By Alyssa Isenstein Krueger, November 24, 2020
Nowhere in Portland proper on the east side is competition for what few decent homes are on the market fiercest then in N/NE Portland, and in particular Kenton, Overlook and Arbor Lodge and Concordia. Any decent home listed under $500k WILL get multiple offers. Going into the house hunting search, I warned my buyers Josie and Brandon of what to expect if they wanted to buy a house in those parts of town. First weekend we went out looking they found a house that was full of charm and had a great location. After seeing it, they went home, slept on it and decided to put in an offer. It was an a cute house but had an awkward layout, so they were only willing to offer so much. And unsurprisingly, they lost out on that house. And then a couple of weeks later another sweet vintage home in Concordia came on the market that checked most of the boxes. After we saw that one, they went home, slept on it and decided to put in an offer. And same story on this one- they were not willing to pay as high as it was going to go, so they lost out on that one.
We kept looking at houses and then a sweet vintage bungalow in the heart of Kenton came on the market. We went to check it out and the entire time we wandered around Josie kept repeating that this was their house, and they were willing to give it their all to get THIS house, and those other 2 houses were just practice houses. And because it was super cute, in great condition and in a stellar location- the ultimate trifecta- it received 7 offers. We put in an escalation clause and threw in some other carrots and thankfully the seller accepted Josie and Brandon’s offer! Transaction went smoothly and here they are- one month after having their offer accepted!
Alyssa Isenstein Krueger
Broker | OR
She/Her
I am living the dream. Working as a real estate broker in my home town brings this native Portland gal joy beyond measure.
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I took the round-about-road towards this career. After graduating from Sarah Lawrence College in NY two decades ago with a degree in liberal arts/creative writing, I returned to my hometown of PDX and got a job in a legendary record store of days gone by, worked as a music and culture writer for Portland’s oldest weekly publication while pursuing a graduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning at Portland State University. Armed with my masters degree, I moved into the realm of affordable housing, community development, and urban planning, and then rounded the corner with a long stay in arts management then back around the bend when I got my real estate license and went to work for a non-profit housing builder at the cusp of the market crash in 2007.
In the time between that market crash and the ensuing madness, I’ve stayed on top of the market like a dog guarding a bone. Using a magical combination of experience, instinct, and market data, I know what homes are worth, I know how to write a terrific offer, and I know how to help a seller market a home and receive and accept a great offer.
Mutual trust and tender relationship building is the basis and foundation of my real estate practice. I use my skills as an active listener, creative solution finder and ace negotiator to get my clients the best price on a home, win the multiple offer roulette, and have as smooth and easy transaction as possible. Timely and responsive communication is the most important aspect of building trust and I don’t take that part lightly. I am a stickler for details and nothing pleases me more than guiding a client through the home buying or selling process (and sometimes both at the same time). My role is one of advocate, advisor, partner, transaction organizer, and counselor. I am a partner broker with Portland Housing Center and relish the opportunity to work with eager first time home buyers.
I have a knack for seeing the potential in almost any home and love to help clients see past what is and help them envision what can be. I have a decade of first-hand experience renovating and caressing my bungalow in Ladd’s Addition and had the honor of having my own home featured in a story in the Oregonian’s Homes and Gardens section. I can feel the love for any and almost all homes, but my heart goes all aflutter when entering a museum quality time capsule house -- the solid mid-century ones with the original pink or green tiled bathrooms, those charming early 1900’s farmhouses with the original kitchen cabinets and fir countertops, the cozy bungalows with the built-ins still intact.
When I’m not working with clients, you’ll find me hanging with my two boys, Kalman and Saul, and my husband Robert, a Fine Art Conservator with his own business, Cascadia Art Conservation Center. Retired racing greyhounds have been my constant companions since 1997, and our family includes Peanut the greyhound, Pinto the South Korean Italian greyhound, our 2 cats Spaghetti and Will, and our chickens, Rosie, Lil' Peck, Penelope and Nugget.
I am an obsessive gardener/plant fiend and love that we live in a climate where I can grow eucalyptus trees (I have 3 in my yard including a couple I started from seed) alongside blueberry bushes (6 in my yard). Given some free time, you’ll find me junking at an estate sale, dreaming of high brow junk, low brow art, making things, sewing, reading and dreaming of tropical locales.
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- T: 503-724-6933
- PDXHappyHouse@gmail.com
