How to Stand out as a Buyer
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We all know the Portland market is saturated with excited and competitive buyers. If you are thinking about taking the leap, here are a few key things to do to make you stand out as a buyer. As always, I am here to answer any of your real estate questions! 1. Know your price point. Having a firm idea of what your minimum and maximum price points are can help make the search and subsequent processes a lot smoother. 2. Get pre-approved. This is key to putting your best foot forward. It makes finding the right home for you at the set price point a lot easier for your real estate agent. Being pre-approved also makes you look like a better buyer to the seller and their listing agent. 3. Don't do anything drastic that can affect your credit. This means keeping your debts at a minimum and your credit stable. For example, don't switch careers in the midst of your home search or don't purchase anything with a huge price tag like a car on credit. These can negatively impact your standing as a buyer. Be realistic about your search. Knowing what you want is important, but knowing what you can afford and what makes the most sense is critical for you in the short and long term.
Perched high in Washington Park, the Hoyt Arboretum showcases a collection of shrubs and trees from around the world and your own backyard. Stroll the shaded paths independently, or take advantage of guided tours around the park concerning subjects as varied as ethnobotany, creating natural dyes and native trees. Enjoy a quiet picnic in the designated picnicking area, or simply meditate on the Redwood observation deck-- the arboretum allows you to take in the diversity and beauty of trees, whisking you far away from the city and into the natural world. Free, and accessible by TriMet Line 63. Prices for tours vary.
xplore Portland's oldest trees and rediscover the history of your neighborhood through its trees. With 300 historical trees scattered throughout the city, there certainly is much to appreciate! Download the Heritage Trees app and take an unconventional tour of Portland-- learn the history and significance of some of Portland's oldest residents, where the growth of the city will take on a new meaning. 
Now is the perfect time to start your garden! Whether your thumbs have been green for years or you're planning to play in the dirt for the first time, you'll dig this guide.
#3. Put on your garden planning hat. Once you know which of your plants will be on similar water schedules, group them together for shared sipping. Know where your light is coming from. Let the taller sun-loving residents like kale or cilantro throw some friendly shade for their shorter fair-complexioned neighbors.
#4. Grow what your belly wants. If you're eagerly anticipating the yield of your efforts, you're far more likely to nurture your garden. Arugula, spinach, kale, mizuna, bok choi, and mustard greens make for fabulous salads and savory side dishes. Peas are fast-growing, early season crops. Think of your favorites and find out if they grow well in our climate!
Everything tastes better when you've grown it yourself. That might not just be satisfaction either. There are certain vitamins and minerals (magnesium, for example) that don't get replenished in soil. So that fresh dirt in your yard will sprout healthier produce than what you're buying at the store from regularly farmed fields.
I'd be honored to sample any of your home-grown fruits and vegetables, but don't feel like you need to wait to harvest season to give me a call. I'm always available to help you with any of your home and real estate needs!
All statistics, graphs and verbiage provided courtesy of RMLS December 2015 Market Action Report.
