Lynne Connelley

Need to knows for selling your Bend, Oregon home!

2008-07-03T03:40:00Z

Curb Appeal Takes Starring Role

in Competitive Market
Updating Windows and Doors is a

Must in a House Exterior Makeover

(ARA) – Real estate may be about location, location, location, but it's also about looks. Curb appeal is taking on a bigger role in today's housing market. With the number of available homes for sale growing each day, buyers can afford to be choosy and consider only houses that show well from the street. That means sellers now have just a few seconds to make a first impression, capture interest and draw buyers inside.

Confirming just how important curb appeal is to hooking new owners, JELD-WEN, a leading window and door manufacturer, discovered in a recent survey of real estate agents that 82 percent have had potential buyers decline to look at the interior of a home based on the exterior appearance.

“In today's competitive market, buyers want upgrades, like windows and doors, that create visual appeal,” says Elizabeth Souders, product marketing manager for JELD-WEN. “A home must present itself favorably in a quick snapshot. The real estate agent survey shows that without strong curb appeal, buyers might not even consider looking inside the home.”

Upgrading curb appeal is proving to be a good investment when selling a home. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), window and door projects mostly pay for themselves at closing. Typically, homeowners can expect between an 81 to 88 percent return on window upgrades, the NAR said.

Top Five Curb Appeal Tips

In addition to obvious touches like a new coat of paint or fixing cracks in the pavement, updating windows and doors is an ideal first step in boosting a home's image. Whether owners are listing a home for sale, or simply want to increase their home's stature in the neighborhood, JELD-WEN suggests these five tips to increasing curb appeal:

Stay true to style: Upgrades should fit in with a home's architectural style. For example, JELD-WEN says contemporary homes call for windows and doors with clean lines and simple profiles, while traditional homes such as Craftsmans or Colonials are better matched with windows and doors featuring appropriate divided lite designs.
Add details: Custom features are a great way to achieve one-of-a-kind looks that stand out. Adding a doorknocker, speakeasy, decorative glass or metal accents to an upgraded front door can give an Old World home a heightened level of charm to catch a buyer's eye. New house numbers and porch lights also provide a fresh look for entry areas.
Remember the garage: The most prominent exterior feature in many homes is the garage door, so this upgrade goes a long way toward elevating curb appeal. JELD-WEN is seeing many homeowners ordering garage doors complete with window inserts, metal accents and hardware to match the main entry door for a coordinated appearance.
Dress the yard: Make sure the house is the first thing potential buyers see, not overgrown hedges or dead grass. Hire a gardener to spruce up the landscaping and add colorful touches like seasonal flowers, decorative rocks or bubbly water fountains. Shaping bushes and curving lawn borders can shake up a tired front yard.
Coordinate color: Color, when done right, sells. Doors and windows give homeowners ideal opportunities to infuse color into their curb appeal without having to paint.

Try something out of this country, in your own backyard, Bend, Oregon.

2008-07-01T02:27:00Z

SENORITA

Destined to stir the passions of any hot-blooded woman, this summer slushie is packed with luscious fruit flavors ‑- raspberries, blueberries and more!

Serving: 1

1 1/2 tablespoons raspberries
1 1/2 tablespoons blueberries
1/2 ounce sugar syrup
Ice cubes
1 1/2 ounces gold tequila
1/2 ounce raspberry liqueur
1 ounce cranberry juice
Lime wedge

Muddle the raspberries and blueberries with the sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add a scoop of ice, then the tequila and raspberry liqueur. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled tumbler 1 inch from the top, then top with cranberry juice. Garnish with a wedge of lime.

Ancient civilization meets modern Bend, Oregon

2008-06-28T02:21:00Z

MachU Picchu

Reminiscent of a tequila sunrise, this Peruvian-born cocktail ;- named after one of the most exquisite places on earth - is quite festive! It's deep green (thanks to a bit of creme de menthe) on the top and orange in the middle, and the grenadine sits on the bottom (but soon starts to rise). This is a fun cocktail to make and serve with colorful straws and umbrellas.

Serving: 1

Ice cubes
2 ounces pisco
4 ounces fresh-squeezed orange juice
1/4 ounce grenadine
1/4 ounce crème de menthe

Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in 1 ounce of the pisco, the orange juice and the grenadine. In a cocktail shaker, combine the remaining pisco, crème de menthe and three ice cubes and shake well (this will lighten the crème de menthe so that it floats on the top).

Pour on top of the orange juice mixture in the tall glass and add a straw, but don't stir or the colors will blend together.

MAKE SURE TO ASK YOUR BEND, OREGON, BROKER!

2008-06-25T18:00:00Z

Cool down your weekend in Bend Oregon with this Bananalicious drink!

2008-06-20T20:29:00Z

Banaquiri

You can use this recipe to make any kind of fruit daiquiri. Just substitute 2 ounces (about 1/2 cup) of fruit (such as melon, peaches, strawberries, apricots, litchis, kiwi or mango) for the banana. If you like, you can also replace the maraschino with a complementary liqueur or brandy (Midori with melon, peach brandy with peaches, etc.). Garnish with the mint sprig and a piece of whatever fruit went into the mix, skewered on a cocktail pick.

Serving: 1

1 1/2 ounces silver rum
1/2 large banana (about 4 ounces)
1/2 ounce lime juice
1 teaspoon simple syrup
1/2 ounce maraschino liqueur
1 cup crushed ice
1 sprig mint, for garnish
1 slice banana, on a cocktail pick for garnish
Old-fashioned or large cocktail glass

Blend the rum, banana, lime juice, syrup, maraschino liqueur and ice in an electric blender until smooth, about 15 seconds. Pour into the glass and garnish with the mint sprigs and skewered banana slice.

RELAX IN BEND OREGON THIS SUMMER WITH ONE OF THESE!

2008-06-16T16:48:00Z

Japanese Slipper

Reorient yourself and sip into something really comforting: this mod and marvelous martini (with an Asian twist!).

Serving: 1

Ice cubes
1 ounce melon liqueur
1 ounce Cointreau
1/2 ounce lemon juice
Maraschino cherry

Half-fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the melon liqueur, Cointreau and lemon juice. Shake well and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Beat the Heat in Bend, Oregon with this yummy Sizzling Summer Sipper.

2008-06-13T14:58:00Z

Melon Melody

Reminiscent of a fancy martini, this sexy drink is perfect for a gathering of friends. The colorful garnishes, made of tiny fresh melon balls, are easy to make and add an impressive finishing touch. But be forewarned, the melon soaks up the punch, so be careful snacking!

Punch bowl and glasses

4 cups pineapple juice

2 cups vodka

3/4 cup Midori (melon liqueur)

1/2 cup cream of coconut

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/2 small cantaloupe, chilled

1/4 small honeydew melon, chilled

1-inch-thick slice of small seedless watermelon, chilled

4 cups crushed ice

Mix all of the liquid ingredients in the punch bowl.

Cut the melons into 1/2-inch balls using the smaller end of a melon baller. Thread the melon balls in combinations onto 8 large cocktail picks or small skewers. If you have more melon than you need, cut additional balls and float them in the punch for added color.

Add the crushed ice to the punch. Garnish individual glasses with the melon ball swizzles and serve immediately.

Note: Cream of coconut, not to be confused with the unsweetened coconut milk and cream used for cooking, is a thick, sweetened coconut product found in liquor stores and well-stocked supermarkets.

Serves About 8

Events In Bend Oregon

2008-04-15T04:08:00Z

Earth Day Fair At Troy Field

On Sat. April 14th at 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Includes more than 100 booths with educational information, products and services also includes live music, activities and food. Best of All the price is FREE!

Tips On Staging A Home To Sell In Bend Oregon

2008-04-12T02:19:00Z

So let's talk about "staging" for a minute. You have heard of it in relation to the theater, right? Set the stage, set the mood, and in come the actors. Well, "staging" has become a critical aspect of home sales, especially in the current competitive market. I was struck by this important tool sellers can use to their advantage this past weekend as I was showing an exquisite and new riverfront home. True, the home was on the river. True, the home was located just a couple hundred feet from the river park and from the wonderful shops and restaurants of the trendy Old Mill District. But there were several areas of the home which, when staged, were apparent but without staging would have been ambiguous. For instance, there were three rooms in the lower level with no closets and no windows! What to do with them? Hmmm. But with lush and precise staging, one became a Tuscan wine room, one housed audio equipment, and one became an inviting theater room that tugged at us so that we did not want to leave! A bedroom was set as a quiet and rich office. Builders are professionals. They know what a difference excellent staging can make in selling a home for the best price possible. Staging can make us fall in love with a home. Lack of it can make us walk out of a home and never remember anything about it. So sellers, listen to your Realtors' advice about staging. Pay a few dollars or even a few hundred dollars for staging advice. This can include a professional working with the furnishings you already have in the home or in the case of a vacant home bringing in items to catch the eye of a buyer and suggest the potential of that home for cozy family life. Staging can be as simple as a cookbook on a stand, a pot on the stove and places set for dinner at the breakfast bar plus bathrooms with towels, soap, artificial arrangements of plants and candles. I have even seen in a vacant luxury home a large basket tilted on edge in a bedroom with a jeweled peach quilt spilling out of it to suggest the bed. If your Realtor does not suggest staging, find one who does. Unless you don't care how long your home is on the market. Does staging guarantee a quick sale? No. But not properly preparing your home for the market will guarantee a lower price and longer time on market. Oh, and that lovely riverfront home was sold and closes in two weeks, but they are building more in the same area, some on the river and some just above it. Give me a call for a tour of these and others including a recently refurbished townhome overlooking the river in downtown Bend. Very contemporary and lovely. Or just give me a call for staging advice -- whether to be referred to a Realtor in your area with staging expertise or a consultation at your home in Central Oregon where we can discuss the possibilities of your home.

BEND MARKET UPDATE

2008-04-07T22:30:00Z

· Sports Clips opened in the Cascade Village Shopping Center. The hair-care chain offers haircuts to men and boys in a sports themed environment.

· Allyson’s Kitchen opened in the Old Mill District. The store features cooking classes, food to go, wine, cookware, cheeses and other kitchenware items.

· Rite Aid Corp. finalized the $2.7 million purchase of three separate properties in Redmond. The company plans to move its existing pharmacy to a new building at the location. The company which also has plans to open a new store in Madras, has four locations in Central Oregon.

· Redmond Airport recorded 20,509 passenger boardings in February, a 214.1% increase over February 2007. Passenger boardings have exceeded every month, year over year, since 2003.

· Finally, the wait has come to an end. Trader Joe’s opened their new store doors on March 28^th. The store is 13,000 square-feet and is situated in the Cascade Village Shopping Center between the highway and Food 4 Less. This is the first Trader Joe’s in Central Oregon.

· The Five Pine development on Sister’s east side has opened its first restaurant---Pleiades at Five Pine. The 3,000 square-foot restaurant will have 80 seats and feature Northwest cuisine. According to chef and owner David Berger the restaurant will be open seven days a week.

· A new restaurant is coming to Bend. Volo, billed as an upscale yet casual restaurant serving contemporary American cuisine is scheduled to open in May. It will be located on the ground floor of Bend’s new 919 Bond building in downtown Bend. The space will occupy 4,000 square-feet according to owner Chris Jones. Jones said he would try and distinguish Volo with its design, food and ambience in an increasingly competitive restaurant environment.

· Mt. Bachelor announced it has opened up 160 acres for snow riding on the backside of the mountain that was previously out of bounds. The expansion of terrain adds an additional 800 feet of vertical skiing in the Cow’s Face area.

· Two restaurants have closed in Bend. Robbie J’s Bistro has closed its Mill Point Business Campus location. Chef and owner Jacques Duc, who bought the restaurant in 2005, could not be reached for comment. And, after 20 years of staying open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Denny’s restaurant has closed. According to owner Dean Moe, it just didn’t make financial sense to remain open. Moe added that, “Costs just keep going up and that building is so limited in size…there’s competition nowadays that can seat double what we can seat.”

· The Old Mill District is getting its first pizza eatery this summer…Flatbread Community Oven, a Neapolitan-style pizzeria and wine bar. The Boise, Idaho-based restaurant will open its 3,100 square-foot, 98-seat restaurant in a corner space facing the Deschutes River according to owner Robert Lumsden III. The restaurant is expected to open by June and employ 50 people.

· Fireside Red, an American tapas lounge has opened in The Old Mill District. Co-owner Michael Jasilewicz said the restaurant will offer Spanish-inspired small plates and meals ranging from brunch to dinner. The restaurant will employ 45 workers and will hold 90 seats inside and 100 outside on the deck, which has a view of the Deschutes River.

· The population growth bumped in Deschutes County up to 58^th out of the nation’s Top 100 fastest-growing counties in 2007.

· Klamath Falls-based South Valley Bank & Trust submitted site and design plans to the city of Madras for a new bank at the north end of town. The bank, which has locations in Bend, Redmond and Prineville, also is preparing to submit plans to the city of Sisters for a bank just off Highway 20, near the planned Ray’s Food Place.

· Kohl’s, a national department store chain, has filed preliminary building plans to open at the Bend Promenade according to documents submitted with the city. The nearly 69,000 square-foot store is proposed for vacant land located on the backside of the mall, between the Bend Parkway and Macy’s.

· Christy Kabachoff, former owner of one of Bend's favorite restaurants Zydeco, has purchased TLC Restaurant and Catering and is open for business on NW 2nd Street, call (541) 382-1646). "Congratulations, Christy! I know the food will be fresh, natural and delicious!"

The State of Bend Oregon Real Estate

2008-04-04T04:11:00Z

Despite recent turns in the housing market, it is still smart to buy your home as soon as possible.

Equity appreciation is one of the best ways to realize short and long term financial gains. On average, appreciation is at 6% a year, a consistent, if not conservative rate, especially if it is a primary residence. Bend has seen much higher appreciation over the last several years. However, for planning purposes you should stay with 6%.

Equity in a home is an important ongoing financial resource, used wisely. As a mortgage gets paid down and the value appreciates, the equity (monetary value beyond what is owed on the property) can become available in the form of an equity loan or a line of credit. The interest on these loans offers the added financial benefit of being fully tax deductible. One smart way to use these loans is to pay off debts that have higher interest rates and are not tax deductible.

Remember, though, that equity loans and lines of credit must be paid off when the house is sold, so factor that into any profit you may expect to gain. Some of you may think that it’s a scary market right now. But investing in a home is still one of the best ways to build long-term wealth and create short-term tax advantages. (Excerpted from Ownership Advantages, The Bulletin)

Great Advice For 2008 (Part 2)

2008-03-31T15:59:00Z

Part 2

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"

27. Forgive everyone everything.

28. What other people think of you is none of your business.

29. Time heals almost everything. Give time, time.

30. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

32. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

33. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

34. The best is yet to come.

35. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

36. Do the right thing.

37. Call your mother and father often.

38. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: "I am thankful for __________." "Today I accomplished____________."

39. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

40. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride

Great Advice For 2008 (Part 1)

2008-03-31T15:49:00Z

Part 1

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you have to.

3. Buy a TIVO, tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement: "My purpose is to___________ today."

5. Live with the 3 E's: Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Watch more movies, play more games and read more books than you did in 2007.

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, Tai Chi, Qigong and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat fewer foods that are manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea & plenty of water and eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least 3 people smile each day.

13. Clear your clutter from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Bend Oregon Real Estate

2008-03-24T21:36:00Z

The State of Bend Oregon Real Estate

How To Find

2008-03-17T15:26:00Z

Great Deals In Real Estate

In response to the many questions I get daily on the subject, I am going devote this blog to a brief discussion of great deals in real estate and how to find them in this market." In conjunction with a title company and a lender, I will be holding seminars on this subject, so please give me a call or email if you are interested in attending a free class on Short Sales, Foreclosures and what is involved in purchasing property in these circumstances.

I subscribe to a service whereby each month I get a list of properties that are in default, meaning the owners have missed at least three months of payments. This is pre-foreclosure, and the owners still can sell the home in the open market. They may or may not owe more than the home is worth. This is often a great time to negotiate a good deal!

Short sales occur when the owners – who may or may not be current in their payments – owe more than the home is worth. In most cases, they contact the lenders, and the lenders participate in the sale of the property by approving the price and forgiving a portion of the mortgage to have the property off their books. The buyer can finance the purchase of the home. This is also a great time to find that deal!

Foreclosure is the process whereby the lender takes the house back at public auction, usually at the courthouse. The lender is asking to be paid the amount of the loan, and many times the house is not worth this. Also, the successful bidder must pay cash and accept the property as is with usually no inspections. Not necessarily a great deal and you must be a savvy buyer for this transaction!

Bank-owned property is post foreclosure, and most banks are getting “real.” These homes are priced just below market value or, sometimes, way below. In the 1990s banks had REO departments (Real Estate Owned), which became cumbersome and expensive to operate. The banks seem intent on not repeating that fiasco and are working hard to shed properties as soon as they come into ownership. There are some very good deals in these situations.

Call me at 541-318-9909 or my cell 541-408-6720 or email me at Lconnelley@sunriverrealty.com to sign up for a class on understanding these processes and finding Great Deals!