While Portland’s restaurants definitely take advantage of the nearby abundance of farms, orchards, and vineyards, many farms actually host their own dinners. There are also a few secret dining experiences that also bring the farm to the table, or the table to the farm. What better way to “eat local” than sitting down, family style, to a long table laden with food grown only steps away from where you sit? 

Field & Vine hops about, hosting farm dinners around the region from March to December.
www.alliumoregon.com/field-and-vine-events

Outstanding In the Field travels around the word with stops in Oregon during July this year.
www.outstandinginthefield.com

Plate & Pitchfork is an adventurous evening that begins with a farm tour. 
www.plateandpitchfork.com 


The Side Yard is a monthly communal table urban farm supper club in NE Portland.
www.thesideyardpdx.com

Our Table in the Field is the farm dinner series of its eponymo ...

January 18, 2018 by jonkurahara



Are you a renter that has become tired of paying someone else’s mortgage and not building any equity? Or a homeowner who has a growing family and is in need of more space? Whatever the case, if you are in the market for a new home there is no time like the present. Let’s explore a few tips that will help you to prepare for the home buying experience.
Tip #1: Prepare For A Busy Spring Season
First, it should be pretty obvious that you aren’t the only house hunter on the market. Other local individuals and families alike will be searching for a new house to call their own. As you may know, the spring is generally when the local real estate market starts to heat up. So, if you are looking to buy, you may want to address your needs earlier in the spring rather than later. The sooner you can get the paperwork signed, the less of a chance you end up in a bidding war.
Tip #2: Mortgage Rates May Be Trending Up
While this ...

10 Housing and Mortgage Trends to Watch for in 2018

The housing picture is likely to improve in 2018:


Home prices are expected to climb, but not as fast



More houses could be for sale toward the end of the year, giving home buyers a greater selection to choose from



Homeowners will have more equity to borrow from


Yet in other ways, 2018 might continue to be challenging, especially for home buyers. Mortgage rates are likely to rise, reducing affordability.

Here are 10 housing and mortgage trends to expect in 2018.

1. Home prices decelerate

Good news for first-time home buyers: Home-price appreciation is expected to cool down in 2018 after a torrid couple of years.

Home prices rose 6.3% in 2016, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. They’re on track to exceed 6% in 2017, too. But for next year, the median forecast among six industry and lender groups is for a 4.1% increase in existing home prices nationwide.

Why the slow ...

Fed rate hike is expected next week and three more increases are expected in 2018: Reuters poll


The U.S. Federal Reserve is almost certain to raise interest rates later this month, according to a Reuters poll of economists.



A majority of economists now expect three more rate increases next year compared with two when surveyed just weeks ago.



Most economists surveyed said tax cuts were not necessary and the passage of the bill means the forecast risks have shifted toward higher rates, and faster.


The U.S. Federal Reserve is almost certain to raise interest rates later this month, according to a Reuters poll of economists, a majority of whom now expect three more rate rises next year compared with two when surveyed just weeks ago.

The results, from a survey taken just before the U.S. Senate voted to pass tax cuts that are expected to add about $1.4 trillion to the national debt over the next decade, show economists were already becoming more convinced. ...

6 Ways to Build Your Home Equity (and Savings) Faster

A home purchase brings together so many things under one roof: dreams, shelter, status, maybe a passport to better schools and neighborhoods. And one more thing: It gives you a forced savings account.

It does that by letting you build home equity, which is the difference between your home’s market value and what you owe on it. Your equity increases with each house payment you make. When home prices rise, your equity grows faster as your home’s value increases.

Stockpiling home equity gives many savers an exceptional feeling of satisfaction. Those forced savings also are a mighty resource to tap if you’re hit with an unexpected expense or want a boost on one of life’s milestones, like helping a kid through college or upgrading the home.

For these big life expenses, you can draw on your equity with a home equity loan or line of credit. The secret is mode ...