Tag: first home

Just Listed! A Wink from Woodlawn!

Posted on by Bonnie Roseman

1324 NE Junior Street

Portland, Oregon, 97211

Hit the jackpot with this li’l darlin’! What a dreamy first home. New roof – check. New windows – check. Fresh interior paint and refinished wood floors – check, check! Charisma galore! Located on a sweet, quiet street within spitting distance of P’s & Q’s, Woodlawn Park, the Dekum Triangle and a high-frequency bus line. Cheerful exterior beckons. The welcoming living room features oak floors, built-ins and a brick fireplace, complete with a wood mantel and an Avalon wood stove to keep you toasty. Both bedrooms are appointed with fir floors and crisp millwork. Throw down in the eat-in kitchen with gas cooking, dishwasher and classic lighting. Sunny bathroom with clawfoot tub / shower combo. Washer and dryer included in the tidy basement – great hobbyist headquarters, loaded with potential for future expansion. Sit back on the covered rear deck and soak up the sun in the generous fenced backyard with southern exposure, fire pit, shed and wood storage. Off-street parking.

OFFERED AT $479,000

2 BEDROOM | 1 BATH | 1,160 SQFT

MLS# 22318760 | TAXES: $1,637.36

“Blue Steel” in SW Portland!

Posted on by Erika George & Kari McGee

Congratulations to Michelle and Thomas who just closed on their first home!  They called us more than a year ago to help them find their starter home.   As it turns out, they weren’t quite ready, financially, to take the plunge.  We were able to put them in contact with a great lender, who helped them develop a “one year plan” in order to save up for closing costs and a down payment.  They were diligent and stuck to their plan.

 

One year later, they contacted us and let us know they were ready to buy.  We were able to narrow down on the homes and neighborhoods that made the most sense for them and were able to pounce when we spotted this create SW Portland condominium.   Great location and Great layout and it came with it’s own AWSOME fire place art, which we quickly dubbed “Blue Steel!”

 

Your path to ownership may not be instantaneous.  It make take some preparation and diligence.  If you are thinking about buying a home, we highly recommend that you reach out to us early so we can connect you with the right people and start giving you an idea of what to expect.  We promise it will be worth the wait!

Long Search for First Home Comes to an End

Posted on by Mel Marzahl

Anika and Todd have been searching for their first home for over a year. It has been a long journey for them to find their first home. The toughest part was narrowing down what they really wanted and needed and then finding that within their budget. It was made even more challenging because of the increasing home prices, changing needs, and, of course, Covid.

Changing Needs and Wants

We started the search by looking at homes close-in SW Portland that needed some work. Anika and Todd have a great eye for design and what is possible with a home. We talked about the potential of lots of dated and fixer homes we toured. They researched the cost of putting in new kitchens, baths, and flooring, but eventually crossed a fixer home off their list. They decided that living in a project wasn’t for them, especially once Covid came and they and their two girls were all working and learning remotely. Managing and living in a remodel while teaching and working in it too sounded much less feasible.

We also looked at three-bedroom homes to start and decided that the family would need more space. With the greater need for a dedicated office, a four-bedroom, or three-bedroom with bonus room became a necessity. The extra room would serve triple duty as an office, playroom, and guest room for the day when the family can eventually come to visit!

Overcoming Challenges

With the changes in the family’s needs and wants, came changes in price expectations and location. We had to overcome multiple challenges with Anika and Todd’s home search. The first being that they are first time buyers without the huge cash reserves of many others looking in their price range. Because they weren’t buying your typical “starter home” Anika and Todd were up against other buyers who had more cash and were buying their “move-up homes” with equity from previous sales or other sources of cash. This made it tough to compete against the large down payments of other buyers, once we found houses they were interested in.

Their second big challenge was overcoming the reality check of housing prices and location. Over the year we were searching, housing prices increased by almost 8% in the parts of SW Portland we were looking. Also, when we started the search, we were looking at 3 bedroom cosmetic fixers in close-in SW. They were able to find this type of homes to look at fairly frequently. By the time we were making offers a year later, our search had changed to 4 bedroom move-in ready homes. Unfortunately, this type of house was over budget in the areas we were looking in so we had to expand our search further out to include the suburbs, places Anika and Todd originally had ruled out.

Writing the Winning Offer on the Perfect Home

After a year of searching, changing needs, overcoming challenges, Anika and Todd found an amazing home in Beaverton. It has three bedrooms plus a fourth bedroom/bonus room with interesting nooks perfect for a multiple-use space. We had to see it the second it came on the market, and after touring it, they knew it was the right one. They made a very competitive offer with great terms any seller would like to see. I spoke with the agent multiple times and developed a report with her. When we learned another offer was higher and willing to buy the home as-is, Anika and Todd decided to increase their offer to their max budget. They knew they could regret not doing so if they lost it.

The agent called me to discuss because their increased price put us neck and neck with their other offer best offer. We were told the only difference was that the other offer had a slightly larger downpayment and the buyers were willing to buy the home as-is. We chatted about why Anika and Todd weren’t comfortable with as-is, and while they truly didn’t expect to find any major issues, they couldn’t risk taking on a large, unexpected repair since they were putting their savings into the downpayment.

The sellers ended up accepting their offer anyway. I was thrilled to hear that the main reason they went with Anika and Todd’s offer over the other was my communication with the listing agent. Developing a good relationship with the other agent, being communicative, honest, and upfront while protecting Anika and Todd’s interests stood out to her. I don’t know who the other agent was, but I know they also wrote a very strong offer and were tough competition! Being a part of the deciding factor in my client’s offer winning out over another, slightly better offer felt great and I was so happy to relay that news to Anika and Todd.

A Long Search Comes to an End

Anika and Todd are now in the process of moving into their new home as I write this! The escrow process was a bit bumpy toward the end, with a closing delay, but we all got through it and both sides ended up happy. The inspection report was the cleanest I had ever seen, and the home needs just a few minor repairs and is ready for their personal touches. Anika and Todd are thrilled to finally own their first home. They worked really hard to make this happen for their family, and I couldn’t be happier to see them moving in.

Congratulations to Anika, Todd, and their girls! I can’t wait to see how they make their new house their home.

Playing Fairy Godmother

Posted on by Bonnie Roseman

Once upon a time…

In the metropolis of Portland, Oregon, two delightful newlyweds were seeking a mid-century modern home to share with their canine babies. We searched high and low and there were many twists and turns on the journey. This would be their first home of their own and the budget was limited and the challenges were great. The available properties were too far away for comfort, so as frustration and disappointment loomed, I made a suggestion.

“Go one step at a time,” I said, and “consider buying a stepping stone home.” “What?! People do that?” they replied. “Why yes…” I explained, suggesting they find the best fit for their current lifestyles and budget.

A starting place

So, instead of going for sprawling, they went vertical and took their 2007 skinny to its highest potential, infusing it with quality touches throughout. They made bold choices: eye-dazzling teal trim, midnight walls in the bedroom for the ultimate sleeping environment and they added high style with Rejuvenation lighting and hardware.

Last week Bryan and Justin said goodbye to that first home and hello to their forever home! Patience paid off and they now get to bring their special brand of design magic to an exceptional mid-century modern home in the hot hamlet of Milwaukie, just beyond Portland’s southern border, in the Oatfield area.

The flyer for their first home in the Roseway neighborhood in NE Portland

Without a hitch

The magic key to the new castle

The stars aligned and it was easy to help make their wishes come true this time around. Bryan and Justin had their eye on their dream home before the official first day on the market of their current home, but they didn’t want to risk a contingent situation, so they waited. The wait was just 5 days! They accepted a full price offer on their place and immediately got their offer accepted on their mid-century dream home, tucked into a magically treed lot on Kingston Rd. – perfect for #TheTwoKings, as they are known!

 

I eagerly await the transformation Bryan and Justin will bring to bear on their wondrous new home, where the #TwoKings shall live happily ever after…

My Favorite Murderino!

Posted on by Living Room Realty

My Favorite Murderino!

It was a day like any other; commute to work, do the work things, and post work gym session.  What Tamra didn’t know was what was lurking for her around the corner.

She grew up in a wholesome family, surrounded by love and the common trials and tribulations of a young woman.  Working her way into a solid career path with a well known ‘swoosh’ company, she was happy and feeling quite fulfilled.

On this particular day, Tamra received a chilling phone call from a family member.  It was her brother, and he needed her to meet with him immediately.  He’d known for awhile something wasn’t quite right in Tamra’s life.  She’d mentioned that being a life long renter had created an empty hole in her heart.  She’d grown more weary in recent years and wasn’t sure how much more of the Portland commute she could bear.

I became involved right away since this crucial life decision needed professional (free) representation.  Tamra and I toured the property and discussed all the likely suspects that could come up during inspections.  It was later, on inspection day, that I was made aware that she too, is a murderino!

After much negotiation, and long hours worked to compile all the data, appraisal report, and timelines, this home was hers!

Although not a murder house, or any suspect for a creepy seeded history, this home will be filled with many memories and stories to share.  The only crime here was being guilty of making a great investment.  If that’s a crime, this murderino is expected to be a repeat offender.

As always, SSDGM, and also, to heck with crazy work commutes!

 

Congratulations to my favorite murderino and new home owner!

 

503-840-2842

If you’d like help buying, selling, or small space planning, I’d love to be a part of your team too!

Planting Roots in Pleasant Valley

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Lacey and Moussa are the very definition of hard-working and dedicated! They’ve spent the last five years going to school, working multiple jobs, raising their 3 and ½ year old son, and they even moved in with family in order to save for the down payment to make their dream of homeownership a reality.

 

Family and community are everything to this family, so finding just the right home for hosting holiday and community gatherings were of the utmost importance to them. We needed a home with a generous sized kitchen and open dining/entertaining spaces.  We found a few that came close, but this one stood out and felt truly special to Lacey and Moussa. Nestled amongst the trees, every window looks out onto the lush canopy and makes this home feel like a treehouse. They could envision their son Mustafa growing up in this home, gardening, and hosting all their loved ones in this beautiful space so close to nature. This home not only had the generous living spaces that they needed, but it was also positioned perfectly on a flag lot which allows them more privacy than they’d ever dreamed of.

 

Congratulations on finally having all your hard work pay off and finding a home to call your own Lacey, Moussa and Mustafa! We could not be happier for your family or more honored to have been a part of your process!

 

Japheth and Nicole said yes to their first home!

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Japheth and Nicole said yes to their first home!

The search for the perfect home is over- at least for one pair of awesome clients!

Japheth and Nicole have discovered their first home – and they are excited to make the newly-renovated 1970s ranch-style house their own after move-in.

The couple has lived in Oregon for a few years, and have been working toward owning their own home for quite some time.

Japheth spent most of his childhood in African villages –

there, features like refrigeration and efficient home heating and cooling systems were practically non-existent. That’s part of why the couple worked to save for and find a first home that suits their needs.

Knowing that their long work hours during the week didn’t leave much time to learn how to remodel a home, and that it just didn’t interest them, both Japheth and Nicole agreed on what they were looking for: a home that they wouldn’t have to spend a lot of time and energy repairing and upgrading.

That’s part of why this recently-renovated home is so perfect for them. The fully-fenced backyard was another plus – because it allows their mini Aussie a place to run, play and get rid of some of his energy.

Lender Tom Hestmark, of Mortgage Express, connected Japheth, Nicole and I during the couple’s search. We quickly hit it off and spent Sundays touring homes for a couple months in the Salem/Keizer area.

They initially went into backup position behind another offer that was accepted one day prior. When the first buyers failed their financing contingencies less than two weeks later, my clients moved into contract on this gorgeous place.

The sellers completed 100% of the requested repairs, and partial closing costs were also provided.  Talk about savings!

Everyone involved is thrilled at the outcome!

A great REALTOR® can help you find the perfect home, negotiate the important details, and help you keep track of all the moving pieces in the home buying process.

503-840-2842

If you’d like help buying, selling, or small space planning, I’d love to be a part of your team too!