Blog & News

April 3, 2012

We believe that 2012 will be the year that home sales start to climb again. Over the past thirty days, more and more experts are saying the same thing. Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase CEO “I believe we’re very close to the inflection point. People look at prices that are still coming down but all the…

March 7, 2012

Housing affordability conditions have reached the highest level since record keeping began in 1970, according to the National Association of Realtors®. NAR’s Housing Affordability Index rose to a record high 206.1 in January, based on the relationship between median home price, median family income and average mortgage interest rate. The higher the index, the greater…

March 1, 2012

Fixed mortgage rates fell slightly for the week ending March 1, keeping interest rates near their 60-year lows, Freddie Mac said Thursday. Freddie’s Private Mortgage Market Survey shows the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaging 3.90% for the week, which is down from 3.95% the previous week and 4.87% a year ago. In addition, the 15-year FRM…

February 29, 2012

The kids at West Hills Learning Center have been watching the progress on the new vintage homes at SW 31st in Multnomah Village with wide eyes and lots of questions. Yesterday, they finally got to take a tour! Renaissance Homes Production Manager Rich Williams and Quality Assurance Manager Mike Jeffords gave them a quick green building…

February 27, 2012

Renaissance Homes is setting the standard for high performance, green built homes in the Portland metro area. Our latest Energy Performance Score for a 2,607 sq ft home was a 74. A home built to Oregon code is 103. Our home rated 28% more efficient than Oregon building codes! Savings on energy bills translates to…

February 8, 2012

The term “green” is being used to market everything from food to furniture, and it’s also becoming an enticement for the biggest purchase most of us will ever make: buying a home. That’s why understanding certain environmental criteria before you shop for a new home can help you avoid the increasingly prevalent “green-washing” that misinformed…

December 8, 2011

The Home Builders Association of Portland recently awarded Renaissance Homes’ Chief Operating Officer, Tim Breedlove, with its 2011 Builder of the Year award. Tim has found ways to help Renaissance Homes weather the recession and find new areas of success. Tim has devoted countless volunteer hours to the HBA and recently served as President. The…

November 14, 2011

As the cold and wet weather sets in, there are a few steps you can take to ensure your home serves you well through the coming months. Please take the time to check these items in and around your home and attend to any that need maintenance. Please refer to your Renaissance Homeowner Manual for…

November 11, 2011

Several factors make a city easy to live in without a car. The most important one is a widely available and efficient public transportation system. Another is having daily amenities, such as groceries, shopping, schools and entertainment, nearby and within easy reach on foot or by bicycling. The best cities have both features. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton Transit…