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/

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

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