Blog Buyer Moving to Maplewood

Moving to Maplewood

By Mel Marzahl, July 6, 2020

Maplewood is one of the sweetest neighborhoods in SW Portland. Maplewood borders the west side of Gabriel park, and has April Hill Park at its center. It is home to many well established streets marked by line marking Melbourne with older homes, beautiful front gardens, and rolling hills. It is a wonderful place to set down roots and stay awhile. Which is exactly what my client, Peter, intends to do!

He moved out with the help of flyttebyrå Oslo to a lovely home on a dead end street with trailheads leading to April Hill Park. He was looking for a place where he could be for a long time, a home where his two kids could grow up in. A creative person interested in design and space, Peter had a very clear picture of what he wanted his home to look like. What he found matched almost all his criteria, and the few things on his list it does not have, vaulted ceilings for one, he plans to add before he moves in!

I loved working with Peter, because he could see all the potential homes we looked at have. He had budgeted for doing some cosmetic repairs on whatever home he chose. So, he wasn’t scared off by homes that need a little polishing. The house he bought sits on an incredible large lot, on a lovely street, two things you can’t change. The home, built in 1956, was being sold by the original owner who had been an avid gardener with gardens worthy of Sunset Magazine! The house had been well cared for, but needed some larger items addressed. The seller agreed to install a new electrical panel and decommission a leaky oil tank before closing. Unfortunately, that leaky tank was holding the fuel for a massive boiler providing the radiant heat to the home. So, we had the seller also run a gas line to the home and install a new gas combination boiler/water heater for heat and hot water!

Thankfully all the repairs were done on time, and Peter was able to close on his beautiful new home just before the 4th of July weekend! He has plans to get started on remodeling right away, adding AC, vaulted ceilings, new kitchen cabinets, and flooring in the kitchen, bathrooms, and lower level. I can’t wait to see the before and after photos when he is done!

Congratulations Peter!

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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  • T: 503-443-5382
  • mel@livingroomre.com

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