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

Portland Home Energy Score: 2022 Update (How is it Going?)

January 3, 2022

Committed to reducing carbon emissions in Portland 80% by the year 2050, the City of Portland instituted the Home Energy Score (HES) program in January, 2018. Since then, Portland home sellers had completed 20,000 HES assessments at the time of the last Portland City Council Report. The report also disclosed that, residential buildings are responsible for 18% of carbon emissions within Multnomah County. Considering that about 160,000 of these are single-family homes in Portland with more than three-quarters of them are owner-occupied, it’s easy to see what a positive impact implementing these assessments can make. Portland Setting the Trend for Home Energy Scores Portland was the first city in Oregon to require Home energy score assessments for all homes on...

How Homes are Sold Across the Country – 2022 Report

December 20, 2021

Selling a home can seem like a daunting task, whether you’ve done it many times or are doing it for the first time. There also seems to be more ways to sell a home than every before, so some research is in order. One must know how home buyers are finding, selecting, and purchasing homes for sale in order to know the best way to sell a home. What is the best way to market a home for sale in 2022 to get the biggest audience and best possible price? The National Association of Realtors (NAR) compiles an annual report that shares this and more, all based on careful, comprehensive nationwide research. Having this valuable information removes guesswork and will...

For Sale By Owner Homes Sell for 14% Less – 2022 Report

November 29, 2021

In 2021, 90% of homeowners in the real estate market nationwide sold their home using a real estate agent or broker, according to the National Association of Realtors. That was on par with 2019-2020 and slightly lower than 2018 (91%). Only 7% of home sellers sold their homes For Sale by Owner (FSBO). For sale by owner homes sold for much less in 2021 than homes represented by real estate agents, 14% less, which we will explain here. For Sale By Owner Rates Have Dropped Consistently Over the Years The 7% of FSBO home sales in 2021 was down by 1% from 2020. The For Sale By Owner rate has been steadily dropping since the NAR first began keeping track...

5 Things to Know Before Selling a Vacant Home

November 1, 2021

Leaving your home sitting vacant for any amount of time—even for a short vacation—can be risky. Putting it on the real estate market and having it sit unmonitored, whether you’ve moved across town, out of town, or out of state, is a whole other story. Anything from floods, pests, and crime to broken pipes, water leaks, and gas leaks can change the course of the sale of your home. Now that we’re moving into winter, taking precautions to winterize is a prudent step for any home seller. According to the most recent RMLS report, homes in the Portland metro area are selling, on average, within 40 days. That’s a pretty quick turnaround, but considering the time it takes to close,...

What is Title Insurance and Who Pays for It?

October 25, 2021

Buying or selling a home means anticipating costs, some of which are closing costs. In Oregon, most of the amount needed at closing is for title insurance. This type of insurance isn’t required by law in Oregon, however, lenders require it to ensure a smooth transition from seller to buyer and to protect their own financial interests. But the need for title insurance doesn’t end there. So, what is title insurance, and why is it important? What is Title Insurance, and Why do You Need It? Holding “title” on a home is different from having a deed to a home. The deed is the tangible piece of paper that names the owner, whereas “title” refers to the legal right to ownership,...

How Soon Can You Sell Your Portland Home After Buying It?

October 1, 2021

Buying a home is a big investment, one of the biggest in life for most people. According to the Zillow Group Consumer Housing Trends Report, the typical homeowner will stay in their home for 15 years before putting it on the market. This allows substantial equity growth and avoids financial loss through capital gains tax, mortgage prepayment penalties, and more. However, with the impact of COVID19 (just after that report was written) many homeowners are selling sooner rather than later. Also, many unavoidable life circumstances can suddenly force an unseen move, so it is good to know the implications if you need to sell a home soon after buying it. The 5-Year Rule of Thumb In Real Estate Consensus in...

Top 5 Front Door Colors to Sell your Home 2022

September 20, 2021

First impressions matter, so if you want to hook potential buyers with the ultimate curb appeal, consider refreshing your home’s front door color. It’s a small investment that can reap quicker sales and put thousands more in your pocket at closing, according to a recent study by Zillow. Our top 5 front door choices for 2022 combines the Zillow study, recent colors of the year awards, and research into popular exterior colors. Keeping in mind factors like trends, style of home, and geographical location will go a long way in helping you choose the perfect color. Which of our following top five front door color picks will make people want to step inside your home and take a look around?...

Should the Seller Pay for Closing Costs? 2021 Update

August 16, 2021

Closing costs constitute some of the most opaque parts of the home buying process. As you’re looking to sell, you might find yourself wondering exactly what it is that you owe to the buyer. What do closing costs entail, and who pays for them? We’re here to demystify this process. What Constitutes Closing Costs? When you’re closing on a home from the buyer’s side, you’re likely looking at some serious up front charges, and not just the down payment. Buyers also pay for the inspection and appraisal, and put down earnest money (typically 1% of the sales price in our area). That’s some serious cash! On the seller’s side, expect to pay half of the escrow and owner’s title insurance....

Checklist to Get your Home Ready for the Real Estate Market

August 9, 2021

Preparing your home for the real estate market is an involved process and a checklist can help. Licensed since 2003, I’ve overseen more than 2,000 home sales and believe this checklist will help you get ready. Keep reading after this home checklist for important home preparation advice. Our home preparations checklist is divided between exterior and interior tasks and tasks we recommend are completed right before the photographer arrives, to ensure the home puts its best foot forward before displaying on thousands of real estate websites. Home Preparations Checklist ✔ Done EXTERIOR Do this rightbefore photos. Yard mowed X All plants cut away from siding, roof X Windows Washed X Gutters cleaned X Powerwash siding, driveway, sidewalk X Fresh layer...

Home not selling? 3 Steps to Get it Sold Fast.

August 6, 2021

Unless you have avoided the news for the last eight months, it is clear that the real estate market is hot for sellers around the country. However, this can only make things feel even more frustrating if you’re one of the few homes that are not selling. Not so fun fact, did you know that in Portland of the 1067 detached Portland homes currently for sale a full 387 have been on the Portland market active for more than 30 days? That means 36% off all homes for sale in Portland right now have been sitting active, fingers crossed for an offer, for more than 30 days. Of those 387 homes that have been sitting on the market for more...