Chris Suarez

Hey Ozzie,

I have worked with quite a few transfers on visas from Europe and Mexico. I have had great experiences with Wells Fargo. I recently used Wells on a purchase I made as an Expat in Mexico myself. I have also had 4 family members use Wells Fargo to purchase homes in 3 different countries.

A lot of it comes down to what type of visa you have...it sounds like you may have already obtained the proper work visas.

Feel free to contact me with any other questions or personal experiences!

Chris Suarez
Realty Trust Group
503.890.6527
Chris@SuarezSells.com - Wed Jun 4 2008, 15:01

It sounds to me as if you have enough positives to outweigh the negative of the highway. Everyone values location when it comes to real estate...however it sounds like a pretty nice location if the home is in a close-in NW neighborhood.

Proximity to the highway will definitely turn off some buyers...and yet there are those buyers who will definitely look for a "deal" and may be more price point sensitive and select your home over the next one. I will say by experience, that a lot of out of state buyers will overlook proximity to highways. Originally from NY myself, I have many East Coast buyers that will overlook freeway/street noise especially if you can use landscape to hide "the view". Marketing obviously plays a key role as well... especially when trying to reach the pool of buyers that wont balk at the highway.

I'd love to see the home and offer some more opinions...Feel free to contact me if I can help!

Chris Suarez
Realty Trust Group Inc.
503.890.6527
www.SuarezSells.com - Tue Jun 3 2008, 14:58

Hey Linda,

First, I think you probably mean The Encore Condominiums as opposed to Pinacle. The Encore is just now coming to completion and was built just North of The Pinnacle which was originally built and developed by Hoyt Street Properties back in 2004.

There have been lots of rumors flying around many of the new construction towers. The fact is, right now the units are for sale. No indication has been given that the units will be converted to apartments. So we should move forward with the thought that they will be condos. There are alot of factors that go into the decision of converting from condominiums to apartments...market conditions, outstanding construction loans, deliverability of units etc....

I worked with the developers of The Wyatt while those were being sold as condominiums. The developers ultimately received an offer to purchase the entire building that was viewed as being great for the real estate market in general for Porltand and The Pearl District and so they were converted to apartments. The recent article in The Portland Business Journal mentioned that the building is already about 25-30% rented. So obviously that building is fitting the need of the rental market.

There definitely a bit of inventory in The Pearl right now...but there are very few projects planned past this year...Beleive it or not, we will probably see a lack of "new product" by late 2009. That being said, we could always see some of the buildings that had converted to apartments come back on board as condominiums to fill that need.

Sp although we dont know for sure whether The Encore will convert to apartments or not, they are currently available for purchase...and it's probably a great opportunity to write an offer right now!

www.PortlandPads.Blogspot.com - Mon Jun 2 2008, 16:19

I work and play quite a bit in Tigard...and would have to agree that it's a great place to live. The school district is well balanced and the property appreciation has been strong as well over the past few years.
Statistically speaking, Tigard and the surrounding towns are very safe.

The Portland area is definitely made up of strong neighborhoods...and even the surrounding towns, such as Tigard have their own distinct areas. Wether or not it is "desirable" to you depends on what you are looking for in a house and what is important to you. There are some neighborhoods that offer great community parks, others that offer nice valley views, and still others that offer easy access to public transportation and shopping.

All in all, Tigard is a great suburb, just 12-15 minutes outside of the downtown core. - Tue May 27 2008, 13:32

There are definitely quite a few options for you. Within city limits you will definitely have to check out school reports. You mentioned that your uncle lives in the Mt. Tabor area. Glencoe Elementary (in Mt. Tabor) is one of the best ranked Elementary schools...and there are larger lots available in the area that might help you reach your goals regarding the RV...
My wife and I recently had our first daughter and were faced with a similar wish list for our house search. We wound up finding a place in Beamont/Alameda (close in NE Portland) within the district of Alameda Elementary which is just great. Price in the area could be an issue however...especially trying to find a large enough lot for an RV.

Other options that come to mind which will allow your husband easy commuting distance is the close in Raleigh Hills neighborhood and even going as far out as Tigard (only about 15 minutes from downtown and 3 different ways into the downtown core). If you focus your search in the Metzger Elementary area, you will find great lots and a great school.

Feel free to check out http://www.portlandmaps.com to look at school statistics for different addresses you might come across. - Mon Mar 10 2008, 19:13