Gearhart Grocery



A Local Landmark

UPDATE:  The shelves have been installed & inventory is busting through the doors...Looks like the finishing touches are being added & the doors will once again be open soon!  Oh, how we long for that shrimp macaroni salad!

Don't despair, Gearhart Grocery is getting a much needed makeover & will be re-opening in the Spring of 2011!  After 13 years of dedicated service, Mike & Jill Graham have decided to hang up their aprons & actually retire.  Local developer, Terry Lowenberg is at the helm & showcases his vision on the newly updated facade of the building.  All breathed a sigh of relief when it was identified that the building would remain a much beloved grocery store, the true cornerstone of our community.  An enlarged deli section & walk-in coolers are rumored to be a part of the renovation plan.  Anxiously awaiting shrimp macaroni salad, homemade meat loaf sandwiches & wonderful homemade pies when she opens her doors once again!

Gearhart Grocery



Marianne Pittard Earns Certified Distressed Property Expert Designation

Marianne Pittard EARNS PRESTIGIOUS DESIGNATION TO HELP HOMEOWNERS IN DANGER OF FORECLOSURE

 

Marianne Pittard of RE/MAX River & Sea has earned the prestigious Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) designation, having completed extensive training in foreclosure avoidance and short sales. This is invaluable expertise to offer at a time when the area is ravaged by “distressed” homes in the foreclosure process.

Short sales allow the cash-strapped seller to repay the mortgage at the price that the home sells for, even though it is lower than what is owed on the property. With plummeting property values, this can save many people from foreclosure and even bankruptcy. More and more lenders are willing to consider short sales because they are much less costly than foreclosures.

In the Clatsop County area, many homes are in danger of foreclosing. It is happening in all price ranges. Local experts say that even high-priced homes are not immune.

“This CDPE designation has been invaluable as I work with sellers and lenders on complicated short sales,” said Pittard. “It is so rewarding to be able to help sellers save their homes from foreclosure.”

Alex Charfen, founder of the Distressed Property Institute in Boca Raton, Fla., said that Realtors® such as Marianne Pittard with the CDPE designation have valuable training in short sales that can offer the homeowner much better alternatives to foreclosure, which virtually destroys the credit rating. These experts also may better understand market conditions and can help sellers through the emotional experience, he said.

The Distressed Property Institute opened in January 2008 and provides training on-site and online. The CDPE is the premier designation for Realtors helping homeowners in distress and handling short sales.
“Our goal is to educate as many people as possible so we can help as many homeowners as possible,” Charfen said.

Marianne Pittard Earns Honor

LOCAL RE/MAX PROFESSIONAL EARNS PRESTIGIOUS HONORS

Marianne Pittard, broker with RE/MAX River & Sea, joins national elite in sales.

Gearhart, OR March 19, 2010—Local RE/MAX professional Marianne Pittard was recently rewarded for her incredible work in real estate with membership in the exclusive “100% Club.” RE/MAX Club Awards are based on an associate’s level of gross commissions from January 1 through December 31 and are awarded by RE/MAX International every February.

Pittard has received this prestigious honor before and is delighted to once again be a “member of the club.” “My biggest goal is making sure that each and every one of my clients, whether they’re buying or selling, gets the service they deserve and the results they expect. I am so honored to be able to serve this community’s real estate needs, and so honored by this award.”

Fiscally speaking, Pittard also finished 13th out of 1,009 Oregon based RE/MAX professionals. In the Pacific Northwest region of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, Pittard finished 48th out of top 100.

Pittard has over 30 years of experience in national sales and marketing and holds many professional designations, including Accredited Buyer's Representation (ABR), Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), and is a Graduate of the Real Estate Institute (GRI). She has also served as a Director for the Clatsop Association of Realtors.

RE/MAX River & Sea is the North Oregon Coast affiliate of the international RE/MAX network. RE/MAX agents have a referral base of nearly 100,000 affiliates in over 70 countries.


For more information, or to schedule an interview with Marianne Pittard, please call (503) 440-0577.

Luxury Home Sales Trends

According to The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing formulas, the following trends have emerged:

Clatsop, OR. MLS: The average price for a residential luxury home in Clatsop County was: $ 490,000 for the time frame of: 9/25/08 through 9/25/09.  This figure is calculated by review of all closed sale for that time frame & represents the top 10% of sale for the market. Anything sold at: $ 500,000 and above would be considered an "upper tier" listing.  This number has adjusted significantly from the previous sales cycle of: 9/25/07 through 9/25/08 that reflected a average luxury home sales price of: $ 659,950. 

Evidence shows that the economy has had a huge impact on upper tier sales in this resort destination community where purchase of secondary homes drives the marketplace conditions. 

Marianne Pittard
RE/MAX River & Sea
Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist

Dare To Soar Award!

Regional Vice President of RE/MAX Pacific Northwest Region, Kevin Northrup recently announced top sales rankings for two RE/MAX brokers from Clatsop County.  Marianne Pittard and Bree Phillips, both of RE/MAX River and Sea, placed in the top ten in Oregon for sales volume in June of this year.  Pittard earned the number five spot, and Phillips placed ninth out of 1,300 RE/MAX sales associates in Oregon for that month.  "There are certainly many ways to measure success in our profession, but it all comes down to how many sales you close and families that you help," said Northrup.  "Although the current economy has greatly impacted the real estate industry, both Marianne & Bree are finding ways to be successful in any market.  They continue to demonstrate standards of professional excellence and integrity while building the RE/MAX brand."  RE/MAX River & Sea offices are located in both Astoria & Gearhart.

-article published in the October 2009 edition of the Coast River Business Journal