Tag: #OregonRealtor

Beaumont-Wilshire Charmer

Posted on by Martin Cross

You’ll just love this beautiful 1938, 4 bedroom 3 bath home is loaded with charming, vintage details, many of which are newer, but crafted to match the era of the home. On the main level you have a large, light filled living room with gorgeous period fireplace with gas insert, updated kitchen and bath that were both redone to uphold the wonderful vintage styling of the home and two bedrooms, both with access to the backyard deck and delightful backyard. 

The upper level features the fantastic primary suite with hardwood floors, vaulted ceilings, built ins, skylights and bathroom.

The lower level has access from the main floor or outside which lends to the potential for a lower level ADU. Warm and inviting family or media room, 4th bedroom with egress, laundry facilities and lots of storage. 

The home sits on an oversized 75 x 100 lot which may offer room to build. Comes with an enormous three-car garage with attached garden shed, a lovely fenced backyard with both deck and patio, a rose garden and mature trees. 

Recent updates include, new south side Marvin infinity double hung, lowE2 efficient windows with transferable warranty, new electrical service and panels for both the home (200 amp) and garage (100 amp), attic insulation and new backyard fencing.

The sweet neighborhood is quiet and full of lovely neighbors. It’s situated between the Albert Arts district and up and coming 42nd Ave. And just a short distance from Fremont St and all that has to offer. Plus it’s just short walk to the infamous Kennedy School, Common Grounds and New Seasons grocery. 

Opportunity in Eastmoreland!

Posted on by Martin Cross

Just Listed! 3660 SE Henderson, Portland, Ore. 97202

This classic farmhouse is just waiting for someone to come and love her back to her original glory! Tons of potential & priced to sell! Wood floors, 2 bathrooms and tall ceilings! Large backyard with RV parking and tool shed. Full basement has 9 foot ceilings, it’s own bathroom with inside and outside entrances. Could be perfect finished or converted into that ADU you’ve always dreamed about. Close to Woodstock and Sellwood districts to enjoy some of Portland’s best shopping and dining areas.

Offered at: $369,000

Real Estate and The Estate.

Posted on by Martin Cross

I do a lot of work with estates. These transactions are typically much more involved than the typical real estate transaction. There has often been a death in the family, and besides all of the emotions that come with death, there usually comes a huge, overwhelming to do list involved with clearing the estate and getting the house prepared for market.

The home is usually full of the owners possessions, and often the heirs have no idea what to do with them beyond distributing what items the family members may want. I help them sort through the different ways of accomplishing that whether via an estate sale, dividing among family members or simply hiring a clear out company. 

After the estate is cleared, then there is the home cleanup and repairs. This can consist of everything from a simple cleaning to extensive repairs to different aspects and systems of the home.

This all needs to be coordinated and accomplished while offering compassionate support to the estates personal representative or trustee as well as other heirs. Combining my 25 years working with estates as an antique and art dealer with my life as a Realtor I’m uniquely positioned to happily offer this type of specialized assistance.

Oregon’s Top 10 Haunted Places

Posted on by Lydia Hallay

Oregon is home to a diverse array of haunted places, each with its own unique spooky stories and paranormal legends. If you’re a fan of the supernatural and looking for some haunted locations to explore, here are 10 haunted places to visit in Oregon:

1. The Shanghai Tunnels, Portland: These underground passages were used in the 19th century to “shanghai” (or, kidnap) unsuspecting individuals into forced labor aboard ships. Visitors have reported ghostly encounters and eerie experiences in these tunnels, and they consistently rank among the most haunted places in Oregon.

2. Pittock Mansion, Portland: This stunning mansion is known for its beautiful architecture and the reported ghostly presence of its original owners, Henry and Georgiana Pittock.

3. Bagdad Theater, Portland: This historic theater is believed to be haunted by a ghost named Nigel. Staff and visitors have reported strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena.

4. Hot Lake Hotel, La Grande: This grand hotel (built in 1864) burned down in a 1990 fire, and was abandoned for over a decade before being revitalized as a hot springs destination. It’s reputed to be haunted by the spirits of former patients from when it served as a sanatorium and hospital.

5. Wolf Creek Inn, Wolf Creek: This historic inn is one of Oregon’s oldest and is rumored to have a few resident ghosts. Guests have reported mysterious happenings and eerie encounters.

6. Geiser Grand Hotel, Baker City: This elegant hotel is known for its luxurious accommodations and for being one of Oregon’s most haunted locations. Guests have reported ghostly apparitions and strange occurrences, including “the lady in blue.”

7. McMenamins Edgefield, Troutdale: This sprawling property is believed to be haunted by multiple spirits, and guests have experienced unexplained events.

8. Powell’s City of Books, Portland: The largest independent bookstore in the world is said to be haunted by the ghost of a former employee. Staff and customers have reported encounters with this friendly spirit.

9. Oregon Vortex, Gold Hill: This roadside attraction is famous for its optical illusions and mysterious gravitational anomalies. It’s said to be a site of strange occurrences and ghostly apparitions.

10. Lone Fir Cemetary, Portland: One of my favorite places to wander, Lone Fir has an eerie beauty about it. The first recorded grave dates back to 1846 (before the land became established as a cemetery in 1855). Within the cemetery’s thirty acres, there are over 25,000 graves-including numerous politicians, mayors, and famous people from Portland’s past.

These haunted places in Oregon offer a mix of historical intrigue and ghostly encounters, making them perfect destinations for those interested in the supernatural. Whether you’re an aficionado of the paranormal or just seeking a thrill, explore these spooky places in Oregon and experience these ghostly tales and haunted history for yourself. Happy ghost hunting!

Opportunity in Rose City Park!

Posted on by Martin Cross

This great Dutch Colonial is just waiting for someone to come and love her back to her original glory! Tons of potential & priced to sell! Hardwood floors, wood burning fireplace and tons of windows! Full basement with inside and outside entrances could be perfect finished or converted into that ADU you’ve always dreamed about.

A New Condo Just In Time For The Holidays.

Posted on by Martin Cross

Kris sent me a text in early November saying that she wanted to start looking for a condo. The end of the year isn’t always the most opportune time to go house shopping because there are less homes on the market. Both because people don’t want a bunch of potential buyers tromping through their home in the winter time, and they don’t want to disrupt the flow of their holiday celebrations.

Buying a condominium requires a bunch more patience than purchasing a home to begin with, because there are several other layers of complication. The largest of which is finding a condominium complex that has a good homeowners association (HOA) that is well run, well financed and free of any current, or upcoming assessments that require big outlays of cash by the owners, new or old. To increase our challenge, Kris was buying using an FHA loan. The Federal Housing Authority requires that for buyers to purchase a condominium, the complex must be an FHA approved complex. This narrows the field of options quite a bit as many condominiums don’t want to, or don’t qualify to go through the process to get “FHA certification“.

Undaunted and full of patience we started our search with realistic expectations. At the time, there were only four condominiums available that were FHA approved, and only 3 that were within her desired price range. We visited all 3 and 2 were immediately ruled out for condition and/or guest parking situations that were completely inconvenient.

There was one possible contender that was well-maintained, had some recent updates, and had a layout that she liked. However, it backed right up to a freeway, and also not only had a situation where guest parking was less than ideal, it also was a huge complex that was half used as rentals that were managed by a separate management company. In reading the reviews of the apartments it seemed like it could be a place full of challenges.

Kris was just about to ask me to write an offer on it anyway when another condominium, in a different area, had a serendipitous price drop. The price was still slightly outside her comfort level, but after we assessed the benefits of a quieter, prettier complex with convenient guest parking and the likelihood that these features would increase the ability to resell should the time ever come, Kris was convinced that we should go for it.

As often happens in a market like this, once a property experiences a price drop, it can suddenly become one that several buyers are interested in. As such, we entered into a competitive offer situation, but emerged, triumphant and began the transaction process!!

As mentioned before, on top of the typical hurdles of buyers inspections and the property needing to appraise at value, usually the biggest challenge in purchasing a condominium is the research and analysis of the homeowners association, and how well it is run. There’s a special time period in real estate transactions for the buyer to do their due diligence and thoroughly investigate all aspects of how the HOA is run. Fortunately, in this case, once the seller provided us with the piles of documents required (meeting minutes, bylaws, reserve study & CC&Rs, etc) Kris’ analysis showed that the HOA was very solid, well funded and run well.  On top of that, the property inspected well and the appraisal came in above sales price!

Just a few short weeks later, I was privileged to be able to give Kris the keys to her new condo just in time for the holidays!

Opportunity abounds in the heart of Lents!

Posted on by Martin Cross

 

Tons of potential & priced to sell! New water main & sewer 2015, furnace 2020 & newer roof make a solid canvas to paint your dream on! Large kitchen, tons of outdoor space, RV parking, fully fenced & 2 large carports. Huge family room with outside exit may have ADU potential. Easy access crawlspace for additional storage & even a root cellar! 

7 Investment Properties In 4 Years!

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Maria and James came to America with a big dream, to build generational wealth. They began their graduate studies and started learning about the powerful role real estate plays in building wealth.

If you get the pleasure of meeting Maria and James, one thing you will know immediately is that they both value excellence. It’s no surprise they applied their standard of excellence to their real estate education by pouring over free courses, podcasts, reading blogs, and books, and talking to other investors and homeowners. They actively went out and sought education and this year, they made their 7th investment property purchase in the last 4 years!

Crypto, S&P 500, and Index Funds, this is probably what you think of when it comes to investing. Why real estate?

“We feel that real estate is less volatile than the stock market. We also feel that we understand Real Estate investing more easily than active stock investing and it’s important to understand what you are investing in!” – Maria & James

As local and long-distance investors they understand the importance of creating a solid screening system. They screen their properties and their real estate agents. This is key in building a solid team.

“Before we are active, we build a system to do our screenings more effectively. We have two major criteria we focus on: Macro – the broader local economy, employment, population growth, landlords, etc. and the micro-neighborhood numbers, down payments, etc.” – Maria & James

All these factors they consider when they plan on investing in a property. Now, to choose the right realtors for the job.

Building a good team with clear communication is pivotal in real estate. Maria and James had a list of qualities they look for when it comes to choosing a Real Estate Agent who would help make this dream a reality.

“My friend was talking about her experience in purchasing her first property. She bought her first home with Kristin and Jason. She shared the entire process and I could see Kristin was a good realtor. My other friend said they want to buy a home and I recommended Kristin to them even without meeting her.

I have worked with multiple agents throughout my 7+ transactions. Kristin and Jason are the VERY BEST Real Estate Agents among them. They are on top of things. I don’t have to keep track of my realtor. One thing I feel they are very strong about is communication. Communicating with us and negotiating with the seller is so important.” – Maria & James

This project was especially important for Maria and James as it would become their primary residence.

This newly built community checked all their boxes: close to parks for their family outings and bike riding, multiple entrances for house hacking, a shift in their portfolio, and they got to take part in the design process!

Having an adorable, young son, they are already thinking and planning on how to include him in the investing process and stretch his vision for his life.

“We learned that we need to make money work for us instead of us working for money.  Encouraging Casey in the investing process is a priority. Talking about our strategies with him, ask for his involvement and thoughts, and explain to him our thinking process, these are some ways we are teaching him and will continue to teach him. Having a mentor would have been great for us, and we will be a mentor for him.”

– Maria & James

If you have any interest in investing like Maria + James have this is their advice to you:

“Bigger Pocket podcast. Start listening to the podcast. Dig into their website. They have some real estate investing books. Most impactful  for us – long-distance real estate investing. That book helped us with our investing strategy. Look for agents who have these good qualities that you will read about in these books.”

– Maria & James

When asked what they would do differently if they could start their whole investing journey over again with the knowledge they now have, they responded

“Real estate and investing are very relational. You need a good team. Now, we have learned to pick good team members – agents, lenders, etc When choosing a good realtor look for someone who communicates, listens to you, and does things correctly.”

– Maria & James

Maria + James, thank you for choosing us as your real estate bodyguards and for giving us the honor of being part of your journey in investing. We have loved getting to know you and your beautiful family. May this new home provide you with joy, quality family time, and even more growth. You are a powerful family and we can’t wait to see what you build! Thank you for being an inspiration, not just to us, but to all those who know you! 

Priced out of Portland & Vancouver? Consider the move to Longview!

Posted on by Martin Cross

It’s getting tougher every day for first-time home buyers to purchase in the Portland metro area. But if you’re willing to expand your search, buyers can get a lot more bang for their buck just an hour north in Longview, Wa.

For example, this fully remodeled 3 Bedroom 1 bath home, complete with a garage and large fenced yard, can be found in the mid $300s. All in a quiet neighborhood and close to a beautiful lakeside park.

If you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell property in Oregon or Washington, give me a call!

 

Bridge photo credit: Nathan Holth

Just Listed! 620 SE 40th Terrace

Posted on by Cristen Lincoln

620 SE 40th Terrace

Gresham, OR, 97080

Daylight ranch overlooking a view of the valley and 1st Fairway of Persimmon Country Club. Primary and second bed on the main with 2 more suites on the lower daylight level. Peace and quiet in a fantastic community. 4 Bedrooms and 3.5 baths incl. Tesla solar panels. All landscape and ext maintenance, incl paint and the roof, patrolled security included in HOA. Deck on the main level and the patio on the course level is waiting for you to come and visit!

OFFERED AT $639,900

4 BEDROOM | 3.1 BATH | 2359 SQFT

MLS# 22634240 | TAXES: $8481.52

HOA’s $

Midcentury Time Capsules like this don’t come along every day!

Posted on by Martin Cross

This large 1955 custom built daylight Ranch is a midcentury modern classic with Mt St Helens View! Van Laeken was a premier modernist builder of the day and it shows in every detail! Built in cabinets throughout, custom tiled baths, high end wallpapers and hardwood floors are just a few of the outstanding details of the period.

5 bedrooms, 3 baths, 3 fireplaces, 2 family rooms, formal dining area and large living room with huge front window just add to the warmth and charm. .20 acre lot with large partially covered patio is just begging for your entertaining ideas. 3 bedrooms on the main floor and 2 more plus an office on the lower level offers tons of flexibility and ADU possibilities!

Just 3 blocks to Fernhill park, and walking distance to Kennedy School, New Seasons and tons of local eateries and watering holes!

Apparently cats approach buying a farm very differently.

Posted on by Martin Cross

Buying or selling a home in normal conditions is one of the most stressful things a person can do. Right up there with getting married or moving across the country. Selling one home while trying to buy another one contingent upon the sale of the first takes the stress level up 10 notches. If you run into any friction along the way such as complicated repairs or negotiations, stress levels go through the roof!!

But with experienced, cooperative agents on both sides, level heads on the part of both buyers and sellers and holding onto the idea that everyone wants the same thing, which is to close the deal, we can usually make it to the finish line!

This is exactly what happened to Zippy & Spark. They were selling their North Portland home while also in contract to buy a farm in Washington when extensive and complicated repairs were discovered in the inspection process. Getting bids from contractors and finding one with the available time to start the work quickly raises the level of stress and possibly increases the time it can take to close the deal. Thus, possibly putting at risk their ability to close on the farm purchase.

But with my extensive list of contractors to call, cooperation from the other broker who kept her buyers hopes up and especially with encouragement, expert advice and consultation from mine and my sellers friend and Realtor Dale Schiff, along with tenacity on the part of my sellers who dug in and contributed time and effort to get the job done, we were able to get the repairs negotiated and completed in less than two weeks so we could close of the sale on their home and the purchase of their new home could be completed.

Apparently, cats approach buying a farm very differently.

Charming Richmond Division Bungalow!

Posted on by Martin Cross

This sweet vintage bungalow features all the charming period details that you crave like large open living spaces, fir floors, large covered porch & fireplace.

Ideally located just off coveted Division St. with restaurants, shops and nightlife within steps of your door. 

The huge backyard, unfinished attic & full basement are all waiting for you to take this sweetheart to the next level.  Basement has an outside entrance too for possible ADU and the attic is just waiting to be converted into a large owners suite. Walk and Bike Scores both 94!

To mask or not to mask….

Posted on by Martin Cross

To mask or not to mask, that is the question. The world is beginning to feel like it may return to normal some day soon. Portlanders have been pretty good about following the mask mandate throughout the pandemic. And while most of us will still follow the rules for going into businesses or in other situations (like Real Estate showings) where they are told they must wear a mask, it seems like just prior to Memorial Day weekend, with the encouraging news releases that came out, everyone decided that all bets (masks) are off!

It’s been a bit shocking to me how quickly people just began taking their masks off and gathering en masse.  But we all get to choose our own level of safety and comfort so you do you, and I’ll do me. As a fully vaccinated human in very good health otherwise, I still feel like the prudent path is better safe than sorry, for at least a few more weeks. Last thing I want is to be the guy who gets Covid as the pandemic is winding down.  

A new yard for Duck.. Or, its my apple and you can’t have it!

Posted on by Martin Cross

Like most couples, when I first started talking with Josh and Alyssa, they had the usual list of desires for their new home. Some of which were “needs” and some just “desires”. At least two bedrooms, two baths. 1700 ft.² or more. Hardwood floors, some kind of cool attic or bonus room, a porch or a deck and of course a fenced yard for Duck and Oliver.

After a couple of long days touring, a serendipitous price reduction that combined with some shrewd negotiating by yours truly, we had locked up a great house that combined all of their wants, including, a HUGE fenced back yard.

But, what became most evident after move-in day was that really, this was all about a fenced yard for Duck.