By Alyssa Isenstein Krueger, September 7, 2018
Buying a first home is always a big deal. And it’s an even bigger deal when you’ve moved halfway around the world for the opportunity for a better life and the ability to work hard, save money and buy a house. This past June a lovely woman named Ammel contacted me after finding my name and profile on the list of Portland Housing Center partner real estate brokers. Ammel and her parents had moved to Portland from the Philippines a few years ago with the dream of a better life which included owning their own home, and after years of saving, of taking classes they were just about ready to dive into the house purchase journey. I met Ammel and her mom Melba at a Starbucks in East Portland, and I immediately knew that working with this family was going to be about as rewarding as it gets for me as a real estate broker.
When we met, Ammel and Melba had taken the home buying class at Portland Housing Center and had done a ton of research on homes in the area where they were looking to move to. They had been renting an apartment in East Portland and had really come to love the area and everyone in the family works in that part of town, so they knew where they wanted to live. They were 95% there on saving up for the down payment and closing costs, and by mid-July, they had hit their savings goal. In addition to knowing the general area where they wanted to buy, they also wanted a home with a minimum of 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms with a 2 car garage that would be easy to maintain and very importantly had space for a garden. Having never owned a home before, the idea that they could grow their own food in their own yard had appeal beyond measure.
Once they hit the go button, it only took a couple of weeks to find the perfect home- a solid 1962 one level ranch on the very western edge of the Rockwood neighborhood in Gresham. In addition to the right bedroom and bathroom count, it also had beautiful hardwood floors and a ginormous family room off the kitchen that is perfect for large family gatherings. Two offers came in, and Ammel’s family offered $5k over the list price and that was enough to get them the house. The house inspected great with only a few minor electrical and plumbing issues that can easily be fixed, and we negotiated enough credit for them so that they can have those repairs completed right away. Handing the keys over to Ammel and her family was a joyous occasion. So many years of dreaming, saving, and researching had all culminated with being able to and successfully buying a home.
Ammel isn’t done though with her dream- buying this home is only the first step in her grand plan as she sees this house as security for her parents future. Her boyfriend recently moved up to Portland from California and looking into the not too distant future, there are plans of getting married and buying their own home, and I look forward to watching this family get settled and bloom!
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. Check Out My Reviews! I took the round-about-road towards this career...
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