2008 COBA Tour of Homes

The time has come once again for the Central Oregon Builders Association’s Tour of Homes

July 18,19,20 and July 25,26,27, 2008

20th Annual Central Oregon Builders Association Tour of HomesTM

The Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA) is pleased to present the 20th Annual 2008 Tour of HomesTM sponsored by Columbia River Bank. The field of 73 homes is set for the 2008 Tour, and we anxiously await the tour dates of July 18, 19, 20 and July 25, 26, 27. Hours for the tour this year will be the same as past years Fridays Noon – 6, Saturdays & Sundays 10-6. Remembering that it will be the height of summer, we advise attendees to dress appropriately and to bring plenty of water in their cars.

The 20th Annual 2008 Tour of HomesTM tour guide will be available in each Tour home as well as being delivered in The Bulletin right before the Tour begins. If you are interested in advertising in the tour guide please contact The Bulletin at 382-1811.

The 20th Annual 2008 COBA Tour of HomesTM is annually presented in July with the generous support of our sponsors. The 20th Annual 2008 Tour of HomesTM is sponsored by Columbia River Bank, and supported by Earth Advantage, The Garner Group, W.L. May Company, Robberson Ford, Deschutes Heating & Cooling, Central Oregon Cable Advertising, The Bulletin, and KOHD News.

The 20th Annual 2008 Tour of HomesTM field is set at 74 homes. Our second largest Tour! Prices on the Tour range from $207,950 to $3,200,000!

I will be holding The Reserve At Broken Top open every day of the tour (Friday 12-6, Saturday 10-6 & Sunday 10-6)

Please come see me!

New Blogsite

I created a new blog centered around interior design.

Please visit it and let me know what you think.

http://designbend.wordpress.com

June MLS Statistics

The June statistics are up.

Click here to view the Multiple Listing Service statistics for June, 2008

If you have $1.5 million lying around..

Click here to see the details on this house

I would highly recommend this house!

Wednesday is Neighborhood Preview Day #6

For this week’s Neighborhood Preview I am going to give you an update on The Homes At Mirada (refer to Neighborhood Preview Day #2).

Just a quick review: The Homes At Mirada is the new neighborhood built by Edge Development that is located on the corner of Butler Market and Eagle Rd.

We just recently got information on the types of finishes that will be going in these affordable homes, so I thought I would give you all an update.

Click on the following links to see PDFs with info.

Price Sheet

Standard Finishes

Area Map

As always, send me an email if you have any questions!

Kristin Bryan

May MLS Statistics

Click on the link to view the Multiple Listing Service statistics for May 2008

Click here for May statistics

10 Steps to Prepare for Homeownership

10 Ways to Prepare for Homeownership

1. Decide what you can afford. Generally, you can afford a home equal in value to between two and three times your gross income.

2. Develop your home wish list. Then, prioritize the features on your list.

3. Select where you want to live. Compile a list of three or four neighborhoods you’d like to live in, taking into account items such as schools, recreational facilities, area expansion plans, and safety.

4. Start saving. Do you have enough money saved to qualify for a mortgage and cover your down payment? Ideally, you should have 20 percent of the purchase price saved as a down payment. Also, don’t forget to factor in closing costs. Closing costs — including taxes, attorney’s fee, and transfer fees — average between 2 and 7 percent of the home price.

5. Get your credit in order. Obtain a copy of your credit report to make sure it is accurate and to correct any errors immediately. A credit report provides a history of your credit, bad debts, and any late payments.

6. Determine your mortgage qualifications. How large of mortgage do you qualify for? Also, explore different loan options — such as 30-year or 15-year fixed mortgages or ARMs — and decide what’s best for you.

7. Get preapproved. Organize all the documentation a lender will need to preapprove you for a loan. You might need W-2 forms, copies of at least one pay stub, account numbers, and copies of two to four months of bank or credit union statements.

8. Weigh other sources of help with a down payment. Do you qualify for any special mortgage or down payment assistance programs? Check with your state and local government on down payment assistance programs for first-time buyers. Or, if you have an IRA account, you can use the money you’ve saved to buy your fist home without paying a penalty for early withdrawal.

9. Calculate the costs of homeownership. This should include property taxes, insurance, maintenance and utilities, and association fees, if applicable.

10. Contact a REALTOR®. Find an experienced REALTOR® who can help guide you through the process.

Wednesday (I mean Thursday) Is Neighborhood Preview Day #5

I suppose Thursday is just as good a day as Wednesday to preview a neighborhood.. yeah, I’m going to stick to that logic.

So this week’s focus is on Badger Forest which is in the southeast section of Bend and built by Vista Builders.

The neighborhood features a close proximity to a new park, area shopping and all that Bend has to offer.

There are 3 floor plans being offered with prices starting at $182,900 for a 1064 sq. ft. floor plan with 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths. The most expensive plan offered is at $239,925 for 1751 sq. ft. and 3 bedrooms 2.5 baths.

There are currently 6 homes listed in the Multiple Listing Service in Badger Forest and one of them is Pending Sale.

As always, don’t hesitate to ask questions, or let me know if you’re interested in looking at more information on any of these neighborhoods.

Wednesday Is Neighborhood Preview Day—–sort of..

I will give you a preview of an “affordable” (I am on my knees begging for someone to give me a better word to use.. pleeeeeeeeeaaaaase help me out) neighborhood sometime later this week..

but for now.. I’ll let you read about a not-so-affordable condo building in downtown Bend. I actually think that they are priced incredibly well for what you get and the location that you get it in, but.. 1.5 million is a little out of my price range.

Cheri Smith, one of the brokers in my office visited the Condos on Tuesday Evening, and this is what she had to say about them:

Wednesday is Neighborhood Preview Day #4

This week’s featured “affordable” neighborhood is Northcrest.

Here is what the Garner Group (the listing agency) had to say about it:

–Designed for the changing Bend real estate market, new homes in the new Northeast Bend neighborhood of Northcrest emphasize a combination of affordable prices and livable home designs. Convenient, efficient floor plans form the basis for a menu of standard finishes and upgrades that allows buyers to establish home ownership in a way that matches individual living and financial requirements.

Prices begin in the $190s. Five floor plans are currently offered ranging from 1,104 to 1,566 sq ft in single-level and two-story designs. All have three bedrooms, two or 2½ baths depending on the plan, two-car attached garages and Craftsman exterior finishes.

The Garner Group Realtors & Development LLC is the exclusive listing agent for new construction in Northcrest. The Hollman Company is building and developing the property, adding to a list of Bend new home neighborhoods that includes Foxborough Village, Larkspur Village, Empire Crossing, TriPeaks and Northpointe.

Four homes are currently under construction, one of which will be a model home, and several others are in the pipeline and listed for sale. Northcrest is adjacent to the west side of Boyd Acres Rd. north of Morningside Dr. This location is convenient to North End shopping and Parkway access, the new Les Schwab Tire Centers headquarters, light industrial parks in the Brinson Blvd.-Empire Ave. area, and Lava Ridge elementary and Sky View middle schools. –

There are currently 10 homes in Northcrest listed in the MLS ranging from $191,200 for 1104 square feet to $223,975 for 1566 square feet (there is only one house listed in this price range and it is currently Pending).