Hood River Real Estate and Columbia Gorge Real Estate

Good Article this week from Marketwatch about foreclosure markets and their discount rates (It’s a realty-trac rehash, but a pretty good one) Check it out here.

See? Not so bad in Hood River after all…….

Market review shows flat growth in Hood River, and gains in surrounding markets. Same as last month, with slight signs of improvement. No one is in a bidding war, that’s for sure, but there are still Buyers out there…..if they can get financing.

This Month’s review showed signs of a bottom until Friday’s Woes. I have, by the way, never EVER been through some of the kookiest requests from underwriters, ever.

They are rejecting appraisals, wondering why we don’t have multiple exact comps in our rural areas, asking for demographic information, and some truly, overly personal information of my clients.

Basically, to me, that means there are alot of very scared people. Imagine being that scared, and having a quarterly sales quota to meet……….Not a job I want to be in. Wait a minute…….

New to the “woes bin” this month, after long avoiding the spotlight is none other than…..WAMU! Oh, and Bank of America! It’s interesting, it appears there has been ALOT of below the radar wrangling going on. I’m not sure the worst of it’s over, especially after the Countrywide Mortgage Inquiry was launched. Please don’t do a loan with Countrywide, they might not be there next month…….

US Bank and Wells Fargo seem to be holding their own, and I did a large loan with them about a year ago, and let me tell you, I NEVER handed in so much information, and that was back in January of 2007! Sounds like they sniffed out the problem and went for quality early on. and US Bank? The usual, highly detailed, Hyper accurate, as always…..They don’t to too much morgtage work, but every Loan I’ve ever done with them has been, how shall I say it….”Fully Vetted”

So another 30 days! we made it! I think everyone can breathe a sigh of relief, even if it is as we go over the falls…..

Just kidding.

Ok, Fortune Magazine last month deemed Kiteboarding as the “New Golf” for VC types.

With the Majority of our office made up of Kiteboarders, I thought I’d interview a few of the guys and see what they think of their new found “Power-Player” (we used to spell it “playa” but we are supposed to be going legit, “New Golf” remember?)

William Irving the Third
“Really?!” Says Bill (With that long ee sound, Reeeally) “Well, It’s the Golf where you can kill yourself. Wait a minute what are you doing?”

*negotiaitons ensue*

“I think it’s a good way to be involved in a community of people that is friendly and helpful”

Even if they are wealthy masters of the universe? “It will open up a greater body of water for the sport, and it’s waaay easier than traveling with a windsurfer. It’s like traveling with a Golf Bag, except you get way better Extreme Cred.”

Hunter Lowery

“Is this a Joke?!”

*pause while Hunter laughs and lets it sink in*

“….aah, I would say that it’s more attractive to call it “Earth Friendly Golf” Says Hunter. “How much of the Earth is Water? It’s like Golf Courses everywhere! It definitely seems like the golf demographic these days now that the kites won’t kill you….”

So there you have it. Copperwest, Leading the charge again. I would have to say, having taken up the sport this Summer, I’m pretty Hooked. Like, stand around in marginal conditions in my 5/3 Steamer Suit Hooked. That’s clinical.

Ok, you’ve read it here forever, about people coming to Hood River to change their lives quality of life, blah blah….(I shouldn’t rip on myself so badly…..) but in the Last MONTH our visits from California have gone up by about 200%.

Now, I’ll spend as much money as the next guy advertising to generate customers, but even I don’t have the resources to push into that market. Something’s up. Something changed and it’s causing visits to our site to go crazy……..

Let’s see, October/November (The Winter Months are one large bog of days….)There’s been a surprising bump in activity. Dare I call it a bottom? for some product absolutely. Interesting fact about the Hood River market, is that overhang clears out pretty quickly. When I call up a client and say “you should go after this one” usually, after that one clears the market, it has a temporary impact on the market, then there are no more properties available for a bit and THINGS HAVE RISEN IN PRICE AGAIN. Yes, there I’ve said it…….

SO, there are pools around that are not clearing out. Like over 700, but under 350, things are hopping, and prices are firm, why, I even got multiple offers on one of our listings recently. Yes, Yes, I know, “what’s that!?” It was a great value and one of only two on the market, when it went away, so did that great value…….

So I’m feeling pretty good about the Winter. Not bullish, mind you, but for a couple of weeks there I was thinking I’d run out of those “lower the price and hit a pool of Buyers” thing I’ve been writing about. Now I’m seeing that we’ve sold into some price ranges, and the Buyers are still showing up, and if we can get the right mix, we’ll be ok. My Big issue right now? Buyer’s ability to get a mortgage.

Remember that post “Get it Gone?” This is the reverse of that. Your property with a flaw will still be penalized, but at least you’ll be working towards strength, even if it is only seasonal, and well, about 6 months away.

At Least there’s some “There” “There”

Fall is awesome, Hood River is the place to be, and I’m going home to hang out with my Kids……