Keywords: Unique, Affordable, Urban
Perhaps you didn’t google, “unique, affordable, urban homes for sale,” but here’s a sampling of just that. There’s an abundance of creativity in Portland, and in today’s market home builders can also be counted in that lot. On the market right now, you can find a 364sf condo that comes with an electric bike, a co-housing style condo that is a part of a community land trust to ensure affordability, and a high-performing, LEED-Platinum urban condo on the MAX line with eco-roofs and custom solar shading designs to mitigate against overheating while allowing loads of natural light in. All this is possible and available.
Here are three current projects to check out, if any of these descriptions pique your interest:
Division 43 (from low $100s)
Woolsey Corner (from $101,600)
Killingsworth Station: aka, K-Station (from $169,900)
Division 43 is a unique model of “micro-housing” that we haven’t seen in Portland before. Woolsey Corner also pushes the envelope with its playful details (repurposed instruments in the railings, sculptural downspouts, and live-edge trim accents) and its ownership structure as a Proud Ground Community Land Trust property, which will keep it affordable indefinitely. K-Station is set to be certified as LEED-Platinum building, placing it at the forefront of current sustainable building practices, and they offer a special down payment assistance loan for eligible buyers. This delivers a level of design and performance that hasn’t been available at these prices before in Portland. For more information about any of these properties or the financing available for them, contact me.
The market is being transformed, and as with any system with monetary or design constraints, people get creative to adapt and generate new solutions. I hope you’ve found these options interesting in the least. If you’d like to know more about these properties or any other listings on the market, we’d be happy to set up a customized search to help you find the right fit for your needs. Be in touch. Be well.
Green Home Sampler–Earth Advantage, LEED, and Energy Star
Green homes. Whether it’s an Earth Advantage house, a LEED house, or an Energy Star house, they’ve made their way safely into our market, despite the overall slow down in new construction. According to the market report released by our local 3rd party certifier, Earth Advantage, they account for roughly 23% of the new housing stock being built and sold, and their fetching a premium. Here’s a healthy sampling of what’s currently on the market in Portland. There are more, but this gives you a clear sense of the price range and type of homes being built. If you’d like to see one of these first-hand, give me a call, and we’ll set that up. I’m happy to walk you through one of these to see what they have to offer. As of today, there are 73 active green-certified homes to consider within Portland. Contact me to receive updates on homes like these, or to set a guided tour.
Green Certified Homes
Where is that? no.8
Images from one of Portland’s unique structures–an incredible resource. Where is that? Email me your thoughts.
The Leapfrog House: LEED-Platinum
FOR SALE: 541 SW Maplecrest Ct., Portland, OR 97219, listed @ $529,950, call David for more details
This home is the amazing result of many minds being drawn together to create a superior high performance home. Taking its name, the Leapfrog House, from the notion of “greening further than most people dare to green,” this home aims to go beyond common expectations for how a home can perform. Each day that it awaits it’s buyer, someone is out there spending too much money on utility bills. I’ll save the mechanical details for their site, which outlines the construction techniques, mechanicals, and materials that you could pour over for hours. In essence, the home is intended to have the smallest carbon footprint possible–in the construction phase and over the course of its life. They thought of everything and did most everything–from harvesting almost all of the framing lumber and timbers at FSC-certified forests within a couple hours of Portland to burying two cisterns that store about 6,000 gallons of rainwater that can be filtered and sterilized for all uses in the house and for irrigation.
The almighty mechanical wall that makes this home perform exceptionally well
The floor plan allows for a multitude of lifestyles and living arrangements. The main living spaces are open and loft-like, with a couple loosely defined spaces that could used for multiple purposes. The plans also include nearly 600sf of space for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) above the garage, if that is what the buyer chooses to do. Or, it could be a home office, an art studio, a yoga and exercise space, or a massive master suite (if you’re so inclined). As it stands, it’s a 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with multiple bonus spaces that can adapt to different uses over time.
I highly recommend a tour, if you’d like to get a better sense of what sets this home apart. Contact me to set up a guided tour.
If this type of home appeals to you and you’d like to explore other options within the Portland market, you can set up a search here, or contact me for a customized residential market search. This home is listed by Sandi Sheets @ Windermere Real Estate.
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In addition to offering sound real estate services, we bring a broad awareness of sustainable living and design to our practice. We thrive on making connections that help clients live and invest in alignment with their values, while supporting our local community, economy, and environment. Contact David and Steve today to learn how your next realty decision can enhance the place you call home. AGENCY INFO
1902 SE Morrison St. Portland, OR 97214
