Numerous buyers for properties that are a bargain

It’s interesting.  Listen to the local and national news coverage and you’d swear that the sky has fallen in the Portland real estate market.  Just this week I ran into 3 examples of properties where home my buyers saw value.  Two listed homes were short sales and already had offers on them within days of input into RMLS.  The third went into a sale pending status before they could even look at the house but RMLS had not yet been updated.  My clients were bummed.

This situation is not uncommon in today’s market.  Countless buyers are sitting on the fence waiting for that great bargain to come along.  Once it does, several of them jump on the opportunity and force a multiple offer situation.  Is our market really that bad?

Portland’s housing market is experiencing a significant adjustment

Home prices have slid in all areas.  Higher end locations like Lake Oswego, West Linn and Forest Heights are seeing adjustments back towards pricing seen in 2005.  Many of the homes in these areas are listed in the $600k price range.  A quick look at tax records will show assessor’s values over $750k.  Not that too buyers should be concerned with what the county thinks but rather note that home prices are adjusting from market peaks.  Looking at tax statements is one key way of evaluating home prices.

Prices have decreased 10% this year alone.  Recently I evaluated a Lake Oswego home for sale.  Sellers purchase the home in 2001 and were looking to relocate.  Taking a broader look at appreciation rates showed a tradational 6% overall increase (comparison of purchase price in 2001 to today’s potential sale price).  Buying in Lake Oswego proved to be a decent investment overall.

Unrealistic sellers need to lower price in order to compete

A huge factor in what’s driving down Portland real estate prices is the shear amount of short sale and foreclosed upon properties.  Banks actually taking homes back through foreclosure are very few, relatively speaking.  Owners who have the fore site to see their financial position may find it beneficial to do what’s known as Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure (give their house directly back to the bank).  This allows banks to unload homes quickly through the Portland MLS.

Whatever method is used to obtain the property doesn’t really matter.  Point is that bank owned real estate will be marketed at an aggressive price.  Benefit is to the buyer.  Buyers purchase properties at very attractive prices and are able to close within a standard 30 day period.  Short sale properties very often take 3 months to actually close, if they ever do.  Bank owned (foreclosures) and short sales are competing against the average seller, driving down their market value.  Sellers have to step up to the plate and lower their price to stay competitive!

Search all Portland Real Estate for sale at www.MaxwellSinclair.com

Lake Oswego offers several different neighborhoods to choose from when searching homes for sale.  Prestigious as the area is downtown still maintains a small town feel.  Walking the First Addition neighborhood and surrounding shops is warm and inviting.  Homes in this area range from early 1900′s Tudor style to 2008 constructed townhomes. Prices will remain well above Portland’s average though fall below Dunthorpe’s high-end price tags.  With land at a premium in First Addition it stands to reason that other areas within the city will have something to offer a bit further away.

Lake Grove an up and coming area neighborhood in Lake Oswego. A lot of Lake Oswego’s closer in areas have undergone development over the last 10 years. Being one of the most desirable areas to live in the Portland metro area, large remodel projects are common. Lake Grove is southeast of city center and still allows in-fill type construction. Newer homes perched within the confines of generally 1960′s models.

Not uncommon for lots to be fetching nearly $300 by the time infrastructure is in place. Ranging on the higher side of Portland’s average size they’re often 7500 square feet. It’ll be rather difficult to secure a newly completed home under $600k. For this price you’ll be looking at approximately 2400 ft. of living space. Many of these homes are designed on one level. Catering to a broad range of occupant situations they’re ideal for buyers who are done with stairs.

Feeding into top performing schools further drives attraction to the Lake Grove community. Prices have a fairly broad range from $300 to slightly under $1m. Close enough to I-5 convenience and Lake Oswego’s First Addition/downtown areas. Bridgeport Village, on of Portland’s newest shopping districts, is within a 5 minute drive. Several restaurants are also available.

Lake Grove is part of unincorporated Lake Oswego. Sewer hookup is often not available and therefore each individual homeowner is on a separate septic system. Water is supplied from the city. With city water comes privileges of using swim easements on the lake. Certain lots also have boating easements as well. Boat easements run with the land and are not transferable. This allows launching of boats on the lake that would not be permitted otherwise. Verification of home address will be required for use of several public swim beaches.

Just north of the River Grove area, Lake Grove is starting to show it’s desireability. As we work through these economic slow times currently development will continue and most likely prove to be a good investment. Buying Lake Oswego houses in any time in the remainder of 2008 should prove to be an overall great housing investment.  Continuation of sliding home prices will stop.  With this area of Portland’s upper end neighborhoods and top performing schools it’s unlikely to be getting much more affordable than the present.

Search our site for Portland MLS homes for sale at www.MaxwellSinclair.com.

Questions about Lake Oswego homes for sale or neighborhoods?  Just ask.  We’re happy to help!