Gobend.com Real Estate Newsletter

Mortgage Rates Ease

      In Freddie Mac's Primary Mortgage Market Survey, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 5.78 percent for the week ending April 28, 2005.
      "The market was disappointed on the news of lower consumer confidence and lower orders for durable goods," said Frank Nothaft, vice president and chief economist.
      "These numbers suggest that the Fed will remain restrained in its practice of raising short term rates, which may be an indication the Fed

Mortgage Rates

Source: Realty Times

U.S. averages as of April 28, 2005:

30 yr. fixed:   5.78%
15 yr. fixed:   5.33%
1 yr. adj:        4.21%

doesn't see inflation to be as great a threat as the markets previously had thought it would be. "And when inflation is thought to be in check, mortgage rates naturally drift down."

Forecast For The Greening of Homes: Bright

    Most of the country's homes have yet to go green, but that's changing as eco-friendly construction generates attention.
     Niche builders often distinguish themselves by incorporating energy efficiency, water conservation, and indoor air quality when designing homes; and mainstream builders are expected to jump on the bandwagon as green-building products become more affordable.
     Green projects are more popular in states plagued by energy and water crises, but the National Association of Home Builders reports that consumers across the country are expressing interest in such eco-friendly construction.

Condo Crazy: Sales, Price Gains Remain Strong

Condos are price gain leaders. Last year, the median resale condominium price surged 17 percent to $193,600, while the single-family median rose just 8.3 percent to $184,100. Condos outpaced single-family dwellings every year between 2000 and 2004 in terms of price gains.
Experts believe prices will come back down to Earth in the most overheated areas, but they insist that demand from baby boomers, echo boomers, empty nesters, childless couples, single parents, and immigrants will continue to fuel the market. Condos are available in an assortment of architectural styles and prices, with upscale towers, and luxury amenities.

Ponds Add Touch of Serenity, Easy to Install

    There is nothing like sipping lemonade while sitting next to a peaceful pond in your own backyard on a sunny afternoon. Okay, so you can make the lemonade but you've been holding off on the pond because you think it'll be an overwhelming project.
     That's just not so. Dave Garcia, the sales manager at KRC Rock, says these days the entire process from digging the hole to filling the pond with water can take as few as three days. The trick is to use pre-packaged kits especially designed for homeowners.
     Many different systems are available on the internet. Garcia likes the MicroPond kits.
     The top things to consider when purchasing a kit and putting in a pond are:

Location

Style: pond or pondless waterfall

Appropriate system

Amount of time

Amount of money

Plants

Pond Depth
Garcia says that often homeowners put their ponds in the wrong place which later makes the pond less useful.
"Put the pond somewhere you can enjoy it from the most vantage points of your house. Don't put it way back in the corner where you won't hear it or see it," explains Garcia.

Equal Housing
Opportunity

Terry Denoux, P.C. Broker
Cellular: (541) 350-2921
Web: http://www.gobend.com
E-mail: terryd@gobend.com

RE/MAX Equity Group
235 SE Wilson Ave.
Bend, OR 97702

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