LISTED AT: $399,000 | SOLD AT: $400,000

3 BEDROOM | 2 BATH | 1,302 SQFT
MLS# 21573099 

Persistence pays off! I first met Marcus when he choose to intern at my previous brokerage. He had recently graduated college and wanted to explore some career paths for himself. He was an incredibly bright young man at the time with the world in front of him. He opted not to go into real estate, and decided to pursue a career with a finance company.

Fast forward to the fall of 2020, in the midst of the pandemic,  when he approached me about finding a home for himself and his family. He was now married, and the father of a young daughter. They wanted to find a place for their family to grow and call their own, but desired to keep their budget to under $400k. We began their search in the Portland Metro area, but ran into limited inventory, questionably habitable homes, or Townhomes which had HOA amounts or special assessments that made their price point lower in order to keep they monthly payments the same as a detached home. We wrote offer after after, only to lose out over and over.

Still Marcus and his wife, Maddeighy, remained undaunted. We keep looking, slowly expanding our search out to Hillsboro and Beyond, Newberg, deep East Portland, and finally South towards Woodburn. What you got as you went out was not much better, but at least there were more options. We keep searching through the Winter, Spring, and into the Summer, when they informed me that they were expecting their 2nd child and really did need space for 4. They were due in November, so we hoped to be in contract on something before their new daughter came. They hunt progressed.

We finally came across some new homes that were under construction in the Woodburn area. Marcus works in Wilsonville, so the commute was not that bad in comparison to some of the deeper east and west areas we had looked at. There were 3 properties all under construction, all for sale, with 1 of them pending. They pounced and we wrote an offer, in the hopes that the home would be as envisioned when they were all complete. This was a leap they had to take, as there was no flooring, countertops, appliances, concrete outside, or landscaping done when we viewed it. They decided it was better than most other things they had seen, and after a few negotiations with the listing brokers on the minutiae of the sale, we were in contract.

New construction is an exercise in patience, and despite writing our closing for 45 days (we were told they thought they would be done in 30 days), nothing is ever as planned. At 45 days, we were told the final building inspection by the county still needed to be completed, and no Certificate of Occupancy would be ready, so we pushed out a week. 1 week lead to 2. 2 weeks turned into 3. We hoped no more delays would occur, and thankfully, the day before  Thanksgiving we were given word that the Final Inspection had occurred, the building permit had been signed off on, and Certificate of Occupancy had been issued. The day had arrived, and despite the hope that they would have a home ready to move into before their 2nd daughter arrived, they would be now have a home for her and her sister to grow up in and call their own.

Cheers Marcus, Maddeighy and Family, I hope that you make many lovely and wonderful memories in your new home!

Scott Shoji

Broker | OR

He/Him

Hello! My name is Scott Shoji and I am a licensed Oregon Real Estate Broker. I began my journey into Real Estate in 2005 specializing in new development mixed-use buildings & condos in Portland’s urban core. I was part of the sales teams for the Eliot Tower and The Westerly while at Debbie Thomas Real Estate, gaining first-hand knowledge of how a high-rise building is constructed from the ground up. Seeing all phases of the design, build, and sales process for condominium development helped frame my knowledge of the condo market. I am very familiar with most condo buildings in Portland and have published extensive market research on them for years. Before joining Living Room Realty, I worked with a top producing team that eventually became a boutique brokerage based out of the South Waterfront. This opportunity allowed me to expand my knowledge of not only the residential buildings in the area, but the ethos and vision of the community. I unequivocally loved being a condo owner and living in the heart of Downtown Portland where I took advantage of walking to farmers’ markets, concerts, festivals and food carts. Now living in a single-family home in the west-side suburbs of Portland, I enjoy watching my daughter ride her bike and my wife attempt to weed our garden. I feel like I can truly speak to the different experiences that each can offer and relate to buyers and sellers no matter what lifestyle they choose. I am a California transplant, having trekked North to earn degrees in English Literature & Business at the University of Oregon. (Go Ducks!) I have lived in Oregon on and off since 1996 and permanently made Portland my home in 2005. It is the love of this city that has welcomed me into its quirky arms that fuels my desire to help others find the same. Why Portland? The seasons! Leaves changing colors, the crisp winter air, lush green forests that convince you of another adventure. A thriving food scene where every other corner celebrates an up-and-coming chef, barista, or brewer. There is something so very accessible about Portland that charms and endears me. It feels intimate and easily accessed for a “big“ city. Where walking and cycling are embraced as popular modes of transportation and you are a short drive from the ocean, mountains, rivers and forests. What are you doing in your free time? You can usually find me artfully dodging or skillfully kicking rubber balls in my adult Dodgeball and Kickball leagues. I try and keep youthful at heart and these leagues help with that. Otherwise, I can be found tackling my untamable garden, improving my photography skills, or hiking the Pacific Northwest with my wife, Chelsea, and daughter, Elora and son, Auryn. Favorite Place Traveled To? This is probably a tie between Mürren, Switzerland, a picturesque mountain town deep in the Swiss Alps where I proposed to my wife, or Cambodia, where I experienced one of the most vibrant cultures traveling with my brother and sister. What can always be found close to you? A cup of black coffee and my computer. Why Real Estate? I have always loved the feeling of home. It is both a sense of place and a feeling of comfort. I find immense enjoyment in being able to help people find their home, whether that is handing over the keys to that very first home purchase, or helping someone take the next steps in life by selling the place that memories were made in. Not many careers can give that sense of satisfaction at the end of the day.

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• T: 503-927-3900
• s.shoji@livingroomre.com