Nicole was a first time home buyer and the clock was ticking. With just weeks left to find the perfect home, she knew there was no time for dilly dallying. She came to me armed with a full approval for financing and ready to hit the road in her search. We fanned out and looked at everything in a radius from her workplace in Tualatin. It’s not always wise to search for a home that is an easy commute to the workplace, since jobs are subject to change. In this case, Nicole loves her job and plans to be there “until I retire”, so this was the perfect strategy. In just one week we saw condominiums in Tigard, Tualatin, Beaverton, King City, Mountain Park, Lake Oswego, Clackamas, Sherwood, West Linn and Wilsonville. We were both amazed by the number and quality of choices available with a budget of $130,000. After seeing everything, Nicole had some real viable options and was able to narrow her search down to three very promising properties. She had FHA financing, which brought an additional set of requirements. The condo she purchased had to be FHA approved. On top of that, we were under the gun to get her an accepted offer and a file opened before FHA rules changed and created another layer of bureaucracy to navigate. Nicole spent her lunch breaks, evenings and weekends looking at properties. Although she is a first time buyer, she took all the constraints she was under in stride. She made very thoughtful and insightful choices, rather than let time push her into a bad decision. Her dedicated search led her to her dream home. With a spacious master bedroom and nice-sized 2nd bedroom, 1 1/2 baths, a deck, a kitchen with an eating area, and well maintained common spaces, this was everything she had hoped for. Nicole’s new home in Wilsonville is a great commute for her and was her first choice. Since Nicole came to the table already approved (not just pre-approved) her loan docs were at escrow early and she was able to close early. By staying cool and collected under pressure, she was in her new home by mid-October, well before the final bell rings on the tax credit. This woman accomplished a lot in a short amount of time and deserves all she has achieved. Rock on, Nicole!

Join Us for an Educational Evening at Living Room Realtors

 “Today is Blog Action Day ’09 and the subject is Climate Change…anyone up to the challenge?”, read Katrina Bell’s email.

Okay , I can’t resist.    

Although I am not a blogger, I am deeply interested in climate change.  I’m curious about it, concerned by it, even sometimes frightened and outraged.  Are you?  Does it sometimes seem like a topic that’s become larger than life, grander than many of us can keep up with or sort out?  Almost to the point of occasionally just being annoying!?  Sometimes it makes me want to yawn and take a nap.  Sometimes I just want to stand in front of the refrigerator, with the door open while I decide what I want to eat, no matter how long I might take to make up my mind!  But, I can’t.  Physically and mentally, even when I’m feeling irreverent and selfish, I can’t.  I try.  I remember being a kid and letting the sprinklers run for hours, even when I was done playing in them.  I groan.  And then I shut the refrigerator door, quickly capturing a mental list of its contents. 

This climate change topic has so many people stuck.  I have and overhear conversations all the time with people who want to be doing everything they can, and beat themselves in grocery lines for forgetting their reusable bags.  You know what I think?  Don’t do that.  Don’t make it a chore that kills your spirit.  Don’t let it take you down a notch all day if you buy some strawberries from California because you didn’t make it to the weekend Farmer’s Market.  Instead, keep learning about the big picture because the more you know and deeply understand, changes in your lifestyle will follow naturally and the subsequent positive impact YOU have on this planet will be inevitable. 

That being said, I have to recommend this Super Fantastic, Totally Hip and Brilliant discussion course.  It’s one of those things I kept hearing the past few years but when just one more person I totally, completely admire (Jill Sughrue – thank you!) recommended it again, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.  The NW Earth Institute is Amazing.  The history is beautiful:  Big wig local lawyer decides to retire to focus on educating about global climate change.  His wife was already an activist for Oregon air quality.  Together they now only have ONE SACK of trash to send to the landfills – A Year. We’re talking a huge lifestyle change.  And a huge inspiration.  The discussion course concept is simple:  Form your own group for a sort-of climate change book club.  NW Earth Institute has a selection of 8 discussion books to choose from (cheap – like $20) with topics such as, “Menu for the Future”, “Voluntary Simplicity”, and “Healthy Children, Healthy Planet”.   You let them know you’re forming a group, they’ll send out a mentor for the first session (this part is fun – and free) and then you take over the group yourself, using the workbook as your guide.  

This is a great way to listen to other people’s opinions and predictions related to climate change and helps you become more convicted in your own beliefs.  Knowledge is Power.  Lose the desire to learn and our weaknesses will be the real cause of our demise.

To start your own empowering discussion group, go to: http://www.nwei.org/discussion_courses/get_started

Why be a seller in this market?  There are a lot of great reasons.  For the folks living at 4500 NE 37th, selling now means they get to realize their dream of living overseas.  If your home is in good condition and you are realistic about your asking price, you too can be a successful seller today.  Marty and Candace had a home that fit the bill.  It is in great condition, well maintained and with many wonderful updates and finishes.  With a much loved yard, tons of custom features and close to Wilshire Park, they easily overcame the downsides of  a home on a busier street.  They understood they would have a leg up in a market littered with tired and foreclosed homes in poor condition.  For me, working with these clients was a dream because they loved their home and it showed.  On top of that, they cleaned, buffed, pre-inspected and made repairs up-front, saving them time and headaches once their buyer came along.  Even though they had pets and a toddler, they managed to keep their home spotless and were ready to pack up on a moment’s notice when the calls came for buyer showings.  And they had to pack up a lot because there were dozens of showings of this home.  Many more people came to the Open Houses.  Marty and Candace made all the sacrifices necessary to sell their home and then prepared themselves to wait many months.  The first offer came in less than 30 days.  A jittery first-time buyer with unrealistic expectations couldn’t make it to closing.  They hung in there.  After  just 2 months on the market they were rewarded with a strong cash buyer.  It was smooth sailing to closing.  Congratulations to Marty, Candace and Finn.  Thanks for bringing your A-game!  Good luck in your future endeavors.

I spotted this beautiful tile pattern at the Autzen Mansion. You can buy the house for 2 million or just incorporate this beautiful detail into your more modest abode. Pratt & Larson tile at 1202 SE 3rd is the perfect resource to recreate this tile pattern.