SALEM OREGON REAL ESTATE—WHAT A DIFFERENCE A “STAGE” MAKES-HOMESTAGING, THAT IS! SALEM OREGON HOME SELLERS, COULD STAGING BE THE ANSWER TO GET YOUR HOME SOLD? SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES FOR YOURSELVES….. AND YOU DECIDE

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A “STAGE” MAKES-HOMESTAGING, THAT IS! SALEM OREGON HOME SELLERS, COULD STAGING BE THE ANSWER TO GET YOUR HOME SOLD? SEE THE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES FOR YOURSELVES….. AND YOU DECIDE


If you are currently a SALEM OREGON HOME SELLER, or thinking seriously about putting your home on the market, I am sure you are aware of the fact that in the current SALEM OREGON REAL ESTATE MARKET your home must be the best home, at the best price. There is competition all around you, and your home needs to stand out as the BEST HOME in that price range!

Now, I am going to fess up right now…. In the past, I have not been a huge fan of home staging because my listings sold within a short time after putting them on the market. The last couple of years have shown a huge shift in the LOCAL SALEM REAL ESTATE MARKET.

I recently had the opportunity to get to know a local home stager, Margaret Oscillia, of Creative Concepts and Contracting, through some local blogging and social networking classes. After several months of my many, numerous questions, and viewing her before and after photos and results once she staged a home, I decided that maybe there was something to this “staging stuff”. I went ahead and booked her for two of my listings/sellers.

Here are some before and after pictures of one of my seller’s homes. This home began as a vacant home, but the great thing about a home stager is that they have several different levels of staging. You can do a full stage, or a partial or minimal stage. You can also start off with a consultation to see what kind of suggestions they have that can bring you a “Top Dollar” offer. Many times they can work with your current furnishings, just making minimal changes, and adding a little “pop” to the rooms.

ENTRY

LIVING ROOM/DINING

FAMILY ROOM

MASTER BEDROOM

MASTER BATH

So, you decide, which pictures are more likely to peak your interest, and cause you to pick up the phone to schedule a showing appointment with your Realtor?

If you would like more information about SELLING YOUR SALEM OREGON HOME, you can contact me directly at 503-931-1846, or email me at MelWagnerBroker@msn.com.

If you would like to schedule an appointment with Creative Concepts and Contracting, or if you would like to see more of their before and after photos, here is the link to their blog.

Of course, after seeing just a few of the photos for this fantastic home, you may want to see more. So, here are all of the photos of this wonderful single-level 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath home in South Salem. This home is listed at only $249,900.

Lovely Single Level 3/2.5 with indoor sauna

Overview Maps Photos Features Description Novak Audio Tour Open House

$249,900 Single Family Home For Sale Main Features 3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms 1 Partial Bathroom Interior: 1999 sqft Lot: 0.14 acre(s) Location 5559 Novak CT SE Salem, OR 97306

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Mel Wagner Coldwell Banker Mtn. West Real Estate, Inc. (503) 931-1846 MelWagnerBroker@msn.com http://www.MelWagnerBroker.com Listed by: Mel Wagner

Our recent listings Dual Living!! 4/3 in West Salem Lovely Single Level 4/3 in West Salem Gorgeous Single Level-Move in Ready Horse Property and Private Country Home Setting close to Town and I-5 Salem, Oregon Lovely Single Level 3/2.5 with indoor sauna Subscribe to our listing feed

See more Salem, OR real estate for sale

SALEM OREGON HOME BUYERS AND SELLERS-IT'S OFFICIAL-THE TAX CREDIT HAS BEEN EXTENDED!!

SALEM OREGON HOMES FOR U HAS GREAT NEWS FOR SALEM OREGON HOME BUYERS AND SELLERS—THE FIRST TIME HOME BUYER TAX CREDIT WAS OFFICIALLY EXTENDED TODAY AND NOW INCLUDES SOME HOME SELLERS THAT WILL BE BUYERS!!


Earlier today President Obama signed the unemployment bill which also includes an extension for the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit, and a new tax credit for sellers who will also be home buyers once they sell, if they qualify.

Here is a basic rundown of what exactly this means to Salem Oregon Home Buyers and Salem Oregon Home Sellers:

 • Extends the First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit of up to $8,000 to first-time home buyers until April  30th, 2010.

• Expands the credit to grant up to $6,500 credit to current home owners purchasing a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.

There are some qualifications that buyers must meet to be eligible for the tax credit:

• First time home buyer must not have had an interest in a principal residence in the last 3 years.

• Sellers must have lived in their home for 5 out of the last 8 years as their primary residence.

• All purchases must be in contract by April 30, 2010.

• Buyers have until July 1, 2010 to close on their purchase.

• Home purchase must be $800,000 or less.

Buyers must also meet income guidelines:

• The single person income cannot exceed $125,000 to qualify for the full credit.

• The married persons’ income cannot exceed $225,000 to qualify for the full credit.

• There is a “phase out” in place for incomes exceeding that which may still qualify the buyer for a partial tax credit.

• Married persons filing separately have different amounts of credit that they can qualify for-first time home buyers is $4000, and current homeowners is $3250.

If you would like to view a comparison of the previous credit vs. the new credit, the National Association of Realtors has put together a chart.

So, what could this mean to the Salem Oregon Real Estate Market, you may be asking? The hope is that by extending the credit, it will keep those first time buyers buying. In addition, by extending this credit to current home owners, these home owners will be moving up or down in size, which will bring more buyers into the market for those middle and higher price range homes. That portion of our market has been lagging behind for some time now.

If you are a first time buyer, or a seller, that has questions, or would like assistance to get started, you can contact me directly at 503-931-1846, or MelWagnerBroker@msn.com.

If you are relocating to the Salem Oregon area, I have a relocation package that can provide you with current information on home prices in Salem, Oregon.

If you would like to stay updated on new and breaking information regarding Salem Oregon Real Estate and Homes for Sale, be sure to join my business page, and subscribe to my blog.

If you are just curious about whether or not the Salem Oregon Real Estate Market is stabilizing, or would like more information about a neighborhood that you may be interested in moving to, you can visit my Salem Oregon House Values site to see what is going on in any neighborhood that you are interested in.

‘TIS THE SEASON…..FOR SOUP THAT IS!! YUMMY TACO SOUP!! SALEM OREGON HOMES 4 U'S FAVORITE TACO SOUP RECIPE!!

‘TIS THE SEASON…..FOR SOUP THAT IS!! YUMMY TACO SOUP!! SALEM OREGON REAL ESTATE’S FAVORITE TACO SOUP RECIPE!! 

Now that the beautiful fall colors and colder weather are here, nothing warms me up like sitting in front of the fireplace with a warm bowl of soup. This soup is super easy to make, and you can just throw in the crockpot in the morning before you leave for work, and its ready and waiting for you when you get home in the evening.

I usually double this recipe and add another can of tomatoes and kidney beans. I substitute a can of yellow hominy for the second can of corn, and add 1 or 2 cans of garbanzo beans. I also add an additional half packet of taco seasoning mix and salad dressing mix.



The basic recipe:

1 lb hamburger browned

1 onion

1 can of diced tomatoes-I like to use the ones that have green chilies and spices

1 can each-kidney beans and black beans-don’t drain

1 can corn-don’t drain

1 pkg taco seasoning

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing mix

My additions:

1 can yellow hominy

1-2 cans garbanzo beans

1 can of olives sliced up

You can garnish this soup with broken up tortilla chips, salsa, cheese and sour cream.

Salem Oregon Real Estate-Today is the Grand Opening for Real Deals in Salem, Oregon.

There is a great new store in town!!  Today is the Grand Opening for Real Deals in Salem, Oregon. Real Deals will be open only two days a week-Thursdays and Saturdays! They are located at 1320 Liberty ST NE (corner of Liberty and Gaines). Hours of operation are 10-6 on Thursdays and 10-3 on Saturdays.

Whether you are a seller that could use some new home decor for staging your home, or a new home buyer looking for some home decor for your new home,  Real Deals has some great items for you!!!    As a seller in the  Salem Oregon Real Estate market, you know that a little staging can make all the difference in having your home stand out to our Salem area buyers.

If you are just getting started with the home buying or selling process, please visit my website for some great tips for buyers and sellers, and also free reports. 

Happy Shopping!!

OCTOBER IS FIRE PREVENTION MONTH-SALEM OREGON HOMES 4 U WANTS TO KNOW-DO YOU HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN???

OCTOBER IS FIRE PREVENTION MONTH-SALEM OREGON HOMES 4 U WANTS TO KNOW-DO YOU HAVE AN ESCAPE PLAN???

October is Fire Prevention Month and a good time to ask the question, “Do you have an escape plan?” That is, a plan to get out of your home safely if a fire breaks out?

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), only about one in four of us has taken the time to draw a home escape plan and practice it. That means a lot of us are in danger of doing the wrong thing, with possible tragic results.

In addition to not being prepared, many of us are also misinformed! For example, in a recent survey the NFPA learned that one-third of us think we’d have at least six minutes before a home fire became life-threatening, but the available time is often much less. And only eight percent said their first thought on hearing a smoke alarm would be to – get out!

Are your smoke alarms working?  Now is a great time to change your batteries.

Speaking of smoke alarms, the survey also found that in one out of every five homes equipped with at least one smoke alarm, not a single one was working. Do you recall when you last tested or changed your smoke alarm batteries?

And while many of us think of our kitchens as the “heart” of our homes, cooking is the leading cause of home fires and injuries, and unattended cooking is the leading cause of cooking fires.

The NFPA and I want this month – and every month – to be a safe one for you and those you love, so please visit http://www.nfpa.org/ for a wealth of safety information, fire prevention tips, and resources.

Let's not forget our brave firefighters!!

SALEM OREGON REAL ESTATE NEWS-NEW LAW TAKES EFFECT AIMED AT HELPING HOMEOWNERS FACING FORECLOSURE

SALEM OREGON REAL ESTATE NEWS-NEW LAW TAKES EFFECT AIMED AT HELPING HOMEOWNERS FACING FORECLOSURE.

Oregon homeowners facing foreclosure have new rights thanks to a new Oregon law-Senate Bill 628.  This law now requires lenders to meet with borrowers, either in person or by phone, to determine whether or not they qualify for a loan modification.  A loan modification could lower house payments and allow homebuyers to remain in their home.

Oregon RealEstateRama has the complete article along with tips for homeowners to follow once they have received their Notice of Foreclosure.

If you know someone who is struggling to make their mortgage payment, please forward this article to them.

SALEM OREGON HOME SELLING-100 FALL DECORATING IDEAS

SALEM OREGON HOME SELLING-100 FALL DECORATING IDEAS FROM SOUTHERN LIVING.

As we say goodbye to Summer and head into fall, if you are currently trying to sell your Salem Oregon Home, you may be looking for some quick decorating ideas to "spruce up your home" for a Fall look.  The Salem Oregon Real Estate Market currently has many options for buyers looking to purchase a home in our area.  Make your home stand out by feeling warm and inviting, while sporting a new fall look.  Here is a two minute video highlighting some great decorating ideas for you!

Make your pumpkins stand out with these great pumpkin carving designs.  Need some more pumpkin carving ideas?   Be sure to check out the other videos on the sidebar of the 100 Fall Decorating Ideas to see all of the great party ideas such as spooky trees, ghost cakes and how to use all of those pumpkins for decorations.

Happy Fall Everyone!!

Salem Oregon Home Buyers-How to Cut Your Spending up to $500 a Month.

Salem Oregon Home Buyers-How to Cut Your Spending up to $500 a Month.  CNN Money shows us how! 

Whether you are saving for your first home, or a homeowner already, we can all use some tips to save money on our monthly expenses. If you are saving to buy a home in Salem, Oregon these tips can help you get your downpayment together in no time.  If you save $500 a month for one year, you will have saved $6000 which is enough for a downpayment on a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in our area.  These tips cover savings on everything from grocery shopping to insurance savings and more.


If you would like more information on the Salem Oregon Real Estate Market or buying or selling a home in the Salem Oregon area, please let me know.

Last day to catch the Oregon State Fair-$1 off coupon

Today is the last day to attend the Oregon State Fair. The Big Tomato is offering a $1 coupon off of your admission fee. Some of today's highlights include The Cherry City Roller Girls and the first time ever roller derby event at the fair, and Reba in concert.

See you at the fair!!!

SALEM BUYERS-TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER TAX CREDIT-FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION AND GET THE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

SALEM AREA HOME BUYERS-TIME IS RUNNING OUT FOR THE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYER TAX CREDIT-FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION AND GET THE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS.

There are only a couple of months left to qualify for the $8000 First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit that is currently available to buyers who qualify. The last day to buy a home and qualifty for this credit is November 30, 2009. This means your home purchase must close and fund by that date. In order to meet that deadline, it is best to have your home picked out by September 30th to insure that you allow plenty of time for all of the paperwork to be completed for your home purchase.

The Salem, Oregon Real Estate Market has many homes to choose from currently. If you need further assistance or have additional questions about buying your first home, please feel free to contact me.

Happy House Hunting!!

Have you heard-Cherry City Derby Girls will be at the Oregon State Fair-the first roller derby event ever at the fair.

FIRST TIME EVER FAIR EVENT FEATURING OUR LOCAL CHERRY CITY DERBY GIRLS!! If you are interested in something besides corndogs and fry bricks this year....you will want to check this out!! This is a first time event. Here is an brief summary-you can visit their facebook page to confirm attendance and get all of the information!!

To commemorate and celebrate their upcoming first public bout (on October 10th), the CHERRY CITY DERBY GIRLS and the Culture Shock Community Project are hosting, not one, but TWO ALL STAR Multi-League All-Girl Roller Derby Scrimmages at the Oregon State Fair on LABOR DAY!!

On MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH, skaters from all over the Northwest will be converging in Salem Oregon to give you two full-fledged derby blowouts!!

See you at the Fair!!

OPEN HOUSE-PRICE REDUCED!! SINGLE LEVEL IN SOUTH SALEM

Please visit my Activerain Blog for all of the details and to see my latest listings. Also, be sure to join my fan page on Facebook where you can keep up to date on local real estate news, and search for your new home!!

GREAT ESCAPES PART 2-OREGON COAST-LINCOLN CITY....GREAT EATS ON YOUR ESCAPE!!

GREAT ESCAPES PART 2-OREGON COAST-LINCOLN CITY....GREAT EATS ON YOUR ESCAPE!!

Okay, now that you have finally done it AND MADE YOUR GREAT ESCAPE.....WHAT NEXT??? Where are you going to find the best food and best deals??

FATHOMS inside of the Inn at Spanish Head has fantastic happy hour specials. Appetizers range from $1.99 to $3.99. Our favorites?? Hot Crab and Artichoke Dip and Chicken Satay.

The Grey Coast and Keylime Martinis are yummy also!!



For dinner we head to Pier 101 which is the place with the huge crab painted on the side. They have THE BEST deep fried halibut and prawns. The batter is like none other. The Pier has many options for fresh seafood and steak. At first, the prices may seem a bit pricey until you see the portion sizes. The halibut chunks are a great appetizer to start out with. You'll want malt vinegar, tartar sauce and cocktail sauce for these. The Seafood Platter is a great choice for dinner that gives you a little bit of everything-steamers in a beef/garlic broth, baked halibut, deep fried prawns, cod and scallops, and baked oysters. (I always sub the oysters out for prawns). All of this is served with Pier Plank Potatoes (awesome with malt vinegar and tartar sauce) and bread.



If you have a prime rib lover in the group, then Friday and Saturday night is the time to visit the Pier.

Other great places to eat for Breakfast is Richen's on the Beach. Again, the menu is a little pricey, at about $10 a breakfast, but the portions are large enough to last you all day until dinner. While you are there, be sure to try one a Bloody Mary. The homemade mix is wonderful!!

See you at the Oregon Coast!!

Great New Thai Food Restaurant in Salem

Thai Fusion in South Salem has great lunch time choices.

Please join me on my new Facebook Page where you can search for your new home under the "Homes For Sale" tab. If you have a favorite place to eat in Salem, please share it!!

Salem Oregon Real Estate and Homes For Sale on Facebook

Salem Oregon Home Not Selling?? Pet Odors Getting You Down? Here's Help!!

SMELLS!! Getting rid of pet odors!! If you are trying to sell your home in the Salem Oregon Real Estate market, you know that you must have the best home, at the best price. The first thing a potential buyer notices when entering your home is how it smells when they walk through the front door!! If your home doesn't smell clean, you have already lost most buyers. If pet odors are getting you down, and preventing your home from selling, I have some great tips for you that were recently shared with me!! Not only that, I've included a picture of one of my naughty children!

I would love to hear feedback if you use any of these suggestions with success!!

My Great Weekend Escape Can Be Yours Too!!

The Salem Oregon Real Estate Market has really been hopping lately. As a matter of fact, I had not taken a day off since the beginning of May. So, we finally decided to make a great escape for my birthday somewhere close by. We decided on Lincoln City as that is one of our favorite places to escape. We stayed at a wonderful little resort property that is one of four establishments owned by the same company. We stayed at Nantucket Inn for $99/night.

The great thing about this little inn is that there are only 5 rooms, and you only have 11 steps down to the beach.


The rooms have gas fireplaces and jetted tubs.

We stayed in the top room-the Penthouse Suite. The ocean view is great!

If your planning a trip to the coast be sure to check out the four properties that On The Beachfront owns. We also highly recommend the Starfish Manor. We originally starting off staying at this property years ago. They have wonderful rooms with gas fireplaces and jetted tubs in front of the window overlooking the ocean. They also have a couple of 2 bedroom suites that have full kitchens, fireplaces, jetted tubs and a hot tub on the deck. Beach access is not direct from this particular hotel though.

Taking the family with? That's okay, then The Beach House is for you.

Stay tuned for our Great Weekend Escapes favorite places to eat!!

Have questions?? Please feel free to contact me!!

SALEM OREGON OPEN HOUSE-FIRST TIME OPEN-NEW CONSTRUCTION IN SOUTH SALEM

SOUTH SALEM OREGON OPEN HOUSE-FIRST TIME OPEN!! New construction-Just completed!! Open house from 12-2 pm 7/19. 3 bedroom, 2 bath + office.

Salem World Beat Festival and Racing Dragons

Dragon Boats that is... This weekend is the World Beat Festival in Salem at Riverfront Park. The festival is put on by the Salem Multicultural Institute and is a 2 day, non-stop program of international music, dance, food, folklore and more.

This will be the first year that I have attended the festival! We are looking forward to checking it out. We always go to The Bite the last weekend in July, but just have never made it to the World Beat Festival. June tends to be a very busy month for Salem Oregon Real Estate.

This year my husband is participating in the Dragon Boat Races. The first two races start at 9:30 and 11:30, so come on down and help me cheer my husband's team on! If you plan on being there for the races let me know.

A portion of the proceeds for the festival go to benefit the cultural programs for children at A.C. Gilbert's Discovery Village. So, let's have some fun and benefit the community at the same time.

Downpayment Assistance for First Time Homebuyers available July 1st.

Great news for the Salem/Keizer Oregon real estate market. The City of Salem will once again re-open their program for downpayment assistance for first time homebuyers that are buying in the Salem/Keizer area. New funds will become available the first of July. This is a great program for buyers who can afford to make a monthly mortgage payment, but do not have the available funds for the 3.5% downpayment that FHA now requires. There are certain requirements that buyers must meet to obtain the downpayment assistance.

The first step to starting this process is to find a mortgage broker/lender that has your best interests at heart. You will need a trusted advisor skilled in working with the City of Salem program. I work with several trusted professionals that would be happy to assist you in your quest to buy a home using this downpayment assistance. I would be happy to refer you to my trusted partners. You can call me direct at 503-931-1846, or email me at MelWagnerBroker@msn.com for the names and numbers of these professionals.

First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit may be extended and made available to all home purchasers.

There are several proposals in the works to extend or build on the current $8000 tax credit for buyers that are first time homebuyers. The current credit ends in November, but the new proposals would extend the credit and possibly allow for all buyers to take advantage of the credit through 2010. First time homebuyers currently make up to 40% of the buyers that are buying. Certainly extending the credit and allowing all buyers to participate in the program would have a positive effect on the current housing market difficulties. We have seen many Salem Oregon buyers that are first time home buyers decide to purchase a home to take advantage of the credit and also the historically low interest rates that we have seen the past few months. This has helped to boost sales activity in the local Salem Oregon Real Estate Market.

I will be updating this blog as more information comes available.