By Mel Marzahl, September 4, 2021
Rebekah and Laina just bought a home with a perfect layout for them. It was totally worth the wait and effort they put into their search. They had been home shopping with Bonnie and me since “the beforetimes”! They came to us ready to buy their first home and had a long wishlist of what that home should be.
We saw a few houses, then Covid came. Rebekah and Laina decided to put their search on hold for a while. I continued to send them homes that met their criteria so they could keep an eye on the market. They saw what was out there, and could let us know if “the one” came up. This was valuable because it helped them adjust their search criteria as they saw different houses and imagined what their perfect home would need to be like.
Once they were ready to pick back up, we went out and toured a variety of different types of homes. Homes with stairs, homes without. Fixers and move-in ready homes, homes in Portland, and homes in the burbs. Seeing these in person, testing out driving times, and spending lots of time weighing options allowed them to really define what their needs were while expanding their search in other ways.
Once they felt they knew exactly what they needed, we spent more time waiting for the right kinds of homes to come on the market and less time seeing homes that they could “make work”. This helped gave them direction and confidence when it was time to jump on a home that checked all their boxes in what they wanted in a house. And what a home! The house they bought has an addition on it that seems to have been built just for them. It makes the house unique, but perfectly suited to their needs and lifestyle. I’m so glad we found it, and it was definitely worth the wait!
Congrats Rebekah and Laina!!!
Mel Marzahl
Broker | OR
She/Her
Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Mel became a passionate advocate for homeownership and investing in real estate after buying and selling her first home. What drew her to it was realizing the significant financial impact the right investment property can make and learning how much having a home to truly call your own can improve your quality of life.
Her specialties are working with first-time home buyers and sellers yet she is fluent in all aspects of residential real estate. She is trained extensively in real estate negotiation, holding both the CNE (Certified Negotiation Expert) and RENE (Real Estate Negotiations Expert) designations. Mel knows that with all the technology available to buyers and sellers, one of the best skills a REALTOR® can have is knowing how to be a collaborative negotiator to get the best outcome for their clients.
After a decade-long career working in operations and client service for creative companies, Mel earned her Broker’s license and made the move to real estate. She listens to her client’s needs and aims to treat everyone involved in a transaction with honesty and integrity. She loves getting to know her clients, their wants, and needs to ensure they get the highest level of service Mel is known for.
Mel brings creativity and an eye for detail to the table with a background in art and events. She enjoys a remodel or renovation project, has a soft spot for old craftsman homes, loves helping first-time buyers, and educating her clients on the selling and purchasing process. She believes in staying up to date on market trends, technology, and tools available to real estate agents. This gives her an edge when it comes to marketing properties and communicating with her clients.
When Mel is not working in real estate she is volunteering with the Red Cross, gardening, hosting dinner parties, or relaxing at home on Bull Mountain with her husband, son, two big dogs, and a handful of chickens.
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After a decade-long career working in operations and client service for creative companies, Mel earned her Broker’s license and made the move to real estate. She listens to her client’s needs and aims to treat everyone involved in a transaction with honesty and integrity. She loves getting to know her clients, their wants, and needs to ensure they get the highest level of service Mel is known for.
Mel brings creativity and an eye for detail to the table with a background in art and events. She enjoys a remodel or renovation project, has a soft spot for old craftsman homes, loves helping first-time buyers, and educating her clients on the selling and purchasing process. She believes in staying up to date on market trends, technology, and tools available to real estate agents. This gives her an edge when it comes to marketing properties and communicating with her clients.
When Mel is not working in real estate she is volunteering with the Red Cross, gardening, hosting dinner parties, or relaxing at home on Bull Mountain with her husband, son, two big dogs, and a handful of chickens.- T: 503-443-5382
- mel@livingroomre.com
