Hello, its Real Estate by Julia!

Posted on April 18, 2024April 20, 2024 by Julia Robertson

Let me re-introduce myself.

Hello, I’m Julia! Real Estate Broker in Oregon, Washington and Utah.

I’ve lived in every state along the West coast and across the Rocky Mountains.

I relocated to Oregon the summer of 2006, where I immersed into the beautiful and weird city of Eugene. My business as a furniture sales rep drove me to every corner of Oregon and Southwest Washington. I found myself in Portland a few years later, where I lived in Happy Valley, Vancouver, Sellwood, and Milwaukie. Meanwhile I began selling Real Estate in late 2012; with my background in sales, marketing, and interior design, this was a natural fit!

Though I spend much of my time in the city, I love exploring the outskirts and eventually found myself specializing selling hobby farms along the Washougal River, Oregon City, and Clackamas. I spent many years renovating a 1930’s Tudor on a large property in Milwaukie, where I poured my heart into creating a beautiful home there. I touched every corner of this home, while managing projects and hiring contractors, I became a self taught project manager.

I’ve helped many clients and friends navigate home renovations, identify home improvements, and make design choices.

I spent the past few years exploring Northern Utah, expanding my design skillset and working with a luxury real estate brokerage in a ski town.

My career has been intertwined with real estate and the home furnishings industry. Listing homes and marketing interiors have become my passion for two decades. Helping people discover design opportunities and preparing a home to sell is what I love. I negotiate fierce and fair on behalf of my clients and pride myself in providing my clients the best experience buying or selling a home.

I’m excited to be back with Living Room Realty where I dedicated 6 years building and growing with our real estate community in Portland Metro and SW Washington.

If you’re looking to explore both sides of the river to buy, sell, invest, or rent– I can help. You’ll find me at our downtown Vancouver office or any of our Portland locations. Stay in touch with me on my instagram @realestatebyjulia, where I’ll be sharing all things real estate, food & fun, and hosting upcoming classes and events.

Cheers,

Julia Robertson, Realtor | Oregon, Washington, & Utah

Living Room Realty

541-505-1111 | @realestatebyjulia

The Value of a Realtor with an Architecture Background

Posted on September 27, 2023 by Tracey Henkels

A common trait of realtors is that real estate was likely not their first career. Many of our agents here at Living Room started their careers elsewhere; education, architecture, advertising, the service industry. This mix of experiences and expertise is what makes us unique and allows us to bring diverse value to our clients and transactions.

I feel fortunate to have started my career in architecture. When I reflect, I realize how many congruences there are between the two professions and the immeasurable value that background has afforded to my business and my clients.

Design Insight: Architects possess a deep understanding of spatial design, aesthetics, and functionality. This expertise enables them to evaluate properties with a discerning eye, recognizing potential for renovations or improvements that can add value to a property. This insight can also be a game-changer when identifying aspects of a property that may pose issues in the immediate, or have potential for headaches in the future.
Project Management: Architects are well-versed in managing complex projects, from conception to completion. This project management experience is invaluable during a complex transaction, preparing a listing for market or guiding a client through a remodel or repair project.
Visualization: Architects excel in visualizing spaces and communicating their ideas effectively through drawings and models. This skill is essential to helping clients envision the potential of any space.
Problem-Solving: Architects are adept at finding creative solutions to design and construction challenges. This problem-solving mindset is extremely valuable when unforeseen issues frequently arise that require negotiation between many parties.

Whether you’re building or improving a space with the guidance of an architect, or you find a turnkey home with the support of a realtor – you must have a defined vision and a blueprint for execution. An architect literally creates that blueprint and a realtor procures the space that fits all of the criteria – but all of the minute details and how each piece fits together to form the whole is always front-of-mind for both professions. The use of that space is what drives us. And our ability to listen, prioritize and advise our clients is how we actualize the vision.

Architects and realtors help people create one of the most beautiful and sacred spaces in our lives: our homes. Make sure you work with a real estate professional you trust. If you can find someone who also offers unique skills, knowledge, and vision – that’s priceless.

Oh Interwebs, You Clever Minx

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Living Room Realty

Hi, Readers!

I’m aging myself by saying this, but the Internet was born my freshman year in college. I remember how… weird… it felt to suddenly have instant access to so much information. Little did I know then that technology would play a huge part in my life, as part of my career path has involved developing digitally-focused brand communications campaigns and platforms. It’s not lost on me that most of us turn to the all knowing Google to seek out information. That’s why I’ve been working on beefing up my online presence. I still am working on it, and frankly, could use help — are you a digital marketing whiz that can give me a call? — Anyhoooo….

When Andrew called me, he said he found me online and was impressed with my Zillow reviews. He was in the process of relocating to Portland from Montana (we had that in common – I used to live in Whitefish back in my TV news days). He was a creative marketer, who leads growth at Moment. He is Dad to 2 boys (same! Well, I’m a Mom), and he and his wife Lisa love modern clean design, houseplants and color. (ME TOOOOOO)

I saw a home came up in the Sunlight Holding Company. After texting dead emojis back and forth to Andrew and Lisa, I literally turned my car around as I was pulling into my driveway to get us inside. Little did I know that Lisa had considered living in a commune after college. This little village sits in the trees and is Portland’s oldest co-housing community. The distinct designs let the light in, and have clever layouts that maximize space.

We scooped it up and went pending the first day on the market. I created a rapport with the listing agent, Lisa and Andrew offered what the sellers needed to see, and… through some sleuthing online, the buyers learned about Andrew’s company and left out a lens cover that Moment makes as a sign of solidarity. Ahhh… I love it when the Universe does this. Or, in this case, was it the Internet? At any rate, I’m grateful. If you have questions about design, houseplants, color, brands, Montana, real estate, or just want a good cup of coffee, I hope you reach out.

Till then, high fives!

A Traditional Tabor Gets an Edge + Some Tips to Get Ready to List

Posted on August 25, 2020August 25, 2020 by Living Room Realty

Hello Readers!

If you’ve followed along on my recent real estate adventures, you’ll remember I had the opportunity to recently list and help sell a wonderful traditional home on Mt. Tabor. I am so excited for my seller as he moves on to his next chapter, and for the new owners who are sure to make many happy memories on this special piece of property. What you may not know is that we spent nearly three months getting this beauty ready for market; the multiple offers and above asking sales price paid off. Thought I’d share a couple tips to help you if you’re thinking about selling:

Never underestimate curb appeal. We used a heavy duty power washer to get rid of years of moss buildup (not the charming English-looking kind) on the patios, sidewalks, retaining walls and driveways. It was giving the house a tired and sort of sad vibe. 3 days later it was shiny and fresh. We also pruned, weeded and added fresh mulch to the beds and gardens.
Power of paint abides. You know me and paint, and color. This house and the before and after was actually featured by Miller Paint because of the dramatic difference. It’s got a whole new personality! The photos speak for themselves.
Mix it up inside. I always recommend my sellers stage their homes with my partners at Polka Dot Interiors. And in this case, they literally flipped the axis of two rooms and they felt completely different. Larger, more functional, and optimizing what was literally a million dollar view.
Make it a sensory experience. Forget the fake plug in smells. Those make it seem like you’re hiding something. Instead, we used essential oils in primary areas. Eucalyptus and lemon invigorate and smell clean. Lavender and Bergamot soothe.

There’s a lot more that goes into selling, and if you’re itching to find out what your home is worth, let’s chat. Buyers out there would *love* to see more come to market (we are at record low inventory levels!), and I’d love to share more about my winning strategies to help get it done. #sellwithgab

Till then, high fives,

AFTER!

The Relationship Imperative

Posted on August 1, 2020August 1, 2020 by Living Room Realty

Hi Readers!

So, I talk a lot about how important TRUST and a RELATIONSHIP is in real estate. Especially when you are navigating uncharted waters during a global pandemic. I’ve noticed, and we’ve talked as a peer group at my brokerage about how important COMMUNICATION is, too. Lucky for me, I had a trifecta of awesome happen with my sellers Kelli and Lee.

They have purchased with me before in Manzanita, so knew what to expect on the buy side. This time around, they were looking to sell Lee’s first home – one he’d spent 15 years in – and they had outgrown. They wanted to take proceeds from the sale and use it to build and buy a custom home. Yeah, baby! As successful designers, both, they had lovingly updated their existing home to be magazine quality. Like, Magnolia quality. It was so much fun getting this home ready. We went through and created a staging punch list (PS, it’s all their stuff/their design!), and they had 3 weeks to pull everything together. Lee and Kelli also took my advice and had the exterior painted to reflect a modern farmhouse vibe. So good!

They had a financial goal, a stretch goal, and a magic number goal for their sales price. This is where the relationship imperative comes in. We were planning to list in mid-June. Right when the COVID comeback went into effect, and buyers were very active with little inventory to choose from. We had several heart-to-hearts about what the market could, or perhaps couldn’t support for a purchase price, especially since the purchase of their next home depended on what they got for this one. We got everything dialed and I kicked them out (to their gorgeous beach house) to maximize (safe) showing availability. And we chanted the magic number. And I busted my heinie giving the nearly 30 showings and agents access to information to get my sellers the best offer(s) possible.

When my colleague Scott Shoji at Living Room called to ask me about the house, I was so excited. Not just because he’s a wonderful human and a consummate professional, but because his buyer sounded PERFECT. They knew the house was a competitive, multiple offer situation, and they presented an offer to purchase that I kid you not – was the magic number. ✨

I don’t want to get all woo-woo on you, but I will for a second. Thanks. I’m a firm believer that you get what you give. And we put out a lot of energy toward finding the right buyer with a terrific agent. I’m convinced the Universe provided. And I’m also incredibly GRATEFUL for the opportunity to partner with such great people to help make dreams come true. High fives, everyone!

Till next time,

HOUSE CRUSH-KEEPING IT COOL!

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Aryne + Dulcinea

HOUSE CRUSH THIS WEEK!

Feeling the heat? Look at this Malaysian house designed to keep the heat out! Our PDX house crush is the best of 1956! Get cool in the pool and enjoy the trees!

PDX HOUSE CRUSH

MALAYSIA HOUSE CRUSH

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.

House Crush! From Portland to Peru

Posted on May 14, 2020 by Aryne + Dulcinea

WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE HOUSES!

Take a look at this week’s house crush! And for fun, we’ve decided to add a spotlight on housing from around the globe for inspiration!

PORTLAND HOUSE CRUSH

PERUVIAN HOUSE CRUSH

Love what you see, let us know and we can share more!

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 5 star Google rated – 5 star Yelp rated – 5 star Zillow rated
Willamette Week Best Of Portland Nominee 2016 + Runner Up 2017

Botanical Wall Sculpture Workshop

Posted on January 18, 2020 by Living Room Realty

JOIN US!

Join the incredibly talented Lynsea with Coy & Co to craft a custom botanical wallhanging! Sophia Rosenberg (@pdxinspired) will be hosting the workshop at Living Room Realty’s Northeast office. Enjoy bites and drinks as we DIY away!

Using exclusively sustainably and locally sourced dried florals and foliage, brass, organic fair-trade cotton cordage, and more. This workshop will leave you walking away inspired!

Install your piece above your dining room table, your living room mantel, a doorway, above your bed, anywhere!

This type of service would usually cost you $250, but for this special class, we’re teaching you how to do it for just $95!

Do’s and Don’ts of Hiring a Contractor. Part 2

Posted on December 13, 2019April 22, 2024 by Julia Robertson

Decision making on design: 101. Learning from my personal success and failures working with contractors.

Decisions decisions. Being well prepared with plans, a plan B, and your vision for a project will keep the flow going. Often your contractor will bring up questions during a project that only you can decide and you’ll need to be quick on your feet to respond. For example:

Do you want flat or semi-gloss on your walls, trim, and ceilings?

What size and style trim do you want around your window?

What shape do you want on your handrail?

Do you want silicon or grout around the base of your free standing tub?

Where do you want your light switches?

Often a question will catch you off guard and you’ll make a decision that you wish you could take back! Having a plan keeps you on track. Here’s what happened to me for example- the light switch to the closet. There wasn’t a light switch on our plans. The electrician suggested it go on the right side. But after we were all settled in, we realized this light switch should have been inside the closet or on the left side of door. Its an eyesore(for me) having a white light switch on the black accent wall! At the time the electrical was roughed in, I didn’t even think about it. Now, every time I open the door I feel for a light switch on the left- but its not there. If you are in Australia and is looking for a trusted North Brisbane electrical contractors then JTC Electric is a trusted electrician that can provide you such electrician services in and around Brisbane.

It’s hard to imagine knowing everything in advance. We do our best! Living in the space makes it so much easier to visualize how you want everything to be. Here are some tips on preparing your decision making:

Do have a plan. Either blueprints or hand draw a room layout.
Do have a Pinterest board. Pin all your ideas, including color, furniture, light fixtures, and finishes. This may take a while, but when you have all your ideas in one place you can slowly edit your favorites and it will help you stick to your “vision” for the space.
Sometimes you have to say no. You have a lot of ideas on your vision board. You don’t have to do all of them. When it comes to a budget, you may have to say no to the more expensive windows and the skylight.
If you’re making decisions with a partner and disagree- get a third or fourth tie-breaker. Then you can at least blame it on someone else when it doesn’t work out. Ha! No, actually it’s great to have another opinion. They may see something you haven’t considered. Do get a third or fourth opinion.
Not all contractors have “an eye” for design. I always ask my contractors opinion, but refer back to my design inspo on my Pinterest board to remind me of the direction. Do show your contractor your design inspiration. Several of the ideas we had for our master bedroom, the contractor had not done before. He conceptualized it well, but it was because we stuck to our guns about the style we were going for. Both our GC and the flooring guy didn’t like the idea of transitioning the wood floor to hexagon tile. We literally cut out pieces of hexagon on paper and played with them like a puzzle until we found a good pattern. It was a group effort. It turned out great in the end! Sometimes you can’t compromise with style 🙂

When it comes to design, it’s hard making decisions. Especially when its for your own space. I really think experience is key! If the decision making gets overwhelming, hire a design consultant. When you’re in a pinch call them and they’ll help you figure out a situation. It may seem simple, but if I had called our designer about the light switch, I bet she would’ve said “put it on the left!”

I’ve said this before, but its worth saying again– Don’t make a final payment to a contractor until you are completely satisfied. I’ve made this mistake twice! Trust me, they’ll never come back to fix those final things if you’ve already paid them.

If you have real estate questions, call me!

Julia Robertson | Broker Licensed in Oregon & Washington

Living Room Realty

541-505-1111 | julia@rebyjulia.com

Vintage Crawl in Portland this Saturday!

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Living Room Realty

VINTAGE LOVERSSSSSS (Oprah voice)!

We are so excited to host the second vintage crawl THIS Saturday (11/16) (how is it already mid-November?!)!

We’ll start at Hollywood Vintage at 11am.

Address is 2757 Northeast Pacific Street in Portland. Parking can be a little tricky, so we encourage you to carpool or Lyft/Uber/bike/walk when possible. Check-in will be by the bus outside – it’s a gold school bus, you won’t be able to miss it!

You’ll be able to put any valuables you don’t want to lug around on the bus as well as grab a welcome beverage to get your shopping day started.

After Hollywood Vintage we’ll be having lunch at The Zipper across the street. There are a few lunch options in the building (all delicious): Basilisk, Wares, Slice Pizza, and Tight Tacos. Links included if you want to check out menus prior to Saturday.

We’ll then jump aboard the bus and head to Vintage Pink, followed by Hawthorne Vintage. The tour will drop off back at Hollywood Vintage around 3pm.

There will also be a few surprise giveaways along the way courtesy of our lovely co-hosts: Summer, Kel and Laura. Also, if you’re looking for something in particular, make sure to give these three a heads up. They’re vintage experts and amazing treasure hunters who can help along the way!

We are close to capacity, so if you know of any other friends that might be interested, please feel free to send them the event link.

And for any questions at all, reach out to Sophia at 503.936.7499!

Want to collaborate on something else design/creative related? Reach out!

Vision Board Workshop with Stylist Renee Lara

Posted on October 30, 2019November 5, 2019 by Living Room Realty

Join us for a Vision Board Workshop!

Wardrobe Stylist Renee Lara (recently featured on KATU2 sharing Fall trends) and Broker Sophia Rosenberg (Living Room) will be co-hosting a vision board workshop Saturday, November 9th from 11am – 1:00pm at the Living Room NE Office (1401 NE Alberta St).

Explore your style goals: both personal and home, before the hectic holiday schedules kick in.

Choose between print magazines or digital format and work with Renee and Sophia to identify and maintain style/design goals.

Lite bites and sips provided, with a creative, like-minded group of people. Get ready for a renewed take on how to tackle you holiday season with ease!

RSVP here

Holst Designed Northwest Modern Condo

Posted on July 19, 2019July 23, 2019 by Living Room Realty

2373 SE 44th Unit #204 Portland, OR 97215

OFFERED AT $459,000

2 BEDS | 1 BATH | 1,139 SF

ML: #19341938| TAXES: $5,986.00

Impressive sun-drenched corner unit designed by Portland’s beloved Holst Architecture. This expansive floor plan features polished concrete floors with radiant in-floor heating. High exposed beamed ceilings give the space an airy loft-like feel, while walls of windows bring in natural light throughout and offer sweeping views. Every inch of the unit is well-built with functional design. Entertain in the sleek modern kitchen, or venture out to Tasty N Daughters, Good Coffee, Petit Provence and many more. Lush outdoor areas provide the perfect place to lounge and entertain.

Marisa Swenson – Specializing in Modern Home Sales
971-285-7955
modernhomesportland.com

Do’s and Don’ts of hiring a contractor Part 1

Posted on May 3, 2019April 22, 2024 by Julia Robertson

Hiring a contractor: 101. Learning from my personal success and failures working with contractors.

First I’d like to say, when you hire the right contractor- your project will be so much easier to deal with. When you hire the wrong contractor- get ready for a long, stressful, expensive process. When we started our renovation in 2015, many of the bids we received were from contractors referred to me within our broker network(other real estate agents that I know). Other contractors I hired were from “Thumbtack” or personally referred. If you have a large project, having the right mindset is #1! You can’t be passive, you must be deliberate. Here are some basic do’s & don’ts. I’m happy to share my experience with you, to guide you in the right direction. Feel free to reach out if you’re curious about the process.

Do include a design plan in your budget. Having a plan is worth the extra couple hundred/thousand dollars.
Do have a design plan before getting a bid with your general contractor.
Do get multiple bids. Second phase of our attic/master bedroom renovation, we got 6 bids.
Do ask for past client references. We are very happy with our contractor that we had a personal referral from. When I say personal, I mean- a past client that personally shared their experience with you. Hiring a contractor for a job because you like their work, “hear good things”, or another REALTOR® used them to fix something on a repair addendum- is NOT the same.
Do plan for your project to take longer than expected.
Do read your contract thoroughly and look at how the contractor expects to be paid.. Biggest mistake we made with one of our contractors is not reading this fine print. We were so eager to negotiate price, that we missed our contract stated- “50% payment due 30 days after project begins…” This landscaper only worked 5 days in the first month because his crew quit and weather delays. This was a stupid oversight on our part. So many decisions are being made, it’s easy to miss something. Best situation for us was paying our contractor by cost plus. He pays all the sub-contractors directly, emails us all the invoices, then we pay him about 30 days after the work is complete. Then he takes an overall percentage for managing/cleaning/communicating the jobs.
Do pop in and check on your project and ask questions. I can’t even count how many times our landscaping contractor had to re-do parts of our project. If we had brought up our questions sooner, the project would have been finished 3 months sooner and cost several thousand less $$.
Do tell your contractor that you want weekly updates.
Do make sure EVERYTHING you discuss is in writing. Ask to update your contract if there is a change order to remove or add a part to your project.
Don’t make your final payment until you are completely satisfied. I’ve made this mistake twice! Trust me, they’ll never come back to fix those final things if you’ve already paid them.

If you’re having thoughts about buying, selling, or renovating- give me a call! I’d love to be your guide through the process. Watch for part II of hiring a contractor!

Tag: design