By Bonnie Roseman, July 12, 2018
The Journey Home
Margo and Duane fell in love with Portland, especially the Hawthorne Boulevard corridor in the southeast section of the city. They hatched their plan to relocate, thinking, as so many people do that their current home would make a great rental. Easy peasy, they thought: visit the Rose City for a few days, buy a home, pack and move. Reality struck on that house hunting visit and the sticker shock called for revising the plan. Thus began the long process of selling their home, finding a rental to call home base in Portland and the long search for perfect new pad.
For most people, converting a primary residence into a rental turns out not to be the best way to go. It is important to consider all of the tax ramifications, debt load and future wear and tear on the rental home. Often it comes down to the bottom line – can you afford the home you want without the equity you’ve got in the existing home?
Portland can be a tough market for buyers. For Duane and Margo, three times was the charm. After coming in second, being in back-up position twice, the absolutely perfect Craftsman style home in the Richmond neighborhood came on the market. Once again, there were multiple offers. This time they had the winning bid – and what a prize! They call it “Little Sunshine” because of its “sweet personality and cheery yellow color”.
UPPER HAWTHORNE DREAM HOME
This gem of a property has lovely architectural details: original rafter tails, graceful railings, even the access door under the porch makes a statement.
The outdoor spaces are wonderful, too. In addition to the backyard with an old apple tree and the side yard with a bumper crop of raspberries, the sellers utilized the strip in the middle of the driveway to create an additional garden area – how clever!
I am so excited for these two to have scored the home of their dreams. Perseverance paid off!
Whoa, they even got a palm tree! Talk about sunshine.
Bonnie Roseman
Principal Broker, Earth Advantage + ADU Specialist
Bonnie hit the real estate scene in Portland when Silence of the Lambs was killing it in the theaters, the Cold War was officially chilled and the national median sales price of a home was $120,000.
Since then, she's been delighted to assist clients in navigating the ever changing housing market: whether selling a first home or the family home, looking for a starter pad or a forever habitat, downsizing, resizing or buying and selling investment property.
Having a symbiotic connection with your real estate agent is key and will help ensure a great experience. Bonnie enjoys consulting with potential clients to discover their wishes and goals, confirming the right client-agent match.
Smooth transactions are the target; however, there can be unexpected bumps getting to the closing table. Bonnie excels at finding creative solutions to any mishegoss that pops up and she takes pride in an extremely low sale fail rate.
A little more about Bonnie: born in Philly, raised in Berkeley, mom to an incredible young woman; her home is filled with both furry and scaly creatures, the daily driver is all electric, equality is the only pathway; she's embraced veganism for the earth, the animals and her health.
Like credentials? Sweet, here you go:
- At Home with Diversity Certificate
- Earth Advantage Broker + ADU Specialist
- Senior Real Estate Specialist SRES)
- Certified Residential Specialist (CRS)
- Five Star Professional Award (7 years)
- Member of the National Association of Gay and Lesbian Real Estate Professionals (NAGLREP)
- T: 503-515-5973
- bonnie@livingroomre.com
