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May 24, 2023

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A modern house with a bowling alley and mural of Monopoly game mascot, Milburn Pennybags, is for sale at $14,995,000 by Jonathan Romano with David Sobolik of Knipe Realty ERA Powered.Knipe Realty ERA

A modern house with a bowling alley and mural of Monopoly game mascot, Milburn Pennybags, is for sale at $14,995,000 by Jonathan Romano with David Sobolik of Knipe Realty ERA Powered.Knipe Realty ERA Powered

A “game room” is the best description for that space where the household gathers to kick back. Formerly called a family room, bonus room or den, it’s the place where a large screen is the centerpiece, seating was selected for hours of comfort and video game equipment is everywhere.

A game room is also a buzz term used in residential real estate listings. While not the top factor in the decision to buy a particular house — that’s location — a designated playroom is appealing to home shoppers looking for family time together and to declutter the great room of board games, poker chips and Play Station controllers.

Game rooms are designed for foosball, pool, billiards and air hockey tables as well as arcade games to have floor space and for players to have elbow room to really compete.

“A separate game room most often increases the value of your home,” according to Ideal Homes & Neighborhoods, a Midwest custom homebuilder. “Homebuyers love the idea of a bonus room for recreation, and it’s a rare find. So, they’re happy to pay the price for it when they find one.”

Here’s a sample of Portland area homes for sale that score big with over-the-top game rooms:

The 1.15-acre riverfront property at 7721 S.E. 17th St. in Vancouver is for sale at $14,995,000 by Jonathan Romano with David Sobolik of Knipe Realty ERA Powered.Knipe Realty ERA Powered

A modern mansion at 7721 S.E. 17th St. in Vancouver has a bowling alley with a mural of Monopoly game mascot, Milburn Pennybags. But that’s not all. A game room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Columbia River has a cocktail bar and an architecturally attractive KillerSpin pingpong table and a foosball game on a vintage red steel table.

There is also a golf simulator and a media room wall with seven screens inside the three-level house with a rooftop deck built in 2016 on a 1.15-acre riverfront lot.

Glass doors spanning almost 40 feet in the great room slide away to the pool deck, sports court and 1,000 square feet of putting greens. The tiered landscape extends to a private dock and an in-water swim border.

“Insane owners’ suite. Spectacular waterfront living with breathtaking river views,” says Jonathan Romano with David Sobolik of Knipe Realty ERA Powered, who listed the property for sale at $14,995,000.

A custom estate at 975 Englewood Drive in Lake Oswego has a barn with a giant upstairs game room packed with Star Wars memorabilia guarded by a life-size Darth Vader and an Imperial stormtrooper. A firefighter’s pole offers fast access to the ground floor.

The structure, called the “Bat Cave,” also shelters a car collector’s garage and a workshop.

Sharing the 2.15-acre property is a 5,980-square-foot house designed by architect Robert Thompson of TVA Architects and built by R & H Construction.

There is a gated entry with a 10-foot concrete privacy wall and access to the adjacent 658-acre Tryon Creek State Natural Area.

“The property is an entertainer’s dream but it doesn’t stop there,” says broker Terry Sprague of LUXE Forbes Global Properties, who listed the property for sale at $3,995,000. “It’s also a collector’s dream, a hobbyist’s dream, an explorer’s dream, a child’s dream...”

The two-story glass-walled dwelling at 1305 S.W. Myrtle Court in Portland’s Southwest Hills is listed for sale by Justin Harnish with Errol Bradley of Harnish Company Realtors.Harnish Company Realtors

The two-story glass-walled dwelling at 1305 S.W. Myrtle Court in Portland’s Southwest Hills has entertainment-enhancing audio and video technologies throughout its 7,581 square feet of living space plus a game area with a cocktail bar and a media room with a 140-inch screen.

“This type of residence is something that rarely comes available and will stand the test of time in quality, style and functionality,” says listing broker Justin Harnish with Errol Bradley of Harnish Company Realtors. The 0.36-acre property is for sale at $8,998,000.

A log house on 18.5 forested acres at 13838 NW Rock Creek Road is for sale by Beth Earnest with Kara Dale-Sonners of Earnest Real Estate.Earnest Real Estate

Game rooms are installed in modern to traditional homes. A log house on 18.5 forested acres at 13838 N.W. Rock Creek Road in unincorporated Multnomah County has a lower level with game and media rooms and a wet bar.

A gated country estate on nearly 40 acres at 11175 N.W. Saltzman Road in Northwest Portland’s Forest Park neighborhood has a lower level with a pool table in the game room plus a wine cellar.

Another example of a finished basement with a game room, mini kitchen, wine cellar and home theater is inside a 1938 house designed by architect Roscoe Hemenway at 4240 SW Fairview Blvd. in Southwest Portland.

And a Northwest contemporary house for sale at 1451 S.W. Highland Road in Portland’s Southwest Hills has game, fitness and golf rooms plus a home theater, wine storage and a sunroom with access to the pool.

— Janet Eastman | 503-294-4072

[email protected] | @janeteastman

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