Eugene Oregon Real Estate Blog

Good Monday Morning!

One of the most frequent questions I am asked is, what do I do to get my home ready for sale?  This can vary quite a bit from home to home, but there are some things that remain fairly constant.  What you want to accomplish is to be able to get more money from your home sale without spending more than the additonal money you would spend on your improvements. Typically, items that will enhance the general appearance of your home are what you want to focus on.  Items such as painting, replacing dated lighting and plumbing fixtures, landscaping, counter tops, decluttering, cleaning, etc. are typically things you can do that will be good investments.  The following is an article from Realty Times that will give you some great ideas on what to do to your home to prepare it for sale and at the same time give you a good return on your time and money.

With home prices up in some areas, the return on remodeling investments at resale can be good. Making little changes can have big impacts when it comes to remodeling your home to sell.

Some updates will return as much as they cost in hotter markets, but unless your home is in a rapidly inflating city, you may not get enough bang for your buck.

But the lesson isn't to avoid remodeling your home. It's to rethink your expectations. Do you want to enjoy your updates for a few years? Or do you want to make your home more immediately appealing to homebuyers?

If you're remodeling for your own household, updating a home has a legitimate purpose that is unquantifiable. When you add square footage, update systems and fixtures, or rearrange traffic flow, you improve the functionality of your home. Refreshing wall colors, window coverings, and flooring adds to the beauty and enjoyment of your home. Many would consider that money better spent, and if you decide to sell in a few years, you'll be ahead of the game in terms of updates that will appeal to homebuyers.

But if you're remodeling strictly for the next buyer, there's some risk. Will you choose the right elements to appeal to the next buyer? What if they don't share your taste or appreciate the areas where you allocated your remodeling budget?

Start with what absolutely has to be done, whether you plan to stay in your home or not. You may be tempted to put off replacing the roof for an average of nearly $20,000, because Remodeling Magazine says it will only return approximately 72 percent of costs. But a new roof could make the difference in whether or not an FHA or VA buyer can buy your home and pass government inspection.

Otherwise, stick to smaller updates that can yield big impacts in terms of curb appeal, safety and building integrity. The top five cost-to-value projects that netted the most return in 2015 were:

• Replacing the front door with a 20-guage steel door - 102 percent.
• Manufactured stone veneer -- 92. 2 percent
• Fiber-cement siding -- 84.3 percent.
• Garage door replacement -- 82.5 percent
• Wood window replacement -- 78 percent.

As you can see, the most lucrative projects for resale were all about curb appeal. Seal the deal with a new welcome mat, new sconces to complement the new steel door, and potted plants for color. Wow your buyers on the outside and they'll be more likely to choose your home over the competition.

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

39285 Upper Camp Creek 

Price: $950,000    Beds: 5    Baths: 3    Sq Ft: 3520

Private Camp Creek retreat located at the top of the hill & backing to land owned by Weyerhaeuser. This home features an open kitchen & dining area. Main level master suite & 2 extra guest suites w/balconies. Two separate living/family areas. Outdoor space w/patio, deck, garden & seasonal creek. Fully fenced dog run w/doghouse set w/electricity. Large 5 bay shop. RV hookups & parking. Please no drive-bys. Call for an easy appointment. View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

Has the increase in home pricing reached a point where it is keeping large numbers of would be homeowners out?  A recent survey that was conducted by the National Association of Realtors thinks so.  Here is the report from that survey.

Homeowners and non-homeowners both strongly consider homeownership part of the American Dream.

That is according to new consumer survey data from the National Association of Realtors®, which revealed that among those polled, approximately 75 percent of non-homeowners believe homeownership is part of their American Dream, while nine in 10 current homeowners said the same.

NAR’s Aspiring Home Buyers Profile analyzed 2018 quarterly consumer insights from its Housing Opportunities and Market Experience (HOME) survey1 to capture the housing expectations and sentiments of non-homeowners – both renters and those living with a family member.

When non-homeowners were asked for the chief reason why they currently do not own a home, most respondents said it was because they were currently unable to afford a mortgage. Over the last quarter of 2018, 43 percent of non-owners said they did not own a home because they were not in a position to purchase, which was down from the third quarter of 2018, when 49 percent of non-homeowners answered the same. Also in the 4th quarter, 33 percent of non-homeowners said they do not own because current life circumstances are not suitable for ownership, while 16 percent said they need the flexibility of renting.

In addition, the survey looked at the main reason why non-homeowners would buy a home in the future. Throughout 2018, 28 to 31 percent of non-owners each quarter said an improvement in their financial situation would be the top reason that would encourage them to buy a home in the future. In each quarter, 26 to 30 percent of non-owners said a change in lifestyle – such as getting married, starting a family or retiring – would be the primary reason they would make a future home purchase.

Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, says unaffordable housing has caused a number of potential buyers to hold off on purchasing a new home. “The lack of affordable and moderately priced homes has forced non-homeowners to delay achieving that part of the American Dream. However, as the survey confirms, significant lifestyle changes like marriage or starting a family often spur non-owners to pursue home-ownership.”

For this year’s survey, homeowners and non-owners were also asked about adult family or friends moving into their homes, the span of time this individual(s) lived within the household, and if they thought about moving to a new home because of the change.

According to the survey, 11 percent of homeowners had an adult child move into their residence, while 5 percent of non-owners had an adult move into their home.

Of those who had someone move into their home, 44 percent said that the individual intended to live with them for over one year or to stay permanently. Forty-four percent of non-owners reported that the individual planned on living with them for between six months to one year.

Eighty-eight percent of those surveyed who had someone move into their home reported that their living situation remained acceptable and therefore did not warrant consideration of moving into a different home. Twelve percent said they did consider moving or ultimately did move due to their home situation changing.

“While home sales were slightly down in 2018, there is still a sizable pent-up housing demand. Economic growth, interest rates, and the supply of moderately priced-homes will dictate how well the real estate industry will do this year,” said Yun.”

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

2330 Comstock Ave

Price: $585,000    Beds: 5    Baths: 3.5    Sq Ft: 2904

Quiet park-like backyard. Master with his/hers sinks, jetted tub, large dual head shower, private camode, walk-in closet, two sided/see-through fireplace. Upstairs hall closet laundry plus a full laundry room area. Guest bedroom with murphy bed set in beautiful cabinetry can double as bonus area. Large cook's kitchen with upper end stainless steel appliances. Separate formal dining room. This home has a 10X16 studio in the backyard. View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

Real Estate sales in 2018 were not a great deal different than 2017.  Home sales numbers were almost the same both years.  The largest difference is the average home sales price as home prices continue to rise in the Eugene and Springfield area.  Home inventories also remained low through both years, with first time buyers having a difficult time finding homes for sale in the lower price ranges.  2019 has started out looking very similar to both 2017 and 2018.  Only time will tell if the trend of the last two years carries through this year.  Here are the home sales statistics for December of 2018 and for the year 2018.

Lane County closed out 2018 with some mixed activity. New listings (228) outpaced December 2017 (223) by 2.2%, despite cooling 42.0% from last month in November 2018 (393). Even so, it was the best December for new listings in Lane County since 2011, when 231 were put on the market.

Pending sales (312) fared similarly, ending 1.0% higher than December 2017 (309) but showing a 11.1% decrease from November 2018 (351). Once again this was the strongest December for pendings since at least 2001 when RMLSTM started keeping record.

Closed sales, at 339, ended 8.6% below December 2017 (371) and 8.4% below November 2018 (370).

Total market time rose to 64 days in December, and inventory

decreased slightly to land at 1.9 months.

Year to Date Summary

Comparing the entirety of 2018 to 2017, new listings (6,394) increased 0.1%, closed sales (5,203) fell one short of 2017 (0.0%), and pending sales (5,240) decreased 0.3%.

Average and Median Sale Prices

Comparing 2018 to 2017 through December, the average sale price increased 7.3% from $287,900 to $309,000. In the same comparison, the median sale price rose 8.7% from $260,000 to $282,600.

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

39825 Upper Camp Creek Rd

Price: $950,000    Beds: 5    Baths: 3    Sq Ft: 3520

Private Camp Creek retreat located at the top of the hill & backing to land owned by Weyerhaeuser. This home features an open kitchen & dining area. Main level master suite & 2 extra guest suites w/balconies. Two separate living/family areas. Outdoo....View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

Home sales numbers are on the rise nationally again as well as home prices. Locally, we have started 2019 with a bang as home sales have been brisk.  The previous issue of low inventory is again becoming an issue locally and may continue into the near future as home sales remain strong.  This is a good sign for the 2019 housing market both nationally and locally.  

If you are considering the sale of your home this year, I strongly suggest that you don't wait for Spring- Summer this year.  Right now you have a strong market that should allow you to obtain a sale in a shorter period of time for the highest dollar value.  

Have An Awesome Week!

Video Link: http://eugeneoregonhomesforsale.com/video/This-Month-in-Real-Estate-January-2019

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

825 SAND AVE

Price: $525,000    Beds: 3    Baths: 2    Sq Ft: 2344

 Grand very well-maintained home! Light filled vaulted open layout w/ large windows & skylights. Living rm w/ gas fireplace opens to dining area. Office/bonus rm w/ exterior entrance & Shoji sliding dr/rm divider. Massive kitchen w/ cook island........ .View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

Good news for home buyers.  Mortgage rates have dropped and may continue to slide.  This along with improved inventory of homes for sale is making our current Real Estate market very attractive.  Here is an article from Realtor.com that explains the unexpected drop in mortgage loan rates.

Unless prospective home buyers have been living under a rock, they're probably all too familiar with the fact that mortgage rates are on the rise. And with a strong economy spurring the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates, mortgage rates are likely to continue their climb in the longer term.

The average rate of a 30-year fixed loan was anticipated to hit 5% last month. That would have been an increase of about a percentage point from a year earlier, a change that can add hundreds of dollars a month to a mortgage payment and tens of thousands of dollars over the loan's three-decade duration. But then something unexpected happened.

Instead of continuing their steady rise, mortgage interest rates began to fall. That average hit 4.75% as of Dec. 6, down from 4.94% a month earlier, which was this year's peak, according to Freddie Mac data. So what happened?

Well, buyers have an underperforming stock market and the worst trade deficit in a decade to thank for the temporary reprieve.

“It’s good for home buyers because it makes the monthly payment more affordable for a home," says Chief Economist Danielle Hale of realtor.com®. “It’s the lowest level we’ve seen in two months, but it’s still pretty high.”

What do trade and the stock market have to do with mortgage rates?

Trying to understand why mortgage rates go up and down is complicated stuff. Most folks think that they're tied to the Federal Reserve's short-term interest rates, which the Fed has hiked three times so far this year. But even if it does raise rates again this month by 0.25 percentage points, as expected, it doesn't mean that mortgage rates will jump as a result.

That's because while mortgage rates are influenced by these short-term rates, they're really more closely tied to the factors driving longer-term rates like the 10-year U.S. Treasury bond market. When the stock market drops or there is a trade deficit, investors get spooked. (The trade deficit is a result of more foreign imports coming in and fewer American products exported to the rest of the world.) So investors typically turn to bonds and mortgages, which are considered safer, long-term investments.

“The problem is, there’s negative headlines ... around the stock market and around international trade," says Sam Khater, chief economist of Freddie Mac. "When stock prices drop, it causes a flight to safety and Treasury bonds."

Since mortgage rates are generally an inverse reflection of the strength of the bond market, when bonds are up, mortgage interest rates drop. Basically, when investors put more money into mortgage-backed securities, there is more money to lend to home buyers. So interest rates, which are basically the price of borrowing money, come down—and the cost savings are passed onto lenders making loans.

"Mortgage rates are decided by investors looking for a return on their money over the next 10 years," says Hale. “If people think international trade is going to hurt the economy and U.S. company growth prospects, then they might choose to invest in something safer, like Treasury bonds, and that drives mortgage rates down.”

The lower rates could give the housing market a shot in the arm. It's been slowing in recent months due to a triple whammy of high home prices, rising mortgage rates, and an increase in homes for sale. Lower monthly mortgage payments could bring some prospective buyers back into the market.

"In the short term, this is good for consumers," says Khater. "Now we’re back down to the same rates of a few months ago, and there’s more inventory to purchase from."

So will mortgage rates continue to fall?

Unfortunately for buyers, mortgage rates aren't expected to continue falling for long.

"Trade will ultimately get worked out and the economy will continue to grow, so the doomsday scenario that people are expecting right now is unlikely to happen," predicts Hale. This means investors won't be as keen on bonds and mortgage-backed securities. "As the uncertainty passes, we expect mortgage rates will also turn around and begin climbing again.”

Khater agrees.

"The thing that gets lost with all the noise is the fundamental health of the economy remains sound," he says. "And mortgage rates will typically increase when the economy is stronger."

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

2230 Comstock Ave

Price: $585,000    Beds: 5    Baths: 3/1    Sq Ft: 2904

Builder's home with only one owner. Quiet park-like backyard. Master with his/hers sinks, jetted tub, large dual head shower, private camode, walk-in closet, two sided/see-through fireplace. Upstairs hall closet laundry plus a full laundry room area... View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Morning,

Video Link: http://eugeneoregonhomesforsale.com/video/Happy-New-Year-2019

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

 825 SAND AVE

 Price: $535,000    Beds: 3    Baths: 2    Sq Ft: 2344

Grand very well-maintained home! Light filled vaulted open layout w/ large windows & skylights. Living rm w/ gas fireplace opens to dining area. Office/bonus rm w/ exterior entrance & Shoji sliding dr/rm divider. Massive kitchen w/ cook island, pant...View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

Good news for homebuyers in the Eugene and Springfield area!! The inventory of homes on the market for sale has increased slightly and believe it or not, the housing market has become slightly less competitive. This also means that pricing has become somewhat softer in some price ranges and areas. If you have been searching for a home and gave up due to the fact that you could not find a home, you should take advantage of this market change. Here are the home sales statistics for the month of November 2018 in Eugene and Springfield.

November Residential Highlights

Lane County saw an uptick in new listings this November. At 393, new listings outpaced November 2017 (345) by 13.9%, despite cooling 16.2% from the 469 new listings also entered last month in October 2018. The last November with more new listings in Lane County was in 2007,when 467 new listings were o ered.

Pending sales, at 351, ended 4.1% cooler than in November 2017 (366)and 22.9% cooler than October 2018(455).

Closed sales, at 370, similarly cooled 6.1% from November 2017(394) and 12.1% from October 2018(421).

Inventory in Lane County showed a slight increase in November, ending at 2.2 months. Total market time rose to 52 days in the same period.

Year to Date Summary

Comparing the first eleven months of 2018 to 2017, closed sales (4,848) have increased 0.8% and new listings(6,155) have increased 0.2%. Pending sales (4,952) have decreased 0.3%.

Average and Median Sale Prices

Comparing 2018 to 2017 through November of each year, the average sale price has increased 7.1% from $288,300 to $308,800. In the same comparison, the median sale price rose 8.3% from $260,000 to $281,500.

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

825 SAND AVE

 Price: $535,000    Beds: 3    Baths: 2    Sq Ft: 2344

Grand very well-maintained home! Light filled vaulted open layout w/ large windows & skylights. Living rm w/ gas fireplace opens to dining area. Office/bonus rm w/ exterior entrance & Shoji sliding dr/rm divider. Massive kitchen w/ cook island, pant...View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

Home sales nationally have softened.  Maybe it is time for the Fed to revisit its policy of interest rate hikes.  The yield curve, which can predict recession has changed negatively and could be pointing towards tougher economic times.  It might be time for the Fed to halt interest rates hikes and abandon its agressive approach.  Could it be time for the Fed to even lower rates again?  Here is an article from Realtor.com that addresses the current national home sales slump.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes posted their largest annual decline since 2014 in October, as the housing market continues to sputter due to higher mortgage rates that are reducing home affordability.

The latest data offered a mixed picture of a market that isn’t in free fall but also is far from robust. Existing-home sales edged up 1.4% in October from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.22 million, the National Association of Realtors said Wednesday. That broke a six-month streak when sales declined compared with a month earlier.

Sales, however, posted a sharp 5.1% drop compared with a year earlier, indicating the market is likely to end the year on a sluggish note.

Lawrence Yun, the trade group’s chief economist, said the annual decline signals softness in the housing sector that is likely to persist in the months to come.

“There is some feeling that the market could actually go even lower than what it is now in terms of sales,” Mr. Yun said.

When sales began slowing this spring, economists initially blamed a shortage of inventory, which has plagued the housing market throughout the recovery. But rising mortgage rates are playing a bigger role in slowing buyer demand than many economists had expected, shaking confidence that now is a good time to buy a home, according to recent surveys.

Mr. Yun said higher interest rates appear to be choking off buyer demand, and said the Federal Reserve should consider pausing its rate increases to give the housing sector time “to be on firmer ground.”

Mike Fratantoni, chief economist at the Mortgage Bankers Association, said recent declines in the stock market are also causing fresh unease. “The level of volatility in the stock market is reflecting a lot of uncertainty about where we are with the broader economy. There is a little bit of increased anxiety about how much things are going to slow,” he said.

The good news for buyers is that conditions are becoming friendlier to them, as mortgage rate and home-price increases slow and inventory of homes for sale is growing compared with last year.

The rate for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage averaged 4.81% this week, down from 4.94% a week earlier, according to data released by Freddie Mac on Wednesday. Rates are still up significantly from a year ago, when they averaged 3.92%.

The median sale price for an existing home in October was $255,400, up 3.8% from a year earlier. That shows a cooling from a year ago, when prices rose about 5.5%.

There was a 4.3-months’ supply of homes on the market at the end of October, based on the current sales pace, down from 4.4 months in September but up from 3.9 months a year ago.

Mr. Fratantoni said the combination of more muted price growth and a greater number of homes for sale could boost the housing market in the spring, especially if wages continue to rise.

Have An Awesome Week!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

1849 Crescent Ave 

Price: $319,000   Beds: 3   Baths: 2  Sq Ft: 1344

Wonderful updates in this N. Gilham home! Great Rm layout, hickory cabinets, granite counters, engineered wood flr, recessed lights, stone gas fireplace, vinyl windows & French drs w/ built-in blinds. Kitchen w/ under-mount sink, island & eating bar. Master ste w/ slider. Laundry/mud rm. Fenced yard, shed, covered deck & patio, plus RV parking. Located in highly desirable area, on bus route & only 6 min drive to shops, schools & park.

View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning!

Here are the home sales numbers for October of 2018.  For the most part, there is little change taking place over previous months this year. This reflect on a market that has flattened out and maybe starting to decline slightly. This actually is good news and may help us maintain a strong housing market going into 2019.  Here is the report for Lane County in October of 2018.

October brought mixed numbers to Lane County, but new listings saw a gain over October 2017. At 469, new listings rose 5.2% ahead of the 446 new listings last year in October 2017, despite a 2.9% cooling from last month in September 2018 (483).

Closed sales (421) were 5.5% warmer than last month in September 2018 (399) but fell 1.6% short of the 428 closings recorded last year in October 2017.

Pending sales fared similarly,warming 6.1% over the 429 offers accepted in September 2018, but falling 4.6% short of the 477 accepted last year in October 2017.

Total market time rose to 43 days in October with inventory decreasing slightly to 2.1 months from 2.4 months in September.

Year to Date Summary

Comparing the first ten months of 2018 to 2017, closed sales (4,451) have increased 1.9%. Pending sales (4,611) have decreased 0.4% and new listings (5,753) have decreased 0.5%.

Average and Median Sale Prices

Comparing 2018 to 2017 through October of each year, the average sale price has increased 6.9% from $288,200 to $308,200. In the same comparison, the median sale price rose 8.5% from $260,000 to $282,000.

Have An Awesome Thanksgiving Week!

THIS WEEKS HOT HOME LISTING!

1849 Crescent Ave 

Price: $329,900   Beds: 3   Baths: 2  Sq Ft: 1344

Wonderful updates in this N. Gilham home! Great Rm layout, hickory cabinets, granite counters, engineered wood flr, recessed lights, stone gas fireplace, vinyl windows & French drs w/ built-in blinds. Kitchen w/ under-mount sink, island & eating bar......

 View this property >> 

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!

Good Monday Morning,

The national home sales statistics for October 2018 indicate that the national housing market remains flat.  There was little change in home sales numbers and home prices from the month of September.  Mortgage interest rates were up slightly, but still remain favorable.  These numbers indicate that the national housing market remains healthy.  With little change going into the Fall months, this suggest that we should see a very healthy and stable national housing market into the first quarter of 2019.

The housing market in the Eugene and Springfield area remains very robust for the price ranges of $300,00.00 and under, but drops off considerably in the upper end price ranges over $500,000.00 and above.  The housing market for homes that work for first time home buyers remains a strong sellers market, but changes considerably from a sellers market in the upper end market.  This trend should remain unchanged going into 2019.

View video HERE.

Have an awesome week!

THIS WEEK'S HOT HOME LISTING!

 88139 KEOLA LN

Price: $495,000   Beds: 4   Baths: 3   Partial Baths: 1   Sq Ft: 2794

Gorgeous & private rural living! Serene tree views surround 1.37 acre estate. Well-manicured gardens w/ paths, sitting areas & huge patio. Finished 3-car garage & half bath, w/ guest suite above. Features media rm, open layout & private master suite...View this property >>

AND HERE'S YOUR MONDAY MORNING COFFEE!!