Having had just one owner, a design-centric home tucked into the forest on 5 wooded acres in Oregon City, near Portland, OR, seeks its second steward.
The owners bought the plot of land in 2006 and commissioned Portland’s Hammer & Hand to build their 4,250-square-foot dream home. Named Evergreen, the property was given a “Best New Home” award from the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland.
Now, 10 years later, the Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired home (a nod to the Wright’s Usonians) is on the market for $1,225,000. It was initially listed in June for $1,350,000.
“It’s a big move for the owner. He has a lot of attachment to the home and to his late wife, and the area and the setting,” says Becky Love, a listing agent with John L. Scott. “He’s ready.”
“Something this architecturally unique is pretty rare,” says Love. “It is in an area where there are a lot of homes on some acreage and of similar size, but the Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired design makes it more unique.”
Woven into the contemporary design are two mantras: sustainability (including solar panels and radiant-floor heating) and the ability to age in place (an elevator shaft is already installed and the primary bedroom is on the main floor).
Love says that insulated concrete foam is not used often in the Pacific Northwest but was on this home, allowing for even greater energy efficiency.
“Nothing can get through it,” she says. “It’s soundproof and has great acoustics indoors.”
On the main level is a kitchen suited for chefs and entertainers, with Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances, and the living room boasts rift-cut oak paneling and alder battens surrounded by windows. On the next level is a kitchenette, full bath, and three rooms, which could be used as additional bedrooms, an office, or crafts room.
The homeowner installed a sound system throughout, and there’s even an electric-vehicle charger. Ideal for a remote worker, the tech systems are already in place, including wiring for high-speed internet and an intercom, and a PBX telephone network.
Buyers are drawn to Oregon City for the best of both worlds.
“People are attracted to it because you get some land and some breathing room, but you’re still 10 minutes to a shopping area or to the freeway, which takes you to Portland (a 25-minute drive),” says Love. “It’s a rural setting but with access to the city.”
Property taxes in Clackamas County, where this home is located, tend to be lower than in Portland, says Love.
Whoever buys this house will no doubt appreciate architecture and design. But they will also appreciate the unique nature of the property.
“A lot of people who have come through have commented on how much they appreciate the home not being a cookie-cutter home,” says Love.
As the listing states, this home represents “a rare opportunity to own a truly one-of-a-kind architectural retreat where innovative design, modern efficiency, and natural beauty come together in perfect harmony.”
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