Posts in Top Realtors
How to Reduce Your Mortgage Wait after a Foreclosure

Think you have to wait three to seven years after a foreclosure before you can get a new loan? You may be able to cut that in half.

Typically, you have to wait for years after a foreclosure to get the financing necessary to buy a new home, but you may be able to get a loan much sooner if you improve your credit score, budget and save. Throw extenuating circumstances into the mix, and your wait time could be even less.

Were you one of the millions of Americans that suffered a foreclosure in the last several years? If so, you are well aware that it leaves a black mark on your credit and prevents you from obtaining the financing to purchase another home for three to seven years, or longer depending on how you handle your money after the foreclosure.

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6 Tips for Removing Kitchen Clutter While Selling Your First Home

Preparing your home for a sale can be an overwhelming process. You might not be sure where to even start, that's why de-cluttering the kitchen is a great place to begin.

So much of life takes place around the kitchen. It's where people come together to cook, share about their day, and make memories. A well-staged kitchen will not only help you attract potential Oregon buyers, but it will showcase one of the most frequently used spaces in your home.

Carla Hill of Realty Times suggests, “ Kitchens are integral to entertaining and in today's age of open floor plans, they're a focal piece of many family rooms. It's because of this that kitchens play such an important role in the buying and selling process.”

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5 Tips to Modernize Your Home’s Outdated Bathroom

How many times a day do you find yourself in your home’s bathroom? A home’s bathroom sees some heavy traffic, and any prospective buyer will want to take a look at what it has to offer them. That’s why it’s absolutely vital that you dress up your bathroom just as you would any other room of your house for a buyer visit – and dress it up the right way. An attractive bathroom needs modern style and amenities, and you can install them to really wow your buyers.

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Oregon Fixers, 5 Things to Consider Before Committing to a “Fixer-Upper”

“Needs a little love,” “project home,” and “fixer-upper” are terms that pop up on listings around the country, aimed at enticing energetic and industrious home buyers who are looking for a unique and rewarding challenge. However, are you really up for the demands that come with this kind of home purchase? To answer this question – and address a variety of other concerns that come with fixer-uppers – let’s hear from some of the leading voices in the real estate industry.

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The concept of the fixer-upper is definitely appealing – as long as you know what you’re getting into before you sign on the dotted line. Unfortunately, too many new homeowners bite off a lot more than they can chew on this front and end up stuck in a bad real estate position. From poor planning to an inflated sense of ability regarding renovations, there’s plenty of issues that can derail this kind of project. However, after reading over these five important points, you’ll be able to move forward with confidence and certainty as you write the next great chapter of your home life.

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Seven Things First-Time Historic Home Buyers in Oregon Need To Know

Historic Oregon homes are full or mystery and culture Especially in Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Bend, and Redmond Oregon – owning one can be a great way to connect with both the past and the future of your community.

Older homes are both charming and intriguing – be sure to know the special responsibilities that come along with owning a historic home before you sign the mortgage papers so you don’t end up with more than you bargained for.

Perhaps it started when you walked home from school. You would always slow down your pace as you passed the older Victorian home with its gabled roof and inviting wrap-around porch. Or maybe you were always fascinated by stories of days gone by, and now take day-trips to historic sites near your town. Whatever brought you to this point, it was a powerful force in your life and your heart is now set on buying your own historic home.

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4 Ways to Pull-off the Shabby Chic Trend in Your Downtown Oregon Apartment or Condo

The term 'Shabby Chic' was coined by British Designer, Rachel Ashwell. One of the main reasons people are drawn toward the Shabby Chic style of decorating, is simply because of its versatility. With a backdrop of primarily white, you can incorporate an array of different pieces into one space with ease.

Whether you're a Shabby Chic expert, or you simply love the style but struggle with how to incorporate the look into your home, here are 4 distinct ways to achieve this classic style in your space:

Creative Collections

If you are a lover of flea-market finds, Shabby Chic might be the perfect style for you. When decorating your home, consider the artful statement pieces that you already have. Shabby Chic is all about vintage finds, modern accessories, and feminine fabrics all working in tandem for a pulled together. Tara Nolan of styleathome.com explains, “Don't let the word “Shabby” fool you when

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Why you should list your home with a Realtor and get into the Oregon MLS. Multiple Listing Service

What is an MLS, or Multiple Listing Service? 

It's a cooperative organization made up of real estate brokers, with homes, land and commercial properties for sale in a certain area.  The MLS is set up to provide certain rules and standards of cooperation among the brokerages. Oregon has several there are three larger MLS that include the Regional MLS or RMLS, Central Oregon Association of Realtors or COAR, and the Willamette Valley Association of Realtors or WVMLS.

The Cascade Realty Solutions team belongs to a total of 4 MLS in Oregon giving your property more exposure in Oregon than an agent, Realtor, or brokerage that just has one or two MLS designations. This is just one more way we do more for you as a seller. As a Buyer, this gives our customers more availability of inventory and the advantage of learning about properties that may be coming soon and that are not on the market yet. Let’s learn more about the MLS.

The activities of the MLS include:

development of standards for property listings and marketing;

providing a cooperative commission-sharing structure among brokers;

publishing online and printed listing compilations for brokers; 

an association to enforce rules, ethics and hear complaints of the public; and

foster sharing of full listing information for the benefit of both buyers and sellers.

What does all this mean to you, an owner who wishes to sell their land or home?  It means quite a lot. Usually, hundreds to even thousands of real estate agents and brokers are members of a local MLS.  All of these members make their living brokering real estate. The MLS is their system for sharing information efficiently and quickly.  It's all built from the ground up to bring together sellers and buyers. Since its inception, there has never been a more efficient method devised to accomplish this mission.

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