My background in investments in the past has mainly been my 401(k) and my personal stock portfolio. Thirty five years of my life was spent in the high-tech industry, so that became the majority of my stock portfolio. I have seen my high-tech stocks double, triple and then crash! […]
After a ten hour red-eye flight from Salt Lake City, we arrived in Paris in the middle of the day. Getting through customs and walking through a packed airport during the Christmas holidays can be overwhelming, but a packed airport where few speak English is even more overwhelming. You […]
As 2015 comes to a close, we look back at the year in real estate for Jackson County and Jacksonville and take a stab at predicting home sales in 2016.
Jackson County—Great news for all homeowners as the median price of homes sold in Jackson County is up 6.44% […]
Over 36% of all single-family homes in the United States are rental homes and that number is climbing. Home ownership was at an all-time high in 2004 with 69.2% of single family homes occupied by the owners; but, that number has fallen to 63.5% and is expected to continue […]
They’re back! Eight years after the real estate bust, many past homeowners who lost their homes have rebuilt their credit and are back in the market—forming America’s growing ranks of “boomerang buyers.” In the next few years, these buyers will form one of the most important segments of the […]
Our houses are also our homes, so we believe it’s important to be comfortable in your home and have it reflect your personality and your lifestyle. Remodeling your home to your personal likes is important, but it’s also important to look at how much certain remodeling projects yield at […]
Most people don’t know what a Reverse Mortgage (RM) is, and because they are a relatively-new financial mechanism for seniors in the United States, there is a lack of understanding. The reality is that RM’s may be an answer to one of the biggest economic problems facing the United […]
Home prices are rising as our economy continues to improve; retirees are retiring in droves and millennials are moving-out of their parents’ basements and into the housing market. Housing demand is strong and the inventory of homes is low—so home prices are being driven-up. So how do you figure-out […]
Zillow is currently the most popular online real estate site, with 75 million unique visitors a month. Along with active listings of properties for sale, it also provides information on houses that are not on the market. You can enter the address or general location […]
In the first quarter of 2015, the median price of a home in the city of Jacksonville increased 41.1% over the same period in 2014, with the median price of a home selling for $398,500. Jacksonville has now passed Ashland with the honor of having […]
It looks like 2015 will be a great year for sellers to sell their homes and buyers to buy a home! It’s unusual that it’s a great market for both… but here is why.
For home sellers: the number of homes that have resold has increased by 18% and the […]
If you unexpectedly find yourself with a home to rent, you’re what we call an accidental landlord. You never really planned on owning rental property, but maybe you’re facing a job transfer or recently inherited a piece of property. The local real estate market has rebounded nicely and homes […]
2014 Recap—2014 was a good year for the U.S. economy with 3 million jobs added and the unemployment rate dropping to 5.6%, the lowest level since June 2008. We also saw declining gasoline prices and natural gas prices in most of the Midwest and East Coast, all combined with […]
Since the financial crash of 2007, Southern Oregon has suffered high unemployment and little growth; but that all seems to be changing. We have been watching quietly as new homes are being built, businesses continue to move-in and acres and acres of grapes are planted.
Home Building and Commercial […]
At the moment, I can only wait patiently and repeat my heart-felt goodbyes to my 91 year old mom as she lies in a semi coma on her 10th day of hospice. Although I am so sad to lose my mother, I am at the same time so grateful for the time I have had […]
The real estate market in Jackson County continues its recovery this year with the median price of a home increasing by 15% from $195,000 in January, 2014 to $225,000 in August, 2014. The number of homes sold this year is about on par with last year with an average […]
Prior to moving to Southern Oregon in 2002, I had just sold eBusiness Design, a web development company that specialized in helping large companies use the internet to market, improve customer service, distribute their product directly to consumers or just to inform their customers. When I arrived in Southern […]
On a recent trip to Greece, I was very surprised that everywhere we went we would see homes that were only half-built and looked abandoned. When I asked if the economy was really that bad to justify all these abandoned homes, the response shocked […]
United Van Lines recently published its inbound and outbound moving data for the year of 2013. The winners are Oregon and the Carolinas. The losers are New Jersey, Illinois and New York.
The real estate market in Jackson County continues its recovery with the median price of a home growing by 4.2% for the first quarter 2014 to $187,500. The number of homes sold in the first quarter of 2014 has actually decreased to 345 compared to 389 sold in the first quarter 2013.
When preparing your home for sale, there are many inexpensive improvements that will bring you greater value and help sell your home faster.
For years, the primary retirement plan was a company pension plan. At retirement, a retiree would receive a fixed sum, or a pension, paid by the employer. By offering a superior pension plan, employers, the government and labor unions attracted good employees...
2014 looks to be the year of the “repeat home buyer,” as interest rates rise and home prices increase—worsening affordability will discourage some first time home buyers. These won’t be the only changes as foreclosures slow, inventory stabilizes and the process of getting a mortgage becomes less hectic.
Jackson County has had an incredible year in the Real Estate Market. Home prices in most metropolitan areas of the United States grew significantly in 2013, with the national median price rising at its fastest annual rate in eight years.
Do you have enough money saved for retirement? Financial planners usually use the “25 Times Rule” to determine...
Do you feel it? Do you see it? Something is different! The Rogue Valley has a deafening low-level buzz rising in the air...
There are two inter-related trends that have impacted the rental market. The first is the rapidly growing number...
Here is a recap of real estate prices, sales and interest rates and how they have affected our local market...