Bend Premier Real Estate Blog

The days are getting shorter, the leaves are turning, and there is a chill in the air! We all know that winter is just around the corner. But while you are raking the leaves in your yard, have you also thought about what you need to do to get your home ready for winter? Here are 10 ideas which can be done to keep your Bend Oregon Home ready to tackle the worst Mother Nature can throw at it this winter!

1. Blow out sprinklers and turn the system off.
2. Store hoses in the garage and install covers over your outdoor faucets.
3. Seal cracks around doors and windows.
4. Clean your rain gutters.
5. Have your roof and chimney inspected by a professional.
6. Have your furnace serviced.
7. Prune your bushes and trees and clean up any yard debris.
8. Drain and refill your hot water heater.
9. Install foundation vent covers and keep them on...

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Buying a new home can be one of the most exciting real estate experiences for homeowners. Besides the possibility of picking out colors and interior finishes, being the first to hang a picture, to cook in the kitchen, to move in furniture can all  create memories which turn a new house into a home to treasure for years to come. However, there are several things which home buyers need to be aware when purchasing a new home.

First, when buying in a subdivision, typically the asking price is the price a buyer should expect to pay. The builder, unless he/she has excess inventory which is not moving, needs to keep the price where it is so that future homes he/she builds have good comparables. Sometimes a buyer can negotiate a refrigerator, A/C, fenced backyard, backyard landscaping to be included at the list price, but it is very difficult to get the builder to reduce the asking price. And the earnest money put down on t...

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The National Association of Realtors offers advanced training and certification in several real estate related topics. Among the best certifications for working with sellers is the SRS - Seller Representative Specialist. The SRS course provides the real estate professionals who take the training a foundation in best representing sellers' interests in today's market.

Bend Premier Real Estate is pleased to announce that Anita Keller, Laura Curry, Carrie DiTullio, Lynn Larkin, Sheri Hilton and Tina Roberts have all completed the SRS course and will soon have their SRS designation. These Brokers are taking their seller representation to the next level and show their commitment to be even better in their work with sellers of Central Oregon and Bend Real Estate.

Congratulations ladies!

At the Oregon Association of Realtors' annual conference last week, several presentations touched on recreational marijuana use within the state. We are now 1 year into legalized recreational marijuana and some of the rules and regulations which govern this use have been implemented. Anyone who wishes to engage in the growing, distribution or sales of recreational marijuana needs to be aware of these rules and regulations but also aware that the possession, growth and distribution of marijuana remains a federal crime subject to prosecution, should the Department of Justice ever choose to enforce the federal laws; the Cole Memo has outlined that at the present time, the federal government has elected to keep away from enforcing drug laws in states which have legalized marijuana use.

In Oregon, several counties - mostly in Eastern Oregon - have decided to keep the growing and distribution of marijuana illegal. In Desch...

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Did you know that brass doorknobs actually disinfect themselves?  It's called the "Oligodynamic Effect," and according to Wikipedia, "Brass doorknobs disinfect themselves in about 8 hours, while stainless steel and aluminum knobs never do."  Other metals including brass, copper, silver, and iron also have antimicrobial qualities and would be good choices, but brass is the most antimicrobial of them all.  This is one very big reason that you see not only homeowners, but also hospitals installing or switching to brass doorknobs, plumbing fixtures, and even light switches.