To Airbnb or Not to Airbnb?

Portland’s close-in pocket neighborhoods are a perfect market for the AirBnb concept. Many of our clients are taking advantage of this short term rental demand and converting underutilized space to create passive income. We’ve seen this trend grow stronger and stronger as Portland becomes a wildly popular urban, vacation destination.

Here is a recent article Dale came across on oregonlive.com that discusses the city of Portland’s willingness to ease some of it’s restrictions on the short-term rental market laws.  

News & Events – Prices and rates expected to rise in ’14

Rare, Double-Whammy

There’s a lot of excitement in the air in anticipation of a very strong 2014 nationally and locally. Check out this Portland Business Journal article ranking Portland in the top 10 of the countries hottest markets next year. Fasten your seatbelts and get ready. Prices up and rates too….this will be interesting.

If you’ve been on the fence to buy or sell, now may be the time.

5 Reasons to Sell in the Winter

5 Great Reasons to Sell During the Winter

Many of our sellers ask us if they should sell now or wait until the spring market to sell. At Inhabit, we encourage our sellers to list their house during the winter as long as their house is market ready. Here are 5 great reasons to get on the market NOW instead of waiting for the Spring market:

1. Inventory is lowest from November through February. Take advantage of that! Fewer homes on the market means less competition.

2. Buyers out looking during these months are serious buyers. They’re out shopping in the rain and the dark because they need and want to find a house!

3. Interest rates are still historically low. The holidays seem to bring less volatility as  well, making it less stressful to pick a time to lock your rate.

4. Home sales in the greater Portland/Vancouver area are now up 15% year-over year on average sales price. Who knows if that significant growth rate will be sustainable through next Spring?

5. The area rental market is very tight right now; such that even with just 5% down, a 30-year mortgage payment has become cheaper in most inner Portland neighborhoods for someone with good credit.

Here’s a great example of one of Chylese’s clients taking advantage of the winter selling market. 5 bedroom/2.5 bath Victorian in the Alphabet District – $795,000

For further information on this house, contact Chylese Austin 503-703-3303 | chylese@inhabitre.com

Who to notify

The Mover’s Directory has a great list of people to consider notifying about your move. Notify businesses at least one month ahead of time.

  • Friends and Family
  • Church
  • Post Office
  • Utility Companies: Home phone, Cell phone, Trash, Cable, Water, Electric, Internet
  • Insurance Companies
  • Banks and Financial Institutions: Checking, Savings, Loans
  • Creditors
  • Government agencies: IRS, DMV
  • Health Providers: Doctors, Dentists, Veterinarians, Pharmacy
  • Schools, Colleges, Universities
  • Subscriptions: Magazines, Newspapers, Book/Wine Club
  • Travel/Auto Club

Planning your move

Here are some resources to help you plan your move:

  1. Week by week moving plan
    This is an excellent plan that breaks down your moving tasks starting two
    months before your move.
  2. Budgeting your move
    This worksheet helps you itemize the expenses of your move so you can get a handle
    on its total cost. It also provides some tips on how to save money on your move.  
  3. Choosing a moving company
    This thorough guide includes the right questions to ask moving companies as well as how to do your research.