Everything. Portland. Real Estate. Blog.

Portland Realtor Fun Tips: Portland Hometown Sports

Kristie — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 17:29:13 +0000

In the past two weeks Portland celebrated the final regular-season home games of two hometown favorites, the soon-to-be Major League Portland Timbers (soccer) and the now-possibly-defunct Portland Beavers (baseball), and it’s got us thinking about the great sports in this town. Here on the McDonald Group real estate blog we often talk about great restaurants, [...]

Portland Realtor Fun Tips: Class Up Your Labor Day Weekend with Art in the Pearl

Kristie — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 16:32:02 +0000

This weekend marks the 14th year of the Art In The Pearl arts festival, bringing fine art competitions, live music, theater, hands-on creative activities for the whole family, and fantastic food to the Park Blocks in the Pearl in Northwest Portland . From September 4th to September 6th, this world-famous arts festival is the best [...]

Gresham Real Estate Insider: Downtown Gresham Striving for Local Success

Kristie — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:47:44 +0000

It’s not a secret that Portland suburbs have been hit harder than the city in these economic times. Foreclosed homes for sale and low sale prices on suburban real estate have taken their toll on the communities around Portland, but residents of the great Northwest are also known for taking a challenge and creatively moving [...]

Foreclosures just listed /price reduced today. Houseboats, Government Camp, nice pickin’s!

Kristie — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 15:28:04 +0000

CLICK HERE for today’s just listed and price reduced bank owned listings for sale. The great finds get multiple offers immediately. I Twitter the Portland area foreclosures daily so you can catch them there if you want to watch for them. Tomahawk Island has a houseboat in here, there are also great prices on condos [...]

Portland Realtor Guide: NEW Clinton Area Neighborhood Guide at Your Road Map to Home

Kristie — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 01:29:20 +0000

Check out the new neighborhood profile detailing the Clinton area in Southeast Portland, filled with quirky boutiques and restaurants, classic Old Portland homes, and some of the best dining and shopping in town. The Clinton neighborhood is full of charm and community, featuring the fun Clinton Street Theater. Clinton is close to several bridges, providing [...]

Portland Realtor Insider: Portland Streetcar Sparks National Interest in Revitalizing Main St.

Kristie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 23:12:48 +0000

Portland’s neighborhood system is known for its enclaves of walkable retail areas, centered around restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and boutiques, and some of the most successful areas are popular because of the ease of access via public transportation and bike. The Pearl District, Nob Hill, Hollywood, Hawthorne, Clinton, and Belmont districts are all walkable and [...]

Gresham Realtor Insider: Solar-Powered Crosswalk Signals Coming to Gresham

Kristie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:10:49 +0000

One thing most drivers comment on when coming to Portland for the first time is how accommodating the streets are for pedestrians. All along busy streets like Division, Hawthorne, and Belmont, striped crosswalks mark places where a dog-walker, skateboarder, or baby-stroller-pushing mom can simply step off the curb and get the right-of-way, with cars stopping [...]

Portland Realtor Insider: New Sellwood Bridge Design Update

Kristie — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 19:52:28 +0000

Here in Portland, we’re so well known for the many bridges crisscrossing the Willamette and Columbia Rivers that our unofficial nickname is Bridgetown, and one bridge in particular remains infamous. The Sellwood Bridge, connecting the southernmost regions of east Portland with the southern West Hills, has been derided as one of the worst bridges in [...]

Portland Short Sale Homes: Pre-approved Short Sale! $234k in Clackamas just Off Sunnyside!

Kristie — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:34:19 +0000

A pre-approved short sale! (What does that mean you ask?- Read further below). In the meantime, a GREAT HOUSE at a great price! 2337 sf / 2.1 bath 4 bedrooms w/ 2 car 2003 / backs to greenspace 15477 SE Thornbridge Dr. Clackamas ML# 9049856 CALL FOR A SHOWING! So what is a pre-approved short sale? [...]

Estacada Real Estate Insider: Bagby Hot Springs Undergoing Repairs

Kristie — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 22:26:39 +0000

According to the Estacada, Oregon newspaper Estacada News, the popular Estacada-area retreat, Bagby Hot Springs, will experience temporary closures for several months as Mt. Hood National Forest service workers repair bath shacks, hot tubs, and other infrastructure. Workers began last week and are expected to be finished with their renovation in October. Bagby Hot Springs [...]

Portland Realtor Guide: NEW Hollywood Neighborhood Guide at Your Road Map to Home

Kristie — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:55:41 +0000

Check out the new neighborhood profile detailing the neighborhood of Hollywood in Northeast Portland, filled with quirky boutiques and restaurants, classic Old Portland homes, and some of the best dining and shopping in town. The Hollywood neighborhood is full of history, featuring the stunning 1926 Hollywood Theater, and provides easy commuting access to all of [...]

Portland Realtor Home Improvement Tips: Paint Colors

Kristie — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:31:42 +0000

A lot of first time home buyers are faced with the challenge of restoring and decorating small spaces. One of the quickest and easiest ways to maximize the look of a small room is to use paint colors to trick the eyes, making a room appear larger, taller, and more interesting. Carefully placed splashes of [...]

Portland Real Estate Insider: PDX Picked for Electric Vehicle Tour

Kristie — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:22:07 +0000

Portlanders driving around Downtown will already be familiar with a few electric car charging stations, and we’ve all seen those tiny smart cars zipping around town, but we’d wager those few are going to turn into hundreds in the coming years. Ford and PGE announced today that Portland will be the site of a electric [...]

Estacada Real Estate: Local Senior Housing Gets Grant to Go Green

Kristie — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 19:01:37 +0000

Green home renovations are now benefiting the silver set as well as Portland’s young, hip, urban crowd. A federally-funded set of renovations of a local senior-housing complex will leave apartments bigger, brighter, cleaner, and greener. Thanks to HUD Green Retrofit, many people who might not have the means or capability to improve the sustainability and [...]

Portland Realtor Guide: NEW Rose City Park Neighborhood Profile at Your Road Map to Home

Kristie — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:40:57 +0000

Check out the new neighborhood profile detailing the neighborhood of Rose City Park in Northeast Portland, filled with quirky culture, classic Old Portland homes, and some of the best dining and shopping in town. The Rose City Park neighborhood is classic and proud, and provides easy commuting access to all of Portland via the Banfield [...]

Estacada Homes For Sale: Estacada School Sports Gets Community Boost

Kristie — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:58:34 +0000

The McDonald Group, your Portland Realtor, is always checking up on the latest news coming out of Estacada, Oregon, the site of our gorgeous development Cascadia Ridge. This week brings great news from Estacada High School, which will finally receive needed improvements to their baseball playing field, thanks to help from the surrounding close-knit community. [...]

Portland Realtor Fun Tips: Portand BACON Fest 2010!

Kristie — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:37:18 +0000

Portland has been having a love affair with bacon. In a town known for vegetarian and vegan ethics, we’ve also got the natural backlash: PORK lovers. We put bacon in our chocolate, bacon in our beer, on our doughnuts, even in our coffee. This Saturday, August 21st, this love affair reaches critical mass as local [...]

Portland Realtor Fun Tips: Enjoy the Willamette During RiverFest 2010 THIS WEEKEND

Kristie — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:15:09 +0000

Looking for something fun to do in Portland this weekend? Look no further than the river that splits Portland in half. The Willamette River’s yearly celebration, RiverFest, is back this weekend, bringing tons of ways to get outside and appreciate the water that shapes our streets, our sense of direction, and our sense of place. [...]

Portland Realtor Guide: NEW Buckman Neighborhood Profile at Your Road Map to Home

Kristie — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 18:14:40 +0000

Check out the new neighborhood profile detailing the neighborhood of Buckman in Southeast Portland, filled with quirky culture, classic Old Portland homes, and some of the best dining and shopping in town. The Buckman neighborhood is progressive and proud, and provides easy commuting access downtown via the Burnside, Hawthorne, and Morrison bridges. Buckman includes parts [...]

Portland Real Estate Insider: World’s Largest Wind Turbine Maker Moves to Town!

Kristie — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:21:53 +0000

Vestas, the world’s largest sustainable energy wind turbine manufacturer, said yesterday that it’s going to be staying put in Portland and investing $66 million in a new sales and service building in town. As of now, Vestas owns four buildings in Portland, but this addition will help make Portland the world capital of sustainable wind [...]

Portland Realtor Guide: NEW Garthwick Neighborhood Profile at Your Road Map to Home

Kristie — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 19:46:12 +0000

Check out the new neighborhood profile detailing the neighborhood of Garthwick in Southeast Portland, filled with lush greenery and luxury homes. The neighborhood is arranged around the Waverly Country Club near Sellwood, providing easy commuting access across the Sellwood Bridge. Garthwick is private and serene but within easy walking distance to the dining and shopping [...]

Portland Home for Sale: Gorgeous Listing in the Terwilliger Trees

Kristie — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:30:44 +0000

If you’re thinking of taking advantage of low home prices and historically low interest rates and finding your perfect Portland home, be sure to check out this amazing listing filled with natural light, nestled in private woods with a private drive on Marquam hill off Terwilliger Parkway. You’re sure to fall in love with this [...]

Portland Realtor Guide: NEW Homestead Neighborhood Profile at Your Road Map to Home

Kristie — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 22:51:45 +0000

Check out the new neighborhood profile detailing the neighborhood of Homestead on Marquam Hill in Southwest Portland, filled with lush greenery and luxury homes. The neighborhood is home to OHSU, the Portland Veteran Affairs Medical Center, and Terwilliger Plaza, providing easy commuting access and fun opportunities to ride the Portland aerial tram down the hillside [...]

Portland Realtor Insider: New Cafe Opens in Vintage Bus Stop Downtown

Kristie — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:28:37 +0000

Locals and visitors to Portland have likely seen the new transit mall on 5th and 6th avenues downtown, complete with modern glass and metal bus stops lit with LED lights, but a new cafe is highlighting the older incarnations of TriMet bus shelters. Taking the space of a 1970′s bus shelter, Caffe Viale opens its [...]

Portland Realtor Fun Tips: Overgrown Lawn? Rent a goat!

Kristie — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:27:41 +0000

Every week, over 50 million Americans fight back against overgrown lawns, using over 800 million gallons of gas annually while pushing those lawn mowers in the sun. Though the noise of a lawn mower on a summer afternoon is one of the classic sounds of summer, the lack of government regulations on older model mowers’ [...]