Life in Portland Blog

A Home Well Earned

At first, Dave and Kerry’s home buying process looked to be smooth sailing. They were well-prepared, on top of their documentation, and they’d found the perfect home. Agent Annie Rose had been assured that the Sellers were easygoing, and the Mortgage Officer felt great about the timeline.
 
And then the storm broke. The Appraiser refused to send in the appraisal for two weeks; the Mortgage Officer was asking for further documentation late in the game; Dave found himself taking time off work to run around town gathering documents--two days before the closing date. Employers were out of town and couldn’t verify employment, no one could find W2s. Then, the listing Agent said the Sellers had cold feet, and wouldn’t be extending the closing date.

"We sweated, we hustled, we begged, we argued. Dave lost 10 pounds. We got an extension, then went through everything two more times. When all was said and done, they ended up signing documents at 5:05PM on the day of the last extension, and only making it thanks to the dedication of Robin Liebelt at First American Title. Whew!
 
The deal could have fallen apart a dozen times, and Dave and Kerry, who are expecting a baby in September, would have found themselves homeless at the end of the month. Reneta Peery, of Knipe Realty, could have encouraged her Sellers to give up on the deal and accept the cash offer they had in back-up. But she didn't--she put in hours of extra work to help make the deal happen, in spite of the many challenges. We had dozens of phone calls strategizing, communicating, and throughout it all, she never lost hope, always kept a positive attitude, and was willing to go far above the call of duty to help make this work. Without Reneta, Robin, and Dave & Kerry’s amazing dedication and responsiveness, we never would have made it.
 
It was such a pleasure to work with someone who shares the values of Urban Nest--To do the best for your clients, no matter how much extra work it takes; use compassion, communication, and solution-seeking, and never give up hope! Thank you, Reneta, for being so wonderful and a true collaborator." --Annie Rose

 
Dave and Kerry have now happily moved in, and Scrapple, their dog, is already plotting ways to meet all the new neighbors. They went through a wild rollercoaster of stress, work, and challenge. And they made it! Congratulations, Dave and Kerry!

Coming Full Circle

Part of what is so magical about helping people buy and sell homes is the fact that each transaction is intimately woven into the story of someone's life. From the excitement of the first home purchase that takes a person from renter to homeowner, to the success realized of finding one's Dream Home, to the simplicity sought in right-sizing into the ideal home for any phase of life.

Recently, Agent Munir Randall had the pleasure of helping her lovely client, Patricia, find not only the perfect home for her, but one that brought her full circle. Patricia was moving back to Portland from out-of-state and lucked out when she found this Mid-century ranch in Sellwood. In a market where many Buyers know the disappointment of losing out to another offer all too well, Patricia's very first offer was accepted, AND she got a bargain. But perhaps it was more than mere luck...Patricia's parents met at nearby Reed college back in the 1940's and moving into this house feels to her like she's finally coming home. 

Welcome home, Patricia! 

Real Estate Français

Clients, Patty and Doug, chose to work with Urban Nest after having learned of us...in France! Thanks to our well-traveled water bottle, that is. They were on the annual wine tour that Brooke leads with Scott Paul Wright each June, when they noticed the St Johns Bridge on his water bottle and asked about it. Brooke told them he worked in Real Estate at a uniquely Portland agency called Urban Nest. Comme c'est intéressant! It just so happened that they were looking to sell their home. When all was said and done Brooke and Rachel helped them sell their charming NoPo house and then purchase their lovely new home, a stone's throw from Oregon wine country, complete with a wine cellar for their ever growing collection, bien sûr.

As they say in France, "Voilà!"

Brooke Gets His Own Nest

                          Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming!

                          Someone pinch me, I must be dreaming!

Here's "our very own Brooke Budy", at his closing signing. Why is Brooke so happy?  Well, his dream came true when he found the Earth Advantage-certified home he wanted in the form of a charming condo, just a stone's throw from Cathedral Park and the St. John's Bridge. With the expert guidance of his exceptional agent Holly Burton and Urban Nest friend, mortgage specialist David Bunker, Brooke glided through a stress-free purchase from offer, to inspection, to closing. Congratulations Brooke!