Bluestone and Hockley Real Estate Services

UPDATED: 01-DEC-2007

Baja Mexico – an area surrounded by water- with flat lands and mountains, covered by sand and cactus is home to Mexicans and vacationers alike. Those that love sun, come here. A recent visit unravels fascinating details.[...]

UPDATED: 01-NOV-2007

As the residential real estate market slows down on a national basis, real estate investors are asking themselves, how will this affect me?[...]

UPDATED: 15-OCT-2007

Apartment investors in the Portland, OR market are facing some un-chartered waters. What the water looks like depends on whether you already own the property, are trying to enter the market, repositioning your assets from another market, or are trying to increase your existing portfolio.[...]

UPDATED: 01-OCT-2007

Most buyers and sellers of real estate look at 1031 exchanges as an option as they consider their investment agenda. They figure that they defer paying state and federal capital gains taxes and depreciation recapture until they die and their estate goes to their spouse, charity, their children or grandchildren. They may also be able to stave off the alternative minimum tax that might sneak up on them if they were to sell a property.[...]

UPDATED: 01-SEP-2007

• By 2010 over 40% of all households will be comprised of an age group over 55 years.
• The number of citizens over the age of 65 years will jump from 34.7 million in 2000 to nearly 70 million by 2030 (a mere 30 years).
• The Spanish speaking population will increase from 31.4 million in 2000 to nearly 65.6 million in 2030.
• 50% of children under the age of 18 (42,853,649) will be a minority in 2030. Total US population is estimated at 400 million in 2030.
• The traditional household (married couple with children) which comprised 90% of the households in 1950 will comprise only 65% of the households in 2030.

UPDATED: 01-AUG-2007

The 2007 Legislative session is over and it was a roller coaster. Approximately 3000 bills were introduced in the house and senate. Of that number, roughly 1000 bills passed. The IREM and BOMA legislative committee with help from lobbyist Bill Cross paid close attention to over 200 bills that directly affected our industry. In addition, we worked closely with Metro Multifamily Housing to add helpful[...]

UPDATED: 01-JUL-2007

Dr. Morgan has owned the 10 thousand square foot strip center at the corner of Cornell and Baseline in Portland for 20 years. His father helped him buy it and over the years deeded his interest to the good doctor. His kids are all grown and done with college. He sees himself working until he is 65. Now at 60 years of age the doctor needs to make a decision: to sell or not to sell?
[...]

UPDATED: 01-JUN-2007

Imagine if you lived in Boca Raton, Florida and you owned a 60 unit apartment property in Kansas City, Missouri that was not performing. How do you know it’s not performing? You are having trouble making the mortgage payments. You have called local apartment brokers and property managers and discovered that the market occupancy rate is 90% but your property’s occupancy rate is 60%. What do you do?[...]

UPDATED: 01-MAY-2007

After years of flat rents and increasing costs for apartment landlords, rents are finally increasing.

You may ask, “What is driving this sudden change?” Just twelve months ago, landlords were faced with vacancy rates of 12%-15%. Rental concessions drew tenants from one property[...]

UPDATED: 01-APR-2007

Tony and His Hole in the Floor
It was move out time. Tony, who was the son of my father-in-law’s best friend, had rented one a one bedroom unit with a garage in our 3-plex. We had rented it to him because his father had begged, and because his father was a good friend.
[...]

UPDATED: 01-MAR-2007

As a representative of Building Owner and Managers Association (BOMA) and Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM), I have been involved with monitoring these issues for over 15 years. I can truly say we have more issues at many different levels to face than ever before.[...]

UPDATED: 01-FEB-2007

This article summarizes Oregon and Federal laws that apply to victims of domestic violence, dating violence and stalking.[...]

UPDATED: 01-JAN-2007

I received a card today congratulating me on my purchase of a vehicle. This was a follow up from a company that bent over backward to help me. I went through the hands of three people and all of them treated me with respect, dignity and gave me the feeling that I was their only customer. I felt like a king.[...]