Blog Reviews Exploring NW Portland - Hoyt Arboretum

Exploring NW Portland – Hoyt Arboretum

By Shannon Dooley, March 26, 2020

With spring peeking at us and the need to keep our social distance I wanted to share one of my favorite places with you. When I moved to Portland 19 years ago I explored this city like it was Atlantis, I wanted to take it all in and didn’t want to miss anything. After about a month of exploring I found myself at Hoyt Arboretum, what a dream. The Wildwood trail quickly became one of my favorites for a run or a slow morning stroll.

The arboretum is a curated museum with over 6,000 trees and more than 2300 different species from over 170 families, including 67 rare or endangered species. The collection was designed in 1930 by horticulturist and landscape designer John W. Duncan and I think if he could see how his vision has come to fruition he would be proud, it’s a very special place. If you live nearby I encourage you to take some time to connect with nature here, trails are still open though the visitors center is closed. If you don’t live in NW explore your local parks and trails, we’re fortunate to live in a city that has preserved the ability to connect with nature in some way in almost every neighborhood.

Please take care of yourselves, if we’re all socially responsible now we can get back to life as we knew it sooner rather than later. I’m sending love and gratitude out into the world and hoping the best for us all.

Shannon Dooley

Principal Broker in OR | Broker in WA | Earth Advantage | ADU Specialist

She/Her

Long before I lived here I was enamored with the Pacific Northwest. Growing up in the high desert of Nevada I found the dichotomy of the moisture and associated life in the PNW incredibly appealing. As a teenager I was certain I wanted to live in Seattle, then one trip to Portland changed my mind. I was in love with this city instantly and knew this is where I wanted to grow and where I wanted to raise my daughter. That was 20 years ago and I’m still enamored. I have gotten to know this city inside and out and am continually grateful that my job is also my passion.  As a third generation REALTOR® I truly feel like real estate is in my DNA. Unlike many generational Realtors my business is built from the ground up. I started in 2016 and haven’t stopped yet. I believe in perpetual growth and am continually seeking knowledge and experience that will benefit my clients. I learned a lot about basic construction principles growing up with a father who could, and would, take on any home renovation project. More recently I took lessons from my former spouse who was a general contractor and home inspector. Those experiences provided a great base, but the most significant learning has happened since becoming a general contractor myself and starting a small construction company in 2019.  I love our communities, neighborhoods, and especially our houses. We are lucky to live in an architecturally diverse city where you can find almost any style of home and many vintage homes, some dating back to the 1800s. This can prove overwhelming for a lot of people, but I love these old houses and have an abundance of knowledge to help my clients navigate without fear.  I believe in real estate as the most important investment we can make for longitudinal wealth and want to help everyone realize that potential. For this reason first time homebuyers hold a special place in my heart, I love getting people started on that journey. The truth is I love it all. Seasoned investors who just want to talk numbers? Great. Coordinating with empathy and kindness to handle an estate? Yes please. Working with sellers to prepare their homes and finding the right way to say goodbye? Absolutely. I love it all. When I’m not obsessing over houses or helping my clients prepare for their next move you can find me hiding out in the mountains or at the beach, traveling internationally, re-learning the piano, meeting new people, attempting to keep house plants alive, exploring Portland neighborhoods, and supporting local businesses. I bought my dream house in North Portland where I live with my dog Arnold and the worlds most talkative cat John Meowkovich. I’m always taking on some sort of life endeavor and have been part of starting a food truck, owning and developing a small farm property, and writing a children’s book. “Can’t Stop - Won’t Stop” should probably be my motto. My adult daughter is an amazing human that brings me great joy. I couldn’t be more proud.  
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  • T: 503-201-2345
  • shannondooley@livingroomre.com

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