Portland Real Estate Agents

Curious about Realtors?
We write regular articles about average real estate agent commission rates, the number of real estate agents working in the Portland metro area, the difference between different types of local real estate licenses, where to find the best real estate agent reviews, best questions to ask when interviewing local agents, and much more. Enjoy!

Top Portland Real Estate Agent in 2013

January 17, 2013

The National Association of Realtors® puts out a “member profile report” every year. In the member profile report it goes over how much money REALTORS® spend and how much they make. I’m pleased to report that in 2012 I found myself in the top 10% of real estate agents in the United States. You can see my success rate in previous years here. With the Portland real estate market expected in increase dramatically in 2013 (see our article here) I’m confident I will remain a top Portland real estate agent in 2013. Real estate and Portland are my two loves (besides my family)! We live in a fantastic city full of business and culture. Let me put my experience to...

What Sellers Look for in a Portland Listing Agent

December 4, 2012

Selling a house is no small endeavor. And, as one might expect, it’s not something most of us would want to leave to someone we don’t trust. This is one of the main reasons we ask for referrals from our friends, family, neighbors and coworkers when selling a house. Did you know that getting a referral is the number one method used to find a Real Estate Agent? Well it is. According to the National Association of REALTORS® Yearly Publication, fully thirty-nine percent of people selling a house in 2011 found their listing agent by getting a referral from a friend, neighbor or relative. Involving a trusted friend’s referral can bring peace of mind and perhaps promotes more honesty, but...

Why Hire a Portland Real Estate Agent?

August 30, 2012

Many people ask today, “With so much information online about how to sell my home, why should I use a real estate agent?” A lot of people believe they can put on a real estate agent hat and sell their own home without a lot of fuss or difficulty. I’m going to give you four quick reasons why you should hire a Portland real estate agent. 1. Education. Most of our education as real estate agents revolves around how to not get in legal trouble. There are countless legal pitfalls in real estate and agents have to study on average for six months to pass their license exam (mostly filled with legal questions). In addition to the education required to...

How to Save on Portland Closing Costs

August 23, 2012

Is it possible to save money on closing costs? Absolutely! If you’re a home buyer, Oregon is a great state to look at for some of the lowest closing costs in the nation. According to Bankrate.com, the average home sale closing costs in Oregon are 11th lowest of the 50 states. For a home purchased with a $200,000 loan, with 20% down payment and excellent credit, the closing costs average $3,509. But what are these closing costs, and who pays them? Your Portland real estate agent can help you figure exact amounts, but keeping closing costs in mind as you start your home search or list your home for sale will help you avoid surprises on the closing day. At the...

How a REALTOR® in Portland can stop a bad Appraisal.

July 25, 2012

These days appraisals are at the top of the deal killer list for residential home sales. Demand in the Portland home market is up and often the market itself doesn’t catch up fast enough. This means that appraisers will be looking at old information that is skewing the way the bank is looking at the current sale. Also, the days have long past where a Realtor can choose an appraiser they trust. Appraisers are virtually randomly selected by the lender with no input permitted. Given these facts, what can be done to stop an appraiser from killing your Portland home sale? 1. Have your Portland Realtor meet the appraiser at the property. Not all appraisers are willing to talk with...

How to pick a Portland Real Estate Agent.

May 29, 2012

Since I work with Portland Real Estate Agents everyday on a number of transactions and hear all sorts of things from various people, I thought I’d write a post on choosing a real estate agent (even if you don’t choose myself, though I hope you’d consider it). 1. Customer Service. No matter how experienced and agent is, no matter how much education they have, no matter how good their marketing package is, if they don’t have a customer service focus, don’t pick them. Customer service means picking up the phone or at least calling back within the same day. Customer service means updating the client regularly as the transaction progresses. No Portland real estate agent is worth your time unless...

REALTOR® in Portland vs. Portland Real Estate Agent

April 9, 2012

Logos for all three REALTOR® associations. Not all Portland Real Estate Agents are REALTORS®. The term “REALTOR®” is a registered collective membership mark that identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. All REALTORS® in Portland are real estate agents, but not all Portland real estate agents are REALTORS®. This membership is much more than a networking group. A REALTOR® in Portland is held to a higher standard, the Code of Ethics put out by the NAR, a 17 point pledge to give ethical customer service. For instance, the first pledge is a promise to put the interests of buyers and sellers ahead of their own and to treat all parties honestly. All...