Get a jump start on your New Year’s Resolutions for your business by joining the Cedar Mill Business Association! We meet monthly for education and networking, and we encourage new prospective members to join us for two free meetings, and lunch is provided!
Upgrade your home’s energy efficiency this winter with a new smart thermostat. Energy Trust of Oregon is excited to offer end-of-year savings on the latest devices, like the Google Nest smart thermostat. Use promo code SMART24 to unlock additional savings and get a new smart thermostat for as low as $19.99 with FREE shipping.
Benefits of a smart thermostat: saves money on your energy bill; maintains consistent temperatures; lets you adjust settings using your smart device
Enjoy winter at home with greater comfort by using promo code SMART24. Offer ends on January 13. Learn more and shop here.
If you’re taking on the Dry January challenge in 2025, you aren’t alone. The sober curious movement has a lot of momentum, particularly with the younger generation. According to NIQ, a global market research organization, one year ago 47% of Gen Z (21+) said they’d never had an alcoholic drink.
Whether you’re going alcohol-free for a month or a lifetime, there are more choices than ever on store shelves. Try a functional beverage infused with CBD for a relaxing evening or mix up a mocktail with zero-proof bitters and spirits for a festive gathering.
At Market of Choice, non-alcoholic options are more than a trend—they’re a long-term commitment. From zero-proof spirits to alcohol-free wines and beers, Market of Choice has supported this growing category for years.
If you’re thinking about trying out Dry January now or non-alcoholic options at any time, talk to the Beer & Wine department specialist at your local Cedar Hills Market of Choice where there is a wide selection of non-alcoholic wines, beers, ready-to-drink mocktails, and zero-proof spirits to help you stay on track.
It’s never been easier—or tastier—to go dry. Here’s a simple zero-proof cocktail recipe featuring Ghia’s signature bitter aperitivo and Casamara Club’s Alta Italian style botanical soda.
Ingredients
Steps
Cheers to a more mindful way of drinking and a healthier 2025!
Orangetheory Fitness invites members and anyone new to their Transformation Challenge, an 8-week course that promotes successful results. Prizes will be awarded to top finishers in the event. For more information or to sign up for the event, contact the studio at 503-427-1915. Special offers available until January 13.
A new year is often a chance for a fresh start. That’s what makes it a great time to decide to get your finances in order so that you can find stability and independence. Whether you are drowning in debt or have dreams of homeownership, you can lay the foundation for financial freedom by following some simple steps. Use this 2025 financial blueprint to make the next 12 months your best ones yet.
To make 2025 a financial success, you need to set big goals. Write down the top five things that you want to achieve by the end of the year. Maybe you hope to have at least $10,000 in savings or pay down a credit card. Whatever it is, write it down and then set achievable milestones along the way. For instance, if you hope to save $10,000 by the end of the year that means you would need to save a little over $830 each month. If you haven’t had a significant change in income or haven’t been able to save this much before now, you will need to reevaluate how you spend your money and where you can pull from to put it in savings.
Small financial goals can be something like setting up bills on autopay so that you never miss a payment. You may also want to consider finding ways to save money such as cutting unused subscriptions. Setting smaller goals can help you stay on track since you feel the reward sooner than with the larger ones.
Once you have a firm idea of your financial goals for the new year, write out a comprehensive budget so that you’ll be able to make room for those goals.
If you are debt free or close to it, the next thing you should focus on is building your savings. Ideally, you have a rainy-day stash of cash that is easily accessible in case of an emergency. With a set game-plan and personal discipline, you can make 2025 a great financial success for your future.
Sunset Credit Union is a full-service, not-for-profit financial institution serving anyone who lives, works, or attends school in Washington County. Visit the Sunset Credit Union website or stop by their office at 1100 NW Murray Blvd to learn more.
I wanted to share some key insights into the Portland Metro housing market, along with some context on what these trends mean historically and what we can expect heading into 2025. Throughout the US, sales of previously occupied homes rose in November to their fastest pace since March with home buyers encouraged by a wider selection of properties on the market, even as mortgage rates mostly bounced around 6.75% throughout the year. Existing home sales rose 4.8% in November, from October, which was 6.1% year over year, representing the biggest year-over-year gain since June 2021. The latest home sales topped the 4.1 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet. With lower inventory, home prices increased on an annual basis for the 17th consecutive month. Despite the increase in November and October, home sales are still running below last year’s pace, to a nearly 30-year low, the lowest home sales since 1995. A shortage of homes for sale has helped prop up prices, which as of November were up 50% nationally since 2019.
Mortgage rates bounced up and down in 2024 after the average rate on a 30-year home loan reached a 23-year high of nearly 8% in October 2023, but not nearly enough to make a difference for many would-be homebuyers. The average rate eased to a two-year low just above 6% in September following the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut its main interest rate for the first time in more than four years. But it has mostly risen since then. It was 6.6% in December, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. Home sales that closed in November likely reflect contracts signed in September and October, when mortgage rates were more attractive.
The outlook for mortgage rates remains cloudy. Many economists predict that the average rate on a 30-year mortgage will ease this year, but generally hold considerably above 6%. Limited inventory, helps drive prices higher. Which is why I predict that if the interest rates hover close to 6.5%, our Spring 2025 market will see multiple offers and a wild ride similar to 2022.
With almost 40 years as a realtor, I have vast experience helping buyers and sellers with volatile markets. It would be my pleasure to meet with you, to learn your plans, and to help you navigate this transitional period. This is a very complicated real estate market; I would love to help you understand it. Contact me at jdempsey@windermere.com or call 503.706.6358.
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