Salmon River Getaway

Quiet Riverfront Location, Beautifully maintained home with EZ Care yard. Vaulted ceilings, picture windows w/ view of River, firepit, front and back decks. Listen to the river while relaxing in the HotTub. Two Decks. Tile Back Splash in Kitchen. Wood Blinds. Sleeps up to 10. Furnished turn key. Minutes to Resort@ MT Public Golfcourse and Summer & winter recreation areas on MT Hood. Check out the full Single Property Website at the following link: 28137ewaterst.epropertysites.com/

6 Ways to Tell if You Need to Paint Before Putting Up Your Mt Hood Home for Sale

It's Summertime on the Mountain and it's time for summertime projects. If you’re putting up your Mountain Property for sale In Rhododendron, Welches, Brightwood, Sandy or Government Camp, it may be time to bring out the brush and spackle. This doesn’t just mean on the outside, but everywhere. If you’re not sure whether you need to do it, here are a few ways to tell:

1. Peeling exterior – You may be used to the home and not see the peeling paint, but, as any real estate agent will tell you, curb appeal is very important. If buyers don’t like the way your home looks on the outside, they very seldom go inside. If the paint is peeling, it’s time to redo it.

2. Eye-catching colors – While you may enjoy your robin’s egg blue house with canary yellow shutters, buyers may not. A home on Mt Hood for sale needs to be painted in a way that the buyers can see themselves living in it. If your house is painted in unusually eye-catching colors, you need to repaint in neutral tones. Stick with neutral colors for interior painting also.

3. Peeling/stained shed – If you have a wooden shed on your property, you might need to repaint it or even replace it. Exposed wood under the paint is a major detractor and an eyesore. It may not matter to you, but it will matter to the buyer.

4. Cracks in the walls – If the interior of your home has little cracks, seal the drywall with spackling and repaint. Though small, the cracks will be seen as a negative, even if the rest of the house is well cared for.

5. Cracked tiles or water spots on the ceiling – Who looks up at the ceiling anymore? The buyer will and will see that unsightly stain in the corner that you haven’t noticed for years.

6. Artistic inspiration – If you’re an artist and you found the need to express yourself on the walls, you might consider repainting. Ask your real estate agent before hand; some forms of expression may sell better than others. It might be slightly painful, so it’s okay if you let someone else do it.

When you have a Mt Hood home for sale you have to be honest with yourself. Look at the house with fresh eyes and in a buyer’s point of view. If something stands out, it probably needs to be fixed. If you need a painter, just give me a call and I can refer you to a good painter.

If you’re thinking of selling your home, I'd be happy to give you suggestions on how to make it sparkle so it will sell faster and for more money. Call me today at 503-706-7101 or email me at blythe@servingmthood.com for more information.

Links:
Curb appeal
www.hgtv.com/curb-appeal/show/index.html

Neutral tones
www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Paint_Color_Selection-Painting-A1873.html

Seal the drywall
www.drywallschool.com/crack.htm

This House Will Surprise You!
Step onto the main living level and enjoy the River Views from all Three Floors. Capturing old world charm, this home is 3 levels with a bedroom, bath and living or family room on every level plus 5 covered Porches and 11 foot ceilings!. Gorgeous,secluded quiet and private location on over an acre with wonderful year round light!.
Check out this Virtual tour link: 22483eautumnln.ePropertySites.com

3 Tips to Pay Off Your Mt Hood Home Mortgage Early!

If you own a home in Brightwood, Rhododendron, Welches or Government Camp, you're probably trying to figure out how you can save money. One of the best ways to add a bit of cash back into your pocket is create a budget, and work on paying off your mortgage early. With a little research and a lot of focus, you can be mortgage free.

1. Make Additional Monthly Payments

One of the easiest ways to pay off your home mortgage is to simply make extra payments towards your principal balance. This helps decrease interest over the years, which helps you pay off your mortgage loan at a faster rate. You could pay as little as $100 extra a month and make a huge difference in the amount of interest you'll pay over the life of your loan. Use a mortgage calculator to check out figures and help you get an idea of how much you could save over the years.

When you make principal only payments, be sure to write a separate check and write "Principal Pre-payment Only" and your account number in the memo area of the check. Also enclose a letter instructing the mortgage company to apply this to pay down your principal balance. If you don't do this, the bank may apply it to your next mortgage payment instead of just to your principal.

2. Pay Bi-Weekly

Another way to pay off your Mt Hood home mortgage early is to pay twice a month, or bi-weekly. Paying bi-weekly could potentially subtract up to nine years off your loan. You simply make two smaller payments, instead of one big one. Therefore, you save a significant amount of money in interest charges.

However, if your loan company requires that you pay a fee to pay bi-weekly, or if they require that you switch plans whereby you are required to make a bi-monthly payment, don't do it.

Instead, stick with your current monthly payment schedule and simply pay more on your principal each month as described above. This way you'll still save a significant amount of interest, but you won't be locked in to making bi-weekly payments. If you run into a rough patch, you can go back to paying your normal monthly amount. This keeps your options open, rather than being locked in if you converted to the bi-weekly payment plan.

3. Refinance Your Loan

When you refinance, the goal is usually to get a lower mortgage payment. But if you want to pay off your mortgage early, you could refinance, get a lower interest rate, but continue to make the same payments you were initially paying on your previous loan. This would allow you to pay more on your interest charges, and ultimately shorten the life of your loan.

When trying to pay off your home mortgage early, you have several options. Just make sure to thoroughly research all the available plans of action until you find the one that's right for you.

Want more tips like this? Subscribe to my blog to receive weekly tips like this one. It's easy and free.

Mortgage calculator:
www.somersetmortgagelenders.com/MortgageCalculator/LoanPaymentCalculator.aspx

Bi-weekly:
www.bankrate.com/brm/news/mtg/20010920a.asp

Refinance:
www.mortgagefit.com/refinance.html

6 Great Reasons First-Time Mt Hood Home Buyers Should Purchase Now

Although the housing market has had its fair share of ups and down, many home buyers, particularly first-time home buyers, are reaping the benefits. If you're thinking about purchasing a home in Sandy, Brightwood, Welches or Rhododendron, there are many good reasons to make your move today. Here are six of them:

1. Low interest rates – Right now, interest rates are lower than ever before. This means you can get an extremely affordable loan and save big on interest payments.

2. Cheaper home prices – Not only are interest rates low, but homes all around are cheaper. Since the market is packed with homes for sale, selling has become harder. As a result, prices have fallen significantly, allowing you to get a more expensive home for less money. The Bubble has been sliced off!

3. Potential tax credits – As a first-time buyer, you could be eligible for thousands of dollars in tax credits. Best of all, you do not have to pay it back, as opposed to previous years.

4. Less competition – Many people no longer have the money to purchase homes, so fewer people are visiting model homes and open houses. This is great news for you. If you're ready to buy a home on Mt Hood, you don't have to worry about floods of people bidding up the price on the property in Bid wars.

5. Huge inventory – With new homes constantly being built, not to mention an array of existing homes, you can take your pick from a wide variety of available properties.

6. Big bargaining power – Because so many people are trying to sell their homes, they're more willing to be flexible. As a buyer, you could greatly benefit and may be able to save on closing costs, upgrades, repairs and more. Work with a skilled real estate agent who can negotiate a great contract for you.

If you have the funds to step out and purchase one of the many Mt Hood homes for sale, now is the best time to take advantage of all the possibilities. I'm ready, willing and able to negotiate the best price and terms for you. Call me today at 503-706-7101 or email me at blythe@servingmthood.com

Interest payments:
Mortgage Calculator

Tax credits
www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=204672,00.html

Closing costs:
financialplan.about.com/cs/mortgagesloans/l/aaclosingcosts.htm

Great GetAway or First Time Home Buyers Dream!

Totally Updated One Level Home In Timberline Rim, Rhododendron, Oregon near Brightwood, Oregon. This home has New Windows, New Carpet, New Appliances, New Trim around Windows and Base, New Fixtures, New paint In and Out. EZ Care yard! Timberline Rim has Pool, Tennis Courts and Hiking Trail along the Sandy Riverfront Common Area. One hour to PDX, Roads are Plowed, Minutes to winter and summer sports on Mt Hood.

If you haven't yet qualifiend for a loan, call me at 503-706-7101. Great for First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit.

Check out the Full Page Web Site at: 65459ealpineway.ePropertySites.com

How to Decide if You Should Remodel Your Mt Hood Home or Move

From birthdays and anniversaries to graduations and weddings, your home has seen many great days. But, you also may find yourself making repairs more often, and you could begin to get the feeling you need a change. This change can come by remodeling your Mt Hood home whether in Brightwood, Rhododendron, Welches or Government Camp or selling it. Before you make a decision, consider a few very important factors.

• What does remodel mean to you? — If your idea of a remodel is as simple as replacing flooring and adding fresh paint, that should be an easy fix. But if a complete demolition job is involved, you'll probably save yourself money and a lot of headaches by buying a new home.

• Factor in finances – Whether you plan to remodel your Mt Hood home or move, money is involved. Figure out if it financially makes more sense to make updates to your current home or move into a new already updated home. You'd be surprised how quickly renovation costs can add up, so keep that in mind. Expect the unexpected!

• Assess your neighborhood – Do you still recognize the area you once knew? Are your neighbors still "neighborly?" An important point to consider is whether or not the neighborhood still has value. You want to make sure it is well kept and safe. If not, selling could be the answer. You also don't want to price yourself out of the neighborhood. If updating your home would make it the highest valued home in the neighborhood, you'd be better off moving into a neighborhood where you can purchase one of the lowest valued homes.

• What about the children? Most times, when kids practically grow up in a home, many strong friendships are made. Think about how moving can affect your kids. Starting over in a new neighborhood and a new school can be life changing for children. In this case, remodeling your home could be the better option.

Bottom line, when trying to figure out if you should remodel you home on Mt. Hood or sell, take your time. You should exhaust every possibility to ensure you make the right choice for you and your family.

Remodel:
www.bobvila.com

Renovation costs:
www.trustyguides.com/home-renovation1.html

Moving can affect kids
www.tlcinst.org/Moving.html