Just behind Jesuit lies a lovely neighborhood with many fine mid-century homes ranging in value from entry level to well over a million dollars. This home fits into the former category, all one level with three bedrooms- one with a master and a great room economically placed within 1600 sq ft. The great room with it's updated kitchen enjoys a view of a small private backyard. $349,000
Bridlemile
In a cul-de-sac of newer homes off a Dosch road, lies this large 1980's home on over a third of an acre. Though often I'm not a fan of this era, this home was made by an exceptional builder and the feeling of quality is noticeable throughout it's 3,400 sq ft. There are three family areas- a formal living room, a great room off the kitchen and another large family/media room upstairs. The ceilings are high enough to feel substantial, but without the huge vaulted areas that often seem like a waste of space. The kitchen is truly set up for cooking with a great range and double ovens. Best of all, it looks onto the substantial back yard with it's large slate patio, a fire pit complete with glass embers and a barbeque area. In the summer, this could easily be the fourth family room. $670,000
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.
Alphabet District
This is an unusual work/live space that actually works- there are more than a few live/work spaces that unfortunately have the home's kitchen in the work space. This town home on NW Thurman, has two entrances- one for the business at over 900 sq ft, and another for the residence. The business has an ADA compliant bathroom. With three floors, one can work on the lower level and take your personal elevator up to the upper level kitchen in seconds. From the kitchen, one can view the spacious great room and it's hard to imagine you are just a block or two from St. Honore Bakery- it feels like you could be in any newer suburban home. The town homes have CC&R's but there is no HOA fee- you own the real estate the home sits on. A two car garage can be entered from a private alley on the backside of the lot. $1,100,000
Hillsdale
This is the builders own architect designed home, and definitely my favorite of the tour this week. I am quite particular about newer homes, but this architect designed home exceeded my expectations. The main living level is actually on the upper floor, and once you are there you will see why. Commanding westerly valley views run the length of the upstairs and can also be viewed from the balcony. The great room floor plan was large and graceful and the kitchen finishes were lovely with maple cabinetry. There is 2100 sq ft just on this floor. The master also lives on this level with radiant heated floors in the bath. Downstairs holds two more bedrooms and a family room/media room. Ceilings are high on both floors, and the lower floors have distinctive large wood windows. While some people may opt for another bedroom, or perhaps more yard, this house has a great feeling and is a home one can be proud of. Motivated sellers at $949,000
Kings Heights
Kings Heights lies on the hill overlooking the Alphabet District, and holds a wide range of styles. This traditional home has an updated kitchen and an inviting sunroom with views on the main and three bedrooms up, including a master bath. The downstairs holds a spacious family room and office. There is actually some fairly level yard space, quite the valuable real estate in this neighborhood. It may be a little high at $1,075,000
Affordable Pearl
This is the perfect little pad in the pearl for a student, first time home buyer or someone that wants a little pied-a-terre in Portland. In the Riverstone Condominiums, this 617 square foot condo looks onto a lovely treed courtyard from it's own balcony. It's perfectly appointed with a gas range, washer/dryer, deeded parking space and secure entry. The well lit living room also has a cozy fireplace. Just across the street from Jamieson Park, it's a good value at $259,000
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.
Restaurant Row
The Sunrose Condominiums are a late arrival to the condo scene, but they couldn't have picked a hipper neighborhood on the east side. Continuing the recent tradition in contemporary architecture, there are 32 flats and most come with a much needed parking space and storage. A very few have access to their own private 500 square foot patios. Finishes are modest but nice, with upgrades available for Caesarstone kitchen counters and islands, and a washer/dryer in every unit. Best of all, you will not go hungry with access to some great east side restaurants including Navarre and Ken's Artisan Pizza. If you must cook, there's a Whole Foods across the street. $250,000-$510,000
Portland Heights
You couldn't find a prettier street in Portland Heights where this home lives, or better curbside appeal than this elegant Tudor style home. The living room with it's open beamed vaulted ceiling is quite inviting, as well as the updated kitchen and baths. A charming brick patio and garden would be a favorite summer dinner spot. The floor plan won't suit everyone with just two bedrooms up, but aren't we supposed to be downsizing? $675,000
Raleigh Park
This home is begging for someone to do something great with it. Built in the 1940's, it has great space with over 1500 sq ft on the main with those sought after three bedrooms together and a total of three full baths. The downstairs has a wonderful family room and bonus with some good light in this daylight ranch. The rooms are rather cut up, the hardwoods are thrashed, and the home needs updating- but it's also on over half an acre on a sunny lot. Any gardeners out there? Also, it's on one of the quieter streets in the Raleigh Park neighborhood and close to the park- not that you need one with this yard. Listed somewhat high. Shall we negotiate a better price? $459,000
Multnomah Village
The location is the driving force for this home, where you can walk into Multnomah Village and all it's interesting shops including the wonderful Annie Blooms bookstore. Perfect for a starter home with pergo floors, three bedrooms and two full baths. A little road noise, but a lot of space for the money. $299,000
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.
