Hey...where did everybody go? Follow us over to the blog's new home in WordPressVille.
www.CoreyNorthwest.com
Monday, November 8, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Welcome to Portland--Part 2
Hello again....I am back with more tips and information for people moving to the beautiful city of Portland, Oregon. Welcome!
In Part 1 of my tips for Portland newbies, we covered such topics as DMV and car registration, the different power companies, all those bridges, food carts, and more.
Today, I want to feature information for those of you who may not even need to register a car. The public transportation in Portland is fantastic. The Tri-Met bus lines are affordable and stretch throughout the region, running on a very regular basis. The MAX is a wonderful lightrail system that will zip you from the far reaches of Portland metro to downtown, the airport, the zoo and many other important destinations. You can even ride the MAX line through downtown for free! To supplement these two great systems are the Portland Streetcar, connecting OHSU and PSU to the Pearl District and NW 23rd, and the WES line, connecting commuters from Beaverton to Wilsonville.
And, you can easily get around this town on foot and by bike. It is highly walkable and rideable. The pedestrian and cyclist communities are very well-organized and vocal, working hard for bike lanes and safety. Check out Portland Afoot and Bike Portland for more resources. We also enjoy the walks suggested in the book Walk There.
Through a combination of public transportation, walking and light driving, I only put gas in my car about every two weeks or so, which makes me happy and healthy.
Another interesting thing you should know about Portland is that it is in fact included in two different counties: Multnomah County and Washington County. In fact many cities in the Portland metropolitan area straddle two counties. Because of that, there is an additional government entity here, simply called Metro, an elected government that coordinates activities and resources between cities and counties throughout the region.
Speaking of elections, Oregon is a "vote by mail" state, meaning that there are no polling places on election day. Your ballot is mailed to you in mid-October, and you must mail it or return it to your county election board in time for election day. While this is convenient and has led to higher voter turnout, I must admit that I miss the excitement of the polling place on election day.
Time for a quick pronunciation guide:
Couch Street="Kooch Street"
Willammette="Wil-LAMB-et"
Glisan="Glee-son"
Aloha="uh-LOW-uh"
Be careful out there...Portland has a number of place names with interesting pronunciations. Saying them incorrectly will mark you as a newbie or tourist!
That is it for today's guide to settling in to Portland. There is always more to share and learn, and I will back soon with part 3.
In the meantime, if you ever have questions about moving to Portland or settling in to town, please let me know. I'm always happy to help!
In Part 1 of my tips for Portland newbies, we covered such topics as DMV and car registration, the different power companies, all those bridges, food carts, and more.
Today, I want to feature information for those of you who may not even need to register a car. The public transportation in Portland is fantastic. The Tri-Met bus lines are affordable and stretch throughout the region, running on a very regular basis. The MAX is a wonderful lightrail system that will zip you from the far reaches of Portland metro to downtown, the airport, the zoo and many other important destinations. You can even ride the MAX line through downtown for free! To supplement these two great systems are the Portland Streetcar, connecting OHSU and PSU to the Pearl District and NW 23rd, and the WES line, connecting commuters from Beaverton to Wilsonville.
And, you can easily get around this town on foot and by bike. It is highly walkable and rideable. The pedestrian and cyclist communities are very well-organized and vocal, working hard for bike lanes and safety. Check out Portland Afoot and Bike Portland for more resources. We also enjoy the walks suggested in the book Walk There.
Through a combination of public transportation, walking and light driving, I only put gas in my car about every two weeks or so, which makes me happy and healthy.
Another interesting thing you should know about Portland is that it is in fact included in two different counties: Multnomah County and Washington County. In fact many cities in the Portland metropolitan area straddle two counties. Because of that, there is an additional government entity here, simply called Metro, an elected government that coordinates activities and resources between cities and counties throughout the region.
Speaking of elections, Oregon is a "vote by mail" state, meaning that there are no polling places on election day. Your ballot is mailed to you in mid-October, and you must mail it or return it to your county election board in time for election day. While this is convenient and has led to higher voter turnout, I must admit that I miss the excitement of the polling place on election day.
Time for a quick pronunciation guide:
Couch Street="Kooch Street"
Willammette="Wil-LAMB-et"
Glisan="Glee-son"
Aloha="uh-LOW-uh"
Be careful out there...Portland has a number of place names with interesting pronunciations. Saying them incorrectly will mark you as a newbie or tourist!
That is it for today's guide to settling in to Portland. There is always more to share and learn, and I will back soon with part 3.
In the meantime, if you ever have questions about moving to Portland or settling in to town, please let me know. I'm always happy to help!
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Simpsons are...going to Portland!
One of the best reasons to live in Portland is because The Simpsons are from here. Yes, The Simpsons. Those Simpsons. Not those other Simpsons, but The Simpsons.
For years, it was debated which Springfield was the actual Springfield that The Simpsons live in. Upon the release of The Simpsons Movie, Fox announced that Springfield, Vermont was the actual Springfield, but that was just a publicity stunt. Portland, Oregon is the real Springfield, because this is where creator Matt Groening grew up, and Portland inspired many characters and places in the series. And, here is the proof!
--Ned Flanders is named after NE Flanders.
--Reverend Lovejoy is based on Lovejoy Street, and AJ Lovejoy, one of the city founders.
--Montgomery Burns may have lived on SW Montgomery or near Montgomery Park.
--Mayor Quimby is inspired by both NW Quimby and Ramona Quimby, as seen in the children's literature of fellow Portlander Beverly Cleary.
--Principal Seymour Skinner is a combination of SW Seymour and Eugene Skinner, another Portland pioneer.
--Sideshow Bob's last name is Terwilliger, as in SW Terwilliger.
--Milhouse Van Houten is named for N Van Houten in North Portland.
--Also hailing from North Portland is Wayland Smithers of N. Wayland Street.
--And, of course, SE Simpson Street.
There are many others, which you can peruse right here at The Simpsons Archive.
If you want to know even more Simpsons-iana and the Portland connections, read this great reminisence by Matt Groening about his formative years in Portland, via the Portland Tribune.
There are so many wonderful things about living in Portland, and this is just one more of them. If you ever have questions about living in Portland or Portland real estate, just let me know. I'm always happy to help.
For years, it was debated which Springfield was the actual Springfield that The Simpsons live in. Upon the release of The Simpsons Movie, Fox announced that Springfield, Vermont was the actual Springfield, but that was just a publicity stunt. Portland, Oregon is the real Springfield, because this is where creator Matt Groening grew up, and Portland inspired many characters and places in the series. And, here is the proof!
--Ned Flanders is named after NE Flanders.
--Reverend Lovejoy is based on Lovejoy Street, and AJ Lovejoy, one of the city founders.
--Montgomery Burns may have lived on SW Montgomery or near Montgomery Park.
--Mayor Quimby is inspired by both NW Quimby and Ramona Quimby, as seen in the children's literature of fellow Portlander Beverly Cleary.
--Principal Seymour Skinner is a combination of SW Seymour and Eugene Skinner, another Portland pioneer.
--Sideshow Bob's last name is Terwilliger, as in SW Terwilliger.
--Milhouse Van Houten is named for N Van Houten in North Portland.
--Also hailing from North Portland is Wayland Smithers of N. Wayland Street.
--And, of course, SE Simpson Street.
There are many others, which you can peruse right here at The Simpsons Archive.
If you want to know even more Simpsons-iana and the Portland connections, read this great reminisence by Matt Groening about his formative years in Portland, via the Portland Tribune.
There are so many wonderful things about living in Portland, and this is just one more of them. If you ever have questions about living in Portland or Portland real estate, just let me know. I'm always happy to help.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
FHA is Changing The Rules of Mortgage Insurance
On October 4th, Your FHA Buying Power is Going Down.
FHA loans will have higher monthly payments after October 3rd due to rule changes regarding Mortgage Insurance (MI). Both Upfront and Monthly MI are changing.
For example, this means that if you can afford a $225,000 house today, you will only be able to afford a $216,500 house in October.
The Good News: Upfront MI, which is usually added onto the loan amount, is going down from 2.25% to 1.0%. Since this cost is usually added onto the total loan amount, your total loan amount will be noticeably lower.
The Bad News: Monthly MI, which used to be determined by a factor of .55, is going up to .90. That means a monthly amount equal to 90 cents for every thousand dollars on the loan. This affects the monthly payment. For most borrowers taking advantage of the low down payments of FHA insured loans, the monthly payment usually has more impact than the total amount of the loan.
Let's look at a home that you want to purchase for $225,000. The FHA down payment of 3.5% would be $7,875, leading to a base loan amount of $217,125. The Upfront MI will actually reduce from $4,885 to $2,171. Remember, this amount is added to the loan, and results in a monthly payment about $13 less. However, the Monthly MI will increase from $99.52 to $162.84.
This all comes down to a monthly payment, including principal and interest plus MI, of $1,273.98, which is about $50 more per month than current rates. This is a reduction in your buying power, and results is the rough equivalent of being able to buy a house for $225,000 now or only being able to afford a $216,500 house after October 4th. Of course, these numbers will change for different loan amounts, so please let me know if you have any questions.
Argh...it is hard to write narratively about numbers. So....if you would like a handy flyer with an easy-to-read chart, please let me know and I can send it along.
Now, it is not too late to get the current FHA MI payments.
Your FHA loan doesn’t have to be complete by October 4th, but it must have an FHA Case Number, and an FHA Case Number can be obtained once your offer to buy is accepted.
This is a complicated issue to write about, so please let me know if you have any questions. This is an important change for a popular loan product, and I want you to know more about it. Thanks to Kristin Brown at Mortgage Trust for her valuable information and guidance on this topic.
FHA loans will have higher monthly payments after October 3rd due to rule changes regarding Mortgage Insurance (MI). Both Upfront and Monthly MI are changing.
For example, this means that if you can afford a $225,000 house today, you will only be able to afford a $216,500 house in October.
The Good News: Upfront MI, which is usually added onto the loan amount, is going down from 2.25% to 1.0%. Since this cost is usually added onto the total loan amount, your total loan amount will be noticeably lower.
The Bad News: Monthly MI, which used to be determined by a factor of .55, is going up to .90. That means a monthly amount equal to 90 cents for every thousand dollars on the loan. This affects the monthly payment. For most borrowers taking advantage of the low down payments of FHA insured loans, the monthly payment usually has more impact than the total amount of the loan.
Let's look at a home that you want to purchase for $225,000. The FHA down payment of 3.5% would be $7,875, leading to a base loan amount of $217,125. The Upfront MI will actually reduce from $4,885 to $2,171. Remember, this amount is added to the loan, and results in a monthly payment about $13 less. However, the Monthly MI will increase from $99.52 to $162.84.
This all comes down to a monthly payment, including principal and interest plus MI, of $1,273.98, which is about $50 more per month than current rates. This is a reduction in your buying power, and results is the rough equivalent of being able to buy a house for $225,000 now or only being able to afford a $216,500 house after October 4th. Of course, these numbers will change for different loan amounts, so please let me know if you have any questions.
Argh...it is hard to write narratively about numbers. So....if you would like a handy flyer with an easy-to-read chart, please let me know and I can send it along.
Now, it is not too late to get the current FHA MI payments.
Your FHA loan doesn’t have to be complete by October 4th, but it must have an FHA Case Number, and an FHA Case Number can be obtained once your offer to buy is accepted.
This is a complicated issue to write about, so please let me know if you have any questions. This is an important change for a popular loan product, and I want you to know more about it. Thanks to Kristin Brown at Mortgage Trust for her valuable information and guidance on this topic.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Welcome to Portland--A Guide for New Residents--Part One
Portland author Chuck Palahniuk once wrote a terrific off-the-beaten path guide to Stumptown called Fugitives and Refugees, and that might be the best assessment yet of who lives in this incredible, eclectic, funky and beautiful town. A lot of people seem to be here from somewhere else. I moved here for the environment, for the food, for the family and friends, for the strangers yet to be my friends, for the weather and terrain, and to be with fellow fugitives and refugees who love the Portland area. (I even kinda moved here to be somewhat geographically closer to Chuck Palahniuk, but it would be too creepy to admit that, right?)
So, why are you moving to Portland? I’m not here to convince you to move to Portland. I’m not here to tout all the magazine articles that declare Portland to be the best town in the US for walkers, for bicyclists, for foodies, for readers and writers, for artists, for techies, for environmentalists, etc, etc. If you are reading this, you probably already know that Portland is the place for you.
No matter what your reasons are, there are always some things to learn, and I want to share my experiences to help guide you. There are many travel guides and city guides, so I think of this as a “Welcome to Portland” guide.
In no particular order, here are some things you should know when you begin your new Portlandia life:
The DMV here is really nice and easy to use. I’m not kidding. Go check out the Yelp reviews of the DMV. People actually Yelp about their good experiences at the DMV here. If you have a license from another state, you will probably only need to take the written exam to get an Oregon driver’s license. Most of it is common sense, but do take the time to review the Oregon Driver Manual and take the online practice tests. When it is time to get your car registered, you need to have the smog system checked at the state-run DEQ facility. If you are from California, like me, you will find this very affordable and simple. Then go right to the DMV and register your car. This should all cost you about $300, and your car registration is good for 2 years.
There are two electric companies here, but you don’t get to choose which one you use. It depends on where you live. I live in the Northeast and use Pacific Power. Portland General Electric, which also has its name on the downtown ball park/soccer arena, handles electric in most other parts. One great way to find out which electric company to use, as well as other utilities and neighborhood stats, is to visit the Portland Maps website.
Don’t be afraid to eat at one of the 500+ food carts scattered about town. The food cart movement started here in Portland a few years ago, and they have quickly become an institution. Downtown is full of them, and there are “pods” of carts and single stands all over town. Every cuisine imaginable can be found if you look hard enough. On Hawthorne? Try the Hawaiian-Korean pulled pork stand. Up in Alberta? Stop by the French themed converted rail car or the now-famous Grilled Cheese Grill, where you can chow down in a converted yellow school bus.
Walk across one of the seven bridges crossing the Willamette. All of the bridges, except the freeway passovers, are bike and pedestrian friendly. Walking across the bridge, especially at sunset, is a great way to see the city views. And, when the bridge has to raise for a big ship passing under, an impromptu community forms during the wait. Maybe you will make a new friend on the bridge.
Want to know all the cool fun stuff going on in town? Follow Byron Beck’s blog . He’s got the lowdown on celebs in town, great new restaurants, can’t miss gallery events, political brouhahas and more.
While you are at it, follow Mayor Sam Adams on Twitter.
This is just the first part. I’ll be back with more tips on settling into your new life in Portland.
So, why are you moving to Portland? I’m not here to convince you to move to Portland. I’m not here to tout all the magazine articles that declare Portland to be the best town in the US for walkers, for bicyclists, for foodies, for readers and writers, for artists, for techies, for environmentalists, etc, etc. If you are reading this, you probably already know that Portland is the place for you.
No matter what your reasons are, there are always some things to learn, and I want to share my experiences to help guide you. There are many travel guides and city guides, so I think of this as a “Welcome to Portland” guide.
In no particular order, here are some things you should know when you begin your new Portlandia life:
The DMV here is really nice and easy to use. I’m not kidding. Go check out the Yelp reviews of the DMV. People actually Yelp about their good experiences at the DMV here. If you have a license from another state, you will probably only need to take the written exam to get an Oregon driver’s license. Most of it is common sense, but do take the time to review the Oregon Driver Manual and take the online practice tests. When it is time to get your car registered, you need to have the smog system checked at the state-run DEQ facility. If you are from California, like me, you will find this very affordable and simple. Then go right to the DMV and register your car. This should all cost you about $300, and your car registration is good for 2 years.
There are two electric companies here, but you don’t get to choose which one you use. It depends on where you live. I live in the Northeast and use Pacific Power. Portland General Electric, which also has its name on the downtown ball park/soccer arena, handles electric in most other parts. One great way to find out which electric company to use, as well as other utilities and neighborhood stats, is to visit the Portland Maps website.
Don’t be afraid to eat at one of the 500+ food carts scattered about town. The food cart movement started here in Portland a few years ago, and they have quickly become an institution. Downtown is full of them, and there are “pods” of carts and single stands all over town. Every cuisine imaginable can be found if you look hard enough. On Hawthorne? Try the Hawaiian-Korean pulled pork stand. Up in Alberta? Stop by the French themed converted rail car or the now-famous Grilled Cheese Grill, where you can chow down in a converted yellow school bus.
Walk across one of the seven bridges crossing the Willamette. All of the bridges, except the freeway passovers, are bike and pedestrian friendly. Walking across the bridge, especially at sunset, is a great way to see the city views. And, when the bridge has to raise for a big ship passing under, an impromptu community forms during the wait. Maybe you will make a new friend on the bridge.
Want to know all the cool fun stuff going on in town? Follow Byron Beck’s blog . He’s got the lowdown on celebs in town, great new restaurants, can’t miss gallery events, political brouhahas and more.
While you are at it, follow Mayor Sam Adams on Twitter.
This is just the first part. I’ll be back with more tips on settling into your new life in Portland.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Beaverton Open House--Sunday August 15th--1pm to 3pm
I will be holding open a beautiful Beaverton home on Sunday from 1 to 3pm at 16311 SW Cornelian Way in the Sexton Mountain neighborhood.
Priced at $335,000, this home has 5 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths on two levels. The home has 3000 square feet on a nice sized lot. It is in great condition and has a wonderful view. Even better, this is a regular sale.
Don't miss this great Beaverton home!
Priced at $335,000, this home has 5 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths on two levels. The home has 3000 square feet on a nice sized lot. It is in great condition and has a wonderful view. Even better, this is a regular sale.
Don't miss this great Beaverton home!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
The Paradox of Choice
As Americans, we thrive on choice. We want to choose the best shirt among hundreds of shirts at the store, the best car among dozens on the lot, the best spatula among all the spatulas at Kitchen Kaboodle. We research the best options on Consumer Reports, Yelp, and other valuable resources.
But, can too much choice be a problem? Can the challenge of so many choices actually prevent us from making a simple decision efficiently or even making one at all? I've walked into a store many times, only to give up my epxedition because there were too many choices.
In 2004, a book called the Paradox of Choice came out which addressed the psychology of consumer decision making. Among other ideas, it proposed that too many choices causes anxiety. The author goes on to assert that an abundance of opportunities can even cause depression and loneliness due to unfulfilled desires. And, choosing one good option over another perfectly fine option can lead the consumer to be despondent over missed opportunities, eventually enjoying all things less.
I've been thinking about this idea of the paradox of choice when I look at the current real estate market. We all know that there is a lot of housing inventory on the market, and that homebuyers are being very cautious. As Realtors, we see nothing but opportunity--lots of choice, great prices and crazy low interest rates--and we wonder why they aren't buying everything up. Consumer confidence in the economy is obviously an issue. People are worried that their jobs may not be there in a year and don't want to commit to a thirty year mortgage.
And, perhaps, there is too much choice out there for the real estate consumer. When there are 30 homes that meet your search criteria, how do you choose? Homebuying can cause a lot of anxiety under normal circumstances, but now buyers have to think about if they are buying the right house out of so many choices. They might also be concerned about the missed opportunity of what might come on the market tomorrow, next week or, even worse, after close of escrow. I think it might be easier for homebuyers in a more stable market when they may only have 5-7 houses that meet their criteria.
I'm no expert in the area of consumer psychology, but I've been fascinated by this idea of the paradox of choice since that book came out, based on my own consumer experiences. I would love to hear thoughts from homebuyers on this topic. What do you have to say about having an abundance of choice?
But, can too much choice be a problem? Can the challenge of so many choices actually prevent us from making a simple decision efficiently or even making one at all? I've walked into a store many times, only to give up my epxedition because there were too many choices.
In 2004, a book called the Paradox of Choice came out which addressed the psychology of consumer decision making. Among other ideas, it proposed that too many choices causes anxiety. The author goes on to assert that an abundance of opportunities can even cause depression and loneliness due to unfulfilled desires. And, choosing one good option over another perfectly fine option can lead the consumer to be despondent over missed opportunities, eventually enjoying all things less.
I've been thinking about this idea of the paradox of choice when I look at the current real estate market. We all know that there is a lot of housing inventory on the market, and that homebuyers are being very cautious. As Realtors, we see nothing but opportunity--lots of choice, great prices and crazy low interest rates--and we wonder why they aren't buying everything up. Consumer confidence in the economy is obviously an issue. People are worried that their jobs may not be there in a year and don't want to commit to a thirty year mortgage.
And, perhaps, there is too much choice out there for the real estate consumer. When there are 30 homes that meet your search criteria, how do you choose? Homebuying can cause a lot of anxiety under normal circumstances, but now buyers have to think about if they are buying the right house out of so many choices. They might also be concerned about the missed opportunity of what might come on the market tomorrow, next week or, even worse, after close of escrow. I think it might be easier for homebuyers in a more stable market when they may only have 5-7 houses that meet their criteria.
I'm no expert in the area of consumer psychology, but I've been fascinated by this idea of the paradox of choice since that book came out, based on my own consumer experiences. I would love to hear thoughts from homebuyers on this topic. What do you have to say about having an abundance of choice?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)