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We all have dreams worth saving for! Whether you’re putting away money for retirement, a down payment on a home or your kids’ college tuition, it’s easier to save when you have a road map telling you how to get there. As you track your budget for 2021, remember to track your savings goals too! This Item of Value offers some strategies to help you save for short-term, mid-term and long-term goals. Find out how to determine exactly what you need to save each month to hit your target amount and ways to make it easy. You’ll also learn about a few savings vehicles to help your money grow along the way, so you can pick the one that’s right for you. Got bigger goals? To make sure you’re saving in the smartest way possible, consider working with a finance professional. Call us for a trusted referral who can help you organize all of your financial plans!
By taking advantage of all of the tax deductions, credits and strategies that apply in your situation, it’s possible to reduce your tax bill and even receive a refund. You just have to know what’s available to you! The information below shares a few tips you can make to ultimately owe less come Tax Day on April 15. For more ways to save on taxes, give us a call — we’ll refer you to a trusted tax professional who can help!  Below are the latest Real Estate market statistics for Portland and the Surrounding Areas for the full month of January 2021. Click on the image below to see the full seven page detailed report.
It’s never too early to begin preparing for tax season! Take some time this month to take stock of your finances and tax situation, so you won’t have to stress come April. Each year, there are a few changes to the tax policy that you’ll want to be aware of when filing your tax returns. In this month’s Item of Value, you’ll find a brief outline of the most significant updates and important deadlines, as well as information about COVID-19 relief and your taxes. We’ll also share a few factors that will help you decide when to go with a pro when it comes to filing your taxes. If you decide you need help with your taxes, give us a call. We can connect you to a trusted and thorough tax professional in our network who can get the job done right. Prepare now to get ahead of the game and make your life easier this spring!
Happy New Year from the McDowell Team! 2021 has got to be better than 2020! We have vaccines coming out and being distributed, and we're going to get through this! Check out the video below to learn what the market is doing! As of the end of December, we have RECORD low inventory at 0.8 months. This means that if we don’t put any more homes on the market to sell, it would take us just a little over 3 weeks to sell everything.
DECEMBER 2020 vs DECEMBER 2019 NEW LISTINGS are up 37%, with 1,740 vs 1,270 new homes on the market. PENDING SALES are up 13%, with 2,003 vs 1,772 homes going under contract during the month. CLOSED SALES are up 26%, with 2,789 vs 2,213 home closing escrow during the month. YTD AVERAGE SALES PRICE: 2020 vs 2019 $494,000 Vs $459,000, or a 7.6% increase YTD MEDIAN SALES PRICE: 2020 vs 2019 $440,000 Vs $410,000, or a 7.3% increase AVERAGE SALE PRICE: DECEMBER 2008 vs DECEMBER 2019 $514,000 Vs $457,700, or a 12.3% increase The market is moving very fast. Homes are selling very quickly and for more money. This is a GREAT TIME TO SELL, and the market needs more houses to sell. This is being driven by very low interest rates making it A VERY GOOD TIME FOR PEOPLE TO BUY as well! The problem is that the level of competition makes it harder to get into accepted deals. We have great programs and systems that we work with that helps our clients get into houses! If there is anything that we can do for you, please don’t hesitate to give us a call! We are here to help however we can. We hope everyone has a fantastic 2021! Below are the latest Real Estate market statistics for Portland and the Surrounding Areas for the full month of December 2020 and the Full Year of 2020. Click on the image below to see the full seven page detailed report.
Need more space? You’re not alone! This year, many people are searching for a place with room for an office, workout space, learning area and other activities we’ve started to do from home. If you’re not ready to make a move just yet, there are a few strategies you can use to optimize the space you do have. Check out the information below for small tips and tricks to make the most out of every nook and cranny in your home, making it feel like new!  This past year was filled with twists and turns that no one could have predicted. It wasn’t always easy, but now that we have entered into 2021, it’s time to shift our focus toward a brighter future. If the economic uncertainty of 2020 had you concerned, we're here to bring some peace-of-mind for 2021 when it comes to the housing market. The information we're sending this month provides a well-rounded snapshot of the real estate market today, while noting a few trends to watch as the year unfolds. We're also including a short quiz to help you figure out if now is the right time for your family to make a move, especially if your needs have changed since last year. We hope this piece provides you with clarity on the market, so you can better prepare for 2021. Don’t hesitate to call us with any questions about the latest trends! Remember, real estate is still local — we're happy to shed some light on how our area’s market is looking this year.
We are blessed to work with so many amazing people whose hearts go out to helping a wide range of worthy causes. The (5) five charities nominated by our clients that we will be supporting this year are:
Each of these five charities will receive a $200 donation made in the name of the person who nominated them. But because all the charities that were nominated are such great causes, we have provided information below for each of the 26 charities that were nominated. Please browse the list below of local, national, and international organizations and consider supporting those that share your values. We wish you all the Happiest of Holidays and a Great 2021! ALS Association - Oregon and SW Washington Chapter Since its inception in 2002, our local chapter of The ALS Association is the central source for services and education for people with ALS, their families, caregivers, and health care professionals in all of Oregon and the six counties of SW Washington. The progression of ALS varies significantly from one person to another. Responding to each person’s individual needs, our local chapter is available to provide vital services and reliable information through strategic community partnerships. www.ALSA-OR.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-238-5559 700 NE Multnomah St, Ste 210 Portland, OR 97232 info@alsoregon.org Alzheimer's Association We are relentless. We are optimistic. We are inclusive. We are a group of people - staff and volunteers - determined to end Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer’s Association Oregon & Southwest Washington Chapter provides education and support for people diagnosed, their families, and caregivers. We connect with diverse communities in Oregon and SW Washington by providing information and resources, a 24/7 telephone help line, local support groups and educational programs, an annual caregivers conference. www.ALZ.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 800-272-3900 2615 Portland Road NE, Room 2 Salem, OR 97301 American Civil Liberties Union The ACLU dares to create a more perfect union — beyond one person, party, or side. Our mission is to realize this promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees. The ACLU has been at the center of nearly every major civil liberties battle in the U.S. for more than 100 years. This vital work depends on the support of ACLU members in all 50 states and beyond. www.ACLU.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 212-549-2500 125 Broad St, 18th Floor New York, NY 10004 American Red Cross Each day, thousands of people – people just like you – provide compassionate care to those in need. Our network of generous donors, volunteers and employees share a mission of preventing and relieving suffering, here at home and around the world. We roll up our sleeves and donate time, money and blood. We learn or teach life-saving skills so our communities can be better prepared when the need arises. We do this every day because the Red Cross is needed - every day. www.RedCross.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-284-1234 3131 N Vancouver Ave Portland, OR 97227 Candlelighters for Children with Cancer Candlelighters provides support for families every step of the way from diagnosis through treatment and beyond, providing programs such as emergency financial assistance, an annual family camp, family activities, bereavement support, and a hospital meal program that offers comfort and support for families during a difficult journey. Through it all, we never charge families a dime – ever! Our mission is to provide a community of healing, hope, and light throughout the life-long journey of childhood cancer. www.CandlelightersOregon.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-719-4244 6600 SW 92nd Ave, Ste 160 Portland, OR 97223 CEF Portland Westside Child Evangelism Fellowship is a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living. www.CEFWestside.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-605-1806 PO Box 410 Cornelius, OR 97113 Children's Cancer Association At Children’s Cancer Association (CCA), we know it takes more than medicine to treat cancer and serious illness. When a child is facing life’s most challenging moments, they also need emotional healing. For 25 years, we’ve been doing just that—delivering programs to help young patients find their Joy—one song, one friendship, one breath of ocean air at a time. Because when a child experiences Joy, their emotional well-being is positively impacted. Volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization: they mentor children, share their musical talents, staff community events, host toy drives, and serve on our leadership boards. www.JoyRx.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-244-3141 1200 NW Naito Parkway, Ste 140 Portland, OR 97209 office@joyrx.org Dollar For Dollar For is a nonprofit organization that, through innovative practices and a community-oriented approach, advocates for families with overwhelming medical expenses. After founder and CEO Jared Walker experienced several family medical emergencies and couldn’t find any organizations to help with the bills these emergencies brought, he started one himself. Dollar For fights for those who find themselves in an all too familiar position these days – stuck with a mountain of debt after a medical emergency. Dollar For provides relief to these families, working with a team of attorneys to delve into hospital programs and streamline the process of debt relief for qualifying patients. www.DollarFor.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE PO Box 176 Vancouver, WA 98666 Faith Café Faith Cafe has been serving nutritious, hot meals to 75 - 100 guests every week-end for over 15 years. Neither snowy weather nor a pandemic has stopped our volunteers from their dedicated service to our hungry neighbors. Guests from Gresham to Hillsboro; N. Portland to Oregon City travel hours to our dinners where all people feel welcomed and affirmed. Faith Cafe believes in “feeding our neighbors more than a meal” and advocates for long-term solutions to hunger and homelessness. www.FaithCafeOR.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 5150 SW Watson Beaverton, OR 97005 info@faithcafeor.org Guardian Partners The Oregon Department of Human Services documents more than 2,900 yearly confirmed cases of abuse against elders and adults with disabilities each year; in 76% of cases, the abuse occurred in the Protected Person’s home. The National Center on Elder Abuse estimates that for every one case of elder abuse, about five more go unreported. Oregon Court systems do not have the resources to ensure the daily safety of those under their care. Guardian Partners was started with the goal of providing the Court with trained volunteers who could ensure that protected persons are being treated with the utmost dignity and respect. Our services have grown to include providing much needed resources and support to local guardians. www.Guardian-Partners.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 971-409-1358 10814 NE Halsey St Portland, OR 97220 Marc@guardian-partners.org Helping Hands - Sunset Presbyterian Church Our local outreach programs feed, clothe and welcome the stranger through our Helping Hands ministry. Sunset’s Backpacks of Food Program, serves three schools with 170 backpacks of food bi-weekly. Volunteers serve in a variety of ways: order & inventory, receiving & stocking, packing, delivery and pickup of empty backpacks. Open twice a week, 50 weeks a year, provides healthy food to Sunset families and our neighbors. The Pantry is open to all those in need regardless of race, color, church affiliation, address, or age. 35% of the folks served are below the age of 18 and 13% are over the age of 55 years, 11% report medical problems requiring special diets. www.SunsetPres.org/Outreach/Local To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-292-9293 14986 NW Cornell Rd Portland, OR 97229 kirstenwilliams@Sunsetpres.org Hospitalito Atitlan Hospitalito Atitlán is a small non-government non-profit hospital in Santiago Guatemala serving 75,000 Maya living on the southern shore of beautiful Lake Atitlán in the Guatemalan highlands. The hospital provides a full-range of preventive and clinical health services with an emphasis on women and children and has the only 24/7 emergency and surgical obstetrical care within a two-hour radius. www.HospitalitoAtitlan.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 804-867-7102 Amigos Hospitalito Atitlan 2220 Shallow Well Rd Manakin, VA 23103 info@amigosha.org Innocence Project The Innocence Project represents clients seeking post-conviction DNA testing to prove their innocence. We also consult on a number of cases on appeal in which the defendant is represented by primary counsel and we provide information and background on DNA testing litigation. To date, 375 people in the United States have been exonerated by DNA testing, including 21 who served time on death row. Improving the system benefits everyone. Innocent people avoid wrongful arrests and convictions, police and prosecutors are given better tools to catch the real assailants, victims receive justice, and the public has greater confidence in the system. www.InnocenceProject.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 212-364-5340 40 Worth St, Ste 701 New York, NY 10013 info@innocenceproject.org Mercy Corps Mercy Corps is a global team of humanitarians working together on the front lines of today’s biggest crises to create a future of possibility, where everyone can prosper. Our mission is to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. In more than 40 countries around the world, our nearly 6,000 team members work side by side with people living through poverty, disaster, violent conflict and the acute impacts of climate change. We’re committed to creating global change through local impact — 85 percent of our team members are from the countries where they work. www.MercyCorps.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 888-747-7440 PO Box 80020 Prescott, AZ 86304 Oregon Food Bank Oregon Food Bank collects food from farmers, manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, individuals and government sources. We distribute that food through a Statewide Network of 21 Regional Food Banks and approximately 1,400 food assistance sites serving all of Oregon and Clark County, Washington. It seems like a big job, and it is. We absolutely couldn’t do it alone. www.OregonFoodBank.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-282-0555 7900 NE 33rd Dr Portland, OR 97211 contact@oregonfoodbank.org Pacific Pug Rescue Pacific Pug Rescue rescues, rehabilitates and places unwanted, neglected and abused Pugs in permanent adoptive homes that have been carefully screened. The Pugs and former owners we work with are from Oregon, Idaho and Washington and we rescue pugs regardless of age or medical condition, seeking to provide for their short and long-term needs. Prior to adoption, our Pugs are cared for by our dedicated foster families located in the Portland Metro area. While there and before adoption can occur, our Pugs receive medical care including spaying/neutering, dental checks, vaccinations, and microchips. www.PacificPugRescue.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-704-3587 2850 SW Cedar Hills Blvd Walker Center #221 Beaverton, OR 97005 pugs@pacificpugrescue.org Portland Rescue Mission Portland Rescue Mission has had a tireless commitment to breaking the cycle of homelessness, addiction and despair in the lives of hurting people in need. We offer emergency services of food and shelter at our original downtown location at the Burnside Shelter. And we’ve expanded those services to include 24/7 restrooms, showers, clothing, mail service, referrals and community activities in the Guest Care Center. Thanks to generous community support, we’ve expanded our ministry to include a 3-month Connect program for men and women, and our New Life Ministries for men and women at The Harbor and Shepherd’s Door, respectively. www.PortlandRescueMission.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-647-7466 PO Box 3713 Portland, OR 97208 info@pdxmission.org Quiet Waters Outreach Strengthening families of people with developmental disabilities since 1997. QWO is dedicated to serving individuals with developmental disabilities, their families, and caregivers by providing services to restore their spiritual, physical, emotional, and mental health. www.QuietWatersOutreach.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-620-8288 PO Box 714 Sherwood, OR 97140 info@quietwatersoutreach.org Safe Families for Children Safe Families for Children hosts vulnerable children and creates extended family-like supports for families in crisis through a community of compassionate volunteers motivated by their faith to keep children safe and ultimately, together with their families. The three objectives of Safe Families for Children are: 1. Keep children safe during a family crisis such as homelessness, hospitalization, or domestic violence in an effort to prevent child abuse and/or neglect, 2. Support, and stabilize families in crisis by surrounding them with caring, compassionate community, 3. Reunite families and reduce the number of children entering the child welfare system. www.SafeFamiliesPDX.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-906-1027 PO Box 2241 Beaverton, OR 97075 info@safefamiliespdx.org Sam Day Foundation Kids can be diagnosed with a variety of rare cancers that have seen little to no progress for decades. Those who survive face a 60% chance of serious long-term medical issues like disability, heart failure, chronic pain and secondary cancers. The research has been slow and gravely underfunded. It’s as if these cancers have been forgotten. Oncologists don’t have the tools to offer promising treatment for these rare diseases because scientific studies come to a halt before kids have the opportunity to access them. In the past four years, over $400,000 has been raised in Sam’s name, and donated to various cancer research projects with an emphasis on Ewing Sarcoma, and we now have plans to multiply those funds to bring hope to many more kids with cancer. We march forward with courage and determination to improve survival rates, decrease toxicity related effects, and to bring life back into the spirit of young people with cancer. www.SamDayFoundation.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 1665 NW 136th Ave Portland, OR 97229 Saving Grace Maternity Home Saving Grace Maternity Home is a residential home experience for single young homeless women in an unplanned or crisis pregnancy, between the ages of 13-25. We welcome women of all cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds who currently live in the state of Oregon. We have the capacity to assist and house up to four women full time and there are two beds for temporary short-term stays. www.SavingGraceMaternityHome.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-407-7217 6789 SE Lois St Hillsboro, OR 97123 cindy@savinggracematernityhome.org Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley Our work is about all of us joining together to make sure we all have access to the most basic need: food. Founded in 1974, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is one of the largest food banks in the nation and a trusted nonprofit leader in ending local hunger. Due to the prohibitively expensive cost of living in Silicon Valley and the economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, hunger is at an all-time high. Second Harvest is now serving an average of 500,000 people every month, twice as many people as it reached pre-pandemic. Second Harvest also connects people to federal nutrition programs and other food resources, and advocates for anti-hunger policies on the local, state and national levels. www.SHFB.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 408-266-8866 4001 North First Street San Jose, CA 95134 Donor.Relations@shfb.org St Jude Children's Research Hospital St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay. www.StJude.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 800-822-6344 262 Danny Thomas Pl Memphis, TN 38105 St. Vincent de Paul The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide Catholic organization of laypersons whose members (known as “Vincentians”) strive to live their faith by serving the less fortunate with love and dignity and without judgement or discrimination. Vincentians lend assistance to those lacking the basic necessities of life, offering a hand up rather than a handout. Our services include: Emergency financial assistance for rent and eviction notices, Financial assistance for utilities and shut-off notices, Transportation in the form of bus tickets, and Emergency food boxes to help our clients during times of food insecurity. www.SVDPPDX.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-235-7837 PO Box 42157 Portland, OR 97242 Brian.f@svdpportland.org Sunshine Division More than nine decades after those early humanitarian efforts by uniformed and volunteer police – and still in a vital partnership with Portland Police Bureau – Sunshine Division continues its fundamental mission: to provide emergency food and clothing relief year-round to Portland families and individuals in need. Through our front doors, we serve 15,600+ households a year with “shopping” experiences in our clothing store as well as with food (including nonperishable, frozen, fresh produce, and dairy products). We also make bulk donations of food to 15+ other food-relief agencies in five counties, thus extending our reach beyond the City of Portland. www.SunshineDivision.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE 503-823-2197 687 N Thompson St Portland, OR 97227 volunteer@sunshinedivision.org Trajectory Foundation
The mission of Trajectory Foundation is to accelerate the trajectory of black students’ lives through scholarships to attend Historically Black Colleges and Universities. We have awarded six scholarships so far and intend to add two more scholarship winners in the spring of 2020. These institutions are critical to black history and culture, and Trajectory was founded to support students that wanted to study at those universities. www.TrajectoryFoundation.org To Make a Donation, CLICK HERE info@trajectoryfoundation.org At the end of a stressful year, very few things sound better than cuddling up in your favorite spot with a cozy blanket, cup of tea and a great book. Reading is a wonderful way to unwind and if you’re looking for a few more books to read this year, check out the titles below — these reads will help you reach your 2021 goals, get inspired, become better organized and strengthen relationships with those around you. Whatever you choose to read, we hope you enjoy! Wishing you an excellent holiday season and a happy new year!  |
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