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.

I am not like a toaster.

> You asked. We gave you what you wanted, but the power of the dark side was just too great for the wanna be Darth-Vader-Home-Seller. It isn’t a big secret that real estate agents have really low entry standards into a profession that helps people spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a purchase.  I…

our pupils are in hibernation

“My eyes…aaggh, my eyes,” shrieked the woman. “Mommy, what is that?  Will I melt?”  whimpered the small child as she clung to her mother’s leg. “Something weird is happening…this isn’t supposed to happen…not now.” Off the dark, wet pavement the sheen bounced everywhere creating retinal mayhem for the residents of the mid-valley city.  Totally unprepared,…

In search of a motto…

The new year has begun, and real estate agents have started blogging about their unfettered optimism for the coming new year.  I was, in fact, brainstorming ideas for a new and improved motto for 2011 on my Facebook business page. was only partially crummy. I know, I know…it needs work.  Pollyanna wasn’t my BFF growing…

Relocation Guide: Strawberry Fields

If you are relocating to Salem Oregon just know that June 1 means one thing…strawberry season.   Typically Oregon strawberries start to ripen and are just waiting to be plucked and eaten. Every year we take the kids to a local u-pick and pick strawberries. We eat a lot of them over the winter so we…

Crime Rates in Salem Oregon

I read a recent post about the 10 most dangerous cities.  I, of course, scrolled for our familiar Oregon cities and was nicely surprised because Salem had a lower crime rate than Eugene in 2009. QR Press created a list based on the FBI’s 2009 crime data.  I went to the raw data just to…

An uncomfortable truth

I don’t think people like to talk about it.  It’s easier that way.  We’ve made progress, but clearly not enough. Some of you may have seen the mapping project.  It’s fascinating, to say the least.  Based on census data they are plotting the racial makeup of cities.  Right now, if you went up to a…

That rocks

Boring.Ugly. Crime Ridden…on and on and on, people drone about their opinions of Salem Oregon. I participate on an online forum and someone was asking about Portland, Salem and Corvallis.  He was really interested in Salem and wanted to know how walkable it was.  I felt like the lone ranger in talking about the core…

The Capitol Mall

Are you relocating to Salem Oregon for one of the state jobs? One of the advantages of being the state capital is the mall.  In the spring when the cherry trees are in full bloom, photographers flock down to the Capitol Mall to take their photos before the blossoms go away.   While the Capitol itself…