This is a series of blog posts about real estate in Salem Oregon written by Melina Tomson of Tomson Burnham, a small boutique real estate brokerage in Salem Oregon.  The blog has articles about local real estate market conditions from Salem, Keizer, Independence, Monmouth, Dallas, Stayton, Aumsville and Silverton.

The blog covers topics from market conditions to happenings inside the real estate industry that might impact consumers to new technologies that are housing-related.  Community information for home buyers looking to relocate to Salem is also housed in our blog as we discuss our local favorites.

Get into OMSI for free

It’s raining, it’s pouring… What does this have to do with real estate? Nothing, but it is pouring rain here in Oregon today and NASTY out, so I decided to take my kids (7 and 5) to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry today in Portland. If you have a membership to the AC…

Pick Me!

The headlines screamed…. BUY ME! BUY ME! BUY ME! 5% to Buyer’s Agent!!! Holiday Cosmos! Free Brokers Gift Wrap! South Salem! Champagne Brunch Tomorrow! 1% Selling Bonus! Broker Open Tomorrow, Full Winter’s Meal! Seller Says “GET IT SOLD!” from our weekly flyers sent out on the WVMLS. I commend these agents for being proactive in…

Would you use the Pony Express?

The Pony Express was started in April 3rd, 1860 and ran until October 1861. The Pony Express was phased out due to the new technology of the telegraph. With the development of the intercontinental railroad, people were able to send mail easily as well. Newspapers were easy to print and transport across the county for…

Think outside the Big Box

As many of you know, the City Council of Keizer is meeting tomorrow to talk about the zoning change to the corner of Lockhaven and Chemawa Rd to allow for a 120,000 sq foot store instead of the currently zoned 10,000 sq feet. This is a hotly debated issue since a store of that size…

Fannie and Freddie

When you see a lender to take out a loan for a home, the bank either retains the loan in house, or sells in on the secondary mortgage market. . Banks “bundle” loans together and sell them off to investors. The secondary mortgage market only buys loans, they don’t start them. The secondary mortgage market…

Imaginary Profit

Just today I was out with a buyer looking at a home they liked. What they didn’t like was the price. The homeowners purchased the home 12 years ago. I won’t go into details as my buyers like the home, but at the current asking price the sellers would make a 186% profit on the…

Time for some originality

As a real estate agent I see soooooo many listings and read a multitude of agent comments. Some agents really excel at writing comments that make you want to go and see the home. Others…well…let’s just say they could use a little creative writing course. Some of the most overused words… Location, Location, Location…I think…