Seller Gives Piano Recital to Buyer (After Closing)

It was an amazing "sharing of the moment" when an elderly woman in a retirement home finally had an offer that worked into a final closing, and the seller, who now has his baby grand piano in her former living room, invited her over to listen to it.


I will spare the details of the transaction that was challenging, not because of the buyer and seller, but the appraiser and underwriting, who seemed to get their wires crossed, but the misunderstanding was resolved and there was a successful closing.

The carpets had been removed to reveal a nice hardwood floor and the art on the walls each had their own lighting. The seller played pieces from Bach, Debussy, and Liszt with virtuosity and finesse. The music was beautiful. At the end of the 1/2 hour "recital" they became friends. It was one of the rewards for being a professional real estate broker: it's not just about a house being sold, it's about people's lives and helping them to move forward. This was a prime example that I will remember for a long time if not for the rest of my life, but especially when I have the usual challenges going on with this business.

It's interesting that this listing came from someone who read this blog in Eugene Oregon who was the daughter of the elderly woman. Now how's that for passing it forward !

Thanksgiving is coming just at the right time.

I have a lot to be thankful for, and this experience was one of them.

Best wishes to all of you blog readers and writers for a safe and enjoyable holiday season.

David Brown
Licensed Oregon Real Estate Broker
Search Salem Oregon Real Estate listings.

A Salute to Veterans

All veterans need to be acknowledged and in Salem the following events were scheduled for Veterans Days today:

Breakfast, 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.: American Legion Capitol Post 9 offers free breakfast for veterans and their families at the Eagles Lodge, 2771 Pence Loop SE. Priority service will be given to on-duty law enforcement officers, emergency medical crews and firefighters; Contact: Earl Pepper, (503) 364-0261

Barbecue Lunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Elks Lodge, 2336 Turner Road SE, (503) 364-6839; Cost: Free to veterans, $3 for others.

Marine Corps League Raffle Drawing, 1 p.m.: Winner gets a 2007 Honda TRX 250 ATV; Afghan-Iraqi Freedom Memorial, 700 Summer St. NE, (503) 580-3364, www.mcleague881.org.

Veterans ceremony, 3 p.m.: Honoring Oregon service members killed in Iraq and Afghanistan; Afghan-Iraqi Freedom Memorial, 700 Summer St. NE. Speaker: Sen. Ron Wyden; Contact: Robin Steckley, (503) 373-2390

Appreciation Day, 3 p.m.: Recognizing residents of Tierra Rose Care Center who were in the service. Sponsored by Serving Our Veterans At Home. Recognizing veterans with hats, flags and bronze medallions depicting the branch of service; 4254 Weathers St. NE, (503) 585-4602.

Free Movie Tribute: Three screenings of "Fighting for Life," a documentary about military medicine, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the wounded. Show times: 4, 6 and 8 p.m; donations accepted, proceeds to help disabled veterans and Help for Heroes; Northern Lights Theatre Pub, 3893 Commercial St. SE, (503) 362-7998, www.oregonpva.org.

Salemtowne eighth annual celebration, 7 p.m.:Towne Hall building, 2900 Oakcrest Drive NW, off Wallace Road NW. Guest speaker: Tom Mann, Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs; Contact: Bob Herzog, (503) 581-3055.

President Signs Tax Credit Extension and Expansion - From National Association of Realtors: "On votes of 98- 0 and 403 - 12, the Senate and House have respectively passed legislation that includes an extension and expansion of the homebuyer tax credit. President Obama signed the legislation on Friday, November 6. Many parts of it take effect immediately. As of the signing of the legislation, the income limits increase to $125,000 adjusted gross income on a single return and $225,000 on a joint return. In addition, the so-called "move-up" credit is also in effect as of November 6. Thus, individuals who have used a home as a principal residence for 5 consecutive years of the past 8 years will be eligible for a $6500 refundable tax credit for purchases completed between November 6, 2009 and April 30, 2010."

View the tax benefit summary chart by the National Association of Realtors

Need professional service for Salem Oregon Real Estate ? Contact David Brown, Licensed Oregon Real Estate Broker 503-302-2333 Email: davidbrown@prurep.com

Salem Area Wine Tasting

It was a beautiful Fall day on Saturday October 31st. I decided to visit five wineries just Northwest of Salem by about 30 minutes.

I stopped at Stangeland, St Innocent, Cristom, Bethel Heights, and Cubanisimo. Each had the famous Pinot Noirs that Oregon is known for, and each had their own distinct tasting rooms and style. The views were just as exquisite as some of the Pinots that I tasted, especially from bottles selling for $40-$50.00 . Don't worry, you are not required to buy any wine. You can enjoy a tasting for $5.00 at most wineries and if you decide to buy one or more bottles they apply the tasting fee to the purchase. Make sure that you take your time and bring some snacks in case the winery runs out of crackers. It is better not to do wine tasting on an empty stomach unless there is a designated driver or limo waiting for you. I took my time and had plenty of snacks including lunch.

The view in the photo is from the Bethel Heights Vineyards and is typical of the rolling hills and beauty of the area north of Rte 22 and Hwy 99 junction near Rickreal. There are about 30 wineries just in the Eola - Amity area near Salem so there is plenty to see on different days.

My favorite tasting rooms and Pinots combined are at Bethel Heights, St Innocent, and Van Duzer (which I had visited another day). Also, don't miss the landmark Willamette Valley Vineyards just south of Salem for an impressive view, tasting room experience, and excellent Pinot Noir.

Take a virtual tour of the Eola-Amity vineyards and other regions at these websites:
Eola-Amity Vineyard Association : Check out the winery profiles and websites for some great information and beautiful photos. Also, the main reference site for the Oregon Wine Industry: OregonWine.org ///

Most wineries are sponsoring a Thanksgiving weekend special that includes discounts, cheese and crackers, and other events. Having these wineries in close proximity to Salem is just one of the nice amenities to living here.

If you are interested in a wine tasting tour, contact me and I will help to arrange it for you !

David Brown
Licensed Oregon Real Estate Broker


More to follow....

New Tax Bill Passed

The House just passed the Senate version of the extension of the First Time Homebuyers Tax credit, which raises the income limits to $125k single, $225k married and extends the credit until June 30, 2010 (must be under contract by April 30, 2010). It also includes a tax credit for move up buyers of $6500 (must have lived in their current home for 5 years). The President is expected to sign the bill immediately. Only transactions closed after the President’s signature will be eligible for the $6500 tax credit. Extend your closing date if necessary !

This is great news for all involved in the buying or selling a home, and also the US Economy in general.

View the GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TAX CREDIT CHART ON www.RealEstateSalem.com

Looking for Vintage Charm ?

Wonderful old & charming home built in 1924 on National Register of Historic places, as Carl E Nelson house. Operated for 8.5 yrs as Cottonwood Cottage B&B fine construction, huge appeal. Dbl garage, garden area off alley. Garden was on Gilbert House Garden Tour. Master has WIC & its own bath. Den and large FR/Sunroom on main floor. Sewing Rm on 2nd flr. Gas-fired HW heater except in FR, which has separate gas FA furnace & CAC. Greenhouse. Shed off Garage. View MLS Photos, Info

Bush Park
Before the Rain This Morning

Bush Park is a local landmark here and the homes in the immediate South and West are historic and charming. Today the park contains trails, picnic areas, playgrounds, tennis courts, natural groves of old Oregon White Oak trees, cherry and apple orchards, and a rose garden with over 2,000 roses. Willamette University's McCulloch Stadium (football, track and field) and Spec Keene Stadium (baseball) are located in the park, hosting a variety of university and community events, such as the Salem Jaycees' Kids Relays soccer team the Cascade Surge of the USL Premier Development League.

I enjoy taking my dog Shaman to this park starting on the Leffelle side (South) off of High St, with the winding paths, the evergreens and seasonal trees with the changing colors of fall, and my dog's favorite pastime: watching squirrels. Even his picture shows that he would not look at the camera because he had spotted some squirrel activity and was regretting having to sit on top of a picnic table for a quick photo shoot. The park is full of them but not too many were in sight this morning at 8am. They must have felt the rain coming in which started about 10am.

Pictured right>
The Historic Deepwood Estate is an 1894 Queen Anne Victorian Home situated on approximately 4 acres of manicured gardens and nature trails set in the heart of Salem near its downtown core. The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Homes in 1973. Not for sale! Tours only. Check out an actual Queen Anne for sale in this market > click here

WHAT ABOUT THE SALEM OREGON REAL ESTATE MARKET ?

Some parallels here. Prices have continued to decline in this past summer, and sales activity increased a bit. The number of properties on the market is still huge, and a sluggish market may be an understatement even with an uptick in sales activity. Bank-owned REO foreclosure sales are definitely having their impact, and may continue to do so as loan defaults have been increasing dramatically in the area. In September 2009, 168 foreclosures sold through the MLS with an average price of $174,580, and a cost per sq. ft. of $98.00. I'm not sure we can say that the market is turning a corner here yet. Check out the Oregon report from www.housingpredictor.com , an independent research group. Not that their analysis is gospel, but they present some compelling facts:

From www.HousingPredictor.com :

"Talk of a recovery in Oregon housing is premature as markets all over the state suffer from falling home values, despite the federal program giving first time buyers a large tax credit. Any up-swing in sales activity has been out weighed by dropping home prices.

The pace of home sales has increased slightly in some markets, but the eroding values seem to be scarring many buyers off as unemployment climbs in Oregon. The pro-longed difficulty to get a mortgage is adding to the slowdown, which Housing Predictor expects to last into 2010.

Those buyers that are making purchases are getting better deals with foreclosures accounting for nearly half of all sales in Portland. Foreclosed properties are selling for as much as 60% below a neighboring home as lenders drop prices in order to get them off the books before a new wave of foreclosures hit. Nationally 2.1-million homes are sitting vacant and that number will rise over the next two years. The foreclosure epidemic is hurting. Portland is forecast by Housing Predictor to sustain average housing value losses of 15.8% in 2009."

Read full report including Salem info. >