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CMA vs. Zestimate

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Watch below to learn about the differences and what might be the best fit for you! If you don’t want to see the video, read below for a breakdown. Enjoy!

When you want to know what your home is worth there are a couple different options for you. You can reach out to your favorite realtor and ask them to send you a comparative market analysis also known as a CMA. Or you can use a instant home value finder like the one on Zillow called a zestimate. We will break these both down for you.

The simplest thing to do is log in to a website and enter your address for a computer generated home value. The upside of this method is that you get the information almost instantly and its very easy to input the basic criteria. These systems use a general radius from your home instead of taking into account the rapidly changing neighborhoods that we know and love here in Portland. It also doesn’t consider any upgrades you may have done or whether your home is nicer than your neighbors, it just averages all the figures across a broad range.

The better option is to reach out to your realtor and have them run the numbers for you. We know the neighborhoods, what you have done to your home and what value those projects bring to your property and we can get laser focused on the recently sold homes to give you a much more accurate number of what your home will sell for in the current market. While the most accurate way to do this would be to walk through your home with you, we can still get you a better number with just a phone call.

No matter what choice you decide to make, we will be here to help you when you decide to sell!

Keys Lounge

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This week for our featured hot spot we went to Keys Lounge in NE Portland. We have been really wanting to try the cocktails here because their Instagram game is on point. I am happy to report that we finally made it and we were not disappointed!

They have some wines, a decent tap list, and a great mix of cocktails. I tried the Bootsy Collins which is vodka, lemon, soda, and a splash of Lillet Rouge. It was perfectly refreshing for a hot summer evening. We didn’t try any of the food but the menu looks to be perfectly Portland. They have all the bar staples like popcorn and fries, and burgers. They also have some fun twists like pork belly bites and vegan “calamari”. Whether you are a meat eater, vegetarian, or a vegan you will find lots of options on this menu.

One of my favorite things about this visit was the numerous places to sit! There is a huge wrap around bar with stools both inside and outside, a cute patio with a decent amount of tables, booths surrounded by old records, and a back lounge where they were showing the game.

The building is a old locksmith building from the 60’s and still features the giant KEYS sign out front. The building had been abandoned and run down for many years. It has now been returned to it’s full potential and is ready for your patronage!

Be sure to check this place out and let us know what you think!

Do you have a place that you want us to feature? Let us know in the comments!

Weekend Events -June 15/16th

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This weekend marks the end of both Portland’s beer week and Pride. We plan on making it to most of these events this weekend, so it will be a packed and fun filled time!

First up we have the Beer and Cheese Festival at Culmination Brewing. This is a collaboration between Culmination and Chizu/Cheese Bar owner, Steve Jones! they have 10 different beers all expertly paired with cheese. The event is Saturday from 1-4. You can find more info about the specific beers and cheese here. The sold some advance tickets, but tickets are available at the door as well. Maybe we will see you in there!

If you don’t want to sit around and eat cheese this weekend. There is the Woodlawn block party hosted by Breakside brewing. There will be live music, food from Tamale Boy, lots of BBQ, games, vendors, and more beer! This event ruins all day Saturday!

Von Ebert on Glendoveer

Lastly on the beer roster we have Von Ebert’s Crushin Crispies event. This is one we will definitely be going to! Here is a list of all the breweries serving lagers at this awesome event! Breakside Brewery, Wayfinder Beer, pFriem Family Brewers, Ex Novo Brewing, Arch Rock Brewing Company, Heater Allen Brewing, Occidental Brewing Company, 54-40 Brewing Co, Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen, Upright Brewing, Grains of Wrath and Von Ebert Brewing! There will also be brats, wings, and hummus plates available! Tickets are $10 and sold at the door!

All week there have been incredible pride events and this Sunday is no exception! There are 2 stages down on the waterfront and a huge block party in front of Scandals downtown. There is also a great parade through NW and SW Portland that you should go and check out. If you want to see a full list of performers you can click here. We will be walking down in the festival on the waterfront and can’t wait to see you there!

  • Culmination Brewing – 2117 NE Oregon st. 
    • June 15th 1-4 PM
  • Breakside Brewery – 820 NE Dekum 
    • June 15th 12-8 PM
  • Von Ebert Brewery – 14021 NE Glisan
    • June 15th 12-9 PM
  • Portland Pride Festival – SW Waterfront
    • Parade – June 16th – 11AM
    • Waterfront Main Stage – 12:30 -7 PM
  • Portland Pride Block Party *21+*- 1125 SW Harvey Milk st.
    • June 16th – 12PM

Ruby Jewel

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This week’s featured spot is the delectable Ruby Jewel! We are here to tell you that this is the best ice cream in Portland. They have amazing flavors that change regularly, they use only locally sourced ingredients, and you can get an ice cream sandwich, inside a COOKIE!!!!!

I don’t dislike the other ice cream shops, which shall not be named, but Ruby Jewel gives you classic flavors with a small twist that only makes them taste better. A current favorite is the Peanut Butter Dream. It is peanut butter ice cream, with peanut butter cups and swirls of chocolate. It is truly to die for. I would recommend getting it inside of some chocolate chip cookies. Some of their other offerings include The vegan Jewel which is made from chocolate coconut ice cream and a gluten-free cookie and the Pride-Which made from cereal milk ice cream, rainbow cookies, and rainbow sprinkles. They will donate 10% of sales to Q Center if you buy this cookie sandwich.

Since its first opening in Portland, Ruby Jewel has grown in popularity throughout the city. They currently have 3 locations that you can step into to create your own delicious treat!
1650 NW 23rd Ave
3713 N Mississippi Ave.
428 SW 12th Ave
If none of these locations is close enough to home, don’t worry! You can now find their ice cream sandwiches pre-made in most of our local grocery stores! You’re never too far away from the best Ice cream in Portland! Check out all the current flavors Here.

Do you have a place that you think we need to check out? Let us know in the comments!

Acadia

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Our hotspot of the week this week has truly been one of my favorite restaurants in Portland for many, many years now. Acadia Bistro has such consistently wonderful food, drinks, and service that the only explanation I have for why is isn’t perpetually packed is that it’s longevity in a city obsessed with ‘new’ makes it almost like a well-guarded secret between friends.

The menu walks a wonderful balance of maintaining the classic New Orleans dishes that transport you immediately to the bayou, and introducing new innovations and seasonal ingredients from the bounty of the Pacific Northwest. It would constitute a cardinal sin to miss out on the BBQ shrimp as a starter, jumbo head-on Gulf shrimp bathed in a pan-sauce so decadent you will dream about it for weeks afterwards. The Hushpuppies are another wonderful opening, fluffy fried batter of cornbread and seasonings, doused with a spicy-sweet orange and horseradish marmalade.

The beautiful conundrum of the entrees is that I can never figure out which is my favorite, and so have learned that I have to bring at least 3 people with me so we can share everything family-style. On a recent visit we all thoroughly enjoyed the Fried Soft-shell Crab with Crawfish Etouffee, the impossibly tender Hangar Steak, the light and balanced Seabream topped with blue crab and brown butter sauce, and a Pork Chop that was practically the size of my head and juicier than I knew a pork chop could be.

The desserts and cocktails aren’t to be missed either. My Vieux Carre was perfectly rich and boozy, and the housemade ice creams are what Salt and Straw wishes they could be. My recent go-to ‘genius move’ is to get a scoop of the Sea Salt Brown Butter on top of the outstandingly delicious Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding. You can thank me later.

What should our next hot spot be? Let us know in the comments!

HOW TO – 3 tips to sell for more than your neighbor.

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Everyone wants to sell their home for the most amount of money. I’ll go through my top 3 tips to get your home sold for more money than your neighbors.

If you don’t have time to watch this great video, feel free to read below for all my tips!

1 – Spruce up the exterior

Nothings sells a house faster than having a ton of curb appeal. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a really big impact. The simplest steps are to keep the lawn mowed, bushes trimmed, and exterior paint touched up. I would also buy some fresh potted flowers to sit on the front steps, they really help to welcome prospective buyers as they walk into your home.

2 – Choosing paint colors

Paint colors effect the value of a home more than you might think. You want to be sure that you are appealing to as many buyers as possible, so you want to stick with neutral tones and a cohesive theme throughout the home. Zillow did an interesting study on how colors effect a home’s value and found that a black door can raise a home’s value by 2.9%! Grey has been the popular color lately, specifically when it has blue undertone. If you don’t want to repaint every room in the house, the bathroom and living room will get you the biggest bang for your buck.

3 – Keep up the cosmetics

Buyers want to be able to move right into a home, especially if they are paying top price for it. If the carpet is old and dingy, it should at the minimum be cleaned, but consider replacing it, or trading it our for hardwoods. Also consider staging, or having a staging consultation. If you have old or worn furniture, it won’t show well. If it’s in your budget you could consider buying new furniture and taking it with you! Research by the National Association of Realtors shows that a staged home sells for 5-20% more than a vacant home depending on the price range.

Bonus – Marketing

They way you market your home matters more than anything else, 98% of home buyers find their home online. simply entering the home into the local MLS is not enough. Make sure you are hiring someone who understands the power of social media and will work with marketing trends to get the most buyers looking at your listing. Interested in what we offer to sellers? Click below to download our FREE seller’s guide!

Buying/Selling Guide

I hope you enjoyed these tips! Please reach out if you have any specific questions about selling your home. We would be happy to discuss how we can get you the most money for your home! Want to know what your home is worth? Click for a 15 second home valuation! — > See Home Value

Palomar

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This week we went and checked out the cuban cocktail bar Palomar! We must be feeling a sunny theme with all the rain we have ben having as this is our second decidedly “Miami” themed location. The decor is pink and teal and certainly makes you wish you were sitting on the beach in Miami drinking one of their fabulous daiquiris!

They feature a rotating flavor of frozen daiquiri everyday, and this isn’t your mama’s frozen cocktail. It’s just boozy enough so you know it has good rum in it, but just sweet enough to be sure you keep on sipping. They also have an extensive bar and many cocktails that stray away from rum.

They sell delicious empanadas, plantains, and a variety of other cuban food staples. The servers and bartenders are all warm, friendly, and go out of their way to make sure you are satisfied! I highly recommend checking this place out I promise you will not be disappointed! If you want to check out the menu, click here

Do you have somewhere you think we need to check out? Tell us in the comments!

Boutiques

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Mother’s day is just around the corner, and if you are anything like me, maybe you procrastinated? The good news is that I have some great local boutiques for you to finalize that last minute shopping! Here are some of my favorites in no particular order!

  • Sloan – Promoting themselves as surprisingly affordable fashion for every woman, they have brands that you will be familiar with and some unknown names. No matter your style there is something that both you and your mom will love!
    • 3526 SE Hawthorne Blvd
    • 3824 N Mississippi Ave
    • 735 NW 23rd Ave
  • Recycled Chic Boutique – This designer store is so much better than your average consignment shop. You will find unique pieces in perfect condition. If you want the very best without paying the full designer price, this is the place to shop!
    • 612 NW 12th
  • Imelda’s and Louie’s – This shoe store is much more than just a shoe store. They have shoes that are ahead of the trends in a laid back environment. They also have great handbags and jewelry!
    • 3426 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
    • 1416 NE Alberta st.
  • Gild – This shoe store is modern and sleek. The customer service is fantastic and they will help you find something perfect for your style and budget! They also carry tons of jewelry by local Portland artists!
    • 3370 SE Division st
  • Adorn – Focusing on trendy but timeless fashion these boutiques are sure to have many things that would make great additions to your closet. Everything is handpicked by the owner and is frequently updated.
    • 3366 SE Division st.
    • 4120 NE Fremont st.
    • 1016 SW Washington st.
    • 360 First st. LO

If you are a new mom like me, perhaps you would also like to buy some cute clothes for your little one! I find it much more fun than shopping for myself, here are 2 cute places that I love!

  • Posh Baby – This boutique has Modern and Eco-Friendly gear for mom and baby. If you have any “must-haves” on your list that you haven’t purchased yet, or you just need an adorable new toy, this is the place for you!
    • 916 NW 10th Ave.
  • Hoot N Annies – They offer both new and used items for both mother and baby. This surprisingly affordable baby boutique will have everything on your list!
    • 6308 SW Capitol Hwy

Good luck with all of your shopping and let me know what you all get!