By Jenelle Etzel, August 11, 2025
Escalation Clauses — How to Use Them with Tracey Henkels
Open House: Everyday Excellence is back with another conversation for agents who want to sharpen their skills and deepen their relationships with clients. This podcast is for people who believe that doing great work means pairing expertise with integrity—and who know that the way we approach each deal matters as much as the outcome.
In each episode, we talk to agents and experts about the moments that define their careers. We share the wins, the near-misses, and the lessons that only real-world experience can teach. Whether you’re new to the business or decades in, you’ll find insight, inspiration, and practical tools you can use right away.
🎧 Episode 2: Escalation Clauses — How to Use Them with Tracey Henkels
Few topics spark more debate among agents than escalation clauses. Some love them. Others won’t use them. But maybe that’s not the real question.
In this episode, Tracey Henkels offers a clear, balanced perspective on when escalation clauses help—and when they can hurt. She shares how to approach them with both clients and other agents, how to keep the process calm instead of frantic, and how to use them as one tool among many in your negotiation toolbox.
Tracey breaks down:
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How escalation clauses work (and common misconceptions)
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The pros and cons of using them in a multiple-offer market
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How to talk to clients about them without overwhelming them
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Why communication and trust matter more than any single tactic
Why It Matters
Escalation clauses are just a tool—they’re not a magic fix, and they’re not a shortcut to “winning.” The best agents know that negotiation starts with listening, builds on trust, and ends with a deal that works for everyone involved.
At Open House: Everyday Excellence, we celebrate that kind of work: skilled, thoughtful, and deeply client-focused.
Listen Now
Episode 2 is live! Find it on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen.
Jenelle Etzel
President & Owner, Licensed Broker OR
She/Her
What does being lead singer and guitar player in a female punk band have in common with starting a real estate company in the middle of a recession? Not many people can answer that question. But when you ask Jenelle Isaacson Etzel founder and CEO of Living Room Realty, there’s no hesitation; where most would see a chasm, she sees a bridge.
For Jenelle, it’s all been about finding a voice—the singular and irrepressible expression of self. Once a quiet, studious, high-school girl growing up in Portland, Jenelle started a punk band after college. She played guitar, wrote cathartic songs, performed, and traveled across country while living out of a van. All that seems light years from the present moment--owning a successful, growing company; serving on boards of civic and philanthropic organizations; enjoying family life with her two young daughters and long-time partner. Still, she uses the same voice now that began to emerge on stage years ago.
Whether it’s business or music, “It’s important to know what your voice is. If it’s true, it will resonate.” Jenelle’s voice, her truth, is about being brave enough to take action without apology, being heard without being exploited, to be energized, constantly problem-solving and refining her skills in the pursuit of building a purpose-driven company. All this requires risk-taking. She’s learned the hard way that she can’t fix everything and that not everyone will share her vision. But even as she explains the difficult choices she’s faced, Jenelle radiates joy.
“It’s never okay to play small,” she says with conviction. And this, more than anything, is what she strives to impart to other women, empowering them to pursue their passion whole-heartedly and to be leaders who speak with their own unique, unapologetic voice.
Living Room Realty, founded in 2009, offers residential, commercial, and property management services. Living Room ranks in the top 15 real estate companies in Oregon, with more than 110 affiliated broker-agents. For more information, visit www.livingroomre.com.
Noted Achievements: First west coast real estate office to receive B Corp status • Top Workplaces, 2014-2016 • 100 Best Workplaces in Oregon 2017 • 100 Best Green Companies 2017 • Oregon Business in Ethics Awards in 2014 • Jenelle has been featured in The Portland Monthly, Oregon Business, and REALTOR® Magazine • Portland Business Journal 40 under 40 Business Leaders • Board of Directors, Rock n Roll Camp for Girls, receiving 2015 award for creative philanthropy • Board Member, Entrepreneurs’ Organization Global Network, Portland chapter • Orchid Award recipient for Business and Civic Contributions • Guest speaker: OPB’s Think Out Loud, Investor Beat, Cascadia Green Building Council • Advocate speaking on behalf of Benefit Corporation legislation with Oregon Secretary of State, Kate Brown
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- jenelle@livingroomre.com
