Homeland Security Declares Real Estate ‘Essential,’ But …

Federal guidance from the Department of Homeland Security has included real estate in a list of essential services that are deemed critical to public health and safety, as well as economic and national security.. State and local officials, however, have been issuing guidelines that could prevent normal business operations for real estate professionals in some areas. Those local mandates should take precedence over federal guidance, experts advise.

Where real estate services are continuing—albeit in modified forms—brokerages are cautioning their agents to act responsibly and to practice safe social distancing in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

Under the issued Homeland Security guidance, “residential and commercial real services” are included on a 15-page list of essential services. These cover settlement services and government offices that conduct title searches, notaries, and mortgage and recording services, as well as construction. The advisory letter was created by the Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency.

“This list is advisory in nature,” the guidance notes. “It is not, nor should it be considered, a federal directive or standard.”

Indeed, REALTORS® should follow the guidelines set forth by their city, county, and state governments, urges Katie Johnson, general counsel and chief member experience officer for the National Association of REALTORS®. “It is imperative you adhere to the order” of your local jurisdiction, Johnson says.

“Being deemed an essential service means that you have a special responsibility and opportunity to continue operations if you choose to but not if you don’t. It means you have the special responsibility and mandate to adhere to your state’s executive order regarding ‘essential services.’ ”

REALTORS® also have a responsibility to abide by all necessary health and safety precautions mandated by your state’s executive orders that would apply to business activities such as in-person property showings or other face-to-face gatherings.  “We all have a special responsibility to lead by example, to do what we think is best for our communities and ourselves, and to do what we think best for the reputation of the industry,” Johnson says.

Read more recommendations for conducting business safely in Coronavirus: A Guide for REALTORS®.

Article by the National Association of Realtors

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Five Star award Winner 2011- 2020 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.  

Rachel Sheller, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES, Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, Earth Advantage Broker,

MASTERS CIRCLE, CSA-Certified Staging Agent, Oregon First- Principal Broker, Washington First-Managing Broker

Direct 503.380.9634, Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View ALL available Houses on the market on my website 

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington

My business is referral based.
If you’ve enjoyed my service, please refer me!

PORTLAND METRO WEEKLY MARKET ACTIVITY!!

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I hope this finds you healthy staying positive and not too stir crazy in the midst of this crisis. Many of you have reached out to me to talk about how the Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the real estate market so I thought I would start sharing local market data, as well as my professional experience in the day to day real estate world with you.

Overall, the number of listings coming on the market was increasing up until about mid-March, since then new listings have slowed a bit. Real estate is still considered an “essential” business and we are still showing homes under a strict code of conduct to ensure safety and health for all parties involved. Title companies are doing remote signings and one on one appointments with social distancing guidelines in place for signings requiring notaries.

There are still buyers and sellers actively pursuing real estate. In fact, 347 homes went pending last week (3/30/20-4/6/2020) in the Portland-Metro areas:

N, NE, SE Portland-98 last week

Gresham, Troutdale, Corbett and Sandy-29 last wee

Milwaukie, Gladstone, HV, Clackamas, Damascus, and Estacada-28 last week

Oregon City, Beavercreek, Canby, Molalla, and Mulino-28 last week

LO and West Linn-12 last week

All remaining areas-151 sale pending’s last week.

As a full time real estate broker of 24 years, I have been through many market changes and have weathered many Real Estate storms, including the boom of the early 2000’s, 9-11, the great economic recession of 2008, as well as the hot & fast appreciating market of the last 5-6 years. I have the experience, extensive skills, “know how” and expansive resources to help you through this changing time.  I have no crystal ball, but what I do know is these changes are temporary and can shift a market in a way that can create a lot of opportunity.

Let’s stay in touch through this and I’ll keep you posted with what’s happening!

Always feel free to call, text or email me!

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Five Star award Winner 2011- 2020 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.  

Rachel Sheller, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES, Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, Earth Advantage Broker,

MASTERS CIRCLE, CSA-Certified Staging Agent, Oregon First- Principal Broker, Washington First-Managing Broker

Direct 503.380.9634, Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View ALL available Houses on the market on my website 

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington

My business is referral based.
If you’ve enjoyed my service, please refer me!

Is your furniture a dangerous jungle gym?

Turning your back for just a moment gives a child just enough time to reupholster your couch with peanut butter or redecorate your wall with crayons. More importantly, in a split second, they could turn furniture into a jungle gym and get hurt. According to Nationwide Children’s Hospital, around 15,000 kids visit the emergency room each year due to falling furniture. Take the necessary precautions to secure your furniture, and save your kids from serious injury.

When purchasing furniture, choose pieces with wide bases and steady legs. Talk to your kids about the dangers of climbing on furniture, and keep toys close to the floor so children won’t be tempted to scale the bookshelf.

You can also secure furniture and TVs to walls with mounts and safety straps. Some furniture manufacturers now provide safety straps with the purchase of certain shelving units. Install these as an extra line of defense against kids who pull and climb.

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Five Star award Winner 2011- 2019 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.

Rachel Sheller

Principal Broker, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES

Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, Earth Advantage Broker,

MASTERS CIRCLE

CSA-Certified Staging Agent

Oregon First, Washington First 

Direct 503.380.9634

Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View ALL available Houses on the market on my website.

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington

My business is referral based.
If you’ve enjoyed my service, please refer me!

Here is how to spot the next hot neighborhood

Location, location, location
Location is one of the most important elements – if not the most important element – to consider in a home search. While it’s easy to find markets that are already buzzing, how can you spot up-and-coming neighborhoods?

Uptick in businesses
Take note when chic hotels, stylish boutiques and trendy restaurants begin to emerge in the surrounding areas. If a neighborhood is creating a higher demand for new venues, then its property values are likely to soar.

Fixer-upper potential
Neighborhoods that may be considered past their prime but offer unique architecture and structural integrity are prime real estate opportunities. Victorian, Tudor and Spanish-style older homes are popular, especially among millennials and first-time home buyers who are willing to invest in a home that requires a little extra love, attention and elbow grease.

Fast-selling properties
As homes begin to spend less and less time on the market, it’s a good sign that the neighborhood is increasing in popularity. Sometimes, it only takes a few buyers taking an interest in a neighborhood before other buyers take note and begin to see its potential for future growth.

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Five Star award Winner 2011- 2018 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.

Rachel Sheller, Principal Broker, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES, Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, Earth Advantage Broker, MASTERS CIRCLE, CSA-Certified Staging Agent, Oregon First, Washington First

Direct 503.380.9634, Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View ALL available Houses on the market on my website

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington

Looking back at 2018 and ahead to 2019 in our Portland-Metro Real Estate Market.

December Residential Highlights
December brought cooling across the board to the Portland metro area. Pending sales, at 1,599, fell 9.0% short of the 1,757 offers accepted last year in December 2017 and 16.0%
short of the 1,904 offers accepted last month in November 2018.
Closed sales (1,846) fared similarly, ending 21.4% lower than in December 2017 (2,350) and 13.9% lower than in November 2018 (2,144). This is the coolest December
for closings in Portland metro since 2013, when 1,821 were recorded. New listings, at 1,255, cooled 22.4% from December 2017 (1,617) and 45.7% from November 2018
(2,310). Total market time rose to 64 days in December, with inventory decreasing slightly to land at 2.5 months.

Average and Median Sale Prices
Comparing 2018 to 2017 through December, the average sale price rose 5.5% from $428,700 to $452,400. In the same comparison, the median sale price rose 5.3% from $379,900 to $400,000.

Year to Date Summary

Activity in 2018 was mixed compared to 2017. New listings (41,287) increased 1.2%. ending sales (29,809) decreased 4.9% and closed sales (29,771) decreased 5.9% this year.

The Portland-Metro real estate market is still a strong market but seeing some signs of slowing. In my opinion, it’s more of a balancing out. 2019 is expected to be a dynamic market and providing plenty of opportunities for both Seller’s and Buyer’s. For more information taking advantage of the opportunities please call, email, or text me.

Five Star award Winner 2011- 2019 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Rachel Sheller, Principal Broker, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES, Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, Earth Advantage Broker, MASTERS CIRCLE, CSA-Certified Staging Agent, Oregon First, Washington First

Direct 503.380.9634, Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View an accurate list of  ALL available Houses on the market on my website.

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington

My business is referral based.
If you’ve enjoyed my service, please refer me!

12 Home improvement goals to make this year

12 Home improvement goals to make this year

Try to tackle one task each month to keep your home in great shape.

January: Change your HVAC filter.
Try to change your filter every 4-6 weeks to help your HVAC system run efficiently.

February: Wash the inside of your windows.
Use glass cleaner or distilled white vinegar on the glass. Dampen a microfiber cloth with warm water and dish soap to clean windowsills.

March: Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Do this at least once each year and test smoke detectors monthly.

April: Inspect your indoor plumbing.
Check for dripping faucets, leaks under sinks and water spots on the ceiling. Hire a plumber if you find any issues.

May: Paint a room.
Use canvas drop cloths to protect your floors and inexpensive paper or plastic ones to cover furniture.

June: Examine your home’s exterior.
Look for cracks in the driveway, holes in the siding, and tree branches or roots that are too close to your home. Call a professional for anything that needs attention.

July: Wash the outside of your house.
Power washers can damage your siding, so use a siding cleaning kit attached to a regular garden hose instead.

August: Treat for pests.
Hire an exterminator to treat for termites, spiders and other pests. Consider setting up a monthly or quarterly contract.

September: Clean the gutters.
Clear out leaves and debris. Have a professional inspect the gutters and downspouts for damage.

October: Inspect the chimney.
Hire a chimney sweep to clean and inspect your chimney, even if you don’t use the fireplace often.

November: Get organized.
Clean out kitchen cabinets and organize overflowing closets to prepare for the holidays.

December: Deep clean the floors.
Shampoo carpets and give wood floors a good cleaning. Check for exposed nails or boards that need to be repaired.

Five Star award Winner 2011- 2018 honoring the top 7% of real estate professionals in Oregon.

IT’S A GOOD LIFE!!

Rachel Sheller, Principal Broker, Realtor, CRS, ABR, GRI, SRES, Diversity Specialist-HOWNW, Earth Advantage Broker, MASTERS CIRCLE, CSA-Certified Staging Agent, Oregon First, Washington First

Direct 503.380.9634, Email- rachel@rachelsheller.com

View ALL available Houses on the market on my website

Licensed in the State of Oregon and Washington

My business is referral based.
If you’ve enjoyed my service, please refer me!