Tigard Future Traffic

The City Council on Dec. 18 declared its intention to form a local improvement district in the Tigard Triangle to upgrade streets and infrastructure. There was a meeting of the minds and it was decided that an LID would be best for facilitating traffic decisions for the future.

The Tigard Triangle is the Pacific Highway, Highway 217 and 72nd Ave where a 2002 Tigard Transportation System Plan figured out will host the majority of future traffic problems. The LID area will be outlined by Dartmouth Street to Baylor Avenue from 68th Avenue to 69th/70th avenues.

Included in this improvement plan will be sidewalks, ramps, curbs, signing and striping to support a proposed traffic signal at the intersection of 68th and Dartmouth Street. There will also be some streets that could be upgraded to full city street standards, including sewer, storm drainage, curbs, gutters, sidewalks and street trees, and placing utilities underground.

Total for all this should be between $2.3 million and $2.5 million. The resolution also lays out the proposed method of assessing property owners in the district, which is tentative and may be altered by the city at the time of final assessment.

http://tigardtimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=119878971122341700

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Portland Gets The Best Of The Housing Market

On T.V. there is a never ending supply of news stories about the horror that is the real estate market. Except that the P.S. of all these stories seems to be the areas and cities that seem to be weathering the storm. Portland is one of these cities. In fact, the slow down here has just brought us back down to what would considered a "normal" year.

To give you an idea of the ups and downs, in January of 2000 there was 10 months of inventory (number of months it would take to sell all homes currently listed) available in Portland. 2005 saw 2.2 months of inventory while October 2006 was 4.6. Back to present day, October of this year was back up to 8.4 months of inventory, quite the roller coaster.

Ken Gertz of Gertz Construction said he's always measured the housing market by whether his service providers are calling asking for work. When the framers, electricians and concrete specialists are begging for a gig, things are slow. That just is not the case right now.

There are many factors keeping us afloat. Our urban growth boundary limits our sprawl into adjacent rural areas. That helps prevent housing gluts like they have in Boise and Las Vegas. It also helps keep value in the homes that are already within the urban and suburban areas. This keeps the supply and demand from getting lopsided. There is also a continuing stream of people moving here from out of state, interest rates are remaining low and job growth remains strong.

All those builders who bought up land like crazy thinking they were getting in on the housing craze are now stuck. In todays market the key is to make your listing interesting, compelling and strategic. Builders now need to focus on what is selling houses right now. I personally think the move from quality versus quantity is a good one.

The main point is that housing in Portland is still a good investment.

The Oregonian - Southwest Weekly - Thursday, December 6, 2007 - Cover story

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November Market Report

November Residential Highlights

For the second month in a row there was a slight decrease in inventory in the Portland metro area. At November’s rate of sales, the 14,435 active residential listings at month’s end would last approximately 8.3 months. The number of new listings dropped again, the second time since February 2006, decreasing 3.1% when comparing November 2007 to November 2006.

However, the number of transactions also continues to drop. When comparing November 2007 to November 2006 closed sales decreased 19.9% and the number of accepted offers fell 27.8%. Despite it all, sale prices appear to remain strong. Average sale price increased 6.9% comparing November 2007 with November 2006 and median sale price increased 2.5%. Average

2006 2007

Year-to-Date Trends

Comparing the period of January 2007 through November 2007 to the same time a year ago, we see a slightly different trend than we’ve seen the last couple of months with an overall 8.3% increase of new listings. However, the dip in transactions appears to remain constant, although not quite as intense as the previous two months. The number of closed sales fell 11.8% and pending sales declined 14.8%

Appreciation

Using the average sale prices for the twelve months that ended with November 2007 compared to the twelve months ending in November 2006, the average sale price appreciated 6.5% ($340,900 v. $320,100). Using the same formula, the median sale price also appreciated 7.0% ($288,900 v. $270,000).

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Financial Advise

THAT'S THE $64,000 QUESTION....

Most people won't inherit millions of dollars, but according to the AARP, the median amount of today's inheritance is about $64,000. While that's not enough to provide financial security for life, it's still a lot of money and requires careful planning before deciding what to do with it. So therein lays the question — if you receive an inheritance — what should you do?

Step One...Do Nothing: Remember, this is an emotional time. You may have lost a loved one, you're receiving a sizable chunk of money, and your judgment may be clouded by emotion. Rather than make a decision you regret later, take some time to step back and think. In the meantime, put the money in a money market or savings account that will keep it safe, and allow you to access when you're ready.

Check the Tax Laws: Some inheritances are tax free, but some are subject to federal and state taxes. Make sure that you diligently record everything that you inherit and the date that you inherited it. Most important, seek advice from a tax professional before you decide what to do with the inheritance — you don't want to spend money that you don't actually have. And if you need a referral to a great tax pro — just get in touch with me.

Stick to Small Wishes: Many people dream of a vacation home or taking a luxury cruise around the world. Receiving an inheritance may make those dreams seem within reach. Often, however, they're not realistic for your overall lifestyle and budget. So keep the splurging to a small gift for you or your family. Keep the big picture in mind for the rest of the money.

Invest as Usual: Don't gamble your inheritance away on a high-risk investment that doesn't make sense. Instead of thinking of it as “found money” or looking for a big score, treat it like the rest of your investments. Work with a professional advisor to determine which options and risk-level make sense, based on your entire portfolio and future plans — and feel free to contact me for a referral to a great financial pro.

Remember, even a small inheritance deserves careful planning and consideration. This isn't a time to be swayed by emotions. Talk to a professional, make a plan, and stick to it. And if you'd like to talk about your own financial strategies and plans that might allow YOU to leave a great inheritance for your own heirs, just let me know. We can review your own debt structure and financial goals, and work with other great professionals to help make that dream a reality.

Clint Elliott

NewLine Home Mortgage

1400 NW Irving #108

Portland, Or 97209

888-488-5731 toll free

503-548-4014

503-808-9101

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Define "Improvement"

People seem to have the idea that if they put money into their home, they will certainly get it back. That is the right idea but you can't just make ANY improvement and assume it'll make money. In fact, some can actually decrease the value of your home. Money Magazine suggest putting your money in anything but...

Swimming Pools. Obviously states with a hot climate you can't find a house without one. But if you live someplace where a pool is not needed then buyers will completely avoid houses with a pool. If you live in Illinois or Oregon people only see the cost of insurance and maintenance for something you can only use 3 maybe 4 months out of the year. Parents with small kids are particularly wary.

Additions. This too has exceptions but for the most part home additions end up being eye sores. If you really need to add square footage, pay the extra for design that makes it look natural. It needs to seem as if it's always been there. You will get that money returned to you on the back end.

Trendy Finishes. As with clothes, some thing that is hot today people can be making fun of tomorrow. Although it's been said that custom wood paneling on your kitchen appliances to match your cabinets is a trend that should last a while. Generally though, when doing a renovation, sticking to classics is your best bet.

Jacuzzis. This one doesn't seem right but it turns out, not everyone loves giant tubs with jets. What everyone does love is a good shower. If you are throwing money at your bathroom try some of the new fancy shower heads.

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What Do You Want In A Home?

While it seems quite rational to assume buyers are clamoring after the "best" house leaving the others to beg for attention, it doesn't necessarily work that way. That is because not everyone is looking for the same things. In this survey they asked buyers about specific home features and then divided up these people by demographic categories. The features include Central Air, Garage (2 or more spaces), Walk-in Closet in Master Bedroom, Cable or Satellite TV Ready, High-speed Internet Access and Energy Efficient.

74% of buyers in general found Central Air to be the import making it the most attractive feature of the 6. Naturally 91% of the people in the South found it essential while only 41% of buyers in the Northeast.

In the West 66% of home seekers require a garage but in the Northeast, where a lot of people live in big city apartments, only 37%.

Walk-in closets are a very attractive feature now-a-days but more so with those buying brand new homes. People buying older homes are looking for the charm of old architecture, knowing that closets were not big back in the day.

The same goes with Cable or Satellite TV and High-speed Internet, of course people expect that in new homes today, it's a staple.

Homes that are Energy Efficient have become a bigger deal lately with gas prices as the are. Again, those who purchase new homes expect it and those who done this before. A first time buyer hasn't gone through the process of paying utility bills yet so it's the repeat buyers who understand the importance of Energy Efficiency.

Today's Buyer's Rep - November 2007 - Page 5

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Housing Market Will Recover

Experts are saying that the housing market will recover from it's current down turn, unfortunately it is going to get worse before it gets better. There is just too much inventory right now so when those homes start to sell off, in 2009, the market will start to perk back up. Therefore, 2008 is going to be a rough one.

Economist Jerry Johnson expects sales will be off 15 to 20 percent and the new housing construction 20 percent. People keep moving to Portland but job growth is plateauing. There is still extra inventory which will take quite some time to get rid of.

Expect to see a decline in house prices in 2008. If ever there was a time to consider a career other than real estate, now would be it. Yet economists still think we'll make it to 2009 without a recession.

Oregonian, Ryan Frank

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Portland Street Naming History

Before 1913 North Interstate Avenue was called North Patton Avenue after Matthew Patton. Matthew Patton's family owned land in the West Hills and North Portland but then the street was connected to a new bridge over the Columbia River. I guess the City Council felt that a name change was in order.

Once upon a time there were three cities called Portland, East Portland and Albina. In 1891 these cities were combined to make Portland forcing The Great Renaming. Over the years after Portland became one big city, Eastside Portlanders became resentful that their streets started with "east" while West Portland streets had no directional description. So in 1933 all the streets were given the N, NW, SW, SE and SW declaration.

German sounding names were changed during World War I, like Frederick which was named after Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. It was decided that it sounded better as Pershing in honor of the general who was leading the Americans.

MLK Jr. Blvd used to be Union Avenue but in 1989 Martin Luther King Junior needed to be recognized.

Part of Front Ave was changed to Naito Parkway the year Bill Naito died, 1996. Bill was a developer and civic leader whose company was on Naito Parkway along with the Japanese-American Historic Plaza.

Last year marked the death of Rosa Parks who has long been known as one of the great Civil Rights leaders. In her honor North Portland Boulevard was renamed Rosa Parks Way.

Source: Eugene Snyder's book, "Portland Street Names and Neighborhoods" for the early history

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October Market Report

October Residential Highlights

October’s statistics show similar patterns to September, as the number of transactions continue to drop and sale prices continue to see appreciation. The number of closed sales fell 25.5% and pending sales declined 22% However, the number of new listings dropped for the first time since February of 2006, decreasing 5.1% this month when comparing October of this year with October 2006. At the month’s rate of sales, the 15,567 active residential properties would last approximately 8.4 months.

Appreciation

Using the average sale prices for the twelve months that ended with October 2007 compared to the twelve months ending in October 2006, the average sale price appreciated 6.7% ($339,300 v. $318,100). Using the same formula, the median sale price also appreciated 7.3% ($287,500 v. $267,900).

Year-to-Date Trends

When comparing the period of January 2007 through October 2007 to the same time a year ago, pending sales have decreased 13.9% and closed sales declined 11.3%. New listings, on the other hand, are up 8.8%.

Affordability

After its lowest reported rate of 88% in July, affordability improved to 94% in September carried by lower interest rates and a lower median sales price. This means that a family living in the Portland Metro area making the median income ($63,800 per HUD) cannot afford to purchase a median priced home in the area ($283,500 in September). According to the NAR formula, a median income family can only afford 94% of a monthly mortgage payment with 20% down and a 30-year fixed rate (6.38%, according to Freddie Mac). For more information, see graph and notes on last page.

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No Slump in Salem Market!

SALEM, Oregon isn't the hippest town around but medium sized cities like Wenatchee, Washington and Provo-Orem, Utah still have quite active real estate markets. There are plenty of homes on the market and the prices haven't nose-dived like in much of the country. In fact housing prices are growing at double-digit rates according to a recent federal study.

Many of these towns are still showing population growth due to things like proximity to nature, main freeways and more major cities. Most of them were not even a part of the original housing boom so they didn't have any where to go but up. The Pacific Northwest in particular was slow to catch on to the extreme home appreciation which might be why it's not being hit as hard now.

"Fifteen out of 20 metropolitan areas with the highest rates of home appreciation in the country were in Washington, Idaho, Utah, Oregon, Colorado or New Mexico, according to the federal study, which looked at markets with at least 15,000 transactions over the last 10 years." Associated Press

Oregon itself had 10.77 percent growth in home prices while the whole country averaged only 0.5 percent. Salem alone reached 13.4 percent from the being of 2006 to the beginning of this year. The state capitol continues to see rising prices because it goes overlooked so there are still bargains to be found.

That's not to say that it can't or won't happen here too, we just won't be taking the brunt of the force. It's always best to be prepared because our market will be effected. If you have the resources and time to spare, now is the time to buy.

http://www.kgw.com/lifestyle/stories/kgw_071907_business_salem_housing.8f345382.html

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Portland Scores!

Travel and Leisure took 25 major U.S. cities and rated them placed them 1-25 on 63 categories. It covered the topics of After Dark, Characteristics, City Scape, Culture, Food/Dining, People, Shopping and Type of Trip. Naturally you are dying to know how Portland fared in these areas and we did well exactly where you would expect us to. We ranked #1 in seven categories which were Public Parks/Spaces, Pedestrian Friendliness, Access to Outdoors, City Scape Overall, Environmental Awareness, Ease of Getting Around/Public Transportation and Characteristics Overall. With numbers like these we could become a major tourist draw. Luckily we didn't score dead last in anything but we did get some 24s and 23s. Sports Fan Vacation, Luxury Boutiques, Jewelry, Clubbing and Big-Name Restaurants don't seem to be our strengths but aren't necessities to have a good time. And just because our restaurants don't have celebrity chefs certainly doesn't mean our food isn't fan-freaking-tastic! We scored 2s in Coffee and Farmer's Markets and 7s in Cheap Eats and Pizza! We also score 2s for Peace and Quiet and Cleanliness which is awesome but I personally would like it if we made an effort to improve out Nightlife scores!

http://www.travelandleisure.com/afc/2007/

http://www.travelandleisure.com/afc/2007/city/portland-oregon

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071022/od_nm/philadelphia_unattractive1_dc

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Market Action for September

September Residential Highlights

When comparing September 2007 to September 2006, new listings decreased 2.3%. Closed and pending sales fell 25.5% and 25.7% respectively. At September’s rate of closed sales, the

16,054 active residential listings would last approximately 8.6 months.

The 8.6 months of inventory is the highest rate since January 2000, when inventory reached 10.1 months. Additionally, inventory reached 8.5 months in January 2001.

Appreciation

Using the average sale prices for the twelve months that ended with September 2007 compared to the twelve months ending in September 2006, the average sale price appreciated 6.9% ($337,700 v. $315,800).

Using the same formula, the median sale price also appreciated 7.5% ($285,000 v. $265,000

Third Quarter Report

In third quarter of 2007, there were 3.4% more new listings than July- September 2006 (16,573 v. 16,023). Closed sales fell 13.7% (7,351 v. 8,519) and pending sales also dipped 19.6% (6,711 v. 8,342).

Correction

Due to a reporting inconsistency in August, the average sale price was $355,000, not the reported $366,900. The median sale price was $302,000 vs. $300,000. Also, the average sale price in area 156: Yamhill County was $273,400, not $564,500. This discrepancy didn’t affect other Portland area statistics such as appreciation, DOM, or inventory.

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Oregon Market

Oregon

A booming local economy has rained appreciation in the Oregon housing market and the faucet doesn’t look like it’s turning off for some time yet.

Although sales of homes have slowed in the Portland area, the national trend of a depreciating housing market hasn’t hit Portland. Prices are up and should stay that way through the year’s end. The median price for a home has hit $241,000 and Housing Predictor now forecasts that Portland will see healthy appreciation of 6.7% in 2007.

Driven by a healthy job market, housing prices in Portland have more than doubled in the past decade. Oregon is the third fastest growing state in the nation.

City	Median Price	Forecast
Portland	$ 241,000	6.7%
Eugene	$ 206,000	5.2%
Salem	$ 190,000	6.4%
Medford	$ 158,000	4.5%
Corvallis	$ 153,000	5.8%
Grants Pass	$ 141,000	4.5%
Bend	$ 217,000	4.2%

In Salem the median price has reached $190,000, and home sales have slowed after hitting nearly 16% in appreciation in the last year alone. Salem housing, however, is still moving at a relatively brisk pace and is projected to see appreciation of 6.4% in 2007.

However, in Eugene, which has grown more in the last few years than the previous twenty, the community has attracted new businesses and jobs. Like the rest of Oregon, the market has slowed. The median price for a home in Eugene is $206,000 up more than 50% over the past three years. Eugene is projected to finish 2007 with an average of 5.2% in appreciation.

In Corvallis, where homes are less expensive with a median of $153,000 the market will see less activity in 2007 on its way to a 5.8% increase in average prices. Medford is fairly close price wise with a median at $158,000. Medford will see a modest 4.5% in average appreciation by year’s end.

On the roaring rapids of the Rogue River, Grants Pass is now a community of slightly more than 11,000 residents and it has had its own real estate boom. Grants Pass has doubled in size in the past ten years as more and more people have sought out a better quality of life, fleeing big city congestion and pollution. Its housing market boomed, but like the rest of Oregon has slowed down. Grants Pass will have to pass on it’s double digit days of appreciation in 2007 and settle for 4.5%.

As a growing snow skiing destination and second home market, Bend, Oregon has become a vibrant community with many new homes and condos. Bend will see a more modest year in home sales throughout the rest of the year and finish 2007 with a projected 4.2% average in appreciation. Bend’s median housing price has topped $217,000.

Oregon has suffered from being one of the weakest west coast states economically, but the state’s economy has improved drastically with an increase in businesses and new employers. Many new residents have been attracted for its lower cost of living, high employment rate and lower priced homes. But now the price of housing has also changed.

Source: Housing Predictor LLC 2006-2007

FYI: So far this year, Portland metro has appreciated on average 7.8%. They're pretty close!

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Beaverton Traffic Signals Will Improve

Beaverton is getting a new traffic timing system along Southwest Canyon and Farmington roads. Thank goodness because no one goes to Beaverton during rush hour unless they have to, and that is because of the traffic. The city is spending $60,000 to evaluate the timing of the signals and create a new timing sequence that, in theory, will make traffic much nicer. The schedule will reflect high-volume hours with more green lights on the major streets, which will make many people happy.

Other areas that already have coordinated signals include a section of Farmington Road, Canyon Road and the Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway. Most complaints about traffic signals usually result from a malfunction.

We can expect to see installation start sometime this month. They are going to do real time traffic flow models for Farmington, Canyon and Beaverton-Hillsdale.

There are video cameras around the city monitoring about a third of the signaled intersections and these can tell us what type of traffic there is at a given time and set the lights accordingly. Ideally they would like to have cameras at all of the intersections.

Meanwhile the city will soon install fiber optic conduit from the Farmington Road/Lombard Avenue intersection to the Beaverton Transit Center. The change would allow a connection with Portland’s traffic system, ODOT and Washington County, which in the future will create a regional signal management system, according to city officials. The installation will be done as part of infrastructure preparation for the county’s 14.7-mile commuter rail line.

http://www.beavertonvalleytimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=119212734778588900

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Mortgage Rate Info

Mortgage Rate News/Analysis

The Fed has been lowering key short-term interest rates for a couple of months now. On September 18, they dropped the federal funds rate by 1/2 percent.

What is the Federal Funds Rate?

Suppose a bank has excess funds. They hold them in reserve at the Federal Reserve Bank. They may choose to lend them overnight or for a couple of days to a bank that is temporarily short on funds. One bank can lend their "federal funds" to another bank. That is the Federal Funds rate.

The discount rate is the interest rate at which banks borrow money directly from the Federal Reserve. Back in August, the Fed cut the discount rate by a 1/2 percent, too.

Most experts feel further interest rate cuts are in the future.

Why does the Fed cut short-term rates?

The intent is usually to boost the economy or prevent it from sliding into a recession or to lessen the impact of a recession. By making money cheaper for banks to borrow, the idea is that they will charge less to lend it out to consumers and businesses. That releases other funds, so that consumers and business can spend it on goods, services, and capital investment.

At times, a drop in interest rates could also fuel a reduction in the value of the dollar. This is partly because overseas investors will rethink whether they should be putting money into USA investments (like stocks, bonds and real estate) because they are now earning a lower return on their money. So they take their money home -- or place it in investments in other countries with higher interest rates.

Lowering the dollar's value makes it more expensive to travel overseas and some imported goods may cost more, but it accomplishes the opposite, too. More tourists spend more money here because things are cheaper. More tourists visit. US exports to other countries are more attractive to foreign buyers, so we sell more goods overseas.

This helps boost the economy, or when a recession may be looming, it could make that recession less severe.

For the mortgage market, drops in short-term rates most impact adjustable rate mortgages because they help lower the indexes that the adjustments are based on.

Unfortunately, what's good for short-term rates has very little to do with longer-term fixed rates. When short-term rates were lowered on September 18, 30-year fixed rate loans jumped about 1/8th of a percent.

Since fixed rate mortgages lock the lender and investor into a fixed return for a long period of time, the rates that banks offer new borrowers goes up and down based on how they perceive the future threat of inflation.

Interest Rate Prediction

Because the Fed has finally begun to take action on the potential economic slowdown, fixed rate mortgages should remain fairly stable in the short term. What would make our expectations change is if economic data begins to show a clearer indication of whether the economy is actually slowing or not.

We think the economy will continue to slow.

No one can guarantee economic or interest rate predictions, of course.

Clint Elliott

NewLine Home Mortgage

1400 NW Irving #108

Portland, Or 97209

888-488-5731 toll free

503-548-4014

503-808-9101

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Hollywood is Coming to Tualatin

A movie is being made starring Jennifer Aniston called "Management" and it's being shot in our own Portland, Oregon. Near the end of October production crews made visits to possible site locations and Tualatin Indoor Soccer and CI Bar & Grill, both in Tualatin are currently topping the lists.

It is certainly not everyday that the Hollywood spotlight shines on Tualatin so naturally it will be very exciting. Although nothing is set in stone, filming is scheduled for October 23rd and 24th. The majority of the movie is being shot in Madras, Central Oregon, but we will be getting a glimpse here in the Portland area.

There is a small chance that some of the local women who play soccer at the Tualatin Indoor Soccer arena may get a small part. And even though it's a short scene, CI Bar & Grill will be closed for two days for filming. So there will be an effect on the city.

http://www.tigardtimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=119145725126087100

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Narrowing Sellwood Bridge Options

The options for the rebuild of the Sellwood bridge have been brought down to three. The choices include rehabilitating the current bridge or a new bridge just north or just south between Spokane Street and Sellwood Riverfront Park. The Sellwood Bridge is 82 years old and has not been up to code in a very long time.

One of the main reasons for removing previous options is that the policymakers are trying to save as many homes and businesses as they can. Condo owners on the north and south sides of the bridge attended the recent meeting to ask that they please only consider these three options, and they are now the only ones on the table.

A citizen task force had done some research and made a recommendation, but their suggestion was dropped because it would mean tearing down 12 condos and eight businesses.

The three remaining choices will be studied for impact and cost, estimates are saying $300 mil to $315 mil for all new bridges (north or south) and $270 mil to $400 mil to redo the existing bridge. That money has yet to be raised. Each option would require the condemnation of a couple of homes, not all currently occupied, though the northern option also calls for condemning 56 businesses.

The width of the bridge is also under debate. The wider they go the more intrusive the traffic will become. On the other hand they are trying to plan for emergency vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and even possibly the Portland Streetcar system.

While I agree that it is a good thing that decision makers are listening to those who want to keep their homes and businesses, I hope that they are still keeping in mind what will work best far in the future for traffic and the neighborhood.

Arthur Gregg Sulzberger: 503-221-8330; arthursulzberger@news.oregonian.com

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1191295558309880.xml&coll=7

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Tualatin Red Light

Monday night the Tualatin City Council decided to move forward with an evaluation on red-light cameras. Assuming all goes well they will then discuss whether Tualatin's busiest intersections would benefit from the extra attention.

Running red lights is the most common traffic violation people complain to the Tualatin Police about. Especially now with the increase in traffic the accidents have pretty much tripled from 2005-2006 at the Tualatin-Sherwood Rd. and Boones Ferry Rd. intersection.

Many have said that red-light cameras cause more accidents than they prevent because people will slam on their breaks to avoid a ticket, but that's also been said to be a myth. Beaverton has had it's red-light violations decrease since adding red-light cameras to it's busy intersections.

But the system isn't flawless, if you drive a car that isn't registered to you, you cannot get a ticket. If you duck while the camera is taking the picture you can also avoid a ticket because the picture needs to clearly have your face and your license plate. There are people out there trying to sell sprays and plastic covers for your license plate to prevent the camera from getting a good picture, but anyone who has watched Myth Busters knows, they don't work.

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FED CUT!

The long awaited Fed decision arrived with a bang! The Fed surprised many economists and traders with a half percent cut in both the Fed Funds and Discount Rates. Stocks soared higher and enjoyed their largest gain since 2003.

What does the Fed cut mean? Rates on consumer debt, car loans, and Home Equity lines will all benefit. But because Home Loan rates are tied more closely to inflation, it is not uncommon to see less of a reaction...or even an opposite reaction in mortgage rates.

The Fed cut also hurts rates of return on investments, which gives foreign investors less incentive to invest in US securities. This has sent the Dollar much lower against the currency of most major foreign countries. This makes foreign goods more expensive for us to buy, which adds to inflation pressures.

Overall, the Fed cut is good news for the economy, but may nudge inflation a bit higher. Feel free to call or email with any questions.

Have a fantastic day!!

Clint Elliott

NewLine Home Mortgage

1400 NW Irving #108

Portland, Or 97209

888-488-5731 toll free

503-548-4014

503-808-9101

PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR NEW PODCAST ON THE HOMEPAGE OF OUR WEBSITE www.TonyandLibby.com

August Market Report

August Residential Highlights

The market continues to follow the trends of recent months. While new listings continue to grow, the number of transactions are down. However, home prices continue to rise at a steady rate. The number of new listings in August grew 9.1% compared to August of 2006. On the other hand, pending sales dropped 18.1% and closed sales fell 13.1%. At the end of August 2007, there were 15,782 active residential listings in the Portland Metro area. Given the month’s rate of sales they would last 6.2 months (see table to the right).

Year-to-Date Trends

When comparing the period of January 2007-August 2007 to the same period in 2006, new listings have grown 11.8%. Pending sales fell 11.7% and closed sales decreased 8.1%.

Appreciation

Using the average and median sale prices for the twelve months that ended with August 2007

compared to the twelve months ending in August 2006, the average sale price appreciated 7.8% ($337,400 v. $313,000). Using the same formula, the median sale price appreciated

8.1% ($285,000 v. $263,700).

Portland Condos

The table below highlights active condo listings vs. closed sales from 2002-2007 for the month of August.

Active Closed

August 2002 898 169

August 2003 863 169

August 2004 877 281

August 2005 548 361

August 2006 1,476 383

August 2007 2,601 342

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*The information above is from the monthly market action report produced by RMLS and used by permission of RMLS. This information is copyrighted by RMLS, All Rights Reserved.

Corvallis 10th Best Place to Live!

Sperling's Best Places recently ranked the best places to live in the country. The top ten include:

1. Charlottesville, VA
2. Santa Fe, NM
3. San Luis Obispo- Atascadero- Paso Robles, CA
4. Santa Barbara- Santa Maria -Lompoc, CA
5. Honolulu, HI
6. Ann Arbor, MI
7. Atlanta, GA
8. Asheville, NC
9. Reno, NV
10. Corvallis, OR
    

According to Sperling - Corvallis is home to Oregon State University and therefore many young singles. Hewlett-Packard has a major presence here causing low unemployment rate and impressive recent job growth. With Corvallis being a college town and a computer company residing, it's a very intellectual town. A fifth of the people who choose Corvallis as their home have earned a graduate or professional degree. Pacific Northwest weather is temperate with very pleasant but not crazy hot summers are sublime and the winters are mild but wet. The Oregon coast is a 90 minutes to the west for biking or kite flying and the nearby Cascade range offers great skiing. If you get the urge to visit a big city, Portland is about 100 miles to the North. Considering it's affordability ($194,800 median home price), Corvallis presents an attractive mix of youth, intellectualism, and natural beauty.

For a complete profiles of all 331 metropolitan areas, get a copy of "Cities Ranked and Rated." online or at your local bookstore or library. The book also includes maps, climate charts, comparison tables, plus additional profiles of the 45 new fast-growing mini-metro areas and 27 Canadian metro areas.

http://realestate.yahoo.com/neighborhoods/ten_best_places_to_live.html

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New Tigard Plaza 2

Stevens Marine on Burnham Street was chosen,as expected, as the site for a future public plaza that is hoped will become the cornerstone of the Tigard revitalization effort. Currently it is just the concept that has been approved. There are still many more hoops to jump though yet.

This site had been favored because it has the capacity to hold the Tigard farmers' market, with the temporary closing of some side streets, and the owner's willingness to work with the city on this project. Not to mention the available options to make it visible, which is a major problem with downtown Tigard currently.

The next phase includes talking to and working with neighboring property owners. The idea being for all to redevelop the area together, at the same time, instead of the plaza going up and the surrounding properties following the already set up vision. If you include the people in the planning, the local business owners, then it is more likely that the people will use it.

It's supposed to be a shopping center, a gathering place for fun and festivals and a permanant home for the famers' market.

When The Times contacted Page Stevens, owner of Stevens Marine, on Wednesday morning, he said that he was not aware his business had been chosen as the site for a public plaza.

http://www.tigardtimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=118843604191235900

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Biking Is For Everyone!

It seems that all these Portlanders commuting on their bicycles everyday is it's own advertisement. Many people who would have never, ever dreamed of leaving their car at home are now getting exercise and saving money. After all we are one of the most bike friendly cities in the country, why not try it out?

Last year volunteers counted over 12,000 daily bike trips across the Hawthorne, Broadway, Steel and Burnside bridges. That is 8 percent more than 2005 so now bicycles are accounting for 1 out of every 10 vehicles on these bridges.

The popularity is growing by leaps and bounds. While many still ride just for recreation, it's becoming increasingly more common to run errands or commute to work on a bike.

Because of this trend of fun AND functionality the bicycle of choice is more often the hybrid. The hybrid bike is a blend of mountain bike and racing bike. This way they are adaptable to both bike paths and the street.

The stars have aligned to make bicycling so big. The cities efforts to increase the bike lane and path networks have played a major role. Long time riders are encouraging friends, family and neighbors to try it out, perhaps because of the obesity crisis. Major bicycle brands are now coming out with hybrid bikes, recognizing the trend of recreation AND functionality the average rider wants. Lastly, gas prices are still crazy and with our city set up with an alternative, not to mention bike prices decreasing, it's hard to complain when there is something you can do.

The Oregonian, Tuesday, August 21, 2007, Living pg B1 & B5

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Tigard Plaza

Tigard voters approved a Downtown Improvement Plan in May 2005 which includes improvements to Fanno Creek Park and a plaza for Tigard residents to call their own. The city council will soon be getting together to decide on a location for the new plaza. The possible locations include the carwash on Main Street directly across from Burnham Road, the Dolan property between Stevens Marine and the Tigard Liquor Store on Main Street, the liquor-store site on the southwest corner of Main Street and Burnham Road and the most likely choice which is the Stevens Marine property on Burnham Road. The council is leaning toward this last location because the opportunity for development nearby is greater. The adjacent areas could hold condominiums and shops.

The idea is for Tigard to have a visible, central location that all can go to. It will include an amphitheater, fountain, a public gathering spot and a farmers market. It is just in the idea stage right now so breaking-ground won't be for 2-5 years.

The Oregonian, Wednesday, August 22, 2007 pgE3

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Washington County Commuter Rail

TIGARD is getting a Washington County commuter rail which seems great for those who’d like to leave the SUV at home but for those who already live and work on the streets that it could possibly show up, it can mean a permanent commute out of Tigard.

One of the proposed stops on this line is 74^th/Bonita but because there is a train crossing near there already they are thinking banning left turns on Bonita, by way of a median to avoid traffic back-ups on the train tracks. The problem is that there are many long-standing, small businesses on these streets that would be negatively impacted by limiting the access to their buildings. Some of these businesses have large trucks that have to do regular deliveries, often during rush hour. The other street option is Durham and if you haven’t see Durham during rush hour, check it out and you’ll see why that is not an attractive option.

Some of the businesses are saying that they have paid thousands in traffic impact fees that could easily be put toward a light at the 74^th/Bonita intersection. The tempers certainly were not dampened by the fact that no one from ODOT showed up to the meeting to discuss possibilities.

Tigard City Engineer Gus Duenas suggested that the 74th property owners could form a local improvement district to pay for the signal. Some feel this would be unfair simply because the local business owners weren’t even asked if they would like to have a commuter train there. It’s is hard to feel that your voice is being heard when these issues aren’t even brought up till the very last minute, the line is scheduled to start running in a little more than a year.

Worse case scenario local businesses get driven out of Tigard, then where would these commuter trains be going?

http://www.tigardtimes.com/news/story.php?story_id=118722958772203800

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Wine For The Rest Of Us

For the first time in Oregon’s history, the amount of wine consumption is actually comparable to beer consumption. The wine industry in Oregon is growing in a big way and a lot of that has to do with getting the attention of the younger generation. It is certainly about time with all the great wines we have locally.

To help facilitate this new trend are a couple of national wine store franchises called WineStyles and Vino 100 going up in places like Beaverton and Hillsboro. Now even the casual drinker is wanting a little education and these stores are helping disperse the snobbishness that previously kept people away. They do this by streamlining the process of choosing a bottle of wine. If you group your wines by flavor description instead of region then the less educated buyer will actually have an idea of what they are looking for. Also, most bottles are priced lower for more accessibility.

The interior of the stores are fun and inviting and filled with comfortable stools and chairs. They don’t want you to just stop in, the idea is for you to stay for a tasting or a live band performance.

With all the new construction going up in Hillsboro and Beaverton there will be plenty of locals to lure.

http://www.examiner.com/a-877354~Wine_franchises_demystify_wine_drinking_and_buying.html

http://www.vino100portland.com/

http://www.winestyles.net/linkframe.asp?wt=+&l=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ewinestyles%2Enet%2Fbeaverton

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Home Prices Dropping Nationally

The Standard & Poor's/Case-Schiller, the leading measure of U.S. home prices, had a press release and it doesn't look good. The annual growth rate in prices of single-family homes has been declining since December of 2005. There seems to be no indication of slowdown or turnaround and the U.S. hasn't seen levels this low since 1991.

On a positive note, of the 20 markets included 8 of them showed monthly positive growth. That is huge when you compare it to winter and early spring where there was only one or two showing positive growth. The really good news is that Portland is one of the markets still showing growth. So while the whole country is in decline and people are complaining about the housing market remember, we don't have it nearly as bad as we could!

http://www2.standardandpoors.com/spf/pdf/index/CSHomePrice_Release_May1235.pdf

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Why Visit Portland?

PORTLAND, Oregon (CNN) -- is known for it's gray, bleak weather that spans the whole of winter. You might be surprised to find that even in the drizzle, according to CNN, Portland is a great place to visit. Of course the sun does come out on occasion and that just gives you even more options for things to do. In fact, from the 4th of July through Halloween you can almost count on it.

What is nice about being a tourist in Portland is the transit system. A visitor can easily and reliably get around to all the hot spots on their list. http://trimet.org/ Places like downtown Pioneer Square for an outdoor movie.

If your intent is to stray from the typical there are certainly some hotel options for you. The Ace Hotel which originates in Seattle, Washington takes up a city block near the swanky Pearl District and has a deferent decor in each room. (http://www.acehotel.com/portland/ 1022 SW Stark Street)

One way the locals enjoy the rain is to stroll over to their hundreds coffee shop, without an umbrella. A Portland favorite is Stumptown Coffee. (http://www.stumptowncoffee.com/) They have five locations and are known for their commitment to quality and the earth. Also they feature a local artist each month, a different one for each location, on the walls for their shops which are available for purchase.

Many say you haven't been to Portland till you've been to Voodoo Doughnut. (http://voodoodoughnut.com/ 22 SW 3rd Ave) The most unusual menu you have ever seen including a maple bar with bacon, which are available when you get done at one of the downtown nightclubs. Yes, this is a late-night doughnut shop which used to open around 8pm but now is open nearly all the time. And for just $175 you can get married there, that will make your day in Portland complete.

The next morning you will want to check out Mother's Bistro for breakfast. (http://www.mothersbistro.com/ 212 SW Stark Street). This is some wonderful comfort food with a dab of gourmet. Think Pork Apple Sausage and Cheddar scramble, Crunchy French Toast with Cornflakes and the Mother's Macaroni and Cheese Du Jour is always a good choice if you are there after 11:30am. It also has a wonderful bar and dinner menu so don't be afraid to check it out in the evening as well, but reservations are recommended on the weekends.

Another rainy day? Our most famous bookstore is Powell's Books. (http://www.powells.com/ 1005 W. Burnside Street) The main location, out of five, taking up an entire city block, it is very difficult to find something they don't carry.

To get the whole experience you need to check out a local band. Try Doug Fir Restaurant, Bar and Lounge. (http://www.dougfirlounge.com/ 830 E. Burnside Street). Naturally there is a lot of wood and a very funky crowd. You can come for dinner, just a drink or check out a live show downstairs. Northwest bands like The Dimes, Southerly or not so local, like Minnie Driver (really!). Like most places in Portland, the dress code is pretty much anything. You'll see jeans with Converse or heels with a mini skirt.

When the sun does come out there are plenty of parks sprinkled around the city for picnics, Frisbee or reading under a tree. Ducks live in the pond at Laurelhurst Park. (Stark and SE 39th) They even have activities like basketball and horseshoe pits. If you're a golfer there's also plenty of that around including Eastmoreland Golf Course ( http://www.eastmorelandgolfcourse.com/ 2425 SE Bybee Blvd) which is boardered by the beautiful Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden. (6001 SE 28th Ave)

Just blocks away from Laurelhurst Park is Pastaworks. (http://www.pastaworks.com/ 3735 SE Hawthorne) This European-style market/deli sells pastas, sauces, olive oil, salami, cheeses, everything you need to throw together a great pasta dish. Or you can just visit the deli and try their delicious calzones. You can also stop by on Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. they host a free wine tasting from their selection of mostly Italian bottles.

If it's cold out and you're feeling like a cold beer and a cheap movie you'll want to try the Bagdad Theater. (http://kennedyschool.com/index.php?loc=9&id=177 3702 SE Hawthorne Blvd.) In fact, if you like beer even a little bit and would like to sample a local brewery you have to visit any one of the McMenamins locations, quite a few of them featuring a movie theater, restaurant and/or hotel. (http://kennedyschool.com/) Many locations are converts that used to be churches, a ballroom, a poorhouse or even a grade school. (http://www.mcmenamins.com/index.php?loc=57&category=Location%20Homepage)

No matter the weather, Portland has plenty of fun to offer visitors willing to explore and be adventurous.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/TRAVEL/getaways/07/12/portland/index.html

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Top 100 Suburbs in the U.S.

When you're young you think there is nothing that could get you to move out of the city. Being away from the shopping, museums, nightclubs and food is unthinkable. But then one day you find yourself an adult with kids and your priorities suddenly change. Now you're looking at schools, yards and safety.

But there are suburb options that are not the cliche Leave it to Beaver neighborhood. This list takes cities with 7,500 to 50,000 people and rates them by looking at economic opportunity, good schools, safe streets, things to do and a real sense of community. Also added into the equation is racial diversity, home prices and property taxes. Because real estate prices have gone up some much recently it has been given extra attention causing some cities to do better than in the past and some to do worse.

1. Middleton, Wisconsin; 2. Hanover, New Hampshire; 3. Louisville, Colorado; 4. Lake Mary, Florida; 5. Claremont, California 6. Papillion, Nebraska; 7. Milton, Massachusetts; 8. Chaska, Minnesota; 9. Nether Providence (Wallingford) , Pennsylvania; 10. Suwanee, Georgia.

18. Sherwood, Ore.

Population: 14,800
Median home price (2006): $303,126
Average property taxes (2006): $2,889

Like much of the Northwest, Sherwood is home to an array of beautiful parks and natural beauty. But the quickly growing commercial sites of Sherwood offer true insight into the town's character: a juxtaposition of old and new, with reverence toward both the city's historic past and its bright, expanding future. The community events calendar is always full and the town's location makes for a fairly easy commute to nearby Portland. -A.B.

32. Lake Oswego, Ore.

Population: 38,600
Median home price (2006): $533,103
Average property taxes (2006): $3,173

One of the major attractions of this Portland suburb is the 405-acre artificial lake whose banks it sits on. Waterfront properties are highly sought, and many residents take advantage of the lake, either by boating on the weekends or hanging out at one of the parks on its shores. Another big appeal is shopping and dining. Lake Oswego is full of many one-of-a-kind boutiques and unique restaurants. And for arts lovers, the Lakewood Center offers top-notch instruction at its dance studio along with fantastic shows put on by its theater company. -B.N.

63. Camas, Wash.

Population: 17,400
Median home price (2006): $390,016
Average property taxes (2006): $2,602

Situated on the northern bank of the Columbia River, Camas is a waterfront community that prides itself on its impressive outdoors. The city boasts extensive forested open spaces and you can walk to the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Its true gem is the predominately residential Prune Hill - a dormant volcanic hill which affords panoramic views of both the urban (downtown Portland) and the suburban (Mount Hood). As for downtown Camas, the city has worked extensively to revitalize its economy and attract businesses. -I.T.

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/103225/Best-Places-to-Live

http://finance.yahoo.com/real-estate/article/103227/Where-We'll-Live

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Market Report

June Residential Highlights Outside, the temperature continues to rise but the market is cooling when comparing June 2007 to June 2006. New listings continued to grow at 12.7%. However, closed sales and pending sales dropped 18.5% and 10.4%, respectively. As a result, there were 13,752 active listings at the end of June 2007. Given the month’s rate of sales they would last 5 months.

Year-To-Date Trends Similarly, when comparing market activity for January-June 2007 to the same time period in 2006, new listings increased 14.4%. On the other hand, the number of pending and closed sales decreased 8.8% and 8%, respectively.

Appreciation Using the average and median sale prices for the twelve months that ended with June 2007 compared to the twelve months ending in June 2006, the average sale price appreciated 8.9% ($333,200 v. $306,100). Using the same formula, the median sale price appreciated 8.7% ($280,000 v. $257,500).

Second Quarter Report Comparing the second quarters of 2007 and 2006, new listings are up 10.3% (17,386 v. 15,769). However, pending sales decreased 11.9% (8,652 v. 9,819) and closed sales dropped 9.8% (8,361 v. 9,271).

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Portland, 12th Yuppie-Friendly City

If you are, or are soon to be a college graduate ready to become a Young Urban Professional keep in mind that not all cities are created equal. Things like opportunity, salary vs. cost of living and nightlife vary widely across the U.S.

Shocking as it may be (sarcasm) New York is the No. 1 best city for young professionals. Not only is it home to some of the biggest companies in the world but the bar and club scene is out of control. The rest of the top ten is finished off by San Francisco, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Boston, Seattle, Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Denver. Go Seattle!

The top universities in the country; Harvard, Princeton, Duke, Stanford, Northwestern and Rice handed over their alumni list from 1997 (ten years ago). These graduates were located today to see where across the country they have spread to. Those who stayed in town were thrown out of the data pool because the idea is to see which cities are alluring enough to get these professionals to move.

Also taken into consideration, where the business opportunities are, which had the best starting pay and where the most never-married young people were living. Naturally the size of the city had to be taken into consideration so the transfered alumni were compared to overall population size.

As far as the opportunities available, some companies are better than others, so to include this aspect the Forbes 400 best big businesses and the 200 best small businesses were factored in.

http://promo.realestate.yahoo.com/Best_Cities_For_Young_Professionals.html

12. Portland, Ore.

"Portland may be growing, but it still has a ways to go. Ranked eighth in 1997 graduate data, and better than the mean for salary to cost of living, Portland was hampered by a rank of 27th for best big and small businesses and a rank of 25th for its young never-married population."

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Can Portland Be Even MORE Bike Friendly?

Portland State University researcher Jennifer Dill is conducting a new study detailing where, why and how often Portlanders ride their bikes. The city is thinking it may be a useful planning tool in plotting the future of bike infrastructure in the city. So far 500 adults have been surveyed by phone and 56 percent of the riders said they wanted to bike more but didn’t because of “too much traffic.” Thirty-seven percent cited a lack of nearby bike lanes and trails as their barrier. Those with a network of quiet streets near their home were more likely to ride regularly.

Next Jennifer will have volunteers put GPS (Global Positioning System) units on their bicycles to track what routes are being used. Portland is already considered a bike friendly city but Dill thinks we can do even more.

Also on board is Roger Geller, the city’s bicycle coordinator for the Portland Office of Transportation. He is arguing to widen the city’s existing bike lanes from 5 feet to 6 1/2 feet for a bigger buffer zone or so that people can ride side by side. Secondly, he wants to incorporate cycle tracks, which is a curb or other device that separates the cyclist from traffic, commonly used in Europe.

There are obvious reasons why bicyclists would want to push for this, it's helpful to the environment, traffic and oil dependency. A bike infrastructure plan was started in 1996 but efforts were focused on bike lanes on major streets. The thought was that people wanted direct routes for things like commuting. As the recent survey shows, it turns out people want to ride on low-traffic residential roads. Very few riders are accomplished in a way that makes them comfortable riding in regular traffic. How many tragic biker stories have you heard on the news.

The idea now is to push for more cycle tracks and "bike boulevards" that feel safe for the average rider and to encourage more new bike riders. This will also move us toward a more integrated cycling infrastructure so that people have more options as far as places to go by bike.

According to Geller, the city’s spending on bike projects is rising but still accounts for less than 2 percent of PDOT’s capital budget. Even with this small percentage there are those who see this as a waste of time and money saying that the priorities should be in keeping the roads maintained. It seems some feel that widening the bike lanes with narrow the traffic lanes and that will just cause more congestion. But if those bike lanes are being used, won't there be less cars to contend with, and less road damage?

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/story.php?story_id=118427835449808000

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Old House Gets New Purpose

On the corner of Southeast Washington Street and Fifth Avenue in Hillsboro stands an old house with a brand new makeover. 100 years old actually and until recently was known as Wehrung. But its dramatic makeover called for a new name Garrett Lee Smith Safe Haven House, after Republican Sen. Gordon Smith's son, who committed suicide in 2003 from depression.

Washington County isn't the farming community it once was. We are urban now and have to deal with urban issues, namely homelessness. Every night, 10 men and women with mental illnesses and a history of homelessness bed down at Safe Haven. The facility, run by Luke-Dorf Inc., a Tigard-based organization with treatment centers throughout Washington County, is the county's first facility geared toward chronically homeless individuals.

This facility is not meeting the current demand. Next door to the Garrett Lee Smith Safe Haven House they are building a 15-bed facility called The Hillsboro Graduated Independent Living Program. This one will be geared toward homeless people with mental illnesses and drug and alcohol addictions and is scheduled to open Oct. 31. This is a positive trend that includes A Safe Place for Youth which is a shelter for homeless teens, opened in April, at 454 S.E. Washington St. It's a good thing to offer services outside of downtown Portland where it can be more dangerous.

http://www.oregonlive.com/swweeklytts/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/metro_southwest_news/118409191322090.xml&coll=7

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National Night Out 2007

Tigard Police are trying to get neighborhoods out to this year's National Night Out. Target, the national sponsor for the crime prevention event, is also taking the opportunity to join in with the community's celebrations. This year 33 million people are expected in more than 10,000 communities across America will show their support on Tuesday, August 7th to promote police-community teamwork. Only through these types of partnerships can we create awareness, bring safety and reduced crime.

The Target store located at 9009 SW Hall Blvd., with the Tigard Police, are encouraging the community to work together by hosting a National Night Out kick-off celebration at the store on Saturday, August 4th from 11AM until 1PM. Tigard area residents will be offered tips, handouts, giveaways, product sampling and prizes that promote safety. Tigard residents can also register for National Night Out during the event. Additional information about registration, including forms and ideas can be found on the National Night Out page of http://www.ci.tigard.or.us. Information can also be obtained by calling 503-718-2561.

Registration deadline for National Night Out is August 1st.

http://www.ci.tigard.or.us/news/07-06-20_national_night_out.asp

Jim Wolf, Public Information Officer Tigard Police Department 503-718-2561 Pager: 503-795-2391 jim@tigard-or.gov

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Staying Informed on Crime in Your Area

CRIME Spotter is a visual representation of where crime has occurred. Going back 12 months, a database of crimes that gets turned into a map showing you what crimes are being committed where and how often. This database is updated with new crime data each month. You can enter in your address and see what's happening a mile in each direction from your home.

http://maps.tigard-or.gov/

Tigard is known for being a low crime area, safe for families. It's citizens and police are proactive and informed creating a team determined to keep Tigard's crime below average, especially "stranger on stranger" crime. This is another tool used to aid in the effort.

Step 1: The first page of CRIME Spotter opens with an Address Query box. Type in an Address Number and/or Street Name and then click Search.
Step 2: If CRIME Spotter detects multiple candidates it will display a Candidate List. Click on the desired address using the radio buttons on the left and then click Show Report.
Step 3: CRIME Spotter then generates a new page starting with a Summary map with a corresponding graph. The first summary map displays a random 1/4 square mile crime density grid based on all of the reported crimes.
Step 4: Below the grid map, CRIME Spotter generates a graph of total reported crime occurring within a one-half mile radius of the entered address. Hover your mouse over the each column to see individual totals.
Step 5: Click on any of the individual crime tabs along the top to see specific crimes along with corresponding descriptive information. The descriptive information displayed represents only those crimes that are within a half-mile radius of the queried address. To start a new search, click the Search tab located at the top.

Rape is included but the location is not shown to protect the victims.

Other Crime Information

Click on any of the links below for additional crime-related information.

Washington County
City of Beaverton
City of Portland
City of Lake Oswego
Sex Offender Inquiry System

Contact Information
For more information regarding crime statistics within the City of Tigard, please contact the City's Police Department Public Information Officer at 503.718.2561 or e-mail jim@tigard-or.gov.

http://www.ci.tigard.or.us/police/crimespotter/default.asp

http://maps.tigard-or.gov/

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