Buyer's Agent, Buyer, Seller, Seller's Agent, Escrow

There are some real estate transactions that just come together and move smoothly from start to finish.  Such is the case with the recent Jackson Group listing sold at the Meriwether in South Waterfront.  Real estate is not easy these days, even when the stars are aligned, and this one was not special in that way.  There were challenges.  Challenge #1:  the sale might have been a “short sale” except for the fact that the seller was willing and able to write a big check to his lender.  Challenge #2:  negotiations were long and deliberate, back and forth, and though this is normal today, being normal does not mean that the outcome is mutually satisfactory.  Challenge #3:  every deal these days has its share of complications – the condo certification, the appraisal, the inspection, the HOA issues, the insurance . . . we take all this in stride as Realtors and do what we must, and our clients find it an endless series of “issues” that we help them get through.

The uncommon outcome here is that both the buyer and the seller achieved their goals and were satisfied with the outcome.  The seller was “short” though willing to write the check, have the sale and move forward.  The buyer was careful and wanted a “deal” and came to a resolution that was energizing.  Mutual Acceptance was also mutual satisfaction!  The brokers knew each other from a prior transactions and have mutual respect.  They worked for consensus.  Goals were reached by all.

Achieving everyone’s purpose was not done because a buyer took advantage of a seller.  She didn’t.  And it was not because the seller made a killing.  He didn’t.  It is because they each kept their personal “big picture” in mind throughout the process and appreciated the other side along the way.  The brokers kept the lines of communication open and moving forward, helping the clients navigate the complicated and emotional process with willing cooperation.

It’s not everyday that we see group hugs at the closing table.  The Jackson Group is grateful for the many terrific people we work with everyday, all year, selling homes in Portland.  To each one of them we say “Happy Thanksgiving” and Thank you!

Becky, Matt, Sarah and Hillary

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Well, it wasn’t exactly sold in a day, except from the buyer’s point of view.  I’ve known and represented the architect who designed The Casey, a LEED Platinum certified building, for several years.  Over the last year or so I have shown this home and now that my client is retired and traveling more frequently he suddenly got serious about selling.  My mission was to sell and close the condo in 3 months as the seller would then be off traveling the world again.  Nice!  No pressure.

Spin was hired to do professional photography and we prepared to market the 8^th floor, east-facing view condominium beginning with a special broker event.  As an active broker in the Portland condominium scene, I knew a few people to call who I thought would be good prospects.  So I made those calls and scheduled one showing in advance of the broker’s open.  Before the photos were finished an offer was on the table.

This is a home worthy of a quick sale.  As I said before, this particular Casey condo was chosen by the architect to be his own home – and he had first choice when the building was new.  He loves it still, and wouldn’t leave it for anything, except in retirement he hardly finds himself at home in Portland.  It’s time to scale back to something just as lovely but more efficient.

So check out the pictures to see just what a winning condo – a winner in any market – looks like.  And, kudos to Chuck from Spin for the awesome photography.

The property is a Jackson Group listing at The Meriwether, Unit 1103 – MLS#11046257, listed by Matt Lesher.  With Matt’s good coaching the sellers were ready – set to sell with a property that was fully prepped and showed their pride of ownership.  They worked with Matt to set the perfect price, and it went on the market “priced right and lookin’ good.”

Matt lives in South Waterfront and has his hands on the pulse there, so he also knew the perfect buyer for this home.  One showing and the match was made.  Matt connected the buyer with Sarah Norton, our Buyer Specialist, who presented their offer and navigated the logistics of the transaction.  Sarah’s relationship with a solid condo lender and Matt’s intimate knowledge of the South Waterfront market made it possible for them to secure an exception from the lender for additional flood insurance.  Matt and Sarah worked together through the appraisal process sharing their knowledge of the market for all the buildings of South Waterfront

Mostly these days we all hear horror stories of how inspections, appraisals and underwriting standards wreak havoc on our transactions.  Those stories are true.  And that’s what makes this story all the more noteworthy.  With strong neighborhood connections, sincere personal relationships and strong professional knowledge we brought buyer and seller together with confidence and produced mutual satisfaction.  We avoided the skepticism and doubt that characterizes so many real estate sales these days.  And we did this holding the role of care and concern for making the clients’ needs the priority.

3570 SW River Parkway, #1103 was presented and accepted on the same day in August and closed September 23, 2011 at the asking price, $399,900 – a rare happening in Portland real estate these days.  Two happy clients are moved today and on to their new situations in life.

As a testiment to the village’s accomplishments, the new owners hosted a get together for everyone involved in the transaction.  Both listing agent and selling agent, the entire buyers’ family and both of the sellers, and the lender and his team were all there to celebrate.  We toasted each other with champagne and once again acknowledged that everyone deserved a pat on the back.

What happier ending could you ask for than a Kodak moment with everyone involved in the transaction.  It made my year and I thank everyone once again for all of their hard work!

Buyers and Sellers CelebrateEveryone Cebrates

First time home buyers are the action area these days, and I have had great fun working with a few of them.  This weekend I found myself writing an offer for a “FTHB” client and our offer was the 5th to be written!   It’s a cute bungalow in Southeast Portland, so naturally, it’s a popular property.  Fortunately, this client is well qualified, has a generous down-payment and a great job.  Her offer should be competitive with the best.

But it may not end with 5 offers.  The seller, a lending institution, has made it a policy to list the house for 10 days, collecting offers, before deciding on a buyer.  So we will be on pins and needles through another weekend before the client has her answer!

In this buyer niche it’s like 2005 all over again!