Tag: vintagepdxhomes

4 Weeks from Hair Cut to Closing: Congrats Makayla and Chancelor!

Posted on by Lita Batho

Recently, I was getting my hair cut, listening to a story my hair stylist had been telling me for a couple years: she LOVES her neighborhood.  She owns a home with her husband that is a bit small, but they can’t imagine leaving the area and felt priced out. On this day, she was even talking about consulting an architect to build a second level onto their single story house.

Just three days later, my hair whisperer called to say they were on their way to an open house, “to check it out”.  It was love at first step.  The 117 year old home had original leaded glass, wood floors, remodeled bathrooms and kitchen, and a front porch with roses creeping over the railing.  I looked through the listing details and spoke with the listing agent to determine what offer terms would be meaningful to the sellers.  I also put together a report of recently sold comparable homes to determine price, and worked with my buyers’ lender to be sure we were putting together a plan to succeed. My buyers weren’t the only ones who loved the house: by Sunday afternoon there was an offer deadline, and we ultimately competed against three other offers.

Less than 36 hours after the open house, I made a phone call a bit past my own bedtime to share the good news that the offer had been accepted! With a short timeline to closing, we got to work on inspections–which are no joke with a vintage house–and spent the week meeting with additional specialists and obtaining assessments and estimates.

I had the good fortune to be working with my skilled colleague Kim Parmon as the listing agent on this home purchase.  It’s gratifying as an agent to work with someone equally skilled and committed on the other side. This helped us quickly find solutions that satisfied both the buyers and the sellers. In addition, our team at Root Mortgage and First American Title went the extra mile to bring everything together, including overcoming last minute challenges.

Today, exactly four weeks after my hair cut, we closed on their ‘dream house’.  On this rainy fall evening, my buyers unlocked the door for the first time to begin a new era in the neighborhood they love, with the bigger, character-filled home they didn’t think was within reach.

Congratulations, Makayla and Chancelor!!

Vintage Garage Vision: EV Charging!

Posted on by Lita Batho
Classic 1940 Garage

I have a confession to make: I owned an older Portland home for many years before I felt confident to park in the garage.  The small detached garage, facing a narrow alley, seemed like it might be tricky to maneuver a car inside.   Years went by, and I used the garage mainly for storing outdoor furniture and garden supplies. It was only when I purchased an electric vehicle that getting the car inside became important to me. Why? EV Charging of course!

My second challenge: the garage had no electricity, and was 30 feet from the house.

For a moment I was unsure of how to begin.  However! Having navigated dozens of inspection/repair contingencies, pre-listing home preparations, and unexpected challenges, I knew that the goal of charging my car at home was likely easily achievable.

The Preparation

First, I called an electrician. (If you ever need a referral for a contractor, painter, plumber, roofer, electrician, window person, etc- ask your realtor! We will have suggestions for you.)  My licensed and bonded electrician gave me a bid, and explained how the project would work, and to get started, asked me if I knew someone who could dig a trench: of course I did!

Whenever a project requires digging,  call before you dig!  The utility companies will come out and mark any utility lines on your property.  This is a critical step, to prevent digging into a gas, electric, sewer, or water line. Call 811, or 1-800-332-2344 a minimum of two days before starting any digging project.  In my case, this are area was free of utility lines.

The Trench

To dig the trench, I hired a trusted landscaper and his team. Although I considered doing it myself, or renting a trench digging machine, letting professionals do it proved to be fast, reasonable, and efficient.  It took just a few hours for a few people to dig through the rocky soil by hand, with picks and shovels.

Finally, the Electricity

Once the trench was in place, the electrician returned to install a conduit and the electrical lines.  He installed a subpanel in the garage, along with a light (let there be light, for the first time, in my garage: it’s fun to appreciate small things!) and a couple of outlets, including one 240 volt outlet placed to accommodate an EV Charger.   I mounted a new EV charger on the wall of the garage, plugged it in, and was all set!   It felt like a transformation to be able to not only turn on a light, but also charge my car in the garage.

*in case you notice that the roof of the garage looks rough in the photos, that was the next project!

 

SE Portland Dreams Come True!

Posted on by Living Room Realty

One of my favorite things about being a Realtor is helping people buy their first home.

It brings me so much joy to see people embark on their journey into homeownership and creating longitudinal wealth.

Meet Corey. I’ve known this lovely human for about 15 years and he has often thought about buying. Even though he has a great job he wasn’t convinced it was possible to do on his own. Working with a local credit union Corey was able to secure a zero down loan. It’s not the easiest thing to have a zero down loan accepted in this competitive market, but we were able to get into contract with our second offer. After inspections and negotiations we also got a new roof and enough credit to cover ALL off his closing costs and a home warranty!

Today we picked up the keys, went inside and immediately pulled up some of the carpet to inspect the beautiful hardwood floors hiding underneath. With a little bit of sweat and some paint this house is going to be completely transformed from grandma’s house to a stunning midcentury ranch. The large yard will be the perfect oasis for Hank, the very strange little cattle dog, and the perfect place for outdoor hangouts this summer.

I’m so excited to watch this journey and filled with gratitude that time and time again I am trusted to help people start their next chapter.

Easy Breezy Living in Vancouver

Posted on by Living Room Realty

This lovely home is ready for its next adventure!

On the main level the living room has a gas fireplace that is oh so inviting as the days get colder. Use the open space to create a beautiful dining space with  sliders that open to the patio while the open kitchen that looks over it all. Separated from the living area is a half bath and an office/den/bonus room. Upstairs the primary suite includes a full bathroom and walk in closet, and the other two bedrooms have a shared Jack/Jill style full bathroom. 2 car garage. Close to the neighborhood park, easy freeway access. Low HOA $39/mo

Swanky SW Midcentury

Posted on by Living Room Realty

I just love a solid midcentury house. This one is no exception. As my seller prepared for a big move and major life change I helped them update and refresh this amazing SW Portland home. You may not know this about me, but helping sellers prepare for the market is kind of my thing.

This particular Mid Century Modern Daylight Ranch is filled with light, sits on nearly 1/4 acre and has two fireplaces! The hardwood floors are eye catching, there are two fireplaces(!), large windows flood the home with with light, and fresh paint highlights the architecture and updated period lighting. The kitchen has been refreshed and provides a perfectly functional space. I know what you’re saying, “This is all normal house stuff right?” But let’s not forget the amazing basement! This is your space to let your imagination run wild. You could have the best game room in your friend group, create an art studio, or add a second living unit. So many possibilities are ready and waiting!

A Little Piece of Happiness

Posted on by Living Room Realty

I got a text from my client who was a week or so from closing on her new home that said, “I can’t believe I get to live in that house!” It was a moment of pure joy for me. I was so incredibly grateful for this person making their way to me and that I could be part of this journey to her dream home. Then, after a few more seconds I was even more grateful that I took the time to sit with her excitement and let it be part of my world, after all, I did have a hand in this.

Gratitude is an interesting thing. For most of us it is easy to come up with something that we’re grateful for every day, really, it sounds preposterous to some (it did to me at first), but it’s true. If you think about your day, your interactions, the way something went, there’s generally somewhere to find gratitude. Even in the bad days. Even when things didn’t go your way. It’s there. And the craziest thing is that once you start making a conscious effort to see it, you realize it silently lingers everywhere.

Now don’t get me wrong, I can be a cynical bitch. Sometimes I think I just like it. I accept that part of me so long as I’m not hurting anyone or taking anything away from anyone else. The world is a tough place, sometimes we need to cut ourselves a break.

A couple of years ago I decided to challenge my science brain and open my mind to the ideas of some of my friends who have a higher woo factor. It was a slow transition, not always intentional, but sometimes helpful. The best thing I took from it was a gratitude practice. And guess what? Not woo at all! Totally backed by science.

What are some of the scientifically proven things I love about a gratitude practice you ask? Well… a gratitude practice can increase your overall wellbeing, reduce stress and depression, make you happier, shift you away from toxic emotions, increase empathy, reduce aggression, and on and on… it’s so good! And the best part is that gratitude works even when you’re alone and don’t share it. Perfect for quarantine!

I think we could all use a little piece of happiness these days, maybe it’s time to see what kind of gratitude practice out there might work for you?

 

 

 

A Hallmark Original – Almost

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Once upon a time on a beautiful fall Sunday in St. John’s two of my favorite friends were brunching with their folks and wandered into an open house. Little did they know they were about to fall in love. The soaring ceilings, beautiful box beams, large rooms and wood floors lingered in their minds for days… weeks really. Then it happened, there was a price drop. My phone started ringing – this house was now a possibility. Can we do it? Let’s call the lender!

Later that night I got the call, “Hey Shannon… any chance we can buy this house and sell ours?”

“Sure!”

“Also, we’re leaving for Germany in 72 hours, is that a problem?” We laughed and laughed.

But really, “Of course not, we’ve got this.”

And we did! We had their offer accepted a day later (contingent on the sale of their home), got their house on the market in 72 hours, found a buyer and now… finally, they are the proud owners of their dream home!

But it really wasn’t so cut and dry. The events kicked in to motion with the final sale of their house were really just the start. You see, the owners of this dream home – they were also contingent on their new home, and those people.. yep, contingent on their new home too, and those people – you got it. This is where  the holiday miracle story should have been picked up on by the Hallmark Channel. Against all odds all of the REALTORS® were able to work together to ensure nothing went wrong and now there are 5 sets of people who just closed on their new homes just in time for the holidays!