Q: My wife and I are considering buying a home but have found out that a proposed 4-lane expressway has already been approved and will be located basically in our back yard. There’s a 30-foot buffer between the property and the expressway. Will this road hurt the value of the home? A: When we bought our home 13 years ago, our property was located on the main street through town. After we closed, we found out ... [full story]

After bottoming in the fourth quarter of 2006, existing-home sales are forecast to gradually rise through 2007 and into 2008, while new-home sales should turnaround by summer, according to the latest forecast by the National Association of Realtors(R). David Lereah, NAR's chief economist, said annual totals for existing-home sales will be fairly comparable between 2006 and 2007. "We have to keep in mind that we were still in boom conditions during the first quarter of 2006 ... [full story]

Several months ago, we ran a column about a case involving adverse possession. We thought we'd run a few of the responses in today's column. To read more responses, or to contribute your own anecdotes, please go to www.thinkglink.com/forum.READER: As a trial lawyer, I've probably had 50 adverse possession cases, on one side or the other. I also used to teach real estate finance and every few years one of my students would enhance their ... [full story]

When a prospective buyer drives up to the home you're selling, the first impression is going to be a lasting one. Long before he sees the inside of the house, the exterior makes a statement about the property - one that's going to play a role in several decisions that buyer is about to make. First will be the question of whether or not he wants the house based on its appearance, and second will ... [full story]

Q: I had a federal tax lien filed against me. When this happened, my credit score plummeted to 500. Now that I've satisfied the lien, will my credit score go back up to where it was before the lien was filed?A: The good news is, eventually your credit score will go up. The bad news is, it will take some time.Most negative information stays on your credit history for seven years, although a bankruptcy stays ... [full story]

Q: My client has an existing $434,000 mortgage and wants to keep it. But she needs money for her renovation and wants to get a second mortgage of $300,000 to knock down the mortgaged property.She insists that this can be done, even though her first mortgage has a "due clause" should this happen. Do banks give this kind of permission? What secures the existing first mortgage?My client does not want to refinance and include the ... [full story]

Total housing inventory levels fell 1% to 3.82 million existing homes for sale, representing a 7.3-month supply at the current sales pace Existing-home sales continued to recover last month following a rise in October, with the level of sales activity suggesting a turn in the market, according to the National Association of Realtors(R). Total existing-home sales -- including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops -- rose 0.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate (1) of ... [full story]

For homeowners looking to sell their house before the end of the year, Coldwell Banker Barbara Sue Seal Properties provides tips for success.  According to the RMLS, 8,720 homes were sold between November 2005 and January 2006 in the Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area, dispelling the myth of a slowdown in home sales during the holiday season.  These three months can be especially crucial for transferees, many of whom need to be in new homes at the ... [full story]

Homebuyers in Deschutes County to Benefit from 6.4 percent increase More homebuyers in Deschutes, Jackson, Josephine, Lane, Lincoln and Tillamook Counties may be eligible for FHA insurance on their mortgages and home improvement loans under new mortgage limits effective this month announced by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. FHA mortgage limits have been increased to better meet the need in the markets of several Oregon counties. For the first time in an ... [full story]

At a party over the weekend, I meet a recently divorced homeowner who'd received the house in his divorce settlement and was now trying to sell it.The house has been on the market for seven months -- which might as well be an eternity for a home seller. On the plus side, there have been more than 60 showings. Clearly, there's interest in the property -- just not at the list price. The owner said ... [full story]

Existing-home sales eased last month, as did the number of homes available for sale -– indicating the housing market is stabilizing, according to the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). Total existing-home sales -– including single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops -– dipped 1.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.18 million units in September from a level of 6.30 million in August, and were 14.2 percent below the 7.20 million-unit pace in September 2005, ... [full story]

According to the 2006 Coldwell Banker® Home Price Comparison Index (HPCI), an “apples to apples” comparison of similar homes sold in typical, middle management neighborhoods, the average sale price of homes in Oregon is $384,097. Of the five Oregon markets evaluated, Bend, Oregon ranks as the most expensive with an average home price of $482,750 while Salem, Ore. ranks as the least expensive with an average price of $304,000. The 2006 Coldwell Banker HPCI evaluated home ... [full story]

Q: My brother-in-law, my sister and I bought a house together 2-½ years ago. According to my brother-in-law, he’ll need to refinance in three years. But I recently got married, so I need to buy my own house, and I want him to refinance now so I can get off the mortgage and get my share of the profits. The house cost $375,000 and is now worth $450,000. My brother-in-law says he wants to get ... [full story]