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Blues and Views on the Portland Waterfront

Tuesday, June 19, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Kate Baldus
 
Woo hoo!!! It is that time of the year again… my favorite festival in Portland is just around the corner. The 20th Annual Waterfront Blues Festival is scheduled for July 4th to July 8th along Tom McCall Waterfront Park. This year’s line-up is just as good as most years with the following artists scheduled to perform: The Neville Brothers, Koko Taylor , Joan Armatrading, The Blind Boys of Alabama , Pinetop Perkins, Marcia Ball, James Cotton Band with special guest Hubert Sumlin , Mavis Staples , The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Voice of the Wetlands Allstars (Tab Benoit, Cyril Neville, Anders Osborne, Johnny Sansone) , Eric Burdon and the Animals, Savoy Brown , Steve Lucky and the Rhumba Bums, J.J. Grey and Mofro, Watermelon Slim,  Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Brian Auger and the Oblvion Express!
 
This year the festival’s four stages will host more than 125 blues performances from around the world. The festival began in 1988 and has grown to be the largest blues festival west of the Mississippi attracting more than 120,000 fans from all over. Get to the festival early and plan to stage hop from area to area to catch your favorite performers. Be prepared for warm weather as it is often hot and the waterfront provides little shade unless you take refuge under the food tents or the Morrison Bridge. If you are a lucky blues fan with a boat you can join water enthusiasts on the Willamette River and enjoy music while relaxing on the water.
 
Don’t miss these events:
Fireworks on July 4th
Specialty River Dinner Cruises throughout the weekend.
After Concert Dances
Educational Workshops
Children’s Activities
Blues Films
Local Brews & Food
 
All of the festival is produced by the Oregon Food Bank who uses the event as a benefit for fundraising. Daily admission is a donation of $8 per person/per day plus two cans of food. All of the proceeds benefit the Oregon Food Bank so please come out and support our community and enjoy the blues, brews and views!
 
 
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Move Here and Drink Good Beer!

Tuesday, June 12, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties

Submitted by Kate Baldus

Many argue that Portland is the home of the microbrew revolution in the United States as it is well-known for its numerous breweries.  As early as 1888 Portland had a reputation associated with beer when the local brewer Henry Weinhard supplied beer to flow from the Skidmore Fountain but it wasn’t until the 1980s when the state law changed that the microbrewery explosion really took off. 

There are 40 breweries in the Portland/Columbia River Gorge area including McMenamin Brothers, Widmer Brothers, BridgePort, New Old Lompoc, and Walking Man to name a few.  No wonder Mayor Tom Potter officially nicknamed the city Beertown (a lot easier to understand then the nickname Stumptown – although I prefer the original!)

To really experience the flavors of local beer it is best to check out any of the numerous beer festivals hosted in the area. The Oregon Brewers Festival is held each July and is the largest gathering of independent craft brewers in North America (this year held July 26 through 29th on the waterfront!)  In October it is worth the drive to Hood River to check out the Hood River Hops Festival with local bands, breweries and wineries.  And if you are craving a tasty beer celebration after the summer months - it is always a good time at the Holiday Ale Festival with thousands of Portlanders pack in Pioneer Courthouse Square under large tents (This year November 29 to December 2nd!)  Of course there are many more local beer festivities around the city and state, just too many to mention!

If crowds of people and live music aren’t the way a Portlander enjoys a good beer then maybe a burger and local brew while watching a movie in one of Portland’s Pub Theaters would be a better idea.

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Dining Out in Portland

Monday, June 11, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Cathy Hill
Did you know that Portland has one of the highest numbers of restaurants per capita of any city in the United States? We eat out year-round, but in the summer we are out and about as often as possible, especially where outdoor dining is available. In Portland and the surrounding areas, you’ll find something for everyone, whether you love Thai food, all-American cuisine, or meals maximizing the availability of seasonal ingredients. You can find a list of locally grown, fresh ingredients, and their availability, by paying a visit to the Portland Farmers Market.
 
Most of us on The Rob Levy Team take advantage of the Passport Unlimited Card, which is a reasonably priced membership card offering a number of dining and lunchtime benefits. The list of benefits and restaurants is updated constantly, and the card is renewable on an annual basis. If you’re trying to find a great meal during your time in Portland, call us and we’d love to give you our recommendation!
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Portland's Interest Rate Future

Monday, June 11, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Shawn Headlee
Hello all,
 
Hope you all had a great weekend!! Interest rates have been on the rise the last 3 weeks. They are at a 1 year high, which may not seem like much, but they have gone up every day but 2 over the last 3 weeks. This is a sign that they may keep going up or go down. :) I say this in jest because no matter what anyone tells you, they don’t really know what rates are going to do in the future. Of course we can all guess, but that is all it is. I am guessing from the information that I have read, that rates will continue to go up and level off in the 7% range for a 30 year fixed rate mortgage. I feel this way due to the billions of dollar in foreign money that is getting out of our bond market and looking for better places to invest. This selling of our bond’s drives the price of the bonds down and the yields up, in turn, raising mortgage rates.
 
Have a great week!!
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Buy a Home in Portland and Sleep in the Safest City in America

Monday, June 11, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Bruce Hecht
Portland, Oregon can now boast that they have one of the safest cities in the entire United States.  I was working with some buyers this week that are moving here for this very reason.
 
The most recently released figures from the FBI, shows Portland Oregon's crime rate is at a 40 year low.  We can attribute that to many things: more police, more educated young people that filter out the people that cause crime, and the Downtown Portland Business Alliance hiring more security and street clean up people.

Portland, Oregon homeowners have always had more sense of pride and they carry that throughout their lives.  They carry that to the workplace and they carry it to their communities.  We have more alternative fuel vehicles on the road than any other city.  We have more people that wear their safety belts that any other city.  All of these factors, in some way, influence the crime rate.

So if you want to sleep the best that you can, move to Portland Oregon, buy a home and relax!
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Portland's Happy Dogs

Monday, June 11, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Sandy Morley
 
Once again Portland finds itself high in the rankings for national recognition coming in 2nd next to Colorado Springs for having the happiest dogs. Men’s Health magazine ranked doggy happiness based on seven criteria, including percent of ownership, dog parks, pet stores, animal shelters, boarding/day, veterinarians and the fewest cases of heartworm. Portland ranked No. 1 for the number of dog parks and pet stores, No. 2 for veterinarians and heartworm and No. 8 for the number of animal shelters.   (Not to mention the number of bars and restaurants that are dog friendly!) 
 
The top five overall cities were:
  1. Colorado Springs, Colorado
  2. Portland, Oregon
  3. Albuquerque, New Mexico
  4. Tucson, Arizona
  5. Seattle, Washington
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Looking for Summer Fun in Portland?

Tuesday, June 5, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties

The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer are here!

Time to get the kids and dogs out and about! Pack a picnic and take in a concert at the Oregon Zoo! While these evenings are not free (some are to members), they're certainly affordable and offer an eclectic mix of musical entertainment and a chance for the family to relax together! The zoo has recently opened a variety of new exhibits to enjoy while you are there.

The Portland Parks and recreation offer free summer concerts in a number of city parks. They will soon offer the summer schedule in mid-June at Portland Parks and Recreation on-line.  Summer Pools both outdoor and indoor are also a great idea for the whole family.  These offer affordable safe recreation and are a great way to cool off without leaving the city.

Playgrounds all over the city offer free supervised play areas, sports and crafts for ages up to 18 years old. Many parks offer a free lunch to area children as well.

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Relocating with Pets

Monday, June 4, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties

Submitted by Cathy Hill

If you’re relocating and have pets, don’t forget to make special arrangements for them.   Relocating pets requires minor accommodations and can be fairly easy, as long as you have done some basic planning .  You can relocate pets a number of ways; you can drive with them, fly with them, or have them moved independently with a pet moving service .  If you have more than a one-day road trip with your pet, you’ll need to plan hotel stops.  Here in Oregon, you can plan stops at a number of pet-friendly hotels.

 

Having moved my cat several times, I know it can be stressful for a pet, especially at an older age, to relocate.  Be sure to check with your veterinarian for clearance and for tips, and also have something of a first aid kit with you in case of an emergency.  Portland is a very pet-friendly city, and once here your 4-legged friend is likely to be a pretty happy camper.   Cats tend to enjoy the greenery and the fresh air, and you can take your dog to any number of dog-friendly restaurants!  If you need help finding a vet or have questions about your pet’s new life in Portland, give us a call.  Many of us at The Rob Levy Team are pet owners and would be glad to help!

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Portland, Oregon Home Market Beats to it's Own Real Estate Drum

Monday, June 4, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties

Submitted by Bruce Hecht

In the past 14 days, I have been working with a flurry of buyers and investors that are taking advantage of the great inventory on the market, the wonderful prices, lower interest rates and the fact that they do not have to be the first buyer to see a home.

May and June always seem to bring a lot of buyers and investors off of the fence.  They are moving their money out of possible poor investments and making the move before the season changes and maybe for  tax purposes.  They want to try to flush away the loss in stocks and try to start the season fresh with real estate in Portland, Oregon for 2007 and position themselves for a firm 2008, which is only 196 days away.

I was just out today looking at 4 homes for some out of town buyers/investors that need to identify 3 homes for their 1031 exchange.  My search found 9 homes and after calling the listing agents to check on their availability, I found out that 4 of the homes had sold in the past 24 hours. WOW!

I did find 3 very nice homes that will work perfect for these buyers.  The offer has been written and signed by my out of town clients and I will present the offer tonight.  Hopefully we will have good news.

The timing could not be better for buyers to purchase homes; whether you live in them or rent them out, all the pieces of the puzzle are fitting together nicely right now.  Good Luck!

 

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Look Out! Here Comes Ikea!

Thursday, May 31, 2007
by Rob Levy, Prudential Northwest Properties
Submitted by Sandy Morley
 
It appears the arrival date is almost here! Portlanders have been waiting anxiously for the doors to the new Ikea to open since we first heard rumors over two years ago. The date scheduled is for 9 am on July 25th – not soon enough for many of us! The 280,000 square foot store is the second Ikea to open in the northwest. Many locals have made the trek to Renton (just south of Seattle) to pick up Ikea goodies, but with gas prices so high it has been almost more affordable to order from online.
 
Our Ikea store will be located on 19 acres near the Portland International Airport. (There is already some controversy over the giant sign obstructing views of Mount Hood and the gorge.) The best news for Portland may be that Ikea plans to hire 400 locals which will hopefully boost our economy.
 
Many of our home buyers joke that their first stop after receiving keys to their new home will be to Ikea to pick out furnishings, accessories, and utensils. I know that my 55 day count down until it opens can’t possibly go fast enough!
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Displaying blog entries 181-190 of 301

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