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Bungalow w/ ADU = CoHousing | $289,000

“LIVE SMALL AND SHARE” should be this year’s motto. Accessory dwelling units are all the rage and becoming more common in the homes I tour. They are a smart way to reduce our footprint on the earth, share resources with our friends and family, and help us reduce our costs as well.

This mysterious Concordia bungalow has a lot more going for it than even the quaint curb appeal could reveal. Behind the quintessential 1920’s craftsman home, you’ll find the most appealing reborn garage around – a sunny, south-facing ADU (accessory dwelling unit) complete with french doors that open to an amazing yard, a utilitarian kitchen, swanky bathroom, built in bookshelves, and a spiral staircase to a sleeping loft big enough for a queen sized bed, dresser, closet, and more.

The main home is homey only in all the good ways. I wanted to linger around there in the open living and formal dining area and large kitchen. Downstairs you’ll find ample bonus space for whatever craft or leisure activity you imagine. Listed with Ryann Blair of Prudential NW Properties, I’d love to walk through this one again with someone interested in an income property or sharing space with a friend or relative – so call me today for a showing. Amber 503-804-1261

More info:

Outdoor Shower

BBQ/Fire Pit

Raised Garden Beds

2bd/2bath

ML#10053048 | 1800+SF | $289,000

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Posted June 29th, 2010 in Blog, Featured, Green Listings | Comments Off

K-Four Court Condos

Located right in the hub of Killingsworth, Alberta, and Concordia neighborhoods, these modern courtyard style condos showcase a unique stucco and cedar exterior and were built using Insulated Structural Panels (ISP). Units feature a deck and a patio, high efficiency heating and cooling, soaking tub, and eco roof. Listed with Eric Hagstette of Meadows Group.

Only three units left - call me for a private showing. Amber 503.804.1261

1,036-1,415 sf | $$279,900 – $339,900

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Posted June 25th, 2010 in Blog, Green Listings | Comments Off

Woolsey Corner

Coming Winter 2010!

Healthy, income qualified homes with tons of environmentally friendly features. There are eight units, with either 2 or 3 bedrooms, ranging from $120,000 – $155,000. They won’t last long so follow the link to learn more and find out if your family qualifies for these attractive homes.

http://www.proudground.org/homes/woolsey-corner/

Posted June 10th, 2010 in Blog, Green Listings | Comments Off

Eastmoreland | $289,000

The current owners of this home added 21st century upgrades such as on demand hot water and in-floor radiant heat. I like this adorable Eastmoreland bunglow because it’s already an appropriate size for most singles, couples, or even small families, and it’s close enough to downtown and the Springwater Corridor to bike nearly anywhere in Portland. The yard and garden with native/edible plantings are a bonus, as are the updated non-toxic finishes. Green and Cute!

3704 SE Tenino | 1,552 sf | ML#10030587

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Posted May 26th, 2010 in Blog, Green Listings | Comments Off

Solarize SW

Solarize Southwest, a volunteer-driven, community-based volume purchasing project for solar electric panels operated by Portland’s Southwest Neighborhoods, Inc (SWNI), is now taking signups. Supported by the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability and Energy Trust of Oregon, the project is designed to simplify the process of going solar as well as bring significant cost reductions through volume purchasing. Solarize Southwest will make it easy for Southwest Portland neighbors to go solar. (ONLY 4 DAYS LEFT TO SIGN UP!!!)

Enroll for the group purchase program or free technical solar workshop at www.solarizesouthwestportland.org.

Posted May 11th, 2010 in Blog | Comments Off

Kerby Street | $449,900 – SOLD

I posted about the new Reworks projects in Sellwood not long ago, but was even more excited to see one of their original Kerby Street Homes come up for sale this week. You might remember these from the B.I.G Tour in 2006. This is where I first fell in love with the loft style mixed with sustainable elements. Being a real estate broker means I get to see a lot of homes that I like, but I don’t often find something I love through and through, regardless of price point. These are worthy of love. Clean, modern, industrial-elegant, eco-chic, warm, cool, open, private – simply put: balanced.

The lighting - both natural and architecturally implemented, is perfect. The use of open space is balanced by the separation of the different levels. The smart pantry, the cool roll-up garage door for Portland’s perfect summer days and nights, and the extra window in the kitchen that brings in more of the outdoors all makes this home feel special. The downstairs might seem simply utilitarian at first glance, with attached garage, bedroom and bath, but the slightly curved hallway and beautiful finishes, causes one to give it a second look.

Three bedrooms, two baths, close to Alberta Arts, Mississippi District, and freeway access. Green features are too many to list, but include zonal radiant floor heat, HRV (heat recovery ventilator), rainwater catchment system, solar hot water, prepped for solar PV, pervious driveway pavers, low/no VOC finishes, and so forth.

These don’t come up for sale often, so seize the opportunity and call me to see these in person – so worth it! -Amber- 503-804-1261

4917 N KERBY AVE | 1,872 sf | ML#10037199

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Posted May 5th, 2010 in Blog, Featured, Green Listings | Comments Off

Beyond 2020 UnConference

All content at an unconference is participant-driven: You decide, at the beginning of the event, what sessions will be held around the theme (“Collaboration for Sustainable Business”).

There is no agenda until you make one!

After settling into the space, all participants gather at the opening agenda-setting session. Those who wish to facilitate an unconference session come forward and post their session on a blank grid, in their preferred time slot and location.

Once the unconference agenda is set, participants disperse to sessions according to their interests. After the sessions, everyone gathers again to debrief and pledge follow up actions.

* Time: Thursday, May 6th, 2010, 5-8 PM
* Location: KEEN, 926 NW 13th Ave. #210, Portland, Oregon
* Theme: “Collaboration for Sustainable Business”
* Registration: $20 early-bird (until April 22nd, 2010), $25 regular, $30 at the door
* Sponsored by Rose City Mortgage Specialists, Semiosis Communications, KEEN, andCreate The Good Life
* More: PortlandBeyond2020.com

Posted April 27th, 2010 in Blog | Comments Off

High Performance Walls and Roofs

Building High Performance Walls & Roofs Presented by Earth Advantage Institute

May 18, 2010 – Time: 9am-3pm

The concepts behind high performance wall and roof assembly and construction are now within the reach of all builders and remodelers. This interactive course focuses on bringing building shells to the Oregon Department of Energy’s (ODOE) High Performance Home™ standard, and includes an overview of the tax credits that are available to home builders through ODOE. The instructor provides demonstrations of two of the most common and successful high performance wall assemblies: continuous exterior insulation and staggered stud framing. Participants learn principles that can be applied to existing homes and new construction projects, including durable wall design, product selection, staging, construction and pricing.

Continuing Education Credits Available

Location: Earth Advantage Institute

16280 SW Upper Boones Ferry Rd., Portland, OR 97224

Contact education@earthadvantage.org or call (503) 968-7160 x10 with questions. Or go to earthadvantage.org for more information.

Posted April 27th, 2010 in Blog | Comments Off

Sabin Green Co-Op Tour

Sabin Green is one of Portland’s smallest housing co-ops. The developer and project manager, Eli Spevak, has become known for creating smaller-scale shared communities and works to try keeping the costs down, and the benefits high.

We received our tour from resident David Sweet, who shared with us the history, attributes, and myriad benefits of their co-habitat. The community of four homes was built around the original 100-year old house. Two of the homes are under 600 square feet, making them truly green, and relatively affordable. Also on the property is a light straw bale structure, or “tea house”, that is used mainly for private phone calls or housing an overnight guest. The grounds boast multiple garden areas, triple-stage compost bins, covered bike parking, a rain barrel, and both honey bees and mason bees. They also share a chicken with a next door neighbor, taking turns each week to care for the hen and distribute the freshly laid eggs. In order to keep living costs even lower, residents take advantage of food they produce within two plots at the community gardens just a block away.

The inside tour of David’s naturally warm home included gorgeous FSC wood flooring with radiant heat, reused framing lumber used as support beams, south-facing clerestory windows with seasonal vines to block out excessive summertime heat, and a very tidy basement for shared storage and home maintenance projects. This house also gets two-thirds of its electricity from roof-top photo-voltaic solar panels.

Sabin Green residents share dinner every Monday night, with each resident taking their turn every 7 weeks making a meal so that others have a night off from cooking. As if that’s not enough, they share a newspaper subscription and wireless internet connection as well. Aside from the list of attributes and benefits, what really makes this such a beautiful place to visit is the sense of a community bonded together by a shared vision of living lighter, and working as a team to lead healthier and more simple lives.

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