Tag: stories

Hello! I’m new here.

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Hi! My name is Kristine, and I am new to Living Room. My team (The Place Portland) and I joined back in April, and it’s been a fun and wild ride. I wanted to use my first blog post to introduce myself and share some fun facts about my journey to real estate. I moved to Portland in 2008. I grew up on the East Coast, but we should discuss that in another blog post. I worked in high-end retail most of my adult life and had hit total burnout. These experiences truly impacted where I am today.

In 2018, I found myself taking on a role as a transaction coordinator. I was a fish out of water in that position. I had never done admin work and was fresh to real estate. Selling fancy shoes had yet to prepare me for what I would experience. In 2019, I joined The Place Portland Team as the Director of Client Services. While I may not have been out showing houses and doing all the fun stuff, I was working and learning what happens behind the scenes and helping our agents deliver a great experience to our clients. This was so incredibly impactful in making the jump to sales in 2021. It was one of the most frightening moves I had ever made. Life was good as a transaction coordinator. I had a great schedule; I worked for great people…it was comfortable. Taking this risk was the best thing I have ever done! I have spent the last two years growing my sphere and referral-based business.

Joining Living Room has opened my eyes to see the potential of my business and future. Along with my awesome team, we are so excited to be here. So many incredible individuals make up this community, and I can’t wait to see what lies ahead.

 

 

 

 

 

Vegan eating, shopping, and living in Southeast Portland!

Posted on by Bonnie Roseman

Where to get your (plant-based) munch on, broken down by quadrant: Part #2

We’re so excited to continue the Rose City tour with highlights from the Southeast – which is home to some of our top picks in all of Portland!
Known popularly for its cool & trendy vibe, you could certainly wander through the neighborhoods and discover any number of hip gastropubs and vegan delights. But if you want to live and eat like a local, read on for our personal recommendations and a couple of hidden gems!
We would be remiss if we did not give a special shoutout to Belmont Street. A lot may have changed since our Beloved Belmont post in 2019, but only for the better as it has become a veritable oasis of plant based culinary treasures!

Lilla

The only place to go when you are craving ethical Italian!
Where are they? 960 SE Madison Street
What do they offer?  The first fully vegan Italian restaurant since Portobello closed in 2016, Lilla is the creation of Indian-American chef Sanjay Chandrasekaran. Popularly known for his restaurant The Sudra (see Part 1 of the tour!), Chef Chandrasekaran prepares mouth-watering vegan temptations.
What do they value? Lilla is located in the spot where vegan Middle Eastern restaurant Tiny Aviv once sat. When Tiny Aviv closed, Chandrasekaran decided to continue the lease with a new concept, and Lilla was born! You can find the best Italian-style comfort foods, all while enjoying the fact that they are plant based and cruelty-free!
Menu – Click here
Lilla

Mirisata

Vegan Sri Lankan dishes of EPIC proportion!
Where are they? 2420 SE Belmont Street
What do they offer? Fully plant-based menu (plus brunch!) in casual atmosphere with counter service.
What do they value? Mirisata is proud to be worker-owned. They do not have a traditional “head chef” but instead collaborate on every dish to make original creations! Loosely translated from Sinhala, the name means “spicy curry” – and while not everything on their menu is spicy, you can be sure each item will be packed with flavor!
Our favs? First of all, prepare yourself for HUGE portion sizes! Our lunch there lasted all week, and Kendall took some to her non-vegan parents – they loved it! You have to try the Dolphin-style Kottu and Polos Cutlets.
Menu – Click here

Mirisata

Obon Shokudo

Meatless takes on Japanese comfort food
Where are they? 720 SE Grand Ave
What do they offer? Feel-good Japanese homestyle favorites that hit the spot!
What do they value? Obon owners Humiko Hozumi and Jason Duffany started their vegan concept by selling in farmers markets, then to the Morrison Market food hall, and finally to their brick and mortar location! Homestyle food is very important to them, with lots of house-made fermented foods and broths inspired by Hozumi’s family recipes.
Our favs? Hands-down, the Kakiage and the Kenchinjiru! They even have FREE dog sushi!
Menu – Click here
Obon Shokudo

Cultured Kindness

Vegan Cheese Shop
Where are they? 1217 SE Stark Street
What do they offer? Small-batch, ethically-sourced vegan cashew cheeses.
What do they value? From their website: Cultured Kindness conducts business as a socially responsible member of its community. Their mission is to spread ethical veganism by removing the obstacles that prevent people from choosing a vegan lifestyle. They believe that veganism is better for the planet, for individual health, and most certainly for the animals who suffer in the dairy industry.
Our favs? Cultured Kindness recently catered a Broker’s Open for us. We love the Mushroom Melt, as well as their cheese and cracker boards!
Menu – Click here
Cultured Kindness

Norah

Succulent seasonal Thai and pan-Asian fare!
Where are they? 3801 SE Belmont Street
What do they offer? 100% plant based pan-Asian food and inspired cocktails, with a menu that rotates seasonally. Nan and Prae are from southern Thailand, and draw inspiration from the region. (Norah’s sister restaurant is vegan-friendly Mestizo!)
What do they value? Norah is woman-owned. “The name Norah refers to a traditional dance reserved for celebrations and community gatherings in Southern Thailand where Nan and Prae grew up. The dance is a symbol of community vitality. We hope to bring that same energy of togetherness to the food we serve.”
Our fav? The Cauliflower Curry is INCREDIBLE! (roasted cauliflower, house curry & pickles, jasmine rice)
Menu – Click here
Norah

Plus – Bakeries and Grocery Stores!

Shoofly Vegan Bakery & Cafe

Local, fresh-baked vegan treats and wholesale items
Where are they? 2505 SE 11th Ave, Suite 101
What do they offer? An amazing concept, combining café and wholesale bakery – you can stop in to have goodies made fresh daily, OR buy their treats wholesale to sell in your own establishment! Click here to see all of the locations that proudly sell Shoofly products!
What do they value? It’s really important to Shoofly to use as many locally sourced ingredients as possible. You can be assured that their treats are made IN Portland, and with love!
Cakes & Special Orders

Shoofly

Cutiee Buys|Coffee Beer

Part convenience mart, part grocery store, everything delicious…and cute!

Where are they? 4138 & 4142 SE 42nd Ave
What do they offer? As the name might suggest, Cutiee Buys is a super cute convenience and grocery story…that’s ALL vegan! Next door at the iconic Coffee Beer, you’ll find…you guessed it…a selection of coffee and beer and plenty of tables indoors and outdoors to chat or simply relax.
What do they value? They value cuteness and kindness, and want everyone to feel welcome!
Coffee Beer menu
Cutiee Buys | Coffee Beer

Even More Vegan Favorites!

Eat, drink, and be ethically merry!
**At 8 years old, I had a revelation that animals meant too much to me to eat….then one day, I lost my vegetarian way. Years later, as I learned more about the planet and her inhabitants, I realized that, just as I avoid fossil fuels, I needed to wean myself off of animal products. While not everyone is ready to go vegan, in a city with such amazing options, perhaps it’s time for Meatless Mondays, or hey, how about Meatless March! – Bonnie

A Powerful Couple’s Home Search

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Andy and Julia understood construction. They specifically wanted a house that had never been renovated or updated so that they could customize the remodel. Sometimes these houses can be even more competitive than houses that have had updates because Portlanders value the details found in homes with original pieces. The competition was fierce. Many cash offers and many buyers were going higher in price or willing to close even sooner.

One piece of advice we give our clients is that it is important to talk with your lender about the need to have a fast close and what steps need to be taken ahead of time so that when you find that home you want, we are ready to put forth a very appealing offer.

When Andy and Julia found that home, they had already done the work to be able to close quickly. This, combined with other pieces in our offer, made them the most appealing buyer and they got into contract!

Because of their knowledge of construction, they understood that inspections could cause them to worry. The inspection period is all about finding out the details of the house, what needs to be updated, what needs to be repaired, and what needs a complete replacement. This step is to protect the buyer from purchasing a property full of unknown issues. Now, in any property, there comes a time where updates need to happen to keep the home functioning excellently. With homes that have never been updated, you can expect that there might be a lot of repairs and replacements needed.

A lot of buyers would be extremely stressed or worried about inspections on a home as original and unique as this one, but Andy and Julia kept calm. They approached negotiations with clear expectations and without losing tact.

We fought hard to get Andy and Julia a great seller credit.  Andy and Julia were calm and collected about this market and closed in time for them to go on a vacation right after the sale.

The timing was incredible – they bought their dream home, went on a vacation, and will be getting married all in one year!

Cheers to you both power couple! We are honored to have been chosen to be part of your Real Estate Journey!

1031 Exchange To Oregon

Posted on by Living Room Realty

We met Anthony and Gracie a year ago to talk about their goals for their home purchase. We received a message from them saying that we needed to put their home search on hold until for the moment.  They had a commercial property in California that they needed to sell and spoke with a CPA we referred to talk about the best way for them to get the most out of this sell and purchase. Then we got a message that the stars had aligned and it was time to begin their first investment home purchase using a 1031 Exchange for their first purchase to avoid a tax penalty.

Then we got to work. We found a property right away, which was amazing because the 1031 Exchange timeline was short for locating a property and closing. We were able to negotiate a seller credit to give Anthony and Gracie a cushion for repairs that were needed.

To make things even smoother, Anthony and Gracie had a friend visiting from CA that they were able to get in line to be their renters.  Congratulations to you both for such a smooth transaction.

Now we are preparing for their next purchase using the income from this property to help qualify for financing to find Anthony and Gracie their own home sweet home here in OR.

 

We are so excited you’re part of the Oregon family! We can’t wait to see which home y’all end up choosing as your new home base. On to the next adventure!

A Man With Vision

Posted on by Living Room Realty

When we met with Will he was a unique buyer who wasn’t looking for the home that everyone else was. He was a man with vision and was able to look past the imperfections that most buyers shy away from. After 3 months of sifting through properties that were either too far gone or were overpriced with sellers that were unwilling to negotiate, we found one that had a recent price reduction that Will knew he would be able to work with.

Once in contract the inspection revealed more than met the eye which did not scare Will and were able to negotiate a credit and his major concerns were addressed in the repairs. When the appraisal was done the appraiser called out even more repairs which the sellers were willing to work with us on.

The overall experience was one of team work from all parties involved. The fabulous Brandon Brown with Bentnail Contractors was able to do the repairs and be paid out of escrow in time for us to close. Today is key day and we are so excited for Will and his new beauty!

Congratulations Will! You are a man of vision and we salute you on this fine day.

World Travelers Make Portland Home

Posted on by Living Room Realty

When Kristin & I first met with Erica and Nuno we knew they were our kind of people. Both of them, as we found out at our meeting, had a rich international background and appreciated different cultures.


Erica grew up in SE Portland and moved to Germany where she met Nuno.  Their family speaks three languages and have a plethora of experiences already, but they wanted to be near family as they continued to raise their kiddos and Portland was a good fit for both of them.

So, we began their home search by drawing a tight parameters of the areas in SE Portland that were ideal to them both. They were willing to wait for the right one that landed in those parameters, plus the home had to be a good blend of both of their styles so we were all on the same page that this might be a longer than usual home journey to find the right home and they were ok with that.

Nuno’s architectural background gave him a love of details and the entrance into a home was very important and how it flowed with the rest of the home. Erica had a lot of grace when it came to the quirkiness of Portland homes from growing up here and was able to see potential in fixers if they landed in the right location. But both of them were on the same page in regards to the home that they bought needed to be manageable. Neither were wanting a major project.

The home search began and then was put on pause for a time as they were weighing their options.  Then the pandemic hit and the inventory dried up even more. Choices were slim, and initially it was seeming like the right house was still a ways out the stars aligned for us after a few weeks after starting up their home search again, of looking when a new viable listing popped up within their search. 

When we toured it was love at first sight and I could feel the connection between the home and Erica and Nuno. Not only did this beautifully maintained  1908 craftsman bungalow exuded with the architectural style and features they had been looking for in a home, it was also in an amazing location of the Brooklyn neighborhood in SE Portland.  It was like we stuck gold, and we weren’t the only ones who had the same thought. 

We quickly got together that evening on a Zoom call to strategically crafted an offer with great terms and price based off of comparable sales. All the while, getting to know each others world pretty well with our kiddos bouncing around in the background. 

The offer was submitted and now was the waiting game. We were competitive and we made sure to have  great communication with the other side which got us into contract in a multiple offer situation. We were over the hill with excitement. 

Now began the inspection process. Inspections are usually something that tends to be a bit of challenge in every home buying process. During this pandemic it is extremely important that the over communication be exercised.  We worked together to get bids for Nuno and Erica’s lists of high priority request and negotiated a credit for their repairs. This was a major win for Nuno and Erica as well for the sellers which made it party all around. This is exactly the feeling we like to see is that our clients are happy first and foremost but that we continue moving forward joyously all around. 

Signing was scheduled with a mobile notary and with masks and all they signed their closing documents. An experience that is truly memorable.

Nuno and Erica  have had to make several sacrifices to make this dream a reality and we couldn’t be more proud to be part of the adventure. There couldn’t be a more fitting home and we excited to see their family further enhance and  grow into their home sweet home.

After long last your home sweet home is yours!

Momma Stories with Jenelle Isaacson

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Momma Stories is a podcast featuring the stories and strength from moms about the adventure that is motherhood created by Sarah Baker. Sarah truly believes that moms sharing their stories can be so empowering and helps them to know they aren’t alone, they are enough, and they are loved.

On Sarah’s recent journey to Portland she sat down with Living Room’s own Jenelle Isaacson, a mom of two sweet girls. Jenelle has gone from punk rocker, to using those skills and experiences to launch her own incredibly successful Real Estate company. She shares how her focus on experience rather than the results can make a huge difference. Jenelle talks about how that lead her to focus on her community and building a business that truly cares for its people, their clients, and even the environment. Jenelle is a true Mompreneur and has a ton of great ideas and inspiration to share.

Listen to the episode now! https://www.mommastories.com/podcast/episode/421984dd/jenelle-isaacson

Portland: The Perfect Place for Family

Posted on by Julie Davis

Twelve year old Jayden has two moms, and a vast family network of support. Although her parents got divorced and began living separately in North Carolina when she was small, her moms Anne and Wendy were incredibly focused on creating a world of love for Jayden.

With Mommy Wendy, Jayden enjoys cooking, editing music videos, and volunteering at an animal rescue shelter while raising their dog Monroe. With Mom Anne, she loves camping, biking, and testing out her growing skateboard skills while hanging with dog pals Sully and Ink.

When Anne had to return to Oregon to care for her parents, Jayden bravely learned to fly cross country between the two states on the month-long breaks that her year-round school schedule afforded. She learned to love Portland’s food trucks, the tree-filled neighborhood where Anne and her partner Lisa settled, and the city’s welcoming of diverse families.

This summer, Jayden’s happy worlds came together when Wendy found a job in Portland, and I helped her buy her very first house! And it’s not just any house – it’s a retreat under tall Douglas firs surrounded by vibrant hydrangea blossoms and blueberry plants – and it’s just a four-minute walk to Anne and Lisa’s house. Jayden is steps from one of the city’s most beautiful parks, her new school where she’ll start seventh grade in the fall – and her entire family.

I never imagined that not only would I be able to find the perfect, affordable place in Portland but also for the whole process of buying to be seamless. Thanks to Julie we have a wonderful new place to call home – Wendy 

This is a dream that came true! – Jayden

I got engaged! My business partner can rest at ease…

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Practicing real estate is so much more fun when you have a business partner and work partnership. It benefits the clients as well. They get two brains, two sets of eyes, two opinions, two bodies showing homes, etc…. Its a real win-win for both parties.

I’ve got to tell you folks, that my business partner is just the best guy.  He is the rock to my watery ways.  Like the Wolf in Pulp Fiction he can come into a house and help clean it up.  He casts no judgement, is completely reliable,  loyal to a fault, and will give you the shirt off his back.   He knows that everyone has been dealt a deck of different deck of cards and is doing the best that they can.  He is the humblest, big-hearted person that I know.  A real wizard for understanding all walks of life.

Over the past few years that he and I have worked real estate together he has ridden the wave of my 1-2.5 year romantic partnerships.  Right there next to me, the high’s and low’s.  There have been some real high’s and a few narcissistic lows.  Poor guy, I’ve put him through a couple (cough .. 4)  romantic partners over the last 6 years. With great excitement, I got to phone Chris last weekend and tell him the exciting news —  I got engaged!  He was the first person I wanted to tell after my parents.

Some friends stand by you through the thick and the thin.  Some friends will give you the shirt off their back.  I am proud to say, my business partner, Chris Speth, is that man.  He is a ROCK in a raging sea.  The whiskey to accompany a coke.  He has been that friend to me, and is that friend to our clients.  I couldn’t be more happy that I have the best business partnership with Chris and now a “forever” romantic partnership with Darren.  Cheers to friendship!  Cheers to being great REALTORS®!

 

 

 

 

I’ve Moved!

Posted on by Matt Guy

I am excited to announce that I have made the move to Living Room Realty!

After 15 years at Windermere, I was offered the postion of Managing Principal Broker, and it is an opportunity I am excited to pursue. Living Room is not only a local company, but places high value on balance, diversity, and joy – all contributions that I believe enhance the real estate industry.

Although I have moved brokerages, I want to continue to be connected with you all. My new email is matt@livingroomre.com, and I am happy to call the Living Room office at 1401 NE Alberta my home.

Storytelling with Jenelle Isaacson

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Real Estate Success Rocks – The Podcast did a wonderful feature on Jenelle Isaacson, founder and CEO of Living Room Realty.

For Jenelle, her story has been all about finding a voice – the singular and irrepressible expression of self. Whether it’s being lead singer and guitar player in a female punk band, or starting a real estate company in the middle of a recession! Whether it’s business or music, Jenelle believes “It’s important to know what your voice is. If it’s true, it will resonate.”

In this podcast episode, Jenelle and host Patrick Lilly discuss how to use storytelling to focus on attracting the ideal buyer, and the advantages of this over trying to appeal to everyone.

Click HERE to listen to the episode!