Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Richmond

Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Richmond

The Richmond neighborhood is situated in southeast Portland and incorporates both the Hawthorne and Clinton/Division areas giving residents easy access to two distinct, vibrant, walkable areas full of an eclectic collection of retail, coffee shops, art galleries, entertainment, restaurants, markets, and nightlife. Many area businesses maintain strong ties to their past, like the Bagdad Theater […]

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Best Portland Oregon neighborhoods Concordia

Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a Home: Concordia

For decades, Northeast Portland’s Concordia neighborhood was one of the most rundown areas in the city. Thanks to urban renewal efforts it’s now one of the most vibrant NE areas PDX has to offer, largely due to the exceptional diversity the neighborhood boasts, with many African-American and Latino-owned businesses calling the area home. Also central […]

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When Does It Make Sense to Switch Mortgage Brokers?

Can You Switch Mortgage Brokers Mid-Transaction?

Recently, a couple came to me seeking a second opinion on a mortgage process that suddenly wasn’t going as they’d expected. The loan their broker had offered them on the $715,000 property (with 10% down) came in at a very reasonable 4.25% and initially, they believed they were headed toward a typical closing. However, 20 […]

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Best Portland-area Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Lake Oswego

Best Portland-area Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Lake Oswego

The upscale Lake Oswego community, less than 10 miles south of Portland, Oregon and situated neatly between the Pacific coast and Mount Hood, offers residents easy access to season sports like hiking, skiing, and snowboarding as well as summer beaches and their quaint coastal communities which are popular year-round. With a sweet, small-town feel, Lake […]

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Why Would You Refinance Your Mortgage?

Is It Time to Refinance Your Mortgage?

With interest rates currently at historic lows, many homeowners, even those who have only recently closed on their home purchases, are considering the pros and cons of refinancing. Freddie Mac reported in August (2019) that the average conventional 30-year loan is just 3.6 percent and 15-year loans are at 3.05 percent – that’s nearly one […]

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Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Montavilla

Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Montavilla

Montavilla is one of Portland Oregon’s many close-in metro areas that feels more “neighborhoody” than urban while offering easy city access. This increasingly popular Northeast / Southeast neighborhood was even voted one of the ‘Top 10 U.S. Neighborhoods’ in 2017 by Lonely Planet. Local History Originally named “Mount Tabor Village” in the 1890s, the area […]

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The Ins And Outs of Home Insurance

What Is Home Insurance? In most cases, when you use financing to purchase a new home you will need to purchase home insurance (also known as homeowners insurance) before the transaction closing date. Home insurance covers the lender’s investment as well as your own in the case of things like disaster, damage, fire, vandalism, theft, […]

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Up and Coming Portland Neighborhoods: South Waterfront

South Waterfront: Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House

As recently as 2010, Portland’s South Waterfront neighborhood, located in the intersection of the Willamette River and Downtown PDX, was essentially empty – populated by undeveloped lots and mostly unused buildings.  When the neighborhood was first slated for growth, Portland’s Office of Planning and Sustainability offered this “Vision for 2035”: “…a dense, vibrant, walkable, distinctly […]

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Great Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Foster-Powell

Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Foster-Powell

Portland, Oregon’s Southeast Foster-Powell neighborhood, affectionately referred to as FoPo, is one a few remaining truly affordable neighborhoods for families looking to purchase real estate. It’s affordable, mainly because it’s still considered to be ‘up and coming’ but ask any neighbor in this compact ‘hood and you’ll quickly learn that those who call this area […]

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Family-Friendly Portland Neighborhoods: Rose City Park

Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Rose City Park

Rose City Park Neighborhood Overview 1907 was an important year in the growing city of Portland, Oregon. It was the year the Rose City Park neighborhood was platted; the same year as the very first Portland Rose Festival and the year the Portland Railway trolley service started running from the downtown area making it easier […]

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Hot Portland Neighborhoods: The Pearl District

Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: The Pearl District

Had you not lived in Portland in the 90s you might never guess that The Pearl District, a vibrant neighborhood full of high-end art galleries, expensive high rises, and upscale dining and shopping was previously the Northwest Industrial Triangle: a low-rent industrial area occupied by railroad yards and warehouses on unfinished lots. Prior to that, […]

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Hot Portland Neighborhoods: Forest Park

Best Portland Neighborhoods to Buy a House: Forest Park

Both verdant rambling forest and close-in hood, Northwest Portland’s Forest Park neighborhood is located a quick 5 to 10-minute drive to downtown PDX at the right time of day (20-ish minutes+ during rush hour and other busy times) and is also an easy commute to Beaverton-Hillsboro on the other side. Bordered by the Northwest Heights, […]

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