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Pizzeria Otto

March 16, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

We headed out to try some pizza this past week, and in a city that has SO much pizza, we really dug this place! Located in the hip Foster-Powell area this Neapolitan pizzeria does things a bit differently. The crust is soft and very thin. We typically think of thin crust pizzas as being slightly crisp, or perhaps chewy, but you can hardly even call the dough of this pizza a crust. They flash-cook the pizza in an incredibly hot wood-fired oven. This results in a crisp bubbly ring around the edges and a slightly gooey center.

Pizzeria Otto, neopolitan Pizza

We wanted to see what else they had to offer so we also tried a beet salad and one of their lunch paninos. The beet salad was fresh with a bright citrus dressing and a creamy goat cheese. It was everything that you have learned to love and expect from a good beet salad. The panino was surprisingly more like a pita made of pizza dough, but so delicious! They stuff the bread with salami, Italian dressings, Lil Mama’s peppers and tons of arugula.

The food wasn’t the only thing that we liked about this cool new location. The dining room is spacious, minimalist, and they have huge windows which let in tons of natural light. I could easily spend all day in this restaurant because it has a great vibe.

Pizzeria Otto Dining Room

We enjoyed everything that we tried and definitely plan on going back to check it out again. We went for lunch and learned that they offer happy hour pricing from 11am to 5pm. So go and get a personal pizza and a glass of wine for cheap for your next lunch date!

In light of the Covid-19 outbreak, Pizzeria Otto is offering takeout pizzas and salads, just call ahead, order, and support your local businesses through these hard times!

Website, menu, and order number can be found here.

Voysey

March 2, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

This week we checked out the elegant speakeasy cocktail bar Voysey! This basement bar can be found by following the red light down the stairway at the back of Loyal Legion. If you don’t have a curious mind, you may not have even known this plush cocktail lounge existed.

Voysey Portland, that portland life

Voysey is run by veteran female bartenders and bar managers serving up their own personal cocktail recipes as well as fun twists on some of the classics. As a result, everything on the menu is very thoughtful. If you are not in the mood for cocktails the menu is simple – 5 beer choices and 5 wine choices with a little something for everyone.

Voysey speakeasy in Portland

There are lots of cozy seating areas and a strong vintage vibe. Pink and red lights add to the ‘old-world’ vibe of the space. The bartender who served us was incredibly friendly, checked in on us just often enough to keep our drinks full, and was super knowledgable about all things cocktail.

We will definitely be going back to check out more of the drinks! If you want to keep current with what they are doing, check them out on Facebook!

Have you been yet? Had you even heard about it? Let us know what you think in the comments!

January 2020 Market Stats

February 18, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher 1 Comment

The time has come to once again look back on the market and reflect on how healthy the market has been. January of 2020 was a great month for Portland. Home prices are up 6.3% from January of last year! Despite all the recession rumors, everyone that owns a home is still making money. Interest rates are still insanely low. If you are thinking of buying, do it now before home prices jump up even more. If you want to read more about all the specifics, continue on past the graphic below!

January 2020 Real Estate Market Statistics
What these numbers mean to you

We also saw a significant jump in new listings, pendings, and sold homes. Many people entered the real estate market after the holidays which explains this big jump. While it is good to see homes coming on the market, we are still sitting around only 2.2 months of inventory. If no one else puts their home on the market, every single home will be sold in just over 2 months. As a buyer, this means there will be competition on all those ‘Pinterest perfect’ homes and you should expect multiple offers. As a seller, this means there is almost no competition and as long as you are priced appropriately, you should expect to sell quickly.

Despite this, we surprisingly saw the average days on market climb as well. If you separate this stat out by price point it paints a very different picture. Homes under $500,000 are, on average, selling in 7 days or less. Houses up to $1 million are selling in about 30 days. Homes over $1 million are selling in 60-100 days on average. If you want specifics on how long your home may take to sell, send us a message and we will happily send you some data.

Ready to make a move?

You sometimes hear us say “now is the perfect time to move” but whether you are a buyer or a seller, there are some really strong cases to be made about 2020 being the right year to do it. If you want to look at homes currently on the market you can do so here. If you want an instant evaluation of what your home is worth, you can do so here. Take advantage of the current interest rates to get yourself into a new and amazing home! You’ll be glad you did.

Does our analysis match your perception of the market? How did you feel January of 2020 went? Let us know in the comments!

Top 10 Reasons to Live in Portland

February 10, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher 1 Comment

It is no secret that we both love the city we live in. To celebrate 10 year anniversary’s for both of us, we made this great video of the top ten things we love most! Let us know your top reason for living in Portland and share the video!

Dont have time to check out the video or you just prefer to read about it? Read on below to see the top ten reasons to live here in list form!

#1: Music and arts
First Thursday in the Pearl, Portland Oregon, top ten

We have a ton of rad music venues all over town so you can check out the up-and-comers as well as the big names. Portland
is also home to First Thursday, where all of the art galleries downtown throw open their doors (and their wine cellars)
once a month to the public for free! Then there is Last Thursday in the Alberta Arts district where you can check out the
more affordable side of the arts scene, plus check out fire spinners and breakdancers to boot!

#2: The Craft Beer
Craft Beer and The Portland Oregon Sign, top ten

As of last count, there were 117 craft brewers in the Portland Metro Area!! That means, whether you are drinking
stouts, sours, or simply lagers, your tastebuds will be delighted. Also, SO MANY beer festivals!

#3: The Coffee
Coffee in Portland Oregon, top ten

Who roasts the best coffee in Portland is always a healthy debate, and we will happily keep on sampling and debating
here until the end of time. Coava, Heart, Stumptown? We could go on and on and on, and probably will with all of this
caffeine in our systems!

#4: The Outdoors
Mt. Hood, Portland Oregon, top ten

With Mt. Hood to the East and the Pacific Ocean to the West, The Colombia River Gorge to the North and Wine country
to the South, there is no shortage of amazing outdoor opportunities. To add to that, the city of Portland itself is
a great place for urban hiking. We have Mt. Tabor, Forest Park, Powell Butte and many more spots to hit the trails
within the city limits!

#5: Housing prices
Portland Bungalow

Ok, ok, it’s not as cheap as living in Ohio. But, it IS the most affordable metropolitan area on the West Coast,
where you can still find a fantastic place to live under $500k plus some pretty cool people to help you do it. We are also known for our super walkable neighborhoods,
so wherever you buy you can leave that car at home!

#6: The FOOD
Portland Dining, Oregon, top ten

Whether you want a dive bar burger or an upscale prix fixe menu, whether you are a level 5 vegan or a strict carnivore,
Portland has you COVERED. Perhaps it is because of the sheer number of James Beard award winners we have, but Portland is definitely a food destination. Did we mention there are amazing food carts EVERYWHERE??

#7: The Wine
Willamette Valley Wines, Oregon

Oregon is home to over 700 wineries with more than 1000 vineyards that grow 72 different grape varieties! You can tast wines
all over the state, from the Gorge to the Willamette Vally and beyond. Particularly if you are a fan of Pinots, your tastebuds
will be happy here!

#8: Festivals
Portland Rose Parade and Festival, top ten

There are music fests, film fests, and over 25 different beer fests throughout the year! We host board game
conventions, trivia nights, a rose parade, and cultural celebrations. In Portland, you will NEVER be bored!

#9: Public Transportation
Aerial Tram in Portland Oregon

We have great public transpotration (including a super cool aerial tram!) and we’ve been named the most
bike friendly city in the US! We just got electric scooters, and we have hands-down the best airport in the world!
Seriously. It even has a free mini-cinema!

#10: Environmentally friendly
Reusable bags, Portland Oregon

Here in Portland, we love being green! Whether that means leaving no trace while backpacking the Oregon wilderness, rocking
those re-usable bags, or our excellent city-supported composting, we are an environmentally friendly bunch of folks. We’re
actually just really friendly in general as well!

Bonus!! We Keep it Weird
Corner Chicken Musician, Portland Oregon

Home of the ‘World Naked Bike Ride’, the UniPiper, the Belmont Goats, Portland’s Adult Soapbox derby, The Big Float etc. We
have a person who plays the violin on street corners dressed up in a chicken suit! Existing out of the box is not only
accepted, but encouraged in Portland, so be your quirky self!

Do we have the same top ten reasons as you do? Let us know in the comments!

Want to check out some of the places that we love around town? Head Here to view our hot spots!

Want to see some of our ‘best of’ lists? Head Here to check them out!

If there is anything else that we can do for you, don’t hesitate to reach out and be sure to sign up for our monthly newsletter!!

Moving to Portland: The Ultimate Guide

January 26, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Are you thinking of moving to Portland? We are excited to see you! Below you will find info on all of the basics in our ultimate Portland guide! We have provided links to more information so you can dig a little deeper into what we love about this fabulous city. Enjoy!

Portland Population: 664,605 (2020)

Portland, Oregon’s largest city, nestled between the Columbia and Willamette rivers. Sitting in the shadow of Mount Hood, it is known for its parks, bridges, and bicycle paths. Portland is also well known for its eco-friendliness, its microbreweries, and its coffeehouses. If you want info on the specific Demographics of the area Click Here

Portland Weather

Portland is known for its warm and dry summers and its cool and wet winters. While we are known for our rain, we actually do not even rank within the top ten for annual inches of rainfall. We do have a high average of 164 days with rain, but it tends to be light and misty, which is where the popular adage of, “You’ll never see a local with an umbrella,” comes from. Though the winters tend to be drizzly, the summers are stunning. Portland is in a coastal temperate climate which keeps the temperatures from getting too high in the summer with an average and very pleasant temperature of 81*.

Portland Based Companies

The Portland area is a melting pot of huge industries. We are often dubbed the “Silicon Forest” because of the number of tech industries in Portland and it’s suburbs. Here are the top 30 companies based in the Portland Metro area.

  1. Intel
  2. Nike
  3. Daimler Trucks North America
  4. Precision Castparts
  5. Boeing
  6. Columbia Sportswear
  7. Northwest Pipe Company
  8. Mentor Graphics
  9. Tektronix, Inc
  10. Xerox
  1. WaferTech, LLC
  2. Consolidated Metro, Inc.
  3. Greenbrier
  4. Blount International, Inc.
  5. A-dec
  6. Warn Industries, Inc.
  7. Qorvo
  8. ESCO Corp.
  9. Schnitzer Steel
  10. Adidas America
  1. SEH America Inc.
  2. Via Systems
  3. Erickson Air-Crane
  4. Lam Research Corp.
  5. Collins Cos.
  6. Reser’s Fine Food
  7. On Semiconductor
  8. Evraz Inc. NA
  9. IBM – Linus Technology Center
  10. Pacific Foods of Oregon

Jobs in Portland

Portland has a very strong job market and there are many places that you can go to search for jobs. Most of the major employers have portals directly on their sites to apply for jobs, or you can use a local resource like www.macslist.org, www.oregonlive.com/jobs, www.oregon.jobs, or www.jobdango.com. There are five major industries that dominate the job market and those are: high tech, athletics and apparel, manufacturing, healthcare, and food service.

Average Home Prices in Portland

Portland remains the most affordable city on the West coast to live. The average home price in 2021 for the Portland Metro is $597,000. That price is up 20% from 2020. So far the year has been a whirlwind. We are seeing the lowest inventory in Portland history, multiple offers, and super fast home sales. If you want to see the latest market stats, check out the real estate section of the blog here.

Portland Average Commute Times

As the city has continued to rapidly grow year over year congestion has become more of an issue. Depending on what area you decide to live and what area you decide to work, commute times can vary from 10 minutes to over an hour.

Living in Vancouver and working in Portland will require you to cross one of the two bridges that span the river. Both get congested during peak traffic hours and an hour commute should be expected into downtown. Similarly, Highway 26 gets backed up from the Western suburbs into downtown Portland. This highway tends to move more quickly, but commute times will be around 30-45 minutes into downtown at peak hours.

If you are going to live in Portland proper and be able to take interior roads, commute times usually linger around 20 minutes to most other parts of the city. We are happy to discuss specific traffic patterns if you have questions about what to expect. Just fill out the contact form in the side bar!

Best Restaurants in Portland

Portland has one of the best food scenes in the country. No matter the style of food you are in the mood for, there are multiple locations absolutely excelling in that style. We have multiple ‘Best of’ lists that you can check out here.

We also love to stay on top of the 38 Essential Restaurants by Eater. They are constantly updating the list and it’s one of the best ways to make sure you know all about the best of the best in the Portland food scene. You can also keep up with the newest and trendiest restaurants with the Eater Heatmap.

Portland Nightlife

Nightlife in Portland is just as fun and diverse as the restaurant scene. From private karaoke rooms, to large clubs for dancing, to dark dive bars, Portland has it all. Downtown Portland and the Pearl District are the best places to go for high end cocktails and mingling. While Southeast Portland is the best place to explore the many dive bars. We have featured a variety of different places in our ‘Hot Spot’ series. You can check those out here.

Outdoor Activities Near Portland

There are so many wonderful outdoor activities near Portland, that we consider it the best part of living in the Pacific Northwest! There is hiking and biking at multiple large parks right inside of the city. Or, if you want to get away, you can head into the Gorge for some of the best hikes in the country.

We are also situated at the foot of Mt. Hood which offers 3 great ski resorts in the winter, and some amazing camping in the summer. You can see some of our favorite camping spots here.

Portland also sits just North of some of the best Pinot grapes in the country. It’s hard to go wrong with any winery, but if you want to know about our favorites, just reach out! Lastly, we are only about 90 minutes from the Oregon Coast, which is a fantastic place for a weekend getaway for whale watching, surfing, or some salt water taffy. Bottom line, if you like the outdoors in any capacity, you will have endless amazing places to explore!

Highest Rated Schools in Portland

There are many great schools throughout the Portland Metro area. We like to use Niche.com to search school ratings, and you can jump straight to the Portland Metro by clicking here.

Portland Neighborhoods

the pearl district in northwest portland
NW Portland
dunthorpe neighborhood in southwest Portland
SW Portland
Ladd's Addition in Southeast Portland
SE Portland
Holly wood neighborhood in NE Portland
NE Portland
St. Johns Bridge in N Portland
N Portland

Portland Architecture

Portland is known for it’s cute houses. With much of Portland being built up in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s it’s hard to not fall in love with our houses. Here are some of the most popular styles that you can find as you are searching for homes.

Portland Oregon Bungalow Craftsman
Craftsman

Craftsman’s were typically built in 1910’s-1920’s and have lots of period details. Things like a front porch, built in’s around the fireplace, and an open floor plan are typical to find. It is common to have a bedroom and bathroom on the main floor, a basement, and a finished upstairs.

Portland Four square
Foursquare

These homes were typically built between the late 1800’s and the early 1930’s. They are called foursquares because they have 4 rooms on the main floor and four rooms on the second floor with a staircase in the middle. These homes will also have period details, though usually less ornate than the craftsman homes.

Portland ranch style home
Ranch/ Mid century

The ranch style home was typically built in the 1950’s and 60’s and feature 1 level living. Some of the ranch homes in Portland will feature a full basement to help expand the square footage of the home. Typically you have an open floor plan with living spaces and bedrooms on opposite sides of the house.

Portland Tudor style Home
Tudor

Tudor homes were built from the 1920’s to the 1940’s. They are easily recognizable due to the brick or stucco exterior and steep roof lines. They are almost always 2 stories with living spaces on the main level and bedrooms on the second floor. You can frequently find fireplaces and leaded windows to add to the charm of the home.

Portland modern townhome, modern condos
Modern Attached Home

These new construction beauties have been popping up all over the city and are quickly gaining popularity. You have very tall ceilings, open floor plans, and modern amenities. They also help with the housing shortage in the city.

Homes for Sale in Portland

No matter the area, price point, or style you are looking for we can help you find it somewhere in the Portland area. You can search all of the homes currently on the market by clicking the button below. Or if you prefer to get a curated list emailed to you as new things come on the market, just fill out the form below and we will get in touch with you!

Search For Homes

We hope that you do decide to move to Portland soon! It is, after all, the best city in the West! If you have any further needs or questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We can’t wait to help you!

December Market Stats

January 21, 2020 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher 1 Comment

We finished out 2019 with a bang. Despite all the talk about an impending recession, the real estate market was barely affected. If you look back at the data historically, very few recessions do affect the housing market. This is good news for the Portland Metro! Here is a look at the December Market Stats.

Portland Metro December 2019 market stats

If we look back at the whole year, we only appreciated by 1.5%. This is a small number when we are used to seeing 10-15% appreciation, but as long as things are continuing to climb, we are in a good place. 2020 is expected to mimic 2019 very closely so while things may seem like they have halted, homes are still gaining value.

In December home sales took a little longer than they had the rest of the year. This happens every year with the holidays and seasonal slowing, but so far January has seemed to be much busier.

December also saw more listings come onto the market and more homes go pending. We did have less homes actually sell in December, but again, this is likely due to the holidays.

We also broke down the numbers for each of the quadrants if you want a closer look at your neighborhood numbers. Se Portland is still leading the way with the most closings every month. West Portland continues to be the most expensive area to buy a home, and N Portland is the most affordable.

If you have been on the fence about buying, now is a really good time to get into the market. You can get ahead of the bidding wars and spring selling frenzy while still taking advantage of the low interest rates.

Ready to start your home search?

If you are interested in looking at the homes on the market, or you want to know what your home is worth, just click the buttons below! We will talk to you again next month!

Search For homes
See your Homes Value

Our Favorite Up and Coming Areas

December 13, 2019 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

Hey Friends, Today we are going to be telling you all about our favorite up and coming neighborhoods in Portland. They are the perfect place for you to invest!  Check out this short video for all the details! If you are prefer to read the transcript, skip ahead!

The dream is to be in Irvington, or Laurelhurst, or Ladd’s Addition, but if you are looking for your first home, or an investment property, those neighborhoods may be out of reach.  I also want to talk about some of the mistakes that people can make when it comes to buying in an up and coming area.  

Make a Plan

When you are buying in an area that isn’t as established you need to think of it as a long term investment.  The Portland Market has been in a quickly appreciating city for many years. While everyone has benefited from this appreciation, the “up and coming” areas did so a little slower than the rest of the city.  We don’t want you to purchase a home and expect to have a huge return on your investment the following year.  We will help you to come up with a 5 year or 10 year plan so you know exactly what you are getting into.  

Trust Your Advisors

We will help to guide you so you can avoid any big missteps.  I want to be sure that you don’t overpay for a home, or buy something that needs a ton of work.  We will make sure that you are equipped with a market analysis for the areas that you want to seriously look in so you know what you should be paying for the houses we see.  We will also use our years of experience to identify any inspection red flags.  

Now that you know how to buy in an up and coming area, our favorites are….

St. Johns

I love St. Johns because they have such a strong sense of community, great restaurants and bars, and easy access to the rest of the city.  This neighborhood has become more popular over the years, but it is still one of the most affordable places to live.  You also get to be near the amazing Cathedral park!  

Foster-Powell

I love the Foster-Powell neighborhood for many of the same reasons. Ever since Foster Rd went down to 2 lanes last year, we have been seeing a new boutique, cocktail bar, or coffee shop pop-up practically every other week! In addition, there is a really strong sense of community and many great neighborhood focused events. While prices are certainly increasing as many are realizing the great investment opportunity, you can still find homes that are affordable. 

There are plenty of other areas that are still affordable, if you want to talk with us about your specific needs, definitely reach out to us and give us a call! 

Do you want to take a look at our buyer or seller guides? You can download either of those here

We are always happy to share our resources with you and answer any of your real estate questions.  Also, make sure to follow our blog for lots of great information and our favorite local bars and restaurants.  Thanks so much for joining us today and we will talk to you soon! 

Holiday Light Displays

December 4, 2019 by Jessica Berger and Tekela Fisher Leave a Comment

There are so many wonderful ways to spend the holidays, one of my favorites is definitely looking at all the holiday lights. We put together a list of some of our favorites around Portland. Let us know which ones are your favorite down in the comments!

Peacock Lane

Peacock Lane, portland

December 15th – December 31st

6pm – 11pm daily

*15th, 16th, and 17th are pedestrian only nights*

Info and Website

SE 40th Ave between Stark and Belmont St.

Free

Peacock Lane has been a favorite to Portlanders for decades. The street is lined with primarily tudor homes and they all decorate to celebrate the holidays. You can drive slowly through the neighborhood any night with the exception of the first 3 nights which are pedestrian only.


The Grotto

November 29th – December 30th

*Closed Christmas Day*

5-9:30pm Daily

Info and Website

8840 NE Skidmore Street, Portland

Tickets $12.50 sold at door

Tucked into a beautiful setting in NE Portland, The Grotto has thousands of holiday lights covering all of the lower level of the grounds. There are also many performances to see from local choirs, carolers, and puppeteers.


Zoo Lights

November 29th – January 5th

5-9 pm Daily

Info and Website

Oregon Zoo

Tickets $19.50 *save $2 and buy online

Visiting the zoo in the evening to see over a million Christmas lights is one of the best experiences of the holidays. Most of the animals will be sleeping, but all the lights and the walking path make it worth the trip. Also, if you happen to be a member, tickets are free!


Winter Wonderland at PIR

November 29th – January 4th

5- 11pm Friday and Saturday 5:30-9:30 all other days

Info and Website

1940 N Victory Blvd, Portland

Tickets $20-$25 Click here

Considered the largest light show in the Pacific Northwest, there are over 250 different light displays laid out along the raceway. Most people drive the raceway listening to holiday music, but there are also bike nights and dog walking nights.


Miracle of a Million Lights

December 8th – December 28th

6pm – 10pm Daily

Info and Website

1441 N McClellan Street, Portland,

Tickets $5 – $8 Click here

This stunning victorian home covers nearly every inch of it’s interior to wow visitors. they also decorate the 2.5 acres that the home sits on making this home a true winter wonderland.


Christmas Ships

December 5th – December 22nd

Starting at 7:30pm

Info and Website

Columbia and Willamette rivers

Free

Ships sail up the Columbia and Willamette rivers every night for 2 weeks. You can gather along any of the shorelines to watch this wonderful show.


We hope to see you at some of these wonderful holiday lights events! Want to be notified every time we put together a Portland’s best list? Be sure to subscribe to the blog!

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