Category Archives: Best of Tour

Best of Tour 2.10.2009

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Today’s selection for “Best of Tour” is a project in Portland’s Pearl District.  There’s no seduction in the name – Block 90 – so fortunately the condos on the top floor of the four story renovation of the Pearl District’s block 90 (Flanders to Glisan between 13th and 14th) has way more panache than the name suggests.  You may remember this building as the Reed Harris office and distribution center, but no more.  True to the high style of conversions for old buildings in The Pearl, this block is now ‘made over’ as commercial and residential lofts.  It now home to the new Aveda Institute Portland, the essence of cool in salon schools, and 50 Plates, a restaurant with, well, 50 plates of delicious American food.  This is all good!

We’ve determined now that the neighborhood and neighbors are first rate, so how about the condos?

Block 90 residential lofts are very modern with clerestory windows opening to large terraces and city views.  The finishes are high-tech and high-style and the floor plans are mostly open and airy, taking advantage of the sleek design and the wide open views.  Lofts range in size from approximately 800SF one-bedroom homes to almost 1800SF corner units and prices range from $379,634 for a studio to $999,768 for the southeast corner wth wrap around terrace.

Best of Tour 2.3.2009

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Today we begin again the “Best of Tour” series our old blog site featured last year.  We’ve included a couple of the old posts to continue the  ’conversation’ about what makes a good listing on tour.  This column is all about the notion of what makes a good house . . . . Period!

In these posts we’ll show you the best homes we see on our Tuesday tours – (that’s Portland’s day for brokers to visit and view new listings to be informed and knowledgeable about the current homes for sale).  We may pass from time to time, if nothing is worthy of compliments, and some weeks you may see multiple selections we find compelling.  Our intent is to share a broker’s view of what make a good home:  a well prepared listing, a price based on market realities and a professional presentation of all the best aspects of the property.  In short, a solid home, priced right and ready to sell.

Brokers must see – in person – homes for sale to know what is available to show and sell, and to know how best to match properties with clients.  The old practice was to “caravan” as a group to numerous listings every week.  This model lost favor with the use of the internet and now, many brokers, just like consumers, tour homes online while sipping tea in their jammies.  But we contend that there is no substitute for a physical visit.

All buyers must eventually step inside a home and walk the neighborhood to really know if it is ‘”the one!”  The Jackson Group continues to tour homes on Tuesday because it is worth the effort to stay informed and in tune to market nuances.  We may miss an occasional tour if our clients’ needs are more immediate than  two hours out-and-about, but our promise is to stay plugged in to what is available, attractive and worthy for our clients.

Today’s report.  It was a long tour and I concentrated on the west side and still couldn’t get to all the properties I had marked as interesting.  A sign of the season as well as the times.

Today’s post is a comparison of two nearby homes in Portland’s Westover Heights area.

The first is a fixer-upper at 2833 NW Cumberland listed by friend and colleague Kathy MacNaughton of Realty Trust Group.  It’s a great old Mediterranean designed by one of Portland architectural fathers, Lawrence Ellis.  This house needs absolutely everything – an easy $2-$5 hundred grand on top of the $869,900 asking price!  Why, you ask, do I recommend it?  Well, it has those elements I love; great neighborhood and location, great architecture, untouched original handcrafted character and it is ready to restore so you can do it right.  Buy it and rebuild it, it will be worth the effort!

If a project is not your style, an alternative just a few blocks away is 828 NW Summit listed by Bradley Young of Winderemere/Baldwin Properties.  This one is also a classic architectural style and it has already been renovated to “the nines” so you won’t have to lift a finger.  The price is $1,250,000, so between the two houses you’d probably spend about the same money.

So, which are you, the “fix-it-up-and-make-it-your-own” type, or the “move-in-now” to a beautiful home where the work has already been done for you?  Two good choices!

Becky

Best of Tour 10.14.2008

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Not in any order of preference, my first choice for Best of Tour today is a classic fine home offering every element of a good home. The location is 2116 SW 19th in the grid of Portland Heights – primo location – and it is offered by my Realty Trust Group colleague, Brian Pienovi. The home is a lovely 1920’s traditional in excellent condition. The rooms are spacious and interesting, the kitchen and baths are all renovated, the bedrooms are large and offer individual character and orientation, and the general condition is pristine.

A terrace off the living room opens up to the views of the Portland city skyline and overlooks the neighborhood street in a way that I imagine a homeowner enjoying a quiet moment with the newspaper, or a glass of wine with friends in an atmosphere that is both open to the world yet also tucked away in a private manner in this outdoor room. The yard is not large for a home of this size, but it is perfectly adequate for comfortable and convenient outside space and busy lifestyles. It is private and the compact level lawn is bordered by charming perennials and evergreen structure. This home is a great example of all the best features a buyer looks for in a family traditional style home. Asking $1,450,000.

The second choice today is a home that is totally different from the one above and so unique in general that it would deserve mention on any given tour day. This one is a custom contemporary of 1971 designed and built by its architect owner, George M. Crandall. Carolyn Weinstein, my friend of many years, has this listing located off NW Cornell at 1445 NW 30th. When you approach this home you wonder “is that it?” because it is so unassuming from the street. The rough cedar exterior almost says “beach” or “barn” but that is not the reality when you enter the home. Inside is a sanctuary of warm wood tones, cozy spaces and totally private surroundings so the reality and you feel like you have entered a world apart from the city. I felt like I was in the home of a successful and private writer or artist – someone who is creative and individual and iconoclastic. Offered at $1,000,000.

Great homes – each of them!

Becky