Testimonials

Kip & Catherine Craglow: Relocated from New Orleans

"We would highly recommend Jim to anyone relocating to the Portland area. It is difficult enough to move within a city, but our move from Louisiana to Oregon had the added complication of a limited time to house hunt. From our first telephone call, we felt confident not only in Jim’s ability to understand what type of home we were looking for, but that he would do everything in his power to make the transition as easy and relaxing as possible. Before we met in person, Jim spent hours previewing properties, sending photos and information about neighborhoods based on our preferences. In addition, his comprehensive website made it easy for us to locate neighborhood details not easily found or available on other websites.

When we arrived in Portland for our house hunt, Jim dedicated himself to us for the entire week. He took us on an informational city tour and honestly answered our questions regarding types of housing, architecture, neighborhoods, and schools. He showed us a variety of homes and provided new listings each morning. Often we were among the first buyers to view the home. Jim also took the time to pinpoint significant assets or defects to each house, such as earthquake retro-fitting, that we wouldn’t have otherwise noticed. When we encountered difficulties with our transaction, Jim was right there with possible solutions that would not impact our ability to close by our desired date.

Jim’s business acumen, integrity, and tenacity are qualities that every real estate agent should have, but in our experience, don’t. After working with different agents in several relocations, we wouldn’t hesitate to give Jim the top nod."

Don Tankersley Construction: The Lair Condominiums

“The Lair Condominium project has been an adventure I have enjoyed and from which I have learned so much.  All along the way you have both been there, answering questions and helping to keep things on track.  Your valuable input and the many times you went above and beyond were greatly appreciated.  This project benefited in many ways from the job you did.  Thank you.

In the final analysis, I cannot help but be thankful that you were willing to take on this project.  The project sold our quicker than we anticipated, which you know is huge.  The paperwork and legal issues went better than I could have hoped for..  And not least of all, your understanding of the market that resulted in sales prices well above our projections, well thank you again.  Any project would do well to have you both bring your considerable talents to it.”

Greg & Cathy Tibbles: Relocated from Venezuela

“Jim Arnal provided outstanding service and support to my wife Cathy and I as we searched for -- and bought -- our new home in Portland.  We currently live in Caracas, Venezuela, and came across Jim's well-designed website as we searched for a new home in my home town.

Gretchen & Will Richter: Relocated from Virginia

"Jim Arnal is a consummate professional exceeding our every expectation.  My husband and I moved from the east coast out to Portland.  We had only a few short weekends in Portland in which to find a new home.  Jim worked tirelessly for us, not only in person, but on the phone and over the internet as well.  He sent us current home listings by email and then took this service a few steps further.  Jim would go to the properties in which we expressed an interest, take digital photos and email them to us that day.  He would call to confirm receipt of the photos and then give a verbal tour of the property, even offering to draw up floor plans if we wanted!  He made us feel as though we were his only clients.

Jim took us through the entire process of buying a home cross country in the smoothest manner possible.  He was a strong advocate for us during the negotiation of the sale.  He recommended other service providers (home inspector, title company, mortgage broker, etc) who we also found to uphold Jim’s high level of service and attention to detail.  He gave of his time freely, educating us on market conditions, potential pitfalls to certain homes, and anything else important to understand and consider along the way.

We cannot think of a better person to have on our side during a real estate transaction.   We recommend Jim highly and often to anyone and everyone we come across.  For us, Jim is both and superb professional and a trusted friend.  Thank you Jim for all your help in relocating us to Portland and finding a beautiful place to call home."

Tyler & Breeze Phillippay: Relocated from Portland to Alaska

“Both my wife and I enjoyed working with Jim to sell our house in Portland.  Despite considerable time constraints, Jim made the sales process smooth and stress free for us as we prepared for our out of state relocation.  We were impressed with his industry knowledge, superior marketing strategies and his willingness to go the extra mile for us.  Jim is at the top of the class in the real estate profession and we have recommended him to our friends and family in the Portland area.  We are very satisfied clients.”

Ewan & Lauren Rose: Portland, Oregon

"I could not more highly recommend Jim Arnal. Jim represented us both in the sale of our old house and the purchase of a new home. The two transactions were very different and helped demonstrate the breadth of Jim's expertise.

Jim's strong background in marketing was very evident in the sale of old house. He put together an impressive marketing campaign which helped sell our house very quickly. The transaction itself could not have gone any more smoothly, thanks in no small part to Jim's diligence and willingness to take on and manage all aspects of the sale.

The purchase of our new home was much more challenging transaction. I find it difficult to believe that another agent would have been able to hold the transaction together. I am a corporate transactional lawyer and am therefore very familiar with high level business negotiations. Jim did a better job negotiating the transaction than most, if not all, of the people I deal with. Jim was able to successfully navigate decomissioning an underground oil tank, crumbling chimneys, a faulty roof, and a particularly acrimonious negotiation all while we were on vacation in North Carolina. His ingenuity, attention to detail, and steadfast determination were the only things that held the transaction together.

Jim brings an unparalleled level of integrity and professionalism to his field. At every point during both of our transactions we knew that we were Jim's first priority. I would recommend Jim's services to anyone but particularly to those who need an aggressive marketing campaign or envision the possibility of a challenging transaction."

Gail & Dan Stiffler: Relocated from California

"Jim Arnal worked harder to find us a home in Portland than any agent we have had during the 37 years we've been married. While we were still in California closing the escrow on our home there, Jim checked out numerous homes for us in Portland, sent us digital photos, drew and sent us detailed floor plans, and kept in touch daily via email or phone. When we came to Portland to look at properties, he spent endless hours showing us various homes. His amazing negotiation skills enabled us to purchase a home we originally thought was outside our price range and once our offer was accepted, he put us in touch with a mortgage broker and escrow agent who were able to close the deal in less than 3 weeks. As a result, we moved directly from one home to another without having to put our belongings in storage. We'll never again wonder 'Do we really need an agent?' Jim made it all happen and we're delighted."

Julie DeFrancq: Portland, Oregon

"After spending the majority of my life in the Portland area, I turned to Jim Arnal for my home buying needs. Jim's in depth knowledge of the Portland neighborhoods and diverse real estate markets was a very pleasant surprise. He actively listened and acted upon my list of "wants" and "don't wants" for my new home. Jim's work ethic and professionalism was impressive to me as well as others involved in my home buying transaction, such as my mortgage lender, home inspector, the sellers, and the seller's agent. Jim's diligence was evident as he pulled listings daily, previewed properties for me, provided me digital images of potential homes and always made himself available to me via telephone, email, or in person.

Jim clearly goes above and beyond the call of  a real estate broker's duties. He proactively worked with outside experts (i.e. pool retailers, environmental consultants, siding contractors etc.) to gather additional financial insights for me regarding the costs of repairs, potential upgrades in the home, and an oil tank clean-up. Jim is a great representative of his client during all aspects the home buying or selling transaction. His solid marketing and negotiation skills give his clients an advantage during the home buying process. During the transaction, I was always comfortable that Jim was working for me and there were never conflicting priorities. The end result was I bought a fantastic home for a very fair price. I highly recommend Jim Arnal to anyone looking to buy or sell real estate in the Portland area."

Mary Ann & Mike Hanlon: Relocated from Coos Bay to Portland

Kara Joliffe: Portland Oregon

"Jim listened closely to my needs and worked really hard to find houses that fit my budget. He helped me get in contact with a mortgage broker that was always available to answer any questions I had. Jim is very flexible, professional, and dedicated to helping his clients find the right house no matter how long it takes. Working with someone so committed makes the task of finding a house enjoyable and stress free."

Marjorie Taylor: Portland, Oregon

A letter written to John Gregory, Principal Broker of Jim Arnal

"Mr. Gregory,

For more than three months I have had the distinct pleasure of working with Jim Arnal while in the process of buying a home.  This has been my first home buying experience; however I have owned a home with my brother for the past seven years.  I wasn’t entirely familiar with the process of buying a home, but I am aware of the benefits and challenges of home ownership.  Jim has been a perfect guide on this journey to buying my own home, allowing me to walk into that home today with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.

Jim has been patient and flexible throughout my experience.  I was able to communicate with Jim in the manner easiest for me, whether it was email at work or a selection of phone numbers.  In addition to RMLS.com, the search function on Jim’s website, search.aportlandhome.com, allowed me the ability to find the homes I wanted to see in person.  With each home, Jim provided thoughtful comments about the advantages, disadvantages, and room for market appreciation.  Jim was able to answer all of the questions I had and many I didn’t know to ask.

When I was ready to make an offer on a home, I did so competing with other prospective buyers.  With Jim’s counsel and reasonable approach to the competitive market, I was able to make an offer that I felt comfortable with, and believed would be successful.  When my offer was accepted, I know Jim spent a lot of time working with the selling agent to represent my interests and concerns.  I appreciate that Jim worked with honesty and integrity, expecting the same from all other parties in the process.

In addition to all of the services Jim provided in finding and negotiating the purchase of my home, Jim referred me to an excellent mortgage broker, home inspector and title company.  I felt confident working with these providers.  Jim’s high expectation of integrity and quality of service also applied to these referrals.

I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with Jim and I will be excited to recommend him to prospective clients."

Summer & Ryan Gardner: Portland, Oregon

"Jim Arnal went far beyond the Real Estate norm to aggressively market our home.  The breadth and diversity of his campaigns are unparalleled in the industry.  From virtual tours online to good old fashioned open houses, he worked harder than any Real Estate Broker we have ever worked with.  Although we had to sell our home quickly, Jim always went the extra mile to make us feel comfortable and in control.  Before we even put the house on the market, Jim gave us great advice on how to make our home more appealing; he even offered his own personal staging items to help.  We had three offers in the first three days and all the offers were full price or better.  We were more than happy with the price that our home went for and would undoubtedly recommend Jim Arnal to our closest friends and family."

Graham Bell: Relocated from California

"When I decided to relocate to Portland from California, I discovered Jim through his web-site which was by far the most comprehensive, and most useful of all the hundreds of Portland real estate websites available.  When I met Jim I could see that the quality of his web-site is a reflection of his own professionalism, hard work, and attention to detail.  Through Jim's knowledge of the area I was able to find my ideal property in an excellent location, and Jim handled everything for me through to closure, since I was not able to spend much time in Portland during the process.  I was lucky to find Jim, and would not hesitate to recommend him to anybody considering a home in Portland."

Joseph Merrill: Relocated from Portland to Philadelphia

“Jim is a great Real Estate Agent.  Even after an offer was made on my home, Jim continued to think of marketing plans "just in case the sale fell through".  I was constantly telling Jim that he was working too hard.  I have recommended Jim to all of my family and friends and I will be looking for his services when I move back to Oregon after residency.”

Keren & Justin Carroll: Relocated from St. Louis

“Jim Arnal is a consummate professional. From the moment my wife Keren and I met Jim, three characteristics stood out: his business acumen, his kind demeanor, and his utter professionalism. Jim worked with us, not just for us. Jim showed a strong ability to listen to our needs and goals and to then suggest properties and neighborhoods that fit our profile. His level of real estate knowledge is truly impressive, and he knows how to translate that knowledge into actions that give his clients an advantage.  Jim has the confidence to tell clients his strengths as a realtor, and the humility to allow his clients to direct parts of the process. He is incredibly generous with his time; in relocating from out of state, we had only a week to shop for a home, and Jim devoted extended blocks of time to us. Most of all, Jim really does care about his clients. It was clear to us that Jim wanted to see us in the best house for our vision as a family.  I cannot imagine having a kinder, savvier realtor than Jim Arnal. It was a privilege to work with him.”

Pat & Marc Parker: Portland, Oregon

"Dear Jim,

Marc and I would like to thank you for the wonderful job you did listing and selling our home.

Your professionalism and attention to detail along with your personal attention kept us in balance and centered during a potentially turbulent time.  From time to time we had to remind ourselves that the home we were selling was ours and not yours!  You treated it as though it was your own.  We were very happy with the process and the results.

Thank you again, it was a pleasure working with you."

Jim Barrett: Portland, Oregon

"I was a first-time home buyer, and, with Jim, I was lucky enough to find not only a realtor who worked extraordinarily hard on my behalf, but also a person who I could trust.  I would highly recommend Jim as a realtor to anyone interested in buying a home."

Heidi & Tim Hanlon: Portland, Oregon

"My wife and I are first-time buyers.  We initially felt intimidated by the thought of looking for and purchasing our first home. Jim's enthusiasm, knowledge, and confidence had a contagious effect on us both. Most important, he made us feel as though he was at our disposal at all times during our purchase.

From the first day forward, Jim worked diligently to find us the specific place we wanted and continued to work hard for us during the entire process. Not only did we end up with a great house, but Jim was there to negotiate a fair, beneficial deal on our behalf. My wife Heidi and I are both extremely happy with the job he has done for us and highly recommend him."

Rebecca Hill & Brenan Peterson: Relocated from California

"Jim's enthusiasm and dedication were far beyond what we had seen in a number of other real estate brokers we interviewed. He listened, took our concernss seriously, understood what we wanted, and managed our transaction superbly."