Realtors are matchmakers. Thirty-two years ago when Connie started selling houses, online dating didn’t exist, but she was already matching up buyers, sellers and houses. Buying a home is very much like falling in love: There’s got to be chemistry at the front door. Some houses need a little help from her stager, landscaper and cleaners to give buyers the buzz they need to get out of the car. And some of her buyers need to be gently prodded to imagine a different kind of match for themselves.

People move for happy and not so happy reasons. They have their first baby or their last baby goes off to college. They decide to downsize, upsize, find a place to garden or have a home office. They fall crazy in love or painfully out of love. They transition their parents out of the family home. They get their dream job in another city. They buy a dog, grand piano or a kiln. Or they just get restless and want a change, but they’re not sure what they want. It’s time to go on a treasure hunt with Connie for something different. There’s nothing like a good house hunt!

Connie has sold houses of every style, age and size in all parts of the Portland metro area. She loves getting a house ready to be presented to the market. She’ll admit to torturing some of her sellers into putting away their baseball card collection, selling their old Barca lounger and calling her handyman to finish up those pesky projects. But when they see the marketing photos of their freshened up house online, they want to buy it themselves. 

There’s room for everyone in a real estate transaction to be emotional. Everyone, that is, except the realtor. Calmness, tenacity, patience, a sense of humor and experience make the difference. Knowledge of mortgage options, repair costs, remodeling possibilities, neighborhood amenities, schools and comparable sales are things buyers and sellers will need to know. 

It’s a privilege and a responsibility to be part of someone’s home purchase or sale. The reality of looking at one’s home through a buyer’s eyes and pricing it appropriately is challenging, and helping buyers make compromises and see possibilities is a learning curve. Both messages have to be delivered with respect, care and a little bit of humor.

As a native Portlander, a St. Mary’s Academy girl and a Portland State University grad, Connie has been blessed with outstanding buyers and sellers, many of whom have referred her to their friends and families. They are her dream clients, and she is their matchmaker.