Playing Fairy Godmother

Once upon a time…

In the metropolis of Portland, Oregon, two delightful newlyweds were seeking a mid-century modern home to share with their canine babies. We searched high and low and there were many twists and turns on the journey. This would be their first home of their own and the budget was limited and the challenges were great. The available properties were too far away for comfort, so as frustration and disappointment loomed, I made a suggestion.

“Go one step at a time,” I said, and “consider buying a stepping stone home.” “What?! People do that?” they replied. “Why yes…” I explained, suggesting they find the best fit for their current lifestyles and budget.

A starting place

So, instead of going for sprawling, they went vertical and took their 2007 skinny to its highest potential, infusing it with quality touches throughout. They made bold choices: eye-dazzling teal trim, midnight walls in the bedroom for the ultimate sleeping environment and they added high style with Rejuvenation lighting and hardware.

Last week Bryan and Justin said goodbye to that first home and hello to their forever home! Patience paid off and they now get to bring their special brand of design magic to an exceptional mid-century modern home in the hot hamlet of Milwaukie, just beyond Portland’s southern border, in the Oatfield area.

The flyer for their first home in the Roseway neighborhood in NE Portland

Without a hitch

The magic key to the new castle

The stars aligned and it was easy to help make their wishes come true this time around. Bryan and Justin had their eye on their dream home before the official first day on the market of their current home, but they didn’t want to risk a contingent situation, so they waited. The wait was just 5 days! They accepted a full price offer on their place and immediately got their offer accepted on their mid-century dream home, tucked into a magically treed lot on Kingston Rd. – perfect for #TheTwoKings, as they are known!

 

I eagerly await the transformation Bryan and Justin will bring to bear on their wondrous new home, where the #TwoKings shall live happily ever after…

Living Room Realty ~ Year 1

Last week marked the first anniversary of my joining Living Room Realty, which was a very big deal after nearly 26 years in the same office! Like moving to a new house after many years, changing work homes is exciting. Why’d I make a change after all of those years? Well, I decided it was time to align my workplace with my ideals.

The day I walked in for my first meeting with Jenelle Isaacson, the owner of the company, she greeted me with a warm welcome, a vegan lunch made of freshly harvested, organic greens and an invitation for Bender, my canine companion, to make himself at home.

Bender the real estate dog at work

Things I  about LRR:

  • It is a local, woman-owned company
  • Beautiful offices in awesome locations (Clinton-Division, Alberta, NW & Multnomah Village)
  • The Loving Room Fund for charitable giving (more on this in a moment)
  • It is very inclusive and gay friendly
  • It is super dog friendly
  • We are a B Corp (https://bcorporation.net/about-b-corps)
  • We recycle and even compost!
  • Awesome marketing materials to make listings fly
  • Great staff

Little things really make a difference to me. When you meet me at the office you’ll find that we use real glasses, mugs, and towels; skipping all the plastic and paper. By the way, we have a great tea selection, high quality coffee, and even soda stream bubbly. So, let me know when you want to come in and have a cup.

Did you know?

I donate 1% of every commission I earn through our fund to give back to my community. For the next three years our recipients are Rose Haven, Oregon Wild and Urban Gleaners. The really cool part is that when you buy or sell property with me, you get to pick which one of them I will donate to. Which is your favorite?

Rose Haven is a day shelter and community center serving women, children, and gender non-conforming folks experiencing trauma, poverty, and physical and mental health challenges. They restore stability and dignity for 3,500 guests annually.

Oregon Wild works to protect and restore the wildlands, wildlife, and waters that make Oregon the best place on Earth to live. Right now, one of their main efforts is aimed at permanently protecting over 500,000 acres of wildlands in and around Oregon’s only national park – Crater Lake – as Wilderness. They’ve also been a strong advocate for Oregon’s native wildlife such as wolverine, salmon, sea otters, and gray wolves.

Visit their website

Urban Gleaners rescues edible surplus food that would otherwise be thrown away from grocery stores, restaurants, event sites, farms, and farmers markets. They collect roughly 50,000 pounds of food each month and deliver it free of charge to hungry children and their families through their Food to Schools program here in Portland.Their mission is to reduce waste and want simultaneously.

Visit their website

Gratitude and Honors

It has been a great year and I have met many new colleagues and clients who have become friends. I am so grateful to the fabulous folks I have had the pleasure of working with this past year. Thank you for your support and your votes for me to receive the Five Star Professional Award for the 8th time-WOW- this means so much to me!

Here is the link to participate in their program. http://www.fivestarprofessional.com/homesurvey

There are many excellent agents at Living Room, so I was delighted to be recognized as one of the top ten achieving brokers in the company. As I approach my 28th year in this business, I can truly say I still love helping people find their way home, and I am glad to have found my way to my work home.

 

Happy 2019!!!