August 9, 2019
Governor Kate Brown has signed into law several housing bills designed to deal with the housing crisis in Oregon, including one that would eliminate single-family zoning in certain cities. HB2001 requires cities with populations greater than 10,000 to “allow duplexes in lands zoned for single-family dwellings.” It also requires cities with populations greater than 25,000 … read more
July 19, 2019
A law was recently passed that allows Oregonians to put money in a savings account toward the downpayment on their first home and not get taxed on the money! Below are the details. Who’s eligible? Any Oregon resident who hasn’t purchased or owned a single-family home, either individually or jointly, in the three years … read more
April 16, 2019
Oregon became the first state to impose a statewide rent control policy. Along the way, it banned evictions without cause. What does it mean for renters? Here’s a quick guide. Q. What’s the cap on rent increases and how does it work? A. The new law caps rent hikes at 7 percent plus inflation during any … read more
January 13, 2019
Our local real estate market will begin to pick up steam now that the Christmas/Winter holidays are officially behind us. With the warm winter we’ve been having, it wouldn’t be surprising if we get daffodils in February. All of this has us thinking about people who are planning to sell their home in the coming … read more
June 29, 2018
You are selling your house and doing everything that you can think of to get it ready: cleaning, de-cluttering, and making repairs. It’s a project and you are in it up to your elbows when it occurs to you that you need to figure out what to do about your golden retriever and 2 cats. … read more
April 19, 2018
Certain home maintenance tasks should be completed each spring to prevent structural damage, save energy, and keep all your home’s systems running properly. Here are the major issues you should be aware of for homes in the Pacific Northwest: Follow up on moss treatments for your roof. Assuming you applied anti-moss treatments in the fall, spring is … read more
December 14, 2017
The City of Portland has passed a law that goes into effect on January 1st, 2018 that requires all sellers of homes within the city limits to get a home energy performance report that includes a home energy score. This score needs to be made available to any buyers considering the property. Your Oregon First … read more
October 2, 2017
A septic system is the most common form of onsite sewage treatment for homes that are not connected to the public sewer system. A septic system consists of a septic tank, where solids settle and decompose, and a drainfield where liquid discharged from the tank is treated by bacteria in the soil. You could also run into Sand Filter … read more
August 7, 2017
Among America’s 75 biggest water providers, only one has recently exceeded federal standards for elevated lead levels in the drinking water of high-risk homes. Portland. And when Portland isn’t surpassing that benchmark, it hovers just below – with current testing showing the greatest lead levels among all large cities. The Rose City’s poor position nationally is coming … read more
April 6, 2017
The issue of Earthquake preparedness has come to the forefront of Pacific Northwestern consciousness after an article appeared in the New Yorker with some pretty dire descriptions of what we might experience. You can read the article by clicking HERE. So what to do about it? Below are some resources for retrofitting your home, how … read more