This little family absolutely loved their current neighborhood and community in the Cully district of Portland, but needed more space for their family.Ā They also needed the equity/proceeds from the condo they owned in order to be able to purchase their future house, and in a hot market and an emerging neighborhood like this one, the idea alone can be a little daunting.Ā This feat managed to be possible amidst how tough this year has been on buyers.Ā Itās been SUCH a tough year in fact that Iāve heard stories about buyers and even realtors kind of giving up on the idea that they could pull something like this off with such little time and such little inventory, and with kids to worry about, nobody blames anyone for not wanting to take a risk and potentially end up renting if the current home sells before you can find a replacement property.Ā Casey and Abbe found me through another listing of mind in the area and I am SO glad they found someone that they could feel confident with such an important undertaking.
I carefully reviewed the task at hand, knowing what was at risk for this adorable family.Ā I probably donāt have to tell you what a nightmare it would have been if they had to try and find a rental for a 4 person household in this neighborhood, but we all agreed we could do this.Ā And so we prepared for all possibilities, but still moved forward with confidence.
So ā I listed their current home while they were still living there. I made sure to price it right because thatās honestly the first step and best shot they had at pulling this off.Ā Their willingness to do so was integral to their successful outcomeā¦but weāll get thereā¦.
Then- We got an offer after SIX days on the marketā¦not bad, eh?Ā Once we knew we had a potential buyer, we were ready to hit the ground SPRINTING to find them a replacement home.Ā I toured a few houses for them that wouldnāt work and then the MINUTE we saw this one come on the market we made plans to take a look.Ā The whole family, plus me, went to check it out and there were some other buyers in the houseā¦and there we satā¦outside the houseā¦for what felt like an HOUR (and it WAS long enough for little Lucy Mae to have to insist on using the bathroom).Ā This probably saved us another 10 minutes of waiting outside, so thanks Lucy! Ā
Though this little fixer upper isnāt perfect, it has enough potential and space going for it that Casey and Abbe felt ready to write an offer without hesitation. And so did several othersā¦ We wrote as strong of an offer as we could,Ā accompanied by a letter written by my buyers themselves, and of course me doing all the things I do, to pave the way for success (but also knowing I can only do SO much)ā¦and what do you know, a serious miracle happened.
The seller chose us, amidst the obvious risks.Ā I was told by the nice Listing Agent that Barbara, the seller, was just about to sign on the more āobviousā offerā¦the one with less risk since this offer was contingent on the sale of Casey and Abbeās condoā¦but Barbara said she saw the letter siting there in the corner of her eyeā¦and she said she just had to take a chance on us because this had been her parents house before it was hers, and thatās what they would have wanted.
Hereās this heartfelt letter that sealed the deal:
They put the other buyer in āback up positionā, but Barbara and her Realtors faith in us proved to be enough for us to all get the job done and now Iām pleased to announce that Casey and Abbe not only were able to quickly sell and close their condo for $177,000 but they were also successful in their simultaneous purchase of their family home in the same neighborhood! I imagine the children are already happily playing in the yard and picking berries off the EPIC blueberry bush and it just melts my heart.Ā I feel blessed to have been part of such meaningful ābusinessā.Ā Itās certainly more than just that.
The family is all moved in after a long weekend and theyāve been gracious and grateful every step of the way.Ā No surprise there, because these are GOOD people.Ā People who basically can prove the theory on Karma as a solid one, if you know what I mean.Ā Iāve been more than inspired by them and their positivity, and my passion for my job has yet again been invigorated after an experience like this.
Of course along the way we all tend to get closer and learn things about each other, especially during an intense transaction like this one, andĀ I learned that Casey supports his family by working for a non profit organization called Lahash International.Ā Basically, they partner with local ministries across East Africa to bring good news and holistic care to children in need. Together, they confront the effects of AIDS, war, and extreme poverty at the grassroots level.Ā Learn how to get involved or how to sponsor a child here.
Congratulations Casey, Abbe, Asher and Lucy Mae. Itās clear a little goodness found its way back to some deserving recipients!