Nestled right in the heart of Arbor Lodge in North Portland is this nice family home on a double lot on N. Atlantic. Three bedrooms (two up, one on the main), an updated upstairs bathroom (one of three in the house), and a sizable kitchen nook that here acts as a mini playschool for the kids. The real attraction to this listing though is the additional lot on the corner that comes with the house. It's currently fenced as a side yard and you can imagine the kids love having so much space to run around in. Of course though, it'll also attract the developers who'll see a buck to be made on such an attractive piece of land. It is dividable according to the listing agent but you'll need to verify that with the City. Priced at $470,000



Over I5 to NE 21st and NE Alberta, I found this restored craftsmen that came on the market last week. There is splendid woodwork throughout, from the box beam ceilings to the built-ins to the pocket doors. Despite the number of doorways that dissect the room, the kitchen remodel makes it the focal point of the house. It's very well done. Out back there's a nice little yard with a built-in BBQ and a patio with a water feature. Oddly the upstairs bathroom appears to be the only room that has been left largely untouched, which is strange when you consider the amount of work that has gone into the rest of the house. At $539,000 the price may be a tad ambitious for the street. There has clearly been some significant work done on a lot of the neighboring houses but there are still some eyesores that need to be contended with. Great location though in a part of town that is continuing to rapidly change for the better.



Moving down to Alameda, I popped over to see this bungalow on NE 29th in between NE Klickitat and NE Sisikiyou. The lovely open floor plan welcomes you as soon as you walk through the door and with a roaring fire in the living room, treats on the dining room table and some mulled wine simmering in the kitchen, this would be an inviting place to walk into on a cold night. But enough with the Dickensian daydreaming, there are two bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs and another one of each tucked away off the living room. The basement is not much to write home about but all in all it's a good solid mid-priced house on a great street in Alameda. Priced at $519,900.




Just one house on the westside that caught my eye, this daylight ranch in Raleigh Park. It's a deceptive house because from the outside it looks fairly run of the mill but step inside and you have a fantastic atomic ranch. This is a true labor of love by the owners, one of whom is a carpenter, who took ten months off to create their dream home. More often than not when you walk into these houses they retain fifty percent of their original charm and the remainder is dressed up by the owners, and the effect more often than not leaves you wanting. Well not here. Nothing has been left untouched and the bridge between 1951 and 2009 is seamless. Once again the kitchen is the centerpiece for me, though the rest of the house is breathing down my neck for attention. Simple white subway tile (concrete) counter to ceiling, dual sinks and hand crafted cabinetry made from recycled fir. The dining room has a rich warmth from the lyptus-paneled walls. Three bedrooms up and one down. An absolute peach at $575,000.



Pick of the Week: Oh I have more space to talk about the Atomic Ranch? Did I mention the downstairs office with the shoji-style pocket doors or the two brand new decks off the back of the house, or the floor-to-ceiling Roman brick fireplace in living room? Can you tell I like this one?