By Janelle Freeman, March 31, 2024
“Take me home, country roads, to the place, I belong…” A song we all know. A yearning some of us indeed have. This Winter, I helped make it a reality for some sweet clients of mine.
What does it mean to move from the bustle of the city to the countryside? Open spaces, wooded acres, your neighbors not a stone’s throw from your window, the quiet of nature surrounding you. The yearning for country life can be realized and sometimes deals can be had, as many rural properties remain on the market longer than their city counterparts due to location and sheer size of the properties, which often means more room to negotiate! So many people nowadays have the opportunity to work from home, so wherever home is, is a choice they get to make, not their employers. What a joy that can be if you want to live the rural lifestyle!
This Winter, my clients decided to leave the suburbs, the close neighbors, the HOA’s, the constant traffic noise, and traverse the seas of rural Oregon to find their slice of nature. What they found had been on the market for over a year, already had multiple price reductions, and had been empty and vacant for the whole time this house was on the market. So much can happen in a year’s span of time with a vacant property. We discovered that pipes had burst from the recent ice storm, trees felled, toilets no longer working, water not running hot, the list was long. But still they pursued it. The property had been pending multiple times throughout that year, but all sale failed. It went pending right when we put their house on the market. We sadly lost our first offer on it to an out-of-town buyer. But then, miraculously, right when we went pending with their home in the burbs, the out-of-town buyers backed out, and we were able to come in full force with a great offer. This nearly 4 acres, over an hour and a half from Portland was wooded, had a flowing creek running through it, the home had just enough space for the family, and was on a dead-end road. Idyllic. They were so excited we won the second time around.
What changes would they need to undergo with owning a rural property? There was much they had to study and learn with my guiding hand throughout the entire process. The two major changes were that they no longer would rely on the city for water or sewer. The septic and well had to be tested to ensure those showers would be hot and clean, the water drinkable and safe, and that the waste would go from the house to the septic tank to the leech field in a safe manner. Not only did we need to do the general inspections on the house to ensure it was stable, safe, and livable, but also on those two major systems that they, my clients, would now need to monitor and maintain. “Well water is the BEST water”, I often hear from past clients and friends that live on a property with a well. Required annual testing from a well company ensures that the water is clean from arsenic, nitrate, E. coli, and coliform. Plus having a well flow test done to ensure that the water is flowing properly from the house to the well and vice versa. Important tests!
It was a new way to live for my clients, lovers of nature, birds, and all things rural Oregon. We were able to negotiate credits for some repairs, a quick close, and they were able to get into their dream home in the middle of nowhere. Just how they liked it. They can now live out their Lord of the Rings dream in the woods with a creek. I’m oh so happy for them!
Is that yearning for a country life in you? Let’s talk shop, go out to the country and make your rural life a reality!
Janelle Freeman
Broker | Oregon
She/Her
Having family roots that go back to the 1860’s in Portland, Janelle has a deep appreciation and love for the Rose City and the Pacific Northwest. Beginning with a small grocery store in St. Johns in the early 1900’s, her family began planting roots of homeownership and business acumen for the generations to follow. It’s no wonder Janelle has a passion for houses, community, and people while continuing to build her business.
The journey that brought her into the realm of real estate went down paths of tending gardens, managing teams in the luxury fashion world, and studying horticulture at Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA where she met her beau of now 20 years. All her life experiences have helped hone the skills it takes to do real estate right: Care, attention, detail, and patience are key elements in this industry. A passion for architecture, knowledge of the city and surrounding areas, while keeping a keen eye on market trends are another. Like her ancestors, she’s building her business with the community in mind, and homeownership being her favorite passion.
When not sleuthing for homes, or negotiating on behalf of her clients, you can find her in the woods in and around the city, at a pub or café within walking distance from her home or nestled inside eating her hubby’s incredible cooking and snuggling their two cats.
Read More
- T: 971-322-4396
- janellefreeman@livingroomre.com
