Filed under: People and Business, Real Estate, Uncategorized | Tags: Eugene Real Estate Investors Forum, Kim Crieger Goodwin, Meet up, Real Estate Eugene
If you’re interested in learning more about real estate investing, you’re welcome to join Kim Crieger Goodwin and me for our monthly Eugene Real Estate Investor Forum. It’s held monthly on the second Mondays at the Countryside Restaurant in Eugene.
Filed under: People and Business, Uncategorized | Tags: eweb, greenpower, northeastern oregon, renewable energy
Oregon is set to become a leader in renewable wind energy. The Shepard’s Flat wind turbine farm has been approved, and Caithness Energy is planning on spending 2 billion dollars for the project in Northeastern Oregon. The closest town is Arlington, along the Columbia River, which I had to look up. The power will be fed into the BPA grid, and exported to our neighbors to the south, in California. Eugene’s local utility, EWEB, has its own renewable energy program, called Greenpower, which receives power from wind turbine farms, among other sources.
Filed under: Eugene Realty Listings, Loans/Financing/Credit, People and Business, Uncategorized | Tags: Eugene Springfield Oregon, Foreclosures, Short sales
I’m basking in my 15 minutes of fame. Our local CBS station, KVAL, interviewed me for their piece on foreclosures and short sales in Eugene. Guess I’m working on the big fish in the small pond theory 
Filed under: People and Business, Real Estate, Uncategorized | Tags: Craig Tomlinson, eugene oregon, Eugene Real Estate, Eugene Real Estate Blog, Homebuilding, House Starts, Lane County Real Estate, Oregon Real Estate, Oregon Real Estate Blog, Real Estate Blog, Real Estate Information, Real Estate News, Real Estate Resource, Springfield Real Estate
Housing starts are up Nationwide and in the West, improving for over the last three months. Single family starts, nationwide, jumped over 14% from last month to 470,000 annually in June, 2009. This was the biggest monthly gain in 4 years, according to the WSJ. Home building in Eugene is improving, but is not brisk. If you’re wanting to build a house, now is a great time to do so.
Annualized Housing Starts Continue to improve in 2009
Nationwide (top) and Western (bottom) housing starts.
Filed under: People and Business, Uncategorized | Tags: Eugene Oregon Economy, Lane County Economy
Eugene's economy is improving, but not racing yet.
Lane County’s economy is a long ways from speeding merrily along, but there are signs we’re improving. I had lunch yesterday with the head of a local temp agency; companies that provide temporary employees are one of the leading indicators of the economy. For the last three months, temp agencies have been increasingly busy. Companies in Eugene are starting to see increased work load, but aren’t ready to commit to full-time hires. The time until we’re back to normal: probably a year, or Summer 2010, according to my buddy.
Filed under: Eugene Realty Listings, People and Business, Real Estate, Uncategorized | Tags: Craig Tomlinson, eugene oregon, Eugene Oregon House Prices, Eugene Real Estate, Eugene Real Estate Blog, Jared Helton, Lane County Real Estate, Oregon Real Estate, Oregon Real Estate Blog, Pre-foreclosure, Real Estate Blog, Real Estate Information, Real Estate News, Real Estate Resource, Short Sale, Springfield Real Estate
As my colleague Jared Helton pointed out in response to my last post, he expects the market for Eugene Springfield houses priced at 225K or less to remain strong through the end of the year. I think he’s right on the money; this is the market segment that has shown the most life this year. Granted, our predictions are only 5 months out, but that’s a lot these days.
Here’s an example of the type of house you can get for the money. It’s a short sale (or pre-foreclosure), 2,300 square feet, nearly new, and I have it listed at 229K, or under $100/s.f. That’s a good deal in any market.
If you’d like to know about the good deals in Eugene Springfield give me a call at 517-6543.
Short Sale priced at under $100/s.f.
Filed under: Loans/Financing/Credit, People and Business, Uncategorized | Tags: Fannie Mae loans, Fannie Mae standards, multiple properties, Rental owners
Investors will once again be able to get Fannie and Freddie loans for up to 10 properties. Recently, the limit had been ratcheted down to loans on only 4 properties, which was an impediment to rental owners.
The new program, effective March 1, 2009, is available for borrowers that own between 5 and 10 financed properties. This time around, the GSE’s (Fannie and Freddie) actually want some signs that the borrowers will repay. These minimums include:
∙ 25% down payment.
∙ Credit score of 720.
∙ No bankruptcy within 7 years.
∙ No mortgage delinquencies within the last year.
∙ Documentation of enough money to make 6 months payments on all the mortgages (Principal, Interest, Taxes, & Insurance) they have. These funds must be resting in their checking, savings, and/or retirement accounts/stocks.
Tom Freitag, a Eugene mortgage broker at Pacific Crest Loans fed me this information. He says that borrowers can choose between a 30 year fixed or a 5/1 ARM, but the ARM rates are actually worse than the 30 year fixed. Tom can be reached at: 868-1855
A nice benefit for rental owners is that they can refinance at today’s ultra low conventional, conforming loan rates!
Tom Freitag, Loan Broker. 868-1855
Filed under: Loans/Financing/Credit, People and Business, Real Estate, Uncategorized | Tags: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Gansen Construction, Loan limits, Mike Gansen, NAHB, National Association of Homebuilders, Oregon Home Builders Association, Section 25C
I met with Mike Gansen, of Gansen Construction, and the President of the Oregon Home Builders Association on Friday. He shared the details of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that the National Association of Homebuilders have been lobbying for. It had just cleared the Senate and is expected to be signed by Mr. Obama next week.
Certain key provisions especially important to homeowners and home buyers are:
1) 8,000 first time home buyer tax credit requiring no repayment for home purchase between 1 Jan and 1 Dec. 2009. The home must be your principal residence, and if you sell within 3 years, the credit is recaptured.
2) Enhancement of Section 25C program for energy efficiency remodeling to existing homes.
3) Increases in FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loan limits to 2008 levels.
There are plenty more goodies in the Act, but the above are especially important.
Mike Gansen, President of the Oregon Home Builders Association
Filed under: Home Improvement, People and Business, Uncategorized | Tags: Land use planning, Landscape architects, Landscape architecture, Landscape design, Site planning
I recently had the chance to talk with Michael Sanchez of Schirmer + Associates, a landscape architecture firm in Eugene. Many of us don t have a clear idea of what landscape architects do in Lane County, and Michael cleared up some of the confusion.
Site design and the creation of places are major skills landscape architects bring to residential, commercial and public projects, and probably what most of us think of as their primary roll. Proficiency in areas such as: grading, drainage and storm water management, planting and irrigation design, design of site features like pergolas or gazebos, and paving designs fit into this category of site design.
Land Use Planning is another significant area in which some landscape architects are involved. Land partitions, sub divisions, planned unit developments, conditional use permits and annexations come under this area. But, Mr. Sanchez was quick to point out that landscape architects are concerned with anything that has to do with any area outside of a building. Are we clear now?
So, from the simplest to the most complex of garden design to the planning of your next subdivision, keep Schirmer + Associates in mind. You can reach Michael at 686-4540.
Michael Sanchez: Landscape Architect
Filed under: Home Improvement, People and Business, Uncategorized | Tags: Associated Design, Custom Plans, House Plans, Rick McAlexander
If you’re looking for a dynamite set of house plans, keep Rick McAlexander of Associated Designs in mind. Most of us in Eugene Springfield don’t know what a big deal he’s become. His design column is published in some 1,000 newspapers around the United States. And, he’s one of the nicest guys you’ll meet.
The old time builders around will recognize the name. Rick’s out on his own and has been doing exceptional design for the last 20 years. He has 5 people working for him to keep those plans rolling out. They have over 750 plans available. And, if you can’t find what you like, they’ll be happy to design a custom set, just the way you like it.
Rick tells a funny story about toilets. He says that if you want a toilet in your living room, he’ll do his best to educate you about the pitfalls of such a plan, but if it comes down to it, and that’s what you really, really want, that’s what you’ll get.
Associated Designs also offers a revision service to modify plans to fit your lot or to your other specifications. They’ll also do an inexpensive site plan and quickly too, I’d point out. They can also tell you what to expect when you apply for a building permit.
So, what’s it all cost? A study-set of plans runs about $425. and a set of building plans starts at $650. What a deal!
There are plenty of good lots in Eugene Springfield and now’s a great time to build. New construction financing is available too.
Rick McAlexander of Associated Design.
