June 2019 Willamette Valley Real Producers by sabrinalowe.dikeman5354

W I L L A M E T T E VA L L E Y

C O N N E C T I N G .

E L E VAT I N G .

AGENT FEATURE WENDI MELCHER HERITAGE NW REAL ESTATE

AGENTS GIVE BACK KOLI CUTLER KELLER WILLIAMS CAPITOL CITY

PREFERRED VENDOR SPOTLIGHT

I N S P I R I N G .

MATT TOP PRODUCER

MAHONEY HOMESTAR BROKERS

GOFF CONSTRUCTION COVER PHOTO BY: PAMELA HAGEDOORN, SILVERDREAM PHOTOGRAPHY

JUNE 2019

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M E E T T H E W I L L A M E T T E VA L L E Y REAL PRODUCERS TEAM

TABLE OF

CONTENTS 08

Top Producers

Making a Difference

Preferred Vendor Spotlight

Agents Give Back: Kassandra Bruhn

DISCLAIMER: Any articles included in this publication and/or opinions expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of N2 Publishing but remain solely those of the author(s). The paid advertisements contained within the Real Producers magazine are not endorsed or recommended by N2 Publishing or the publisher. Therefore, neither N2 Publishing nor the publisher may be held liable or responsible for business practices of these companies. NOTE: When community events take place, photographers may be present to take photos for that event and they may be used in this publication.

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Ryan Murphy Videographer and Photography

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Rick Osborn Writer

Jennifer White Writer

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Allison Blakely Client Relations

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Agent Feature

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PREFERRED PARTNERS

This section has been created to give you easier access when searching for a trusted affiliate sponsor to use. Take a minute to familiarize yourself with the businesses sponsoring Willamette Valley Real Producers. These local businesses are proud to partner with you and make this magazine possible. Please support these businesses and thank them for supporting Willamette Valley Real Producers!

1031 EXCHANGE Beutler Exchange Group LLC (503) 748-1031 www.beutlerexchagegroup.com APPLIANCE SALES & REPAIR Willamette Valley Appliance (503) 390-0161 https://www.willamettevalleyappliance.com BASEMENT WATERPROOFING John’s Waterproofing Company (503) 419-0404 https://www.johnswaterproofing.com BUILDER/DEVELOPER Sabre Ridge Estates by Wind River Homes (503) 983-9188 www.sabreridgeestates.com CONTRACTOR Goff Construction (503) 559-8670 www.billgoffconstruction.com FOUNDATION REPAIR Terra Firma Foundation Systems 1-844-311-8051 https://www.goterrafirma.com FRAMING AND ART GALLERY Elsinore Framing and Fine Art Gallery 444 Ferry St. SE, Salem, OR 97301 (503) 581-4642 www.elsinoregallery.com GARAGE DOORS AND REPAIRS Dave’s Garage Doors (503) 641-8987 www.davesgaragedoors.com HOME INSPECTION Inspections Unlimited – Brandon Biehn (503) 931-6401 www.inspectionsunlimited.com

HOME INSPECTION / RADON MANAGEMENT Pillar to Post - Derek Renz (503) 967-7623 https://derekrenz.pillartopost.com HOME STAGING Creative Concepts (503) 881-0886 www.stagingoregon.com HOUSE CLEANING SERVICES Azucena’s Cleaning (503) 779-5906 www.azucenacleaning.com Maid to Perfection (541) 257-5373 www.maidtoperfectioncorvallis.com MARKETING, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND WEBSITES FOR REALTORS Business Boldly Tamara Collins (503) 269-2990 www.businessboldly.com MORTGAGE/HOME LOAN AND REFINANCE Academy Mortgage Ben Nelson (503) 910-9872 https://academymortgage.com/lo/ bennelson Cherry Creek Mortgage Lisa McCormick (503) 502-0336 www.cherrycreekmortgage.com/ profile/lisa-mccormick Land Mark Professionals Katy Canales (503) 581-8100 www.bestloanprogram.com Mortgage First Corporation (503) 588-3511 mortgagefirstcorp.com

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PHOTOGRAPHY/MULTIMEDIA SilverDream Photography (503) 507-5783 www.silverdreamphotography.com Photos by Orion (503) 385-1435 www.photosbyorion.com PHOTOGRAPHY AND VIDEO SERVICES Marks in Time Photography (541) 905-1366 www.marksintimephotography.net PROPERTY MANAGEMENT/SALES Centurion Real Estate Management LLC 1365 Commercial St. SE, Salem, OR 97302 (503) 588-0940 www.c-rem.com ROOFING AND ROOF REPAIR Anytime Roofing (503) 446-0918 www.anytimeroofingllc.com SIGNS AND GRAPHICS 1 Day Signs (503) 371-1329 1010 Commercial St. SE, Salem, OR 97302 www.1-daysigns.com TITLE AND ESCROW Fidelity National Title Company 500 Liberty St. SE, Suite 200 Salem, OR 97301-3496 (503) 585-7219 www.fidelitytitleoregon.com

Client: Mortgage First Corp Size: 1/2 Location: Standard

SilverDream Photography Portraits Headshots Weddings High school senior Equestrian Events Pamela Hagedoorn 503-507-5783 www.Silverdreamphotography.com

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top producers Written by Rick Osborn

FROM TEACHER TO PRACTITIONER

Matt Mahoney used to teach marketing; NOW HE PRACTICES WHAT HE PREACHES Matt Mahoney used to teach young bright-eyed students about marketing at West Salem High School. After about 10 years on the job, he decided he wanted to put those skills to work and made the jump to real estate full time. “I didn’t go into teaching to teach business, but I just ended up doing it,” he said. “I always knew I wanted to do something with my degree other than teach.”

MATT

MAHONEY 8 • June 2019

Mahoney earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Oregon State University and went on to earn his master’s in teaching from Western Oregon University. Teaching was rewarding, but Mahoney came to the conclusion that he wanted to pursue a career that would provide a greater opportunity to provide his family with the life he wanted to provide them. Real estate seemed like a great fit. For about four years, Mahoney continued teaching part-time while he built his real estate business. About nine years ago, he jumped in full-time. Now a 13-year veteran in the Salem real estate market, Mahoney is reaping the rewards of his marketing savvy and hard work with HomeStar Brokers. Last year was his best yet in terms of volume, racking up just shy of $20 million in total sales. The secret to his success is in his work ethic, client

referrals, marketing know-how, personal network and a relentless drive to serve his clients well in all aspects of the real estate transaction. “If you treat your clients well and look out for them, they appreciate it,” Mahoney said. “I think one of my biggest soapboxes is part of our ethics, to look out for the fiduciary best interest of my client and I’m a huge advocate for that.” That includes getting the best deal on the home they are buying or selling – earning the highest price for his selling clients and saving the most money for the buyers – as well as with the mortgage. “My wife is a mortgage broker,” he said, “and I’m an advocate for my clients and always recommend that they shop rates, especially if they’re not using a mortgage broker. Between fees and interest rates, it has a huge impact on my clients. It greatly affects their ability to afford a home, how much they pay over the life of the loan and what their payments are going to be. My goal when I work with someone that’s buying a place is that the home fits their needs, the home fits their budget and that they’re getting a good deal all the way around.” In full disclosure, Mahoney is quick to admit that his wife of a little over a year, Claire Mahoney, is a mortgage broker/owner at Mortgage First Corp.

The couple worked together a few times over the years but got together when they were set up on a date by the owner of HomeStar Brokers where Matt Mahoney works. It’s made him an even bigger believer of rate shopping. “You shop everything else, so why wouldn’t you shop rates on the most important investment you’re going to make,” he said. “It’s me advocating for my clients and me advocating for their best interest.” Mahoney has a special drive to help his clients. A South Salem High School graduate and current Keizer resident, he is proud to serve his lifelong hometown. He’s made it a point to be involved in the community as much as he can. He’s coached baseball, basketball and football over the years for his children – he and Claire have 6 children in total, as part of a blended family that also includes an adopted child from Ethiopia – and through that activity been able to touch many lives in the community. Mahoney’s children range in age from 15 to 4. “We’ve got a big, blended family now so it’s great,” he said. “I like to golf, and I like to travel, but obviously kids are like 80 to 90 percent of all my free time. It’s crazy, but it’s awesome, too. I come from a big family, as well, and there’s always something going on.”

www.realproducersmag.com • 9

Keeping in touch with his roots from his teaching days, Mahoney is active in activities that help teenagers. For about 17 years, he’s been involved in Young Life, a Christian outreach youth organization geared toward high school and middle school students. He was a leader for about nine years and has been on the committee for Young Life in Keizer for about eight years. Investment real estate also takes up some of Mahoney’s energy. He owns six rental properties in the Salem area, three of these properties are multi-family. He’s a believer, by advocating with his clients about the upside of buying a duplex for a first home, for example, so they can live in one side and have someone else pay rent to help knock down the mortgage. Mahoney holds the Certified Investor Agent Specialist credential. “They live in it a couple years and now they’ve got equity so they can move to another home,” he said. “Then it’s more cash flow for them. It’s a great way for somebody to immediately establish a retirement income stream. For some people they just hang onto it and use it to help pay off college for the kids.” To people who are new to the business, as a true teacher, 10 • June 2019

Mahoney is more than interested in helping the next generation of brokers succeed by doing business the right way. He says in his office; the door is always open to answer questions that will help newer brokers hit the ground running. “If they want to last and make a good living at it, they have to show up and work every day, because the busier you are the busier you get,” he said. “The other thing is marketing. You have to spend money to make money. If you aren’t putting your name out there, and if you’re not spending a little bit of money targeted in the right places, it’s going to be very hard for you to build a business. The key, though, is to be humble and be willing to ask for help, good experienced brokers will help.” While Mahoney enjoys community involvement, success and mentoring others, he’s hooked on helping clients and getting them the best deal that he possibly can. “The vast majority of clients are great and to be able to walk people through the process of selling their home and moving on to something else in life or buying their new dream home is really gratifying,” he said. “You help the person through the process of buying or selling one of the biggest investments they have in their life. There’s a lot of satisfaction in that.” www.realproducersmag.com • 11

preferred vendor spotlight

GOFF CONSTRUCTION, ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTION

Bill Goff Construction of Oregon is an environmental contractor with 38 years of experience in providing heating oil tank decommissioning, soil testing, and contamination cleanup. They are listed with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) #11905 & 16492 and the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) #52834. 12 • June 2019

Bill grew up in Eastern Washington. The small town where he went to grade school had a population of 106. “There were only four students in my class,” Bill says. They then moved to another small town with a population of 612 where there was a total of 17 in his class.

Bills father was a farmer while his mother was a school teacher. He has three sisters (two older and one younger). “We grew wheat, oats, and barley. We also raised cattle, pigs and chickens.” After getting married, they moved to the Salem Oregon area in 1963

to broaden their employment options and so his wife could be closer to her family. They now have a son, daughter, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

the benefit of protecting both the environment and your property values. From 20 gallons to 20,000 gallons, they are certified, licensed, bonded and insured for all kinds of oil tank decommissioning services.

Bill Goff Construction was born In 1981 after the economy went through a slow down. The company he was working for was struggling. “My son was a senior in high school and we started working together. As time went on we hired nephews and local employees. We attended all the Oregon DEQ classes that pertained to tanks and petroleum cleanup. It was a time when people were looking to change the direction of environmental issues.”

Bill says, “Service is the only thing we sell.” These tanks pose a greater threat to the groundwater than the soil. It is difficult to provide proper maintenance work on them.

Their mission is to help preserve the environment through their complete environmental consultation services. They can help decommission and remove unwanted and abandoned above-ground AST or below ground UST tanks for

They offer soil testing to make sure there are no tank leaks contaminating the environment. Older tanks can rust and therefore leak toxins into the ground. During the process of removing an AST or UST heating oil tank, they take soil samples and send them to the lab for a soil analysis. Bill Goff Construction will counsel you and provide the necessary recommendations on the environmental rules per the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

considerations, personal preferences and methods available to remove the contamination. They are a small family run business that understands and respects the face to face connections clients are looking for. Bill adds, “Since I grew up having personal and close relationships with the people around me from the beginning, I knew that’s how I wanted to treat my clients.” Serving all of Oregon, Bill says “We would like to give the realtors and brokers the kind of service both they and their clients feel comfortable with. We want to answer all of their questions.” Bill Goff Construction is here for all your environmental consultation needs. Check out their website at www.billgoffconstruction.com to learn more. They can be reached at 503-559-8670 or goff1@pacifier.com.

Bill and his team work with their clients one-on-one to determine the best cleanup options depending on the level of contamination, financial www.realproducersmag.com • 13

SABOTKA

on the rise Written by: Jennifer White, Photography by Kathryn Davidson, Photos by Orion

“I’M DOING WHAT I’M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING WITH MY LIFE AND IT’S A GREAT FEELING.”

14 • June 2019

“I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing with my life and it’s a great feeling,” says Cameo Sobotka, broker with Harvey Realty Group.

In five short years, Cameo has become a rising star and a top producer in the competitive world of residential real estate. Starting in customer service at Fidelity National Title Company, Cameo quickly transitioned to an escrow assistant position, helping coordinate transactions. “That’s how I got to know a lot of real estate agents and how I was recruited by a local com-

mercial reality company,” she says. “I got my real estate license in late summer 2014 and worked with them for a year assisting clients and preparing files for closing.” While on maternity leave after having her second daughter, Cameo started to reevaluate her goals. “I’ve always wanted to do Real Estate but was afraid to not have a steady 40-hour job.” She has always loved working with families to help them achieve their dreams, and the commercial side was dealing more with attorneys and empty business spaces. “I decided it was finally time to do Real Estate on my own. As I was talking to my family about it, one of my cousins mentioned Nicole Shuba, a friend he went to high school with. Nicole is the owner of Manor Realty. I met with Nicole, and she suggested I work for her to get a feel for the business. I started working at Manor Realty in October 2015. I am incredibly grateful to Nicole for taking me under her wing. She is an amazing mentor.” Then Cameo met Chad Harvey, owner of Harvey Realty Group, and he asked her to join his team.

“I joined Harvey because I love how they are all about building Salem, reviving downtown, and their involvement with community. They help make the community a better place, and I want to be a part of that.” When asked why she chose residential real estate, Cameo responded, “I chose residential Real Estate because I’m a people person. Buyers can get frustrated if they are not educated on the process. I’m huge on educating my clients. It is key to keep them from getting stressed. I educate them so they know why we’re doing something and what to expect. That is my goal. I want to keep the whole process as stress-free as I can. My clients and I are a team, and I want to build relationships with them for life. I want them to think of me as a resource for anything related to home ownership.”

www.realproducersmag.com • 15

2018

BY THE NUMBERS HERE’S WHAT WILLAMETTE VALLEY AGENTS DID

560

$3,449,545,495 TOTAL SALES VOLUME

2,589 COMBINED SALES FORCE

Even with her busy life, Cameo makes sure she has time for her family. She’s

16 • June 2019

married to a great guy who is an investigator for the state of Oregon. Together, they have two daughters who are 4 and 12 years old. “With as busy as I am, it’s important for me to still be here for my kids and husband. I want to be available when they need me.” Cameo also teaches a home buyers class three times a year with other local professionals. The buyers find it to be very valuable. During the class, a loan officer talks about loan programs, Cameo teaches the home buying process, and a home inspector talks about the home inspections. It’s been a great way for Cameo to meet a lot of first time home buyers.

“I don’t want to be a salesman. My clients can tell I’m genuine and I do everything I can to meet their needs. I think it makes a big difference.” When it comes to new realtors, she wants them to know it’s all about relationships. “Build relationships with your clients and other agents. You don’t know what’s going to happen and don’t get upset when something doesn’t fit right. You have to continue to be professional. I always tell my kids and my husband, you don’t know what’s happening in someone’s life, so you need to be compassionate and understanding and put in the time to really listen.”

11,231

TOTAL LISTINGS ISSUED

MONTH W/ MOST TRANSACTIONS

AUGUST MONTH W/ LEAST TRANSACTIONS

FEBRUARY

$316,626 AVG SALES PRICE

$183

TOTAL TRANSACTIONS

To Cameo, the highlight of her job is when clients close on a house and send pictures of their kids in the yard, or when they give her hugs at the end of the transaction process. “I don’t have a team, or an assistant. Some brokers farm out duties to assistants, like showing houses or writing offers or attending inspections. I do everything on my own and my numbers were big last year. I continue to grow and for me to be able to still do those things and have my clients feel like they are important makes me feel good. It’s everything to me!”

15,154

TOTAL # OF OFFICE

STATS PROVIDED BY

AVG SALES PRICE PER SQUARE FOOT

78.92 AVG DAYS ON MARKETS www.realproducersmag.com • 17

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making a difference

Koli Cutler “Our world right now could really use more selfless love” 20 • June 2019

Written by Jordin

Koli Cutler is a licensed real estate broker at Keller Williams here in Salem, Oregon. Koli is on a disaster relief team through FEMA, a unique job he had prior to real estate. Koli specializes in sign language interpreting for FEMA, and has been sent all over the country to provide relief for FEMA during unexpected tragedies. This has allowed him to be present during many natural disasters we have recently faced in the United States. Coming to work for Keller Williams, Koli discovered that the company also held the same views in regards to helping others in need. Keller Williams recently took a busload of people to the site of Hurricane Harvey. Here, he was able to work under both Keller Williams and FEMA. They provided shelter, and handed out food and necessities to those who lost their homes. He truly admires the heart behind Keller Williams and their care for others. This company alone has spent thousands and thousands of dollars on disaster relief for people that have lost their homes. Koli is very passionate about his career and, furthermore, passionate about serving others. In fact, from a very young age, Koli felt drawn to this certain gift. To serve others is a gift, because only a select few truly devote their lives to sacrificing their own needs to help others. The earliest memory Koli has of when this all began was when he was in the 4th or 5th grade. He lived several blocks from a middle school and would walk by every day, until one day he noticed a sign outside that drew in his attention. The sign read “School for retarded children.” He wondered what the word “retarded” actually meant. Back in the 1960s, this sort of word took on a dif-

ferent meaning and wasn’t frowned upon as it is today. Koli quickly became interested and felt drawn to discover what this school entailed. He quickly approached the school in curiosity and asked if he could volunteer there. He willingly went back to this school a couple of hours a week and helped out with whatever was needed around campus. This involved; field racking, pulling weeds, cleaning, and what was needed in general around the campus. He quickly discovered how good this truly made him feel and learned that these individuals are just as intelligent and gifted as everyone else--they just had different needs. He felt a sense of pride in the work he was accomplishing, and saw the fruitfulness in all he did and the joy it brought others. Koli then dedicated each summer for the next 20 years helping medically challenged children and even became a counselor to young men ages 7-9 or 13-15. Koli became somewhat of an uncle to these boys that were growing up without a father figure in their lives. Leadership opportunities were also given to these boys and this helped establish confidence in them. Personal hygiene was taught to them, as well as how to eat healthy, exercise, and live a balanced lifestyle. Koli grew up with two younger brothers. This allowed him to confidently step into these leadership positions because he was already a father figure to his siblings. He taught his brothers how to play tennis, ride bikes, www.realproducersmag.com • 21

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and even drive a car. Koli exclaimed, “They were my natural test subjects.” He chose to never inquire about receiving pay for his volunteer work because, as a young boy growing up himself, he didn’t have much love and guidance. What seemed like a loss was actually a blessing in disguise—one that paved the way for his future. Koli now spends a lot of time in the community helping people with disabilities clean up their homes, move out, or clean out storages. They donate a lot of the stuff to local non-profit organizations around town. He also enjoys cleaning up the dog park, picking up trash, repairing fences, and even has done pavement repair. The community is empowering because everyone there has their heart in the right place; everyone always leaves feeling proud of what they have accomplished and the people they have helped out. Presently within the real estate community, Koli sees where there are a lot of mentoring roles available. Through guidance, teaching, and different programs, you can truly help out upcoming real estate agents start their career. He values so much of what Keller Williams has to offer through learning the correct motivation as an agent and the techniques that can enhance your career, because every agent has their own personal coach. Stories we hear like this are inspiring and empowering; we should always take a second to reflect on them. Furthermore, if something springs up inside your heart, I would encourage you to pursue that. Our world right now could really use more selfless love! 22 • June 2019

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commercial

corner Hosted & Written by: Joshua Kay, First Commercial Real Estate Services LLC

Salem is at a tipping point. Our economy is thriving, our population is growing, and there are many great non-profit organizations working diligently on the challenges we collectively face as our growth continues. The tipping point situation that I believe we are in is in the context of overwhelming demand for mixed-use development (think street-level retail and upper-level living), specifically in our downtown core. People always are

asking me, “What’s happening here or there…,” or, “What’s going ‘in’ at the so-and-so property?” Knowing what is coming to our city is a big part of my role as a commercial real estate professional. There are a few key projects coming down Salem’s pipeline that will, without a doubt, elevate and reshape our downtown scene forever. These prospective projects are aiming to fill this demand and bring fresh housing options to market. 1. Micro-Unit apartment on the corner of State & Commercial (260 State). This multi-million dollar development encompasses 146 units, 136 of which are studio units and 5,300 SF of speculative ground floor retail space. This is filling the void, providing cost-effective options for primarily single-user occupants seeking an alternative non-conventional housing option. 2. Local developer Mountain West Investment Corporation is in the initial stages of a 150+ multi-use facility on the corner of Liberty & Chemeketa (280 Liberty St NE).

You know, that massive hole in the ground with the perimeter fence? Now imagine street-level retail and a mix of apartment units that span two buildings. 3. A new downtown hotel on the corner of Commercial & Ferry (195 Commercial). While this is not ‘housing’ (it is hospitality), this $43MM development is taking advantage of the site’s opportunity zone designation, and bringing this 123-room hotel and rooftop bar to Salem. The developer is satisfying a market demand for long term guests staying 7+ days. Their study shows a significant demand for more rentable hotel rooms in the Salem market--especially luxury--and will be a welcomed addition and further serve to meet demand. 4. Lastly, the current (soon to be former) Union Gospel Mission and Saffron property site. Our firm has coordinated the sale with the city of Salem’s Urban Renewal Department, who will formally close on the portfolio once the UGM has secured occupancy at their new facility across from the new Salem Police Department’s facility. Upon closing, the city is going to issue a request-for-proposal (RFP) to the development community. This process will be long and methodical, but righteous, as it is by far the biggest opportunity our downtown has ever seen for large scale commercial and mixed-use development.

The national trend shows an overwhelming trend towards an increased demand for urban/downtown living. People are seeking more livable, walkable and sustainable housing opportunities. From students to young professionals, healthcare workers, government employees and all the like--they are seeking the experience of living downtown. The problem is a lack of supply for this product. The good news is that over the next several years we will see more product delivered to satisfy this great opportunity. Want to talk Salem? Let’s talk. Joshua@FirstCommercialOregon.com. 24 • June 2019

www.realproducersmag.com • 25

HOME, SWEET HOME

WENDI MELCHER HAS DEEP ROOTS IN THE COMMUNITY SHE SERVES 26 • June 2019

agent feature By Rick Osborn

As a passionate advocate for her beloved hometown of Sweet Home and the part owner of a multi-generational timber company in the area, you could say that Wendi Melcher has deep roots in Sweet Home. Melcher, a 19-year-old veteran real estate professional, is a broker with Heritage NW Real Estate Inc. in Sweet Home, where she grew up. There’s no better community advocate than somebody who’s invested his or her life in that community’s wellbeing. She loves serving her community, both as a real estate broker and as a pillar of her community. “My 19 years in real estate sales has taught me several things, but the one thing that stands out above all others is the sheer joy of helping people realize their dream of home ownership,” Melcher said. “I care immensely about this community of Sweet Home that I grew up in and working with the people that have and will continue to make this such a great place to live is my passion.” Melcher and her family have deep roots in the community. Her husband of 26 years, Scot, father in law and sons are playing a role in the family business – Melcher Logging – which was started by Scot Melcher’s grandfather. Wendi’s oldest son is a diesel mechanic with the enterprise and her younger son is a junior at Oregon State University studying forest operations so he, too, can return to the family business. “By the time both of my kids will be there, it’ll be four generations,” Melcher said. www.realproducersmag.com • 27

The company does thinning and clear-cut logging. The family also launched Fun Forests with a business partner, acquiring more than 2,000 acres of forest land over the last several years that it manages as healthy forests. When houses exist on the land Fun Forests acquires, they are used as rentals. Sometimes the company logs portions of the new acquisitions to help pay them off and reforests for future generations of use. Melcher got into the real estate business as a young mom, when her two boys were 2 and 4 years old. She worked on her real estate license and it took her about four years to build her real estate business. After starting out with Coldwell Banker Realty, she made the move to Heritage NW Real Estate Inc., starting in Lebanon. Today she works primarily out of Sweet Home. It is a perfect location for Melcher, who grew up in Sweet Home from the time she was 2 years old. “It takes a while to get into this business and make your name,” Melcher said. “I had to make my name stick with me. I was in a niche with a bunch of women and men who had been in the industry a lot longer than I had. You put yourself out in the community, and that’s where my niche was.” You could say that the real estate aspect of the business has come full circle. Her oldest son, who was 4 when her real estate career was kicking off, was married last summer on one of the properties she and her husband purchased for Fun Forests, a business that she expects her children will run in the future. • June 2019 28

Melcher’s son has been with the same girl for about 10 years, in a relationship that began back in the seventh grade. When the young couple wanted to get married, they picked an old barn on one of the family’s properties as the ideal site. They retrofitted the barn for the occasion and created a wonderful venue for future family gatherings and picnics. “They got married on the property,” she said. “We had some camping and stuff and about 400 people were there. It was all outside and it was the party of the century. It took us a year to work in it, and it was awesome.” Working on the properties and running businesses has kept the family extremely busy. When the two boys were younger, they participated in sports such as football, baseball and wrestling, which also took a lot of time. When they aren’t working, these days, the family enjoys camping and riding out on the sand dunes. Melcher also finds time to stay involved in the community she loves. The Sweet Home High School graduate has served as president of the Sweet Home High School Booster Club, and she’s served twice as president of the Santiam Board of Realtors. She’s also involved on the board of the Sweet Home Economic Development Group, an organization whose goal is to partner with Sweet Home to revitalize the community. The Melcher family donated $25,000 into a grant that provides perpetual scholarships to graduating Sweet Home High School seniors. That effort has yielded

about $1.5 million in scholarships over the years. Depending on investment earnings from the endowment, between $35,000 and $75,000 worth of scholarships are awarded annually. One volunteer activity that’s near and dear to Melcher’s heart is the Boys and Girls Club of the Greater Santiam. The organization serves both Sweet Home and Lebanon. She’s served on the board for that organization and currently runs the annual auction in Sweet Home. Last year, the auction brought in about $185,000 for the club. “Some of it funds what programs are going on here,” she said. With substantial growth happening in Lebanon – where there’s a growing medical center, medical school, VA facility and numerous new housing opportunity – which is just 12 miles away, and Sweet Home’s vast recreational opportunities and small-town charm, plenty of opportunity is presenting itself for a thriving real estate business. “I think we’re growing and I think that Sweet Home has had its own kind of draw,” Melcher said. “You come here and it’s like the gateway to the Cascades and everything. You have fishing, hunting, camping and you have two great lakes. You’re right at the base of everything.” Houses in Sweet Home tend to sell for about $30,000 to $50,000 less than nearby Lebanon. Because of that, sometimes it takes more sales closings to generate the same amount of commission as in some other communities. But Melcher’s been able to close deals with people from the Mid-Willamette Valley as well as newcomers from California, Idaho, Montana and other states. With Lebanon’s growth, Sweet Home becomes a more attractive, nearby option for people seeking a smaller town where people are friendly. “Sweet Home’s a great town and we’ve got some great people,” she said. “Once they get there, they fall in love with it. It’s all about the people. It makes you feel welcome when you come here to do something. It makes a big difference.”

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30 â&#x20AC;˘ June 2019