Blog Stories Seeking and finding a little mid-century cutie in the Rose City Park/Montavilla area

Seeking and finding a little mid-century cutie in the Rose City Park/Montavilla area

By Alyssa Isenstein Krueger, October 18, 2018

About 2 years ago I worked with a wonderful buyer named Ryan. Ryan bought one of the cutest houses in Portland- a little cupcake ranch in the Rose City Park area that was cute and sweet and perfect in every way. On the day that Ryan found his magical house, he brought along his good friend Cory, and that was the first time I met her. About a month and a half ago Cory contacted me because she was now ready to buy a house. We met up for coffee and she shared that she wanted to buy a house just like Ryan’s- a little one-story mid-century ranch in the Rose City Park/Montavilla vicinity.  She was living with 5 roommates in a house with only 1 bathroom so the idea of owning her own little slice of homeowner pie was looking more dreamy by the minute. The following day she hooked up with a lender, and by the end of the week she had her pre-approval and financing in order. The following weekend, Cory went to a couple of open houses, and then I showed her a few more homes for sale. And lo and behold, only one week after we met for coffee, Cory found a version of Ryan’s house only 9 blocks away. The house had been on the market for nearly 3 months, and the seller had come down $50k from their original price- which was below $400k to begin with. And because we have turned into a buyer’s market for those houses who probably won’t win a beauty contest, Cory wrote an offer with no competition and had it accepted. The only issue that came up in the inspection was the need for a new sewer, and the sellers agreed to a credit for that.  With a little grooming, some paint, carpet removal to expose hardwood floors, this small and sweet 3 bedroom mid-century has so much potential to transform into it’s cupcake.

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. 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

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