Lee helped another family recently relocate to Corvallis!
Read on to hear their success in finding just the right home!
How did you meet Lee?
Lee was highly recommended at the time by a prospective employer. We were asked if we wanted to be connected to a local Realtor. The search, interview, and vetting process at this particular office was one that took almost a year from the actual hire date. On the first of many face to face interviews, Lee had set up a tour of Corvallis for us. This was about 8 months before actually moving here and with no guarantee of landing the job. When we got to our hotel we had a welcome basket that Lee had left us and on our last day after all the interviews were finished Lee took us around the town and neighboring areas. He gave us great information on the city, schools, community, Oregon itself, and information relating to the housing market in the area. I was rather impressed that he knew so much and so many people related to Corvallis and that he was probably doing all of this on his own time.
What were you most excited about when buying your home?
We were looking forward to a great job and moving out of the big city to a small town in Oregon. It was a great opportunity to imagine our kids growing up here and choosing a neighborhood and home with lots of play space.
What lessons have you learned from this process?
The housing in Corvallis is unique. Not only is there a certain time to sell and buy but the homes are all special in their own way. I found that is was actually pretty challenging to really find what you want.
What advice would you give to a friend who was buying a home, having recently gone through the process yourself?
If you have the time, patience is always good. Take into account what your plans for the future include e.g., kids, grandparents, living at the home for more than 15-20 years or less than 5. Also in this case, use Lee; not only is he the best Realtor but when your roof starts to leak or it's time for a remodel, he has a plethora of resources. It could be someone at the city related to permits, a builder, landscape guy, or if you want to become involved with the community, he knows how to connect you.
What were some of your needs when buying?
At the time, we had a newborn and preschooler, so schools were important. Most of Corvallis is kid friendly but everyone has their interpretation of what makes a good neighborhood for their kids. At the age our kids were, we needed to have a place that was pretty much move in ready and in a neighborhood with less traffic, near a park, and bike paths.
How did Lee help with these needs?
The market in Corvallis can be challenging and to add to that we were on a very tight timeline. Being out of state, I only had a few opportunities to actually see properties. When I did make it to town, Lee had a schedule that had us seeing 15+ houses in just a day and a half. When I was back home Lee was sending e-mails, text messages, pictures, videos, and basically any media he could get his hands on to help. He went as far as walking through a house with a video camera strapped to his head for us. He was running all over the city for information related to permits and property boundaries. When it came time to put offers in, because of our situation everything was done remotely. As my current position did not allow me to take off any more time, Lee handled all the aspects of closing. Getting the house in order, there was some HVAC work that was in question with the previous service company that he took care off. He also took care of inspections, walk through, and even locked the place up and held the keys until we were finally able to get into town. Lee did so much for us and still does.
What do you and your family do for fun?
A few of the reasons for moving to Oregon was to have a slower, more community based life, breathe clean air and enjoy the outdoors more. So far Corvallis does not disappoint. One last point, as I said Lee is well connected so by the time I arrived, I had a network of outdoor people waiting for me to join them!
Thank you, Lee, Jenny, and Jessi!
Sincerely,
Brandon
