The Greatest Gathering of
Old House Experts in the Northwest!

at the
Architectural Heritage Center
701 Southeast Grand Avenue, Portland

Saturday, June 28, 2008
10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Admission is FREE!

Bring your questions and photographs to the experts who love vintage homes and understand period-authentic renovation. See useful demonstrations and get new ideas you can apply to your own old house projects.

• Enjoy informative presentations by local experts.
• Answer the question “What style is my house?”
• Learn how to research your house history.
• Explore exhibits of architectural artifacts and antique hardware.
• Find renovation resources.
• Meet area businesses & craftspeople engaged in all areas of old home improvement.

Visit the Architectural Heritage Center’s website for more information.

The element in my darling vintage built-in oven blew out a few months ago and I’m having a terrible time finding a replacement. The problem is the appliance parts store found what looked like the same model, but the suggested element did not match the old one I brought in. And they don’t make the part that plugs in to the oven the same anymore.  It’s Model RBE 94 CH from Frigidaire. If you know of anywhere I might be able to get a suitable replacement, please let me know…or anyone who has the same oven, is maybe getting rid of it and can give up the element. Thank you!!!

eta: My stepdad found one!! Hooray Duwayne!

Join Solar Oregon at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland this weekend and check out the latest clean energy options for your home or business. The expo will offer workshops, exhibitors, and seminars to homeowners and business owners interested in clean energy solutions for their homes and buildings.

There’s also a Solar Oregon coupon you can use to get a few bucks off at the door.

I just got word that as of June 1st, Fannie Mae will no longer accept stated income loans.  Many banks have already pulled their “stated” loans and those who haven’t are likely to do so within the next couple months.  If you would benefit from a stated income loan for your home purchase or refinance, now is the time to jump on that before this product is gone.

Solar Oregon just announced a handful of upcoming workshops, including the Basics of Going Solar in Portland (which happens to be free!). They’re also having a Net Zero Home Tour on May 3rd where participants can spend the day learning how to make a net zero home a possibility and visiting four inspiring homes. Please see their website for more information!

I’m going to be serious here for a moment. January is National Radon Action Month. Maybe you’ve heard of radon and maybe you haven’t. Radon is a natural radioactive gas that may be present at high levels in your home. It doesn’t have any odor or taste and is the SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER in America. The good news is you can easily test your home for radon and, if necessary, have your home mitigated to protect your health.  There are companies that will test the radon levels for you, or you can purchase testing kits that you place in the living area of your home for a certain period of time. There are short term and long term tests and it’s important to note that radon levels fluctuate throughout the year.  If a short term test shows higher than normal levels of radon, a long term test will often be recommended before action is taken to lower the gas levels in the home. I highly encourage you to take a moment to read more about radon on the websites below and take the steps needed to protect your health and your family.

Some helpful links:
State of Oregon Radon Info Page
Testing for Radon
EPA’s page on Radon

Ever wondered about the walkability of a house or neighborhood?  Visit Walk Score to see what amenities are within walking distance of a certain location and how far they are!  As they say on their website, “Buying a house in a walkable neighborhood is good for your health and good for the environment.”

If you haven’t already cleaned out your gutters this year, now is the time to do it!   When your gutters are full, water can seep into your house and cause damage.  So get that junk out of your gutters  — we still have many months of rain ahead of us!

Thinking of buying a home next spring or summer? Now is the perfect time to check your credit and start getting it in order!  A good credit score can make a big difference in the interest rate a lender will offer you…which can mean huge savings over the life of the loan.

First, you’ll want to review your credit report to check for accuracy and see what areas could use improvement. If you have charges you need to dispute, it can take 60-90 days for them to be resolved and have the change show up on your report (that’s why it’s a good idea to take care of it now!).  Order a free annual credit report (if you haven’t already done so this year) at www.annualcreditreport.com.  It’s a good idea to check your report from EACH of the three major reporting companies (Equifax, TransUnion, Experian), as they may not all be the same. 

Once you’ve reviewed your credit reports it’s time to start improving those credit scores! The best way to find out what will improve your score is to meet with a mortgage professional who can review your report and make suggestions tailored to you. Here are some tips that anyone can use to improve credit scores:

1. Pay your bills on time and always pay at least the minimum amount due.
2. Keep balances on all credit accounts at least 30% below the credit limit.
3. Don’t credit surf (ie. transferring balances from card to card, opening and closing accounts as you go).
4. Making two payments per billing cycle that add up to at least the minimum amount due shows that you can budget your money and are responsible. Doing this regularly for 6-9 months can increase your credit score.
5. Find the right balance of number of accounts to keep open. If you’re going to close some accounts, keep your longest standing accounts open and close newer accounts. Established credit history is better for your score than new credit.  This is where a mortgage professional could help you decide which accounts are best to keep open and which should be closed.
6. Major credit cards are better for your score than department store cards and accounts.
7. Opening too many accounts in a short period of time can greatly decrease your score.

If you’d like to find a qualified mortage broker to help you improve your credit so you can get a good mortgage, just let me know. I’d be happy to pass along some names. 

Welcome to I Love Portland Homes!

I’m excited to have an new outlet through which I can share my love of architecture and the greatness that is Portland, Oregon.  There are lots of ideas storming through my head about the future and direction of this blog. Some things to expect:

• Happy Homeowner - interviews and features of people with amazing homes
• Neighborhood Spotlight - my take on specific Portland neighborhoods and what makes them so fantastic
• Market Updates - statistics and info about the current Portland market, on a monthly basis
• Much more!

The action will hopefully start in here around the end of August, when I’m all rested up from my vacation! See you soon!