Portland Landlord Information

Landlord laws in Portland, Oregon are extensive and constantly changing. We report on these changes and give researched articles on how to sell a property with a tenant inside (and whether or not it is a good idea to do so).

Stephen FitzMaurice, Realtor licensed since 2003, has extensive experience in selling multifamily and rental housing. His team is not only a part of the various local MLS and Realtor associations, but is a member of Costar and he features his client’s investment properties on Loopnet and other prominent commercial portals.

If you’re thinking of selling a multifamily or rental unit in the next twelve months, Stephen would love to talk with you and potentially setup a tour. Call today to set an appointment.

Stephen FitzMaurice, Realtor
4% Max. to Sell a Property
Cancel Anytime Policy
Licensed Since 2003
503-714-1111

If you’re considering purchasing a multifamily plex or rental home in the next twelve months, Kami Price, buyers specialist would love to hear what you’re looking for. Call today to set an appointment.

Kami Price, Realtor
Represented Hundreds of Buyers
Licensed since 2004
503-773-0000

What Status Sells a Home for More: Vacant, Seller, or Tenant Occupied? 2023 Report

May 8, 2023

There are a number of factors that cause homes to sell faster or slower and for more, or much less. Whether you’re picking the best time of the year to sell in (or the worst), whether you’re on the east or west side of Portland, whether your condo is downtown or elsewhere in the metro, whether your home is on septic or sewer, whether you have a swimming pool or not, whether your home is on a single level or multiple, there are many factors that drastically change how fast a home sells and for how much. Licensed since 2003, I’ve been writing these reports for the local Portland real estate market for years in order to inform the public...

Portland, Oregon Rental Law Changes into 2023

September 9, 2022

Becoming a landlord means setting yourself up to increase your monthly income and build wealth over time so you and retire with the comfort of financial security. Being a landlord can create a kind of freedom in your life that allows for more time with family and friends and doing what you love. Of course, with all the positives comes with risk, and a lot of work at times. This can depend on the age of the property you rent, tenant turnover, or whether or not you manage yourself or decide to hire a property manager. It also means learning and staying on top changing local city and state rental laws. In this article, we’ll cover some of Portland’s game-changing...

Should I Sell my House or Rent it Out?

August 17, 2022

What happens when you get a new job in another city and need to relocate? Or your dream home becomes available? Should you sell your current home, or should you consider becoming a landlord and rent it out? Becoming a landlord is like having a small side business and requires that you stay abreast of Portland landlord laws and rules. Of course, you can always hire a property manager to handle most of the tasks required to successfully rent property, but keep in mind that they typically take anywhere from 8%-12% of your monthly rental income for their services. You can also rent now and sell later, however, selling a home with a tenant inside can present its own set...

What Sells a Home Best? Vacant, Seller, or Tenant Occupied? 2022 Report

June 17, 2022

Since 2017 we’ve been creating this annual report to help our clients know what occupancy status is better for a potential home sale. Is it easier to sell a home if it is vacant, seller, or tenant occupied? While most of our clients can guess it is more difficult to sell tenant occupied, this annual report helps them know just how much harder it is to sell with a tenant inside. Also for homeowners deciding to move out first and vacate or sell while still living in the home, these reports can be helpful. The numbers used. This report is based on data from RMLS, our local multiple listing service. We are looking exclusively at city of Portland proper, detached...

No Portland Homes for Rent, Only Apartments

June 3, 2022

As a licensed real estate agent serving the greater Portland metro area since 2003, my practice, like most agents serving the area, involves representing home buyers and sellers in the real estate market. (If you’re looking for a rental, it is best to lookup property management companies in the area you want to live in.) However, I’ve helped numerous landlords sell their rentals or purchase new ones and so have become very familiar with the ups and downs of the Portland rental market. One of the local trends I’ve felt over the past few years is the ongoing disappearance of detached homes available for rent in Portland. Recently, new research reports have confirmed this trend. Single Family Home Rental Trends...

How to Sell a Home with a Tenant Inside in Portland, Oregon

April 14, 2021

Updated Feb. 2023 Selling a tenant occupied home has never been trickier. A landlord must be aware of constantly changing local regulations, whether it be state, county, or city and at the same time keep an eye on federal regulations. All of the above governmental agencies can override any existing lease between the homeowner and tenant. Vacant Homes Sell 100% Faster and for More Money In the Portland real estate market, tenant occupied homes hardly sell at all. We’ve been writing an annual report on this for years. In 2020, nearly 1 out of 2 tenant occupied homes that went on the public market for sale, never sold. They simply failed to sell at all. These homes sat on the...

Buying Portland Investment Property: 5 Things to Know in 2021

December 14, 2020

From market conditions to zoning rules and rental restrictions, here are five essential facts for potential Portland investors.  1. Real estate investment is not for everyone At its most basic level, the idea of becoming a landlord and receiving, on average, a 9% return on your investment, seems like a no-brainer. However, successful real estate investors take the job pretty seriously. They calculate how much the property is going to cost them (up front and ongoing), versus how much they’re going to earn on the rental, before they even make an offer. They also take personal stock of their skills in management, home-maintenance (there’s going to be a lot of that), and legal processes. Do your research, read a book...

Portland Rental Law: What Landlords should Know in 2021

September 18, 2020

The Portland real estate rental market was pretty eventful for rental owners in Portland in 2020. For long-term rental/investment property owners, the contentious FAIR ordinance went into effect city-wide in March, but was soon overshadowed by COVID and the subsequent ban on evictions. Short-term property owners saw a dip in bookings as well, but the situation resolved itself more quickly. Let’s review what the changes were for rental owners in the Portland real estate market this year, and what you need to do to be a successful rental owner in Portland in 2021 and beyond. Before we get started, we should say that we are not lawyers and that this blog post is not intended to be a complete guide...

What Sells a Home: Vacant, Seller, or Tenant Occupied?

September 1, 2020

2020 Real Estate Market Update. You’re getting ready to sell your home and you wonder, should I move out and vacate the property for the real estate market, or should I stay and not worry about it? Or let’s say you’re getting ready to sell your investment property with tenant inside. Should you wait until they leave to put it on the real estate market, or is it better to sell with a tenant inside? A lot of articles we write might have a 10% – 15% impact on selling a home, such as picking the right time of year to buy or sell. Even a 10% difference in being able to sell a home is huge. But occupancy, who...

Portland Rental Laws: 2020 Game-Changers

October 18, 2019

Right around $2,000/month: That’s what the median renter pays in the Portland metro area, according to Zillow. For those looking to buy an investment property, that might sound like a pretty nice number. Of course, those who do their research on renting out a home in Portland will soon find that it’s not as simple as it first seems. From property taxes to maintenance, owning a Portland rental can be costly. Then there are the Portland laws governing landlord-tenant relationships, which in 2019 are more complex than ever.  As real estate agents, we do encourage anyone interested in purchasing an investment property — or purchasing a primary home and renting out a bedroom, basement or Accessory Dwelling Unit — to...