Sell a Home in the Portland, Oregon Metro

Top 1% Seller’s Agent

Planning on selling a home in the next year or so? You’ve come to the right place. Stephen FitzMaurice, Principal Broker is a top 1% sellers agent in Portland with over 2,000 local sales under his belt and writes extensively about the Portland real estate market.

The Right Way to Sell

Our team charges 4% commission max. and we pay more online to market our Portland and SW Washington homes so they sell faster and for more. (In Salem and Bend areas we charge 4.25% max.) We have a reasonable commission fee, while still providing more marketing and services than our competitors. We back it all up with a cancel anytime policy for no charge.

If you’re thinking of selling your home in the next twelve months, Stephen would love to tour your home. Call today to set an appointment.

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

Four Steps (Budget-Friendly) Portland Kitchen Remodel

March 12, 2013

Portland home buyers are looking for a home that is unique and stylish while being functional and user-friendly. Nowhere do these qualities stand out more than in the kitchen. If you’re considering selling your home and thinking that the space where the average American family does everything from homework to entertaining could use an upgrade, you’re probably right. How much of an upgrade, though? It helps to have an action plan. Step 1: Prioritize and set a budget. Sure, it would be fun to tear everything out and build a new kitchen, and it would certainly set your home apart from the crowd, but keep cost versus value in mind. If you spend $5,000 remodeling your kitchen, you won’t necessarily...

Three Reasons to Sell Your Home in 2013: Portland Market Action Report

January 24, 2013

As a homeowner, the toughest real estate question is always “When should I list my home for sale?” Depending on who you ask, the answer might depend on global economic factors or something as simple as the time of year. Professional real estate agents rely on the Market Action Report published by the Regional Multiple Listing Service, and you should too. By looking at 2012, it’s clear that 2013 will outshine the past few years as the ideal time to list a property or home for sale in Portland. Here are three quick reasons why: 1. Home prices are up, but leveling off. The Market Action Report for December gives a picture of the whole year’s activity on home prices....

Heat up your Portland home value with a fireplace or stove

December 12, 2012

In the damp, dark winters that characterize the Portland, Oregon area, there’s nothing quite like a cheery flame to warm your toes. Traditional open fireplaces are attractive but inefficient, and there are many other options for units that put out heat without creating drafts and wide temperature fluctuations. Rustic wood-burning stoves, pellet stoves or modern glass-enclosed gas or electric fireplaces add a comfortable ambiance to your home that can’t be rivaled. They also serve as a living-area centerpiece, an attractive place for the family to gather year-round. If you’re thinking of selling your Portland home down the road, adding a heat-efficient fireplace or stove could pay off in helping potential buyers fall in love with your home. So what are...

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...

Taking Inventory of the Portland Real Estate Market

December 3, 2012

The real estate industry keeps track of how it’s doing in funny ways. Mortgages are always going above or below water, but they never seem to get soggy. The real estate blogs are constantly searching for the mysterious “bottom of the market” (it must be down here somewhere!) Then there are the economic factors we like to pay attention to, the bulls and bears and consumer confidence indexes. Inventory is one of those head-scratchers in the real estate biz. To give an estimate of how the market is doing, it measures something that would never actually happen: Every homeowner decides they never want to move again and no new homes come on the market. In that case, how long would...

Boo! Is your Portland home a haunted house?

October 30, 2012

Halloween’s almost here, but Portland home buyers aren’t looking for a house that’s haunted. Too often, homes listed for sale are overlooked because of relatively minor issues, issues that the seller can easily fixed before the buyer’s agent comes knocking. So save the scares for the professionals, and read on to de-spookify your home and get it sold before next Halloween! Outside areas Haunted house: Gnarled trees, bats, spiders in every window Your house: Clean and maintained. Like it or not, buyers are swayed by first impressions. Here in Portland, the temperate, rainy climate can lead to an overabundance of vegetation, but that’s not a bad thing as long as you keep it maintained. As a general rule, plants and...

How Does a Home Sell?

October 3, 2012

Most home owners want to know, how does a home sell? NAR (National Association of REALTORS®) conducts an intensive survey and produces a report every year that spells out exactly how a home sells – by the numbers. This is a summary of some highlights with commentary from the 2013 NAR Home Sales Report: How the buyer finds the home: Age 18 to 24 = 91% Internet Age 25 to 44 = 93% Internet Age 45 to 64 = 88% Internet Age 65+ = 75% Internet Overall 92% of buyers are using the internet to find their home. Nearly every buyer uses the Internet to find a home. If they are not visiting an online website, chances are they are...

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...

Best Portland Neighborhood Map, Right Here!

August 15, 2012

Find out which Portland neighborhood is best! Discover: Neighborhood statistics on population, income, demographics, owner occupied vs. rent occupied, level of education, and more. This interactive map program outlines each of the Portland neighborhoods. Which Portland Neighborhood am I in? Simply type your address in the search bar and it will automatically transport you to your neighborhood area.

Appeal to Portland Home Buyers With Vintage Home Staging

August 13, 2012

Whether they are long-time Portland residents or have only seen the city on Portlandia or style blogs like Urban Weeds, if home buyers across the US were asked to describe this city in one word, that word would be: Eclectic. No doubt about it – styling your home to show off its funky, retro side (even if you don’t think it has one) will charm buyers and help your home stand out from the crowd. Here on the Portland Real Estate Blog, we’ve written before about how home staging can reduce the time your home spends on the market by 78%. Now, we explore five ways  to give your home staging a distinctly Portland feel, all without breaking the bank....