Meet Our Agent: Rich Ford!

PERSONAL, PROFESSIONAL . . .

Have you ever felt that your Realtor didn't listen to you or work hard on your behalf? I am motivated by the simple desire to serve clients well and build a reputation for honesty and excellent real estate services. Whether you are buying your first home, trading up, downsizing, relocating, or investing in rental property, I will help you find the right home, condo, or investment property and financing suited to your needs. I understand that real estate transactions are some of the most important financial events in which you will ever be involved. Let me put my experience, work ethic, and willingness to listen & ask questions to work for you. I promise you personal service and no high pressure. I want to assist just a limited number of clients at a time in order to serve them in the same manner that I would liked to be represented.

 

SELLERS

If you are listing your property, I will work up a thorough Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to give you a realistic evaluation of its value and salability. I will also make suggestions on maintenance, repairs, & improvements that will help maximize the value of your property, and I will actively market it according to your desires and keep you informed about showings and prospective buyers. I will be present for inspections, (and for repairs when you cannot be home to meet a contractor), and I will work closely with your escrow officer to anticipate possible problems and help facilitate a timely closing.

 

BUYERS

Finding the right home in the right neighborhood that you can afford is a challenge. I have lived in the Salem/Keizer community since 1976 and know the mid-Willamette Valley area well. Together, we will develop a list of the features and considerations that are most important to you. With that information, I will search the thousands of listings of available properties to identify a manageable number of prospects for you to consider. Often, I preview properties to make better use of your time. I can make a market analysis to support my opinion of a property's fair market value, and I will be present at home inspections and work closely with the escrow and lending officers handling your home purchase to anticipate problems and expedite closing.

 

INVESTORS

I have owned and managed income property in Salem and Keizer since 1979, and I am very familiar with 1031 tax-deferred exchanges. Experience has given me a keen eye for rental marketability as well as deferred maintenance & repairs that might cost you dearly later. I can help you find and evaluate the apartment complex, multi-plex, or single family home that meets your investment goals.

Improving the Curb Appeal of Your Home

It’s the first thing you see when you pull up to a house, and based on that you have an idea of what to expect going in.

Have everyone so excited to come into your home with a few quick changes! Here are some simple tips to adding appeal to your home starting with the outside!

• Start with the most basic step of clean your house! Get out a pressure washer, get some old towels, scrub brushes, whatever it is going to take to clean your house up! Over the winter especially layers of salt scum build up as well as layers of dirt. Don’t forget your porch either! Clean the windows to so they let more light in, scrub your front steps so the entry looks brighter!
• Make sure all the vegetation beds around the house are cleaned out and all the plants pruned nicely. Get those weeds pulled, get all the leaves that have blown off the trees, and trim back any wild bushes. They don’t need to be perfect, just presentable.
• Go out into the street in front of your home and make sure that none of the trees or bushes are obstructing the view of your home! If they are, trim them back. You only get a first look once, make sure potential buyers can see all off your house, especially the unique parts.
• Check your gutters. Are there twigs sticking out, secure bands hanging off, a leak? Clean them out and repair those small mishaps. They more tidy and cleaned up they are the less of an eyesore they are to buyers.
• A simple last touch to your flower beds is mulch. It adds a final clean and crisp look to your beds and helps them all look uniform.
• As you look at your porch, do so through the eyes of someone looking for their “home”. Make it easy for them to see this as their home. Create more uniformity at the front door with putting those colorful pots on each side of the door, putting light fixtures on both sides of the door, replace old hardware like knobs and hinges, add some seasonal flair.
• To add appeal at night, put in some low voltage or solar walkway lighting. Not only does it offer safety, but it can accent trees, flowers, or help them to see the steps up into your home
• If your windows are looking for a quick up-do, add exterior shutters! They are made from so many different materials, they are not only low maintenance but there is one for every household.

The best thing about these projects is, they are simple, easy, and low budget! If you like any of these tips, take some before and after pictures, email them to us at salem@windermere.com and we would love to feature your up-do in a post! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

What a cute day to celebrate all that love is, for your loved ones, family and friends! I was looking around for some ideas of Valentine's Day decor for our office and ran across these ideas for decorating homes.

A cute way to decorate a home office. I love all the different texture of the hearts!

Mantel's can be overdone or under-done. This is very simple and playful. Great decor to celebrate a Date night in.

Classic pinks with vintage greys. 

This felt flower wreath would be great for a front door!

There is nothing like going to visit a friend's home and see the decor to get you in the spirit for a holiday. The important thing is that nothing is tacky or looks misplaced, but that it adds quality to your home!

Enjoy your Valentine's Day and show everyone the LOVE!

Local Real Estate Search Engines

Whether you are looking for a house to buy or a place to rent, this present age of searching for these properties presents itself in so many places.

Where are the places you can actually trust? What sites are local and which have no idea if you searching for Salem, Or and Salem, Ma?

I took some time to research some sites and look through their local real estate sites and compiled a list for you when you begin your home searching:

• http://realestate.oregonlive.com/

They offer a very easy to navigate search bar where you can input simple search properties like zip codes, cities, or even an MLS number if available.

They offer easy inputting to narrow your search of beds, baths, and pricing min and max.

They offered a map that when you hover over home icons takes you to that listing.

There is a modify search button in bright red if you feel the search results weren’t satisfactory.

Boxes under the listing photo, to select a driving tour that will print up directions to get you from house to house.

Easy to navigate buttons to get you back in your search or anywhere else in the site

• http://www.realtor.com/?source=web

Easy to locate search tool bar with simple input form for zip code or area, that counts down the available listings as you narrow the search.

They offer easy inputting to narrow your search of beds, baths, and pricing min and max.

Each listing in easy to differentiate box.

Options along the left side of the results to add even more search tools like square feet, property status, and property features.

• http://statesmanjournal.gon.gannettonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=HOMES

The opening page is a search page with a great feature that I didn’t see in either of the other sites that allowed you to pick a property type in the preliminary search criteria.

Once in the search results are in a list the listing brokers information is readily available to the right of the listings box.

Saving the listing to homefinder.com so you can go through them in a list of homes that have interested you.

Zip code search availability to the far right of the search page.

A tab for foreclosures that is easy to find and navigate through if that is the route of home buying, it is isolated so you see only those.

These are some great sites in addition to our own site www.windermere.com which features:

Navigating any state we have offices in to find one local to you.

Looking through all of our, company wide, listings to see what we have available.

Tabs to get you walking through all about our company, what we stand for and our Windermere Foundation.

Easy navigation to agents personal sites that are filled with personal information to help you get one more step closer to feeling and knowing that our agents are members of their communities just like you!

For more information about our office give us a call at 503-391-1350 or come visit us at 4285 Commercial St SE Suite 100, Salem, Or, 97302. 

Meet Our Agent: Cris Brennan

Service with a Professional Touch

I believe in good old fashioned service. So when you need the expertise of a professional agent, look no further than my years of experience. Your satisfaction, is and always has been, my top priority. No high pressure sales. I find that a happy client that does not feel pressured into the largest purchase they will probably ever make, tells their family and friends about me. Having confidence in me, that I will do as good a job for them .

           Years of Experience

I have been a licensed realtor since 1994 and a member of the Salem Association and the National Association of Realtors since 1994. I received my designation of G.R.I in 2000 from the real estate institute.

My Commitment to Community

I am the Windermere Foundation coordinator for our Salem office. The Windermere Foundation helps low income families and children in our area. We help send kids to summer camp. Supported over 50 mothers in crisis with brand new car seats to bring their new born baby's home from the hospital. Back to school is a special time for many and a hard ship for others. We have packed 100's of back packs with the supplies needed for back to school. We financially support after school programs for low income families and serve them hot meals once a month. As always I am looking forward to raising money to make a family in need have a wonderful Christmas. Our newest program is purchasing new eyeglasses for children with vision problems. I also coordinate the Windermere Services Day. In August each year we close the doors at the office and head out into the community to help others. This year we were able to help two family's with home needs. We painted interior's and exterior's along with every kind of yard work you can imagine, from pruning tree's, building fences, and much, much more. It is always a feeling of accomplishment when we get to stand back and see what a difference we have made.

 

Committed to Service

My commitment of quality service to you is #1. My business is built on referrals from satisfied customers. With each new or repeat client, I want to listen to what your needs are. Helping seller's sell their home fast for the most money, and the least ammount of hassle. Purchasers finding the home that will meet their need's for years to come. Taking the time with professionalism and integrity. Cris Brennan "THE SKILL OF A PROFESSIONAL WITH THE CONCERN OF A FRIEND"

Best Winter Vacation spots in the Pacific NorthWest

Trip planning can be stressful! For starters, even beginning to pick out where to stay? What place is worth it, and where is a dud? Let me help you narrow it down to some top places to visit in the PNW (Pacific North West).

These are in no order of preference, and are not sponsored in any way! This is a list compiled from suggestion from our agents and doing a little research! They really are just some great places where you can truly see the beauty of the North West! Remember if you visit and can’t dream of leaving, we have an office of realtors that can help you find your home here! Call us at 503-391-1350

1)      Whistler , Canada:

Have your passport ready because if you love the snow this place is worth the trip! Whistler was the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics, which means this mountain has it going on. Great for skiers, snowboarders and sleders, this is a winter winter womderland. Also offering up top rated B&B’s and restaurants, the fun doesn’t stop at the mountain. Once you are done with your day at 7,000 ft up the mountain stop by the spa or the PEAK2Peak gondola ride!

2)      Cannon Beach, Or:

With the iconic haystack rock, Cannon Beach is one of Oregon idealistic and quaintest locations. With a shoreline 9 miles long, perfect for walks with the dogs, watching all the native wildlife or participating in the annual sand castle/building contest. Canon Beach keeps its small town charm by keeping out large chain restaurants and stores.

        3)      Bend, Or:

Outdoor enthusiasts dream! Bend is known for its dramatic scenery and rugged terrain. In the foothills of the Cascade Mountain range, Bend is a natural haven for travelers. Mt. Bachelor has  powdered slopes for the most experienced or novice skier or snowboarder, while still having the most challenging summit climb at South Sisiter. Home of the distinguished Deshutes River for rafters, and other mountain lakes for kayakers and canoeing.

                       4)      Seattle, Wa:

The perfect weekend, or weekday get away, Seattle’s tight downtown district and unique transportation make it a great day trip. This city is the perfect bland of urban and outdoors. Surrounded by lakes, dense green forests, and outdoor recreation. Stop by any local coffee stand and you are ready to go! With Pike’s Place Market, the original Starbucks, the Space Needle, Odyssey, or  Washington Park Arboretum there is no end to the things you will discover here. Take a casual cruise to Blake island on the mighty Puget Sound, or venture a little ways to the coast to visit the San Juan Islands. This big “little” city is scattered with local and fantastic restaurants, neighborhoods, open air festivals, and family oriented activities.

                                                                                                                                                         

       5)      Portland, Or:

The friendly city of the PNW, known for it’s love of the outdoors, coffee, and microbreweries. The city with a heart for bicyclists and pedestrians, there is something on every corner to catch your eye. Whether you are at one of the many parks that look out over the city, or walking around the famous Japanese garden. The attractions include a vast supply of museums, eateries, coffee houses, and the great outdoors.

                       6)      Big lagoon, Ca:

More specifically, Redwood National Park, just east of Big Lagoon, Ca. This national park preserves an area of over 110,000 acres of sky scraping Redwoods, follow it down over 50 miles of scenic coastal highway in this quaint stretch of Northern California.

                                                                                                 

                                                                                                 

                                                                                                 7)      Mt. Rainer, Wa:

With an amazing 14,410 ft summit, Mount Rainer is the fifth highest mountain in the continental US. With tons of trails for all hikers, offering views of glaciers, meadows, and a possible encounter with a mountain goat. Or follow along Comet Falls trail for a 3.8 mile hiking trail that leads to a 320 ft. waterfall.

Social Network

If you would like to be up to date with all things Windermere Pacific West Properties, Inc. here are the links to network with us.

Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/salem.windermere

Twitter:
@salemwindermere

Foursquare:
https://foursquare.com/v/windermere-pacific-west-properties-inc/4ee0f88b754acfabf1044d5b

Linked-In
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/pam-mccolly/11/791/209 

And of course here! Do you have a blog? Let us know, we would love to learn more about you too!