By Tracy Dau, August 20, 2021
One of the most endearing things about our wedding were the number of friends whom attended that had started as past clients and morphed to close friends. I have been lucky enough to have folks that I have helped over the years stay in my life. It’s pure magic. It’s much of the reason I like my job so much, it helps me find buddies. I want to share of of my dearest friends wedding toast which is a tribute to how old homes connect us. Mark Halpern and Noelle Crombie happened to have trusted me 20+ years ago with their old home. Here we are, years later, celebrating life transitions and LOVE. They will tell you I still give advice and help with their house projects; which was why at I at was at their house this morning. Now to Mark’s toast:
For Tracy houses have bones. Wood, color, light and space. They breathe. Their history, their story is her passion. It is no coincidence that my friendship with Tracy started with a house: the house my wife Noelle and I bought, our first house. The home where we are raising our
daughters is imbued with the spirit of the Dau. Lights, colors, the attention to period detail, all gifts from Tracy – from the spirit of one of the most loyal, generous, and kind people we have ever known. Her giving is boundless. All you have to do is drive around inner Southeast. Look for
the colors, her colors, her palette, on the houses, her homemade chairs on the porches. Little bits of Tracy — of beauty — left for others to take in and enjoy.
What an honor it is then for me to give something back to her in this toast. How touched I was when she asked me to speak. Last fall when she asked if I could
help with Liv’s college essay, I tripped over myself rushing to the computer to help Olivia. And of course what a delight to see her mother’s values reflected in
her essay: She told the story of Johnny, a friend who was down on his luck. Tracy took Johnny in. She provided the thing we all take for granted: a home. And her delicious pies, of course.
The essay beautifully told the story of Johnny’s effect on Liv and likewise her effect on Johnny. But it was also a testament to that most difficult and rewarding
job that Tracy has done with such grace: mothering. Mothering while attending to the passion of her work. She is a hero.
So let us lift our glasses to toast my dear friend, Tracy, and her wonderful husband Darren.
While we know your home will be beautiful, let it also be filled with kindness, grace and joy. May your marriage, like your home, have good bones. Tracy, we all love you. Good luck on this next adventure.
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
