Carly’s Clients!

Leah Rutz was Carly’s client and I had the privilege to work with her briefly in the purchase of her condo. As Carly always did, she stayed in contact with thoughtful notes and timely calls and they became friends as often was the case with Carly.  When Leah called me to help with the sale of that same condo and the purchase of a new home that would accommodate herself and her partner, now both working from home, I was honored to be on the team.
To serve Carly’s people has always been a privilege AND fun, now more than ever it is an honor. I miss Carly and it is actually really nice to have someone to share stories with. It makes me feel closer to my friend. Carly loved her work and, maybe even more, she loved her clients. It feels good to care for Carly’s peeps.
Don’t you worry Carly, we’re here for you <3
From this beautiful Condo…
To this single family cutie in Irvington!

Possum Queen and Brewmaster Find Their Home

It is tough out there for our buyers but these two stellar humans did what it takes and made it happen.

Here it is in Stephanie’s own words:
“WE ARE HOMEOWNERS NOW WTF. What kind of millennial curse did we break and how? I’m in disbelief. Shoutout to Sean Patrick O’Feery and Carly Van Aart for being the best realtors we could have ever hoped for (if any of you need one, we highly recommend). But one detail he (the owner) left out that is of the very most importance:
OUR NEW NEIGHBORS SAID WE HAVE ALL THE TRASH CATS. Raccoons, skunks 😬 (maybe less than excited about that but they’re still cute), and HOLY JEEZ POSSUMS Y’ALL. I’ve got the possum sweats y’all. I’m ready to be their queen in my castle AND CREATE A KINGDOM. Bring it.”
There is some serious possum love here.
Congratulations Jake and Stephanie, well deserved.

If you’re looking for your own home with or without possums, give me a call!

Awesome House, Awesome People.

Hannah and Sasha are just plain awesome and therefore it makes sense that we got them into a truly awesome house. They gave me fair warning at the onset that they weren’t in a hurry and anticipated being very patient in their efforts to find the one. Lucky for them, that the awesome house they wanted showed up more quickly than anyone could have hoped.  Congratulations Hannah and Sasha!  I couldn’t be happier for you!

 

Cooperation for the win!

 

 

When all parities cooperate it can be so easy!

These decisive buyers  looked at several places with me.   They were not afraid to put in offers, but were very calculated about them.  When they looked at this home, it was an obvious winner, their reaction was very different than with other homes. This three year old, one owner home was in great condition, but also had some wonderful tech upgrades.  The seller works in technology, has great style and had displayed her coding books around the home.  The buyer, who also works in tech, was taken by  details such as  an electronic doggie door, upgraded electronic blinds, beautiful succulent pots out front and the great little caddy to put your keys as you walk in the door.

Cooperation was great throughout, but was highlighted when the buyer found an error on the credit report that required a few days extension but  if not removed, would cost them a huge amount over the life of the loan.  Sellers were happy to extend for them to fix this error, but in the end they were able to close on time despite this.  Another highlight of cooperation was on the day of closing the Air Conditioning  went out.   So many sellers would just leave it, pretend that it wasn’t their responsibility, but this seller was on it and ready to work to get things back up and running.  It is wonderful when people work together with others and treat others as they would like to be treated.

After the  inspections were done, the owner invited myself and buyers over for a cocktail and to go through the house together.  The buyers were able to join the sellers to celebrate the passing of the home and to share information on all the tech in the home.  For icing on the cake, the seller gave them a video in lieu of the traditional operators manual binder for the home.

These two triathletes will now use garage as a bike and work out room including a very nice treadmill the owner passed to them.  I couldn’t be happier for them!

 

 

When you decide to buy a house together

 

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!

Just Listed: Delightful Bungalow in St Johns

DELIGHTFUL BUNGALOW IN ST JOHNS  $389,000

9425 N Richmond Ave.
This meticulously cared for home has a long list of thoughtful upgrades.  Just 4 blocks from Downtown St. Johns this home has the ideal location. The full, unfinished basement is ready for your vision. A fully fenced, private back yard boasts a cedar pavilion, fruit trees, herbs and gardening options galore. The classic bungalow covered front porch is perfect for use all year long. Top it off with an extra deep driveway for two cars and two extra sheds for tools or gear. Don’t miss this gem!
2 bed | 1 bath | 1793 sq. ft.
MLS# 20079684 | Taxes: $2955 | Lot Size: .11 Acre
Click here for more information on this home!

Country in the City!

JUST LISTED

COUNTRY IN THE CITY  $329,000

13290 SW Pearl St Beaverton OR 97005

This cute and roomy ranch home on a large lot is located right in the heart of Beaverton but tucked away on a quiet undeveloped cul-de-sac. Floor to ceiling windows bring in natural light.  The yard boasts mature fruit trees, covered patio, firepit, chicken coop and a tool shed. The open floor plan has updated flooring,  lighting and a cozy fireplace.  This well laid out home fits in some great extras such as a bonus room with warm oak flooring, a laundry room, closet built-ins and a period perfect mid-century hutch. Close to the Beaverton Farmer’s market, downtown eateries and parks.  There is so much to love here at a price that fits just right!

 

3 bed | 1 bath | 1085 sq. ft.
MLS# 20649264 | Taxes: $3022 | Lot Size: .20 Acre
SEAN O’FEERY and CARLY VAN AART
Licensed Brokers in Oregon
206-795-0703
sean@livingroomre.com

 

We Wear Many Hats: Chapter 4

From an outsider’s perspective a career in real estate can seem like a dream. With HGTV cranking out series after series depicting agents showing a few houses one day, a short montage of renovation and a happy family reveal, it makes it all look so easy. With it’s flexible schedule and theoretically enormous income, what’s not to love?! Well, as with any job, there is more to being a REALTOR® than meets the eye. A truly dedicated REALTOR®, in my mind, is far more than a salesperson. Although marketing and showing a home in it’s best light is indeed a much needed skill, a good REALTOR® is most importantly an advocate for their buyers and sellers and, as such, there is great depth to the job. All said and done, our work requires us to utilize a very diverse set of skills and this blog series lets you in on the nitty gritty of some of the less commonly acknowledged hats that we wear.

Real Estate Agent as a Marketing Guru:

Anyone that has ever shopped for houses online can tell you a story about the horrendous pictures they’ve seen of homes or if you’ve toured a few houses you know some pictures make a home look either better or worse than the reality of the home. These listings did not represent the home to the world in its best light. A good agent has an eye for how to make your house shine and will work hard to play up its best features and minimize any issues that could be objectionable.  A good agent also works hard to ensure that the home is seen by as many prospective buyers as possible. Holding open houses and making individual tours as easy as possible can go a long way to both help as many people see the house as possible, but also to build good will with the agent of a prospective buyer.   Maintaining a reputation as an outstanding agent is equally important to our success as is marketing on behalf of each client.  I find that often I will get opportunities both buying and selling homes because I am a full time dedicated agent with an agency that is highly respected.  Agents on the other side of a deal want to be sure the offer they are accepting is the real deal and my reputation as an agent and the quality of communication I bring can help bring strength to an offer.

We Wear Many Hats: Chapter 1

From an outsider’s perspective a career in real estate can seem like a dream. With HGTV cranking out series after series depicting agents showing a few houses one day, a short montage of renovation and a happy family reveal, it makes it all look so easy. With it’s flexible schedule and theoretically enormous income, what’s not to love?! Well, as with any job, there is more to being a REALTOR® than meets the eye. A truly dedicated realtor, in my mind, is far more than a salesperson. Although marketing and showing a home in it’s best light is indeed a much needed skill, a good REALTOR® is most importantly an advocate for their buyers and sellers and, as such, there is great depth to the job. All said and done, our work requires us to utilize a very diverse set of skills and this blog series lets you in on the nitty gritty of some of the less commonly acknowledged hats that we wear.

Real Estate Agent as a Project Manager:

You get what you pay for and when you opt to hire a full service realtor, such as myself,  you can anticipate to not only receive vetted contractor referrals from me, I can also be highly involved with scheduling and oversight of these contractors.

For sellers, we formulate a comprehensive and strategic plan to guide them as they prepare to list their property.  Working with the seller to execute the plan is one of my favorite hats to wear.

On the flip side, similar work is done on behalf of the buyer as they perform their due diligence on the property that they plan to purchase.  Immediately after a buyer has had an offer accepted we jump into action scheduling important inspections to ensure that our client is making a well informed decision about the physical health of the house in which they are investing. Whether or not our buyer can be there we attend all inspections of which there are generally a minimum of four. In the case of Anna and Daniel, there was a lot of work to be done when they found their charming little cottage in Creston-Kenilworth. Keeping budget and location top of mind, they decided to dive into a fixer. As is often the case with a house that has deferred maintenance, there were a number of issues found during the inspections that needed further investigation. All said and done, I organized bids and repairs with 9 different contractors over the course of their purchase. Because I love learning new things,  I truly enjoyed the process.  Learning about the inner workings of this house through thorough investigation allowed for Anna and Daniel to be well informed but I also gained knowledge that contributes to even better service for future clients. Although I consider this coordination part of my job, I often forget that not all agents are willing to take on this role with the same level of commitment, it felt oh so good when, over a champagne toast at their new home, Anna and Daniel expressed their gratitude for this behind the scenes work on their behalf. It was a great reminder that going that extra mile really does matter.

 

Whether buying for the first time, selling a cherished family home or relocating to this fantastic city, it is truly an honor to see my clients through their transition and make the process fun and painless.