A ugust 17, 1994 • T he P ortland O bserver P age A 6 In u it b serU er Boost In Condo Sales Furnishing Colors Don’t Have To Fade Those dollars invested in col­ orful new furniture may be going out the w indow fast. That is, if the windows were installed before ad­ vanced glazing techniques were used. “ Homeowners usually have one o f two perceptions about fad­ ing fabric,” said DaveCulver, Presi­ dent, Pella Window & Door Co. of Oregon In, a local distributor of Pella Wood Windows and Doors. They believe nothing can be done to prolong resistance to fading, or all the curtains need to be closed to eliminate light. Both perceptions are wrong.” Sunlight is the cause, but by controlling how sunlight is let in, fading can be managed. Culver said visible light, the only part of the spectrum we can see, is the most desirable. The light you can feel as heat is infrared rays. While infra­ red does cause fading over time, immediate fading problems are caused by ultraviolet rays which you can’t see or feel. Culver said a widely used so­ lution to fading is a transparent glasscoatingcalled Low-E, or low- emissivity. The coating acts much like a mirror, reflecting heat and fading rays away. Because the coat­ ing is clear, it allows nearly all visible light into the home. New Ultraviolet and Infrared proof windows available for homeowners -j Home Buying Fair Portland Housing Center is ex­ cited to be hosting a Home Buying Fair on Saturday, Aug. 20 at Im­ maculate Heart Catholic Church, 2926 N Williams from l-4pm. It is an excellent opportunity for low and moderate income people, who are interested in buying a home instead of renting, to talk to lenders, non­ profit housing providers, and Real­ tors. We are especially excited that the Fair will draw major lenders and Realtors to the com m unity and people. Spanish speaking lender rep­ resentatives and realtors will be avail­ able Activities for children will be provided. The fairs are very success­ ful with over 150 people attending the home buying activities. We are looking forward to the same won­ derful response from volunteers, and donations o f food and advertisement this year. _________ Dad’s "Be alert for coatings that tint the glass gray or brow n,” said Cul­ ver. "Quality windows are attractive features because they bring natural light into the home. Tints can signifi­ window purchases, and is usually available as an option in other units. For a free information about selecting windows and doors for the home, call 1-800-847-3552. free o f charge, saving the City of Portland 4,010,816 gallons of water each day. “Everyone can take part in making their home more energy ef­ ficient,” says Dick Reiten, President and C hief Operating Officer of Port­ land General Electric. "For every drop o f hot water saved, energy is saved as well.” The Shower Power event will feature a display of the actual amount of water saved each second (45 gal­ lons) and each minute (2,785 gal­ lons) by the program. Water- and energy-efficient prizes such as an electric lawnmower, electric wash­ ing machine and rubber duckies, w ill be raffled off by a towel-clad master- of-ceremon ies. Local artists, design­ ers and companies have contributed "designer” showercaps designed ----------- exclusively forthe event. The Shower Power showercap collection will be shown at City Hall and in other ven­ ues after the event. The participating water bureaus which helped make Shower Power a success are: City of Beaverton Water Projects Division, Burlington Water District, City of Fairview Water Bureau, City of Gresham Water Di­ vision, City of Hillsboro Utilities Commission, Lake Grove Water District, City of Milwaukie Public W orks, C ity o f N ew berg U tili­ ties D epartm ent. Portland W ater B ureau, Pow ell V alley W ater D istrict, Rockwood W ater, City o f Sandy W ater Departm ent, City o f T ualatin O perations C enter, and T ualatin Valley W ater Dis­ trict. -------- ---------------------------- //. Francene Crewe Branch Manager Sales Representative Norwest Mortgage, Inc. 825 NE Multnomah Portland, OR 97211 Office 503-235-1940 FAX 503-235-1948 Pager 503-635-1622 McMurphy's Appliance Center UJosher fit D ry e r ’ 1 9 9 “ R anges From $ 129°° ILW A-ZEBBA 0. rm ls 1=r Realty Inc. 300 NE Multnomah, Suite #16 Portland, Oregon 97232 G eorge A. H e n d rix MBA, GRI, Broker (503) 230-1390 • (Res.) 287-6837 Great Rates. No Risk 1 Year Premium CD* 4 74% dVV 4 Q1 % 4 LVV 66o/o Annual Percentage Yield“ Annual Percentage Yield** O pen Mon. - W . 9:00om to 5:00pm Annual Interest Rate Annual Interest Rate Saturday 10:00am to 2:00pm Sunday Closed heating oils î I p Î i î i C a I h Best Cash Prices 104 NE Russel Portland, OR 97212 282-5111 LISCENSED IN OREGON SINCE 1975 “1st Class Gaurantee" 1 Year Key Preference CD’ R efrig erators From s129°° Speedy Service Friendly Call For Quote A c co rd in g to the F ederal Home Loan M ortgage C orp., the n atio n al av erag e co m m itm en t rate for 30-year, conventional, fixed-rate m ortgages was 8 45 percent for the second q u arter ot 1994, com pared to 7.45 percent a year ago. Rises in condo and co-op sales outpaced sales of existing single­ family homes in the second quarter of 1994 by 5 percentage points com­ pared to sales of existing single-fam­ ily homes in the second quarter a year ago. The national median price for existing condominiums and co­ operatives during the second quarter of 1994 rose 5.3 percent to $87,800, compared to $83,400 a year ago. The second-quarter median price was 26 percent below the $110,600 median price for single-family homes dur­ ing the same period. "The demand in this segment of the real estate market is very healthy. There’s no apparent ill effect of higher m ortgage rates or poor weather conditions, which dampened other segments of the housing mar­ ket earlier in the year,” noted NAR Chief Economist John A. Tuccillo. Singles & Seniors, I can help you! cantly block out harmless visible light and hurt that affect.” Culver said protective glazing is increasingly available as standard fare with high quality performance i million Gallons Water Saved Daily A joint effort by Portland Gen­ eral Electric (PGE) and local water bureaus has led to the installation of more than 150,000 water-saving showerheads in Portland homes, sav­ ing both water and energy. To com­ memorate the success of the residen­ tial showerhead program and to thank the public for their participation, an event called Shower Power will be held in Pioneer Square, Wednesday, Aug. 17(12 noon to 1pm). The showerhead installation campaign represents PGE’s ongo­ ing effort to educate the public about the importance ofenergy-efficiency. Since February o f 1993, more than 150,000 showerheads and other wa­ ter-saving devices have been installed Sales ofexisting condominiums and co-operatives rose a healthy 18.2 percent to a seasonally adjusted an­ nual rate o f 436,000 units in 1994 s second quarter compared to the same quarter last year, the National Asso­ ciation of Realtors reported. Sales o f existing condos and co­ ops rose by double digits in all re­ gions across the nation between the second quarter of 1994 and the same period a year ago. The strongest in­ creases were posted in the Northeast and South. Robust sales and unusually high appreciation rates indicate a market supported by a strong demand from retirees and first-time buyers, who are clearly not discouraged by rising mortgage interest rates, according to NAR President Robert H. Elrod. "While first-time buyers have always been a strong factor in the condo and co-op market, an unusu­ ally strong appreciat ion ofthese types of properties across the board indi­ cate a market flooded by retirees who are choosing to move out of their present homes and into the higher-priced end o f the condo mar­ ket,” Elrod explained. » » Parts A t Key Bank, things are definitely looking up when it comes to CDs. In fact, we're paying some of the best rates in Oregon on 1 year Certificates o f Deposit. Especially for our Key Preference Plan members, Ask us how to join, Not only can you choose between a great rate, you'll also have the peace of mind o f FDIC protection (on your total deposits up to $100,0001. All you'll need is a $500 minimum deposit to take advantage of this great earning opportunity'. • To open your CD. just stop by your neighborhood Key Bank, or }*) call 1-800-685-0222. Key Preterwic Plan a , ^ orty .0 Key Bank o. Ore^n custom -dh Supe- NOW dfm. Wm ava ,«* vanat* rate IRA and KEOGH ^counts spec« CDi£ , FDIC and an Equal Opportune Lender The Key Bank name and mart are trademarks ol KeyCorp jp Americas ne^hborttwl lank ondeposit a. I * I— a