S. Oregon Real Estate Forum, July 26, 2018
Hello Friends:
New Home Construction is Down, What’s Happened? ….That’s part of the this week’s Real Estate Show Radio and You Tube Show. Brad Bennington, Pictured R, CEO of the Southern Oregon Builder’s Association joins Guy Giles, of Bank 34 Mortgage, Pictured left. 
In Jackson County, new home construction was down 30% from the previous year, April-June period. For Josephine County, only six new homes were built and sold during the same period. Prices are still up but volume down. Hear the inside story, KCMX AM 880, Saturday, July 28, 10 am. Guy and Brad have been on our show many times and bring expertise in new home construction and new home and construction loans. Join us Saturday.
Last Week’s Activities: July 18-25, 2018 JACKSON COUNTY
NEW LISTINGS: 92 Range: $90,000 at 20 Barton Rd, Eagle Point to
$2M for 260 ac at 5943 Highway 234 Jacksonville.
PENDING SALES: 84 Range” $125,000 at 125 Mallory Rd Shady Cove, to
$2.1M, for 681 A Street in Ashland a commercial building.
CLOSED SALES: 70 Range from $95,500 for 64 Nick Young Rd. Eagle Point to
$685,000 for 7132 Old Stage Rd Central Point, took nearly one year to sell.
Is the smoke affecting real estate activity? As of last week the number of showings seemed to decline. Agents report clients cancelling trips to view property from out of the area due to smoke. The MLS stats show Keybox openings by agent. The big drop, is the July 4 Holiday.
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE UPDATE: There is a lot going on in commercial real estate activity according to Frank Mania, Sales Representative at Ticor Title. 
He tells us about building activity at the North and South Medford Interchanges, who is coming in the future with new businesses and more. Frank follows this activity and intensely and reports economic activity is strong. Frank appeared on last week’s Real Estate Show. So if you missed, watch it anytime.
How to Clean a Deck: A Guide to Deck Maintenance. Now is a good time to clean your deck. I found an easy way to do it and make your deck look great.
Luckily tackling this task is an easy weekend project. Here’s how to stain or seal a deck to keep it looking its best. Before you start, however, you should thoroughly clean the deck.
Tools you’ll need to clean a deck:
- Broom
- Putty knife
- Hammer/drift pin
- Pressure washer
- Vinegar (apple cider or white distilled)
- Scrub brush
Step 1: Clear surface debris
The first step in cleaning a deck is to sweep off any surface gunk such as dirt, twigs, and leaves. This can be accomplished with an ordinary broom on the top, but be sure to pay special attention to the cracks. Use a putty knife or similar tool to dig out any leaves or other items lodged between boards in the crevices as these can rest on the joists and eventually rot the boards.
Step 2: Look for protruding nails
A worn deck that has been battered by the elements can have protruding nails caused by the boards repeatedly getting wet and then drying out. So, a good safety practice while cleaning your deck is to look for any nails that are sticking out and hammer them back down with a drift pin on the nailhead (to avoid damaging the wood itself) until they’re flush with the boards.
Step 3: Power-wash the boards
If you have access to a pressure washer, this is the time to pull it out, or consider renting one (especially if your deck is large). This is a highly efficient way to thoroughly clean a deck regardless of the material. However, if your deck is made of wood, keep the power wand moving at all times and keep the water stream 6 to 8 inches from the surface to avoid damaging the grain.
Step 4: Bring out the vinegar
Don’t have access to a pressure washer? You can do the cleaning by hand with some vinegar, water, and a scrub brush. Apple cider or distilled white vinegar is a recommended all-natural deck cleaner by many sources. Just pour vinegar on the deck and let it rest for an hour (preferably in the sunlight). Then vigorously attack the rust, mildew, or moldy areas with a scrub brush. Finally, rinse the deck with water.
Now it’s time to properly stain and seal the surface.
WE always support Realtors in efforts outside buying and selling homes. Can you help us with donations? See you next week.
