Tilde in Sellwood

Wandering though Tilde in Sellwood, I just marveled at all the clever things I had never seen anywhere else. The editing is top notch. From jewelry to handbags vases, cards and ceramic decorative objects there has got to be a gift here for just about anyone that has any taste at all, but especially if they tend towards mid-century or scaled down. The price range is wide as well. I knew my husband J, would be pretty darn excited (that's how strong his language gets) about these Pantone cups- it was like shopping for my favorite crayon colors.

Even better, the store is located next to a great bank of food carts so you can feel absolutely absolved from your little spluge when you can buy lunch for two so inexpensively. Bruce Lee's food cart suffers a bit signage wise, but the owner has an amazing full size gas range inside and whips up a mean red curry stir fry as good as any I've had in town at a sit-down restaurant.

I must say, I do not some of the antique stores of the past making way for an updated neighborhood feel.

"Ugliest House in Connecticut"

That's what neighbor, Bill Blass remarked to Joan Rivers when she announced her intention to buy a property near his country home in Connecticut. Yet Joan did buy the home on 84 acres and converted it into her ideal getaway, a place to bring her grandson and "friends having nervous breakdowns."

Like many homebuyers with vision, Joan overlooked the fact that the current home on the lot "looked like a Denny's" and instead saw it's potential in it's sweeping views. In the meantime she figured she could "just stand at the front door and hand out menus".

I don't care how much surgery Joan has had- she makes me laugh. Read the NY Times article and watch a slide show of the home.

Schoolhouse Electric

When clients Andrew and Yellena James recently gave me a gift certificate to Schoolhouse Electric, I was thrilled. Besides being a generous gift, I had always wanted to visit- and as a triple bonus, the talented Yellana has been chosen as the first artist in a series of exclusive designs and her work was not only prominently displayed in the store, it graces the front of their most recent catalogue.

The building itself was more recently a storage area for the nearby Miller Paint Company- thankfully the current owners removed the brick covering the lovely facade and brought the room back to life. Schoolhouse lighting is made completely in the United States, the designs originating from vintage molds as well as designed in-house here in Portland. The components are finished and assembled just two blocks up the street. The era runs from historic to mid century.

I'm so looking forward to hanging my light- and to spending more time in this delightful local resource known as Schoolhouse Electric.

See more of Yellena Andrew's work. Yellena has an upcoming solo show in Barcelona this year, has designed snowboards for K2 that are in stores now,  and is working on some "kicks for Keds".

History of Alameda

Some of his neighbors have perhaps thought he was a nut case when Doug Decker has knocked on their door- just to share with them a historic picture of their home. Alameda has an amazing history and Decker, resident of twenty years has uncovered a trove of it. He has looked up census information, permits pulled, and hunted down previous owners of many homes. He's researched microfilm, old Oregonian ads, and has conducted countless interviews with now and past residents. And he has a day job with the Department of Forestry.

Today in a packed presentation at the AHC, Doug brought Alameda alive. Starting with a plat map showing Alameda before it's existence, the site of trees and a dairy farm at the city limits of Portland (then at NE 33rd St), he presented a pictoral history with the developers first buying the property in 1909 and bringing in the streetcar line and infrastructure. By 1934, most of it's homes had been constructed, with some prominent builders such as Frank Read, Harry Phillips and Ken Birkemeier involved in multiple homes in the neighborhood. Several of those homes including the pictured Keller House are on the National Historic Register.

Decker's information gleaned from early census materials showed the neighborhood's inhabitants changing fortunes. While many homes in the 1920's had live in servants such as Irish maids and nannies, the 1930's ousted much of the paid help and brought in boarders and older relatives into their homes. Oregonian ads revealed more information- when the area was first being developed, there were was no Broadway Bridge, roads, or streetcar to get to the site, so the developers offered potential buyers "a ride in our autos" and writing enticingly about Alameda- as if it had already been built. Later, the neighborhood having been designated as strictly residential got up in arms when a church tried to build within the neighborhood boundaries. The Alameda Park Community Church was forced to move just beyond the outskirts but eventually won over the neighborhood by running youth summer camps popular with Alameda's children. The church is now known as the Subud House, still on Regents Drive.

Visit Decker's comprehensive website, Alameda History. He hopes to write a book on the history of the neighborhood, and accepts research projects on behalf of homeowners looking to their home's past.

The Unknown Tax Credit

While many people are aware of the first time home buyer's tax credit of up to $8,000 and that it was extended recently. What most people aren't aware of is a tax credit for homeowners who currently own a home now. A credit for 10% of the purchase price, up to $6,500.

A few caveats: You must have lived in your current home for five out of the last eight years, and there are income qualifications- up to $225,000 for a couple of their adjusted gross income and $125,000 for single filers. You also must be in contract by April 30th and close by the deadline of June 30th of this year.

If you or a friend are considering selling this year, it may make sense for you to sell now and take advantage of keeping some major money in your hands.

First Time and Step Up Buyers Tax Credit (Full Document)

Fascinating Class

What does a former executive from Proctor and Gamble have to teach me as a realtor? It turns out- quite a lot. During his twenty five year stint with Proctor and Gamble, he negotiated billions of dollars worth of contracts up and down their supply chain, ended up teaching negotiation skills internationally for ten years and eventually developed a course for the real estate industry.

When I had the opportunity to attend a two day small class with him, I couldn't pass it up. Today's real estate market, as everyone well knows, has gotten a lot tougher. While everyone is aware of fewer sales in a depressed market, what most people are not aware of is how tough negotiations can be from the smallest home to the largest. Both buyers and sellers have much at stake right now, and that makes negotiating one of the skills one has to bring to their clients for a successful transaction.

Topics covered included creating opportunities to interact and dialogue with the other side, ascertaining the best techniques with which to persuade and influence, and understanding different types of negotiation and when to use them.

While my husband commented that "he may never get his way again" I believe most of my clients will appreciate my new designation of CNE.

December Market Action

We've experienced a pretty steady inventory in Portland- for months we've stayed around seven months worth and December had us at 7.7. Month to month, December 2008 to 2009, sales were up 52%. However, last year showed an average of 12% loss of value for the year, which of course means some areas suffering more and others less so.

Nationwide, our market is also somewhere in the middle, with Las Vegas at a 26% decline, but San Diego with a 2.7% yearly decline in the latest Case-Schiller report.

Digging in a bit deeper, DOM (days on market) in Portland seem to be a mirror of the average sales price with SE Portland having the most closed sales with an average price of $237,00 at just over 100 days on market. West Portland follows with an average sales price of $400,000 and 185 DOM, with the leader in both areas at 235 DOM for West Lynn and Lake Oswego with a average sales price of $538,000. Interest rates are still historically low and buyers need to see good value to bring a home from "active" to "pending".  Price well and prepare well if listing.

Read the full Market Action Report.

Seattle Getaway

Without lessening my love for Portland at all, can I just say how much I love visiting Seattle? In just a few hours one can get away to a completely different town with many more dangerously delicious restaurants to try and re-visit.  This makes our third stay at the modern boutique Hotel Andra, and the rates are great now, especially if you can get an additional discount. The Seattle Art Musuem (SAM) almost always has some great exhibits, and luckily this trip there were three- Michelangelo's sketches for the Sistene Chapel, an Imogen Cunningham photography exhibit, and a really charming show of Alexander Calder that displayed several of his larger mobils as well as a film of his "Circus" .

There was accidental shopping at a consignment shop that sold Chanel next to Bannanna Republic pieces. We dined well at a few old favorites, Le Pichet an intimate bistro, and Cafe Campagne (best Croque Monsieur stateside). Restaurant Zoe had some lovely dishes for dinner, but our best new find was at Spring Hill for brunch- featuring a homemade corned beef hash with poached eggs. Located in West Seattle, the short drive from the city offered some great industrial views of the city.

In an unexpected turn, the (much younger) server at Le Pichet directed us to a bar called Bathhouse Gin after our meal. It felt a bit dodgy, in a dark alleyway and signed only with a plaque beside the door- but in the mood for adventure-and another drink, we managed to find what did seem to approximate a speakeasy during prohibition- but with better alcohol.

We finished up at Chartruese Modern, our favorite modern furnishing store- you'd be surprised what we can fit in the back of Jeff's Audi, although we didn't press it this trip. They have new and vintage pieces mixed together, as well as some fun Marimekko fabric pre-stretched and framed.

With the second coffee of the day in hand, we headed back to dear Portland, feeling not the least bit remorseful for having cheated on her. It was only for a weekend. More food and city shots.

Parry Center Cookie Party

Thirty five children enjoyed decorating cookies last month at the residential care facility known as the Parry Center. For the third year I hosted the party with the help of my two gorgeous daughters and our good friend Marianne. The kids ranged in ages between six and sixteen but there was no difference in the enthusiasm they showed in using pounds of sprinkles and icing on their creations.

For over ten years I hosted a cookie party in my home for friends and their children, where I would bake several hundred cookies, make decorative icing and put multi-colored sprinkles on the table for a decorating free for all. Towards the end of that period I started thinking about sharing the tradition with children that didn't have the same opportunities as my own children. A co-worker put me in touch with the Parry Center, a wonderful facility where children could receive counseling, getting care for their mental, behavioral or abuse issues- a place of healing.

The tradition has grown with my Fir Grove Garden Club members generously helping me bake all the cookies for the event in one marathon evening. They truly seemed to enjoy the baking as much as the kids did the decorating.

When I learned that many of the children arrive at the Center with just the clothes on their backs, I began collecting pajamas so that everyone would get their own pair. This year, the goal was exceeded and 60 pairs of pajamas were donated from my office, neighbors, friends, family and clients.

When I was taking pictures at our party, the kids insisted I take a picture of every single one of their cookies. No pictures of the kids are included for privacy reasons, but here are some of their cookie creations.

Brentwood Before & After

Truly, no two real estate transactions are alike whether buying or selling. Not one. So I approach my buying and selling clients with all the experience I have gathered, skills polished up for service, and a great deal of flexibility depending on how things evolve. Any one that has had a baby knows the unpredictability of that situation. Same thing.

This home had out of state sellers, a wonderful family whose profession required them to transfer across the country, and when the transfer didn't bring them back- well, a sale was necesarry. When they moved, the market was hot. Before they left, strangers approached them at the curb, offering to buy. With just a bit of polishing, they were very hopeful their home would sell easily.

But it is a different market today. It was evident very soon that we needed to adjust to it and the sellers decided to do what needed to be done to attract a buyer in this highly competitive market with fewer buyers in a tough price range. But living across the country, how was that to happen? And of course, there was a limited budget.

Luckily, I have been entrusted with quite a few of these projects over the years. Within a week I assembled the team to remove wallpaper, carpet and old lighting. Multiple bids were furnished. Floors were refinished, cabinetry was removed and painted. Lighting was updated and added. Dated tile was replaced with granite tile. Gallons of paint, and elbow grease was applied. For three weeks the driveway and streets around the home were coming and going with workers. The neighbors were pretty curious.

The house was re-listing and sold within two weeks, interestingly to some purchasers that I had showed it to previously. It was very rewarding for me to have a vision of what could be done and execute that successfully. My husband has suggested I go into design. But I already am. See more pictures of the home before and after.

Lucky Strike

 

My relocated Bay Area husband is always on the lookout for good Chinese food, so it was sooner rather than later that we headed out to the Sichuan restaurant, Lucky Strike, way way out 122 blocks on the east side, that was just featured as a top restaurant in Portland Monthly. A favorite food accomplice, Kathleen, and her family joined us for our adventure which allowed us to order liberally from the menu. The setting was not what I expected- the restaurant is extremely small but big shall we say in "character." Oregon Lottery signs feature prominently, and one TV screen was featuring a reality police show in the background. But we came for the food and we were not disappointed on that count- we ordered seven dishes for the five of us and all were very different from your Chinese local. The cuisine being fiery Sichuan notwithstanding, many of the dishes were surprisingly complex: the cumin beef was cooked with both slender celery stalks and their leaves, the Guinness ribs were sweet, but not overly so, and many of us remarked that we could make a meal of them on their own.  Even the green beans with black beans (the Beans with Beans) had the intriguing tongue numbing effect of the prickly ash used in this cuisine. The Kimchee Rice built up a fiery heat that seemed to have no limit, but we noticed other tables had ordered the Hot Pepper Chicken Bath that appeared to be nothing but a plate of red peppers. No deaths were reported. We were just as pleased with our bill- a total of $80 even with our adult beverages- note look at the pictures and order the Sapporo beer.

Classic Houses of Portland

This is the name of the book and the lecture featured this Saturday at the wonderful Architectural Heritage Center on SE Grand. Bill Hawkins, one of it's authors, will take you on a visual tour of some of the 300 residences in this must have book for those seriously interested in the architecture of Portland. Bill will share his knowledge of the original owners and history of these classic homes, many of which are still standing today. One of the more contemporary homes is right on SE Hawthorne and has been converted into use as a funeral home. Saturday, November 21st 10:00- 11:30 am  Buy Tickets Here. Peruse the Book.

Beaker and Flask

 

Now that no babysitter is required for nights out, it's so much easier to try and keep up with Portland's food scene. If only I could have done it when the calories were easier to lose! J and I have visited Beaker and Flask and several occasions, and it's amazing how popular it has become over the last several months. The space is open with the bar taking main stage and dining areas on either side. True to it's name, the cocktails are not to be missed, and the food is a close second. It's also a great people watching place with young, fashionable, and hip Portlanders dotting the room- just be ready for some serious conversation buzz if you visit later in the evening. 720 SE Sandy

Eames at Work

 

Our own internationally known Ziba design's exciting new workspace was open briefly to the public for the Eames at Work tour, a fundraiser for Street of Eames. It was a rare occasion to experience the melding visions of a design company and Holst Architecture. The interiors polished cement floors and white surfaces were warmed by the use of reclaimed fir, complete with old nail holes. Individual work spaces are small- about five feet for the designers, but more importantly all the disciplines in the design process work together in large rooms, rather than separated by their categories. Other areas include an auditorium, and a private room for international clients to shower and relax before their flight back to Paris. Worth a drive by at 1044 NW 9th Avenue.

The aptly named bSIDE6 building at 524 E. Burnside allowed some fabulous views towards downtown, but gave some playful views from the protruding "city rooms" that extend over the public sidewalks below. The building is home to Works Partnership Architecture, it's designer, and has both retail and office space and is perfectly positioned for after work drinks at Jupiter Lounge and RonToms.

October 2009 Market Action Report

 

The biggest headline on the Portland RMLS report is that inventory is down to 6.5 months- the lowest since August 2007. Normally this would mean we have reached a balance between buyers and sellers in our marketplace. Though we started off in January with a whopping 19 months of inventory, new listings have also steadily gone down- 20% less compared to last year. What does this mean?

Being "out in the field" my experience is this: the people that are selling are those that see an advantage in moving up in the marketplace, those with a change in lifestyle (moving, divorcing, financial stress), and those that are in jeopardy of losing or have lost their homes. I see some sellers- perhaps even those that should be selling to move up, are stressed out by the market and are deciding to wait. New construction is at a virtual standstill. Thus the lack of listings going onto the market.

Average DOM (days on market) in North Portland are 84. Average DOM is Lake Oswego is 201. Lake Oswego's average sale price is $200,000 more than in North Portland. The fact is that the lower price ranges for first time home buyers wanting close-in Portland- starting at around $200,000 and up, that's been the hot market driving sales. Behind the affordability and good interest rates has been the $8,500 first time home buyers tax credit. Sales this month were up an impressive 64% from the same month last year.

First time home buyers now have an extension of the credit, and current homeowners that have been in their home for five years also have access to a substantial tax credit.

If you're on the fence about selling, you can expect the same clear eyed assessment I give the Portland marketplace. I would be happy to help you assess what the best choices might be for you. Read the full Market Action Report.

Robert Rummers Great Theft

 

It was quite an evening a Rejevenation recently when they hosted a talk between Robert Rummer, builder of the famed "Rummer homes" and Becca Cavell of THC Architecture. Becca did a fabulous interview with Robert before a sell out crowd benefitting the Street of Eames. I was rather worried for Robert, who I got to meet briefly before the show, feeling he might be uncomfortable with questions regarding the origin of the Rummer designs and whether he would be more forthcoming then in years past. I needn't have worried. Becca started out the evening crediting Eichler with their provenance. Mr. Rummer good naturedly mused whether anything in design was purely original and put me in mind of Picasso stating "A good artist borrows, a great artist steals."

Once we got past that whole issue, Mr. Rummer shared some of the differences in building during the 60's and 70's when most of his 750 homes in the Portland area were built. Many of them were built in 60 days- after applying for a building permit that took one day. Though the permitting was easy, getting bank financing was not, as traditional lenders decided the homes were unsaleable and "goofy".  The materials available to him at the time, such as non-tempered glass, presented limitations, though he is quite supportive of some of the updates recent owners have made, especially the addition of colors. He and his wife have lived in a few Rummers including homes at Bowman Terrace and Cynthia Court, and shared that the atriums are his favorite of the homes and feels they "should look like jungles."

For mid-century geeks such as my husband and myself it was a great evening- thank goodness Mr. Rummer decided to build these wonderful designs in our area. That was his idea.

Watch part of the evening on YouTube including some great shots of Rummer homes.

Cooked Cucumber

 

Last month when I was reading the NY Times- one of my favorite things to do, I was reading about food article that featured a salmon cooked with cucumber. I know this seems a bit strange, but J and I have watched Jacque Pepin and Julia Child cook with them and it always sounded intriguing. Just to clarify, we often just refer this dynamic kitchen duo as Jacque and Julia and watch their cooking DVD's as well as own a host of their cookbooks. We followed the recipe pretty closely, and were quite pleased with the salmon cooked in brown butter with the crunchy but just cooked cucumbers and a sprinkling of dill. If you do give this a go, I would recommend paying a bit more attention to the salmon, and serve it more on the medium rate side. It's a shame to kill a good fish twice. Here's the article with recipe.

Robert Rummer at Rejuvenation

Robert Rummer built hundreds of his "Rummer" homes through the 1960's and into the 70's in the Portland area.  Known for their pitched and flat roofs, atriums and huge swaths of glazing that blurred the line between indoors and out, they were the height of modernism in their time, and the very same features speak of modernism today.  Though there is an ongoing controversy about whether, or how heavily he borrowed from the Eichler homes of California, maybe that's between Mr. Eichler and Mr. Rummer. After all, the Rummer is what we have here, and they are very much appreciated by those who appreciate their unique quality.

Mr. Rummer is being interviewed by Becca Cavell, principal at THA Architecture at Rejuvenation, Wednesday, November 4th at 6:00. I ran into Becca at last nights Eames at Work tour, and it was her understanding that they may have sold out. If you're interested try:  rsvp@rejuvenation.com.

Spooky Houses

Once when I was babysitting for a neighbors kids oh so many years ago, shortly after the kids went to bed I heard some strange noises in the kitchen and went in to see several of the cabinets had opened. I shut them, went back into the other room, and sure enough- that sound again. There they were all open like before. By the third time this happened I was pretty terrified (well I was 16). Was it a ghost or was there some explanation? I can't remember if I told the parents what happened when they returned, but I'm sure I never babysat there again.

In honor of the upcoming holiday, here's a link to some creepy architecture and homes. I'd love to hear your personal haunted house story.

Radon Level Update

The World Health Organization has just made a recomendation, based on new research, that lowers the level at which homeowners should take action to remediate effects. The WHO believes that up to 14% of all cases of lung cancers, including those in the United States, are caused by the presence of radon. Testing is relatively easy, and locally remediation usually costs less than $2,000. Certainly more important than buying that new sofa. Consumer Reports has just rated those kits found to be most reliable. Link to the WHO report.