One’s first impression, upon meeting Hasson Company Principal Broker and Realtor Jim Arnal, is that he is unassuming, approachable, sincere – and engagingly earnest in his affection for the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood in which he lives and works.
A Portlander for 15 years, Jim and his wife moved to Portland from Berkeley, Calif., to be closer to his wife’s family, returning to the Pacific Northwest where the couple originally met. Jim and his family initially located in NE Portland’s Irvington neighborhood.
“After living in Berkeley with its strong community connections, architecture, and walkability, we felt NE Portland was the closest thing to it,” said Jim.
Working as a realtor in and around Beaumont-Wilshire since 2003, Jim was drawn to this neighborhood. So in 2011, he and his growing family made the move here from Irvington, residing now near NE 44th and Siskiyou.
Jim describes his move to BW as “very purposeful.”
“The fact that in Beaumont-Wilshire we would still be in the Alameda-Grant school boundary area was very important to us. Also, through the course of helping dozens of families move to Beaumont, I was familiar with the make-up of numerous blocks in the neighborhood,” Jim said.
He added that he and his wife wanted their children to grow up in a neighborhood with their peers, and the accessibility of BW to a broad range of families was appealing for many reasons. That, coupled with the idea of being close to shops, added up to Beaumont-Wilshire as the choice for Jim and his family.
“We chose this neighborhood as the place to raise our family for the long term,” Jim said. “And I love the small town charm of Beaumont Village. Where else can you find a locally-owned hardware store, grocery store, and bakery within a couple blocks of your front door?”
Jim’s wife, a former Portland Public Schools teacher, has been busy raising the couple’s three children, ages 4, 7, and 9. The youngest will attend Beaumont Pre-K next year; his older kids currently attend Alameda Elementary.
Jim’s appreciation for his neighborhood spills over into his real estate work. In the last five years he’s found BW is becoming the top choice for many people. Last year there were 60 home sales here, of which he was involved in a good number of them.
“I am proud to have helped so many families find homes in this community,” he said. “I feel lucky to raise my family here, and it gives me a good feeling to help others experience Beaumont-Wilshire.”
Jim acknowledges that he gains clients by being a known quantity in the neighborhood, but another reason he attracts business is his knowledge of construction. As someone who has personally designed and built a couple of homes, (one at 3122 NE 45th) and who “has been swinging a hammer” since he was a boy, that knowledge is appreciated by his clients.
“My clients value that I understand building codes and their implications. I can quickly assess if the existing construction of a home will allow a buyer to turn a small bungalow into a home that works for them by adding a dormer or finishing the basement.”
By all measures, it appears Jim Arnal has found that sense of community in Beaumont-Wilshire. “This is my community, and my livelihood is literally tied to it. I find great joy in knowing the people who live here—both as their neighbor and realtor.”
A longtime advertiser in this publication, Jim is glad to be a part of the newsletter. “I know people read it,” he said enthusiastically. Reach Jim by emailing jim@pdxhomes.com or call (503) 351-3000.