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Portland’s Best Decks

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Springtime in Portland is unbelievably beautiful! Flowers are blooming all around and the blue skies are finally showing themselves again. One of our favorite activities is sipping a drink or two and enjoying some delightful bites while sitting on one of Portland’s best decks! Portland has a few elite options when it comes to dining in the sunshine. We could only choose a few to make our list so we took into consideration the outdoor space, the food, and of course the drink quality! In no particular order, here are our favorites!

Hammer & Stitch Brewing

2377 NW Wilson St., Portland OR 97210
Menu Here
Open Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 12 pm – 7 pm
Friday – Saturday 12 pm – 9 pm
Minors allowed

Revolution Hall Roof Deck

1300 SE Stark St. Portland, OR 97214
Menu Here
Open Monday – Thursday 3 pm – Late
Friday – Saturday 12 pm – Late
Minors allowed until 7 pm

Botanist

910 NW 14th Ave. Portland, OR 97209
Menu Here
Open Wednesday – Thursday 4 pm – 10 pm
Friday – Saturday 10 am – 2 pm & 4 pm – 10:30 pm
Sunday 10 am – 2 pm

Tope

15 NW 4th Ave, Portland, OR 97209
Menu Here
Open Thursday – Sunday 4 pm – Late
Minors allowed

Radio Room

1101 NE Alberta St, Portland OR 97211
Menu Here
Open 7 days a week 9 am – 11 pm
Minors allowed

10 Barrell Brewing

 1411 NW Flanders St, Portland, OR 97209
Menu Here
Open 7 days a week 11 am – 11 pm
Minors allowed

Warm weather has already hit us this spring, so it’s about time to bust out those sandals and hit one of Portland’s Best Decks! Any of these places are guaranteed to show you a good time. If you didn’t see your favorite deck on our list leave us a comment and we will check it out! We also have several other Portland favorites Here.

March Market Update

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The real estate market in Portland is showing no signs of slowing down. As we head into spring we fully expect to see the same trends continue. If you are on the fence about buying, I’d jump off now even though it is competitive. Interest rates will keep climbing as we continue through the year and that will only lessen your buying power as home prices also continue to climb.

Breakdown

The average sales price jumped up to $542,000 from $514,000 in just a month. That also gives us a 14% increase from last year. Portland has been seeing a 10-14% increase in sales price since way back in 2018. Even if you are buying at these higher prices, you are still going to be gaining equity over the next couple years.

As we see the weather change we are also seeing more homes come onto the market. This is good news for buyers, but things are still very competitive out there. Homes are selling for an average of 8.5% over list price, in some neighborhoods this is close to 12%. Make sure you are taking to your realtor about specifics so you can be making informed decisions whether you are writing offers or planning on listing your home.

As we mentioned above, if you are waiting for the bubble to pop or the other shoe to drop, you may be waiting for a long time. The market is healthy and climbing and most economists agree this will continue for at least another year. Once inventory finally starts to stabilize we will see a slow down and plateau, but it shouldn’t cause prices to drop. If you have specific questions feel free to reach out and we would love to chat with you! Lastly, if you need some tips to get your offer accepted, head over to THIS POST to read all the things we are doing to win for our buyers.

Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert

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We all have that one dessert that brings a smile to our faces. Sometimes it’s a dessert that reminds you of your childhood. It could be something that you love to make on your own. For me Cheesecake has always been that one dessert. I’ve indulged in my fair share of cheesecakes throughout my life, and I can happily say that Portland Cheesecake & Dessert company has mastered the perfect cheesecake.

Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert certainly isn’t new to the Portland area. This company has been crafting desserts for over 30 years now. We decided it was time to take a trip to their local shop! The staff here is so welcoming, and it was apparent to us that they have a passion for what they are doing. We were immediately welcomed with a big “Hello how are you doing?” everyone working was eager to help out, and answer any cheesecake lovers’ questions that we had. There were quite a few options to choose from. If you’re torn between what flavor to get then simply get the cheesecake “cupcakes”. The cupcake route is the one we chose to take. My favorite was the classic vanilla, but marionberry was a very close second. Both cheesecakes were the perfect combination of creamy and fluffy.

Portland Style Cheesecake & Dessert can be found in New Seasons Market as well, but we would recommend heading to the shop for a more personal experience. The shop is open Tuesday – Friday 10 am – 3 pm. Trust us when we tell you, that nothing beats the smell of just-baked cheesecake. You won’t find that aroma at your local supermarket! If you’d like to order ahead of time, you can do so on their website Here.

Are you about ready for a slice or two from this local company? While cheesecake might be what they are famous for, they do also offer a variety of other desserts that are sure to please any crowd. Take a look at our some of our other Portland Hot Spots Here to see what else Portland has to offer.

December Market Update

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The market stats for December 2020 were recently released. It is time to dig into them and see what they mean. Almost every stat dropped last month, in some areas that is good news, in some it is bad news. The only number that rose last month is the number of sold listings. This lines up with what we know about the Portland market. There are tons of buyers out looking for homes.

December market update
Stat Breakdown

The average sale price dipped a bit, this almost always happens at the end of the year, a lot of people take a break for the holidays, so with less offers driving prices up, we saw the number drop down a bit. The days a home sits on the market are still continuing to drop along with the inventory levels. If we remove the outliers, the average days on market is actually just 7 days. So houses are flying off the market. In general we will see them listed mid week, open all weekend, and pending by early the next week. Because of this, Inventory has dropped all the way down to .8 months. As a reminder, this means if we don’t list any new homes, everything on the market will be sold before the end of the month. It’s lower than it has ever been, so if you have any thoughts of selling, now is the time!

For the whole Portland metro, homes are selling at an average of 6.7% over asking price. For a $500,000 house, that is $30,000 over asking price. As a buyer it is more important than ever that you pay close attention to your budget. If you only want to spend $500,000 we need to be shopping in the $450,000 range.

It is tough out there right now for buyers, but with a savvy agent, and a little luck, people are finding homes that are a great fit. We are helping our clients get into homes that they love right now, so if you want help with your home search, fill out the form below and we can’t wait to talk with you! If you want to see our other market updates, you can head HERE.

Oma’s Takeaway

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This week we had the pleasure of trying Oma’s Takeaway! Oma’s started as a pop up when the chef/owner of Gado Gado realized his food wasn’t well situated for the take-out only option of the pandemic. He and his sous chef started putting together a menu based on their childhood memories and grandmother’s cooking. They both called their grandmas Oma, so it was an easy name choice. The two restaurants are now ‘sister’ restaurants with a similar southeast Asian style.

Oma's Takeaway exterior

Oma’s Takeaway now stands where Whiskey Soda Lounge used to be. I was unsure before trying Oma’s if they would be able to fill the shoes of the past owners. I didn’t have a chance to try Oma’s when it was just a pop-up so I had a few doubts. The smell wafting from the restaurant as I approached the door was sweet, spicy, and slightly fishy – all things you want from a southeast Asian restaurant! Oma’s has the options right now of either dining on the patio or taking their food away.

The Food

I really wanted the full experience so I tried almost everything on the menu. The standouts for me were the Cumin Curry-spiced Ribs in Tamarind glaze, the Braised and Fried Chicken, and the Corn Fritters. The corn fritters were fried perfection with a sweet and sticky soy dip. Both the ribs and chicken are part of the Nasi Lemak. Nasi Lemak is the national dish of Malaysia and means rich rice. The rice is served with peanuts, fried anchovies, and house made sambal. For dessert we tried the rice crispy treat. I don’t know about you, but I hadn’t had one in AGES. They add whole marshmallows and fruity pebbles to the recipe to add a bit of flair. It rounded out the meal extremely well and I can’t wait to go back!

Did you have the chance to try the pop-up? Or have you been to the new brick and mortar? Let us know in the comments! If you are looking for something different you can check out the other restaurants we have featured HERE.

Laurelhurst Market

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This past week we braved the weather to head out to one of my favorite restaurants in all of Portland. Laurelhurst Market is hands-down one of the best steakhouses in the city, but did you know that they also have a FABULOUS lunch menu? The butcher shop carves up meat and makes them into artisan sandwiches and charcuterie boards, both excellent.

Laurelhurst Market is currently serving both lunch and dinner on their very impressive parking lot patio. Now that the rain is here to stay, they have upgraded from individual umbrellas to a full-sized tent with lights and heaters. The tables are spaced more than 6′ apart and there are multiple barrels with plants to help separate the space even further.

Laurelhurst Market

We tried 2 different types of sandwiches, the Hot Pastrami and the Special of the day which was a cheesesteak-style sandwich. The Pastrami comes with Swiss, Dijon, zucchini pickles, and red onion and is served on An Xuyen roll bread. The steak sandwich came with provolone, caramelized onions, and sautéed mushrooms. Both sandwiches tasted exactly the way you would expect the sandwich to taste and the meat was very tender.

The menu changes frequently depending on what the butcher shop has that is fresh and there is a new special at least every week. You can always check out the lunch menu here if you are curious to see what they have. If you aren’t quite ready for tent dining, they are still offering takeout for both lunch and dinner.

We would love to hear what you think if you have been! If you have somewhere that you would like us to feature, let us know in the comments.

Someday

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Ahhh, Someday. An apt name for a bar that was originally conceived of years ago by the owners, who wanted to open their own bar ‘someday’. An even more appropriate refrain for all of us who are wishing and hoping to return to some sense of normalcy in our daily lives ‘someday’. Yet, while we are waiting for indoor dining to be a safe option again, we are always looking for a great spot to grab a drink and a bite outdoors, particularly as the long winter months approach.

Someday is doing the patio scene right. They have big, well-spaced picnic tables, strands of draped lights across the space, and last we checked, were installing heaters to keep you warm and cozy while you drink. The wine selection is well-curated, the cocktails are balanced and delicious, and there is a selection of tasty snacks. If you are looking for a heartier meal, the patio also offers a few food carts to choose from.

Another really fun and unique thing that they are doing is an Oyster BBQ pickup on Sundays! You all know how much we love oysters, so I can’t wait to grab some of these one of these days.

See more about their menu and hours here.

We are really excited for more visits this winter to this cute tucked-away alley bar! Have you visited Someday yet? Let us know what you thought in the comments!

How to Compete in this Market

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The best words to hear after you have been out house hunting are, “Your offer has been accepted!” You did the hard work of finding your dream home, putting together a thoughtful offer, and waited patiently for what seemed like days to get the news back. Unfortunately, in our current market of high demand and low inventory, it’s becoming more and more rare to hear those fantastic words. Luckily, we have tools in place to help you get your offer accepted and to stand out against the competition, even if that competition is paying all cash.

Portland bungalow

It seems like every offer is competing these days. In the close-in neighborhoods with ‘Pinterest perfect’ homes, you could be competing with 12 or more other people. We know it is tough out there, but before you get discouraged, know that we have quite a few tricks up our sleeves to help make your offer stand out. Here are our top 4 recommendations to help get you that accepted offer phone call.

#1 Make a stronger offer

There is no way to know exactly what the competition is offering, but we can still make our strongest possible offer up front. In most cases, money talks, so offer over the list price and don’t ask for any concessions. Going in with a strong offer up front shows you are serious and that you don’t want to play any games. We can also write in an escalation clause. That allows you to set a cap and offer a set amount over the next best offer.

#2 Write a love letter

I know, its cheesy. But for most people, a home is a sentimental place. They want to know the home is going to someone that will love it just as much as they did. Tell them earnestly why you love the home and how you imagine yourself living there. A sweet case of serendipity may just win over their hearts.

#3 Waive or shorten some contingencies

The contract is written to strongly favor the buyers in the transaction. There are multiple opportunities that allow you back out of buying the house but there are none for the sellers. You can sway the contract a bit more in their favor by shortening or removing some of the contingencies. You can remove the contingency for the seller property disclosures, shorten the inspection period, and waive the right to re-negotiate price based on the appraisal. Discuss each of these options in detail with your agent. There are varying levels of risk with each contingency, so it’s important to know all the options before removing them.

#4 – Pay their closing costs

This isn’t something we see very often which means it could really sway your offer to be more favorable. Sellers have to pay title and escrow fees just like buyers do. We can offer to cover those costs to help bring the sellers net proceeds up just a bit. You could also offer to pay the commission which typically come out of the seller proceeds, but that is a much larger monetary commitment.

#5 – Surprise them

Do you have a special talent? A huge wine collection? Access to lots and lots of pizza? You can offer anything that you would like to get the sellers to accept your offer. I have had clients offer to brew the seller any type of beer that they would like (only in Portland right?). I have had clients offer free pizza for a year, a weekend get away at a beach cabin, the sky is truly the limit! The trick here is that you cannot attach any monetary value to it. We are giving it to them in exchange for the home, but it needs to be as a gift.

Even after doing all of these things, we may still have been beat out by a higher offer but it is important not to give up. The right home is out there, and when it is meant to be, it will be. Though it’s not on this list, having a great real estate agent on your side is crucial. Having positive working relationships with other brokers in the city has gotten our offers chosen over other (higher!) offers on many occasions. IF you want to get to know either or both of us a little better head over to our about us pages. You can read about Jessica here and Tekela here. Also, you can read our quick guide and meet our favorite lenders here. Lastly, if you want to look at the homes available on the market, you can find those here!