Archive for the ‘Real Estate Tips’ Category
Friday, February 25th, 2011
Yesterday Portlanders were treated with a few beautiful flurries of snow (especially high elevations like the Rose City Park Neighborhood and the Skyline Boulevard Area), and our cameras were out and about taking in the best of the sights to show you here. A few weeks ago, we featured the first signs of spring in Portland on the McDonald Group Real Estate blog, and here we’ve got cherry blossoms and daffodils with a light dusting of snowflakes. Portland doesn’t get a lot of snow, and when we get any it doesn’t stick around long – just long enough to put a smile on everyone’s face when they see the city covered in a white layer of snow!
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Thursday, February 17th, 2011
Ever looked outside on a rainy day and thought about capturing some of that water to use later? One local business, Portland Purple Water, is hoping to make that idea a widespread reality by installing rainwater collection devices for homes and businesses in Portland. At their most basic, rain barrels are simple rainwater collectors that capture and store a portion of the runoff from a roof downspout. Stored water can be used for non-potable purposes such as irrigating lawns, washing cars, or flushing toilets. Harvesting rainwater can lower your water bill, save energy and reduce demand on Portland’s drinking water systems.
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Posted in Green Homes, Home Improvement, Moving To Portland, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips, Tips When Buying a Home, Tips When Selling a Home | No Comments »
Thursday, January 27th, 2011
Google announced this week that they will be ending their real-estate listings service in Google Maps by February 10, 2011. The end of Google Real Estate search capabilities has been tied to an apparent lack of use, as well as the fact that real estate websites have developed superior search tools for localized markets. The search tool embedded into Google Maps was helpful in seeing the overall layout of available homes in an area, but the listings were often out of date and poorly described. Google Maps also mixed rental and sale properties, with some homes listed multiple times, which could be confusing to searchers. Here at the McDonald Group, we know that for most people, working with experienced real estate agents with an intimate knowledge of the area results in more successful home searches. We’ve got excellent real estate search tools, detailed coverage of Portland neighborhoods, and great resources that are specific to the unique Portland area. Best of all, our agents are on call 24/7, so if something catches your eye in your Portland Real Estate search or you have a question a computerized program can’t answer, we’re here for you.
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Posted in Announcements, Listings, Real Estate Tips | No Comments »
Monday, January 24th, 2011
Victorian, Craftsman, Ranch, modern, mid-century, “Portland Style.” If you’ve spent any time looking for homes for sale in the Portland Real Estate market, these words should be very familiar – but do you really know what they mean? If you were to do a search in the Portland Real Estate Market for “Tudor” homes, you’d no doubt come up with drastically varying results. What are the characteristics that make up a Tudor home, or an English cottage, or an “Old Portland”-style house? If you love classic built-ins, fireplaces, and hardwood floors, what words should you be using? If you want a truly modern West Hills home, what can you ask for to avoid being shown all the ranches and mid-centuries? We’ll answer those questions and more with our upcoming guides to Portland Home Styles.
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Posted in Announcements, Archetecture, Moving To Portland, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, January 13th, 2011
Even if you’ve got the top-of-the-line flat screen at home with the best stereo system around, you know there’s nothing like a local sports bar filled with fans on big game days. This week, the University of Oregon played Auburn in the BCS National Championship game, and all of Portland’s best sports bars were decked out in Green and Yellow to support the ducks. We may have lost the game, but everyone will agree that the night was a successful one for Portland’s bar scene. Every sports bar in town was full to capacity, broadcasting the big game on huge screens and offering up Oregon themed drink and food specials. Here on the McDonald Group real estate blog we often talk about great restaurants, family-friendly music and art events, and news in the Portland Real Estate and development worlds, but today we’re going to look at the sports bars that celebrate the city’s passion for home town, national, and international sports. There’s something for every kind of sports fan, from those basketball fans with Blazer Mania, to the old-school European Soccer die-hards that get up early on weekends for a full English breakfast and their favorite team down at the pub.
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Posted in Moving To Portland, Neighborhoods & Areas, Portland Activities, Portland Food, Portland Landmarks, Real Estate Tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 12th, 2011
Check out the new Hayhurst Real Estate neighborhood guide detailing the neighborhood of Hayhurst nestled in the Southwest Hills in Portland. The neighborhood is home to Hayhurst Elementary and other rich neighborhood treasures that contribute to the community’s small-town feel. In the western part of the Hayhurst neighborhood is Alpenrose Dairy (established in 1916), a community institution featuring a velodrome, baseball park, and replica western frontier town called “Dairyville.” This working dairy welcomes visitors to their southwest Portland home for little league baseball, an annual Easter Egg hunt, and other seasonal events. The winding, tree-lined streets, rolling hills, and friendly residents will fool you into thinking Hayhurst is far away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Portland, but commuters will find easy access to the commercial center of the city. Combining the best of urban accessibility and comfortable, luxury country atmosphere, Hayhurst is truly exceptional.
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Posted in Moving To Portland, Neighborhoods & Areas, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips | No Comments »
Monday, January 10th, 2011
If you’re thinking of relocating to Portland, you may be interested in what areas are up-and-coming, which are still diamonds in the rough, and which are well established. In the latter category, Portland has its fair share of ritzy neighborhoods, though not all of them are the kind of high-end you’d expect. New statistics out this week from the ESRI 2010 Demographic Data and Tapestry Segmentation rank Portland’s most desirable and wealthy neighborhoods, by using data on household income, home value, per capita income, and “lifestyle.” Using demographic data and spending reports, the ESRI provides a snap-shot of the tastes of the community of several popular areas. The rankings were released with some catchy new Portland neighborhood and metro-area buzz-words, including:
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Posted in Clackamas, Inner SE Portland, Investment Information, Moving To Portland, Neighborhoods & Areas, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips, West Linn/ Willamette | No Comments »
Friday, January 7th, 2011
The more Portland real estate listings we see here at the McDonald Group, the more we realize this is the perfect time for real estate investment in Portland. Houses that were once out of the price range of most buyers are now incredibly accessible, with record-low interest rates and motivated sellers. A report out today from national commercial real estate firm Grubb & Ellis has ranked Portland in the top 10 cities in the U.S. for investment opportunities over the next five years in the office, retail and industrial real estate markets. We agree, there are tons of opportunities for Portland to grow and grow, in both commercial and residential real estate. It’s exciting to see commercial areas thriving in up-and-coming Portland neighborhoods, and we can certainly see that Portland is also ripe for residential real estate investment.
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Posted in Investment Information, Listings, Market Report, Moving To Portland, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips | No Comments »
Wednesday, January 5th, 2011
Thanks to new regulations that took effect on New Year’s Day, Oregonians can now take advantage of lease offers from contractors to install solar panels and eliminate upfront costs. The Portland branch of SolarCity, a major national solar company providing residential solar panels, announced a lease program today that will allow Portland area homeowners and residents of the entire state of Oregon to install alternative-energy solar panels for low monthly payments. This new lease program allows homeowners to enjoy the energy-bill slashing qualities of solar instantly, rather than waiting for the payoff on the initial investment to kick in after a few years. If you’re buying a home in Portland, renovating a historic home, selling your home and looking for ways to make it competitive in the Portland real estate market, or just looking for ways to update your home and reduce your carbon footprint, this new deal is definitely worth a second look.
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Posted in Green Homes, Home Improvement, Investment Information, Real Estate Tips, Tips When Buying a Home, Tips When Selling a Home | No Comments »
Tuesday, January 4th, 2011
This week, Portland’s daily newspaper The Oregonian is rolling out some of their favorite eats, stores, books, movies, and other Portland-centric goodies in their annual 100 Things We Love issue. It’s a great resource for anyone interested in to Portland and wanting an intiseders view of what’s hot RIGHT NOW. The lists or Portlands best restuarants, best stores, and even the local Yelp reviews can go out of date really quickly in a town like Portland where everything is changing so quickly. We’re lucky to have a few great publications like Portland Monthly, the Portland Mercury and the Willamette Week (our alt-weeklies), MIX Magazine, Northwest Palate, and the Oregonian to constantly catch up on what’s new and exciting in the city. Among the highlights in this week’s Top 100?
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Tags: Portland Food
Posted in Moving To Portland, Portland Activities, Portland Food, Real Estate Tips | No Comments »
Thursday, December 30th, 2010
Check out the new Orenco Station real estate neighborhood profile detailing the community of Orenco Station – the planned community located along the MAX light rail line in Hillsboro - just west of Portland. Combining the best of urban accessibility, walkable neighborhoods for a car-free lifestyle, and true community pride, this award-winning neighborhood is a crown jewel among the Portland suburbs. If you’re looking for homes, apartments, or other real estate in Orenco Station, Hillsboro or other Portland Suburbs, check out the McDonald Group Orenco Station real estate neighborhood profile filled with the best restaurants in Orenco Station, the top shopping, the history of the planned community, and neighborhood resources. Relocating to a new area can be hard, but it’s a lot easier when you’ve got the best real estate agents in Portland on your side.
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Posted in Hillsboro, Moving To Portland, Neighborhoods & Areas, New Construction, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips | No Comments »
Monday, December 27th, 2010
Check out the new Troutdale Real Estate guide and neighborhood profile detailing the city of Troutdale, Oregon, located just east of Portland. Combining the best of urban accessibility and small town atmosphere, it’s a fantastic place to live. Check out some of the charming and quirky shops and cafes in Historic Downtown Troutdale, catch some sun at a concert at Edgefield, or ride your bike down the charming neighborhood streets. If you’re looking for homes, apartments, or condos for sale around Troutdale or other Portland Suburbs, check out this the new new Troutdale Real Estate guide and neighborhood profile filled with the best restaurants in Troutdale, the top neighborhood events, and Troutdale history. Relocating to a new area can be hard, but it’s a lot easier when you’ve got the best real estate agents in Portland on your side.
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Posted in Moving To Portland, Neighborhoods & Areas, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips, Tips When Buying a Home, Troutdale | No Comments »
Tuesday, December 21st, 2010
Everyone loves a home with mature, beautiful trees, but how much value does greenery add to homes for sale? As covered in a recent article published in Nursery Magazine, new research from the Pacific Northwest Research Station determined specific dollar values for neighborhood trees in Portland. This is great news for those of us that treasure the trees and wildlife of the Pacific Northwest, resources that can often be placed second to new construction and development. The main factors considered in determining these dollar values were “environmental and social amenities” including cleaner air, moderated storm runoff, reduction of environmental CO2, elevated property values, reduced heating and cooling costs, and improved human health. Similar studies in New York City determined that the five boroughs’ 600,000 street trees provide a financial benefit of $122 million a year, which totals more than five times the cost of maintaining them, but the Portland housing study is one of the first to look at the value of street trees on the Portland real estate market.
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Posted in Green Homes, Home Improvement, Investment Information, Moving To Portland, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips, Tips When Buying a Home, Tips When Selling a Home | No Comments »
Monday, December 20th, 2010
Check out the new Maplewood Real Estate neighborhood guide detailing the neighborhood of Maplewood nestled in the Southwest Hills in Portland. The neighborhood is home to Maplewood Elementary and other rich neighborhood treasures that contribute to the community’s small-town feel. The winding, tree-lined streets, rolling hills, and friendly residents will fool you into thinking Maplewood is far away from the hustle and bustle of Downtown Portland, but commuters will find easy access to the commercial center of the city. Combining the best of urban accessibility and comfortable, luxury country atmosphere, Maplewood is truly exceptional.
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Posted in Moving To Portland, Neighborhoods & Areas, Real Estate Tips, Southwest Hills, Tips When Buying a Home | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 15th, 2010
Check out the new South Burlingame Real Estate neighborhood profile detailing the South Burlingame District of Southwest Portland. Combining the best of urban accessibility and small town atmosphere, it’s a fantastic place to live. There are plenty of shopping areas in the neighborhood, and great dining and entertainment opportunities. If you’re looking for homes, apartments, or condos for sale in the Southwest Portland and South Burlingame Real Estate markets, check out the South Burlingame Real Estate neighborhood profile filled with historical facts, the best restaurants in Southwest Portland, and the top parks, shopping, and neighborhood resources. Relocating to a new area can be hard, but it’s a lot easier when you’ve got the best real estate agents in Portland on your side.
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Posted in Moving To Portland, Neighborhoods & Areas, Portland Real Estate, Real Estate Tips, Southwest Hills | No Comments »
Yesterday Portlanders were treated with a few beautiful flurries of snow (especially high elevations like the Rose City Park Neighborhood and the Skyline Boulevard Area), and our cameras were out and about taking in the best of the sights to show you here. A few weeks ago, we featured the first signs of spring in Portland on the McDonald Group Real Estate blog, and here we’ve got cherry blossoms and daffodils with a light dusting of snowflakes. Portland doesn’t get a lot of snow, and when we get any it doesn’t stick around long – just long enough to put a smile on everyone’s face when they see the city covered in a white layer of snow!
