Tag: Mill Park neighborhood

Three Fabulous Neighborhood Parks Along the I-205 Corridor

Posted on by Living Room Realty

Neighborhood parks are like hidden treasures tucked away amidst our bustling communities. They can offer a tranquil retreat from the urban bustle, a vast runway for your dog to get her zoomies out, or an imaginative space for your little one to simply be a kid!

The quality of life in Portland wouldn’t be so high if it weren’t for the community’s dedication to its natural, open-air green spaces. Not only do we boast one of the largest urban forests in the US (Forest Park), but almost every home in this city is within walking distance of a neighborhood park. If you live in Portland, you can rest assured you won’t have to go far to find your local park. 

With two rambunctious kids to wrangle, I’ve visited my fair share of parks in this city. Let me tell you about three of my fave lesser-known parks in my local stomping grounds, just east of the I-205 corridor:

Ventura Park: a large newer play structure awaits the young ones with creative minds, with a sliding turf hill, a dirt bike track, and a water station. There’s a picnic area, and dogs are allowed on-leash. There’s also a big grassy area to set up a sports game or chill in the shade and have a picnic. Located in Hazelwood/Mill Park neighborhood, 460 SE 113th Ave, Portland OR 97216.

Gateway Discovery Park: A fab gathering place for groups large and small, this inclusive playground is accessible to children of all abilities. There’s a skate park, and a splash pad for those extra warm summer days. Dogs are allowed 0n-leash. Located in Hazelwood/Parkrose Heights neighborhood, 10520 NE Halsey St, Portland OR 97220.

 

Luuwit View Park: With a separate fenced off-leashed dog area, this park is a great place to ensure fun for the entire family – furry friends included! Theres an impressive amphitheater, a newer accessible play area with with soft rubber flooring, a big slide and climbing structure. There is also a picnic area, extensive bike and foot paths, and best of all an expansive view Mt. St Helens! Located in Argay Terrace neighborhood, NE 127th and NE Fremont, Portland OR 97230.

 

Want more neighborhood park recommendations here in Portland? Looking for the best summer splashpads? Reach out, and let’s chat!

Turning a No-Cause Eviction Lemon Into Homeownership Lemonade

Posted on by Alyssa Isenstein Krueger

When my buyers Kelley and Satomi first contacted me in early November the panic in their voices was palpable. A couple of weeks before they had unexpectedly been given a 90 day no-cause eviction notice from the home they had been renting in the Alberta area. Once the initial shock of receiving that notice wore off, they decided to see if they could make the move from being renters at the mercy of landlords to homeowners, despite the fact that they hadn’t planned on buying a home anytime soon and didn’t have a lot in savings to be able to make that  happen. In the couple of weeks since their no-cause eviction notice, they were able to get themselves a pre-approval letter from Umpqua Bank using the Oregon Bond rate advantage loan at 3.65% in combination with a second loan (called a MAP- mortgage assistance program) through the Portland Housing Center. I met them on a Saturday, and along with their 3 year old daughter we looked at a few homes on Sunday including a nice skinny house in Mill Park. By Sunday evening they decided to write an offer on the Mill Park skinny which was at the very tippy top of what they were approved for, but given their family’s needs, the 3 bedroom and 2 1/2 bath the home was listed at a price almost too good to be true for them. On Monday, we wrote up a full priced offer, and by Tuesday, the sellers accepted. Phew.

Once the sellers accepted their offer on Tuesday, I immediately sent over their sales agreement to lender extraordinaire Jennifer Leon at Umpqua, and she contacted Oregon bond to lock in their 3.65% rate. First thing Wednesday morning we received an email from Jennifer letting us know that the rate on the Oregon Bond had gone up 1/2 point over night, but fear not because Kelley and Satomi were locked in at that 3.65% rate. Given that rates have risen nearly a point over the last  year, the days of the below 4% rates are most likely over and won’t go back under that 4% in our lifetime. So not only did my buyers slip in just under the wire, they were the very last buyers to be able to use that rate with Oregon bond. There were so many ways that this whole situation could have transpired so very differently. Had their offer been accepted only a day later, the rise in the interest rate would have put their home out of reach. Had they not found a great home in a great area that was priced incredibly well, they would have been scrambling to find a decent home under $300k. Had the inspection gone south, they would have been thrown back into the mercy of the home price winds. But thankfully, everything went according to the best laid plan.  And when the appraisal came back nearly than 8% higher than the purchase price (I can’t recall ever seeing that happen before) it was yet another sign that the stars had aligned for Kelley and Satomi.