Susan Marthens

Principal
Real Estate Broker
CRS  GRI

Phone
(503) 497-2984

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Custom "Oregon Trail" plate - the last "Trail" plate was issued in 2001.

Oregon standard "tree" plate that has been issued since 1989.

This blue-on-yellow baseplate was introduced in 1975 and was issued through 1987 - you still see the plate on a few Oregon vehicles today.

Custom salmon plate.  The extra proceeds from sales are used for the following: Litter Patrol Fund, Governors' Watershed Enhancement Board, and State parks.

1947 Oregon plate.

Custom Crater Lake National Park Centennial plate - released in 2002.  The extra proceeds are distiributed to the Litter Patrol Fund and National Park Foundation.


Susan's Online Guide to Portland

Let me Help You Find a Home and a Neighborhood

Welcome to my Web site about the Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area.  It's my way of helping you become acquainted with the neighborhoods and communities of the Portland metro area and to inform you about the Portland area housing market. Your comments and suggestions about my Web site are always welcome.

If you have questions or if you are interested in buying or selling a home in the Portland area, contact me online or call me at (503) 497-2984.

Susan Marthens
Principal Real Estate Broker/CRS GRI


Community News

Birds may influence Willamette River bridge design   July 3 − When the Oresund Bridge opened in 2000, it had one of the longest cable-stayed main spans in the world and a problem: Dead and dying birds were being found along the deck of the bridge, which connects Denmark to Sweden. A 2001 study by Lund University in Sweden determined that the bridge’s cable-stayed design is particularly dangerous for migratory species flying at night. Now that TriMet has chosen a cable-stayed design for its Willamette River bridge, a TriMet official and the bridge’s architect say they want to avoid harming the many bird species that migrate along the Willamette. A cable-stayed bridge includes one or more towers with cables supporting the bridge deck.  Read the full story...

Author Arianne Cohen walks tall, very tall, in Portland and loves it   July 3 − Arianne Cohen rode the bus to downtown Portland and her knees bumped into the seat in front of her. She got off on Southwest 5th Avenue and didn't walk more than a few blocks before a stranger commented on her height. "He said 'dude, you're really tall,'" Cohen said, rolling her eyes in a what-can-you-expect look. "I get stuff like that every day. Multiple times per day." Cohen is 6-foot-3 and outgoing. The two traits are related; she said she developed a big personality to match her size because it was what people expected of her.  Read the full story...

FREDERICK JOE/THE OREGONIANPortland's neighborhoods associations flex their muscles   July 2 − When plans were pitched for a new Triple-A baseball stadium in Lents, a quintet of neighborhood associations — Lents, Foster-Powell, Mt. Scott-Arleta, Powellhurst-Gilbert and Pleasant Valley — made their concerns heard. Among the objections: a proposal to finance the stadium with urban renewal money typically steered toward neighborhood improvements. Portland Beavers owner Merritt Paulson cited that vehement opposition when he abandoned plans last month to build the stadium in Lents Park. "That squeaky wheel does make a difference," said Mary Walker, a Powellhurst-Gilbert representative.  Read the full story...

Hollywood: Photographer delights in theater's odd details   July 2 − At the Hollywood Theatre, it's sometimes difficult to see the trees for the forest. Or, rather, it's difficult to see the bare-breasted mermaids for the busyness of the theater's ornate, terra-cotta facade that towers over the eponymous community. But look carefully and you'll see all kinds of oddities above the marquee: a bat perched atop a man's head, lyre-strumming angels and, of course, the half-naked mermaids. "It is the often unnoticed detail that delights me," says Portland photographer Don Jacobson, whose photos of the theater's facade are on display and for sale inside the theater's lobby.  Read the full story...

L.E. BASKOW/PORTLAND TRIBUNERiver plan draw groans   July 2 − Mayor Sam Adams is trying to soften opposition to an ambitious plan for the Willamette River north of the Broadway Bridge before it comes before the City Council later this year. The plan calls for rezoning and reregulating portions of the land along the river, and raising funds for infrastructure projects and other public improvements in the area. It was approved by the Portland Planning Commission on June 23 to enhance the natural, residential and industrial areas from downtown to the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. Read the full story...

Oregon Legislators give fish hatchery deal a second look   July 2 − As a longtime owner and former CEO of a Gulf Coast casino, Bernie Burkholder knows well the old maxim of the gambling business: The house always wins. But last year, when after three years of negotiation the state of Oregon turned thumbs down on a $14 million deal to buy Burkholder's eastern Oregon ranch and trout hatchery, he didn't walk away and cut his losses. Instead, he put more chips on the table, hiring a prominent lobbyist and going to the Legislature to keep the deal alive.  Read the full story...

Guide to Summer Time Fun − Concerts in the parks, noon time entertainment at Pioneer Square, and Shakespeare.

  • Children's Family Adventures  Here are ten activities for families with young ones.

  • Movies in the Park  Movies begin at dark. Pre-movie entertainment begins at 6:30 PM so bring a picnic and enjoy!

  • Pioneer Square  Concerts and other events (usually at noon) in downtown Portland.

  • Shakespeare in the Park  As they do every summer, the Portland Actors Ensemble (PAE) will bring the works of Shakespeare to life in our parks.

  • Summer Neighborhood Concerts  The Portland Parks Department has concerts just about every evening in the summer at a park.  You will want to attend at least one of the Washington Park concerts (August 2-15) at the International Rose Garden.

  • Waterfront Blues Festival  July 2-5.  In conjunction with the Blues Festival, Bite of Oregon will offer food from some of Portland's best restaurants and wine from over 20 wineries across the state.


House and Home

Housing price slide into 16th month   July 1 − Portland's home prices continued to hit new record declines in April as they fell 16 percent compared to April 2008, according to a report published today. Portland ranked among the nation's three healthiest markets in early 2008, but April's figures from the Standard & Poor's Case-Shiller Index show that foreclosures and job losses continue to push prices down in the region. The Portland region has set record price declines for 16 straight months and the declines have grown deeper each month since January 2008. Since the July 2007 peak, Portland-area prices have fallen 21 percent. Portland's prices have fallen back to June 2005 levels, according to the index. Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, New York and Seattle also posted record year-over-year declines in April.  Read the full story...

English Tudor designed by Roscoe Hemenway − English Tudor in coveted Arlington Height, adjacent to Rose and Japanese gardens, Washington Park, Oregon Zoo, downtown. Gallery off living room and dining room overlooks English garden and treed vista. Kitchen has 7x12 nook with bay window. The home has three bedrooms - all on the same floor.  There are two full bathrooms and a partial bathroom.  The family room has bookcases and fireplace. Pre-inspected, new sewer line, new 90% efficient gas furnace. Well maintained home waiting to welcome you.  To view more photos, click here.  To view call 503-497-2984.


Living Green

Model energy-saving plan OK’d   July 2 − A pilot program enabling Portlanders to reduce home energy usage with no out-of-pocket costs kicks off next week, just after the Oregon Legislature provided $10 million to take the program statewide. The project, dubbed Clean Energy Works: Portland, is viewed as a state and national pilot test to counter global warming by cutting home and business energy consumption. The plan’s key innovation is granting homeowners a low-cost loan that’s paid back over several years via utility bills. Homeowners can use loan proceeds to install insulation, weatherization, windows, heating and cooling systems, renewable energy systems or other energy-saving improvements. Loan payments, it’s hoped, will be offset by reductions in electricity and gas costs due to lower usage. Read the full story...


Sports and Outdoors

Secret sea cave   July 2 − Surf rumbles through sea caves in the three monumental Sisters Rocks, the largest of a cluster of islands between two scenic, rarely visited beaches. This new state park on the Southern Oregon coast between Port Orford and Gold Beach was funded by Oregon Lottery money. Years ago, Oregon voters passed an initiative to dedicate a portion of lottery funds to salmon and parks. At first, legislators undercut that measure by reducing the state park budget to match the new lottery income. More recently, however, funds have been flowing for state parks after all. If you drive Highway 101 past Sisters Rocks, you probably won’t notice this park. There is a small state park sign, but it doesn’t mention a name. The park itself is undeveloped. Still, this part of the coast has a long history. Sisters Rocks served as a natural breakwater for the city of Frankport, founded on the beach here in the 1850s, when gold miners from California discovered gold flakes in the black sands of Southern Oregon beaches.  Read the full story...


Portland Blogs and Web Sites

  • Burnsider  Stories and pictures from the Burnside Bridge, Portland, Oregon.  The e bloggers live near the bridge and walk across it as part of their commute every day.

  • Documented Life  Planet Earth as seen from Portland Oregon.

  • Community & Parents for Public Schools in Portland  They seek to redefine parent and community involvement in Portland Public Schools.

  • Discovering Portland  Two women flee California for Oregon to ask if Portland is the city they've dreamed of.

  • Ever Day is a Miracle  A blog about families, kids, politics and current events, travel, books, and living in Portland.

  • Good Stuff NW  Kab is a  writer and designer who loves living in Oregon with its combination of urban style and down-home friendliness.  Lots of recipes on Kab's blog.

  • Home Ownership  A blog about the "Neighborhood Housing Program" sponsored by the Portland Development Commission.

  • Kids in Portland   This site provides a resource for parents to come together and find out all of the attractions, restaurants, activities, ideas, issues, art, music, for kids in the area.

  • Oregon Fly Fishing  Fishing reports, conservation news, fishing advice, and hot fly patterns.

  • The Oregonian Neighborhoods  Covers Portland metro area neighborhoods and communities.

  • Pat's Blog  Whatever ticks Pat off or tickles his fancy: politics, news and society, music, movies, books, cooking, autism, and anything else bright and shiny in the world of ideas. And Pat does it with humor.

  • Portland Architecture  If you're interested in buildings, this is the site to visit.  RSS feed and newsletter.

  • Portland Blogsogs  A complete list of all the bloggers who call Portland home.

  • Portland Dog Blog  For people who exercise their dog at Portland parks.

  • Portland Housing Blog  Real estate and economic discussions.

  • Portland Metblogs  Written from the perspective of people who live, work, and play here every day.

  • SheSue Experience  Shelley blogs about events, restaurants, attractions, outdoor activities, curiosities and more. e.

  • Upper Left Coast  Thoughts on politics, faith, sports and other random topics from a red state sympathizer in indigo-blue Portland, Oregon.

  • Walking in Portland  This blogger walks around Portland with his wife and dogs taking photos and making notes about living in Portland.

  • inPortland  A magazine, published every Thursday, has stories about neighborhoods and communities.

  • Portland Tribune  Published on Thursday, one of the Tribune's strength is their neighborhood news.

  • Oregon Newspapers  Links to over 100 newspapers in Oregon. This includes community weekly papers check out the stories in smaller towns like Astoria and Pendleton.



(866) 368-7878

Susan Marthens
Principal Real Estate Broker
CRS, GRI

(503) 497-2984
Fax (503) 220-1131


6443 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway
Suite 100, Portland, Oregon 97221
(503) 297-1033


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