By Natalie Tracy, June 29, 2020
There are times when it makes sense to move to a new city and buy a house right away. For instance, if an employer is part of the process, or if you already know the city well. But for many folks, moving to a new state or new city is overwhelming all by itself, without throwing a house search in the mix. They don’t know the neighborhoods, the transit system, bike routes, schools, coffee shops, and so on. They aren’t yet sure where in the city the want to settle long-term.
And for folks in this category, it just makes sense to rent first! Christy, Aaron, and Maddie were in just this situation when we met. They were referred by a friend prior to their move from the east coast, and had a goal to buy a house within 1-2 months. They’d been looking online, and had some ideas. But they weren’t sure whether they wanted to buy their first home in Portland or Vancouver. After several conversations, I advised them to consider renting for at least 3-6 months after moving, so they could explore neighborhoods.
Oh, and did I mention they were moving with their then 2-month-old baby? Yeah, it just made sense to let their family settle before taking on a house search! So they found a rental with some flexibility, and went about exploring Portland and Vancouver neighborhoods.
Fast forward to May 2020. They had a handle on what would work for their family for their first home. They had tested commute times. They had a list of neighborhoods. And we were off on the search! And as so often happens, because they had focus and knew what they wanted, we found their sweet first home within a few weeks. Now they’re getting ready to enjoy their backyard, have their baby take her first steps in their first home, and just enjoy being new homeowners!
Natalie Tracy
Broker | OR & WA
She/Her
I purchased my first Portland fixer 17 years ago, and was immediately hooked on Portland homes and neighborhoods. I bring that passion to helping my clients buy and sell their own perfectly Portland homes! I pride myself on meeting every client exactly where you are - whether you’re a first time buyer, a seller looking for more room, or anywhere in between, I’m here to help...
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- T: 503-841-4686
- natalietracy@livingroomre.com
