Spring Has Sprung

The Pacific Northwest is especially beautiful this time of year. I love watching all of the flowering trees and plants blooming, and everything feels so GREEN! I guess it’s the payoff for all the rain we endure in the Winter, and it sure feels worth it when it is so beautiful out! :)

Spring also tends to be the busiest Real Estate season of the year. Nationally, we are seeing more homes on the market than at this time last year, although inventory is still lower than we enjoyed a couple of years ago. With the inflation rate still hovering above the target rate, which is 2%, the Fed is going to keep rates where they are for now. Experts predict that the rates will come down at some point this year, but later than expected. The higher rates mean less people are willing to let go of their current mortgage deals, so are hesitant to sell, if they don’t have to. As a result, prices are predicted to go up over the next year, as competition will be fierce for the homes that do hit the market. In other words, waiting it out in hopes that prices will decline might not be your best move.

This is one of our favorite projects of all time. It was a ground-up build - beautifully conceived by Centerfield Studios. A modern home in a tucked away corner of Lake Oswego. Joel was the General Contractor and I did the Interior Design. Our clients were drawn to a mix of Scandinavian and Japanese elements, and were heavily involved in the process. Luckily, they were also dreamy to work with. They were super open-minded, weren’t afraid to take risks, spent a lot of time collaborating on the design and really seemed to enjoy the process. There are a lot more pictures over on my website, so feel free to peruse them. 

Even in this challenging market, home ownership still has many benefits that outweigh the short-term challenges. While it may have been many years since you were renting, a lot of the younger people in our lives are still trying to figure out what the best move is. While today’s mortgage rates are higher than we’re used to, here are two solid reasons why it still might be better to buy than to rent.  

The 25 Best Patios in Portland

With the arrival of this beautiful weather, my brain instantly goes to, “Where can we meet up with friends to eat outside?”. Is it just me? Another result of our four distinct seasons is that we really APPRECIATE it when the sun comes out. Rooftop decks are poppin’ and restaurants scramble to staff them in preparation for the onslaught. Luckily, The Oregonian did the research for us, and pulled together this list of great spots to have a drink or enjoy a meal outside. I plan to check a few of them off my list this year, along with some of my old favorites. If you live out of town, save the list for your next visit! 

Is a Multi-Generational Home right for you?

The current market has inspired people to get creative when it comes to purchasing a home. For some, finding a place that works for multiple generations has been the key to success. Last year, I helped a mother/daughter and teenage grandson find a place that worked for the three of them. It was a win-win for everyone. It made buying a first home affordable for the daughter, and preemptively got them under one roof, in case it becomes difficult for the mother to live alone. While it’s obviously not the right living situation for everyone, it could definitely be something to consider. 

When it all comes down to it, real estate is about loving where you live, and building wealth over time. If we’re lucky, when we wrap up our working years, we will have choices about where we want to be. Realistic or not, it’s fun to think about someday living overseas and experiencing a whole new way of life. There are some good deals out there! I loved reading about the spots that are most popular right now in this Conde Nast Traveler article. Location, location, location…

On a personal note…

Mother’s Day is coming up on Sunday, which has me thinking about my Mom, Roberta Bocci. She was a smart and super interesting lady, who lived a long life, full of many phases. She was born in Los Angeles, and her childhood was greatly affected by the death of her father when she was only 7. Her mother was a schoolteacher, and raised “Robbie” and her brother Billy, on her own. Billy had Muscular Dystrophy and was mostly confined to a wheelchair, so my mom spoke about how “quiet” their house had been. And how she wanted a lively household with lots of kids in it. She attended the University of Oregon, and met my Dad, Paul, who was an army veteran. Together, they had nine children, raising eight of them, after losing a baby girl to SIDS at 3 months old. I came in last - the youngest of the bunch.

She lived in such an interesting time of change. She started her motherhood journey in her early 20’s (“a young mom”), with no drivers license, and  three tiny kids under the age of 4. It sounds like she and her friends played bridge (and smoked cigarettes?) in skirts and heels while their kids played and their husbands were off at work (think “Don’t Worry Darling”, without all the weird stuff). It was the 1940’s and 50’s. Then in the 60’s, she was driving a station wagon, started working part-time and had 6 rowdy kids in various stages of childhood. By the time the 70’s and 80’s rolled around, she was an “older” mom, with only two little girls at home (my sister, Gia, and me). When we were in grade school, she started working again, and became kind of a career woman. Left the house early in the morning (in a skirt and sneakers) to ride the bus to downtown Portland, came home in time for dinner (Think “9 to 5” or “Working Girl”). By then, my Dad had retired from the grocery business and was working in Real Estate part-time, golfing a lot, driving us to the orthodontist and making dinner every night. I’m always amazed by how long life can be. All the phases. All the heartbreak. All the good times. Her life felt particularly dynamic, in that she sort of rode the wave of women’s rights, and so much changed during her long marriage to my Dad. She was very strong and always ahead of her time. She passed away in 2017, and I really miss her. There’s so much I’d like to talk to her about, as I get older. Happy Mother’s Day to all the mom’s, stepmom’s, stand-in mom’s and people who celebrate their mom’s. It’s going to be a gorgeous weekend here!

Listings that caught my eye…

As always, if you’d like to discuss your real estate goals and brainstorm ways to make them happen, don’t hesitate to reach out. I currently work by referral only and love meeting people through my clients, family and friends.

All my best, Anna