NEW LISTING! - FABULOUS 180° MT. HOOD VIEWS

Once again I am co-listing this home with the ever-talented Vickie Duchscherer, whom I work with at the Bethany Summa office. We have combined our powers to bring this fantastic home to market in all the glory it deserves!

You won't believe the Mt. Hood, Cascade, and valley views that are visible from almost everywhere in this Mid-Century home! Expansive living and dining space windows bring the outdoors in from dawn to dusk, while the main level deck, lower level patio, and rolling park-like back yard give you almost limitless room to enjoy this property.

LISTED FOR $779,900!

Pass this on to anyone looking for a fantastic home with incredible views!

Here are plenty of great links for you to check out! I recommend the HD Listing and HD video tour!
HD Listing Link
HD Video Tour Link

RMLS Link
Listing Link
Virtual Tour Link
Zillow Link

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Happy Halloween everyone!

I hope you and you family have a fun and safe holiday. Don't forget to brush those teeth tonight, kids!

-Stephan

SUMMA HAS MOVED OFFICES!

Exciting Summa Realty news! The "Bethany" branch (which is where I'm based) has moved to a great new office! We are now in a larger, more upscale office space in the AmberGlen Business Center. Front and center in the 1925 building we face Cornell Rd. and are just across the from the Streets of Tanasbourne Shopping Center.



Our office is on the main floor, first door on the left when you enter the lobby. There's a bright, cheery vibe with ample windows front to back and floor to ceiling glass office walls.

Please feel free to come by anytime to check it out and say hi. We're located at the address below...

Summa Real Estate Group
1925 NW AmberGlen Pkwy
Suite 100
Beaverton, OR 97006

And here is a quick link to our location via Google Maps.

Hope to see you soon!
- Stephan

BEAVERTON HOME PRICE .com

Hello again folks, sorry for the lack of blog posts lately. I trust everyone has been enjoying their summer, then winding down and getting back into the groove of life this fall. I've been keeping busy with both Real Estate as well as my technology duties here at Summa Realty. I am known around the office as the "Director of Technology" as I help guild our company's tech choices and integrate those with our existing systems. That probably sounds more hi-tech than it really is, but the point is we continually work hard to keep everyone here as up to date as possible with what's available.

So, on to what I really wanted to talk about today…

I recently put together a new website aimed at helping home owners in my immediate area (Beaverton, OR). And that website is… (drum roll please)… BeavertonHomePrice.com.



I have an a few freebies available, like an automated, quick and dirty Competitive Market Analysis (CMA), as well as a complimentary Staging DVD. The CMA will give you a rough idea of what other homes are selling in your area and for how much. I can personally provide a much more detailed and accurate analysis, which I am more than willing to do. The free staging DVD is a great way for potential home sellers to get an idea of how to prepare their home for sale as well as what to expect during the 'showing' period.

Also on the website you will find links to search for homes, my own contact info and website, as well as our other Summa Realty agents. That may seem a bit strange to offer a link to other Realtors, right? The way I see it is that let's be honest, not all of us mesh with each other in quite the way that we'd like. We may get along just fine, but maybe you're looking for someone that just 'fits' your personality better… and I get that. So I think it only fair to provide you with options. If we don't end up working together, ideally I would like to see you work with a fellow Summa agent. How many other Realtors have told you that?!?! I'm guessing not many. While we are our own businesses, we are still a great team and love to work together and share the wealth, and I hope folks recognize and respect that.

That said, I hope you take a few moments to check out the site, click through some of the pages and feel free to let me know what you think!

Thanks for the time and talk to ya'll again soon!

- Stephan

OPTIONS

As I meet new people and catch up with old friends, we inevitably end up on the topic of real estate. And one of the most common questions to come up is "Where do I start?"

What I, and a lot of Realtors will tell you is to speak with a mortgage lender.

This may seems like a simple pass off, but I assure it is not. Knowing what you have, what you anticipate having, what you need, and how much you can get is very important, and best to know before you start your home search.

Speaking to a lender, providing them with basic personal information, and even receiving a pre-approval letter is in no way an obligation from you to that lender. You could do more research or get a referral from a friend and opt for a lender that better fits your needs. You could stick with that lender but not even start seriously looking for a home for months or years. Or you could do nothing further at all. Either way, there's no commitment or cost to you to get the basic loan info you need anticipate a real estate deal, so don't be scared.

Just like Realtors there are a ton of mortgage lenders out there, and their companies all offer a variety of mostly the same, available loan programs. I suggest you find someone that you get along with, work well and on the same level with, as well as actually like. You don't want to dread making or receiving a call from your mortgage professional.

So, that being said if you need some direction or suggestion of who to work with, here are a few folks I recommend…

Brian Billups
Bay Equity Home Loans
office (503) 305-5826
Company Webpage

Dereik Mason
First Choice Loan Services
direct (503) 988-7258
office (512) 843-2717
Company Website

Peter Wease - or - Jason Marshall
Alpine Mortgage Planning
Peter office (503) 699-6444 / Jason office (503) 748-2804
Peter's Company Webpage
Jason's Company Webpage

If you give any of these fine folks a call, please tell them I sent you and that I say 'Hi.' (And then demand the 100% special ultra-secret discount! Just kidding!)

- Stephan

AND ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST

It's not always easy folks.

There's an old perception that Realtors don't do anything for their paycheck. I can personally vouch for the inaccuracy of that statement.

In my newly budding career I already experienced a wide variety of conditions. From old friends to complete strangers to new partners, the diversity of client and agent interactions has been great.

There have been "when will this happen", "wow that was fast", "how can this be", and "thank goodness it's over" moments. No matter the situation I am very grateful for the continuing on-the-job education, and am happy to report that everything thus far has had a happy ending for everyone.

That said, I'm not sure how many "regular folks" spend just about every waking hour contemplating, researching, or performing your typical working duties, but I know I do. There's not a lot of true down time, but there are pockets to relax throughout whatever you would call a "regular day" for me. It's very different from a traditional hourly gig, but I couldn't be happier that I made the switch!

Stephan

WEBSITE UPDATES

Quick website update before bed…

Added a purchases section to the "listings" page. Since not every real estate transaction is a listing I figure it would be good to show you folks what I get done on the buyer side of things too!

Also made a few other minor and random changes. Fixed some Firefox alignment issues on the "contact" page as well as added a 'touch to call' feature on the phone number section. That only works correctly via a touch screen and voice enabled device, like an iPhone.

You may have noticed I added automatic image rotation on the main page. Now you don't have to reload the page several times to see all the available images. I will update and add to that rotation of images soon as well.

Over on my twitter page I updated the background images to fit properly again. Twitter keeps changing things and it messes with everyone's custom backgrounds. :( Hopefully they leave it as is for awhile now.

I believe those all are the changes as of late. Time to get some rest before I get back out on the real estate trail tomorrow morning!

-Stephan

KEEPING ON TRACK

Time once again for another update folks!

I was lucky enough to get a call from some very cool folks as a referral from a friend. I am always very grateful for the opportunity to help anyone in their home buying or selling ventures. Even if you're not quite there yet, I bet you've got some questions! Sure you can 'Google it', but I wouldn't be at all put off if you'd like to ask me for some advice. Go ahead, try it!

Also been keeping busy handling a tricky purchase, doing my best to get my clients what they need without risking their deal. It can be quite the balancing act negotiating for what we want, but without offending the selling party. Let me also note that the quest to keep any deal together is for the benefit of the client, not my own personal gain.

My view is to be as up front as possible with the client about what I think can, might, or will happen in various situations. My job is to do my absolute best to serve you, and if I allow us to make a reckless move (without explanation of the potential ramifications) that results in a lost or negatively impacted deal, then I haven't fully served my client.

But enough about my own thoughts, what do you think?!

-Stephan

MAKING OFFERS AND TAKING NAMES

Hello again folks, how is everyone out there?! I've been keeping myself busy over here at Summa Realty.

Just closed my Co-Listed house in North Plains, yesterday. Very happy to see those folks get squared away and ready to start the next chapter in their lives. They were very impressed with the quality and amount of effort put forth by Vickie Duchscherer and myself. That is the lasting impression I hope to achieve with every client I help!

I also recently started working with a new buyer this week and it has been very exciting thus far. We saw some great houses and even put in an offer on a property. Finger's crossed that we can squeak out a good deal for her on that home.

Since I started here at Summa I've been quickly becoming the go-to technology guy here in our office. I am more than happy to assist with creating flyers, interoffice, and marketing materials as I enjoy graphic design as a hobby. I've recently been asked by the owners to help advise and broaden my tech duties as our company grows, which is a very exciting proposition to me!

So, that's my update for now. I'll report back shortly, take care.

- Stephan

OPEN HOUSE TOMORROW!

OPEN HOUSE - SUNDAY MARCH 1ST - 1PM to 4PM

Great deal at $325,000!!

I am holding an open house tomorrow for fellow Summa agent Vickie Duchscherer. Located in the desirable and convenient Hawthorn Farms Neighborhood in Hillsboro. I will have a lender on sight as well to answer your questions about home loans, credit scores and more! Come by and view a great, spacious home with tons of storage space and a large, fenced backyard!

Here's are a few links again!
RMLS Link
Virtual Tour
RedFin Link

NEW LISTING & OPEN HOUSE

Like I mentioned before folks, I've got a new listing in North Plains. Perfect for Intel folks and the like with an easy commute. This home has it all, plenty of open space, vaulted ceilings, an abundance of natural light, wide open westward views from inside or while relaxing on your backyard patio!

As you may notice on the flyer I am co-listing this property with Vickie Duchscherer, whom I work with at the Bethany Summa office. It's a great experience to get to team up with a seasoned agent and learn some additional skills of the trade. As you will see below I am hosting an open house this weekend, I hope to see you there!

OPEN HOUSE - SUNDAY JANUARY 26TH - 1PM to 4PM
LISTED FOR $287,000!

Come by and view a fantastic home with great views! I'll even have some snacks for you to munch on!
See you there!

Here's are a few links!
RMLS Link
Listing Link
Virtual Tour Link
Trulia Link

QUICK UPDATE

Hello again folks, just a few quick things to mention today, with more to come soon!

First off, I wanted to mention that the condo I've got listed for sale on Stone Mountain Lane is now officially a pending sale! A huge thank you to anyone who liked, shared or passed along the information in any way, it is much appreciated by the sellers as well as myself. I'll keep you all updated on when that officially closes some time in February.

Secondly, as I mentioned on INSTAGRAM in December I will be co-listing a great home in North Plains, Oregon with Vickie Duchscherer (also from Summa Real Estate Group). That should go live on or around next Friday January 24th. I will post more info and links on that property as they become available!

That's all I can think of for now, thanks for your time!

- Stephan

OPEN HOUSE - JANUARY 5TH

OPEN HOUSE - SUNDAY JANUARY 5TH - 12PM to 4PM

New Years price reduction! NOW JUST $187,900!!

Come by and view a great condo with tons of potential! Did I mention it's in a rentable community?!
See you there!

Here's are a few links again!
RMLS Link
Listing Link
RedFin Link
Trulia Link

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Just a quick Happy New Year going out to all of you wonderful folks.
Enjoy yourselves and be safe! See you in 2014!

-Stephan

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Just wanted to drop in and say happy holidays to everyone, and let you know that I will be available and working hard through the next few weeks. Don't hesitate to call/text/email me for anything you may need!

Which ever holiday you and family do (or don't) choose to celebrate, I wish you the best of times and good luck entering the new year!

- Stephan

OPEN HOUSE SUNDAY DECEMBER 15TH

OPEN HOUSE - SUNDAY DECEMBER 15TH - 11AM to 3PM

Come by and view a great condo with tons of potential! Did I mention it's in a rentable community?!
See you there!

Here's are a few links again!
RMLS Link
Listing Link
RedFin Link
Trulia Link

CONDO FOR SALE! - NW PDX / BEAVERTON

You read that right folks, I've got a great condo listed for sale!

Nestled nicely on a gentle slope you have great views from your top floor private balcony in this 2 bedroom, 2 bath end unit condo unit with 1093 square feet of upgraded living! Granite breakfast bar, large tile countertops, upgraded and stretched carpets and an electric fireplace!

Includes oversized (upgrade), front facing garage with plenty of storage space and conveniently located right next to the staircase. Full size washer, dryer and Stainless Refrigerator are included!

Listed @ $189,900

Don't miss out on this great property, call, text or email me today to schedule a viewing! CONTACT ME!

Here's a few links for all us folks that love to use the internet!
RMLS Link
Listing Link
RedFin Link
Trulia Link

IMAGES OF LOCAL HISTORY

Be sure to check out the home page of my website stephanmays.com to view seven new images portraying humble beginnings and life in the good ole days around Oregon.

Locations include Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Salem, Eugene, Springfield and Gold Hill.

I will look to add more in the future but I feel this is a good start to it. I will post the images in an album on Facebook as well for your viewing and 'liking' pleasure.

- Stephan

GIVING THANKS

Hello again folks!

Sorry for the lack recent blog updates. Please be sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook (links on the right --->) for more frequent, smaller updates, than here on the blog.

I have been keeping busy helping an old co-worker and his wife search for that perfect Portland home! I am very grateful for the opportunity and having tons of fun in our search.

As we all know Thanksgiving is coming up this week so I'm sure most folks are ramping up for that. I can't wait to relax with family and stuff my belly full of delicious foods! Assuming I come out of my food coma, I will be available on Friday for any of your real estate related needs and questions, so feel free to call, text, email, etc.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and I'll report back sooner than later. Thanks as always!

-Stephan

THE BEST DAY OF THE WEEK!

It's Monday, but what is the best day of the week to list your home??

Survey says… (DING!)  -  FRIDAY!

According to studies a home initially listed on the MLS on a Friday will gain 4 times the exposure up front than a home listed on any other day of the week.

Makes sense, potential buyers are probably gearing up for that weekends home search.  Looking up properties, attending open houses or lining up viewings with their agents.

So word to the wise, post your listing on a Friday, which is exactly what I will do for you!  (unless otherwise requested of course!)

Have a great week!

-Stephan