Portland Oregon Rose City Blog

After months of speculation following the retirement of Real Estate Commissioner Scott Taylor Governor Ted Kulongoski has appointed Gene Bentley to Lead the Agency.

Gene is a Portland Oregon Native and started his Real Estate career in 1979.

We congratulate and wish Gene great success in leading the Oregon Real Estate Agency into the challenges of the future.

Finally the Wi-Fi is back up. After almost an entire week it appears as if the corrections made by Qwest to University Park Coffee shop is working. As a writer of 3 real estate blogs and having 4 web sites to manage my day is pretty well defined.

Early morning I come down for coffee. I turn on the computer and let it do its warm up thing while I get my cup. A quick check of the news, answer the emails and then I concentrate on writing this Blog.

Throughout this last week though the whole routine has been thrown off. Each and every day there was a hope that we would be up and running. The daily disappointment was disheartening. That is until today.

When I opened the door at University Park Coffee the owner as there with a big smile. The Wi-Fi had been up all afternoon with no problem. So here I am once again with a signal strength of Excellent (first time since they opened).

Have an excellent day everyone. Mine is starting out great!

Is it really true that Dog's have Master's and Cat's have Staff ? After keeping our nose to the grind stone over the last several months My buddy Benny the Ball ( Benny for short ) decides that he has had enough.

Benny is always hard at work. A good asistant sometimes though needs a break.

Benny knows when it is time to work and time to smell the Flowers.

I agree and off we go. That Benny, he always likes to be close to the action.

Were almost there, hold your horses. Benny always gets excited. I guess I do to for that first cup of coffee at University Park Coffee in Portland Oregon.

Hey now, Don't drink to much, you know what happens. But it is so good.

See, I told you. Coffee always runs right through Benny. But it was so good.

Benny starts to miss his friend Pip Squeak. We will have to call this a day and head on home. It was a good outing though. I hope you have a good day as well. 

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k out the sun is coming. It seems to me that the weather pattern and the amount of sunshine that we receive here in Portland Oregon has been increasing ever so slightly over the past several years.

I suppose the meteorologists would know for sure and maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part. But none the less it is another beautiful day here in the Rose City. I am continuing my quest for photo's.

As some of you know I have been photographing the Rose City from the street level. The attempt is to provide a street level view of what Portland Oregon is like. A fabulous place to live and work.

If you haven't visited the Pacific Northwest recently or ever maybe now is the time you should come. We would love to see ya.

The Top of Portland Oregon's Pioneer Court House square.

The enthusiasm for this Mid Century Classic home is to much to contain. Although the work being done by the contractors is not complete and we are still a ways off from having it ' Market Ready ' , I could not help but share with you all a glimpse of this truly remarkable home.

Front of the Mid Century Classic in Mt. Tabor Neighborhood of Portland Or.

Home is 3 story with a daylight basement and a very large fenced back yard.

Beautiful Mt Hood from the Master Suite sitting area in Portland Oregon.

The total square feet in this home will be about 4500 sq ft.

St. Johns a North community in North Portland celebrates its 27th annual Cathedral Park Music Festival. Three days of Music from July 20th - 22nd.

Cathedral Park is Located under the North Side of the St.Johns Bridge. Some of the featured artists include Plas Johnson, John Heard, Nancy King, Steve annon and Charlie Musselewhite. For a complete list of times and artists logon to www.cpjazz.com or call ( 503 ) 286-1312 for more information and some very Cool Jazz. The annual event is Free.

The build up to Fathers Day by my family members has been pretty time consuming. There has been a lot of activity behind the scenes and many direct questions asked of me about what I would like to do, eat, etc.

What would I like to do? Great question.

What I have been doing is reflecting about being a Father. What has it meant to me in my life.

The celebration of this yearly event has become quite a party. Is that what Fathers Day is?

I hope that each and every Father has a wonderful day. Don't push to much BBQ down the throat.

Relax, reflect and celebrate the joy of being a Father.

The enjoyment of living in Portland Oregon is one of a sense of Community. My parents were both born here in Portland and I was born not far away. As soon as I was old enough I moved to Portland and began to discover it's neighborhoods.

As I began to meet people from around the country I heard people talk about my City the City of Roses Portland Oregon. What were they saying? While most talked about things like rain and green trees, many also talked about community. I guess I was about 20 or so when someone from the midwest described Portland as the Home Town City.

From that day on as I met people from out of town I would always describe my city as The Home Town City. A place where you feel at home.

For the past 19 years I have been a real estate salesperson most of it right here in the City of Roses. As a Realtor I have become very knowledgeable about the different neighborhoods that make up Portland Oregon. I don't know what it is like where you live, but in Portland I see a great sense of pride in the peoples faces and attitudes that create and make up the very fabric of these neighborhoods.

Sometimes its a preferred School, and sometimes it is a Park, or even a localized celebration. But all times it is that sense of community and belonging that bonds us all into The Home Town City, Portland Oregon. City of Roses.

This Weeks Neigborhood : Laurelhurst

Map of Laurelhurst Neighborhood on the East Side of Portland Oregon.

One of several Arched Gates to Laurelhurst Neighborhood and Park.

This Beautiful Brick Homes back yard backs up to Laurelhurst Park.

A great day to take the Dog for a walk in Laurelhurst Park.

Laurelhurst Park Features a Lake at its center.

As true Oregonians we can almost always count on a little rain around and during the Rose Festival. Hey those flowers didn't grow by accident you know. Besides here in the North west we never describe it as Rain instead we prefer to call it " A Driven Mist ".

A little down poor now and then is a good thing. Tends to settle the dust. Here are a few photo's for your enjoyment.

Tied up at Water Front Park on the Willamette River for Rose Festival 2007.

Canada always supplies a contingent of Vessels for Rose Festival.

The Larger US Navy Ships are always quite a hit during Rose Festival.

Enjoyment had by all at the Fun Center at Tom McCall Waterfront Park for the 100th celebration of Rose Festival at the City of Roses Portland Oregon.

The Real Estate Market in Portland Oregon has not seen the devastation of other markets across the US. Indeed has I talk with many of my Realtor colleagues and listen to the horror stories of their flat and reversing markets of the last two years I can only be thankful that I live in the Pacific Northwest.

I am also gladden to hear that Real Estate market is beginning to show signs of improvement in many of these markets. Not all but many. And to be fair although Portland has weathered this storm fairly well we have not been totaly left unscathed. For_The_Portland_Oregon_Metro_April_Market_Report  follow this link.

Nothing is more exciting than seeing the ships as they begin to arrive at the Sea Wall on the Willamette River in downtown Portland Oregon. The Sea Wall at Tom Mccall Water Front Park hosts what has become known as the Fleet.

The_Rose_Festival_Events_Calendar  here will keep you up to date on this years 100 year celebration of the annual event.

The Ships begin to arrive in Portland for the Rose Festival.

The Portland Fireboat gives a welcome to the Fleet as they begin to arrive.

Careful maneuvering is required to skillfully dock these ships to the Sea Wall.

This Ship passes through the Narrow portal provided by the raised deck of the Steel Bridge on the Willamette river. Be sure to check the schedule provided above for all of the events including tours of the ships.

Portland Oregon, often known as the City of Roses puts on its Summer's Best as demonstrated here at Penninsula Park and there Renown Historic Rose Gardens.

The Historic_Penninsula_Park_in_Portland_Oregon  has been part of the Parks system since acquired in 1913, and is the first park in the system to include a Community center.

The walking paths and Rose Garden layout boast many varieties of award winning Roses.

Penninsula Park is only one of many fine parks in Portland Oregon. To Find_Your_Portland_Oregon_Park  just follow this link . 

And stop for a moment and Smell the Roses.

When I left you last in part 1 of Foreclosures_and_Short_Sales  Dan had completed the home inspection when we heard that the Seller was Selling the home for less than he owed the Lender. 

Unless you just fell off a turnip truck, you have to know this will never work. So we were left after talking with the listing agent who did not have a clue, to work with the Lender on our own.

Which, honestly I must confess, I prefer that any way. The Victorian in Mt. Tabor was well worth the effort. In the final part, The_Short_Sale_Nightmare  Part 2 Dan Wins, a unique approach was used with success to solve our Short Sale Nightmare.

Bicycles, bicycles and more bicycles. In an effort to maintain it's image of an environmentally and health conscience city, Portland Oregon has gone out of it's way to accommodate bicycles and bicyclists. First by creating several Bike lanes and paths throughout out the main thourgh ways and secondly by staging and promoting several bicycling events throughout the year.

With and enhanced awareness comes an enhanced need. Bicycle shops like the Community_Cycling_Center  on Ne Alberta at 17th ave. is just one of many shops that have sprung up all over Portland Oregon.

Keeping within the spirit of the Alberta Arts District the Community Cycling Center displays it's own brand of Art Work on the side of Its Building at 17th and NE Alberta.

The Commuity Cycling Center at Ne 17th and Alberta displays on the side of there building a brilliant and dazzling wall mural.

Close ups of the art work reveal a dazzling display. Come see the work at NE 17th and ALberta. Be sure to step inside for more information about Portland Oregon's fascination with Bicyling.