Testimonials
Here is what others have said about our services:
"I am a Commercial Real Estate Broker, I will not sell residential - even my own home. Mine was a very complicated sale that had stumbling blocks that ranged from old house repairs, to complicated stucco work, to rock work to the City deciding to put in a sewer line that required an immense amount of work. Michelle put the house on the market and it was in contract in 6 days! She tirelessly worked through all the issues from helping find contractors (not easy in a hot market) to facilitating as I no longer live in Portland. I certainly hope that my clients find me as valuable as I did Michelle. I would recommend her in less than a heartbeat to anyone. Thanks again for the good job Michelle!"
~Duncan
"Michelle and her team were just amazing. They went out of their way to make this transaction run as smooth as possible. The response times were lightening fast, which is so important when trying to find a home to purchase. I highly recommend hiring Michelle Koury and her team for your real estate needs."
~David & Nicole
"Michelle has worked tirelessly, above and beyond, to get us into the house of our dreams. After having been in our first house for six years, we were slowly putting our feet in the market. We loved our home and the motivation to move was lukewarm. We wanted to see what was out there, but comfortable staying where we were. One day, out of the blue, my partner walks into a house during its realtor open house, called me from inside and said we had to have it. We called Michelle, who knew the realtor, and quickly learned it was going on the market the next day and there were already two other offers. We hadn’t even been qualified for a loan. Working with Michelle’s broker (who was amazing!) we got our papers together, working until midnight, and up and at it early the next morning. Michelle recommend an escalator clause (never heard of it before). Less than 24 hours after seeing the house, we were the new owners. Michelle worked through all the inspection issues and negotiations. Everything went smoothly. And then, months after the closing, we had some exterior paint bubbling. Michelle worked it so that the seller’s hired a painter and had the issue fixed, at no cost to us! I don’t know how she does it, she just does. We couldn’t be happier."
~ Julie & Laurie
"I have had the opportunity to work with Michelle twice. She was my realtor when I purchased my first home, then eight years later successfully sold that property! I knew when I was ready to sell my home I wanted Michelle to be my realtor again. She is an expert in her field. Telephone calls, emails or texts are returned promptly. She has all the resources and knowledge needed to get the job done quickly. I was required to have electrical work done on my home as part of the home inspection.
In 24 hrs Michelle contacted an electrician, met him at my home and the required work was completed. That is just a small example of how Michelle takes care of problems quickly and efficiently. Selling a home is stressful but Michelle was always there to encourage me and I knew I was in good hands. She definitely goes above and beyond her responsibilities as a realtor.
Thank you Michelle, you are the best!!"
~ Julie
"It took me a long time to write this testimonial because it was really difficult to put into words how hard Michelle worked to help me purchase my first home, and how much her efforts and her support mean to me. Purchasing my first home, on my own, is a dream come true. It's something I didn't think was possible for me to do myself, without my parents, without a partner. Looking for the perfect home for me was both really exciting and somewhat stressful because it was a new experience for me and I know that it's a big commitment that comes with a lot of responsibility. It could have been much more stressful for me if it wasn't for Michelle's cool demeanor. Her experience and expertise, her patience and commitment to providing excellent service to her clients made the home shopping experience enjoyable. Michelle was patient with me when I needed it and she was quick and thorough when the situation called for it, too. She provided clear and consistent communication very promptly and she explained things to me in a way that I understood them. I got to spend the holidays in my new home. I rang in the new year in my new home and I had never felt happier or luckier than I did, knowing that I made the right choice and I made it because I had someone I could trust in my corner. I had someone with the knowledge and experience it takes to make purchasing a home an experience to enjoy and to feel comfortable and at ease with. Thank you, Michelle! Thank you a million times!"
~ Leti
"In a word Michelle Koury is phenomenal! I have already recommended her to others and won't hesitate to recommend her to anyone buying or selling a home. Michelle pulled out all the stops to get my home sold. I was impressed from the very first meeting when she showed up with a comparative market analysis, marketing plan and gave a straightforward, informative summary of the current market. From pricing, prep, marketing strategies, open houses, to negotiating a counter offer, recommending contractors for repairs and wrapping up the deal Michelle was always there with the best info, great referrals, support and reassured every anxiety that popped up along the way. She is never more than a phone call, text or email away and her response times have undoubtedly set world records. When Michelle says, "I'm on it" - she is. I'm so grateful that Michelle was there every step of the way. She is knowledgeable, efficient, organized, assertive, sensitive, personable and a heckuva lot of fun. She has definitely earned my gratitude, trust, referrals and future business."
~ Kathy
"Michelle helped us navigate two transactions as buyers. The first one fell through due to seller stubbornness and was a truly odd situation that Michelle was very adept in helping us understand and work through, and I think we ended up in the right place by walking away from that home. The second transaction that was completed was more straightforward, but we wanted to push the timeline in order to close early. Michelle helped us keep track of all the moving pieces and deadlines so no balls were dropped on our end. She also kept on top of the seller to push him to complete repairs as quickly as possible so that that wouldn't delay the closing. We ended up closing more than a week earlier than the contracted closing date, which was awesome. During the initial search, I really appreciated Michelle's depth of knowledge about the Portland real estate market, current market trends, ability to look at a property and immediately see potential issues and/or possibilities for remodeling or improvements, and her incredible availability in showing properties and generating documents. Once we were under contract, I most appreciated her ability to help us fully understand where we were in the process. This was my second home purchase experience, and I felt like Michelle's approach to the closing process was night and day compared to my prior experience with a different agent. I would definitely recommend Michelle to people that are looking to buy or sell a home in the Portland area."
~Brandon
"Michelle was amazing to work with. She anticipated our needs, was sensitive to our concerns, and very well prepared and knowledgeable. Her advice and direction was invaluable, resulting in multiple offers and quick sale of our home. We were very nervous going in to the process, but Michelle's expertise and professionalism instantly put us at ease. She understood our market, was incredibly responsive and helpful, and worked hard for us. We couldn't be happier."
~Megan
"When we first moved to Portland Michelle was our agent. We bought our house with her. When it came time to sell our house she was who we contacted. Michelle gave us very accurate information on the current housing market, provided us with complete pre-sale information, managed expectations, and was very supportive and responsive during the entire process. Her final sale estimate was spot on. Michelle is a fantastic agent. I would recommend her, without hesitation, to anyone looking to buy or sell their home."
~Damian
"Michelle is so responsive an really knows her stuff. I love working with her because she has such a wide base of knowledge that really helps to cover everything that I would never think of."
~Alison
"Erich and I are absolutely thrilled with the way you handled the sale of our house. We truly appreciated your professionalism, guidance and no nonsense approach to the sale.
You treated us with respect and allowed us to make decisions but, you provided us with the essential knowledge that you have regarding the market and your vast amount of experience. Selling our house in three weeks and getting a fair and reasonable price was a great experience.
I can’t believe that anyone would use a realtor other than you if they are considering selling their home!!
We look forward to working with you again in the future either when we sell some of our rental property or if we purchase another piece of property.
Many thanks."
~Margaret and Erich
"We recently bought and sold with them and I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for an agent. We bought our new house for under asking price and sold the old house for well over! Michelle's service included staging and recommendations for the sale of my house and I can't believe how well it paid off. Michelle was always available for house showings or questions and accommodated our busy schedules. They communicated with us every step of the process. Michelle has many years of real estate experience and it certainly shows. She is professional, attentive and caring through the stressful processes of buying and selling a house. She has her finger on the pulse of the Portland market and shares her advice and gut instincts with you while also giving you autonomy to make decisions that are right for you. Thanks to Michelle I am now in the home of my dreams!"
~Erin and Ryan
"I've now purchased my third house with the help of Michelle and her team. This last one proved to be the most challenging as I was looking at a time when inventory was low and multiple offers over asking winning the day. Michelle encouraged me to keep looking even after I had to make the move to a rental...and she was right! The stars aligned and I was able to find a house in a great neighborhood. Michelle and her team were professional, encouraging, and assisted me every step of the way. I would highly recommend Michelle for anyone looking to buy or sell their house."
~ Traci
"Dear Michelle,
Thank you for all that you have done throughout the process. I especially appreciate your kindness to Beth while she is out in Portland for the closing without me. That is really above and beyond! I certainly wish I could be there but it makes me feel good to know that Beth had help from professionals like you and Dan. I look forward to the next steps in selling our condo!"
~ Charlie
"I have been reflecting on our work together. You guys have been super helpful. You really set me up for a quick move in and adjustment by asking for the appliances. That's such a great thing. Plus the plants, good ask! The offer was prefect, especially considering the appraisal!!!
On and on I could go but, long story short, thanks this is so awesome!!! You guys rock!!"
~ Adam
"I have had the sincere pleasure of working with Michelle Koury since 2009 on 3 separate transactions and in two VERY different real estate environments.
In 2009, the real estate market was crashing and I was a single mom on a tight budget, hoping to buy a home in SW Portland - my priority was a safe neighborhood with good schools. I wasn't sure it was possible. Michelle helped me with the purchase of a sweet, 2 bedroom bungalow in Maplewood, which at the time was a sleepy, quiet little corner of Portland with a wonderful elementary school that anchored the community. I was overwhelmed by the process, but with her help, she made my dream a reality. I remember the first night I moved in to my new house, alone and surrounded my boxes, I noticed that the only water coming out of the shower was scalding hot. Not knowing whom to call or how to fix it, I called Michelle in desperation- she came right over with a wrench and fixed whatever valve was set incorrectly. I was so grateful and it's an example of going above and beyond for her customers.
Michelle helped me sell that same little house in the summer of 2015 when the market was HOT and Maplewood was booming with new construction - Michelle knew the market backwards and forwards, priced my house competitively, had a killer instinct on how to get it staged just perfectly to sell... and sure enough! We were able to sell it significantly above asking in record time.
I am now married with 2 step children, and Michelle helped my husband and I buy a house in SW that is absolutely perfect for our blended family of 5 (plus one dog and a cat)! She offered expert advice every step of the way, was so responsive to our questions and needs - last minute questions and urgent requests to look at properties (so critical in this crazy real estate market) and helped make the process go smoothly from beginning to end. She was there when we surprised our 3 kids and showed them our new house for the first time! Michelle is my trusted advisor and I am so thankful for her expertise and friendship."
~ Jane
"My daughter, a Portland resident, wanted to purchase her first home in the Portland area. I was willing to help provide financial support, but living on the East Coast made it difficult for me to be in the area and to help with many important decisions. So instead, I needed to act remotely as a "virtual" support. Additionally, buying in the current hot real estate market demanded quick decision-making and action on our parts as well as that of Michelle and her team. From day one, Michelle was available to walk us through the home-buying process and she always kept me in the loop through frequent email and phone communication. Thanks to Michelle and her team, my daughter is now a proud first time home buyer and loves her new house.
Thank you Michelle!"
~ Marilyn
"We are very grateful to and appreciative of our real estate agent Michelle Koury. With her expertise she guided us through the difficult seller's market in Portland. We were able to buy a house we like very much at a very reasonable price."
~ Sandra
"I just wanted to give a big thanks to you for helping part of my families dreams come true with our new home. I just wanted you to know how very thankful I am to have been introduced to you! My family is doing great and loving the new home!!"
~ Rebecca
"Michelle was recommended to us by a friend who works in the housing industry, and we are very grateful to that friend! My husband and I were concerned about the work and effort that would be required to sell our rental and thus kept putting it off. But from our first meeting, Michelle dazzled us with her expertise and knowledge of the Portland Metro area housing market, and she made us realize we had a partner who would help us through the whole process painlessly. She presented the property perfectly and garnered us far more offers than we were expecting, and her excellent negotiation skills netted us a healthy profit and excellent terms. Michelle also made sure that our closing process was very smooth and uncomplicated. We have already recommended Michelle to our friends and will be using her for our future real estate needs, too."
~ Bruce and Kat
"In this tough market as a buyer I really needed the right person representing me and could not help but think back on my experience with Michelle from when I bought my first house in 2010. Michelle gets the job done. And is knowledgeable and fast, reliable and delivers on her promises: all the right ingredients in a true partner who can help with a house purchasing process. She made the stressful moments less stressful and offered perspective when questions came up. I’d recommend her to anyone looking to buy or sell a home and would call Michelle again myself in the future. With Michelle anyone would be in good hands."
~ Mira
"I listed my rental with Michelle and was amazed by the amount of traffic I received. The house was quirky and in a very strange location, backing up to a freeway. I felt the key was finding a unique buyer for a unique house. I was amazed by the number of showings the house had when it went on the market. I had tried to sell the house years before with different realtors. The difference was astounding. I was especially impressed with the way Michelle kept the interest going. The showings were plentiful the entire time the house was on the market. When offers did come, Michelle and her team managed and helped me coordinate multiple offers. Working with Michelle was easy and always went smoothly. Communication was good, and the process went well from beginning to end. Michelle came highly recommended and I would recommend her highly as well."
~ Chris
"Finding a home in a city that you don’t reside in is difficult. We were moving to Portland from Seattle and were faced with an overwhelming task to find the right home from a distance. Michelle Koury and her team were amazing at walking us through as many places as possible. We would arrive for a weekend and they took the time to show us everything on the market that had our criteria. Once we settled on a house, Michelle helped us navigate the gauntlet of paperwork that is required to close on a home. To us though, it felt easy. She stood by us while we sorted out the inspection details and remedies. She was readily available to answer our questions as they came up, which were many. Nearly every time, a response came back within 5 minutes or less. Michelle’s knowledge of her industry and dedication to her trade is fierce and passionate. We could tell that she
genuinely wanted us to be happy at the end of our transaction. Our home is one of our biggest investments, and we are so glad that Michelle was in our corner coaching us through this decision."
~ The Nesselbecks
"Michelle Koury is the BEST realtor. I knew it before I ever knew I wanted to buy a house...I had seen tens of my friends find the perfect house for each of them and had referred people to her before I worked with her. All of my friends had very different "must haves" and Michelle found each of them a home suited to their preferences and personalities. When I realized I should start looking, I was certain I had missed the boat; I'm a single mom with a nonprofit income, yet had a specific area of town I wanted to live with, I don't know how to fix anything, etc.
From the start, Michelle was super encouraging and optimistic. She set up a system to email houses and condos within my very specific parameters to me. When I thought I may be interested, I'd send her an email or a text. She responded so quickly 100% of the time, with up-to-date information on any offers and potential pitfalls.
She professionally and confidently navigated my first offer that ended up falling through on closing day (because the seller unsold the home) and I was so glad she was on my side. She put in countless hours to right the situation and get me on track for the next offer. I was certain that was the only home that fit my parameters.
I do believe things happen for a reason, and I would have been way over my head (now that I've put some money into my home, now know what things cost, and the upgrades I did make were somewhat optional vs. essential). I *sigh* sent her two addresses of potential homes for me a week later.
We met at the first one. It was tiny and right on a park. It was basically move-in ready and on a great street. It fed into the high school my daughter's friends will be attending. It had a very small yard, one entrance, I could go on and on. We decided not to go to the next one because it wasn't in the neighborhood or quadrant I wanted and I thanked Michelle for showing me the house (but wasn't interested). She explained that she just wanted me to see what that sized house was like, pointed out that the house was on a great block, pointed out the positives. I thanked her for taking the time to meet me, but couldn't see us in the house.
I called Michelle the next day to see if I could visit the house again, this time with some advisors (friends) and a lens of possibility. I put an offer in an hour later and blah, blah. The beautiful, sweet home is mine and is perfect for my daughter and me and our cat.
Michelle is available always, so knowledgeable about the neighborhoods and each home. She is an advocate when necessary and always realistic, yet encouraging. She is so incredibly knowledgeable about every situation and is so very rooted in her work and the area.
Michelle says she loves helping first-time home buyers find their homes, and I think my situation was pretty challenging, yet she was right there with me and as excited as I was. She knew my home was mine before I did...and I'm IN LOVE with it. When I hear of people looking to buy a home in Portland (now more than ever), I ask them if they have a Realtor they love. If they don't, I pull out my pen and give them Michelle's information. THANK YOU, MICHELLE!!"
~ Michelle
"This testimonial is long overdue!!! I met Michelle by chance in 2002 when I was looking for my first house. I never thought I'd get a house, and she led me in the right direction then thinking of resale value. That was way back then, and I finally settled down and my partner Scott and I decided it was time to get a place together.
When it came time, we met with Michelle and Scott was certain he was going to sell his house on his own. After 10 minutes with Michelle and her plans and ideas, he knew she would sell his house fast, and the right way.
Michelle helped us with the "to do" list to get Scott's house ready to sell, and it sold fast! We were cramped in my little casita working on my to do list when we found the perfect house.
Well we thought we had our lender all set, but we experienced a bait-and-switch, close to the deadline. Michelle calmly said, "It's not too late to switch lenders."
Neighbors congratulate us all the time on getting the house. A lot of people wanted it. Michelle, and her team worked it for us!
We now had a real deadline to sell my house, with a boarded up shanty across the way, within a week. We had several offers for asking price plus. We were amazed!
I could go on and on, but really, Michelle knows the ins and outs of real estate in this town!"
~ Chris
"I highly recommend Michelle!!! She was fantastic in every way. She knew what needed to be done to facilitate a quick sale, how to price it and get the word out about my property. The first day it was on the market we got an offer. For personal reasons, prior to any inspections etc., the original offer was removed. We put it back on the market and got two more offers right away. My house went pending, went through inspections and closed as projected.
If I ever need to sell another property, Michelle Koury would be tops on my list! Lastly, if you need help to design or stage your home for sale, Michelle has excellent contacts!"
~ Samantha
"Michelle has provided us with outstanding service on the buying and selling of four properties over the past year. Her professionalism and commitment to service are stellar. She genuinely cares for her clients and goes out of her way to meet their needs. She is also a joy to work with. We would highly recommend her as an agent who possesses impeccable integrity and a solid understanding of the Portland real estate market."
~ Denise & Bruce
"Michelle is such a pro. I wouldn't be in my dream home now if it wasn't for her. She made it happen with her insider knowledge and experience, it was all her. I addition to being a top-notch Realtor, she's a down to earth and all around cool woman."
~ Mel
"It's official. Mixed emotions as this was our first home, but looking forward to #2. Huge thanks and cheers to Michelle E. Koury and her team. They are amazing and support a process of selling and buying as stress free as possible. Complete professionals and great to work with. If you need a Realtor, I'd love to introduce you to Michelle!"
~ Joanne
"Michelle is a rock star real estate agent who sold our home within 4 hours of going live!!!
Throughout the process, she provided her expert advice, however leaving the ultimate decision to us. There were a couple of speed bumps along the way and again Michelle was there to save the day!!!
We would not want to buy or sell a home without Michelle and no one else should either! Thank you so much, Michelle! We look forward to another home purchase soon."
~ Travis & Rob
"Michelle Koury has helped me purchase three homes and sell one over the past nine years. Communication and availability were constant, and her advice and referrals were sound. She is experienced and helped us through the little hiccups that can accompany any real estate transaction.
We have referred her to friends who have been equally satisfied. She really knows the Portland market and is always professional, and willing to go the extra mile. While I think I'm out of the market for a while, having successfully attained our dream home, I will certainly call and refer her should there be a need."
~ Dan & Rachel
"We knew we would have a challenging experience selling our father's home in Portland, with one of us in Hawaii and the other in Colorado. We were given Michelle's name and could not have been happier with our experience! Immediately, Michelle gave us our "game plan", with some needed renovations as well as a recommended contractor. Michelle kept us constantly updated with the house.
When the house was ready to go on the market, my sister and I were amazed with the before/after photos! We could not believe the photos we were looking at was our childhood home.
Michelle's expertise in the real estate market was evident, as we were given an offer the first day it was listed!
Michelle also helped us choose the eventual buyer for our home, as we had numerous offers to consider.
Michelle is professional, kind, and knowledgeable in the real estate business. We highly recommend her for your real estate needs."
~ Teri & Traci
"I have been in the real estate industry since 2006. I started as a residential broker and now have been in the commercial real estate niche for the past 5 years.
In networking, Michelle Koury continued to be brought up from several of my peers in the industry. They lauded her abilities and urged me to use her services. They were right!
Michelle allowed me to offer and close in three and a half weeks. She was responsive, knowledgeable, detail oriented, and TYPE A! My favorite type of person.
She does not hesitate and has a keen sense of the market. I would and will recommend her to anyone I know looking for a house.
In a saturated broker community, Michelle's reputation has excelled above her competition.
This process was so fluid that I never had time to get nervous being it was my first home purchase. I could not have had a better first time home buying experience."
~ Ryan
"Dan and I are writing to thank you for helping us in the sale of our house in Portland. The task seemed daunting at first. Without any real estate knowledge and a complex social aspect, we were concerned about our ability to make the right choices and decisions on a transaction of such financial and personal magnitude. And then I met you. Even at our first brief meeting, I was impressed with the time you spent gaining an understanding of what our goals were and what we needed.
Your knowledge, resourcefulness and professionalism are incredible. You took the time to explain the details of the local market, neighborhood trends, all of the documents and many other pieces of information as they became relevant. Your real estate experience provided us with an excellent resource. And all the while you never lost your professionalism and you made our experience personal.
You were generous with your time and respectful of our. You were flexible and understanding. You responded heroically to our sense of urgency. During a snow storm that disabled most of the city, you went to our empty house while it was in final closing stages to place heaters strategically to ensure the pipes wouldn't freeze. You went above and beyond the call of duty, on more than one occasion and it is those actions that are invaluable and we cannot thank you enough.
Most importantly, you earned our trust. You operated with integrity and honesty. If we sell or buy a home again we plan to use you and would recommend you to anyone looking for an local real estate agent."
~ Sarah & Dan
"My wife and I recently listed a property with Michelle. Michelle is exactly what you want and need in a realtor. Highly knowledgeable, who knows the "ins and outs" of the entire process including marketing, negotiations, inspections, closing etc.
There were two things that especially stood out to us. The first was Michelle's availability and how quickly she or her staff returned calls, texts, or emails. She is always there for you and was typically waiting on us to respond rather than vice versa. The second is her ability to accurately price the property. The process and interest/offers we received proved that our property was priced just right.
We will use Michelle again for any real estate transaction. We're making and give her our highest possible recommendation. Do yourself a favor and call Michelle."
~ Mike & Deanna
"Michelle did a fabulous job navigating us through the sale and 1031 exchange of our duplex. Her professionalism, expertise in the local real estate market, and positive 'can do' personality made this process flow smoothly. She was always prompt in responding to our questions and concerns, and if she needed to be away, made sure we were taken care of by one of her associates.
We have utilized Michelle's skills for both buying and selling property, and we would highly recommend her as a sales agent. She is conscientious and hard
working. Thank you, Michelle!
~ Denise & Bruce
"It can be a sad day when you have sell your parents home, let alone your grandparents home, but I was so thankful to have the help of Michelle E. Koury. There was a small hiccup with our first buyer as he backed out last moment, but Michelle was right on top of it and had the house back on the market same day! She made the process seamless and was always available for all of my questions!!! Michelle you truly are a blessing!! Thank you so much for helping us through this process!!! I will definitely refer you to any and all my friends looking to buy or sell in the future!!!"
~ Holly
"Michelle came highly recommended by a good friend of ours. We were negotiating our way through a convoluted real estate transaction (as buyers) that we thought we could handle on our own. At the last minute we realized that we really needed help. Michelle immediately went to work and we had an inspection, signed contract, and new financing arranged in an incredibly short period of time. She really stepped up to the plate for us in the 11th hour and mad sense of chaos. It would not have come together otherwise.
We can confidently say that Michelle has the knowledge, experience and professionalism to handle your real estate needs. She really gets down to
business and gets things done. We will not hesitate to recommend her in the future!
Thanks Michelle!!"
~ Alan & Brenda
"Thank you for the great job on the sale of our townhouse and purchase of our beautiful new home in Portland. I could not be more pleased with your level of knowledge, expertise, and professionalism. You were always there to answer my calls... and many times the voice of reason when I personally lacked faith in the process. Even in a slowing market you held firm knowing we'd find just the right buyer for our beautifully staged townhouse. The fact that you took on the responsibility for the staging costs displays not only your kindness but your confidence in what you do. Our new home is amazing. Though you claim to not have known the first house we went to would ultimately be our choice, I can't help but believe you were chosen by the Realty God's to find Kath and me the perfect home quickly, making our transition a breeze. What an honor! Thank you, Michelle. You
are awesome."
~ Daniel & Katherine
