Just Sold! Scenes of Sellwood Splendor

Hurray for Dustin and Dawn! They are moving to The Rose City from Texas for a career opportunity with their three children.  We looked at several homes during our search, but none of them had the space they were looking for. Whilst in a short term Sellwood rental, this spot came on the market just down the street. It’s got everything going for it: within walking distance to shopping and restaurants, close to school, and plenty of space. We tried to get it under contract, and someone else beat us.  When their deal fell through, the Payne’s hopped on it, and this time we were successful.  They’re super excited and can’t wait to move in! Congratulations and welcome to Portland!

 

Optimism Leads to Achievement!

Congratulations to Chris and Hannah!

Part of what I love about my job is the opportunity to meet all kinds of people and help them through the shared goal of homeownership. It’s fascinating what comes up for people, what ideas they arrive with and how those ideas affect their journey. Hannah and Chris brought optimism with them to the home buying process and it made for a very smooth and very fun experience! They were open to ideas and trusted our input. They were a blast to check out houses with!

Hannah and Chris found a gorgeous remodeled home in St. Johns and sailed through the transaction like champs. We ended up running into a very uncommon snag along the way and they were open to creative solutions and ready to roll with the punches. Everything worked out great and I really appreciate their optimism along the way. Cheers!!

 

Just Sold! Stunning Settings in Sellwood!

A big congratulations to Morgyne and Jason, who just closed on this remarkable bungalow in the beautiful Sellwood/Westmoreland neighborhood. Built in 1900, this home oozes character, history, and charm. These two are moving from the Bay Area and are so excited for a new life, new home, and new city. They bring with them a pup named Bodhi Good Dog, and two cats named Fu and Rogue. Thank you to Own It Portland’s Brian Nagel who was there for the entire course of the transaction. Thanks as well to Alex Page and Dana Cody at Where-Inc who were phenomenal to work with. Morgyne and Jason, let me be the first to welcome you to Portland. Hurray!

Just Sold! Tranquil Townhome in Amazing Aloha

Congratulations to Alex and Marina! These two are beautiful Beaverton clients of mine who just sold their lovely townhome. Sitting captivatingly on a corner-lot, the space is open and bright. An inviting entryway leads to the open living area and stone-encased electric fireplace, while  handsome hardwoods span the entire main level. Primary suite features a vaulted ceiling and double sinks, alongside two additional bedrooms on the upper level. The new buyers are sure to enjoy the private, fenced backyard with deck. It’s a perfect place to unwind in the afternoon sun. Alex and Marina, thank you for your faith and trust in my team and me during this process. I wish you the very best of luck in the next leg of your journey!

Just Sold! Radiant Ranch-Home in Raleigh Hills

I love closing days for my buyers so much. It’s a start to a whole new beginning and you can always feel the jubilation radiating off of them. Katie and Forrest are currently living in an apartment in Slabtown with their two kids. As is normal with growing kiddos, it came time to have a little more room for everyone to roam! They fell in love with the space right away.  Schools, a yard, and plenty of bedrooms were on the “must have” list, and this home fit the bill.  It’s surrounded by beautiful trees and ferns with a very private backyard for them to hang out in.  Everyone has already picked out their spaces, and Forrest even has a space in the lower level to do some home brewing.  They can’t wait to move in! Hurray!

Just Sold! Captivating Cooper Mountain Craftsman

Hurray for my clients Kayla and Steve who just sold their enchanting Beaverton home! This quaint custom craftsman resides in the coveted Grandview Estate community. The open floor plan features high ceilings and natural light throughout. The great room layout adds to the openness on the main level and includes the open kitchen, roomy living area, formal dining, and entry all with stunning hardwood. Out back, a handsome wood deck is the perfect place for summer relaxation. This is an awesome neighborhood near Nike, Intel, schools, and parks. It’s been a pleasure working with these two. I wish them all the best as the begin their next chapter.

Just Sold! Wondrous Wilsonville Welcomings

Congratulations to Christine and Paul! They’re the new owners of this fantastic home in Wilsonville’s Morrey’s Landing community. Paul and Christine are moving from Southern California to be near their daughter Melisa, her husband Mike and their granddaughter Madison. Melisa and Mike closed on their home earlier this month, and the goal was to be as close to them as possible. We did even better than that: they’re within walking distance! All five of them have been living in an AirBnB, and they’re all excited to move into their new homes. This one has a great backyard for Christine, an avid gardener, and Paul’s dream of a three-car garage came true. I’m so excited for Christine and Paul, as well as their whole family. Welcome to Oregon!

Just Sold! Enchanting Eastmoreland Escape

A big congratulations to Libby and Taylor who just sold their beautiful bungalow– a perfect way to close off the week! Their home is warm and welcoming, sitting charmingly on a tree-lined street. The large kitchen features sleek quartz counters while the main level boasts handsome oak floors. With Woodstock shopping and restaurants just a stone’s throw away, this is a fantastic location near schools, parks, and walking trails! I know the buyers will enjoy this place just as much as Libby and Taylor did. I’m so thankful for their trust and hard work during this process. They’re going to thrive on their next adventure. Hurray!

When your “New Normal” is…. freaking awesome!!

Congratulations to Jake and Nicole!

I think you can all relate when I say- what a year!!  The pandemic really threw a wrench in things (to put it very mildly) and we are seeing a lot of folks making changes in the aftermath. My clients, Jake and Nicole, exemplify this and are making a big change! They own a darling home in Overlook and loved it when they bought it. Working from home, through the pandemic, they realized that owning an older home (no matter how cute it is) can be a lot of work! They were feeling overwhelmed with the tasks required of them and realized that yard work was not for them. They felt inspired to look for a low-maintenance place with modern conveniences and a modern design. What they found was perfect! A lovely newer townhome in Hillsdale with clear grain cedar exterior, floor to ceiling triple glazed European windows & doors, white oak hardwood floors, wool carpet, quartz countertops, marble master bathroom, stainless steel appliances. I’m so happy for them! Congratulations!

 

 

 

Just Sold! Charismatic Woodlawn Craftsman

Congratulations to Lincoln and Lauren who just sold this remarkable 2-story craftsman in a prime NE location. High end finishes and details adorn the interior giving this home a lovely open feeling. They loved the primary suite with a freestanding tub and double sinks. This is an incredible neighborhood near parks and schools. It’s also just a quick walk to the wonderful Alberta Street where you’ll find plenty of restaurants, shops, and entertainment! I’m so thankful to Lincoln and Lauren for trusting me to help them and wish all the best on their next chapter. Hurray!

Just Sold! Wonders in Wilsonville

Congratulations to Michael and Melisa! These two just closed on a sumptuous new home in Wilsonville’s Rivergreen Neighborhood. Before Oregon, they lived in Southern California, but are moving to be closer to Michael’s family and his new job. What’s really exciting is that Melisa’s parents are moving up from So. Cal as well! They’re under contract to buy a house just down the street! Michael and Melisa love that moving to Wilsonville means having a nice big yard for gardening, a bigger house for their family to grow into, and being near the river for family picnics. Thanks to Jim Scholastico for his amazing work on this. Hurray for all!

Modern & Chic Abode with ADU

JUST LISTED – 412 N ALBERTA ST

Offered at $640,000

3 Bed | 3.5 Bath | 1860 SF | MLS# 21483637 | Taxes: $7403

VIDEO TOUR

Step into this immaculate, modern attached home with a fantastic layout! Perched high off the street, the first level of the home is easy living. You’re going to love the kitchen: stainless steel appliances, gas range, quartz countertops and breakfast bar. The flow between the kitchen and living room in this open concept layout provides convenient space for entertaining and cozy evenings alike. 

 

Plenty of comfort on the third level with a generous primary en suite and a second large bedroom with full bathroom. You’ll find bright natural light in the bedrooms with the primary suite offering a generous walk-in closet and bathroom with extensive tile work.

 

The lower level is a spacious ADU for guests, family, or additional earning potential! ADU features a large open living space, a darling kitchen with stainless steel appliances, a full bathroom and a large bedroom. As a short-term rental, this space has generated between $2300-$2500 a month.

The home has an Earth Advantage Platinum rating with central air conditioning, gas forced air heating and double pane windows.

Fantastic location close to shops, parks, cafés and restaurants! Great for walking plus a bike score of 93! Fall in love with this modern, move-in-ready, townhome. It’s waiting for you!

Just Sold! Merry Moments in Maywood Park

Congratulations to my clients Raphael and Lily, the new owners of this charming mid-century modern. Tucked away in the beautiful Maywood Park neighborhood, this home will be a lovely oasis from the big city. They’ll enjoy a gorgeous dining nook and modern kitchen with quartz counters. The home includes updated bath, floors, paint, roof, gutters, furnace, electricity, water heater & more. It was a pleasure being a part of the search for your new home. Thank you for your patience and amazing tenacity throughout this process. Special thank you to Own It Portland’s Brian Nagel who was amazing! Hurray all around!

Just Sold! Scintillating Sale in Cedar Mills

Congratulations to my clients Emily and Jerome who just sold this amazing new build in NW Portland. Designed by an AIA Award Winning firm Lever Architecture, this new construction home features an open floor plan with large picturesque windows. A light filled living space anchored by a large sliding glass door leads to the rear patio. High-end finishes & many luxury details. Plus it’s in a premier location only minutes from Downtown. I’m so excited for these two as they start a new journey elsewhere. Thank you for your trust throughout this process. See below for a before and after!

Just Sold! Merry Mt. Tabor Mid-Century

Congratulations to Sophia and Nate who just sold this fabulous mid-century just two blocks from Mt. Tabor Park.  The open floor plan is perfect for imbuing the home with your personal charm while retaining plenty of space throughout. You’ll find a lovely wood-burning fireplace in the living room leading to a large kitchen with granite counters, cherry-wood finishings, and a quaint dining nook plus handsome formal dining. Gorgeous private backyard with stamped concrete patio for summer entertaining. So happy for these two and many congratulations!

Just Sold! Radiant in Roseway

Congratulations to Tim and Trudy, the new owners of this fantastic cottage in riveting Roseway. They are moving from Boston to be closer to their daughter in Portland. At the beginning of the search, we had a few stipulations we needed to adhere to: Tim is a professional photographer, so we needed a home with lots of wall space for photos. They both wanted an older home with lots of character in Northeast. Immediately after stepping through the front door, it became clear this was the one. Tons of wall space, a beautiful backyard, and an abundance of light were what really stood out. I am so excited for these two as they begin their bicoastal life. Thanks to Jason Watkins at Real Estate Performance Group who represented the seller. Congratulations!

Easy peasy… here’s the key-z!

Congratulations to Kari & Trina!!

I love referrals!! I think I’ve said that before, but it’s just so true! Every dang time.

Here’s the story, Kari and Trina found the dream-house before they found the dream-agent. We happen to have mutual friends who referred them to me and what a great match we are! They are fun, smart and know what they want. Perfection!

Here is what is so cool about referrals. When a past client or close friend refers me to someone I’ve never met, it’s far more likely that we will build trust quickly and be able to hit the ground running because the new client already expects to have an awesome experience. That was certainly the case in this situation. This was a competitive sale and we needed to hit the ground running. From the minute I met Kari and Trina I knew that we had trust and that we could do what needed to happen to get them into their dream house. And it was an awesome experience! Now they have the keys to their forever home and I hope they refer me to their friends as well.

If you or anyone you know wants to talk about buying or selling a home, I would love the opportunity to connect with them!

Second Offer is the Charm in Kenton

My buyer Clayton was referred to me by some of my favorite past clients ever, so I knew he was going to be great to work with. His ideal home would be in North Portland where he has lived for a long time as a renter, and would have the space and bedroom count to be able to comfortably rent out a room or two to roommates. He lost out on 2 houses, but they were not the best houses for him anyway. And when a great 4 bedroom house (2 beds on the main floor and 2 beds upstairs) came on the market he went to the open house and met the listing agent who was super impressed by how kind Clayton is and how through of a job he did looking at the house (he even went into the crawl space!). He loved the house and we wrote up an offer, and thanks to his letter and the listing agent explaining to her seller how awesome Clayton is, the seller wanted to sell to Clayton, but with another offer on the table that was over $100,000 over list price, the seller went with the crazy high offer.

Within a few days though, that buyer came back through with her mom and came to the realization that she was paying way too much for the house. That buyer tried to renegotiate with the seller to a lower price, but the seller wasn’t pleased at all so the listing agent came back to me to ask if Clayton was willing to add $30k to his initial offer amount, and Clayton was not willing to do that. So back on the market they went, and Clayton went back to another open house there and still loved it. We wrote up another offer which was higher than his first offer, but not as high as the seller had wanted to keep the house from going on the market.  We waited for the weekend to be over to see if any more offers came in, and of course on the last day another offer did come in. Thankfully the listing agent was still rooting for Clayton, so they came back to us and asked Clayton if he would revise his offer amount higher by $15k to match the other offer. That seemed entirely reasonable so we upped his offer and the seller accepted.

The inspection went really well, and with the exception of a really bad appraisal that came in slightly low, the transaction was otherwise smooth as could be! When I met Clayton at the house to hand over the keys, he seemed slightly bewildered and in awe that he pulled off buying such a great house, but most importantly, he was super excited.

Just Sold! Tremendous New Build in Troutdale

Congratulations to my clients Josh and Stacy who just closed on this amazing new build in Troutdale. It was just recently completed, so they will be the very first occupants in what I’m sure will be an amazing place to call home. They have been utterly amazing, patient clients. I can’t think of two people who deserve this triumph more than them. It’s been an honor to help you find and realize the home of your dreams. Thanks for your trust! I can’t wait to see how you both make this new space your own. Congrats! 

Sophisticated Cape Cod with Updates Galore

Just Listed: 9029 N Van Houten Ave

Offered at $565,000

9029 N Van Houten Ave, Portland OR 97203

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 2698 SF | MLS# 21229005 | Taxes: $4,594

OPEN HOUSE:  Saturday  7/17 1pm-3pm 

TAKE THE VIDEO TOUR HERE


Come see for yourself just how much space, charm and value this house has to offer! With updates galore and a spacious yard, you’re going to fall in love with this sophisticated home!

As you enter, you are greeted by an inviting living room featuring hardwood floors and a big picture window to let the sunshine in.  

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Flowing nicely from the living room into a completely remodeled kitchen, you’ll find stainless steel appliances, gas range, quartz counters, classic subway tile and plenty of storage/counter space for the home chef. The open dining area is perfectly situated providing a lovely view of the backyard. Convenient access to backyard off kitchen and dining room.

As you make your way around, you’re going to love the versatility and spaciousness this home offers! The layout of the home is ideal, offering 2 bedrooms and one full bathroom on the main level.

Winding your way upstairs you’ll find the third sizable bedroom with vaulted ceilings. From there, a separate staircase takes you even further up to the unfinished attic room which is ready for the final details! It has great ceiling height, fresh insulation and a new egress window. This special space is just waiting to become whatever you dream it to be!

Making your way to the basement, you’ll find a clean and spacious partially finished, full basement with great ceiling height!  3 bonus rooms plus one more full bath and a big laundry room! These bonus spaces could easily be imagined as a media room, home office, home school room, art room or even another bedroom… really, the possibilities are endless!

The backyard is a dream! Offering beautiful flowering shrubs, established landscaping, a fuji apple tree, strawberries and marionberries. The yard is fully fenced for privacy which makes this a delightful private space for entertaining or enjoying on your own. Also included in the backyard is a walk-in shed with shelving, window, recently replaced roof and a high ceiling.

Features include:  Recently replaced roof and exterior paint plus updated double pane windows, electrical panel, water heater, plumbing in home & sewer line.

Located on a quiet, tree lined street in an ideal Portsmouth location close to New Seasons, restaurants and parks!

Just Sold! Refined West-Sylvan Ranch

Congratulations to my client, Joey, who just closed on this amazing NW Hills home. Nestled amongst the trees, this is city living without feeling like the city. Instead, Joey will enjoy an open floor plan with tons of room to roam. A vaulted living room with a wall of windows and exposed beams brings a sense of refinement set against the fecund forest outside. The back deck is your very own canopy overlooking the picturesque scenery. Thank you very much to Brian Nagel on Own It Portland’s team who supervised this transaction for Joey. Thank you as well to Beverly Moser at John L. Scott who represented the seller. Congrats all around!

First time home ownership joy!

Congratulations to Rana!!

 

There are so many things to love about helping folks buy a home! I meet so many different people with many stories about why they want what they do and how they plan to achieve their real estate dreams and goals. But seriously, nothing is more gratifying than helping someone become a homeowner for the very first time! The joy!

It was so wonderful working with Rana to help make that dream a reality. She is a focused and intentional person who powered through the process like a champ. And every time we thought there might be a bump in the road we were able to negotiate on her behalf and smooth everything out. She is the first woman in her family to buy her own home!! Her Grandmother is so proud! This was definitely meant to be and I couldn’t be happier for Rana!!

 

Just Sold! Auspicious Arnold Creek Abode

Congratulations to my clients, Tyler and Angie! They are the new owners of this fantastic Daylight Ranch home in Arnold Creek. My team and I were fortunate enough to work with Tyler when we sold his home in Brentwood-Darlington in SE Portland earlier this year. I am so happy that he and Angie have a wonderful new place of their own together. They will enjoy .7 acres all to themselves while being just minutes from Downtown and Lake Oswego. The home has a beautiful open floor plan with tons of living space, 3 fireplaces, and multiple decks with great views. I know Tyler and Angie will create a beautiful life here for themselves and I am so grateful for their trust throughout this process. Shoutout to Sarah Lile at Windermere Realty Trust for her work representing the seller!

Just Sold! Picturesque Portland Heights Premises

I’m so happy for my clients, Dave and Sidney who just sold their splendid, split-level MidCentury-Modern oasis perched in the verdant Portland Heights hills. Floor to ceiling windows illuminate the smart formal living area, complete with a warm, wood-burning fireplace. Step right out onto the oversized, elevated wrap-around porch with great views. Follow the porch to a private and scenic backyard, perfect for entertaining groups of all sizes. I especially love the outdoor pond and waterfall that adds a sense of tranquility out back. Thank you to Daniel Fagan at Windermere for bringing the buyer. Congrats all around!

Darling Grant Park Bungalow

Just Listed: 1809 NE 32nd Ave

Offered at $565,000

1809 NE 32nd Ave, Portland OR 97212

2 Bed | 2 Bath | 1880 SF | MLS# 21250324  | Taxes: $4,589

OPEN HOUSE: Saturday 7/10 2pm-4pm

Welcome to this dreamy Bungalow with character galore, perched perfectly on a corner lot! Located in one of Portland’s most sought-after neighborhoods, you’ll be immediately drawn to the classic front porch, gorgeous landscaping and timeless features.

As you enter the home, you are greeted by an expansive living room and dining room which feature hardwood floors, fireplace and classic millwork. This space is perfect for entertaining or just spending an evening in front of the fire. The large dining area situated at the south end of the living room features a stunning bay window overlooking greenery.

Flowing nicely from the dining area into kitchen you’ll find a gas range, stainless steel appliances, fun & colorful tile and an ample amount of storage. The cute breakfast nook off the kitchen is a wonderful spot for morning coffee!

The layout of the home is ideal, offering 2 bedrooms plus one full bathroom on the main level.

And making your way downstairs you’ll find a clean and spacious finished basement with 2 bonus rooms and one more full bath! So many possibilities with the bonus spaces, one of which includes built-in shelving. Either room could easily be imagined as a media room, home office, schoolroom, art room… really, the possibilities are endless!

Exiting through the south side or through one of the bedrooms on the north, you’ll find a beautiful garden oasis waits for you outside! The backyard is fully fenced providing the perfect blend of privacy and space. Gorgeous, established landscaping surrounds a darling patio and deck- great for entertaining!

A short walk to so many amenities: Grant Park, New Seasons, restaurants, drug store, etc… plus Hollywood shopping district is nearby. Enjoy all this wonderful neighborhood has to offer! So much to love in this well-maintained and inviting Grant Park Bungalow!

Just Sold! Keen and Kingly in King City Highlands

For Gary and Rose, the biggest priority was moving to be closer to their son, Steve, in Portland. They are retired and until now, had been spending their time in Eugene. We’d looked into a few different 55+ communities but when we found this house, it was everything they wanted. In fact, during the first tour we couldn’t find Gary! Turns out he’d already been across the street making friends with the neighbors. He and Rose will enjoy a lovely home with a wall of windows in the living room, several golf courses for Gary within driving distance, and plenty of walking paths. Congratulations to these two and I wish them the very best as they start a new chapter!

Just Sold! Lavish and Lively in Lake Oswego

Meet Ana and Miguel, moving to Portland from Denver! They are a husband and wife research team moving to work for OHSU. They have two young daughters who will be making the move with them, along with their entire laboratory. During their search, Ana and Miguel knew they wanted something near great schools that also allowed for Miguel to ride his bike to work. Luckily, we came across this fabulous home in Lake Oswego that checks all of the boxes. They’ll even be just up the street from a wide array of walking/hiking trails. Ana and Miguel are thrilled to raise their girls here and call this home for years to come. Congratulations!

Just Sold! Sumptuous Celebrations in St. Johns

A HUGE congratulations to my friends Kat and Melissa who just bought their very own home in St. John’s. It’s a rare 1903 farmhouse with a great vintage vibe. I’ve known these amazing women for years as Kat and her interior design company Copeland + Co are my go to in the Portland area. Their new home has 2 beds and 2 baths with a gorgeous private backyard. They can’t wait to restore it to its original charm and character. Kat has already redesigned the entire front room in her mind! These are some great people so it makes me very happy to have been their guide on this journey. Many congratulations to you both! Thanks to Jennifer Johnston who was an exceptional listing agent throughout this process! 

Just Sold! Wonderful Wilsonville Whimsies

Meet Larry and Linda! They are currently in the Pearl District and split their time between Portland and Las Vegas. This means they get to see their adult kids and beautiful grandchild quite frequently. They really love their place in the Pearl, but needed some greenspace as the little one to play in. After searching a few areas, the fell in love with the Villebois neighborhood of Wilsonville. Their new townhome is a beautiful end-unit with tons of space and charm, featuring 3 beds and 3.5 baths. There’s a park just outside the door, a pool, clubhouse (with gym!), and lots of walking paths. It’ll be a wonderful place to have family over and enjoy time outdoors. Congratulations! 

 

 

Hiring Great Contractors

So many of us are planning work on our homes right now. Ensuring you make the right contractor hiring decision is essential right now. And if you think it’s just about making sure they do quality work, that is only part of it. I shared some tips. with Kara Mack from Afternoon Live about what to consider and look out for. See the full 7 minute interview here

Great Contractors

Have great reputations

    1. Stand behind their work when problems show up- and people rave about them. DON’T just look at online reviews- businesses tend to ask for reviews from clients when things go well, not when they don’t
    2. Reliable

** Bad contractors tend talk about themselves more than others talk about them

Organized and good with the basics

    1. Have a schedule, and communicate when they will be able to do the work
    2. Do what they say they are going to do, including show up for the estimate on time, and get you an estimate when they say they will.
    3. May have an office person who keeps track of the schedule and communicates all necessary information.

** Bad contractors aren’t great at following through on the basics

Experts and resourceful

    1. Listen to you, meet you where you are, and present curiosity and interest in your project
    2. Do not treat your project like its just like all of the rest
    3. Willing to share why they recommend an approach or certain products
    4. Tailor their proposal to your interests, and not just what they are used to doing

** Bad contractors have a blanket approach based on what they usually do

One more tip: The clearer you are on the scope of work, and confidence you present that the project WILL be happen, the more interested contractors will be in working with you.

Just Sold! Radiant Raleigh Hills Ranch

3 cheers for JD and Emily, the proud new owners of this charming ranch home in Raleigh Hills/West Slope. JD is a retired navy helicopter pilot and they two of them currently live in San Diego. They are quite excited to start a new life in Portland. We’d worked with Emily’s sister, Lindsay, earlier this year and she was kind enough to refer us when it was time for the move. We were ready for a long, tough bidding process but luckily were successful in the first try on this home. It has an amazing private backyard that will be perfect when Lindsay and her kids come over. A big shoutout to Dill Ward at Living Room who repped the seller; it was great to have an all “Living Room” transaction. Congrats all around!

Just Listed! Dazzling Downtown Dreamscape

Enjoy stunning panoramic views in this gorgeous west-facing Eliot Tower condo. This is a fantastic and contemporary luxury building in Downtown’s Portland Cultural District. A roomy living area with floor-to-ceiling windows brings tons of natural light into the open floor plan. Beautiful king bedroom with handsome shoji doors offers a private retreat from the main area. Step out to the private deck for some fresh air and gorgeous city views! Eliot Tower residents enjoy a fitness center, an outdoor sundeck with barbecues, bicycle storage, 24-hour concierge service, a deeded parking space, and high level security. This is a charming and walkable area close to restaurants, shopping, and public transit. Definitely not one to miss!

Just Sold! Cozy Canby Quarters

Congratulations to Bryce and Katherine, new owners of this wonderful ranch-home in Canby! They’re moving from S Oregon to be closer to their kids. They very much wanted to join the Canby Community and were set on the ranch home. We saw this home the first day it hit the market. Bryce and Katherine knew immediately it was the one. We then put together a strong strategy to beat out six other offers! The home features 3 beds, a lovely kitchen, and an awesome fenced yard with tons of space. Katherine, an avid gardener, is already planning to transform the backyard into her own private sanctuary. As big Portland Timbers fans, they’re excited to attend more games now that they’re closer. I’m thrilled to have helped them find this place and wish them all the best as they make it their very own. Hurray!

Just Sold! Magic in Montavilla

Meet Regina and Alexandria. They’re a dynamic mom/daughter duo, and today they closed on this lovely, modern, 3 story detached condo! Alexandria had previously lived in a Downtown condo, but she immediately fell in love with this one for its backyard space. She owns a lovely pooch and was lacking the outdoor space Downtown. After a full tour of the place, we realized things only got better from there.

This is a brand new development, and Alexandria will be one of the very first residents! I’ll never forget when we walked into the kitchen and she said “I can’t believe this is going to be mine.” Well, it is yours, Alexandria! Congratulations! I’m so excited to have worked with you to find this perfect place for you. Special thanks to Nancy Westermeijer at Real Estate Performance Group who repped the seller and made this transaction happen. She was a wonderful partner to work with. Congratulations to all!

 

Just Sold! Novel Condo in Nob Hill

They say there’s nothing like helping those you love. In this case, I want to send a big congratulations out to my very own mother. She just sold this lovely condo in the ever so charming Nob Hill! This is a lovely location close to the amazing opportunities of Downtown. NW 23rd is just a quick walk away, the Pearl is also close by. This is truly a place to be enmeshed in quintessential Portland culture. A big congratulations to my mom again, happy to have been with you for this journey. Hurray! 

Gorgeous Green Hills Property

 

Congratulations to Sophie & Patrick!

I’m not sure if many of you know this about me, but my first love was actually Architecture. I studied at Iowa State University and worked as an Architect for over 6 years before making the switch to Real Estate in 2004. It really comes in handy to understand engineering and materials when I’m helping just about all of my clients. Although in this in this situation it really came in handy that I have a degree in Architecture because Sophie and Patrick were interested in finding as much land as possible, as close in as possible to build their dream home. They found a gorgeous acre in the Green Hills neighborhood! And we were able to talk shop and confirm it’s a great spot for their next big chapter. 

I’m so thrilled to be able to help them and I’d love to work with anyone you know who might need my expertise. 

 

Just Sold! Peaceful Parkrose Paradise!

I’m so excited for my friends Rosie and Michael, the new owners of this roomy ranch-style home in Parkrose Heights. We go back all the way to my days in NYC, but they are recent Portlanders! Tired of renting, small apartments, and some particularly hard days in the early days of 2020, they decided it was time to try the West Coast. They scored this lovely abode with plenty of room, gorgeous wood floors, natural light, and an amazing back yard. The best part? It’s right down the street from some of their close friends. I love it when things just work for fantastic people. Congratulations to Rosie and Michael, and welcome to the Rose City! 

Bernadette, wishing you lots of love and happiness in your new home!

Congratulations to Bernadette!

I’m so happy to give keys to my best friend, Bernadette! We found her a great house in a wonderful location. I just know that she’s going love living there! It’s a cute 3 bedroom with a great yard and tons of light! I wish her all the best! -Cheers!

Finding the Perfect House in Richmond

Congratulations to my buyer Brooke on beating out 10 other offers to snag this perfect home in the Richmond neighborhood. Brooke found me because her sister’s kids attend the same school as my kids in SE Portland, and they were looking for an agent familiar with the area. Brooke is from Seattle and recently went through a divorce and sold her longtime home in Seattle with the intention of moving to Portland to be closer to her sister. Brooke has a daughter that has some disabilities and is mobility challenged, so the home she knew she wanted to purchase would ideally be near her sister, and have the right set-up for her daughter to be able to get around on the ground floor, and have a flat backyard. We spent a good 2+ months on the hunt, which meant nearly every weekend for 2 months Brooke drove down to Portland from Seattle to check out houses. She wrote offers on 3 homes and while it was brutal to go through rejection after rejection, in the end it was all good because like most buyers, the best house was the last house we saw and she wrote on.

The Richmond house is only 7 blocks from her sister, has the perfect layout on the main floor for her daughter to get around in, has a gorgeous bedroom suite upstairs that feels like a sanctuary with light and views of trees for days and bookshelves to fill. The whole house also has the kind of charm that Brooke was looking for. When we toured it, Brooke just kept saying, “this is my house!” And at one point she found the laundry shoot in the downstairs bathroom and squealed with joy. Like a lot of great homes, the home was clearly listed far too low, and while it was hard to stomach writing an offer for 30% over list price, Brooke was ok with it because this was clearly her house. Because the house was listed so far under value, it received 11 offers- with most of those offers well over 20% over list. But this was Brooke’s house and thankfully the seller understood and accepted Brooke’s offer. We did a quick close, no repairs and while the process of finding the right house and getting under contract felt like it took forever, once her offer was accepted on the Richmond house, it was a lightning fast process to close.

Just Sold! Modern Miracles in Mt. Tabor

Congratulations to my client, Daniel! He’s a first time home-buyer who just closed on this beauty in Mt. Tabor. The corner lot features tons of lovely details! He came to us seeking something specific and was wonderful at articulating what he wanted. Originally, he thought he was sure only a townhome or condo was in his future, but with some time we discovered he could swing a single-family home! We found this beautiful home with a single offer on it and put together a winning strategy to secure it.  Now, he will enjoy a lovely SE Portland cottage with 4 beds, 2 baths, and 2,300 sq ft. The fenced backyard is the perfect place to host a summertime gathering with family or friends. This is a lovely home in a lovely neighborhood, and I am so happy that Daniel will get to enjoy it all. 

 

 

Here’s the Start to a Wonderful Adventure!!

Congratulations to Shannon & Cesar!

Yaaaaay!!!

We just helped some very special people buy a very special house! Cesar and Shannon were amazing clients. They did everything necessary to jump into a crazy housing market and succeed! We looked at quite a few houses and only lost out on one along the way. It turns out that Cesar and Shannon are quick learners. So after losing that one, we were soon back on the saddle!  With their feet now wet they were ready to put together a sharp offer on the next property. And they got it! 

I wish them all the best in their new house! It has a lovely yard in the front and the back. Plus a really cute updated kitchen. Cesar loves to cook, so I know they’ll have a great time in that kitchen!

Cheers!!

 

A Five Year Journey to Becoming a Homeowner

My super special buyer Ta’ Neshia contacted me in early April to see if I could help her complete her long journey of buying her first home. This single mom had spent the past five years working with the Portland Housing Center to build up her credit, save for a downpayment, and get educated about the home buying process. She finally reached mortgage ready status, and as a veteran, qualified for a VA loan. Once she started the process with getting pre-approved, she found out she qualified for a $90,000 N/NE Housing Strategy  Preference Policygrant as well as a $15,000 down payment grant through the local land trust non-profit Proud Ground because she is a veteran. So between her N/NE preference policy grant, her Proud Ground grant, her matched savings from Portland Housing Center, and her VA loan, she was able to string all of it together to be able to have the funds to finally buy a home.

Even with the Preference Policy Grant, her budget was on the very low end for Portland- under $400,000, and making matters more difficult, she had to buy a home within the Interstate Urban Renewal Area- which over the last 10 years homes have easily doubled or tripled in some cases in value. Ta’ Neshia said from the first time I met her that she was going to trust in the universe and felt strongly that despite her challenges on paper, it was going to all work out. Her kids are in middle school and really needed their own rooms, so finding a 3 bedroom home was a must. We looked at one townhouse that she could afford and she was willing to go for it, until she started thinking about actually living in the less then ideal space. A week later, a townhouse in the Bridgeton neighborhood right off Marine Drive and the Columbia River came on the market. We went to see it and I could tell she was in love. It had a great layout- 3 bedrooms plus a bonus space upstairs and a great kitchen, dining room, living room and garage that could easily be turned into living space on the ground level. The seller had purchased the unit from a contractor who had re-done the builder basic kitchen into a beautifully functional kitchen, and the seller added her own chic touches everywhere.

It was the second home we saw together and we both felt that this was meant to be her house after we spent time there. We wrote up an offer that same evening and crossed our fingers. Thankfully, my wonderful Living Room Realty colleague Virginia Barden was the listing agent, and I was able to convey to her that while Ta’ Neshia’s offer on paper probably didn’t look as “good” as an offer from another buyer between her down payment assistance grants, VA loan and the need for a 45 day minimum closing, that we could at least offer over asking, no repairs and a small cushion for an appraisal gap. The seller received three compelling offers and Virginia was able to give her seller the full picture on Ta’ Neshia and how hard she had worked to get to this point and how committed she was to this purchase. Thankfully the seller was moved by Ta’ Neshia’s story and  decided to put her money where her mouth was and accepted Ta’ Neshia’s offer.

It was such a pleasure and honor to be able to help Ta’ Neshia round out all her hard work and hand over keys. When it was all finished, Ta’ Neshia said one of the best things any buyer has ever said to me-  Thank you for being the best advocate I didn’t even know I needed.

 

Just Sold! Cozy Colonial-Style Quarters

A big congratulations to Tim, Lisa, and their son Cooper who now will be calling this lovely home theirs. They live in NE Portland and are making the journey across the river to the Westside to get a little change of pace, and be close to great schools for Cooper. During our search, they found themselves beat out on some homes they’d loved, we ended up finding the perfect one for them. Everything happens for a reason! It’s a gorgeous open home with tons of space. It also backs up to beautiful woods with hiking trails that Tim and Cooper already plan to explore together. I couldn’t be more happy for Tim, Lisa, and Cooper as they begin this amazing new journey. Special shoutout to Breylan Deal-Erikson who represented the seller!

Just Sold! Classic Craftsman, Captivating Comforts

Three cheers for my clients Edward and Jennifer who just closed on this fantastic craftsman home. It sits on a private and tree-lined street with tons of character and charm in the lovely West Sylvan. Large kitchen with granite counters, big island, and stainless steel appliances add a modern flair. The floor plan is roomy and open, with tons of potential and flexibility. Master suite houses a soaking tub and fireplace. The covered deck with privacy screens is perfect for some fresh air. I’m thrilled for Jennifer and Edwin as they begin this new chapter in such a great home. Congratulations!! Thank you to Janet Strader at Windermere Trust for facilitating the sale!

Buying a Home Vs. Remodeling The One You Have

I talked with Kara Mack on Afternoon Live today about whether people should buy a new house or remodel the one they have. It’s worth diving into a little bit because home prices, building materials, and contractor prices are all up this year. Below are some things to consider. To watch the 5 minute clip, click here
  1. Get honest about what really doesn’t work about your current house.
    1. Enough space
    2. Outdated
    3. Location
  2. If a remodel could work, get estimates
    1. Costs of some building materials have increased exponentially over the past year (lumber)
    2. Demand for remodel has gone up, contractors are busy, and their time is worth more than a year ago as well.
    3. Determine a realistic timeline- most materials are coming late.
  3. Planning to Buy
    1. Home prices in the Portland area are up 17% from a year ago. For a $500k house, that’s $85k more
    2. Since 2/3’s of houses sell in the first week, you will have to compete
    3. You may have to be willing to pay more than the appraiser says it’s worth, so make sure you’re planning to live there for a while

If you decide to remodel your current home, check out some tips on Hiring Great Contractors

Feeling “Whelmed”

You know you’re doing something right in your career when a former realtor who no longer works in the industry trusts you to help her and her family find their first home to purchase. Munir used to work for the same company as my brother, who is a commercial broker here in Portland. So when it came time for she and her wife Lori to purchase their first home, she reached out to me to help them.

The journey wasn’t all roses and butterflies as we submitted offers on and didn’t get several homes that they thought were “the one.” Lucky for me these buyers remained patient, optimistic and good humored. At one point Lori told me she was feeling “whelmed.” Not overwhelmed or underwhelmed – just “whelmed.” 🙂

In the end, they are soooo happy with how it all turned out. They got a great house for themselves and their teenage daughter. It’s an adorable bungalow with a fantastic back yard with a fire pit for many fun nights with friends to come.

If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell a home in the Portland area, please contact Amanda Haworth at 503-453-7698.

Just Sold! Affable and Adorable Amberglen Townhome

Three cheers for Sami who just closed on this fantastic townhome in beautiful Beaverton. Bright and open, this South-facing unit boasts a beautiful view of surrounding greenspace. Open formal living/dining rooms featuring new carpeting and AC, gas fireplace, and blackout blinds! Sami will also enjoy a lovely balcony where she looks forward to getting plenty of sun. The neighborhood is lovely, close to Nike and Intel Headquarters with tons of restaurants and shopping options. It’s also a quick walk to the Willow Creek/185th MAX station! Many congratulations, Sami! This will sure be a lovely place to call home.

Just Listed! Extravagance in Exquisite Errol Heights

Sitting serenely on a tree-lined SE street, this 1924 bungalow is a perfect place to call home. Recent remodel with tons of new touches while retaining the classic charm. Open living room with a quaint fireplace leads to a lovely formal dining area. The bright kitchen has plenty of space to cook with a cozy breakfast nook to round it out. Four bedrooms total with a true master suite and walk in closet on the upper level. Great storage space in the basement! Out back, enjoy the fresh air on the large covered porch. The fenced yard has a lush lawn with tons of room for your very own garden. Close-in location close to parks, schools, and Woodstock shopping/restaurants.

4906 SE Rural Street, Portland, OR, 97206

Offered at: $579,900

3 beds | 3 baths | 2,545 sq ft

MLS no: 21504143 | Taxes: $6,258

Just Listed! Marvelous Mid-Century Modern

Nestled at the top of the west hills, this 4 bed 3 bath mid-century modern resides in an idyllic, peaceful neighborhood with stellar schools. The floor-to-ceiling windows in the living/dining room plus  2 skylights let in bright cheerful light all year long. The large deck and patio are ideal for gathering friends and family. The daylight basement with separate entry could be a potential ADU, in-law apartment, and/or charming office space. Council Crest & Healy Heights parks are a short stroll away! Don’t miss out on seeing this West Hills wonder!

3749 SW Chehalem Avenue, Portland, OR, 97239

Offered at: $895,000

4 beds | 3 baths | 2,436 sq ft

MLS no: 21038407 | Taxes: $9,940

 

Last Tango in Mt Tabor

I first met Galen through his partner, Kyra, who I’ve known for years through my old college roommates and Oregon Country Fair friends. He contacted me to say he was ready to buy a home and asked if I could help him. Naturally, I said yes because he’s a great guy and I like helping people purchase homes.

After about a month of searching and some stressful pressure to move quickly on the homes he liked, we finally found this fantastic Mt Tabor home. This house has one of the best entertaining kitchens I’ve ever seen. It is open concept AND has double French doors that open onto the large deck and back yard. I have major kitchen envy. 🙂

Now, the market being what it is, we naturally had to compete to get the home. Luckily, Galen wrote a heartfelt letter about how he loves to dance and entertain, and along with our stellar terms that sealed the deal.

I can’t wait to come fete your new home with you at some point, Galen!

If you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell a home in the Portland area, please contact Amanda Haworth at 503-453-7698 or amanda@livingroomre.com.

Just Sold! Hillsdale Mid-Century Magic

Greg and Abby have been working with our team for several months now, commuting to Portland from the Oregon Coast. They even moved to Portland proper recently while they began their house hunting. Sometimes, luck strikes quickly. On our first day of searching, the first house we saw was the one. It’s a gorgeous mid-century featuring modern details like a custom kitchen with designer finishes, refinished hardwood floors, and a gorgeous master suite with a huge shower. The backyard is open and roomy with a bonus craft shed! They beat out several other offers to get the home and are so excited to make it their own. What a wonderful story and a huge congratulations. Theirs is truly a unique and lovely home.

Just Sold! One-of-a-Kind Condo Dreams

On this marvelous Monday my client, Christi, just closed on this darling condo with tons of character. She is a first time home-buyer so this is an extra special feat. Christi had been saving for a while to find the perfect place of her own and knew she wanted something with charm and character. This place fit the bill to a T. Located in the coveted Raleigh Hills/ Montclair neighborhood, this elegant home features a private front garden/patio, modern details throughout, and a separate garage. It’s the perfect place to start her new life. We found the fireplace she always wanted, a nice outdoor space, and a huge living room to decorate however she wants. Congratulations on this wonderful new beginning, and a special thank you to the seller’s agent, Jan Stranski, who was very helpful during the whole process. Cheers all around!

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Just Sold! Heavenly Home in Happy Valley

Tim and Emily are wonderful return clients who sold their house with us last month. They received two months of rent back from their buyers to find a new place to call home. After only a week, we came upon this beautiful home on a lovely cul-de-sac in an even lovelier neighborhood in Happy Valley. It features 3 beds, 2.5 baths and nearly 3,000 sq ft of space. They’ll have tons of room in their backyard with a salt water hot tub, rock terrace, and plenty of greenery. The day after finding it, we got them pending, and now they are even able to close early. Congratulations, Tim and Emily! This new home of yours is darling. Thank you, also, to Liz Ellis at Redfin who represented the sellers!

Just Sold! Tri-Level Comforts in Murrayhill

I’m very happy to share that my client, Bryan, closed on the sale of his lovely tri-level home in the Murrayhill/Sexton Mountain neighborhood of Beaverton. Sitting on a quiet street in a prime location, this area is close to fantastic schools, shopping, and parks. Inside, the home’s lovely, open floor plan features 3 beds and 2.5 baths with 1,972 sq ft of space. From the formal living area to the large kitchen, the home feels comfortable and spacious. The new owners will also enjoy a sunny back deck, perfect for entertaining. Congrats to Bryan and the new owners! And shoutout to David Policar of Where Inc. Realty for bringing the buyer!

Just Sold! Classic Comforts in Cozy Kenton

Some good news is always the best way to begin the week. Congratulations to my client Noah who just sold his beautiful Kenton bungalow. It’s a gorgeous home that embodies the quintessential PNW way of life. It features a wooden-paneled/covered front porch, formal living area with a vintage wood-burning fireplace, and a light-filled and spacious kitchen. The new owners will also enjoy a large backyard with raised plant beds, a lush lawn, and covered patio. Sounds like a great way to enjoy the warming weather. Thank you to Living Room’s own Anna de la Rua Domenech for bringing the buyer! Congrats, Noah and way to start the week off on a positive note!

New Beginnings & Rosy Richmond Retreats

My clients, Andrew and Erina, currently reside in Seattle and are expecting their first child together soon. They also just closed on this lovely bungalow in SE Portland! Erina is a Portlander by birth and when we found this gorgeous home it was love at first sight for them both. Immediately they were a little overwhelmed with the competitiveness of the market and weren’t quite sure if they could write a competitive offer. Lo and behold, the listing agent followed up with news that for the SAME reason, other prospective buyers hadn’t written offers either! The sellers were left with no offers and encouraged my clients to write.

By the next day they were pending, and now here we are at closing! What a wonderful twist of fate. My clients love it so much, they’re purchasing half the furniture with the home. It helps that the sellers are master woodworkers and made the furniture themselves! Once again, a huge congratulations to Andrew and Erina on their perseverance, patience, and poise throughout this process. I’m so excited for them to begin this new chapter with a beautiful home and family on the horizon. Special thanks to Elizabeth Wren Shiffler at Urban Nest PDX for facilitating the sale! 

Just Listed! Charming Condo in Blooming Beaverton

This bright and cheery condo in Beaverton’s Five Oaks community is a wonderful place to call home. Enjoy modern touches and an open design, complete with 2 beds and 2.5 baths. The large kitchen with granite counters and a massive island is perfect for cooking on a night in or entertaining. Step out of the sliding glass door onto the beautiful balcony. It’s the perfect place for soaking up some sunshine. The neighborhood is close to the Elmonica MAX station, shopping, and hiking trails. Employment opportunities at Nike and Intel with both HQ’s just a short drive away. Plus it’s only a stone’s throw to downtown Portland. Great for investors–no rental cap! Don’t miss this fantastic, move-in ready unit in a prime spot!

 

1020 SW 170th Ave, Beaverton, OR 97006

Offered at $292,000

2 beds | 2.5 baths | 1,419 sq. ft.

 

 

 

The Little Buyers Who Could

When I say this market is tough on buyers, that may be an understatement for what Andrea and Amar (and sweet 1-year-old daughter Maeve) have been through. When we first met they were coming out of the process of getting bids for their current home to expand it to fit their growing family. They decided it would be easier to just purchase something else instead. Little did they know the challenges that lay ahead.

After a few weeks of searching, we finally found their “dream home.” We put in a stellar offer, and although the listing agent told us ours was the strongest, the sellers picked another offer based on the buyer letter. Crushing. And, frankly, unethical. So Andrea and Amar took a little time off from the hunt and regrouped.

A few weeks of looking later, a home popped up that looked promising. It had the big yard they had dreamed of, it was a “granny ranch” with great bones and a ton of potential to make it into exactly what they want. The problem was, we would have to fight for it. There was a ton of competition for this home, including a cash offer that was very appealing to the sellers.

Insert super lender Jen Bell into the mix. She said she could get us a 10 day closing to compete with the cash buyer. So we put our best foot forward and I had a lot of heart-to-hearts with the listing agent. When she finally called to tell us we got it, she said, “I feel like we’re old friends at this point!” 🙂

Needless to say, Andrea and Amar are THRILLED with how things panned out. And so am I! I can’t wait to see how their amazing remodel will turn out. They have a great eye for design and I just know they are going to have the coolest house when this is all done! So happy for them!

If you, or anyone you know, are looking to buy or sell a home in the greater Portland area, please contact Amanda Haworth at 503-453-7698 or amanda@livingroomre.com.

 

Just Sold! Ranch-Style Respite in Southeast

What a wonderful way to begin the weekend! Congratulations to my client who just sold and closed on this beautiful ranch home in the heart of SE Portland. Featuring 3 beds, 2 baths, and tons of flexible space, this home is quite a gem indeed. The new owners will enjoy a sunken living area with a gorgeous fireplace, two sheds, and an amazing backyard with a bug lawn and plant beds. I’m so happy for my client on this closing and best of luck on their new chapter. Thank you to Shannon Miller at Portland Proper Real Estate for bringing the buyer!

Just Sold! Adorable Abode in Aloha

My client is definitely looking at a happy weekend ahead. We’d been looking for the perfect home for her and found “the one” in the beautiful Aloha neighborhood of Beaverton. Here in this fantastic ranch-style home, my client will enjoy an open concept floor plan with immaculate hardwood flooring throughout. The remodeled kitchen boasts granite counters and opulent oak cabinetry. 3 beds, 2 baths, and 1,104 sq ft round out this lovely single-story. We are especially excited about the private, fenced backyard with detached garage/shop and a stately patio. It’s going to be a wonderful place to spend the Spring/Summer. Congratulations to my client, and many thanks to Christi Lawrence at Windermere Realty Trust who represented the seller. Hurray for all!

Just Sold! A New Springtime Start

Gabrielle and Bobby are recent newlyweds (congrats!) and just closed on their first home together. They met when Gabrielle was visiting a friend for a weekend (she’s from the Chicago area) and it was love at first sight. Fast forward, and these two are now the proud new owners of this beautiful ranch-style home. They love the abundance of natural light throughout, the kitchen, and especially the backyard which is private and spacious. This will be a perfect house to raise a family in, as Gabrielle and Bobby plan to do. Along with their cute 2 year-old pup, they’re so excited to start their life here. Congratulations to you both, and here’s to a bright future in your lovely new place.

Just Sold! Radiant Rose City Retreat

Own It Portland’s very own Operations Manager, Heidi Effmann, and her family just sold their longtime home in NE Portland. It’s a beautiful 1925 bungalow in the Rose City Park neighborhood. After ten years, four remodels, four kids, two dogs, one cat, six chickens and lots of life on NE 55th, Heidi and her family are on the lookout for a new Portland home that will better suit longer visits with extended family and growing kids, more chickens and maybe even a pool…? One can dream. Congrats to Heidi and family!

 

 

 

 

Just Listed- Sweet & Serene Scenes in SE

Kick back and relax in this wonderfully open home in Brentwood/Darlington. Once inside, you’re greeted with a warm and charming feel right away. Enjoy high vaulted ceilings and beautiful oak floors in the bedrooms and Brazilian cherry in the main areas. Lovely large living room adjacent to quaint kitchen and dining area. Grand master-suite plus 2 spacious bedrooms, 2 baths round out the 1,849 sq ft floor plan. The private fenced backyard has a gorgeous patio and plenty of room to roam with greenspace and designated garden area. Last year, the current owner grew gallons of fresh fruit right from home. The neighborhood is quiet and residential, perfect for a sunny stroll on a warm spring day. Don’t miss this beautiful SE gem!

Jewel of Woodstock

JUST LISTED

Offered at $449,000
5223 SE Steele St, Portland OR 97206
2 Bed | 1 Bath | 1128 SF | MLS# 21207202 | Taxes: $3,154

This Woodstock charmer is packed with sophisticated updates while holding strong to its classic Bungalow style.
VIDEO TOUR

Upon arrival, you’ll notice the high level of care and attention given to this home. A lovely landscaped front yard welcomes you with well-designed cedar fencing, fresh exterior paint and newer double-pane windows!

Once inside this south-facing home, you’ll enjoy wonderful natural light, gorgeous wood floors, tasteful updates and classic details. The living room is stylish with a beautiful picture window, wood moldings and gorgeous, recently installed white oak, hardwood floors.

Take in the character of the home as you make your way seamlessly from the living room into the kitchen with tasteful modern updates and timeless period finishes. A picture-perfect dining nook rounds out the kitchen. Updates include newer integrated dishwasher, fridge, gas range with range hood, wood floors, solid wood cabinets and countertops, sink and white oak hardwood floors. Through the hall you’ll find 2 lovely bedrooms with tall windows. The well-maintained bathroom features a claw-foot tub with shower.

Step out into the beautiful, ample backyard which feels very private. The space is highlighted by a custom brick patio, custom cedar fencing and lush green landscaping. The oversized garage, with alley access, could be used for so many things! Currently, owners are using the garage as a woodshop, but it is ready for your imagination, possibly an ADU? The backyard boasts plenty of room for entertaining, a firepit, gardening or playing with furry friends! Clean, unfinished partial basement has great ceiling height and plenty of room for storage and laundry area.

Lucky you because this house is located in the sweet spot! Just blocks from Woodstock town center, Woodstock park and the wonderful shops and restaurants the neighborhood has to offer.

So much to love in this darling home! It is ready for you to move in and enjoy so come check it out! This is one level living at its best!

 

Just Sold! Yearning on Yamhill!

In a true testament to the fast paced market we’re seeing in Portland right now, I’m so excited to say my client’s condo was listed and sold in under a month! It’s located in SE Portland, close to Downtown. The Buckman Neighborhood is full of lovely cafes, restaurants, and shops.Open and full of light, this condo boasts an efficient and well designed contemporary floor-plan. My clients loved their back patio as a place to relax. Now the new owners can enjoy the budding days of Spring from there. Congratulations to my clients on their sale! We blinked and it was over, but I’ve been so happy to work with you. Best of luck on the next chapter!

Just Sold! Marvelous Milwaukie Living

As soon as this beautiful ranch-style home hit the market, I knew it would be snatched up quick. It just has that je-ne-sais-quois to it that automatically draws your eye. My clients listed the home in late February and already closed today. Wow how time flies. They took such amazing care of the place, even going as far as installing a custom flagstone patio in the backyard. Nothing like a quarantine project! The new owners will enjoy hree large bedrooms and two baths, with beautiful modern details. Thank you to my clients for trusting me with their home. It was an honor working with you! Shoutout to Jolynn Winter at Keller Williams who represented the buyers. It was my pleasure!

Grit & Persistence Get Amanda and Iain Where They Want To Be

Congratulations to Amanda and Iain!


 

This transaction was a great example of sticking with it until you get what you want! Amanda and Iain are whip-smart and tenacious, which are the best qualities a buyer could have in this current market.

Jasmine and I love working with first-time home buyers and homeownership is something we want to see for everyone who is interested. We pride ourselves on our initial buyer’s meeting setting up reasonable expectations to empower our clients. By breaking the process into manageable pieces the whole thing makes sense, flows nicely and clients know they will get the home they want. 

I appreciate so much how Iain and Amanda kept their eyes on the prize, they didn’t let disappointments slow their roll and, in the end, they made their dream come true! They bought a gorgeous home!

And, as we all know, in real estate, there is truly nothing better than a GREAT referral and I am thrilled that Jasmine was referred to Amanda and Iain by their mutual friends! They are fun and wonderful people and I’m so happy to have worked with them.

 

 

Just Sold! White-Picket Wonders

Congratulations to my clients Sam and Brie who just closed on a lovely Queen Anne-style cottage in Oregon City. Looking straight out of a gingerbread kit, this charming home has 2 beds and 1 bath with plenty of space in between. Sam and Brie are newly married after 7 years of dating and are looking forward to starting a life together here. They fell in love with the classic details of the home and intend to preserve it just as the previous owners have. It was the perfect place to allow them to commute into the city and come back to a relaxing and quiet home. Catch them sunbathing in their light-drenched living room with their cute pup, Stella, a French Bulldog. Best of luck to you guys, and thank you for trusting me to help you find your new home.

 

Moving from Out of State

2020 flipped most of us upside-down, and in doing that, we got a different perspective. That was the case for Dylan and Steven. Like many of us over this past year, they took the new perspective and used it as opportunity to reassess where they want to live. That brought them to Portland.

Admittedly, when they first reached out to talk about moving here, they were unsure if they would make that move. Not to mention, the idea of buying a house across the country in a busy real estate market was a tad overwhelming. We talked through the ins and outs of the Portland real estate market, the neighborhoods that might be a good fit for them, and what the process would be like looking at houses from 2000 miles away.

Not surprising to me, it didn’t take long for them to become confident in their decision to move to Portland. After that, working together to find a great house was actually pretty easy. I work with many people who move to Portland from out of state. I did that at one point too, so I know what it’s like. And once we start talking about considerations, and why the move here, it seems to become clear. I don’t talk people into moving to Portland. I let them decide that on their own. But I do talk with them about what it has to offer, and what they can expect. If they decide against the move, I at least feel helpful in giving them some additional information to make a great decision for themselves. These guys just arrived, and are off on a new adventure.

Stage Before Selling, Even in Today’s Market

I talked with Kara Mack on Afternoon Live today about the importance of professionally staging houses before selling them. Even when the feeling is everything will sell no matter what because of the low housing inventory, staging will draw in more interest, and get more return on your investment.

To get all of the tips, check out my 6 minute interview with Kara here

Here are some of the highlights:
* Designed by experts, a staged house will look better than most buyers will decorate or furnish it themselves
* Staging showcases how to functionally use awkward spaces and rooms
* Buyers will be taken over by their great experience being in a staged house, and not be looking for what’s not right with the place.

Before and After Staging

Before and After Staging Bedroom

Before and After Staging Small House

Staging is one of the four tips I give to sell your house faster and for more money. Check out the other three here

Thirty-Two Days From Start to Finish on a Brooklyn House

Dave used to live across the street from me until about 2 or 3 years ago (who can keep track of time these days?) when he and his partner divorced and he moved into an apartment a few blocks away. His oldest kid and my oldest kid have been besties since before they could walk or talk, and it was Dave and his 2 kids who we had our last out of our family bubble non-socially distanced get together with on March 14th, 2020 at my older son’s 10th birthday party. When we parted ways that day, we didn’t know when we would be able to get together again in such a carefree  way because the following day we all went under lockdown. And nearly a whole entire year later, we are still waiting for that day.

Dave’s plan was to eventually buy another house, and on January 15th of 2021, he texted me to let me know he was ready to start shopping. He had a very narrow list of needs that were absolute musts- including a location within a mile of his kids mom’s place, at least 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a yard and some sort of studio or garage to tinker around on bikes and he had a maximum price that he would be willing to pay and was expecting to pay. He had his pre-approval on hand and so I went through RMLS to send him a list of all of the properties that sort of kind of matched his needs. And there were only 2 properties. And neither was really a decent option. On January 19th, a sweet bungalow in Brooklyn came on the market. As the crow flies, it was less then 8 blocks from his apartment. From what we could tell from the listing,it could not have been more perfect location wise, size wise, bedroom/bathroom count, the detached huge garage and great back yard. We went to see it in person on January 20th and it was as perfect in person as it seemed like it would be from the listing. It took Dave all of 5 minutes to decide this was going to be his house.

The house was listed at what last year would have been a very reasonable price, but since the floodgates opened and the buyers came spilling out, the supply of houses on the market shriveled to next to nothing, we knew it was going to go way over. The house was listed about 15% under what Dave’s maximum was, so he did have room to go up. Dave approached his offer price from a very practical and logical lens. As long as his monthly payment was within his comfort zone, how much he paid for the house wasn’t all that relevant. With interest rates well under 3%, money is cheaper then it’s ever been (a huge reason for the flood of buyers on the market) so a monthly payment on a house priced at $550k today, is about what it would be on a house priced at $600k a year ago. Savvy buyers know that it’s much more about the monthly payment then it is the sales price. Once interest rates start rising well over 3%, then it’s possible we might see prices stabilize, but for now, home prices are out of control. For this Brooklyn house, even though it was well priced, with 12 offers on the table, Dave’s offer won out between a combination of writing 15% over asking, offering a 3 weeks to close, being able to make up an appraisal gap if the appraisal came in lower then the purchase price (which didn’t happen, it appraised fine!), and stating in his offer that he would not ask for repairs under $4,000. This meant that if a larger issue was found during the inspection, my buyer could expect to negotiate it, but for the smaller stuff, Dave was basically saying he would take the house as-is. Thankfully the house breezed through the inspection and nothing needs to be done to the house anytime soon.

Dave’s story is highly unusual in this market because not that many buyers have the ability to and willingness to do what it takes to rise to the top in a heap of offers. As long as a buyer understands the current market and is willing to and has the means to write up an offer with all the deal sweeteners on the table along with the ability to offer well over asking, as Dave was, then it isn’t rocket science to snag a house even with multiple offers. And on February 16th, 32 days after Dave texted me to let me know he was ready to start the home buying process, he got the keys to his perfect house.

 

What a Knockout! Classy St. Johns Craftsman

Just Listed: 9525 N Kellogg St, Portland OR 97203

Offered at $579,000

MLS #20176058 |  Taxes $5,398 |  SF 2551 | 3Bed | 2 Bath

VIDEO TOUR


What a knockout! Gorgeous, wonderfully preserved Craftsman Bungalow with hard-to-find classic woodwork details, an impressive list of updates and character galore. Situated perfectly on a quiet street you’ll notice the lovely architectural details that include deep soffits, cedar lap siding and an inviting, pillared front porch.

Entering into the home, you will find a sought-after layout with over 1000 square feet on the main floor containing multiple flex spaces for a home office, homeschooling, media, or extra family space, plus 3 bedrooms and 1 full bath upstairs!

The living room is open and inviting with original hardwood floors and a beautiful picture window. This home has great natural lighting with so many windows and custom blinds from Smith & Noble!

The formal dining area is lovely with classic built-ins and ample room for hosting large dinner parties. Around the corner, you’ll find a darling dining nook with a barrel-vault ceiling, a big picture window and leaded glass built-ins!

Moving through to the kitchen you’ll see the fantastic updates including a newer gas range, dishwasher and refrigerator plus storage, counter space and cabinets.

Just off the kitchen, you’ll also find an office with high ceilings and a deep storage closet. And on the other side of the living room is a lovely bright den, easily imagined as a media room, home school room, office or flex space.

An exceptionally wide and beautiful staircase leads you to a perfectly laid out upper level with 3 bedrooms plus a full bathroom and large closets. The primary bedroom is very spacious with closets on one side and a dressing room with closets on the other. Again, gorgeous custom blinds are a perfect touch to these spaces as windows abound.

Winding downstairs to the basement you’ll find a clean unfinished space with great ceiling height. It’s great as-is or has so much potential for being finished out.

To the side of the home, next to the driveway, is a perfectly placed mudroom with ample space, convenient for daily use and storage.

Back patio has flagstone tile and a firepit ready for outdoor entertaining. The driveway offers lots of off-street parking and leads you towards the back of the property to the oversized garage.

This home touts a newer roof, furnace, air conditioner, water heater, gas range, dishwasher and refrigerator. Not to mention, so many wonderful built-in closets and nooks, you’ll have fun finding them all!

Convenient walk to Downtown St. Johns shops and restaurants, Pier Park, disc golf course, outdoor public pool, and Cathedral Park.

Check out this gorgeous and inviting home, you will want it to be yours!

Living Room Realty’s “State Of The Nation”

Attended our company’s “State Of The Nation” (annual year in review & look ahead) address this past Tuesday morning, and I won’t lie, I left this zoom feeling pretty d@mn proud of our group of humans!
Press the PLAY icon for a glimpse of the fun.

 

Also, champagne ;^]

Same House Different Clients Four Years Later

Who doesn’t love getting an email from new buyers letting you know they want to work with you because you could be their dream agent. And that’s exactly what my buyers Liz and Alex wrote to me when they first got in touch. After we had a Zoom meeting, I could tell they were going to be dream buyers. Liz and Alex were looking for a home where they could start a family, live as close-in as possible on the east side, and wanted vintage charm out the wazoo.

We started off by seeing a few homes that at least on paper looked like they checked the boxes, but when we went to see them in person, I pointed out all sorts of flaws with foundations, layouts, and other not so fun stuff. After our first foray into seeing what was on the market- which wasn’t much, it really helped them hone in on what was important to so they put together a needs and wants list that was super helpful for both of us in narrowing down their search.

A few days after they put together their magic lists, Liz sent me a listing that had just popped up on the market in NE in the Rose City Park/Laurelhurst neighborhood. This house hit all the marks.  The address sounded familiar, and after looking at the photos, I realized that I had listed this very same house back in the summer of 2016! It had belonged to some dear friends of mine that I met when our kids were born around the same time back in 2010, and it was a house that I had spent many hours in. When I sold it in 2016, the buyers had a great agent, and thankfully that same agent was now representing the same folks, this time as sellers. Because I had a really good idea of what Liz and Alex wanted, I was able to tell them with confidence that I thought this might be the perfect house for them. I even let my past sellers know that I now had buyers interested in their old house, which tickled them to no end.

As I had predicted, Liz and Alex loved the house. The worst part about the house when my sellers sold it was the very dated kitchen. The current owners had re-done the kitchen so it was super efficient and stylish. I shared with Liz and Alex all the good times and warm memories that I had in this house and what my sellers had done to the house, along with what was new since I sold it. I called the listing agent to let her know my buyers were really interested. We both remarked how strange but exciting it would be to work together again, on the same house. Liz and Alex wrote up an offer a hair over asking, and that was enough to get the sellers to joyfully accept our offer. Right after we finished up repair negotiations, a tree in the backyard fell over. Alex is an arborist and the sellers asked us for a recommendation for who they should call to have the tree removed, and Alex volunteered to do it himself on the next Saturday, his day off, which the sellers greatly appreciated. Good vibes all around.

When my sellers sold the house in 2016, the roof was nearing the end of it’s life, but still had a good 3-5 years left. This g0-around, our inspector noted that the roof was past due for replacing. The sellers were on it and with only a couple days to spare, the sellers had the roof replaced and we closed on time. I’ve been selling homes since 2007, and this was the first time I’ve sold the same exact home twice- once on each end. The sellers are remaining in the home for 30 days after closing, but I can’t wait to meet Liz and Alex next month to hand them keys!

 

 

 

The Best Part of Second Place? Back-Up!

First- What is “Back-Up?”
Back-up is the term, often used by Realtors, to describe a second position buyer. If there is more than one offer on a home, a seller may choose to offer the people in second position “the back-up position” so that seller does not need to go back to the market if the first position offer does not work out.   Sellers often like to avoid the process of going back to market; making space for new people to see the home and a the paperwork associated with a second round of offers can be inconvenient and time consuming.
As a buyer, it is hard to hear that your offer was not accepted. Most of us move into a home in our minds before our offer is accepted. Coming in second place in a multiple offer situation can have a real silver lining though. The back-up agreement is basically like having a first right of refusal if the buyer in first position chooses to back out.
It seems counter intuitive that in this strong sellers market, buyers are backing out of sales more than ever, but it is happening. It may be because of the high level of competition required to just get your offer accepted and have the opportunity to take a further look at a home. Once a buyer has an offer accepted, there can be a moment after the competition is over and you look a little further, that gives pause. There isn’t a lot of time to think things through thoroughly in this competitive market.  This is making the back up position more valuable than ever.
My wonderful, experienced client Kate, who just got the keys to her new home yesterday, is a perfect example.  We had made, and been turned down on, two offers and were prepping for a third when we got a call back from the agent from the second home.  The buyers had backed out and we were being called up from the “Back-Up position.” Because the seller had one buyer back out, they seemed to be appreciative of our offer. We had some very reasonable negotiations around inspections and the sellers repaired an expensive sewer line. Now, because we were willing to take “back-up,” Kate is moving in to her new home!
Hang in there buyers and don’t hesitate to accept that second place prize of “Back-Up.” It is more valuable than ever before!
If you are looking for a buyers agent that is always looking out for you, give me a call!

Just Listed: Light & Bright Hillsboro Ranch

JUST LISTED: 2457 NE GRANT ST


Offered at $399,900
3 Bed | 2 Bath |  SF 1414 | MLS# 20106662  | Taxes: $2860
2457 NE Grant St, Hillsboro OR 97124

This well-maintained and inviting one level Ranch is the one! You’re going to love the fantastic layout, comfortable features and wonderful location!

Entering the foyer and into the living room, you are immediately greeted with vaulted ceilings and wonderful natural light. Open to the living room is a large dining room with plenty of room for relaxation and gatherings alike!

Make your way through the heart of the home and you’ll find an open concept kitchen with an eating bar that flows nicely into a family room. Big windows overlooking the backyard and a wood fireplace make this space feel both spacious and inviting.

The layout and flow throughout the home is easy to navigate and absolutely ideal for a home of this size. Through the hall, you’ll find a full bathroom and 2 bedrooms filled with great natural light. A lovely primary suite with two large closets and a lovely mirrored barn door to the bathroom.

This home has been carefully maintained with a newer furnace, A/C and double pane vinyl windows! Rounding out the home is a nice sized laundry room and 2-car garage with plenty of storage.

Step outside into a beautiful, oversized backyard! Established landscaping and greenery surround a patio ready for entertaining or lounging on hot summer days. Plus, you’ll love what bounty the warmer weather brings including roses, lilacs & mature fruit trees: apple, Asian pear, plums and grapevines. The yard is fully fenced for privacy which makes this a delightful space for entertaining and Fido-friendly too! Located in a quiet neighborhood walking distance to MAX, Shopping Center and Shadywood Park with trails and a playground. Easy commute to Intel, Nike and HWY 26. This is a wonderful place to call home!

More Information

Listing Your Home? Prep Tips from a Listing Agent

Are you planning to sell and wondering where to start and what is important to focus on?  I love listing homes and over the course of my career, I have seen the following tips help with a smooth transition to market and a successful selling experience. These tips are simple basics that every seller can and should take on before listing their home.

1. Clean, clean, and clean some more.
This seems like a no brainer, but there may be small things you forget or miss as you’re picking up around the house. This could include: cleaning air returns, dusting off fan blades, and polishing faucets. If you find yourself too busy to tend to these tasks, you can hire a cleaning service (I have referrals if you need one!)

2. Clear out any clutter.
When a potential buyer walks into your home, we want them to envision themselves living in the space and how it would look. If you have clutter or mess around the house, this will make the vision much more difficult for potential buyers. Ultimately, you could lose out on the sale over this detail. Keep your space open with minimal decor. Also, I have stagers who can help, hit me up for a referral!

3. Remove personal items lying around the house.
This ties into tip #2, the potential buyer wants to envision themselves living in the space, not you. If you have any photographs of you and your family or personal items to your children, remove these, and keep the space neutral for the buyer.

4. Make good use of plants and nature.
If you have certain areas of the home you want to emphasize and bring attention to, try placing a potted plant or decorated vase in that space.

5. Curb appeal
A buyer’s home tour starts the minute they pull up to the curb. Make sure the yard is clean, mulched and the entry is bright and inviting. A color pop on the door when appropriate makes a big impact on photos and in-person.

There are so many small details that many homeowners may not realize has a huge effect on whether the home will sell or not. These could make or break a sale, so make sure you keep all this in mind as you prepare your home for market.

If you are getting ready to buy or sell, get in touch with me today! I would love to help. Over the past decade plus, I’ve gained a wealth of knowledge on everything in Portland Metro. When I work with a client to achieve their real estate needs, they get step by step expert guidance by me, as well as access to my carefully selected list vendors that I work with.

 

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

I Love My Clients!

These fine folks, Abby and Andy, contacted me after our mutual friends
 Aaron and Mallory (and their Hillbilly Hilton as seen below)
talked me up to Abby and Andy when they said they were thinking about buying their own home. Turns out I love the friends of our friends. Andy and Abby are great people and wonderful clients.
It’s a short story-
We found them their dream house in SW Hills.
We had to compete but got the house.
We had fun doing it!
And tonight, we drink champagne together at their new home!
Let me know if you’ve got goals to buy a home for the first time or the tenth, I’m happy to help and fun to work with.

Dancing Into Homeownership

I met Dianne and Luke through our mutual friend, Angie. The three of them are part of the Lindy Hop community, and met when they were all living on the east coast. Lindy Hop is a form of dance that became popular in Black communities in the 1920s. The dance has continued to rise in popularity in no small part because of the uplifting and fun form. According to one website, “The spirit of Lindy Hop today is about inclusivity, creativity, and improvisation.”

This beautiful couple decided to transplant to the west coast and we started their search over a year ago, but due to issues with the sale of their home back east, they ended up waiting to purchase until the end of 2020. Though not without some challenges, we finally found them a beautiful bungalow sandwiched between the Mississippi and Vancouver/Williams corridor neighborhoods. This home is spectacular! Original details and updates where needed.

I hope Dianne and Luke are happy in this home for many years to come.

If you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell a home, please contact Amanda Haworth at 503-453-7698 or amanda@livingroomre.com.

The Perfect Little House in the Shadow of Mt Tabor

My clients Elizabeth and Tom contacted me in early October. They were getting all their ducks in a row to start the home buying process within the first 6 months of 2021. After we spoke, Elizabeth got in touch with a great lender and it was after she spoke with the lender that they realized they were actually a lot closer to making home ownership a reality then they had anticipated. Once pre-approved, they realized that with rates below 3%, buying a home sooner then later to take advantage of the low low low rates was within their reach. Besides staying within their budget, location was the most important feature, and they knew they wanted to be as close-in as possible, preferably west of 82nd and within walking distance of places you would want to walk to and near transit so once the pandemic ends Elizabeth could easily get downtown to her job at Mercy Corps.

On our first outing to see homes, we saw a few homes and found a couple that they really liked. One in particular, in Madison South just a few spits east of 82nd seemed to check all the boxes. It was a home that has just been flipped, so from what I could see when we saw the house in person, it looked ok. There are always 2 parts of a house that I can’t see during a showing, and it’s those 2 parts that tend to have the most issues. The crawl space and attic. I always warn my clients up front that the crawl space and attic will make or break a house. Armed with the knowledge that the house was a flip and that I could not see the attic or crawl space, they decided to take their chances and write up an offer. For a house listed under $400k that looked to be in decent shape on the interior and had a nice floor plan, surprisingly it only had one offer. This is usually a sign of not great things, but hey- it meant no competition and since it had just been listed, they wrote their offer at just list price and not over asking. Their offer was accepted and we scheduled the inspection to happen within a couple of days. When we arrived at the house to go over the report with the inspector, I could tell by the look on my inspectors face that the house was a dud and all my concerns about it just having been flipped were validated. The crawl space and attic were total wrecks. Rats had chewed through a ton of the wiring, had made nests everywhere, even in the house ductwork. Rodent feces was out the wahoo and all the other terrible things that happen when rats move in were present. It was so bad that our inspector wasn’t able to inspect the whole crawl space or attic. We were all incredulous that the flippers who listed this house didn’t even bother to do any clean up or even try to cover it up. And it just added more fodder for my hesitancy in recommending recently flipped houses to first time buyers. My buyers terminated that very afternoon.

A couple of days later a cupcake little mid-century ranchalow just west of 82nd on the east side of Mt. Tabor in the SE part of Montavilla came on the market. Painted a perfect light blue/teal with scalloped siding frosting the front of the house, the curb appeal was delicious. This one hit all the same boxes as the Montavilla house, and this one felt even more warm and cozy. This house was not a flip and had been well taken care of by the previous owners. After sleeping on it, and before they even had their earnest money back in their pockets after terminating on the first house they had been in transaction with, they decided to go for it. This house did receive multiple offers and Elizabeth and Tom were able to rise to the top with a small escalation clause. For the second time in a week, they had an offer accepted on a great house. This house sailed through the inspection, and with just a couple of needed repairs that we were able to negotiate, the transaction was smooth from start to finish.

Just Sold! Mid Century Modern in Lake Oswego

 

 

 

 

Just sold! These lucky sellers went from list to closed in less than 3 weeks, wow. Huge congratulations to the sellers as they head out on their new adventure and to the buyers who scored an amazing home. Thank you so much to the sellers for working with me, it was an honor and pleasure to represent you! ⁣

Happy Winter Solstice!

 

Want to find your own mid century dream home? Let’s connect!

 

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

.⁣

Proud Ground and Columbia Ecovillage for the Ultimate Co-housing Opportunity

My clients Laura and Umar contacted me in mid-October because they had just been approved to purchase a home at Columbia Ecovillage through the local community land trust, Proud Ground.  I absolutely love what Proud Ground does and any chance I get to work with a family who has been approved to purchase one of their homes I jump on the opportunity.

Land trusts provides permanently affordable home ownership opportunities for families making at or below 80% of the area median income level. The land trust legally splits the home from the land. The “land” remains in the trust in perpetuity, while the home can be bought and sold as long as the new homeowners make below the 80% median family income at the time of purchase. By taking the land value out of the equation, the price of the home remains affordable. Columbia Ecovillage is a multi-generational co-housing community in Cully made up of 37 condominiums and situated on nearly 4 acres of splendor. The units rarely become available, but earlier this year a unit did come on the market, and a couple of long term Columbia Ecovillage residents decided they wanted to have a family sized unit be part of Proud Ground. This couple purchased the unit and donated it to Proud Ground to sell, and bringing another housing unit into the land trust.

Umar and Laura had moved to China from Portland a couple of years ago when Laura got a job doing mental health work for an English-speaking school there. This past February, they decided to go to Cambodia for a 2-week holiday. While they were there, coronavirus starting surging in China and around the world, and their family wound up getting stuck in Cambodia and were not allowed to return to China. After weeks in SE Asia it became clear they would not be able to return to China to their home for an unknown amount of time- probably months. They decided to go with plan B which involved making their way back to Portland. They left behind most of their belongings in China, including work and personal computers, and someday they hope to return there to recover their stuff. Once they arrived back in Portland, thankfully they found a fully furnished apartment to land in. Laura was able to keep her job in China working remotely from Portland, but it did mean her hours were late given the time zone difference.

Umar is from Uganda and growing up in Uganda, daily life was lived more communally. When they heard about Proud Ground and found out about the unit for sale at Columbia Ecovillage, it seemed like the perfect fit. They stopped by and were welcomed in and given a tour by some fantastic residents there. They fell in love with the idea of moving into this village space with beautiful shared gardens, community spaces, a communal kitchen and large old home that the residents use for gatherings, meetings and socializing and being a part of a close-knit community. They applied with Proud Ground and were accepted into the program and the unit at Columbia Ecovillage was reserved in their names. And that’s when I entered the picture after Laura called me. We wrote up the offer, and of course it was accepted. As we were writing up the offer, Laura and Umar learned who the benevolent sellers were who purchased the unit to bring into the Proud Ground stable, and it turned out the sellers were the very same people who had given Laura and Umar and their 4 year old son a tour and spent time talking with them about the community, and it all made sense. Everything was smooth sailing until it came time for the final employment verification. With Laura’s employer based in China, it did make for some tense moments and caused a slight delay in closing getting that final verification, but in the end, the sale closed and Umar and Laura and their son joined Columbia Ecovillage as the newest residents.

 

 

A Thanksgiving Toast

Looking back on this year through a gracious lens, I have a big, fat appreciative heart. First, my family and I are healthy. It’s been a ridiculous year…and it feels strange that I can confidently acknowledge most people feel that way too. Some of us have faced health problems, personally. And most of us at least know people who have gotten ill or passed this year.

Nineteen years ago my dad passed away, and one of the things he always reminded me was “Son, your health is numero uno. You can’t do anything without it.” So when I look back on this year, and I recognize the good health my family and I have had, I’m grateful. And while I recognize this, in the same beat, I painfully see (and not fully know) the struggle some are facing right now.

Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the year. Favorite because I usually spend it with a great group of family and friends. On this day there are few obligations, no work to be done, and food and drink to be had. And sometimes forgotten, but always the most important, there are blessings to be counted. Every year, whoever I’m with, I read aloud an editorial that was written in the New York Times in 2009. It’s called “A Thanksgiving Toast”. And every year, I pull myself together to read it strongly, boldly, and proudly. But by the end, I am falling apart, vulnerable, and open.

Nobody could have predicted the year we have had this year, privately as individuals, but also collectively. And if we look for it, maybe there are some sweet, new blessings we get to experience because of the unexpected year we have had.

2009, November 25 “A Thanksgiving Toast”, New York Times

NEVER SAY NEVER

I never stepped foot in this recent sale- a lovely 1920 foursquare along the Trolley Trail in Milwaukie.

What? And you call yourself a professional?

Ahh, yes! Not only a professional, but a pro disposed to knowledge of the homes I sell on a near cellular level.
Oh 2020, your twists and turns know no bounds.*

On this occasion, longtime tenants purchased after a 7-year ‘test drive’ with the covid driven request that only inspectors enter the house. Tenants actually purchasing their rental is almost as rare as agents never seeing the property they sell. The transaction I’d have said would “Never Happen!” in pre-covid times actually came together beautifully thanks in large part to four amazing clients.

Congratulations to Andrea and Arne on the purchase of your wonderful (from what I saw on FaceTime!) home and transition from tenants to homeowners.  I look forward to joining you one day soon for post-pandemic cocktails and an actual live tour.

Another round of congrats and cheer to sellers Jen & Peter, friends of 15+ years. Please say you’ll still visit us in Portland even without the landlord call to trim hedges!?

Change is constant, serendipity is real and while we’ve all been reminded this year that we can never say never, this story reminds me that when we pull together, so much is possible.

Until next time,

Katie Merritt

* While I find the myriad, tiny, daily life impacts of this fraught period fascinating, I mean not to equate a minor event with the profound challenges and consequences the year has presented.

The One and Only

As it has been said before, buying a home is no easy process. Especially when it is your first home, there is a global pandemic, wildfires, and many other motivated buyers in the market. This is why choosing a dedicated buyer’s agent to work with is so important!

That said, here is the story of my clients, Jack & Julia. Together we navigated the challenges with ease and emerged victoriously!

All together we toured roughly 20 homes ranging from 900 sqft cabins in Rhododendron, sprawling 1+ acre lots in Sandy, to the more traditional 3 bedroom and 2 bath properties in Gresham and Troutdale, as well as everything in between.

After getting a solid idea of what the market had to offer, Jack & Julia decided to write and offer on the best home of all. This was a great 1960’s single-level positioned in SE with a lot that backs right up to the park! This was the first offer that my clients had decided to write, and they were in love as the property checked every box on the list.

At first, it seemed like we had just missed the boat. We were outbid by a small margin but due to good communication when writing the offer and strong first impressions, we had the opportunity to move into back-up position. This allowed us to continue looking, but also remain on-deck should things change.

Lucky for us, this worked out in our favor and our back-up offer was soon accepted. Just like that, we were under contract on the one home that my clients wanted out of more than 20+ that we had seen.

While this was their first offer and we were initially placed in back-up position, it was a success! Despite all the environmental and unforeseen challenges, my clients were rewarded with the one and only home that they wanted which makes for a happy ending and an exciting new beginning as we approach 2021!

Jack & Julia, I genuinely appreciate your trust and belief in me as your Realtor. I look forward to some killer post-pandemic parties and to helping you build that backyard sauna!  

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!

 

Just Listed: 425 NE 92nd Pl – Updated Montavilla Ranch

UPDATED MONTAVILLA RANCH  $349,000

425 NE 92nd Pl Portland OR 97220

This well cared for home has so many recent updates!  All new kitchen and appliances,  flooring in kitchen and laundry,  hardwood flooring in living and bedrooms, updated bathroom, interior paint,  front and back door, electrical panel,  recently cleaned ducts and freshly serviced HVAC system!  This well laid out home has three bedrooms and a bath off of a generous hall.  The partially finished basement is an excellent flex space.  The open living + kitchen + dining area has direct access to the back yard through the kitchen, with the laundry room serving as the perfect mud room.  Cute back yard has chicken coop and garage; ready for all your gardening dreams and hobbies.   This property has two lots and it appears that you have the option to choose from two different school districts, PPS or David Douglas! One of the options is Cherry Park Elementary School which rates a 7 on the Great Schools Ratings.  Buyer to do their own due diligence.

3 bed | 1 bath | 1796 sq. ft.
MLS# 20658102 | Taxes: $3209.65 | Lot Size: .11 Acre

 

Don’t Miss This Opportunity!

Offer Deadline Today at 5 PM
426 NE 92nd Ave
Portland, OR 97215
Stylish Mid-Century Gem

This mid-century Montavilla home has a well laid out main floor with updated bathroom, cozy kitchen and light drenched front room complete with natural wood built-ins, fireplace and stylish wallpaper.  Direct access to a luscious back yard full of mature plants and edibles. Yard provides tidy areas to lounge and entertain at a distance and dreamy garden shed.  Surprising basement with light filled family room, storage, laundry and a workshop  One car garage and additional off street parking in the drive.

Offered at $399,000
MLS# 20014802 | SQFT: 1900
 3 Bedrooms | 1.1 Bathrooms
Year Built: 1954 | Tax: $4191.99
Take a tour from home!

SEAN O’FEERY
206-795-0703
Sean@livingroomre.com

Get Out Your Favorite Pens Folks Because We Are About To Check ALL THE BOXES

Congratulations to Nathan & Isabelle!!

My clients are some of my favorite people! I’m proud to say my business is entirely referral-based which means there is a high level of trust naturally built-in to our relationship from the beginning.  Nathan and Isabelle were no exception. They were referred to me by Nathans’s sister, Jenn, who has been a client for years. As expected from already knowing Jenn, Nathan and Isabelle are some of the sweetest people on the planet. They were looking for a cute house with a yard and an oversized, clean garage. Nathan’s hobby is car racing so he needs a nice space to work on cars.

Nathan and Isabelle saw a good number of homes that didn’t quite hit the mark, but they were troopers and stuck with it. They knew exactly what they wanted and they were not willing to compromise. So, when this cutie popped up they knew it was the ONE and they were ready to jump on it!

The market is very competitive right now and Nathan and Isabelle were on board to put together a very competitive offer that was accepted without hesitation! I think it really helped that they had seen a lot of houses already, so they knew a gem when they saw it and were ready to fight for it. This house couldn’t be a better fit for Nathan and Isabelle! Seriously, it almost seems as if they manifested it, that’s what a great fit it is. They did the right thing by waiting for something that checked all the boxes!

Here’s to their new home!

Just Sold in Cully!

Five years ago I helped my clients purchase this great 3-bedroom home in Cully at 6001 NE Milton St.. Earlier this year my clients contacted me because they love the Cully neighborhood and were super intrigued by a new co-housing development being built by Orange Splot, called Cully Green. After doing their research they decided that they wanted to sell their home and buy a new home at Cully Green. And then the pandemic happened. But thankfully by the time they were ready to sell their home, we had figured out all the protocols for handling sales. We listed the home, got a great offer, and they just closed on selling this one. Next week- on to buying the new house in Cully Green!

Just Listed: Luxury in Lake Oswego

Luxury in Lake Oswego

2290 Overlook Drive, Lake Oswego, OR 97034

Offered at $725,000 | MLS# 20438173
4 bed | 2.1 bath | 3,095 sq. ft. | Taxes: $9,047.49, 2019

A remarkable home in the coveted Palisades Park area of Lake Oswego, blocks to Lakeridge High School. An excellent floor plan on the main is great for daily life, featuring a fireplace, beautiful kitchen and a formal dining room. Upper floor features the main bedroom suite with fireplace, skylights, a walk-in closet, and a large bathroom with jacuzzi tub. Additional bedrooms on upper share a jack-and-jill bathroom. Bonus room on main floor makes a great office, and a luxury wine cellar in the basement holds up to 600 bottles. The garage has a fully finished room with it’s own fireplace above the 2-car garage. The large front deck is the perfect outdoor living room to entertain while social distancing. Manicured gardens surround the house and the stone patio in the backyard. A wonderful place to call home in a secluded environment!

Open Houses this weekend!

Saturday, 10/31 from 12–2pm & Sunday, 11/1 from 10am–12pm

Keep Calm and Believe in Your Home Destiny

You know that feeling of calm when something just feels right? That’s what this transaction was like for my friend and client Camille. We had only looked at one house before this one that she liked but just not quite in the right location. I called her a couple of days later when I saw this listing. I had a great feeling about it by looking at the photos and then… bonus! Ross Seligman at Living Room Realty was the listing agent. I thought it could be a perfect fit.

We walked in and immediately she felt it. That feeling when you know this is the right place at the right time and it feels like the universe is speaking to you… was this destiny? From the Japanese maples in the front yard, to the beautiful fireplace, the spacious kitchen, wonderfully updated bathroom with subway tiles and the private back yard. She was in love. It checked off everything on her wish list. We spent probably 45 minutes in the house just feeling the vibe and talking about how much she loved it. She wanted to make an offer. We came in with our best and crossed our fingers.

With 11 other offers on the table I was nervous, but Camille was calm. And then we got the news that our offer would be in the backup position. It was not the winning offer but backup is better than rejection every time!!! Then after about a week, DESTINY!  I got a call from Ross telling me that the first position buyer had decided to back out. Our offer was accepted!

What a pleasure to work with friends and see them living their dreams. What an honor to be a part of this process with her! She never waivered, never felt anxious or scared because she just had the feeling that this was her future. After a challenging year she can move into the new chapter of her life in a home that was destined for her.

 

A Neighborhood Favorite Finds an Adorable Bungalow

Congratulations to Tim & Artie!

Tim and I have known each other for long time. He is a dear friend and, as the owner of Little T American Baker on SE Division, a beloved part of our community. He is beyond kind and very thoughtful. Good vibes lead the way in everything he does. That charm led the way for Tim to find a very special home!

Firstly, Tim found a house that wasn’t even listed for sale, all on his own! A friend of his knew another friend was planning to sell her cute Bungalow in the Hawthorne district. Seemingly a red carpet rolled out in front of Tim because shortly thereafter we were inside the house taking a look around. It was a perfect size, had ideal updates and was in fantastic condition!

Another part of what made this transaction special was the seller and her agent. They were clear, prompt communicators and a pleasure to work with. Buying a home is a big deal, and it’s always going to bring a little stress along with it. But when both sides can work toward a shared goal and with mutual respect, it can be a great experience!

I’m over the moon for my dear friend Tim and his new house!

 

Work Hard & Be Kind

Congratulations to Maggie and Hoyt!


Work hard and be kind really sums up my whole work philosophy, and for that matter, probably my whole LIFE philosophy! It also sums up Hoyt and Maggie!

I love working with other hard workers. Maggie and Hoyt are a great example of how hard work, kindness, and trust can take you a long way down the road of life.

I first met Hoyt and Maggie years ago when they were purchasing their first home. And oh how time flies! Fast forward to 2019 and their family has outgrown that lovely ranch and is ready for more room.

One of my favorite parts of being a Real Estate Broker is helping clients prepare their homes for sale. It’s very rewarding to suggest updates and tweaks that prove to have a big impact on the outcome of the sale.  Maggie and Hoyt worked super hard and did an amazing job updating their home. Their kitchen remodel looked fantastic! And because of all that hard work, they were extra jazzed when they received 6 offers on the house!

So, you can imaging that after all the work Hoyt and Maggie had just done to sell their home they now wanted to buy a home that didn’t require much updating while big enough for a growing family. Plus, they have fantastic style, so that was a given! After a few near-misses, we found the CUTEST, remodeled home on a corner lot in Piedmont.  The big yard is full of potential and garden space, with plenty of room to improve the value.

I am so grateful to have hard-working and kind clients such as Hoyt and Maggie!

Chloe & Alex found the ONE!

Congratulations to Chloe & Alex!

Meet Alex and Chloe, first time home buyers looking for their first home together. They are whip-smart, fun, and data-oriented, which, of course, made me want to work with them from our first introduction! …But, Alex really got me when he said he was looking for an agent who wouldn’t just tell him what he wanted to hear. BINGO! We were a match. And, as expected, it was a joy to get to dive into the details of the process with them and give them my honest opinion throughout.

The market is very competitive for buyers right now so when Chloe and Alex found the house that checked all the boxes plus tugged at their heartstrings, they were ready to pull out all the stops to make it happen! Plus, I think there was a little extra fairy dust sprinkled on this one because even though there were 2 offers higher than theirs, the terms of the sale were strong enough that they managed to get into first position and breeze through the sale. We even closed a week early! Big shout out to JJ Lee Kwai at Two Rivers Mortgage for making that happen!! I’m so happy for Chloe and Alex. 

One more note, Chloe and Alex were referred to me by way of a wonderful past client who I had the chance to catch up with at my Social Distance Party this Summer. Hooray for referrals! My business is built on referrals for a reason and Chloe and Alex’s experience was a great example of why referrals are important. We build trust a lot faster when a friend has already vouched for the top-notch experience they can expect from me and my team. This especially makes a difference in our current competitive market. Chloe and Alex trusted my advice and it made all the difference in getting the home. 

Horray for Alex and Chloe!

The Historic Envoy

I recently had the pleasure of helping some clients purchase a condominium in one of Portland’s most iconic pink buildings on the end of NW 23rd, the Envoy. The landmark Envoy building is a beautiful Mediterranean style of architecture that was built in 1929 originally as apartments but then renovated, preserved and converted into condominiums in 2005.  This property is precious to Portland’s history and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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

When The Playbook Calls For An Audible…

A couple of real estate truisms…

1). The clearest path to success for our clients is often found by following a well thought out blueprint (a specialty of mine, as it just so happens).

2). We collaborate and honor our client’s wishes.

My latest listing in SE PDX is an interesting example of the above. While prepping a listing for a photo shoot the other day, I asked the homeowner if she meant to have left her BLM sign in the front window of her house. She said she was unsure if it was a good/bad idea and then asked my opinion. Having helped this person buy the home several years earlier, we’ve built our relationship on trust and candor, so I dive in “Well, umm, errr”, but then “The conventional rule of thumb in real estate marketing is to present a Seller’s home in its most attractive light to the widest audience possible. Again, just generally speaking, creating a space that a prospective buyer can imagine themselves inhabiting is the goal, so keeping personal items (like a Seller’s family photos) out of sight might help ensure that a potential buyer’s own vision doesn’t get obstructed. After all, anything that could limit a home’s audience could mean less demand & less bottom line for the Seller. However… There is also a scenario wherein a personal statement will attract and/or compel an even higher bid. Ultimately, there is no one correct answer here. After all, much like with a person’s social media account, at some point there’s usually a conscious (and very personal) decision on whether or not to try and maintain a neutral presence, or to just lean into yourself hard.” In the end, the Seller instructed me to include an image of her house with the sign proudly posted, just not the lead shot on Zillow though.

What a great little property and it went under contract (with several offers for well over list price) within 72 hours!

I’ve a blueprint available for your home too.

Sunny Beaverton Townhome with Master on the Main

15508 SW Peridot Way

Beaverton, OR 97007

Sunny Beaverton townhouse with master on the main! End unit!
Family room with gas fireplace & high ceilings. Upstairs is an open loft – perfect for an office or flex space. 2nd bedroom & full bath also upstairs.
Brand new carpet & interior paint. Brand new deck that is serene and private, backing to the green space.
Newer roof, exterior paint & water heater. Single car attached garage with laundry.
This home is part of a gated community & is completely move in ready!

OFFERED AT $299,900

2 BEDROOM + LOFT  | 2 BATH | 1,335 SQFT
MLS#20361996 | TAXES: $4,307

Perfectly Perfect in West Linn

 2288 Rogue Way

West Linn, OR 97068


Stunning custom home backing to Douglas Park!
Soaring ceilings, gorgeous wood floors, high-end millwork & updates throughout the home.
The kitchen features fresh white cabinetry, stainless appliances, a large island, breakfast nook with built in bench seat & ample storage. The entire main floor is open and spacious – it lives so large!
The beautiful owner’s suite has park views and an updated bath, plus a large walk-in closet. Two additional bedrooms each have én suite bath. The large bonus room upstairs is the perfect place for relaxing. An office on the main is ready for your work from home needs.
Step outside to the covered patio & private, lush yard. A pergola sits atop a paver patio making a wonderful conversation space after dinner. The 3 car garage has plenty of storage & a newly built loft area.
This is the West Linn home you have been waiting for!

OFFERED AT $869,900

3 BEDROOM + BONUS + OFFICE | 3.5 BATH | 3,312 SQFT
MLS#20005189 | TAXES: $9,303

Light-filled Belmont Bungalow

Light-filled Belmont Bungalow

718 SE 32nd Ave | Portland, OR 97214

Offered at $585,000 | ML #20262880

3+ Bedrooms | 1 Bathroom | 2,607 SF

Winter is coming! What better way to beat the Oregon grays than with a home filled with windows and light? Perfectly situated within blocks of Laurelhurst Park, Sunnyside Environmental School, H-Mart, Stumptown Coffee, The Liquor Store and some of the city’s best dining and shopping, this west-facing charmer sits high up off the street and features a covered front porch, hardwood floors and period built-ins. A light and bright living room with wood burning fireplace flows to a formal dining room with a built-in window bench with storage, which in turn opens up to the beautifully updated kitchen, finally transitioning to the back yard via french doors with a large deck and patio area for outdoor dinners and grassy area for kiddos and pets. Large hedges provide privacy galore. Working from home? There is a large upstairs workspace perfectly appointed for your home office needs. Basement has loads of potential with a workshop space and room for an ADU or anything you can dream up. 

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