Brian Lawson

David,

If you are wiling to be close to downtown (i.e. 28th and Glisan) then I have an option for you. I also currently live in a condo building within your price range and can send you some options.

Give me a call or shoot me an email and I can send you more information to see if they will be a good fit.

The alternative is to find a realtor who knows the inventory and who can uncover the "hot" deals currently on the market. There are many properties on the market that are owned by sellers who absolutely have to sell and that will be your best option for deals.

I will be glad to help. Just let me know what I can do for you.

Regards,
Brian
Lee Davies Real Estate
(503)502-5330 - Sun Nov 16 2008, 22:44

Evan,

Try Temp. agencies as well. There are a handful here in Portland that can get you a position quickly if you are looking for some income while you get settled. - Fri Nov 7 2008, 10:06

You should be able to transfer the title to the home via Quitclaim deed. A quitclaim deed essentially transfers all interest in the property to another person / entity. You can get all the necessary forms at Sperry Ness. They have a store in downtown Portland or you can find them on the web via Google.

However, I would highly recommend you at least speak with a lawyer who specializes in real estate to ensure you are taking the correct steps, using the correct forms, etc.

Another resource would be any local title company. You could speak with any escrow officer and they would also be able to help you through the process. You might want to check out a title report on the property anyway to see what you are assuming with the property unless you already know.

Hope this points your in the right direction.

Regards,
Brian Lawson
Lee Davies Real Estate - Fri Nov 7 2008, 09:56

Hi Chris,

How about those BEAVS?! (Raised in Corvallis)

If you want to be close to downtown Portland (or relatively close), I would check out St. John's, Historic Mississippi, Belmont St, and Alberta St areas. Although some of these areas are seeing prices rise quickly, there are still sensible prices to be found and you will see some good appreciation in your investment. They are also all located in "quaint" areas with shops, restaurants, etc. within a stone's throw away.

I would also agree on checking out Http://www.walkscore.com to see how each area suits your needs.

I can speak to you further about any of these areas or send you more information if you desire.

Brian Lawson
Windermere Pacific Northwest
EA STAR Certified
(503)473-8216 - Thu Oct 2 2008, 10:49

Price reductions in a new building such as the 937 will depend on many factors; mainly pre-sales, inventory and time on the market. The green features will also add value to the building and make it more desirable. I wouldn't expect to see a bargain buy in the building for some time, unless sales drastically stall, but it may happen somewhat sooner than expected with the high inventory these days.

I agree with Tom that your best bet for a bargain, in the immediate future, would be a re-sale that has been on the market for a while. If you could compromise with another building that has similar features in the same location, you could put some extra equity into the unit to make it more unique and too your liking. In turn, it would help your appreciation and re-sale value down the road.

I would be happy to speak to you further about this, as my office has been heavily involved in condos for the past few years.

Brian Lawson
Windermere Pacific Northwest
EA STAR Certified
(503)473-8216 - Thu Oct 2 2008, 10:24