Tag: ice storm

Tips to prepare your home for a winter storm in Portland Oregon

Posted on by Nicole Chavira

Tips to prepare your home for a winter storm

  • Keep your house heated to a minimum of 65 degrees.
  • Know the location for the main water shutoff in your home.
  • Insulate your exterior water lines to prevent freezing.
  • Let your faucet drip to prevent a pipe burst.
  • Stock emergency food, water and supplies.
  • Bring your fur babies inside!
  • Freshen up your weather-strip and caulking along doors and windows.
  • Cover windows with plastic from the inside if you do not have double pane windows installed.
  • Open your cabinets.
  • Trim tree branches that could fall on your home or other structures and vehicles during a storm.
  • If you are using a fireplace, wood stove, or a kerosene heater, be sure to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to be sure they are working properly.
  • Keep your fireplace flue closed when you’re not using it.
  • Locate your fire extinguisher and keep it nearby.
  • Ask a neighbor to check the house regularly any time you’re away.
  • Clear gutters of debris to allow runoff from melting snow and ice.
  • Watch for ice dams near your gutter downspouts to prevent water build up that can cause water intrusion.
  • Run your swimming pool pump at night.
  • Keep your garage doors closed.
  • Stay informed by signing up for your local emergency alerts.
  • Cover your container plants with compost, mulch or old blankets and towels.
  • Place your hanging plants on the ground and cover them.
  • For renters, try to touch base with your landlord if you’re unclear on what are tenant responsibilities and what are landlord responsibilities.
  • Keep your sidewalks and entrances to your home clear of snow and ice.

Ice Storm Win!

Posted on by Olivia Rush

Congratulations to Lauren and Taran on the successful purchase of their first home together! This was NOT your typical buying in  Portland in 2021 scenario – and thank goodness for that.

Lauren and Taran are dear friends of mine, so we got down to the nitty gritty quickly. We saw a handful of “cute, charming” homes that would have “worked,” but nothing we saw felt right. As the days grew shorter, inventory dwindled. They were eager to get in the game, but nothing of interest was popping up. We had numerous conversations (almost every time we saw a home) about holding out until we found something that really clicked. They considered writing a few offers on a couple homes (one of which received 29 offers – no thanks!), but ultimately stuck to their guns.

And good thing, too! It was in early February that their patience paid off (maybe with the help of some divine weather intervention.) A home popped up that checked their boxes – especially the large-lot-in-fantastic-location box – and was well under budget.  Thanks to an ice storm, we were some of the only people who viewed the property over the first weekend. (Reason #784 why I love my AWD RAV4!) Taran and Lauren excitedly submitted their first offer Friday evening and anxiously waited three days for the Seller’s response. Finally, the good news came: we were able to secure the house AT list price without giving up their firstborn child or a kidney!

From that point, the transaction moved forward smoothly. Overall, the home was in GREAT condition, especially for its age. We were able to negotiate a small credit for a honey-do list of repairs, and the appraisal came in a good chunk ABOVE what my clients paid.

In this incredibly competitive sellers market, this transaction was a HUGE win on all accounts. Now let’s carry this same easy-breezy energy into selling their home next month!