I have moved! I am now located in Oak Harbor Washington with Pinnacle Mortgage Planning, a sister company to Alpine Mortgage Planning. I am still doing the same thing, just a bit farther north. I apologize for not updating sooner but it has taken some time to get settled.

I am still associated with Alpine Mortgage Planning in Eugene and still licensed to do mortgage business in Oregon and Washington but have dropped my California license. Since almost everything is done by e-mail, text and scans anymore, there shouldn’t be a lot of change for my friends and customers from Oregon. However, since I am not in Washington, my company name is Pinnacle Mortgage Planning, not Alpine. Same company, different name in a different state.

So, how about my contact information? Well, all of my Oregon contact information is the same. You can still reach me at the same place, it just gets forwarded. For those in Washington, I have new contact information. Contact me at my Washington office, Pinnacle Mortgage Planning, 3157 N Goldie Rd., Ste. 107, Oak Harbor WA, 98277, 360-682-6913/541-221-3455 cell, I am always ready to help with the mortgage process. I am also in the process of compiling some Washington specific blog sites for future use.

I am still on top of what is going in the real estate marketplace and have people that I trust to work with in Eugene. Thanks for your continued support. I look forward to updating this on a regular basis, now that I am settled in.

Navigating the mortgage approval process doesn’t have to be daunting. With me on your side those hurdles can be overcome. I am available right now to help you with the loan process and know the ins and outs of FHA, VA, USDA and conventional financing. If you want to buy a home using an FHA loan or refinance using VA, I am here to help. Contact me at my Washington office, Pinnacle Mortgage Planning, 3157 N Goldie Rd., Ste. 107, Oak Harbor WA, 98277, 360-682-6913/541-221-3455 cell or through Alpine Mortgage Planning, 1200 Executive Pkwy., Ste. 100, Eugene OR 97401, 541-342-7576/541-221-3455 cell or by e-mail. Only you can make the choice it is time to get the process started.

Eugene Loan Guy is now Whidbey Loan Guy is a post from: Oregon Real Estate Marketplace

The Lane County Women’s Council of Realtors® is a dynamic group of Realtors® and affiliates that meet on a monthly basis to share information and knowledge.

Some of the upcoming programs for the WCR include a Broker Panel (knowledgeable RE managing brokers) from the Eugene/Springfield area sharing their years of knowledge with others in June. July will feature a lender’s panel, with local mortgage lenders answering questions about the myriad of changes in the mortgage market place.

Distressed property panel, tax issues are other upcoming topics. Check out the WCR website here for more information as the programs are finalized.

Although it is the Women’s Council of Realtors®, men are welcome to join and attend the meetings. Come out and find out what is happening with some really great people.

Lane County Women’s Council of Realtors® is a post from: Oregon Real Estate Marketplace

The Oregon Association of REALTORS® has launched a campaign to stop the initiation of real estate transfer taxes across Oregon, called Protect Oregon Homes.

The association is also promoting a REALTOR® Rally at the Capitol on March 16, 2011 starting at 10 a.m. There will be meetings with elected officials and an 11:30 BBQ at the Oregon State Capitol. Registration can be made here.

Oregon Association of REALTORS® work to stop transfer taxes is a post from: Oregon Real Estate Marketplace

Home buying has become more difficult over the past few years in Eugene/Springfield. We have gone from the “fog a mirror” scenario to one where you actually have to be willing, able and wanting to pay for your mortgage.

I was especially intrigued by this comment by Diana Olick, with CNBC Realty Check:

Credit has become very nearly elitist.

I think in a lot of ways she is absolutely right. Take a look at what has happened in the mortgage business lately. Sub-prime loans are gone. Stated income loans are gone. No doc loans are gone. Option ARM loans are gone. 100% conventional financing is gone. 80/20 financing is gone. Most of those should have been eliminated. However, I think that used properly, the stated income loan was an excellent tool. It was when loans came in for a hamburger flipper at one of the chains making $4,500 a month that they became a problem.

Check out this webinar for information about fixing your credit:

But, on the other side, we have seen credit card companies lowering credit limits and changing credit scores in the process and making once prime borrowers now on the lower end of the credit scale. Most lenders funding FHA loans changed their internal guidelines to include minimum credit scores that were far higher than what FHA has suggested. Fannie Mae started adding charges for any loan above 75% loan to value, even if you have a 840 credit score. If your credit score is 640, WOW!

Eleven percent of the houses in America are empty. This as builders start to get more bullish, and renting apartments becomes ever more popular. Vacancies in the apartment sector have been falling steadily and dramatically, why? Because we’re still recovering emotionally from the toll of the housing crash.

Younger Americans have seen what home ownership has done to their friends and families, and many want no part of it, according to Ms. Olick.

On this point, I disagree. I think that the “American Dream” is still alive. I think there are a huge number of people that would like to buy a home but they have heard so much negative talk about it that they are scared or don’t think there are mortgage loans available. They also don’t realize that they can qualify to buy a home and in many cases for less than they are paying for rent currently.  Rents in many cases are climbing, just check this statistic from the same article:

The number of vacant homes for rent fell by 493 thousand, as rental demand rose.

So, my advice is to check with your mortgage professional and see if you can qualify for a loan first. If you do, start looking. There are huge deals out there and now is the time to take advantage of them.

Contact me

Navigating the mortgage approval process can be daunting. You need someone on your side. I am available right now to help you with the loan process and know the ins and outs of FHA, VA, USDA and conventional financing. If you want to buy a home using an FHA loan or refinance using VA, I am here to help. Contact me at Alpine Mortgage Planning, 1200 Executive Pkwy., Ste. 100, Eugene OR 97401, 541-342-7576/541-221-3455 cell or by e-mail. Only you can make the choice it is time to get the process started.

Is credit really becoming “elitist?” is a post from: Oregon Real Estate Marketplace

Eugene area residents pride themselves as being kind and generous to everyone. Dolly Parton visited Eugene a number of years ago and wrote a song about it but it was never released until recently in a cut on a boxed set.

Here is Dolly’s tribute to Eugene:

The Realtors® that have listed properties on this page take that kind and generous attitude also. Please contact one of them for your real estate needs and one of the officers from Alpine Mortgage Planning to take the concerns away for your home financing needs.

Eugene Oregon featured in Dolly Parton song is a post from: Oregon Real Estate Marketplace

Hello everyone.

Our site is now open for business. We have our first Real Estate Brokers registered on the site and have our first real estate listings now posted. This has been an interesting process and we look forward to serving Oregon with a great place for home sale listings. Welcome aboard.

The listings on this site are considered accurate, but as with anytime you work with computers, there are possibilities of inaccuracies. Please check with the individual Realtor® for specifics.

Oregon Real Estate Marketplace Debut is a post from: Oregon Real Estate Marketplace