Breaking In the New House

You really don’t know what it is like to live in a house until you move in. The neighborhood noise, the functionality of the layout, the things that you love/annoy you, etc. As a part of their search process, my clients Cory & Verelle have been looking into to some new construction homes in the northern part of the Woodlawn neighborhood in NE. That area is pretty close to Columbia Blvd and some railroad tracks that can be noisy. The listing agent of one houses they were interested in gave us permission to spend a morning in the house hanging out for a few hours to see how it felt.

One February morning I met them out there. I got the key out of the lockbox; when I went to turn the deadbolt it felt like it may have been unlocked. Weird, I thought, but sometimes the action is so smooth that you don’t feel it. The house was really cold. We went over to the thermostat to crank up the furnace. Weird, there was no response. Then we tried to turn on some lights…the switches were dead. I went into the garage to check the electrical panel; there were a bunch of breakers tripped. I called the listing agent to see if he knew what was up.

As the phone was ringing, my client said “why did they remove the range?”. Then I looked around the kitchen and thought “why did the remove the dishwasher too?”. Phone still ringing…still thinking…”why is the staging half removed? They did a crappy job taking it out; the floors scratched and walls are gouged.” Right as he answers the phone, it hits me: THIS PLACE GOT BURGLED!!

Undeterred…we went back a few days later, and as it turned out, the train noise was really bad. That was a bummer because the house was awesome other than that. We ended up finding a house that was a little further south, a little smaller but a perfect fit all things considered.

Drew Burchette

Principal Broker | OR

I arrived in the real estate business over a decade ago and have since helped scores of people buy and sell their homes. The groundswell that I created in my practice is rooted in the relationships that I have nurtured over the years. My style is educational, and I see myself as the coach and leader of your real estate transaction. My coaching is geared towards empowering you to make informed decisions that will lead to your best possible outcome. I excel at asking the questions that get to the heart of the matter which in turn enables a smooth sale process. Away from the office I am passionate about so many things, but it all begins and ends with my family. My boys are both in elementary school and parenting is an ongoing challenge and joy for my wife and I. We love to travel around Oregon, the East Coast, Mexico and beyond. My passion for surfing, kiteboarding, and fishing help to keep me grounded in life. Read more reviews

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• T: 503-490-6912
• F: 503-961-8224
• drew@livingroomre.com