Tag: dream home

Renovating toward your dream home

Posted on by Jessica LeDoux

Finding the perfect house is a dream and people need space to explore what this looks like for them. The reality is there is no perfect house, but gaining clarity about what you want by visualizing your ideal place is an essential part of the home buying process. I pride myself on helping clients create space for this inquiry because when we dream, we can act in service to our deepest values.

Prioritizing the features in a home that matter most and are unchangeable helps us create a roadmap to finding the right house within the budget, instead of chasing a unicorn. Plans and needs change and so can your house. When you select your home with your core needs in mind, there is a greater likelihood that your home can adapt alongside you.

I have inhabited many different eras of homes in my own house journey, which started in north Portland with a 1920s Piedmont bungalow. I was in my early 20s with my husband and a newborn. We spent 4 years on renovations and moved on right after they were complete. From there, we enjoyed the ease of new construction in Scappoose with our two kiddos until we returned to Portland to renovate a 1940s home. This time, we had more experience and renovated in an order that allowed us to enjoy the paradise we were creating in Roseway, but life changed and we picked up and moved to a quieter pace in the land of mid-century homes on large lots — Milwaukie. We knew this was the house we planned to stay in long term and we thought our years of renovating were over, so we bought a nicely remodeled 1960s ranch in the Oakridge Neighborhood. But renovation is in our blood; turning that off is very hard. When I tour homes, I instantly see the roadblocks and the possibilities and start looking at how to solve or improve them. 

We found the house knowing we would need to recreate the backyard oasis we had created in Roseway, but this desire blossomed into so much more. This project quickly became one we knew would be too large for my husband and I to take on ourselves. My husband Greg has remodeled every one of our projects – man, did he deserve a break – time, bandwidth, and willingness were depleted. This project was the first one that involved an addition to the house, so for the first time, we looked into hiring a designer and having the work professionally done. I learned so much along the way, adding one more layer of knowledge to help clients. The project kept growing, and we endured delays and surprises as you do in any project, but the stress was low because we trusted our contractor at the highest level and knew we were in great hands. This project was so different from past ones because we knew this was the home we planned to grow old in and pass on to the kids. Knowing this, I allowed myself to dream and made design choices with more self-expression than in past homes where we knew we would eventually move on. Searching for the right products and tweaking options to create the best space we felt was possible became an obsession. I reactivated a more creative side of myself lost through the years. This creative side I allowed myself to have, combined with my knowledge of homes and design, was a perfect recipe to create our dream space. 

Long Time Family Home Ready For It’s Next Chapter

Posted on by Cristen Lincoln

17516 NE Wasco St

Portland, OR 97230

Sitting on a large, landscaped lot, this long time family home is ready for its next chapter. Full of natural light and featuring 4 good sized bedrooms, 2 full baths, entry with open staircase, spacious and open living/dining room with slider to covered patio and the park like yard. Double attached garage for storage and hobbies. Near schools, several parks- including forested Nadaka Nature Park, and Glendoveer golf course. The perfect mix of move in and enjoy, with room to build equity.

OFFERED AT $425,000

4 BEDROOM | 2 BATH | 1362 SQFT

MLS# 21670961 | TAXES: $3,281.80

 

Long Search for First Home Comes to an End

Posted on by Mel Marzahl

Anika and Todd have been searching for their first home for over a year. It has been a long journey for them to find their first home. The toughest part was narrowing down what they really wanted and needed and then finding that within their budget. It was made even more challenging because of the increasing home prices, changing needs, and, of course, Covid.

Changing Needs and Wants

We started the search by looking at homes close-in SW Portland that needed some work. Anika and Todd have a great eye for design and what is possible with a home. We talked about the potential of lots of dated and fixer homes we toured. They researched the cost of putting in new kitchens, baths, and flooring, but eventually crossed a fixer home off their list. They decided that living in a project wasn’t for them, especially once Covid came and they and their two girls were all working and learning remotely. Managing and living in a remodel while teaching and working in it too sounded much less feasible.

We also looked at three-bedroom homes to start and decided that the family would need more space. With the greater need for a dedicated office, a four-bedroom, or three-bedroom with bonus room became a necessity. The extra room would serve triple duty as an office, playroom, and guest room for the day when the family can eventually come to visit!

Overcoming Challenges

With the changes in the family’s needs and wants, came changes in price expectations and location. We had to overcome multiple challenges with Anika and Todd’s home search. The first being that they are first time buyers without the huge cash reserves of many others looking in their price range. Because they weren’t buying your typical “starter home” Anika and Todd were up against other buyers who had more cash and were buying their “move-up homes” with equity from previous sales or other sources of cash. This made it tough to compete against the large down payments of other buyers, once we found houses they were interested in.

Their second big challenge was overcoming the reality check of housing prices and location. Over the year we were searching, housing prices increased by almost 8% in the parts of SW Portland we were looking. Also, when we started the search, we were looking at 3 bedroom cosmetic fixers in close-in SW. They were able to find this type of homes to look at fairly frequently. By the time we were making offers a year later, our search had changed to 4 bedroom move-in ready homes. Unfortunately, this type of house was over budget in the areas we were looking in so we had to expand our search further out to include the suburbs, places Anika and Todd originally had ruled out.

Writing the Winning Offer on the Perfect Home

After a year of searching, changing needs, overcoming challenges, Anika and Todd found an amazing home in Beaverton. It has three bedrooms plus a fourth bedroom/bonus room with interesting nooks perfect for a multiple-use space. We had to see it the second it came on the market, and after touring it, they knew it was the right one. They made a very competitive offer with great terms any seller would like to see. I spoke with the agent multiple times and developed a report with her. When we learned another offer was higher and willing to buy the home as-is, Anika and Todd decided to increase their offer to their max budget. They knew they could regret not doing so if they lost it.

The agent called me to discuss because their increased price put us neck and neck with their other offer best offer. We were told the only difference was that the other offer had a slightly larger downpayment and the buyers were willing to buy the home as-is. We chatted about why Anika and Todd weren’t comfortable with as-is, and while they truly didn’t expect to find any major issues, they couldn’t risk taking on a large, unexpected repair since they were putting their savings into the downpayment.

The sellers ended up accepting their offer anyway. I was thrilled to hear that the main reason they went with Anika and Todd’s offer over the other was my communication with the listing agent. Developing a good relationship with the other agent, being communicative, honest, and upfront while protecting Anika and Todd’s interests stood out to her. I don’t know who the other agent was, but I know they also wrote a very strong offer and were tough competition! Being a part of the deciding factor in my client’s offer winning out over another, slightly better offer felt great and I was so happy to relay that news to Anika and Todd.

A Long Search Comes to an End

Anika and Todd are now in the process of moving into their new home as I write this! The escrow process was a bit bumpy toward the end, with a closing delay, but we all got through it and both sides ended up happy. The inspection report was the cleanest I had ever seen, and the home needs just a few minor repairs and is ready for their personal touches. Anika and Todd are thrilled to finally own their first home. They worked really hard to make this happen for their family, and I couldn’t be happier to see them moving in.

Congratulations to Anika, Todd, and their girls! I can’t wait to see how they make their new house their home.

A Little Piece of Happiness

Posted on by Shannon Dooley

I got a text from my client who was a week or so from closing on her new home that said, “I can’t believe I get to live in that house!” It was a moment of pure joy for me. I was so incredibly grateful for this person making their way to me and that I could be part of this journey to her dream home. Then, after a few more seconds I was even more grateful that I took the time to sit with her excitement and let it be part of my world, after all, I did have a hand in this.

Gratitude is an interesting thing. For most of us it is easy to come up with something that we’re grateful for every day, really, it sounds preposterous to some (it did to me at first), but it’s true. If you think about your day, your interactions, the way something went, there’s generally somewhere to find gratitude. Even in the bad days. Even when things didn’t go your way. It’s there. And the craziest thing is that once you start making a conscious effort to see it, you realize it silently lingers everywhere.

Now don’t get me wrong, I can be a cynical bitch. Sometimes I think I just like it. I accept that part of me so long as I’m not hurting anyone or taking anything away from anyone else. The world is a tough place, sometimes we need to cut ourselves a break.

A couple of years ago I decided to challenge my science brain and open my mind to the ideas of some of my friends who have a higher woo factor. It was a slow transition, not always intentional, but sometimes helpful. The best thing I took from it was a gratitude practice. And guess what? Not woo at all! Totally backed by science.

What are some of the scientifically proven things I love about a gratitude practice you ask? Well… a gratitude practice can increase your overall wellbeing, reduce stress and depression, make you happier, shift you away from toxic emotions, increase empathy, reduce aggression, and on and on… it’s so good! And the best part is that gratitude works even when you’re alone and don’t share it. Perfect for quarantine!

I think we could all use a little piece of happiness these days, maybe it’s time to see what kind of gratitude practice out there might work for you?

 

 

 

Playing Fairy Godmother

Posted on by Bonnie Roseman

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…

The McDonald Mission

Posted on by Living Room Realty

The McDonalds are my mission in real estate – they are why I love my job! I met Earl a few years back when they were looking for an investment property. I helped them get a house with a detached ADU on it that had great long term renters. Fast forward to March of this year when they shared with me that their family grew from 5 people to 6 people, and they were looking for a new place to call home. Their current home was lovely, but it was time for them to find a little more space with some upgraded amenities. We looked at a few homes that were so-so, but then we saw Plover. It was really beautiful. It backs up to a public park with tons of greenspace, gardens, soccer fields and playgrounds… a perfect location for a family with 4 kids. I distinctly remember Earl and Brianna saying “I don’t even know if we deserve this nice of a house?” Right then and there, it became my mission to get them into it and change their mind. Plover had been on the market for about a month, so we excitedly thought there was a chance that our contingent offer might get accepted… but then a non-contingent competing offer came in… ours was put into back-up. We picked up our bootstraps and moved on.

Going through the offer experience cemented for Earl and Brianna that they definitely wanted to sell their home and buy up. So we started to get their home ready. Earl and Brianna were machines! They did such an amazing job getting their home ready – it was an all out family effort and it was spectacular. We hadn’t been seeing any good homes come on the market, however, and it was a little scary taking such a leap to sell without knowing what options would come up. A few days before their home was about to hit the market, we got a call from the Plover agent. We got a second chance!! The first buyers got cold feet, even after an incredible inspection on the home… it was meant to be Earl and Brianna’s, we were certain!

Two weeks into Earl and Brianna’s home being on the market with great activity but no offers, we got a little nervous. We only had a total of 3 weeks to have an accepted offer on their home before we’d be moved to a bumpable status and the listing agent could solicit offers again on Plover! Long story short, we received multiple offers on their home, had to go to their back-up offer, which was also contingent, and the dream of Plover seemed farther and farther. The buyers of Earl and Brianna’s home had an adorable condo in South Tabor, but it wasn’t getting offers either! Days before we were about to throw in the towel on the whole deal, the buyers got an offer on their condo and the buyers of the condo showed some serious commitment. With a lot of flexibility on the listing agent’s side of Plover and a lot of dedication on the buyers agent side of Earl and Brianna’s house, we made it happen. It was a game of Dominoes, but my very special clients sold their house one day and bought a house the next day.

I couldn’t be happier for this incredible family and their tenacity to get what they deserve, all the while leaving it up to the universe for whatever was meant to be. We went through a journey together and are forever connected. Thank you for representing my mission and trusting me to represent you in this complicated process. All my love, gratitude, and congratulations, McDonalds!