Tag: buy in Portland

First Time Homebuyers, from Handshakes to Hugs.

Posted on by Living Room Realty

I had the pleasure of meeting Jon in early Autumn of 2022 at a wee condo in SW Portland while hosting an open house. It was a lovely condo: very modern, floor to ceiling windows, two levels, 700 square feet. The downside being the many pet restrictions, and a high HOA. The $360,000 price tag looked good; however it didn’t quite work for Jon. Fast forward about six months later, and they were ready to begin in earnest as first-time homebuyers. Off to a coffee date we went where I had the pleasure of meeting Kevin, talked shop, made a plan, and we began. After talking to a lender and exploring neighborhoods around the city, they were seeing just how much home they could buy.

And then…we found THE one.

With Jon and Kevin, it was discovering that by doing their research, planning ahead, and getting all of their dogs in a row, (only because they have four of them, it couldn’t be ducks, and I couldn’t resist.), they landed this gem of a house. Instead of a 700sqft condo with the teeniest patio, they closed on their first, nearly 2,000sqft two-story house in the Montavilla neighborhood, 1940’s floor to ceiling windows included! It also has an enormous and private backyard for all their doggos.

This happened it seemed in a blink of an eye. (Another reason why it’s SO, SO important to prepare). When I got the call that they were ready to go, we immediately began to plan our house tour. It was so much fun! Only one day of touring several houses before we found THE house. Newly price reduced and it was within their reach. Of course, they weren’t the only ones who loved this house, and we competed with multiple offers. That’s often how it goes with price reductions, or corrections as we say. They drum up buyers to act. And act and win we did!

Prepare, my friends, prepare! The preparation for owning your first home takes time, patience, and sometimes a strong constitution. With every client I meet, I advise them to do the research, while I help guide them along the way. Get your advocates together, whomever that may be, whether it’s your bandmate, therapist, barista, pal, family, your people! Talk about it. Get excited about it! You’re about to take the plunge into homeownership, on to the adventure of building equity. Then find your cheerleaders/master negotiators – your LENDER and your AGENT. Once all of that is in order, the house hunting begins in earnest, and life changes completely. It’s an exciting ride first-timers!

Janelle Freeman, Realtor (@janelleisrealestate) • Instagram photos and videos

 

The First Time Homebuyers 💕
THE House!
1940’s Floor to Ceiling Windows!

Buyers, Are You Ready? Get Pre-approved before you shop!

Posted on by Aryne + Dulcinea

It has always been a good idea to get pre-approved for financing by your lender before you step foot into the housing market, but today it is even more important.

Two reasons:

1. Covid-19 safety guidelines require pre-approval before you go into a listing. While not every listing agent upholds this, many do.

2. This market is HOT right now, and you want to be ready to pounce when you see the house. Even if you are just getting started, don’t get held up on the lending side and lose out on a home.

 

 

About Us:
Over the course of their professional partnership, Aryne + Dulcinea have helped over 200 clients prosper in their new lives. During this time, they have prided themselves in their top-notch selling abilities, with homes outperforming market standards, consistently exceeding list price while most of their listings sell in under 7 days. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell, Aryne & Dulcinea will work in collaboration to guide you in investing in your future and reaching your real estate goals.

Envisioning Full Circle

Posted on by Jené DeSpain

Some things in this world seem very out of reach for many of us. Purchasing a home has historically been and currently resides a momentous feat for most. Helping first time buyers take that leap into home ownership is one of the most meaningful aspects of this career. Guiding their grasp on the reigns of the adventurous ride of first time home buying is always full of reward.

Today was particularly special in this experience. Today one of my clients became an American citizen and closed on their first home. In the same day.

In a year, in a world, in a transaction where little of this seemed obtainable, all the pieces came together. The truly biggest of Congratulations to this incredible family. It’s been a bounty of heartstrings pulling this one to the finish line. I am moved by the honor of being a part of this epoch day in your lives. Welcome Home.

When you decide to buy a house together

Posted on by Living Room Realty

 

Sometimes buying a house together is just a breeze.  This was one of those times.  Kara and Nicole are one of those couples that works well together and were on the same page while shopping.  Looking to move out a little further for some more space, inside and outside, these two were open to a lot of options.  They settled on outer lents in a delightful little pocket neighborhood.

Kara was my very first client in 2013 and it has been great to watch her grow both personally and professionally and continue developing our friendship along the way.  These two caring, giving nurses brought masks to us and special treats specifically for me as I dealt with some health concerns.  It’s great to see them settle in a house that will allow for them to build their future family together.  It has been very rewarding to be part of that process. I can’t to see what the future holds for them!

Quiet, with a Pool & Hot Tub

Posted on by Jené DeSpain

As an emergency room nurse, the last few months have catapulted Nee’s daily routine into an entirely new level of chaos. Back in January, we started looking at a variety of options on the market for a house close to her work. She wanted something that felt peaceful, light, airy, perhaps a little like a glamorous mid-century cabin in the woods. Something with privacy and a relaxing backyard. After looking and looking for weeks, we weren’t finding anything that felt right. Then late February hit, and everything came to a halt. She was working triple 18 hour shifts, back to back. The house hunting was going to have to pause. But after a few weeks of chaos at work, she was aching for peace and quiet at home. Nee gave me a call. She really needed a home immediately. I got right to work, going double-time to find her something to bring her some ease.

We expanded our search area just slightly and found an absolute dream home for her. Gorgeous corner lot, tons of space for entertaining, and a huge pool made by AguaPools.com surrounded by a wrap around deck, for less than we had been hoping to spend! With its’ herringbone wood floors, multiple fireplaces (including one in the master bedroom) and solar panels, we knew we had found a very special place. We worked quickly to beat out the other offers and happily got into contract with the listing agent and his seller. After successfully negotiating for a full credit towards her closing costs and a great roof certification, she and I couldn’t have been more happy on her closing day. Nee, thank you for all that you do for our beloved City, and thank you for the incredible honor of getting to work with you during such a wild time. Congratulations on your new home! I can’t wait for all the pool parties to come!

 

Hollywood has a lot of Heart

Posted on by Jené DeSpain

As it has been said so often it’s become the market’s mantra, “location, location, location” can be the essential pillar of any buyers’ search for a new home. In Portland, this quest for the ideal location can feel like trying to choose your favorite coffee shop, because the truth of the matter is the coffee here tends to be pretty darn delicious almost anywhere you go. The neighborhoods in this beautiful city are pretty spectacular, and while I may be seeing things through my local rose-colored glasses, I think you could chat with most folks who live here and hear a similar take on Bridgetown.

When Pete and Carley started thinking about where they wanted to live, there were a handful of neighborhoods that met many of their hopes. We saw some really lovely options in North Portland with gorgeous views of Forest Park and the river. Then we peeked at a few places around Alberta and Kenton, and went out to Roseway to visit a noteworthy bungalow. Once we saw the classic English Tudor in Hollywood, they knew they had found their home. Right around the corner from Carley’s work, an easy commute for Pete, and the best dog park in NE where their pup could run free – this plucked at every heart chord. Congratulations to these incredible clients! It’s been SO rewarding to help make this dream come true with you two. 🖤

Emerald Escapes

Posted on by Jené DeSpain

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I have a thing for emeralds. I always have. The color. The gemstone. The cut. There’s something about the deep richness of this shade of green and the geometric elegance of an emerald cut stone that makes my heart purr. An equally satisfying obsession of mine is entering a space and envisioning what it could transform into by seeing an array of colors, textures, forms, and light to completely bring about a new room. This eye to see the potential of an interior has been immensely helpful and fun in my efforts to assist my clients. While we tour homes, I love the trust my buying clients extend to me as they let me share my visions of how they could personalize a home to make it theirs, on our walks through properties together. Exploring how we can affordably and creatively enhance their homes for a modern market, while keeping the original charm, is one of my favorite aspects of working with my sellers, as we prepare for listing.

While I have been spending this season steadily at home, a number of my clients are in the middle of home remodels and have reached out to chat about their adventures of these undertakings during this time of covid 19. Our conversations have sparked my love for emerald and my recent ache for a fresh landscape to blend, leading me to peruse the internet for deep, glossy, green spaces.

If you are equally feeling a desire to find yourself far away in a world other than the location of your current quarantine, may I suggest the refuge to be found in these luxurious, calming, gem colored bathrooms. Each one swoon worthy of a mental getaway. Who knows, this just might be the inspiration you’re needing to jump start your search for a new home. If you are hoping to pair with an agent who can see beyond just the walls immediately around us and knows how to safely voyage into today’s listings, I would adore partnering with you to seek out and successfully close on that dream!

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Design by Soho House

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Bathroom at the Trullo dei Pini House in Puglia, Italy 

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Riad Yasmine Hotel in Marrakesh, Morocco

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Julie de Libran’s home. Paris, France 

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“Arsenic” wallpaper by Divine Savages

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Just Listed: Sellwood River-Bridge View Condo

Posted on by Erika George & Kari McGee
New Listing in Sellwood!

196 SE Spokane St #201, Portland OR 97202

Don’t miss one of the best condos in town! NW corner 3-bed, 2-bath unit in an elevator building with real dining room, spacious kitchen and three private balconies by which to enjoy the gorgeous views of the Willamette River, the Sellwood Bridge and the western sun!

Two deeded parking spaces, storage unit, newly painted bldg exterior & unit interior, & new building-wide pipes! All in the heart of adorable Sellwood for your walking or rolling pleasure. You’ll be hard pressed to find this much river/bridge view sf, at this price point, in all of Portland. See the 3-D Tour & more here: www.196SESpokane201.com

OFFERED AT: $515,000

3 beds | 2 baths | 1,550 SF

MLS# 20239694 | Taxes: $6,384 | HOA Dues: $650/mo (Gas, Water, Hot Water, Sewer, Trash, Insurance, Party Room, Commons, Grounds Maintenance, Building Exterior, Management)

Bright, western facing master with ensuite bathroom complete with easy step-in shower and soaking tub:

On the north side you’ll find two more bedrooms (one with small balcony), and a shared bathroom:

Host your own private gathering in this delightful and elegant community party room with outdoor patio, or meet here with your new building friends:

Just a half a block away you will find Sellwood Riverfront Park and its 7.6 acres. The park has paths, picnic tables, a stage, a boat dock on the Willamette River, canoe launch, restrooms, a dog off-leash area and public parking. Or head SE half a mile to New Seasons Market to stock up on your shelter-in-place supplies!

 

Your Newest Woodlawn Neighbor

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Congratulations to Lizzi! She bought her first home and in a hoppin’ location where she is sure to make a buck over the years- in Woodlawn.

She handled business and landed in one of the sweetest pockets in Portland where neighborhood gems are a’ plenty. We’re talking Ranch Pizza (my personal favorite), The Oregon Public House (bites and drinks with a cause- philanthropub, which basically makes this a need based stop), Tamale Boy, Hi-Wheel Fizzy Wine Co, Woodlawn Coffee, Good Neighbor Pizzeria, Firehouse (yum), and Breakside Brewery (happy hour magic + brews, heyo).

She’s got a low maintenance 1981 built ranch with 3 bedrooms, 1 bath, a double car garage, and a hard to find, big ole’ .13 acre lot where her beloved Penne pup can run about.

Perks of an 80’s ranch, you ask? A good foundation with accessible plumbing, a single level layout that will be approved by generations for years to come (especially while Portland is short on space and building UP instead of out- see many single story new builds out there? Didn’t think so) and likely some recently updated systems (think about the lifecycle of a 30 year roof, a 15 year water heater, and a 20 year furnace). The list continues! No underground storage tank to worry about (because of no oil heat), and a non-recalled electric panel that one might find in the 50’s-70’s houses. Sometimes those Federal pacific panels show through the end of the 70’s but come 1980 you’re likely in the clear. Besides all of that, it’s a real cutie. Play with paint and light fixtures in a house like this and you can really shake up some new age vibes.

I got a friend out of the deal, and she got a home that she will fill with love. A real win/win. Here’s a photo of her house, her beautiful baby dog, and us because clearly we are excited.

 

 

To personal letter or not to personal letter…?

Posted on by Jené DeSpain

There are many aspects of the buying adventure I truly adore when helping my buying clients. The thrill of happening upon just the right house, the hoops to jump through to create a successful inspection period, the day I get to deliver the keys to them, there are many moments of glee. Writing an offer is one of the highlights for me. Getting to know the listing agent, their seller, and curating just the right blend of features in my offers has become a part of being a buyer’s agent that I “live for”. Bringing just what the seller is hoping for to secure the deal feels like winning the lottery every single time. Part of how I like to shape my offers is to include a personal letter written from my clients to the sellers. Giving buyers an opportunity to pour their hearts out about who they are and why they adore the house they are hoping to buy can be a fun, grounding part of what is often a stressful, full of anticipation time for buyers. Opening an email to read what my wonderful clients have just shared about themselves often brings laughter and tears of hope at the touching sentiment exposed within these drafts.

Recently, I was helping a very special pair of clients in a purchase of a home that had been on the market for a while. The seller was looking for certain terms, purchase price being one of them. After making one leap after another, my buyers found themselves in contract, got into some challenging negotiations during the inspection period, and were just hours away from agreeing to a final price when the seller just stopped coming to the table with us. I tried and tried, offering his agent one fact after another to try and validate our point of view with them. No luck…..

I took a chance. I reached out to the listing agent one last time and asked if she would be ok if I wrote a personal letter to her seller. It’s rare for an agent to let the agent from the other side of the transaction have a “conversation” with her client, but we were working in tandem to bring our clients to an agreeable place, and by luck, she trusted me to connect with him. I did the only thing I could think of, I poured my heart out. I spoke to him personally, and by the magic that sometimes is held within the reveal of our vulnerable selves, he heard me. With less than 10 minutes before our transaction would expire, he came back to the table and agreed to our last offer!

While the selling and buying of property can often be full of computer screens, paperwork, numbers, dates, deadlines, and so much money, behind all of this are people. Sometimes pushing aside the transactional aspects of a deal to find our neighbors, who we share this meaningful city with, smiling back at us, can be the reminder why we want to have the joy of experiencing “Home” here.  I adore the opportunities my career brings me to be of service to my clients while getting to know their stories. I cherish the details told to one another, among the people carving out their lives within Portland’s neighborhoods, through this endeavor of transferring one party’s home to the heartstrings and lives of another. There are few things in this life as personal as Home, and that story is a letter worth writing.

On the Market: 10 Portland Homes for Sale Around the $486,000 Midpoint Price

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Oregon ranks 8th highest in Business Insider’s list of most expensive places to buy a house in the US according to median listing price using data from 2018.

The median list price – the midpoint between less and more expensive homes – for a residential property in Portland is now $486,000, just $14,000 shy of a half-million dollars, according to real estate database Redfin.

How did we climb to this?

According to the US Census, new US homes cost $25,600 in 1969, $62,900 in 1979, $120,000 in 1989, $161,000 in 1999, $216,700 in 2009 and $326,400 in 2018.

In this real estate gallery compiled in The Oregonian by Janet Eastman, we look at Portland homes listed for sale around $486,000.

Wilkes neighborhood: 15642 NE Clackamas Court is listed at $485,877. The two-level Craftsman-inspired house, built in 2019 on a 9,997-square-foot lot, has four bedrooms, three bathrooms and 2,369 square feet of living space.

 

 

 

 

Rose City Park neighborhood: 1637 NE 48th Ave is listed at $488,850. The English Tudor Revival-style house, built in 1937 on a 4,791-square-foot lot has two bedrooms, one bathroom, and 1,521 square feet of living space.

 

 

 

Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood: 3321 NE 38th Ave is listed at $489,000. The house, built in 1925 on a 3,484-square-foot lot has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and 1,835 square feet of living space.

 

 

 

Montavilla neighborhood: 925 NE 74th Ave is listed at $489,900. The updated farmhouse, built in 1890 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 2,578 square feet of living space.

 

 

 

Mt Tabor neighborhood: 7079 SE Thorburn St is listed at $489,900. The three-level, contemporary style townhouse, built in 2019 has three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and 1,957 square feet of living space.

 

 

 

Linnton neighborhood: 10456 NW 2nd St is listed at $489,900. The Georgian-style townhouse, built in the 1928 Linnton School, has two bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and 2,277 square feet of living space.

“An open floor plan, two bedrooms plus den, a large terrace and patio make this an entertainer’s delight,” says listing agent Paul D’Souza of Living Room Realty.

 

Multnomah Village: 7316 SW 29th Ave is listed at $489,999. The bungalow, built in 1929 on a 4,791-square-foot lot, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms and 1,740 square feet of living space.

 

 

 

 

Piedmont neighborhood: 165 N Morgan St is listed at $490,000. The three-level, contemporary townhouse, built in 2019 on a 1,742-square-foot lot, has two bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and 1,381 square feet of living space.

 

 

 

Downtown Portland: 1920 SW River Drive Unit E560 is listed at $494,900. The corner condo, built in 2006 in the Strand Condominiums, has one bedroom, one bathroom, and 1,033 square feet of living space.

 

 

 

Ridgeline at Bethany neighborhood: 7650 NW Kaiser Rd is listed at $494,990. The Craftsman-style home, built in 2019, has four bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and 1,642 square feet of living space.

 

 

DREAMY WOODLAWN BUNGALOW

Posted on by Living Room Realty

This house is dialed! Complete remodel by Olson Design 2 years ago includes Pental quartz counters, stainless appliances, and high end cabinetry with custom walnut accents. Tiled shower & bathroom floors, cork floors on the main, and new roof & siding two years ago. Basement professionally waterproofed for additional living. Home Energy Score of 9! Entertain here or travel a few blocks to any of the Dekum Triangle hot spots; Coffee, Restaurants, and Breakside brewing await!

Working with someone who knows how to help you prepare your house for the market is a big piece of getting an offer quickly – in this case it only took 4 days for someone to fall in love and take the plunge.

Bike Score 90, Walk 84.

2br/1ba 470K MLS #19144732