Welcome to Portland--A Guide for New Residents--Part One

Portland author Chuck Palahniuk once wrote a terrific off-the-beaten path guide to Stumptown called Fugitives and Refugees, and that might be the best assessment yet of who lives in this incredible, eclectic, funky and beautiful town. A lot of people seem to be here from somewhere else. I moved here for the environment, for the food, for the family and friends, for the strangers yet to be my friends, for the weather and terrain, and to be with fellow fugitives and refugees who love the Portland area. (I even kinda moved here to be somewhat geographically closer to Chuck Palahniuk, but it would be too creepy to admit that, right?)

So, why are you moving to Portland? I’m not here to convince you to move to Portland. I’m not here to tout all the magazine articles that declare Portland to be the best town in the US for walkers, for bicyclists, for foodies, for readers and writers, for artists, for techies, for environmentalists, etc, etc. If you are reading this, you probably already know that Portland is the place for you.

No matter what your reasons are, there are always some things to learn, and I want to share my experiences to help guide you. There are many travel guides and city guides, so I think of this as a “Welcome to Portland” guide.

In no particular order, here are some things you should know when you begin your new Portlandia life:

The DMV here is really nice and easy to use. I’m not kidding. Go check out the Yelp reviews of the DMV. People actually Yelp about their good experiences at the DMV here. If you have a license from another state, you will probably only need to take the written exam to get an Oregon driver’s license. Most of it is common sense, but do take the time to review the Oregon Driver Manual and take the online practice tests. When it is time to get your car registered, you need to have the smog system checked at the state-run DEQ facility. If you are from California, like me, you will find this very affordable and simple. Then go right to the DMV and register your car. This should all cost you about $300, and your car registration is good for 2 years.

There are two electric companies here, but you don’t get to choose which one you use. It depends on where you live. I live in the Northeast and use Pacific Power. Portland General Electric, which also has its name on the downtown ball park/soccer arena, handles electric in most other parts. One great way to find out which electric company to use, as well as other utilities and neighborhood stats, is to visit the Portland Maps website.

Don’t be afraid to eat at one of the 500+ food carts scattered about town. The food cart movement started here in Portland a few years ago, and they have quickly become an institution. Downtown is full of them, and there are “pods” of carts and single stands all over town. Every cuisine imaginable can be found if you look hard enough. On Hawthorne? Try the Hawaiian-Korean pulled pork stand. Up in Alberta? Stop by the French themed converted rail car or the now-famous Grilled Cheese Grill, where you can chow down in a converted yellow school bus.

Walk across one of the seven bridges crossing the Willamette. All of the bridges, except the freeway passovers, are bike and pedestrian friendly. Walking across the bridge, especially at sunset, is a great way to see the city views. And, when the bridge has to raise for a big ship passing under, an impromptu community forms during the wait. Maybe you will make a new friend on the bridge.

Want to know all the cool fun stuff going on in town? Follow Byron Beck’s blog . He’s got the lowdown on celebs in town, great new restaurants, can’t miss gallery events, political brouhahas and more.

While you are at it, follow Mayor Sam Adams on Twitter.

This is just the first part. I’ll be back with more tips on settling into your new life in Portland.

Beaverton Open House--Sunday August 15th--1pm to 3pm

I will be holding open a beautiful Beaverton home on Sunday from 1 to 3pm at 16311 SW Cornelian Way in the Sexton Mountain neighborhood.

Priced at $335,000, this home has 5 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths on two levels. The home has 3000 square feet on a nice sized lot. It is in great condition and has a wonderful view. Even better, this is a regular sale.

Don't miss this great Beaverton home!

The Paradox of Choice

As Americans, we thrive on choice. We want to choose the best shirt among hundreds of shirts at the store, the best car among dozens on the lot, the best spatula among all the spatulas at Kitchen Kaboodle. We research the best options on Consumer Reports, Yelp, and other valuable resources.

But, can too much choice be a problem? Can the challenge of so many choices actually prevent us from making a simple decision efficiently or even making one at all? I've walked into a store many times, only to give up my epxedition because there were too many choices.

In 2004, a book called the Paradox of Choice came out which addressed the psychology of consumer decision making. Among other ideas, it proposed that too many choices causes anxiety. The author goes on to assert that an abundance of opportunities can even cause depression and loneliness due to unfulfilled desires. And, choosing one good option over another perfectly fine option can lead the consumer to be despondent over missed opportunities, eventually enjoying all things less.

I've been thinking about this idea of the paradox of choice when I look at the current real estate market. We all know that there is a lot of housing inventory on the market, and that homebuyers are being very cautious. As Realtors, we see nothing but opportunity--lots of choice, great prices and crazy low interest rates--and we wonder why they aren't buying everything up. Consumer confidence in the economy is obviously an issue. People are worried that their jobs may not be there in a year and don't want to commit to a thirty year mortgage.

And, perhaps, there is too much choice out there for the real estate consumer. When there are 30 homes that meet your search criteria, how do you choose? Homebuying can cause a lot of anxiety under normal circumstances, but now buyers have to think about if they are buying the right house out of so many choices. They might also be concerned about the missed opportunity of what might come on the market tomorrow, next week or, even worse, after close of escrow. I think it might be easier for homebuyers in a more stable market when they may only have 5-7 houses that meet their criteria.

I'm no expert in the area of consumer psychology, but I've been fascinated by this idea of the paradox of choice since that book came out, based on my own consumer experiences. I would love to hear thoughts from homebuyers on this topic. What do you have to say about having an abundance of choice?

The Inspection Period

Your offer has been accepted, and you think it is smooth sailing to close of escrow right? Now the detective work begins! Time to find out everything you can about your potential new home.

You are now in the inspection contingency period, which provides you with the opportunity to look into all of the nooks and crannies of the house to make sure it is good condition. And, if you do find any significant faults, you have the ability to renegotiate or cancel the contract.

I'm assuming that you aren't an expert in foundations or furnaces or termites, and even if you are, you need to get objective qualified experts to inspect the home. But, what should you expect to inspect? Here is a general list of inspections to consider for your home. Of course, every home is different and may have unique needs, but these are key inspections to keep in mind.

General Home Inspection—An overall look at the basic systems in the house, from heating and electrical to roofs and windows. The general home inspection can sometimes lead to additional specialized inspections.

Roof—An examination of the age, style and condition of the roof. Even if it looks good to the naked eye, there could be problems with flashings and gutters.

Sewer Scope—This inspection looks at the plumbing connection from the private home to the city’s sewer system to find any possible leaks or seepage.

Pest and Structural—A investigation of any termite infestation, dry rot and other pesky pests. In Portland, this is often combined with the general home inspection.

Foundation—A detailed investigation of the home’s basic foundation and structural support systems. This should also include information on the grade of the lot and any potential drainage issues that can affect the foundation.

Furnace—An examination of the age, type and condition of the home’s heating and duct system.

Electrical—An examination of the age, type and condition of the home’s electrical system. With the our overwhelming electrical needs in this day and age, this can be very important, especially in older homes.

Plumbing—An examination of the age, type and condition of the home’s plumbing system.

The cost of each inspections can vary from free to several hundred dollars. I generally recommend that buyers budget about $750-$1000 for inspections. If you discover problems that would make living in the home an expensive problem, consider it the best money you ever spent!

If you need a referral to a qualified inspection, give me a call. I'm always happy to help.