PIPER MENKE
Real Estate Broker
Licensed in Oregon
Piper’s journey to real estate was a marathon before it was a sprint. Born and raised in a small Wyoming town, a city was a place of wonder and possibility. In 2005 she took a leap of faith and moved from her college town of Missoula, MT to Portland. With no community and no family in the area, she explored, discovered, and inquired. A remarkable group of female-identified, non-competitive yet dedicated, ultimate frisbee folks would welcome her in and create the foundation of her thriving community. After many years of falling in love with Portland, she decided that helping others find a home and a place within this magical city, was the best way to reciprocate this love affair.
Her ideal adventure for an urban Portland day: She’d start the morning with a family walk to a favorite coffee shop, followed shortly by one of her wife’s delicious (and often talked about) breakfast sandwiches. Her family would take a picnic on a long drive through the beautiful countryside to Oregon’s exquisite wineries and end the day catching a movie at one of Portland’s independent movie theaters, with popcorn of course!
Her superpower: Creating safe space, whether it be physical, emotional, or otherwise. As an original outsider to Portland, a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, and someone who took a long time to find themselves, she understands how scary the decision to buy or sell a home can be. It’s not just about money, it’s about identity and soul, it’s about building and maintaining wealth for ourselves and our families. Let her help settle your nerves and instill confidence in the process.
Superpower she wishes she had: Time travel! What a remarkable adventure it would be to see the story of Portland’s hundred-year-old homes and watch as architecture, design, and style evolved. Would we be able to guess the next fad?!
Favorite moment/s in real estate: She loves those early conversations with both buyers and sellers when they talk about what home means to them. What was it about the house that made them feel safe or welcomed? What is the first thing they did or will do to make a house their home? She loves hearing them reminisce about or plan for the backyard, the sweet front porch, or the proximity to their favorite coffee shop or restaurant. For Piper, it’s about the long game, she wants her clients to feel excited and to breathe a sigh of relief either in moving on to the next adventure or crossing the threshold of their new home.
Favorite Portland neighborhood, and why? What Piper loves most about Portland is that it truly is a city of neighborhoods. She’s lived in many but has a deep love and appreciation for the Alberta Arts District. In her 18 years in Portland, it’s maintained the same artistic heart, and while time has shifted homes, buildings, and people in the area, it’s held on tight to preserving its local ingenuity.