The 3 A.M. Lightbulb Moment That Helped Sell the House

Not all real estate wins happen during business hours. Some come at 3 a.m., when you're lying awake thinking about a fireplace.

We had a listing in Northeast Portland—an older craftsman with beautiful bones, great location, and... a staging problem. Everything looked great on paper, but something about the photos wasn’t grabbing attention. Showings were slow. The online clicks weren’t converting into appointments.

At 3 a.m. on day four of listing, it hit me: the fireplace. It was a gorgeous brick feature, but the staging hadn’t emphasized it. The furniture placement actually blocked part of it. By sunrise, we had a plan. I texted our stager, rearranged a few pieces, swapped the photos on the MLS, and re-posted the listing with a fresh spotlight on that fireplace.

By that weekend, we had three showings booked. One of them ended up writing the offer.

This is the kind of work most people never see: the micro-adjustments, the gut feelings, the sleepless nights spent thinking about paint colors, pillows, and lighting. Selling a home isn't just about pricing and paperwork—it's about telling the right story, in the right way, at the right time.

In Portland real estate, details matter. And so does having someone who will wake up thinking about your listing as if it were their own home.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling in the Portland area, we’d love to be part of your story.