Local Financial Resources in Portland, Oregon

New Outlook Financial is a Portland, Oregon based investment advisory firm offering fee-only financial planning and investment advice for individuals, families and small business people, many of whom are interested in integrating their finances with their values. Unlike other financial advisors who sell products for commissions, we provide our clients with objective advice and guidance so they can be confident that the advice they are getting is in their best interest.

Format Solutions is a local business specializing in providing individuals with unprecedented control over their retirement assets and investment options.  If you’re frustrated with the lack of control, volatile performance, and ongoing expenses of your current investment portfolio, they can create a Limited Liability Company within your IRA that allows for full checkbook control of your retirement funds and a nearly limitless investment selection.

Mark Strauss of Leonard Adams Company: An independent insurance agent. Mark works with financially stable and preferred independent Northwest insurance companies such as: Oregon Mutual, Liberty Northwest, Mutual of Enumclaw, Safeco Insurance and National insurance companies such as: Chubb Insurance, Fireman’s Fund Insurance, One Beacon Insurance, Philadelphia Insurance, Travelers Insurance and many more. Mark has thought about the long-term implications of the businesses, homes and vehicles he insures. He’s dedicated to taking the time to spend a little extra money to reduce my environmental footprint as much as possible both in his personal and professional life because he believes that businesses need to be progressive and add environmental and social achievements to their measures of success.

More resources for local and socially responsible financial options

• Oregon Banks Local (for more information on local credit unions and community banks)
• Credit card options and reviews

This is a sampler to get you started. The River PDX strives to provide local and socially responsible resources that can help you align more aspects of your life with your values. If you’d like to know more about how investing in Portland real estate could fit into your long-term investment goals, we’d love the opportunity to explore that with you. Contact us to discuss how our real estate services could facilitate and enrich how you invest.

Professional Inspectors–Portland, Oregon

Home Inspectors

Matt Hopkins 503-869-5292
Toby Deming 503-236-1812
Brendan Fitzpatrick 503-750-0795
Susan Walker 503-740-8267

Sewer Inspectors

McBee Boring and Excavating 503-939-5246
Matt and Mel’s 503-324-0423

Environmental Inspections (oil tanks, radon, etc.)

Xavier Environmental 503-236-3796
EcoTech 503-493-1040
Environmental Works NW 503-719-6715

In some instances, properties require other specialists. If you have a need for a geotechnical engineer, a structural engineer, or other resources to help you investigate a property’s condition, feel free to contact us. We’ll do what I can to connect you with the appropriate local specialist.

For other resources, you can do a keyword search in the upper left corner of this website, or contact us. The River PDX is a Holistic Source for Real Estate. We’re happy to be a resource or be a helpful link in connecting you to the appropriate local service provider or supplier. If you have any suggestions of other contractors that should be added to this list, We’d love to learn about them.

Whether you own an 1890 Queen Anne, a 20s Bungalow, a Cape Cod, a mid-century ranch, or a late 1998 home that was built to modern day code, there are gains to be had and money to saved (in most cases). Assuming energy costs increases over time, here are some local service providers and resources to help you achieve these gains and stay ahead of the curve. There are many programs available and the incentives go through periodic changes based on local and federal funding streams. As an Energy Trust Trade Ally, I recommend you make their website one of your first stops to learn about what kind of incentives are currently available.

Imagine Energy 503-477-9585
Hammer & Hand 503-232-2447
Streamline Dwellings 503-310-4981
Green Hammer 503-804-1746
Neil Kelly 866-691-2719
Green Home by EcoTech 503-493-1040
Gale Contractor Services (Deborah Shay & Amy Worthington) 306-241-1897
Energy Trust Trade Allies

AIRSEAL, AIRSEAL, AIRSEAL. . . and ventilate.

For other resources, you can do a keyword search in the upper left corner of this website, or contact me. The River PDX is a Holistic Source for Real Estate. I’m happy to be a resource or be a helpful link in connecting you to the appropriate local service provider or supplier. If you have any suggestions of other contractors that should be added to this list, I’d love to learn about them.

For more conservation info see also, Ascending the Pyramid of Conservation.

If you’ve been contemplating the big step of remodeling your home, creating an ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) on your property, or, even bigger yet, building your own home in the Portland area, here’s a set of architects and designers (listed in no particular order) who have a body of residential work to consider.

Departure Design, Dan Lajoie + Michelle Jeresek
Andre Debar
Atelier Waechter, Ben Waechter
Limitless Blue, Corey Cliffe
Structures NW, Patrick Sugrue
PATH, Corey Martin
Paul McKean
Arciform
COMMUNITECTURE, Mark Lakeman
Emerick Architects
paolo design, Paolo Scardina
Architecture W
Giulietti/Schouten Architects
Building Arts Workshop
Works Partnership Architecture
Nathan Good

This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list of local architects and designers, but a solid starting place for residential architectural resources in Portland, Oregon. I welcome suggestions for additions to this list. In addition to these websites, some of these offices maintain a social media presence as well. In some cases, that provides a more up to date glimpse of what they’re working on right now. Enjoy perusing the work of our local talent! Here’s a brief sampling of local work.

Departure Design, Artist Studio, Portland, OR

Atelier Waechter, Cape Cod, Portland, OR

Emerick Architects, Northwood, Portland, OR

Arciform, 1909 House, Portland, OR

PATH architecture, Butler Residence, Portland, OR

Debar Architecture, Bacon-Brenes Home, Portland, OR

Demystify the numbers with a trusted lender.

Finding and choosing an articulate, professional, and savvy lender can improve your real estate experience. The financing portion of real estate transactions can be challenging, confusing, and alienating, or it can thoughtfully presented and masterfully executed. With the following lenders, I’ve seen clients experience great success. I don’t get any kickbacks by recommending them, but I do get peace of mind that my clients are receiving accurate, up-to-date information and excellent service.

List of Recommended Lenders

• Aaron Nawrocki of Mortgage Advocates 503-445-9525 aaron@capitalmlending.com
• Dakota Gale of West Coast Mortgage 503-708-4932 dakota@greenmortgagenw.com
• Anette Sieverson of Pacific Residential Mortgage Specialitsts 503-670-0525 anette.sieverson@pacresmortgage.com
• James Komro of Rose City Mortgage Specialists 503-680-4784 james@rosecitymtg.com
• Loren Pember of Riverside Mortgage Group 503-252-2401 lorenpember@comcast.net

*last updated May 2011

Check it out, and if you need additional recommendations for contractors to perform the work, contact me.

Energy Conservation Pyramid

All we need is a few good autumn winds to rattle the windows and remind us that winter is on the way. If you’ve been contemplating some energy efficiency upgrades, renewable energy incentives, or annual weatherization measures, here’s a helpful graphic to help prioritize which steps and upgrades will yield the best bang for the buck.

We are fortunate to live in the one of the country’s preeminent hotbeds for energy efficiency retrofitting. Between the Energy Trust, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, the Earth Advantage Institute, the Cascadia Green Building Council, and the abundance of general contractors and specialists who have committed to educating themselves and training their crews to help residents make gains in energy efficiency and overall carbon footprint reductions, we have what it takes. One place you might start is the Energy Trust of Oregon’s Trade Allies. This is a group of service providers who have taken the necessary training to be able to provide you with services and expertise in what incentives you may qualify for.

Another great option is Clean Energy Works Portland, a utility-based financing program that allows homeowners to make improvements with no money out of pocket upfront. This is an excellent program that supports homeowners in the getting a jump on those elements at the bottom of the Conservation Pyramid.

Stay tuned for more updates on the programs that become available to us in Oregon. It is a growing industry and legislation is continually working on incentive programs to help fund the retrofitting of our existing housing. Contact me if you’d like more information about any of these programs or organizations. I’m happy to be a resource and provide more information on local service providers as well.

Stay warm. Be well.

1. CoreHaus new construction PassivHaus
2. Engstrom & Werlin Duplex Renovation
3. Doleman Strawbale Dwelling
4. Harpoon House
5. Woolsey Corner Affordable Cohousing

Wow! That was hard. I’m still unsure of my choices, as there are so many interesting ones this year. Some I’ve already visited or anticipate having the opportunity to visit down the road, so that helped take a few off my plate, but there are still some that might make the list come tour day. Tickets are available online.

If you’re unable to make the tour, but would like to tap into the local green building and sustainable design world, there will also be A FREE fun, family-friendly information fair with green vendors, demonstrations, food, drink and music. I will have a table there to share my business and answer questions. There are usually dozens of local businesses and non-profits present to share what they’ve been working on and how they can help as you assess how this impacts your home and fits into your life. Overall, it’s a great day to gain inspiration and insight into how others are making strides to create healthy, sustainable living situations and dwellings. If you attend the info fair, stop by to say, “HI!”

The info fair will be held at EcoHaus from 3pm to 7pm. EcoHaus is located at 819 Se Taylor St., Portland, OR 97214. If you’d like updates on events like this throughout the year, check out my facebook page or twitter feed. Or, just contact me directly. Enjoy.

Clean Energy Works Portland is helping homes save energy with no upfront costs

Clean Energy Works Portland is financing program designed to make upgrades to your home easy, and has no upfront costs.
Follow these four simple steps to take advantage of this unique opportunity:
1. Apply for the pilot program.
Go to CleanEnergyWorksPortland.org and fill out the short application to see if you and your home qualify for the pilot.
2. Receive an in-depth home energy assessment.
You will be paired with a certified Building Performance Institute contractor and an Energy Advocate, who will be with you every step of the way to answer questions, explain the recommended measures and financing options and help you through the installation process.
3. Install energy-saving improvements with qualified contractors.
Once you decide which improvements you would like (weatherization is required), the contractor assigned to you will perform the work.
4. Repay through your heating utility bill.
Thanks to federal stimulus funding, you will pay no upfront costs. The cost of the energy-efficient improvements will be financed through a low-cost, long-term loan that you can repay on your monthly heating bill.  To date, participants have financed between $4,000 and $20,000 worth of energy upgrades to their home.  The average loan amount is $11,000.
APPLY HERE!
 
 

Abundant Harvest, Abundant Thanks!

• an amazing wealth of local farmers
• the inspired co-ops, like  People’s, Food Front, and the Alberta Co-op
• the farmers markets to create wonderful meeting places to mingle with my neighbors and buy ultra fresh produce
• the ever-expanding map of bike lanes and dedicated paths for cycling
• the Urban Growth Boundary
• the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
• the local “guild” of permaculturists, an informal association of people who have inspired me and continually teach me so much
• Fresh, clean  water of Bull Run Watershed (Ironic timing for this post)
• the Willamette and Columbia Rivers and the various creeks that feed into them
• our proximity to mountains and ocean–the undeniable beauty that lures so many to the great Northwest

These aren’t listed in any particular order, and it could go on to touch on other parts of life here in Portland, but this is a good start. It’s a good reminder of some of the wonderful things that contribute to Portland as an amazing place to call home–all resources I am happy to share with clients and people relocating to Portland. It’s an easy town to brag about. This is just scratching the surface of what I love here.