hey, my name’s Celestina
licensed principal broker in Oregon & a community resource to you | “she” or “they” pronouns
bio
The joy of my job is being a resource and guide for friends, family, neighbors, and clients (who often become friends) with all things real estate, including but not limited to purchases & sales.
You’re not expected to be your own doctor, attorney, accountant, and mechanic for the times in your life when you need their help - you shouldn’t expect yourself to be able to navigate buying, selling, renovating, investing in, or building on real estate all on your own either. I work with all kinds of people from investors to first-time home buyers and from families upsizing to people downsizing. No matter where you are in your real estate journey, I’d love to hear about it.
In the 7+ years that I’ve lived in the Portland area, I’ve lived and spent time all over the metro area and ultimately ended up thrilled to be in Milwaukie. I love so much of what our state has to offer – bridges, rivers, yoga studios, parks & trails, urban & rural farms, higher and continuing education, tea & coffee shops, food carts & restaurants, bakeries, breweries & bars, spas & saunas, bodywork & health clinics, nurseries, artisans and makers, and local non-profits are some of what make this corner of the earth so wonderful.
These days, my work more or less spans from the City of Portland on the western boundary, up to the Columbia River to the north, out to Hood River & Mosier to the east, and down to Estacada and Oregon City to the south. With my main office in Portland, my satellite office in Hood River, and my home office in Milwaukie, I get to represent my clients as they move around the city, the country, the gorge, and the mountain towns. To serve my community, between our homes, our retreat spots, our farms, our rentals, and our projects, it’s important to me to have the breadth & depth of knowledge to span my clients’ needs at every step of their way.
In addition to being a broker by profession, my relationship to real estate began early on and has taken many forms:
Proofread and served legal real estate documents as a young teen
Purchased my first home at age 18 in the St. Johns neighborhood of portland
Helped start and operate a small Portland construction company building ADUs and tiny homes
Renovated and RAn a “cabin in the woods” style Airbnb getaway on the way to mount st. helens
Completed energy efficiency upgrades and renovations in my 100+ year old home in Milwaukie
Volunteered as the Membership Chair on the Women Build Committee of Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East
Sat on the City of Milwaukie’s Comprehensive Plan Advisory Committee, Cottage Cluster Feasibility Study Stakeholder Advisory Group, construction excise tax oversight group, and comprehensive plan implementation committee
I am fulfilled by getting to work in, with, and around real estate. I believe that homeownership is powerful and can have an inspiring and rewarding impact on everyone’s journey. In the same breath, real estate is high-stakes, and that can bring an emotional experience that I would never wish on anyone alone, so I’m here to help. Education ahead of time, setting expectations, and getting familiar with the processes and timelines are a few of the ways I work to make sure you are able to enjoy these life milestones as much as possible — you deserve it.
I would truly love to be able to support you and anyone you might send my way in any and all things real estate. Please don’t hesitate to drop me a line with questions or to schedule a time to chat — a beverage of your choice is on me.
Buyers
I work with all kinds of homebuyers, from first-time homebuyers to long-time, retiring homeowners, and everyone in-between. Whether you're downsizing, upsizing, moving, rehabbing, or purchasing for investment, I love every bit of it and can help you get where you want to be.
Sellers
On the other hand, I also work with all kinds of homesellers. People sell property for some reasons similar to buyers - upsizing, downsizing, and moving - and also for some reasons unique to sellers, like capitalizing on an investment, or doing a 1031 exchange. I'm here to walk you through it all.
Investors
I work with a variety of levels of investors keep a pulse on real estate investment trends - economic, aesthetic, etc. I'm also in the loop of many of the regulatory aspects of investment and development, like landlord-tenant law, zoning code changes, and new construction developments. Even if you're not in the world of real estate investment yet, if and when that day comes, I'll be ready to help you.
Community
I routinely meet with community members to put together a fresh and current real estate plan, regardless of whether they've never purchased before or they're ready to add a third property to their investment plan. I also host free workshops and events. It's my goal, and joy, to be a resource and advocate for my community. I'm on various local housing-related committees and working groups, I stay abreast on upcoming housing-related regulation and law changes, and more than anything I'm here to support homeownership.
professional background
personal background
Building
I helped start, run, and develop a small-scale residential construction company in Portland specializing in sustainable tiny homes, small homes, and ADUs. The company now lives on with our former project manager as TaylorSmith Sustainable Construction.
Buying
I've purchased real estate in both Oregon and Washington, almost a handful of times now - I've been through what you're about to go through and I know what it's like.
Owning
I have owned real estate in Oregon and Washington, from residential to rural (read: wells and septic systems), and from owner-occupied to both long-term and short-term rentals - I know the challenges, considerations, benefits, and drawbacks of owning property.
Leasing
While I decided to pass on my dreamy cabin-in-the-woods short-term (read: Airbnb) rental in Washington to new owners, here in Oregon in the Portland area I have long-term, single family rentals. They keep the rest of my schedule full outside of being your agent.
Selling
The first piece of real estate I bought in Oregon is already onto its new owner, along with the rural project property in Washington. I sold both properties on my own - I know what it feels like to pass on a home that's near and dear to you, and how to do it.
testimonials
“Celestina is the kindest, most genuine individual you may honestly ever have the pleasure of meeting. She is receptive to change and directive when asked. If you are looking for property she will happily trudge through the mud with you, find a house you love she will schedule a tour lickety-split. If need be, Celestina will gladly do research to help guide you through any questions to which she doesn't already know the answer. And referrals for contractors of all kinds, goodness, she has them! The thing that makes Celestina the best at what she does though is that she cares about people, about you. We will forever be recommending her to anyone and everyone who ever find themselves with real estate needs in the Portland area.”
“Celestina was wonderful to work with. From her exceptional communication and follow-up to her outstanding foresight during negotiations. She walked us through every step at our pace and was readily available to cover any questions while seamlessly managing all moving parts. We look forward to working with her in the future!”
“Celestina is a very personable and professional agent, who was invaluable in helping us navigate the purchase of a home for my son. Her attention to detail as well as knowledge of the market, market values and areas to focus for our price range was very helpful. She provided valuable negotiation skills and extensive knowledge of the rules and the finer points handling a real estate sale. Additionally, her experience and knowledge of local inspection and repair resources, proved to our $$ benefit in our purchase. One can totally trust Celestina to assist and represent you in the buying and selling of your property.”
let’s do this
If you’ve read this far, you are probably very diligent in selecting a realtor, and I like diligence. I’d love to work with you.
