From BizJournals.com: Homes sales climbed nearly 10 percent in Portland in January to 1,344, according to new data from the Regional Multiple Listing Service, another sign that Oregon's economy continues a steady improvement. January home sales haven't been that high since climbing to 1,594 in January 2007, the year the housing bubble popped. The average sale price climbed 15.5 percent in the last year to $287,700. The median price climbed 19.5 percent to $248,000.

The PDX market is definitely looking up. With more owners putting their homes on the market (willingly), prices moving up, and lots of buyers competing for homes. Read the whole article on OregonLive.

The bursting of the housing bubble plunged the economy into a recession from which it has yet to fully recover. But economists say this could finally be the year that housing lifts us out of the doldrums. Read the whole story…

I'm thrilled to have been awarded a 5-star rating for my 3rd year in a row! Fewer than 7% of agents make it into this group!

Thanks so much to all of you for your trust and support! Read more…

Found this gem on the Centsational Girl site. Great tips for anyone who want cost-conscious tips for "tricking" their home! Read the article…

Really funny take on the weird PDX dining scene from GQ's Alan Richmond. The article is titled "Cloudy With a Chance of Stinging Nettle Flan and Tomato Coulis." Hard to believe our little backwater is national ground zero for avante garde dining! Read the highlights…

Good news for home sellers! The Regional Multiple Listing Service reports the average home price in December rose 3.9 percent to $290,000 while the inventory of unsold homes was the lowest December level since at least 2009, with enough homes on the market to meet current demand for just 3.6 months. That’s the lowest level for any month in at least three years, according to RMLS figures. Read the full article from the Portland Business Journal

Case-Schiller released their latest quarterly report and announced that national home prices have risen 6 months in a row.

Our fair city of Portland's home prices rose a respectable 3.7% in the last 12 months. That is pretty close to the national average, especially if you exclude out-of-control Phoenix which grew 20% last year. You can download the very readable report for yourself here.