TrueView in a Hot Market

TrueView: Delivering the experience and emotion of every home

In this year's real estate market, Portland's pendulum has swung over to being a seller's market, especially in the urban core. Homes are selling with multiple offers and many well above list price. The market feels as alive as it did in 2005.

Agents at M have exclusive access to TrueView, a program we built-in house. TrueView connects you with the experience and emotional elements of each home.

At first glance, an elevated service like TrueView may seem like overkill in a hot market. But there's a difference between merely selling a house and maximizing your potential to close at the highest price and best possible terms. This is a simple matter of strategy.

TrueView's refined video presentations and custom home websites provide the buyers with a powerful connection to their purchase. Being able to share the experience of their future home with friends and family becomes an effective instrument in keeping buyers engaged in their property.

TrueView is based on how buyers decide to buy. By providing a beautiful, authentic, respectful depiction of your home to the most buyers, we are able to maximize the potential of this hot market.

Outdoor Music

As spring blooms into summer, Portland puts the top down, converting our city into the Northwest’s outdoor music mecca. There’s no need to journey all the way to the Gorge Amphitheatre when we have so many distinct open air venues here in the city.

The Oregon Zoo

In 1979, our own Oregon Zoo became the first in the nation to host a summer concert series. This year, join them in celebrating 35 years of world class music at the zoo’s lush sanctuary setting.

Early show highlights include:

June 19th - Old Crow Medicine Show June 30th - Ziggy Marley July 6th - Huey Lewis and the News July 7th - The B-52’s and the Go-Go’s

Check out the full line-up: www.zooconcerts.com

McMenamins Edgefield

Set on seventy-four sweeping acres of farmland, the McMenamins Edgefield has established itself as Portland's premier outdoor venue. Hosted at the historic lodge, the Concerts on the Lawn live music series draws big name acts spanning a myriad of generations and genres.

Early show highlights include:

June 16th - Tony Bennett June 27th - Steve Miller Band July 6th - Rodrigo y Gabriela

Check out the full line-up: www.edgefieldconcerts.com/events

Concerts in the Park

Our beautiful city is home to a plethora of parks and retreats. Beginning Monday, July 8th, they will be filled with free music from smooth jazz to rollicking Irish pub tunes to rhythm and blues to indie folk. Get out and shake your tail feather in the summer weather!

Check out the full line-up: www.portlandoregon.gov/parks

Pioneer Courthouse Square

For the twenty-third consecutive year, Pioneer Courthouse Square hosts its traditional Noon Tunes Concert Series, entertaining lunchtime crowds numbering in the thousands. The shows run for an hour, starting at high noon each Tuesday and Thursday beginning July 11th. Visit a signature Portland food cart and then spice up your week with some free live music!

Check out the full line-up: www.thesquarepdx.org/calendar.shtm

Success Stories

The weather isn't the only thing becoming sunny here in Portland! Our local market is showing more promise than it has in years, creating an optimistic buying environment. Take a moment and explore these beautiful homes recently sold by M agents, using our exclusive TrueView service.

339 SE 28th Ave. Portland, OR

$425,000 Pending in 2 Days

View more photos and video: 339 SE 28th Property Website

792 SW Dillan Dr. Beaverton, OR

$189,927 Pending in 5 Days

View more photos and video: 792 SW Dillan Dr Property Website

3116 SE 77th Ave. Portland, OR

$229,000 Pending in 2 Days Multiple Offers

View more photos and video: 3116 SE 77th Ave Property Website

3951 SW Canby St. Portland, OR

$339,000 Pending in 5 Days Multiple Offers

View more photos and video: 3951 SW Canby St Property Website

Sneak Peeks

Take a sneak peek behind the orange door at M with two of our upcoming listings!

11155 SE Pembroke Ct, Milwaukie, OR

Get top value for your dollar with this utterly charming city home with country views! It's the best of both worlds, a daylight ranch that doubles as a mid-century modern in serene Milwaukie.

9628 NW Paxton Ct, Forest Heights, Portland

Here's your chance to get into a 5 bedroom, 3.1 bath home in Forest Heights. Level, secluded backyard and close proximity to Forest Heights School and Park make this a coveted gem.

Contact your M agent if you’d like more information on these exciting new properties.

Introducing TrueView

It's not just a better strategy, it's better service.

Elevated Service

As your real estate agent, you'€™re trusting me to get people to fall in love with your home. It's something I take seriously. I strive to find you multiple, motivated buyers to create the best selling environment possible. To do that, I’m constantly challenging myself to raise my level of service higher and higher.

That's why I’m so proud to announce the new standard in real estate service, exclusively available to agents at M Realty. It’s called TrueView.

TrueView captures what it really feels like to be in every home. Being able to share that experience with the world is such an exciting privilege because it means anyone anywhere can make an emotional connection to what makes your home special. The more people fall in love, the better job I’m doing for you.

It's not just a better strategy, it's better service.

TrueView.

Portland Roars in the 1920s - Our Home History

1926 - Opening of Burnside Bridge

1926 - Sellwood Bridge

1924 - Delivery Truck

1920 - Street Car

Portland Roars in the 1920s - Our Home History

" ...Portlanders were on the move! "

The dawn of 1920 saw Portland 258,000 citizens strong and along with gaining 50,000 more souls, the next ten years would prove to be an unparallelled decade of expansion for the City of Roses. 1926 marked the construction of the Burnside, Vista and Ross Island Bridges to complement the Sellwood Bridge, which was previously the only Willamette River crossing for miles in either direction. That same year, Portland achieved the progressive honor of having more cars per capita than Chicago or New York, widening her streets to accommodate the bustling traffic. Combined with the already thriving street cars, Portlanders were on the move!

1929 - Aerial of Harbor Wall (Waterfront)

This freshly-embraced mobility promoted an unprecedented population migration from rural areas, and this youthful generation was nothing if not modern. In addition to embracing technological advancements like the refrigerator and vacuum cleaners now with disposable bags, these new homeowners and their contemporary sensibilities gave birth to the American Craftsman.

In the aftermath of World War I, the Victorian construction style (and lifestyle) was in sharp decline. The thriving middle-class abandoned the foregoing generation’s Old World flourishes in favor of uncluttered practicality. Ceilings were lowered, porches simplified and accommodations for a domestic serving staff vanished in the light of new homemaking amenities.

1920's Craftsman-era Home Floor Plans

" ...the Craftsman introduced the breakfast nook... "

Armed with these advanced appliances, the Craftsman-era housewife shaped the footprint of the home. She had been transformed into a one woman army responsible for all the housework in addition to raising the children. Kitchens were integrated into the main home, built with open eyelines to the living spaces and the back yard. While the Victorian lifestyle demanded a separation between food preparation and dining, the Craftsman introduced the breakfast nook and with it a communal place for the family to gather while the housewives of the day practiced their multitasking art.

1929 - SE Portland Houses

Built to endure, Portland is still populated by these beautiful, practical, hardy homes. Whether updated with today’s amenities or retaining all their classic features, Portland’s craftsman constructions stand as distinct reminders of an exciting chapter of our history.

Keep Portland Weird and Beautiful

Keep Portland Weird and Beautiful!

Our city'™s reputation for artsy expression inspires everything from bumper stickers to sketch comedy shows, all of which we embrace with good humor because we’re known for that as well. It also doesn'€™t hurt that almost everywhere one casts a glance in Portland, some beautiful nuance or flourish will stand out in the frame. Appreciate stately statues honoring our heroes, plain columns etched picturesque, provocative park sculptures, reticulated stone mosaics and muraled walls that might as well be made out of canvas given the amount of vibrant brushwork they display.

Benefiting from a campaign of continuing commitment to public art, our fine city will only get more distinctive for the coming generations.

NE Portland - Alberta Arts

NW Portland - Pearl District

SE Portland - Division / Burnside

Success Story - 17670 NE Chehalem Dr.

This beautiful Northwest craftsman home sat on the market with another realty company for three years with no success. Frustrated, the sellers contacted an M Realty agent through a friend because they had seen how we market high-end homes. Our marketing team was amazed with the combination of spaces and the quality of details; an artist's studio, expansive shop garage, breathtaking valley views, and great entertaining areas. Our immediate impression was, "If the world knew how great this property is, it would be sold."

Expand Super Flyer

The home was re-listed with M Realty. We build a beautiful website filled with pictures, galleries and multiple video's that truly capture the experience and dramatic details  We pushed the marketing out into the world. Soon we had calls from around the country and the house sold. The out of state buyers had been looking for two years but had not really seen what the property has to offer until we presented through our M marketing program. By marketing the overall scope and details it had to offer, prospective buyers were able to experience the beauty and story of this Newberg estate. At M we believe beautiful marketing matters.

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Success Story - 2335 SE 26th Ave.

When this revitalized home came on the market in the fall, its craftsmanship and attention to detail made a testament to Queen Anne Victorian homes throughout Portland. The developer, Treece & Lambert, took this 1894 victorian and added modern amenities while staying true to the home's history. Pushing the price per square foot for Abernethy, the developers opened up the existing attic to take advantage of an extraordinary view of downtown—an uncommon feature for Southeast homes.

The main challenge with this home was preserving the architectural integrity while creating a 21st century floor plan. They incorporated the beautifully restored cedar staircase, original floors, and stained class windows for vintage touches in the midst of modern amenities. With a light-filled solarium on the second floor, the floor plan kept a Victorian feel to the layout while adding square footage for modern livability.

Expand Super Flyer

Our media team captured the story behind this one-of-a-kind property from construction to finish. When the vintage and modern amenities of this home combined with our marketing, buyers and all their friends couldn't stay away from the website and open house. In the end, more than 80 groups came through the open houses, the video tours had 1,011 views, and the home received an offer only 7 days after being finished.

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Little House Big Heart

You don't need a giant footprint to make your mark on the world. We dispatched our media team on a quest to capture the cozy, crafty spaces of our favorite little Portland houses, all marketed and sold by M Realty.

The team returned with these punchy glimpses into creative living. Whether it’s a crackling fire conjuring the feeling of a vintage cottage dwelling or something sleek, modern and stainless steel that captures your imagination, there’s no denying these homes have heart.

Traverse the compact facades inviting you inside over original hardwood floors into snug bedrooms, then out into private backyards lush with opportunity for quiet escapes with the satisfaction of a thriving garden or an old-fashioned neighborly barbecue.

Whether remodeled with current amenities or featuring the hardy fixtures of an enduring generation, these homes were constructed with an idea of community at their cores. They provoke a spirit of collaboration, enticing you to add your own expression to the space, making it truly unique. Making it yours.

Fall into stride with the media team as they explore these proud featherweight houses, showcasing the heart and promise each eager home boasts to those who step aboard. It’s our honor to showcase what’s special about every one of our listings regardless of price or size.

And it’s easy to root for the square-footage underdogs when they’re this charming.

Volunteer at the Oregon Food Bank

Last time it was thousands upon thousands of frozen peas, who knows what will be in store this time! Join us for another volunteering event at the Oregon Food Bank this February. For this event, we will be at the Volunteer Action Center in Northeast Portland helping to repackage bulk food donations.

Saturday, February 23 from 1 p.m - 3:30 p.m.

7900 N.E. 33rd Drive Portland, oR

We always have a great time meeting new people and fellow volunteers, so feel free to join us. If you would like to come, just send me an e-mail and we will add you to the volunteer list.

M Goes to the Track

Back in the fall, the whole M Realty crew, agents and staff, took a trip out to Pat's Acres Racing Track in Canby. We split into teams, got our helmets on, and had some friendly competition. Our photographer couldn't resist capturing the outing, so here's a fun compilation of video clips from our day at the kart racing track.

Success Stories - 7527 SE Harrison Street

We made it. Phew. Like many of us, the owners of this awesome 1901 Mt. Tabor farmhouse were not able to sell their home for the price that worked for them in 2008-2009. After 263 days on the market, they chose to rent rather than sell.

After the tenants vacated the property, the owners contacted us. They wanted fresh eyes and input on their situation. We met with the owners and decided the time was right for their needs to re-list the farmhouse, even though it was just before Christmas. We staged the home beautifully, produced captivating print materials and website, and pushed it out into the world. We put the farmhouse on the market knowing that there may be fewer buyers, but anybody looking days before Christmas would be serious. Within 3 days of listing the home we had a solid offer, and closed January 18.

Expand Super Flyer

The real estate market is back with pizazz, especially in the inner Portland neighborhoods like Mt. Tabor. Good homes staged to enhance their best features and spaces, presented with beauty, and priced wisely sell. There are ample buyers ready to take advantage of the low interest rates, but struggling to find their next home because of the inventory shortage.

If you are wondering if the timing is right for you to sell your home, give me a call today.

Time Lapse Video- My New Favorite Tool

My new favorite tool for capturing awesome houses is time lapse video. We take video for several hours, and even move the camera over that time. This eye candy really lets you know how it is to live in a home over a day or evening, not something a buyer usually gets to experience.

Summer Selling Starts in January

It's hard to believe, but selling your home by summer 2013 can mean starting at the beginning of the new year. Starting preparations in January helps create an easy and smooth selling experience so you can focus on the next step. On average, it takes about a month to get your home ready to go on the market. Usually there's two weeks for minor repairs, and another two weeks for our marketing team to capture the story of your home and create all of the amazing materials. That means your home would be ready for total exposure on the market in February. Based on the average days on market for homes in Portland, your home could receive an offer around April. The transaction would close by May, and you would be ready to move on to the next step by June. Starting in January allows you to take the time you need to sell and prepare for what comes after. Let's strategize on how to sell your home in 2013.

Video Highlights of 2012

2012 was a big year at M Realty. We finely tuned our marketing program and had some amazing success selling homes. Exceptional photography and videography is key to sharing the story of a property. From time lapse videos to panoramic views, this video shows just a small amount of the spectacular photos and video clips from this year's listings.

Marketing - Best of 2012

from M Realty on Vimeo.

Marketing is Everything

Marketing truly does make a difference when it comes to selling homes. Number of days on the market and sale price are the two important factors to most home buyers when selling their home. At M Realty, the numbers show that when spectacular, consistent marketing combines with a great agent, homes sell faster for more money.

In December, the average number of days on the market for homes in the Portland metro area was 100 days. For M Realty, the average days on market was 36 days less at 64 days on the market. Selling faster means more money in your pocket--one less mortgage payment, less selling expenses, and less hassle.

Open publication - Free publishing - More home

Exceptional marketing, both online and in print, helps your home stand out among the rest on the market. We do this by telling the story of every home we sell at M Realty, big or small, new or old. There's a buyer out there for your home, and a quality presentation of what your home has to offer will find the ideal buyer sooner.

Volunteering at the Oregon Food Bank

Frozen peas were on the menu at the Oregon Food Bank on November 10th. Back in November, the M Realty staff, agents, and I  got together and volunteered at the Oregon Food Bank in Beaverton. We had a great time helping out in any way we could, so we scooped and weighed those frozen peas while chatting away about holiday plans. Along with the rest of the volunteers that Saturday, here are the impressive stats we contributed to:

• 10,703 pounds of peas packaged
• 8,233 meals created
• 123 meals packaged per volunteer

Not bad for two hours of work on a Saturday! It was really easy to sign up and volunteer for groups, individuals, and kids. Click here to learn more about volunteer opportunities in the Portland area.

We'll be heading out to do another session in the "cold room" in February, I'd love to bring you along!

Portland Streetcar Update

To those who missed the Grand Opening of the Central Loop on September 22-23, by the time you read this the Portland Streetcar should be alive and operating. The new route, called the Loop, begins at Portland State University and travels north through downtown, and  crosses the Broadway Bridge. From there, it proceeds along Northeast Broadway and Northeast Weidler streets, down Seventh Avenue, west on Oregon Street to the Oregon Convention Center, and south on Northeast and Southeast Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. to OMSI.  The return route is along Northeast and Southeast Grand Avenue and Northeast Broadway.  It will hopefully become a true loop in 2015 when the new Willamette River bridge is completed; currently the Portland Streetcar is $7.4 million short of the funds to make the connection from OMSI to the bridge.  The streetcar continues to operate its older west side route from Northwest 23rd to Avenue to Southwest Waterfront—giving downtown residents greater service.

Another new change is that downtown residents no longer have the free streetcar use they have been accustomed to. Starting in September, Portland Streetcar Inc. and TriMet, which runs the car on contract with the non-profit, instituted the following fare system: $1 to ride the streetcar for 2 hours: $2.50 to ride the streetcar and any TriMet facility - bus or light rail - for 2 hours, switching at will: $5 to ride any sort of mass transit all day. There are Honored Citizen fares for the elderly for $1.60, youth fares for $1, and monthly and yearly passes at reduced rates.  These can be purchased at Safeway or the Lloyd District Transportation Management Association office at 700 N.E. Multnomah St.

More Success Stories

Marketing matters. When exceptional marketing combines with the right price, anything is possible. In today's market, high quality photography, videography, and presentation stands out. Here are just a handful of last month's successes. 913 SW Westwood - $400,000

This classic Hillsdale bungalow features an expansive lower level and a great location in SW Portland. The M Realty media team did a full marketing production for this listing. The result was an outstanding custom website, flawless print materials, and interest from serious home buyers who fell in love with the property.

After this home went on the market, it received multiple offers within 6 hours. The house sold for $30,000 above asking price at $430,000, and the transaction closed within 32 days.

6900 SE 28th - $920,000

We captured the story of this gracious colonial home with our M Realty media team, which included our on-staff photographer, videographer, designer and copywriter. The team produced a beautiful website and print materials, such as our multi-page Super Flyer. All of these materials highlighted the incredible details and spaces in this classic Eastmoreland property, and ultimately helped find a buyer who fell in love with the home.

2201 NW Pettygrove - $609,000

With an exceptional location in the heart of Northwest Portland, this updated and spacious townhome offers plenty of space for entertaining and living in the city. An open floor plan connects the gourmet kitchen to the expansive living space, and the dining area opens to the terrace for indoor/outdoor entertaining. An abundance of windows keep the various spaces of this home bright and airy.

With a full suite of marketing materials, everything this downtown home had to offer was elegantly marketed to lots of potential buyers. This property was on the market for 46 days, and the open house had 27 potential home buyers. This home, which was listed for $609,000, sold for 99% of the listing price.