Feature Pots are Worth a Lot!

Feature cards in listed homes can be extremely beneficial in pointing out the desirable traits in a home. Our team has used a few different types of feature cards but our favorite has been a recent development...

Feature Flower Pots! 

These cute, colorful little pots do a great job catching your eye and pointing out lovely spaces and home features. They can also be custom designed to fit each home or season!  We are really looking forward to placing them in any listings we have in the Fall or Winter and adding some pumpkins, leaves, or little snowmen holding the signs!

The best part about these little pots though is that they help sell homes! So far, all of the homes we have used these pots in have gotten full price offers, multiple offers, and have been sold quickly even after not previously selling! 

We know that it takes a team to sell a home and there are many tasks behind the scenes that help along the way...but we also like to think our little flower pots create some magic of their own. :)

Call or email and let us know what creative ways you have seen home features noted or highlighted!

Lee Eckroth, Broker

Town & Country Realty

541-760-4742

Lee@Talk2Lee.com

Evenflo Plumbing

Evenflo Plumbing was started in 1989 by Jim Hardman in California. In 2001 he relocated to the Willamette Valley to continue his business. Since then Evenflo Plumbing has become well respected in the Corvallis community, servicing residential homes and property management companies. Jim Hardman, founder, has been plumbing since 1984.

Evenflo Plumbing provides many services including:

• Whole house drain cleaning specialists
• Complete plumbing and drain service
• Kitchens, laundry, shower, tubs, sewer lines
• Re-pipes, toilets, faucets, garbage disposals
• Water heaters repaired/replaced
• Sump pumps
• High pressure water drain cleaning
• Preventative maintenance
• Multiple drain discounts
• Maintenance contracts

Evenflo is a part of our A-Team because they are very accessible, local, excellent at what they do, and always deliver on the projects they take on. They are friendly, easy to work with, and work quickly especially when there is a plumbing emergency! I have used their services on many occasions and would recommend them to anyone in need of a great plumber!

Thanks, Evenflo! You guys rock!


Contact Evenflo at 541-738-8853, by email at jim@evenfloplumbing.com, or visit their website at www.evenfloplumbing.com. Read more about what their customers have to say here!

Talk 2 Lee - Featuring David Dodson, OSU Campus Planning Manager

You are invited to our all new Talk 2 Lee events! 

My team is excited to bring you a new opportunity to learn more about Corvallis and real estate, while meeting some amazing people and expanding your horizons.

Each month you will have the opportunity to meet and learn from people who have knowledge and expertise, in their specialized fields and about Corvallis in general. The unique question and answer format opens the door for you to ask those interesting, and even tough questions, to local experts with qualified knowledge. The one hour events will be informal, quick, and information packed!

Here are the details for next Monday's Talk 2 Lee!

Monday, July 14th 6:30-7:30pm at Town & Country Realty
located at 455 NW Tyler Avenue, Corvallis, OR.  Appetizers and drinks will be provided.

Future dates will be:  Tuesday, 8/12, Tuesday 9/9, Tuesday 10/14, Tuesday 11/11, December 12/9 and we promise excellent speakers and information.  Check the blog, and emails for more details coming soon!

Our special guest for July, 2014  is Oregon State University Land Use Planning Manager David Dodson. He will be answering questions on the future of OSU, the recent growth we have seen and will hopefully provide us a look into his crystal ball for the future.  Below is some information about David.  He is an amazing person, awesome dad and an asset to Corvallis and OSU.

Because of the room size, our attendance is limited to 15 people and there are only a few spaces left!  Please RSVP today to guarantee your special seat.  If you know of anyone who might be interested, please be sure to share this communication with them.

Thanks and I hope to hear from you, and see you, soon!

Lee Eckroth

Town & Country Realty, Broker, CNE, C-RIS, e-Pro, GRI

Cell: 541-760-4742

Email: Lee@Talk2Lee.com

---

David Dodson graduated from OSU with a Bachelors of Science in Liberal Studies and went on to get a Master’s of Landscape Architecture from California State Polytechnic University.

Early in his career he worked with an international architectural engineering firm based out of Houston, designing overseas embassies, campus master plans, and corporate headquarters for Chrysler, 3M, IBM and Shell Oil. He moved to Corvallis 20 years ago where he worked in the City’s Planning Department processing land use applications, overseeing the City’s historic preservation program, updating the 2020 Vision Statement and the Comprehensive Plan. He left the City after 6 years and started Willamette Valley Planning, a firm that provided consulting services such as land use planning, landscape architecture, and preparation of development applications.

He has worked on a number of contentious projects including the Whiteside Theater, the new Corvallis High School, and numerous Annexations. For the past 4 years David has worked for OSU and he currently serves as the Campus Planning Manager.

How's the Market - July 2014

I often get asked "How's the market?" in response I have developed the following report to give a clear overview of the Corvallis real estate market and any changes over time. Read on to get some insights into the reports for this quarter!

We are 50% through 2014...where did the year go?!

We are starting to see some clear trend lines in the Corvallis marketplace this year –for at least the first 6-months. The first thing we noticed is that total home sales were down in the first three months of this year. Most of us in the business attribute this to a lack of quality homes for sale. That being said, the total unit numbers were down.

Another interesting trend is that for the first 6 months our average price is a little less than 2013 and our days on market are higher. This is a little concerning. We will have a clear view of the trend come October 1st – when we can see how our highest closing months –July and August –really end up.

At this time, there are no major red flags in the numbers –but we do have some minor concerns with some of the average sales price statistics.

In addition, here is a link to the very useful FHFA Pricing Index Report. If you would like to find out information on many cities, most counties, regions and stats in the country this FHFA report is an incredible resource. –Here are some points of interest:

In the last 12 months:

• Nevada has seen home values rise 20.96%.  Oregon has seen a rise of 9.71%

• Merced California has seen a 1-year appreciation of 30.63%

• Bend, Oregon, has seen a 1-year appreciation of 18.82%

• Albany, Oregon, has seen a 1-year appreciation of 5.85%

• Corvallis, Oregon, has seen a 1-year appreciation of 6.58% (This is lower than expected as we have seen some price reduction in the last 6 months)

If you would like more information about our marketplace, real estate in general, or would like an analysis of your home– do not hesitate to contact me.

Make it a great day!

Lee Eckroth
Town & Country Realty, Broker
Lee@Talk2Lee.com
541-760-4742

Finding a Great Realtor

Finding a Realtor who will represent your interests for one of the biggest decisions you will make is not always easy. Here are some tips to help guide you as you choose a real estate professional who will represent you well.

• Referrals are Gold

• A recommendation from a trusted friend or colleague can be an excellent way to find a Realtor.
• An agent is likely to work harder on a referral knowing that a friend or client may hear of his performance. 

• Scan the Local Market
• Look for reviews in local papers or real estate brochures.
• Drive the local area looking for Realtors signs at homes you are interested in.
• Stop in at a few open houses to collect some Realtors information.

• Interview a few different agents and ask great questions to learn about the local market and how the agent plans to represent you. Here are some possible questions. 

• May I see your resume?
• How long have you worked in real estate?
• What is your plan for finding me a great home?
• What makes you special?
• How often will I hear from you?
• How many transactions did you do last year?
• What do you know about the neighborhoods where I want to live?
• Have you ever had any complaints from past clients?

• Find a realtor who:
• Listens to your needs and takes time to explain things you may not understand.
• Works on your time schedule and is available when you need them.
• Provides multiple services such as market reports, and referrals to other service providers.

Information adapted from articles by realestate.msn.com and bankrate.com

Eckroth's in Australia

Life is about how you trade your time for experiences. Recently I had the opportunity to visit Australia with my family and it was awesome. A great example of trading your time for high value life moments.

After a 30 hour trip from our front door, we arrived at an amazing resort island called Hamilton Island. It started with a young man letting us know we would be greeted by “nibblies” in our condo and quickly turned into an amazing stay that included a visit to the Great Barrier reef, snorkeling, scuba diving and para sailing. It was an incredible break from life.

After a week in Hamilton Island we found ourselves back in Sydney staying in the heart of the financial district and loving every minute of it. Besides the trip being a family vacation, I was also fortunate to be there representing the Rotary Club of Greater Corvallis at the Rotary International Convention...Thank you Rotary! The city, harbor (in which we got a very special on-water tour), and Opera House were amazing. We even saw a stage production of the Lion King!!  We had such a great time and have 1000+ pictures to relive it on a regular basis.

I want to send a very special thanks to my good friends, Mark and Louise Barnard (who came to Corvallis from Sydney).  Without their help and friendship –we would have been lost.

If you ever get the chance,– GO!  The people of Australia were friendly, the country was clean and we had the time of our life!

Thanks for reading!

~Lee

Upcoming Community Events!

We are officially in summer mode and there are a ton of great community events coming up in the next few weeks! 

Check out these links for more ideas of fun family activities for the summer!
Corvallis Events Calendar
Downtown Events

Corvallis Knights Home Games!

Take me out to the ball game! The Corvallis Knights play June through August. Join us to cheer on the Knights in Goss Stadium!Corvallis Knights Home Schedule | CorvallisKnights.com

Corvallis Community Band Summer Concerts!

The Corvallis Community Band‘s much-anticipated summer Concerts in the Park begin at 8pm in front of the Gazebo in Central Park. The concerts are free and family-friendly. The themes change weekly, with a new concert each week presented throughout the summer until the end of August.

No seating is provided, so audience members are encouraged to bring low chairs and/or blankets and to dress for the weather.

The Corvallis Community Band is supported by the Mario and Alma Pastega Foundation as well as generous members of our community and sponsored by the Corvallis Department of Parks and Recreation.

Shedule

• June 17 – Highlights from local musicals (Gypsy and Fiddler on the Roof) with principals as soloists
• June 24 – Soul Music, featuring vocalist Anne Hubble
• July 1 – Patriotic Favorites, featuring the Heart of the Valley Children’s Choir
• July 8 – An old fashioned Sousa concert
• July 15 – Broadway Favorites, with Rafael and Illya Lebron
• July 22 – Great Movie Musicals of 1964, featuring vocalists Gale Hazel and Paul Pritchard *
• July 29 – Christmas in July, featuring the Willamette Apprentice Ballet
• August 5 – From the Classics, featuring violinist Anthea Kreston
• August 12 –Jazz in the Park, featuring Steve Matthes and friends
• August 19 – Adventures in Oregon and the Solar System, a reprise of their educational concert for 4th graders, including videos
• August 26 – Corvallis Community Band Favorites, featuring Sharon Edwards singing songs of Barbra Streisand

* See also: Great Movie Musicals of 1964, on July 21, at the Starker Arts Park.

Heart of Willamette Wineries Summertime Wine Tour!

Pick up a passport and tour Heart of Willamette Wineries between June 21st and September 23rd for free tastings and a chance to win a fantastic Grand Prize!

The Summertime Wine Tour runs from June 21 through September 23. You can buy a ticket for $20 from any Heart of Willamette Winery. Your ticket gets you a free tasting at each winery you visit. Each winery will stamp your ticket, and once you’ve filled it up, you can turn it in to any HOWW winery to be entered to win the Grand Prize: an afternoon guided barrel tour for 4 to HOWW wineries of the winner’s choice!

Everyone with a completed ticket will also get a Heart of Willamette Wineries t-shirt. For more information, see the HOWW Summertime Wine Tour flyer. To purchase your passport online,visit our Wine Tour page.

Red, White and Blue Riverfront Festival!

On July 3rd and 4th on the Downtown banks of the beautiful Willamette River!

Bring your family and friends to this fun-filled, family Festival featuring live music throughout, a delightful array of food vendors, colorful crafts booths, Kids activities, and Oregon wines and microbrews. 

Stay for the spectacular Corvallis Jaycees fireworks display after dusk on the 4th! 

The 2014 Musical Line-up:

July 3

Fate 55

5-7 pm

The Strange Tones

8-10:30 pm

 July 4

Wild Hog Gumbo

11 am-1 pm

Steve Peterson - Children's Magician 

1:15-1:45 pm

Bottle Cap Boys

2-3:30 pm

Orqesta Monte Calvo

4:30-6:30 pm

Too Slim & the Taildraggers

7:30-9:30 pm

Vendors will include various foods, arts and crafts, microbrews and wine