home:

Clean It Up
That's the first and foremost advice. Nothing deters a real estate sale faster than a messy house. Living in your home while trying to sell it makes it difficult to keep it clean, but if you're serious about wanting to sell your home, it's worth the extra effort. You may want to learn how to clean your home fast for those times when a buyer calls and wants to see your home in 15 minutes or less.

Take Good Pictures
Where do you think people search first for homes for sale? Online. Newspapers used to be the first place people looked for homes. But now, approximately 80% of all home buyers look online before searching anywhere else. Due to cost and space limitations, newspapers usually display only one photo of the front view of the home. On the internet, where space is abundant, buyers expect to see lots of exterior and interior pictures, in fact, the more the better. If you aren't experienced at getting good room photos that show off your Mt Hood home to its best advantage, hire a photographer or a real estate agent who can do it for you.

Looking to Streamline the Selling Process
There are pitfalls you can get tripped up on when selling your home here on Mt Hood. If you'd like to work with a real estate agent who can help you maneuver around those pitfalls, give me a call today at 503-706-7101 or email me at blythe@servingmthood.com.


Tips to help sell your home: www.statefarm.com/learning/life_stages/learning_lifestages_sellinghome.asp

How to clean your home fast:
www.ehow.com/how_2312344_clean-house-faster.html

Room pictures:
www.ehow.com/how_4516889_take-photos-house-sale.html

Great First Time Home....

Or Fantastic Vacation Getaway In Zig Zag Village on Mt Hood in Rhododendron, Oregon. Adjacent Buildable Lot available too.





Check out the Virtual Tour at mthoodhomes.vflyer.com/home/flyer/home/2376054


Happy Hunting!

Looking for Your First Home? 2009 is the Year You've Been Waiting For!!!

Buying Your First Mt Hood Home
Is this a good time for first time home buyers to consider a home in Welches, Rhododendron, or Brightwood ? It's a familiar question with the economy in the state it is in. Here are a few reasons why a home is still a great investment for first time home buyers.

Pride of Ownership
This will never go away no matter what the economy is like. Owning your own home is the American dream for a reason. It just feels good to take care of a home in the Mt Hood Corridor that's yours and yours alone.

Tax Incentives
Owning your own home is one of the best tax deductions. The new stimulus plan makes that tax incentive better than ever before. Not only can you deduct your interest payments on your tax forms this year and for every year during the life of your mortgage, the stimulus plan allows a huge homebuyer tax credit of $8,000 for homes purchased in 2009 by first time home buyers.

Your property taxes are deductible too. Many first time home buyers understand that they can deduct the mortgage payment interest but don't realize they can declare their property tax as well for an even bigger yearly deduction.

Equity
Yes, even now, you will begin to build equity with each year you're in your new home. Equity improves your credit worthiness and gives you options for loans in the future if you need them.Take the first step toward buying a new home and contact me. I'll help you find the perfect place for you and your family. And, I'll help you get it at a great price. Call me now at 503-706-7101 or email me at blythe@servingmthood.com.


Homebuyer Tax credit:
www.realtor.org/government_affairs/gapublic/american_recovery_reinvestment_act_home#taxcredit

Tax deductions:
www.alllaw.com/articles/tax/article3.asp

Property Taxes:
www.neamb.com/lifeplan/homelive/hb_tax.jsp