Have You Checked Out Fred Real Estate Group in Bend, Oregon Yet?

Fred Real Estate Group in Central Oregon, find out what all the talk is about!

Has the Real Estate Market in Central Oregon Stabilized?

Has the Real Estate Market in Central Oregon Stabilized? Sign up for free market reports to keep track of recent sales and property values in your Central Oregon Neighborhood.

Welcome to Bend!

Why do you love Bend, Oregon?

Is it the 4-5 inches of snow we received this morning?

The blue skies we're blessed with this afternoon?

Perhaps the it's the many Central Oregon Golf Courses or the abundance of hiking and biking trails.

Is it the friendly people around town that truly love living here?

Whether you're a long term resident or thinking about moving to Bend, Oregon, you'll find many things to love about the beautiful high desert.

Check out the MOMS Club® of Bend, Oregon - Moms Offering Moms Support.

If you're a mom who's new to Bend or a long time resident, you should check out the MOMS Club® of Bend, Oregon Moms Offering Moms Support.

Here is what the MOMS Club® of Bend has to offer you:

Playgroups - are available for brand new babies through toddler, preschool and older.

Children Activities - including visits to Bouncing off the Wall, sledding, fire station visits, library story time and pottery making. New activities every month for kids of all ages.

Mom's Night Out - need a few hours away from the kids, join fellow moms for a night on the town, we rarely meet at the same place twice.

Couple's Night Out - line up the babysitters and have a date night with other couples.

Family Night Ou t- coming up in December our family activity will be a meet-up at the Bend, Oregon Christmas Parade. Feel free to contact a board member for more details on time and exact location. Join us for some Holiday FUN!

Monthly Meeting Social - join us the 2nd Wednesday of the Month at 10:30 am at the First Methodist Church 680 NW Bond, Bend, OR for a guest speaker and more info on the Bend Mom's Club.

Community Service Projects - we participate in a variety of service projects through out the year primarily focusing on raising funds and donations for organizations that support families.

But most of all a great support group of moms just like you! For more information on the MOMS Club® of Bend, Oregon email momsclubofbendor@bendbroadband.com.

Text 'Google' on Your Mobile Phone for Directions, Weather or Random Facts

Text 'Google' on Your Mobile Phone for Directions, Weather or Random Facts. If you're out and about and either don't have a web browser on your phone or don't want to use it just text message Google and Google will text you back the answer.

First enter GOOGLE or the number 466453 as the recipent

Second, ask Google your question.

Find Local Businesses - Text: Business name and zip code or city (Example: Sushi 97701)

Weather - Text: Weather zip code (Example: Weather 97701)

Sports Scores - Text: Score Team Name (Example: Score Broncos)

Directions - Text: Starting Address to Destination Address (Example: 97701 to 23185) directions can be as general as zip codes or full street address to full street address.

Stocks - Text: Stock and Ticker Number (Example: Stock GOOG)

Random Facts - Text: Any Question (Example: How long do I cook a turkey?)

There is no charge to use the texting Google service, except the normal charges your cell phone provider charges you to send a text. More texting Google options.

New Legislation Proposing an Increase in FHA Down Pament from 3.5% to 5% - To Keep Home Owners from Defaulting on Loans.

How will this Effect the Central Oregon Housing Market? New Legislation Proposing an Increase in the FHA down payment from 3.5% to 5% - To Keep Home Owners from Defaulting on Loans.

According to a recent article on Yahoo News "More cash down proposed for FHA-backed loans,"

...the administration wants borrowers to have a stronger equity position on their loans. One possibility would be raising the current 3.5 percent down payment requirement. Proposed legislation in Congress would raise the down payment required to 5 percent.

The rational behind the increase is two fold:

...to get homeowners more invested in their property and therefore less likely to default on loans....and to better protect the FHA...

At first glimpse this makes sense, then again maybe not. If a homeowner has more equity in their home are they really more likely to not default on the loan in a period of financial hardship? Using my recent and current clients as an example, the FHA loans have been on properties under $300,000. Most of then have been on properties under $150,000. Let us take a look at the math.

FHA Loan Down Payments 3.5% vs. 5%

$300,000 x 3.5% = $10,500 down payment

$300,000 x 5% = $15,000 down payment

Difference on $300,000 Loan = $4,500

$150,000 x 3.5% = $5,250

$150,000 x 5% = $7,500

Difference on $150,000 Loan = $2,300

Is an additional $2,300 to $4,500 going to keep home owners from defaulting on their loans or will it keep potential first time buyers from being able to afford homes? If a homeowner falls into financial hardship would the extra money serve the homeowner better in their bank account or in their equity? I'm not sure that $2300 in equity is going to save the day.

Congress, be honest, the increase in down payment is to protect the FHA. Which may be important too.

"FHA's reserves have fallen to $3.6 billion, compared with $685 billion in outstanding insured loans for the fiscal year ended Sept. 30. That 0.53 percent ratio is far below the 2 percent threshold required by Congress."

How will this Effect the Central Oregon Housing Market? Are you financing your next home with an FHA loan? How would this change effect you?

There's a Fine Line Between Thursday Night and Friday Morning - Are you Giving or Getting?

We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.

~ Winston Churchill

"There's a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning".....I'm sure we've all heard this quote, maybe even said it a few times, in our before child, wild years. As I was watching the news this Thanksgiving weekend listening to the endless stories on the preparations and deals for Black Friday, I was somehow reminded of the somewhat vulgar quote. "There's a fine line between Saturday night and Sunday morning" - usually referring to a night of heaving drinking followed by religious repentance. When it comes to Thanksgiving weekend.....there's a fine line between Thursday night and Friday morning. The country transforms in a matter of hours, from being Thankful for their families and blessings received throughout the year, to crazed shoppers trying to be the first in line to get, get, get.

In Bend, the past year we've seen housing prices tumble and jobs lost at record rates. In the spirit of Thanksgiving and Christmas let us remember to be Thankful every day for the many blessings we've received and take an opportunity to give.

Think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege.

~ John D. Rockefeller Jr.

There are so many ways we can give even if we don't have a lot of money to donate. This year the Adams Team is assisting the Bend MOMS Club in their effor to support, Grandma's House, a faith based, non-denominational, non-profit home, and outreach ministry, providing safe, nurturing, and stable shelter to homeless and/or abused pregnant, (whether choosing adoption or parenting) and parenting teens mothers between the ages of 12 to 19 years old and their babies.

Please join us in giving back to Grandma's House by spending a few hours with your family going through your house to choose a few gently used items from the following list to donate. If you don't own anything on the list, while out on your next shopping trip bring the family to help pick out one gift.

For the Girls

• Slipper sock with non-skid bottoms


• Disposable cameras


• Scrapbooking supplies


• First aid kits


• Long distant phone cards


• Body Wash


• Alarm clock radios


• Personal journals


• Crafting Items


• Large and extra large hooded sweatshirts

For the Babies

• Swaddle blankets


• Baby carry slings


• Baby care items: Q-tips, cotton balls, diaper wipes & baby wash


• Diapers from newborn to size 6


• Baby monitors


• Newborn clothingfor either boys or girls


• Premie clothing - greens and yellows


• Baby socks


• Cardboard baby/toddler books

Donations can be brought to the MOMS Club Meeting or contact a board member to arrange a drop off.

It is every man's obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.

~ Albert Einstein