By Tracy Dau, May 7, 2019
REALTORS® will often tell you there is a hushed rule in real estate that buyers and sellers should NOT meet when a deal is still being negotiated. Case in point, an agent in my office stated the following when I told her about my current transaction,”I do not like when buyers and sellers meet, and most of my clients don’t want to ever see the other side. You need to remember that the seller is wanting as much as possible for their house and the buyer wants to pay as little as possible for the same house. They are adversaries, they are not equals. “I would normally agree with this statement except when it comes to my current seller Cyn and a buyer named Elle. They threw all caution to the wind in our current sale. I call what we have going on right now a “unicorn” deal in real estate. It’s such a rarity in this industry when a seller and buyer were meant to find one another. It’s not just a “house fit” it’s more of a relationship fit.
I’ve been known to say that Cyn Martino is the one good thing I’ve ever found on Craig’s List. Rather, she found me, in the Housing Wanted section on that site years ago. Cyn used me as her agent to purchase of a small footprint house near Laurelhurst. Since then, it’s been good times. She is from Santa Cruz CA (that’s right folks, she moved from California. No booing aloud.) Cyn is like water. She drives an old Volvo, is a farmer’s market guru, raises chickens, walks everywhere and cares about the planet. She is very cool. I mean like very very cool (hint hint to you single men out there that like nature and good food).
Elle, our buyer, was born and raised in Portland Oregon and looking to buy her first house. Her grandparents happened to live only a block away from Cyn’s house on SE 30th and Ankeny, which is also where her father grew up. How do we know all of this, because Elle included a personal letter with her offer. Elle wrote about appreciating the original details of the home such as the retro cabinets and counter tops. The icing on the cake was that I was able to meet Elle and her real estate agent at my open house. She walked through the home quietly, taking it all in, but her eyes were smiling. I knew that if she decided to submit an offer, my seller would like this young woman. I had that gut feeling. Elle wrote an offer, it was a strong offer, but not the highest in the pile. But when you have a Cyn as seller, you know the ‘fit’ means as much as the money.
Here they are: My seller, Elle, Elle’s mom and her Auntie. They stopped by the house to give my seller a gift over the weekend and invite her to a Korean dinner. Before the deal was negotiated. Before the repairs decided upon. Why — because there is this thing out there called good will and kindness. I see it only occasionally in my industry. It feels SO damn good to witness. It makes me like what I do.
This is what a real estate unicorn looks like -:)
Tracy Dau
Broker | Earth Advantage | OR
She/Her
When you meet Tracy Dau, it doesn’t take long to realize where her true passions lie.
She loves houses and loves matching her clients with the place that’s perfect for them. Ask her clients and they’ll tell you she’s a whirlwind of energy, a juggler of projects, a creative force, a good listener and a tireless advocate. She comes to the job with a vision for what’s possible and the background to make that happen.
Maybe it’s because she grew up in the breathtaking town of Juneau Alaska, where it rains 250 days a year. It’s the kind of place where you either give into gloomy weather or dig deep and find the will to preserve. Maybe it’s because her folks instilled in her the drive to succeed.
For the past sixteen years she has gutted and restored many houses, using any opportunity to work with her hands. Blending her formal training as a fine artist and designer with her experience as a builder, these old-house remodels have become her creative canvas. Her time as a product developer and architectural consultant at Rejuvenation House Parts introduced her to a community of like-minded folks who encouraged her to become a REALTOR®.
She is drawn to vintage homes. The artist in her is drawn to their detail, the builder in her to their craftsmanship. Their charm and imperfections make them all the more fascinating and soulful.
That’s what drew her to her first home. Stripped of all her painted-lady features, she sat sadly on a corner lot in SE Portland waiting to be loved and cared for. She had a yard full of shopping carts, a tree that had grown through her facade, motor-oil soaked mattresses and a basement full of the neighbor’s missing car parts, and yet, in spite of this her husband Nate and Tracy bought and fixed her up. This renovation lead to the next house-love-affair, followed by another and another. It only made sense to apply this knowledge and the valuable lessons learned along the way to help others looking to buy or improve their own homes.
Which brings me to why she became a REALTOR®.
Tracy chose this job because she is passionate about houses and loves the chance to develop relationships with her clients. When you choose to work with Tracy, she will advocate for your best interests, guide you through the home buying process and protect you from the stressful moments as they inevitably arise. She will advise you every step of the way to enable you to make good decisions, stay centered and reach your goals. Even after your transaction has come to an end, Tracy is still available to
answer your questions and help with your home projects.
When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family and being outdoors. Her hobbies include teaching her children, Lander and Olivia, about nature, hunting for sea creatures, spotting birds, drinking bourbon in the winter and gin in the summer, eating chocolate and traveling to warm destinations.
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- T: 971-275-0387
- tdau@livingroomre.com
