By Mel Marzahl, January 21, 2025
Summer and Adam sold their home AFTER they bought their next one with cash. And, no, they weren’t sitting on piles of cash, an inheritance, lottery winnings, or family money. They are a normal family with a baby at home who didn’t want to try and sell their home and have to schedule showings around nap times or meetings since Summer works at home.
They knew they needed a bigger home for their growing baby to have some space, but also with room for Summer’s mom to live with them! They also knew they would have to do some work to prep their home for sale.
They didn’t know how much prep they should do, what it would cost, and how long it would take, and they also didn’t know that buying first (especially with cash!) was an option.
I listened to their concerns and needs and mapped out some options. The one we decided would work best for them would be to use a special FHA cash buyer loan, which would let them buy first, move, and then list their home and sell. They trusted me and their lender, James Adair, to guide them through this process, which was an honor, especially because this was the FIRST time this loan program was used in Oregon!
How it worked: they packed their home while I arranged the painting, cleaning, staging, and repairs. While we were getting the home ready, we were also touring houses they were interested in. When we found the right one, they made a cash offer. They beat out two other offers, even though they didn’t have the highest price, because they had cash, didn’t need an appraisal, and could close quickly.
During escrow on their new home, they finished packing and repairs. They closed on their new home, moved in right away, and then I had this home cleaned, staged, and photographed right away. It went on the market within 10 days and got a full-price offer in 6 days!
Summer and Adam got their dream home, the best price for this home, and didn’t have to sell first. I’m very confident that had they tried to sell while in the home, it would have taken longer, been more stressful, and may not have resulted in as high of a sale price. I’m glad they trusted me and were happy to get them such great results!
Mel Marzahl
Broker | OR
She/Her
Raised in the Pacific Northwest, Mel became a passionate advocate for homeownership and investing in real estate after buying and selling her first home. What drew her to it was realizing the significant financial impact the right investment property can make and learning how much having a home to truly call your own can improve your quality of life.
Her specialties are working with first-time home buyers and sellers yet she is fluent in all aspects of residential real estate. She is trained extensively in real estate negotiation, holding both the CNE (Certified Negotiation Expert) and RENE (Real Estate Negotiations Expert) designations. Mel knows that with all the technology available to buyers and sellers, one of the best skills a REALTOR® can have is knowing how to be a collaborative negotiator to get the best outcome for their clients.
After a decade-long career working in operations and client service for creative companies, Mel earned her Broker’s license and made the move to real estate. She listens to her client’s needs and aims to treat everyone involved in a transaction with honesty and integrity. She loves getting to know her clients, their wants, and needs to ensure they get the highest level of service Mel is known for.
Mel brings creativity and an eye for detail to the table with a background in art and events. She enjoys a remodel or renovation project, has a soft spot for old craftsman homes, loves helping first-time buyers, and educating her clients on the selling and purchasing process. She believes in staying up to date on market trends, technology, and tools available to real estate agents. This gives her an edge when it comes to marketing properties and communicating with her clients.
When Mel is not working in real estate she is volunteering with the Red Cross, gardening, hosting dinner parties, or relaxing at home on Bull Mountain with her husband, son, two big dogs, and a handful of chickens.
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After a decade-long career working in operations and client service for creative companies, Mel earned her Broker’s license and made the move to real estate. She listens to her client’s needs and aims to treat everyone involved in a transaction with honesty and integrity. She loves getting to know her clients, their wants, and needs to ensure they get the highest level of service Mel is known for.
Mel brings creativity and an eye for detail to the table with a background in art and events. She enjoys a remodel or renovation project, has a soft spot for old craftsman homes, loves helping first-time buyers, and educating her clients on the selling and purchasing process. She believes in staying up to date on market trends, technology, and tools available to real estate agents. This gives her an edge when it comes to marketing properties and communicating with her clients.
When Mel is not working in real estate she is volunteering with the Red Cross, gardening, hosting dinner parties, or relaxing at home on Bull Mountain with her husband, son, two big dogs, and a handful of chickens.- T: 503-443-5382
- mel@livingroomre.com
