Blog Buyer Exploration and location

Exploration and location

By Natalie Tracy, February 10, 2022

Dolly and Steve were living on the East Coast when they first reached out to me last Spring, following a referral from lovely recent clients. They had visited Portland before and felt strongly committed to relocating here.

Initially their goal was to find a home remotely. Specifically, they wanted to find a new construction home that was not yet complete. But they didn’t really know Portland that well. They had never lived here, nor visited enough to be very
familiar with the area. Of course, the various neighborhoods of Portland are so different from each other, and they were even considering including Vancouver in their search. So, I encouraged them to do what I recommend for all my relocating clients: rent first, short-term if possible, so they can explore, get the lay of the land, and be more confident about what areas they should be looking in.

They followed my advice and got a short-term rental in Vancouver in the fall. Within two weeks of being here, and with a list of areas we’d come up with for them to explore, they’d honed in on neighborhoods that felt like a potential fit for them and their daughter. They continued to spend time exploring the city as a family on weekends. And when the timing felt right, we got out looking at houses.

In the process of touring homes, we narrowed the search to several neighborhoods on Portland’s west side. We looked at homes in West Haven, none of which were quite right. But the neighborhood was perfect for them, so when this home came on the market, we saw it right away and they loved it!

We submitted their offer over an unusually busy New Year’s weekend, with a cash offer was hot on our heels. They came at it with all the bells and whistles and their offer was accepted!

Dolly and Steve were over the moon. In just a little over three months from when they arrived and began exploring, we got them the right house in the right location. They can’t wait to settle in and make it their own!

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

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