The current sellers have made significant improvements to add to the quality of the home:

• The 2 full bathrooms have been delightfully updated
• The kitchen boasts granite counter tops
• The previously wild backyard has been newly landscaped, giving it beauty, variety and focus
• A sweet retreat space was created out in the garden with a charming new stone patio complete with beckoning bench
• Off in the corner of the fenced backyard is an attractive and handy storage shed
• A partially covered deck off the family room provides a wonderful outdoor space, fine for entertaining

5506 SE Steele Street, Portland OR

Additional stats:

• 1 car attached garage, newer appliances that will accompany the home purchase
• 3 year old roof, newer gas furnace
• Updated electrical and plumbing

The inside scoop from the sellers is that the neighbors have been as friendly and helpful as can be.  Isn’t that comforting to know ahead of time?!

View Map

Many of Woodstock’s restaurants and shops line Woodstock Boulevard, about 8 blocks to the South, but there’s a popular restaurant just down the street at 5222 SE 52^nd St. called Toast that deserves mention.  The sellers report that it’s especially hopping on weekends, mornings into the afternoons.  I recently brunched there on a late Sunday morning.  My ½  hour wait for a table was well worth it, the food being scrumptious.  I would order again the “No Meat for You Omlette” that was brimming with fresh fall vegetables and herbed ricotta cheese, accompanied by potato rosti (delicious hash browns).  The coffee (local Courier Coffee Roasters) was particularly tasty.  My dining friend enjoyed “The Occasional Hedonist”: a sweet onion tart topped with 2 poached eggs and hollandaise sauce.  We were treated to 2 tiny raspberry scones upon being seated.  I’ll go again even though I know I’ll have to compete with a multitude of neighborhood fans!

Feel free to contact me if you have an interest in my listing at 5506 SE Steele St.!  Or if there is other Portland real estate that you want to see, I’m available for showings!  I happily represent both sellers and buyers.

Northwest Heights Real Estate

Portland Realtors, like myself,  love to preview homes, and Northwest Heights is among my favorite areas to look at homes.  They are big, beautiful and expensive, at  $533,300 on average. With a population density of 5 people per acre, you will have one of the most private homes in the city.  After doing an MLS Search I found a $1.6 million dollar home for sale there, the highest priced home right now in that area, that has a breathtaking view and over 6 thousand feet of living space!   The median age of owners is 42 and the percent of home ownership is 83.  It is also the safest neighborhood in Portland with zero violent crimes, 2 burglaries and 0 car thefts.  Even for a relatively small neighborhood there are still 275 acres of park that will help keep the neighborhood green and not overdeveloped.

Parks and Recreation

• Forest Heights Park
• Forest Park

Schools

• Forest Park Elementary
• West Sylvan Middle
• Lincoln High
• Portland Public Schools District Map

Because school district boundaries do not necessarily correspond to neighborhood boundaries, verify which school your child will attend by clicking here and entering your address or prospective address.

Statistics

• Click Here to view demographics, property tax information and more for Northwest Heights.
• Click Here to compare Northwest Heights to other Portland neighborhoods.
• Click Here to view crime statistics for Northwest Heights.

Located high in the West Hills, Forest Park is named, obviously enough, for Forest Park, which extends northward from the neighborhood for miles. With hiking trails aplenty, a true feeling of natural serenity and proximity to amenities, Forest Park is a great choice for the nature-lover who doesn’t want to be too isolated.

Forest Park Real Estate

Forest park real estate comes in fourth among Portland’s most expensive neighborhoods behind Southwest Hills, Hillside and Arlington Heights with an average home price of $628,900 .  The 5 year price gain was 12% which is very good, considering that most home prices fell in the housing slump.  44 is the average age of ownership and 81% of the homes are owner occupied.   Forest Park came in #2 our of 100 neighborhoods in Portland on walkscore.com for the best walking areas.

Parks and Recreation

• Forest Park

Schools

• Skyline Elementary School
• West Sylvan Middle
• Lincoln High
• Portland Public Schools District Map

Because school district boundaries do not necessarily correspond to neighborhood boundaries, verify which school your child will attend by clicking here and entering your address or prospective address.

Statistics

• Click Here to view demographics, property tax information and more for Forest Park.
• Click Here to compare Forest Park to other Portland neighborhoods.
• Click Here to view crime statistics for Forest Park.

As the neighborhood’s name suggests, Arlington Heights is perched 1000 feet above the city on a beautiful ridge and boasts excellent views of Downtown, the Eastside and the Cascades. It’s also home to the International Rose Test Garden because of it’s perfect climate for roses. There are over 700 breeds of roses, giving Portland its nickname, “the City Of Roses”.

The community’s quiet, winding streets are picture-perfect and only a short walk from the plethora of entertainment, dining and shopping opportunities of Northwest and Downtown. When you’re done with a day’s work or a day’s fun down the hill, you can retire to the cozy serenity of your hillside home. If you’re looking for a sophisticated neighborhood with all possible amenities, Arlington Heights is the place.

Arlington Heights Real Estate

Arlington Heights boasts some of the most expensive real estate in Portland (behind Southwest Hills and Hillside) with an average home price of $669,700. Even though Portland real estate values have seen a decline  in the last 5 years, Arlington Heights has produced a 5% increase in value.

Parks and Recreation

• Hoyt Arboretum
• Japanese Garden
• Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial
• Washington Park
• Washington Park – International Rose Test Garden

Area Statistics

• Click Here to view demographics, property tax information and more for Arlington Heights.
• Click Here to compare Arlington Heights to other Portland neighborhoods.
• Click Here to view crime statistics for Arlington Heights.

School Info

• Ainsworth Elementary
• West Sylvan Middle
• Lincoln High
• Portland Public Schools District Map

Because school district boundaries do not necessarily correspond to neighborhood boundaries, verify which school your child will attend by clicking here and entering your address or prospective address.

Hillside is a genteel retreat high above a sophisticated city, while it’s breathtaking, unobstructed views of the Willamette and the Cascades and proximity to Forest Park (which boasts 5,170 acres) remind you of the wild, rugged nature of the city’s surroundings. If you want both nature and culture, Hillside is an excellent choice. The neighborhood consists of narrow streets and older homes with well manicured lawns shaded by old-growth trees, and an 8 minute commute to downtown. It is also home to one of the most famous pieces of Portland real estate, The Pittock Mansion, which is a 22 room estate that sits on 46 acres and is open to the public for guided tours. I’ve toured it a couple times and highly recommend it.

The parks surrounding the Hillside neighborhood range from intimate to wilderness, and the proximity to unparalleled shopping and dining opportunities make Hillside a truly prime location. The neighborhood’s winding streets keep traffic to a minimum and the Hillside Community Center, designed by Pietro Belluschi, is a neighborhood gathering place, with plenty of room for kids to play soccer and basketball. A short drive, walk or bike ride lands you in Northwest Portland and the Pearl, where restaurants, bars and shops ranging from the comfy to the posh await.

Hillside Real Estate

With its grand houses and spectacular views, Hillside ranks second (behind Southwest Hills) among Portland’s most expensive real estate with an average home price of $671,700.

Parks and Recreation

• Adams Community Garden
• Adams Property
• Hillside Community Center
• Hillside Park
• Pittock Mansion

Schools

• Chapman Elementary
• West Sylvan Middle
• Lincoln High
• Portland Public Schools District Map

Because school district boundaries do not necessarily correspond to neighborhood boundaries, verify which school your child will attend by clicking here and entering your address or prospective address.

Statistics

• Click Here to view demographics, property tax information and more for Hillside.
• Click Here to compare Hillside to other Portland neighborhoods.
• Click Here to view crime statistics for Hillside.

The history of the Southwest Hills is one of the more interesting and extreme of all of Portland’s neighborhoods. Being a naturally hilly area, in the 1800′s it was virtually impossible to travel to because of the muddy roads. The Portland Cable Railway gave access to the area in 1892. The train service originated in downtown Portland on 5th and Jefferson, and traveled to Canyon Road. It then went from Canyon to approximately Kingston Avenue, then to somewhere around about Fairview Boulevard. The construction of the Vista bridge led to dramatically increased access. By the 1930′s, the combination of amazing views and proximity to downtown caused the real estate values to jump from hundreds of dollars an acre up to several thousand.  That trend has continued over the decades, which is why the Southwest Hills real estate values remain at the top among Portland neighborhoods.

The neighborhood is also home to one of the City of Roses’ most popular destinations, Council Crest Park which is thought to be the highest point in Portland at 1,073 feet above sea level. The area was originally known as Talbot’s Mountain, after its pioneer settlers. Gone are the cable cars that carried visitors to this scenic vista, but the wonderful views remain and the park is a great place to laze in the grass and watch the sun set. Downtown and Northwest Portland are easily accessible via Barnes Rd. and forest trails are only footsteps away in Washington Park.

• Council Crest Park
• Governors Park
• Marquam Nature Park
• Norris House & Property
• Portland Heights Park
• Washington Park
• Washington Park – International Rose Garden

• Ainsworth Elementary
• Gray Middle
• Lincoln High
• Portland Public Schools District Map

Because school district boundaries do not necessarily correspond to neighborhood boundaries, verify which school your child will attend by clicking here and entering your address or prospective address.

• Click Here to view demographics, property tax information and more for Southwest Hills.
• Click Here to compare Southwest Hills to other Portland neighborhoods.
• Click Here to view crime statistics for Southwest Hills.

According to Parents Magazine, Portland is among the Top 5 cities for having babies.

Ranking the cities in safety, health & money, to name a few, to determine which of the nations 100 largest cities are best for babies. Portland is the only northwest city represented in the Top 10.  Besides Portland, only one other other top 10 city received an A-rating in baby health, and the article contributes the high marks to the number of moms who breast feed.

To see the entire list of the 10 Best Cities for Babies, click here.

Reading the post made me think of why my wife and I moved up here.  We wanted to start a family, and Portland is a great place for that.  At the time, we did not know how important breast feeding would be, we were more focused on safety and the affordability of the area. But really, this article just gives me another excuse to post pictures of my little one when she was a baby.

Click here for more information on Portland Real Estate!

Rich Peralta is a real estate professional in the Greater Portland area.

Alberta Community Cycling Center

Though not technically a neighborhood on its own,  the Alberta Arts District , located in NE Portland, is known for its funky, artsy feel and colorful, lively vibe.  Based around a 20-block stretch of Alberta Street, the neighborhood is home to some of Portland’s most unique local businesses, artists and restaurants.  Homes in the area reflect Portland’s historic tendency toward craftsman-styled architecture, many of which have been tastefully upgraded over the past few years, creating a cozy, comfortable hybrid of old and new, and a neighborhood feel that welcomes newcomers and entices them into calling it “home”.

One of Alberta’s main claims to fame is its monthly “Last Thursday” street fair, where local artists, musicians and restaurateurs invite the public into their shops to sample wines and foods and check out the scene. The street fair is outside during the Spring and Summer, and inside During Fall and Winter.

Alberta has all kinds of interesting shops, bars and restaurants. Click here for a list of the most popular spots, via Yelp.com

For a better look at some of the coolest stuff that Alberta has to offer, check out these pics I took. Click the thumbnails for full-sized version.

Here are a few fun facts about the Irvington neighborhood: