By Lita Batho, November 15, 2024
Recently, I was getting my hair cut, listening to a story my hair stylist had been telling me for a couple years: she LOVES her neighborhood. She owns a home with her husband that is a bit small, but they can’t imagine leaving the area and felt priced out. On this day, she was even talking about consulting an architect to build a second level onto their single story house.
Just three days later, my hair whisperer called to say they were on their way to an open house, “to check it out”. It was love at first step. The 117 year old home had original leaded glass, wood floors, remodeled bathrooms and kitchen, and a front porch with roses creeping over the railing. I looked through the listing details and spoke with the listing agent to determine what offer terms would be meaningful to the sellers. I also put together a report of recently sold comparable homes to determine price, and worked with my buyers’ lender to be sure we were putting together a plan to succeed. My buyers weren’t the only ones who loved the house: by Sunday afternoon there was an offer deadline, and we ultimately competed against three other offers.
Less than 36 hours after the open house, I made a phone call a bit past my own bedtime to share the good news that the offer had been accepted! With a short timeline to closing, we got to work on inspections–which are no joke with a vintage house–and spent the week meeting with additional specialists and obtaining assessments and estimates.
I had the good fortune to be working with my skilled colleague Kim Parmon as the listing agent on this home purchase. It’s gratifying as an agent to work with someone equally skilled and committed on the other side. This helped us quickly find solutions that satisfied both the buyers and the sellers. In addition, our team at Root Mortgage and First American Title went the extra mile to bring everything together, including overcoming last minute challenges.
Today, exactly four weeks after my hair cut, we closed on their ‘dream house’. On this rainy fall evening, my buyers unlocked the door for the first time to begin a new era in the neighborhood they love, with the bigger, character-filled home they didn’t think was within reach.
Congratulations, Makayla and Chancelor!!
Lita Batho
Broker | OR & WA
She/Her
Lita has a genuine enthusiasm for navigating home purchases and sales with the intention of outperforming the market and making the process stress free and transparent for her clients.
"I began real estate as an independent agent, however during the pandemic, decided to accelerate my experience and build skills more quickly by serving as a listing specialist for a highly productive, all-female team. Even though there were only 5 of us we were one of the busiest teams in the city, and over 2.5 years, I helped over 60 sellers successfully navigate the sale of various property types throughout the Portland Metro area. From condos and fixers to bungalows and homes with million-dollar views, I thoroughly enjoyed connecting with a diverse range of clients, including seniors downsizing, young families seeking more space, and single women embarking on their next step.
While this experience was rewarding, having accelerated my experience, deepened my knowledge, and honed my skills, it felt natural to return to solo agency in 2024. I'd missed the autonomy and agility that come with being a solo business owner, considering that I've been a business owner for the majority of my working life, and I was eager to leverage these qualities to further benefit my clients.
I firmly believe that whether you're buying or selling a home, you deserve genuine and excellent representation. My consistent client feedback highlights my strengths in setting proper expectations, negotiating, timely communication, and efficiency -- all while being kind, direct, and a dedicated advocate.
My goal extends beyond successful sales and purchases, however; I aim to earn my clients' trust, leading to their recommendations. The highest compliment I can receive is that a past client trusts me with their own friends and family."
Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Lita relocated to the Pacific Northwest in 1995 and has lived in Portland since 2001. She has an small business background, and a zest for negotiation, having grown up in her mother's retail shops and selling Christmas trees for her dad. Lita spent several years as a steel sculptor and public artist in Seattle, as well gaining extensive experience as a yoga teacher. When not working, you’ll find her cultivating an ever-expanding flower garden, doing home improvement projects, making art, or hiking in Forest Park or the gorge.
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- litabatho@livingroomre.com
