The Last Six: How Romano Capital Closed Out Boulder Ridge at Columbia Palisades in a Changing Market

Sometimes a real estate success story isn’t about selling a property in the first weekend.

Sometimes it’s about staying committed to the plan when the market changes underneath you.

The sale of 4741 SE Ascension Dr in Camas is part of one of those stories.

It actually begins years earlier with Romano Capital, the locally owned developer behind Boulder Ridge at Columbia Palisades, a collection of 24 luxury townhomes perched above the Columbia River in Camas.

Romano Capital is a company we have tremendous respect for. They are deeply invested in this community and are behind a number of significant real estate projects, including helping spearhead the broader Columbia Palisades development, a multi billion dollar project that is reshaping an important part of Camas.

Boulder Ridge is one piece of that larger vision.

Approximately half of the luxury townhomes were positioned along the bluff, offering dramatic Columbia River views and, from some residences, views toward Mt. Hood. The remaining townhomes were interior units within the development.

Romano Capital had successfully sold the majority of the community.

But eventually, sales stalled.

Six luxury townhomes remained.

Three view units. Three interior units.

And that is when they brought us in.

A Relationship Built Long Before The Listing

Our relationship with Romano Capital wasn’t new.

We had previously worked with them selling properties in the Two Creeks neighborhood in Camas, including the final single family home remaining in that development. Over the years, we had also discussed other development opportunities together.

They knew us. We knew them.

More importantly, there was already an understanding of how each of us operated.

Romano Capital had an established reputation as a developer, builder and real estate lender. Jonathan Romano and I had an established track record selling properties throughout Camas and Southwest Washington.

When the remaining inventory at Boulder Ridge became more difficult to move, Romano Capital interviewed several agents and real estate teams.

Ultimately, they hired us.

Our assignment sounded simple:

Sell the final six luxury townhomes.

The reality was much more complicated.

There Was More at Stake Than Six Sales 

Developers operate differently from a typical homeowner.

There are construction costs, carrying costs, timelines and investor capital involved. Every additional month matters.

But Romano Capital wasn’t interested in simply discounting the luxury townhomes until they sold.

There was another important consideration.

Twenty four homeowners would ultimately share this community.

Aggressively reducing prices on the remaining inventory could impact the values of the homeowners who had already purchased.

So our job wasn’t simply to create transactions.

We needed to balance speed with value.

We needed to protect Romano Capital’s financial goals while also protecting the integrity of Boulder Ridge and the values already established within the community.

On some of the final luxury townhomes, we were even able to provide input regarding finishing touches and interior design choices before bringing them to market.

That collaboration mattered.

Romano Capital cared about how the development was presented and how it would hold its value over time.

We continued meeting with Romano Capital to review feedback, pricing and strategy.

And one by one, the luxury townhomes sold.

Each closing was progress.

But there was something different about the final one.

Closing the Chapter

When the last luxury townhome finally closed, there was definitely excitement.

But there was also relief.

Romano Capital had built 24 luxury townhomes at Boulder Ridge at Columbia Palisades. They had committed investor capital, years of development work and a tremendous amount of energy to the project.

The final sale meant something bigger than another closing.

It meant the chapter was complete.

Despite a market that became substantially more challenging than anyone expected when we started, all six of the remaining luxury townhomes had ultimately sold.

Romano Capital could close out Boulder Ridge and continue focusing its energy on the other development projects it has underway throughout the area.

And that is part of what made the final closing especially rewarding.

This is a locally owned company that continues to invest in Camas and Southwest Washington, including the larger Columbia Palisades project that is creating significant new development and opportunity in the community.

For us, there was tremendous satisfaction in knowing we stayed with the strategy all the way through and helped a great local developer complete an important chapter.

The Lesson for Sellers

Real estate marketing matters.

Pricing matters.

Presentation matters.

But there are markets when those things alone do not produce an immediate result.

That is when experience, communication and consistency become even more important.

A good strategy isn’t always about creating instant momentum.

Sometimes it is about knowing how to keep creating opportunities when momentum doesn’t come easily.

For Romano Capital and Boulder Ridge at Columbia Palisades, that meant staying disciplined through one of the more challenging market transitions we have experienced in years.

Six remaining luxury townhomes.

Three overlooking the Columbia River.

Three interior residences.

And eventually, six successful closings.

Sometimes the win isn’t how quickly the story ends.

It’s having the experience, the patience and the right partnership to see it all the way through.