Are you a homeowner over 62 years of age who either owns their home free and clear or has reduced the mortgage to a small amount? You may well qualify for the benefits of a reverse mortgage in order to assist you with the financial demands of retirement. During my career as a real estate consultant in the Southern Oregon real estate market, I have discussed the advantages of the reverse mortgage with many seniors and have encountered many misperceptions about the program. I write this blog to help with the basics of the reverse mortgage. Perhaps it is right for you.

Let’s begin with the qualifications. You must be 62 years old (or older) and you must own either a single family home or a 1-4 unit home in which you occupy one of the units. If you live in the Southern Oregon real estate market and you live in a condominium, it must be HUD approved. And if you live in a Continue reading Consumer Confidence, Foreclosures, and the Southern Oregon Real Estate Market

For the those of you who may not have heard, for the past 3 months the Consumer Confidence Index has risen, and while that may not make front-page headlines, the message to me is clear — the Southern Oregon real estate market has nowhere to go but up.

For real estate Sellers obsessed with the inflated inventory of foreclosures driving down prices, news about increased consumer confidence is the news they’ve been waiting for. And for Buyers obsessed by the belief that everyone is in trouble and real estate prices will only continue to plummet, its time to rethink their beliefs and decide whether or not to make that offer. After all, buy low, sell high.

But whenever I scan the classified ads in our local newspaper, the Daily Courier, I can’t help but notice that the pages continue to contain large numbers of legal declarations regarding impending foreclosure actions. But the Consumer Confidence numbers are at their highest level in 8 months.

What gives? Could the Consumer Confidence data possibly be misleading?

To answer my own question regarding the Southern Oregon real estate market, I ran a comparison of the overall numbers of foreclosures on the market for the last 2 months. Lo and behold, the numbers of foreclosures on the open market are shrinking, indicating that the worst may actually be behind us. Factor in recent legislation that encourages banks to modify mortgages in order to keep homeowners in their homes and we have positive signs that Southern Oregon real estate market recovery, like the stock market, is on the rise.

Michael Masters

A Socially Conscious Real Estate Consultant

While it’s still to early to declare an end to the distressed housing market that has affected Southern Oregon real estate, it’s never to early to remember all the grand reasons that influence people when making their decision to move 2 Oregon. Most of us have heard about the intoxicating reasons to visit the south of France or the south of Spain. Following that great tradition, when visiting the United States don’t forget to visit the south of Oregon, also known as Southern Oregon, and discover the many reasons to move 2 Oregon.

You’ll encounter inviting weather patterns that encourage outdoor activities like camping, fishing, white water rafting, horseback riding, and nature walks along creeks and rivers. The Southern Oregon real estate market abounds with abundant wildlife and indigenous bird sanctuaries. And if you prefer the finer things in life, you will also find an abundance of excellent restaurants, great shopping, and friendly folks.

One of the frustrating side effects of the slowdown in home sales for the Southern Oregon real estate market is that it has prevented out-of-state retirees from living out their dream to move 2 Oregon. Historically, Southern Oregon has always experienced a surge in real estate sales at the end of a recession. It happened in the eighties and it’s bound to happen again as the economy returns to normal. As home sales in Southern Oregon’s feeder states begin to increase, the move 2 Oregon will return, bringing with it rising property values along with rising home sale numbers. So if you’re sitting on the fence wondering when to jump, get ready — for the beginning of the end is finally in sight.

Michael Masters

A Socially Conscious Real Estate Consultant

With the passing of each month, the Southern Oregon real estate market gets greener and greener, in part thanks to tax credits offered by the State of Oregon. The state currently offers Southern Oregon residents tax credits for premium energy efficient appliances, for heating and air conditioning systems, for high efficiency water heaters, for ground-source heat pumps, for making electricity and contributing to the grid, and yes, even for having hybrid vehicles.

Going green in the Southern Oregon real estate market is getting easier all the time and all you’ve got to Continue reading Going Green, Tax Credits, and the Southern Oregon Real Estate Market

What everyone now understands and for the most part accepts is the fact that the U.S. economy is in a state of major repair. As a byproduct of repairing the economy, the Green Economy offers solutions that may well prove to be the answer for a failing infrastructure, a sluggish real estate market, and dependence on foreign oil. As a result, the Southern Oregon real estate market is experiencing an awakening to the power of the Green Economy to stimulate the economy on its journey toward a new economic paradigm.

Simply put, the Southern Oregon real estate market is moving from greed to green. In my own business ventures, my current subdivision called Summer Field, has a very large Green Economy component. Not only will the development be comprised of high performance energy-efficient homes, but the subdivision will also take advantage of Continue reading The Green Economy and the Southern Oregon Real Estate Market