By Cristen Lincoln, March 30, 2020
Not only was Kara purchasing her investment property from across the world in Spain, she was chasing a timeline due to the 1031 exchange rules. When you sell one investment property to buy another, you can avoid taxes by doing a “tax deferred exchange.” It has a strict set of rules to follow if you want to avoid paying taxes on your sale, and one of them is how quickly you need to identify and close on the next place. So we have a buyer in Spain, on a tight deadline, looking for a needle in a haystack. She wants new construction, either a duplex or house with ADU. Being in Spain, she won’t have the bandwidth to do lots of fix up, so newer was at the top of her list of important boxes to check. We found that her top price of $600, just wasn’t quite enough. There were options,but they were all just a little bit more. Being in Spain, she couldn’t qualify for a loan here, so we got creative. We searched until we found a seller willing to carry back the balance of the purchase price, with a large portion in cash. We found it! Perfect newer construction house with the cutest detached ADU. Both already rented to some awesome folks who love their home. We got it put together just as the pandemic was ramping up. Our buyer had to leave Spain, go through testing and quarantine to get back to the states. She made it just in time to sign documents and close on schedule. We had everything ready and waiting for her, so she only had to worry about getting herself where she needed to be.
What a roller coaster! There were many moving parts to this, and lots of challenges to proactively navigate and problem solve. This is where we shine though. At the end of it all, she said it was “easy” despite everything that was going on. Behind the scenes, I wouldn’t have called it an easy one. But the goal is always to have the client feel it was. So, mission accomplished on several levels with this one. The most important of course is that Kara got everything she wanted, and on schedule!
Cristen Lincoln
Principal Broker | Earth Advantage | Business Development | OR
She/Her
Cristen has been a Portland real estate broker since 1993, giving her an exceptional understanding of the industry and the local market. She was born here, grew up here, and raised her own family here. She knows the parks, the farmers’ markets, the schools, the hidden corners, and the joyful quirks of Portland’s bustling neighborhoods.
Cristen’s deep-rooted knowledge of the area means she understands the audience for a house. She understands what a potential buyer is looking for, the process they go through when choosing a home, and what details matter most. This makes her the ideal guide to help you prepare your home for market. She is an expert in maximizing the value of your home while minimizing unnecessary improvements.
With the confident and tranquil mastery that comes with experience, Cristen is often three steps ahead—holding future possibilities, ideas, and strategies that will navigate her clients toward achieving their long-term goals. Known for her calm demeanor in the face of any size challenge, Cristen is respected in her industry for being an exceptional negotiator and strong advocate for her clients, even in the toughest of circumstances.
With intention and spirit, Cristen has built her real estate team around her core values of honesty, hard work, follow-through, and serious play.
A top broker in the city, Cristen has been named a Portland Monthly Five Star Agent year after year. She has received the Seven Star Certificate of Excellence and the Top 500 in the nation award from Broker★Agent™ Advisor. Cristen is a key member of Living Room Realty’s leadership team where she mentors, teaches, and coaches Portland’s top real estate brokers.
When not working, Cristen is likely immersed in outdoor play with her husband, her kids, or a pup by her side. Whether she’s hiking, gardening, snowboarding, or walking the sands of the Oregon Coast, nature is the place Cristen goes for inspiration and restorative balance.
ADDITIONAL AWARDS & AFFILIATIONS- Broker★Agent™ Advisor ‘Top 500" and "Certificate of Excellence"
- Portland Monthly Five Star Agent for past 7 years
- 10 Best of 2015: Client Satisfaction – American Institute of Real Estate Professionals
- Mt Tabor Park Stewardship Fund Committee Member
- Past PMAR Public Relations Committee Member
- Former Mt Tabor Middle school PTA and Auction Committee Member
- Past PTA board member at Atkinson school and Auction Committee Member
- Franklin High School PTA Member
- Impact NW Volunteer and Community Liaison
- Past Member Rose Chapter National Charity League
- Member 99 Girlfriends Collective Giving For Impact
- T: 503-260-2414
- cristen@livingroomre.com
