Portland Real Estate Blog

According to feedspot.com this is a top 100 real estate blog in the world. It is written by Stephen FitzMaurice, Realtor and licensed Broker since 2003. With a focus on the greater Portland real estate market, this blog features up-to-date reporting on nearly every aspect of the residential real estate market. Start with this month’s real estate market report, or browse the categories below.

Portland Real Estate Blog

Recent Articles

Rent vs Buy Reports

Rent VS. Buy a Home in Portland, Oregon – 2024 Update

According to one survey, 94% of respondents considered owning a home part of the American Dream; however, 51% of people who didn’t already own a home worried that they never would. With a rising cost of housing prices, an increase in federal interest rates, and a lack of housing stock, this fear is somewhat warranted.  […]

Rent vs. Buy a Home in Portland, Oregon? A Financial Calculation 2023

In their 2022 Housing Survey, NeighborWorks America found that nearly nine in ten Americans agree that homeownership is important, and many see both increased feelings of security and connection to their community as significant benefits of owning a home. In reality, being a homeowner extends beyond the property itself to a sense of ownership and […]

Portland Rent vs. Buy a Home – 2022 Statistics

Homeownership makes people happy. No really. Study after study shows that homeownership positively effects a person’s life in more ways than financial security. The below is a report from NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® research division, article, “Social Benefits of Homeownership and Stable Housing.” Rohe and Stegman found that low-income people who recently became homeowners reportedhigher […]

Sell a Home in Portland

Oregon Home Energy Score News and Updates By City

How Home Energy Scores Got Started In Oregon The city of Portland enacted its Home Energy Score (HES) Program in 2018 to help reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. Portland is one of the first US cities to do it, second only to Berkley, CA. A year later, the Oregon Department of Energy partnered […]

For Sale By Owners Homes Sell for Much Less, Annual Report

The National Association of Realtors, NAR, puts out an annual in-depth research report on what actually causes homes to sell across the U.S., down to a percentage point. This annual report also includes information on for sale by owner homes, how many there were in the last year and how they performed versus Realtor listed […]

iBuyer Warning. Read Before Selling Your Home to Opendoor, Zillow, Etc.

Over the past few years, the iBuyer model surged and faded, with companies like Opendoor and Zillow leading the way. iBuyers acted as intermediaries, providing quick purchases for sellers and reselling to buyers or amassing their real estate portfolio and turning those homes into rentals. However, this seemingly ideal solution has faced some recent challenges.  […]

Seller Closing Costs

What is Title Insurance and Who Pays for It?

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, most lenders require it to ensure a smooth transition from seller to buyer and to protect their […]

Should the Seller Pay the Buyer’s Closing Costs?

Selling or buying a home and getting approved for a mortgage can be a taxing process, even for those who have done it before. Laws and standards change, and for most of us, we only do it a few times throughout our lives. Closing costs are the biggest upfront financial investment, especially for the buyer. […]

Who Pays for Title Insurance? Oregon Closing Costs

When’s the last time you heard of someone losing their home because an unsatisfied heir of a previous owner laid claim to it? You probably haven’t because of title insurance, an often-overlooked component of real estate transactions. In Oregon, title insurance represents a lion’s share of the average home seller’s closing costs, but home buyers […]

Sellers Agent Commission Rates

The Average U.S. Real Estate Commission Rate

Thinking of selling your home? Then you’re probably interested in real estate commissions. How much are they and what do you get in return? Will you be able to sell your home for more? Do you need a real estate agent’s advice and representation? Real Estate Commission Changes from the 90s to Today There are […]

Average U.S. Real Estate Commission Rates into 2023

Thinking of selling your home? Then you’re probably interested in real estate commissions. How much are they and what do you get in return? Will you be able to sell your home for more? Do you need the real estate agent’s advice and representation? Real Estate Commission Changes from the 90s to Today There are […]

Average Real Estate Agent Commissions Drop Under 5% in 2021

Thinking of selling your home? The average real estate commission in the U.S. in 2021 is just under 5%. Most of the time this commission includes both the seller’s and buyer’s agent costs combined and paid by the homeowner. All real estate commissions in the U.S. are fully negotiable. Valid real estate commission information is […]

Selling a Home with a Tenant Inside

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

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, […]

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

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 […]

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

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 […]

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We have worked with many Realtors over the years and Stephen is by far the best we have ever met. He's very knowledgeable and gets the job done quickly. We had multiple offers after one day, not because we were under priced but because we had maximum exposure at the appropriate price!

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