Blog 2024 Real Estate 1905 Porch-Gable Bungalow in the heart of Sellwood

1905 Porch-Gable Bungalow in the heart of Sellwood

By Alyssa Starelli, January 25, 2024

Ever stroll down 13th avenue in historic Sellwood and think “I’d sure love to live here”? Ever wander past the rows of perfect turn-of-the-century houses, painted out in bright colors and feel painfully covetous? Ever wish you too could own a piece of history, a period-perfect home that lovingly retains its vintage aesthetic? Perhaps you saw Season 8 Episode 5 4:00 of PORTLANDIA (the parallel parking scene) and caught a glimpse of this beauty itself? Well this is your chance to own one of your very own! Right in the heart of Sellwood, amidst the shops and cafes, on a quiet tree-lined street just a block from the library and another two to the park, sits a stylistic example of  “Porch-Gable” bungalow design. Featured in Architectural Historian Thomas Hubka’s article “Sellwood’s Boom Era Houses”, The Oregonian, Dec 28 2015 as a prime example of the Porch-Gable or Gable-Front style of homes which boomed in Portland following the Lewis and Clark Exposition of 1905, she’s been lovingly restored and gently updated with both vintage aesthetics and modern needs in mind.  Period details include:

  • Ornate and unusual curved window trim
  • Restored wood sash windows with original and period-correct wavy single pane glass
  • Period-correct front door with window and carved ledge
  • Custom screen/storm door
  • Restored claw-foot tub in period-correct bathroom
  • Refinished soft-wood clear pine floors
  • Antique stained-glass windows
  • High ceilings
  • Bay Windows in living room and primary bedroom
  • Covered Front Porch (shaded/protected from elements)
  • Large period-correct “square” kitchen with slate floors, updated cabinetry, gas apps, pantry, side-entry/mudroom.
  • Brass window pulls, modern but of antique aesthetic
  • Tongue-in-groove original siding

Boasting a practically unheard of home energy score of 8,  she is cozy and cost effective! Featuring energy efficient updates for your creature comforts, such as:

  • Newer 97% high efficiency gas furnace
  • 16 SEER air conditioner
  • Electrical Panel, 2021
  • Electric heat pump water heater
  • Varying Insulation R-7(roof),  R-11 (basement wall) to R-49 (attic) Insulation
  • Professionally sealed envelope
  • NEST thermostat
  • Vinyl windows in basement
  • Restored wood single pane windows
  • Updated kitchen appliances
  • Vented bathroom
  • Window coverings

The neighborhood couldn’t be more desirable with ease of access to many coveted amenities, like:

  • Sellwood Library
  • Parks: Sellwood Park, Sellwood Pool, Oaks Bottom Nature Reserve, Sellwood Riverfront, Oaks Park, Westmoreland Park, Waverley Marina, Waverley Golf Club, and Johnson Creek City Park, plus Springwater Corridor Trail and Springwater on the Willamette Trail.
  • Grocers: New Seasons, QFC, True Value, Grand Central Baking, Etc.
  • Bars, Pubs, and Restaurants: from upscale eats like A Cena and Gino’s to down-home bites like Reverend’s BBQ and historic Kay’s Pub!
  • ETC: Antique Malls, Clothing Boutiques, Bike Shops, Yoga and Pilates

This 1943 sq ft home’s main floor has two bedrooms, a full bath, kitchen, dining room and living room.  The fully finished basement includes a rumpus room and a large bonus room or third bedroom with double closets (non-conforming due to egress) plus a large laundry room and additional storage/utility room.  It has a fenced yard with professionally designed landscaping. It sits two houses and a commercial building from the lively but slow-paced 13th Avenue, which offers pretty much anything you could want.

So if you’ve been waiting for a period-perfect home in an idyllic neighborhood of Portland Oregon, the time is now. She’ll be open for viewings Saturday and Sunday January 27th and 28st from 11am-2pm, please come by or schedule a private appointment with your agent post-haste!

1204 SE Bidwell St, Portland OR 97202
3 beds, 1 bath, 1943 sq ft.
MLS# 24038718
Asking price: $650,000

Alyssa Starelli

Broker | OR

She/Her

A Portland native, Alyssa started her real estate career in the chaotic market of 2005, and quickly realized she reveled in matching particular clients with their perfect home, no matter how unusual. She then began specializing in mid-century properties - both Modern and Modest. More recently, she has included what she calls "Period-Perfect" homes to her repertoire. Her goal in this is to seek out those hard-to-find, unremodeled original homes of all eras. When I started in real estate, I realized there was a market for ranch homes, from Mid-Century Modern to the more modest Daylight Ranch, but few REALTORS® willing to service it. I started highlighting these 'Picks of the Week' on my website, introducing enthusiasts to the full gamut of midcentury houses of Portland. In 2006, I founded the Mid-Century Modern League in order to educate the public about the importance of preserving these gems. Today I continue to focus on Mid-Mod, but have added vintage, mostly unremodeled houses of earlier eras, which I call 'Period-Perfect', because they have interest to clients and are under-serviced too. Frankly, I enjoy seeking out any unusual or original elements a client might be interested in, it's a challenge to rise to." As Founder of the Mid-century Modern League, Alyssa is considered an authority in the local mid-century architecture scene, and is especially proud to include the Editors of Atomic Ranch Magazine in her past-client list. Often quoted in news and radio, she has been able to bring additional interest to her business, listings, and client's homes - many of which have been featured in magazines such as Atomic Ranch, Oregon Home, The Oregonian and also included on several local home tours. With a background in marketing, and an eye for the unique, Alyssa really enjoys buying and selling properties whose interesting features may be overlooked by other realtors, even (or especially) if those features aren't mentioned in the listing. As a hobby, Alyssa has issued herself a challenge to walk every residential street of Portland proper and document the best architecture specimens of each neighborhood. There are about 3500 square miles of Portland, and it's a big feat. By the time she finishes, she will have seen every house in Portland with her own eyes! You can follow her walks on her blog Portland-by-Foot. http://portlandbyfoot.blogspot.com/ When off duty, you can find Alyssa at estate sales, honky tonks, her friend's cattle ranch, or seeking out ghost towns, roadtripping to the Oregon high-desert. A music fanatic and semi-retired booker/manager, Alyssa is heavily immersed in the western swing, old-school country, and rockabilly music scene, and you'll often find her out at shows, dancing, maybe even sharing her favorites on the radio. Alyssa Starelli alyssa@livingroomre.com 503-888-1362 www.aly-star.com
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  • T: 503-888-1362
  • F: 503-961-8224
  • alyssa@livingroomre.com

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