King

the King neighborhood is located in Northeast Portland and is known for its diverse population and some of the city's best dining. You'll find the farmers market here, and most homes are within walking distance to a lot of popular areas in town.

Linnton

Linnton is a small narrow community located just east of Forest Park along Linnton Park between the park and the Willamette River. This affluent community is home to primarily residential homes and affluent residents. It's close to the agricultural community of Sauvie Island just across the river and borders the neighborhoods of Northwest industrial on the south, St. John's and Cathedral Park across the river to the east and Forest Park on the west. Some of the neighborhood does extend beyond Portland city limits into Multnomah County ending at the bridge.

Richmond

The Richmond neighborhood is located east of the river just north of Highway 26 or SE. Powell Blvd. This is a larger neighborhood with several thousand residents with a combination of historical homes and lots of amenities. Residents have access to numerous shops, restaurants, and markets along SE. Hawthorne Blvd., which is the northern border and SE. Division St., which runs east and west through the center of the community.

Ross Island

Ross Island is the main island of a four Island cluster in the Willamette River in downtown Portland. Covering a total of about 400 acres, there are a few communities and residential homes on this island. The median home value is about $450,000 with a population under 200. If you're looking to get away from it all yet still be close to nature and the city, Ross Island makes a beautiful location.

East Moreland

The Moreland neighborhoods are made up of Eastmoreland and Westmoreland which are located within blocks of the Sellwood neighborhood. The city classifies this area as Sellwood-Moreland and that is why they are covered under one area. Both Eastmoreland and Westmoreland are comprised of very nice homes that are meticulously maintained. It is known around town that in Westmoreland people mow their own lawns and in Eastmoreland they have gardeners. Westmoreland and Eastmoreland are comprised of homes that are generally in the $500,000 to $1,000,000 and up price.

Be sure to click on any of the neighborhoods above to learn more about this neighborhood and to view all current properties for sale in Portland's hottest neighborhoods for 2021.

The Portland real estate market is crazy right now. It's amazing how the housing market has totally been a wild ride this last year in spite of all the other craziness in the world, but with rates dropping below 3%, buyers are snatching up properties left and right and here's where they're buying.

Alameda

The Alameda neighborhood has a population of just under 10,000 with a median home value of about $588,000. We have seen a more homes bought and sold from this neighborhood the just about any other neighborhood in the Portland metro area. Located in Northeast Portland and borders the Irvington and Grant Park neighborhood, this family-friendly, livable, and historic community features a variety of home styles and designs yet no more than about 5 to 10 minutes from a majority of amenities and services.

Homestead

Homestead offers a 9 out of 10 for overall livability. It offers a median home value of about $562,000 and with a population of less than 3000, it's less dense than a lot of other Portland metro areas. The Homestead neighborhood is Southwest Portland bordering West Hills home to several parks, and trails that lead into downtown Portland.

Forest Park

This is one of the top neighborhoods for decades in the Portland area. High-end and affluent homeowners choose to make Forest Park not only their home destination but their playground as well. Forest Park is located on Portland's Southwest area and is surrounded by beautiful parks, trails, and green space. You'll find an eclectic blend of houses and architecture in Forest Park.

Irvington

Irvington is located on the east side of the river and features more regulated neighborhoods, historical homes, and yet just minutes to most amenities and services. It's a perfect location for commuting to work and surrounded by other great neighborhoods. 

Corbett, Terwilliger, Lair Hill

This community sits along the river just south of downtown. It's a combination of the three micro-neighborhoods offering a lot of boating options in the South waterfront neighborhood. You'll find high-rise buildings, condominiums, and beautiful views of the water. The median home value for this neighborhood is about $406,000, making it extremely popular for those that want to live in downtown without the high price of other neighborhoods surrounding metro Portland. It receives excellent scores on schools, housing, and amenities.

(Click on any of the neighborhoods to see a list of current properties for sale)

5 More Hot Neighborhoods in Portland

As home prices have increased significantly some buyers are looking at the option to purchase a short sale property as a means to better afford their dream home in Portland Oregon.

A short sale occurs when the homeowner owes more on the home than its current market value and needs to sell the home in hopes of not defaulting on the mortgage. Short sale homes can sometimes be a bargain. They do require a bit of homework, patience, and for potential buyers to remain emotionally neutral in case the process falls through.

Here are some tips for purchasing a short sale home in the Portland area

Hire a Good Agent

Finding a local real estate agent that has experience with short sale homes is a great idea. This is a much different and much longer transaction process so having an agent that has previous experience or training in short sales is very helpful.

Know the Fair Market Value

For a short sale to take place, a lender has to agree and give permission for the home to be sold at a lesser price than is owed. The goal of the bank is to keep the amount of loss to a minimum. They will be aware of the current market value of the home so it is wise to make your offer on the home a smart one. Offering far below market value will end in a rejected approval from the bank. It is advised to make your first offer around 20% below market value.

Expect a Longer Buying Process

There are two stages to acceptance once you make an offer on short sale home. First, the homeowner has to accept the offer, and then they need to send the offer to the bank for them to see and approve it. The bank or lender approval process can take several weeks and in some cases months. The process can be drawn out longer if the lending bank counteroffers. If there are any other liens on the home it can take even longer as any of the lien holders can reject the offer or counter as well.

Have Your Financing Ready

One of the things the lender will look for when deciding to accept your offer is your ability to close on the loan and secure your financing. Including a preapproval letter with your offer will help the lender to see you are a serious and solid candidate to purchase the home.

Avoid Contingencies

With any offer contract, a potential buyer can include contingencies, but this can deter a homeowner and most likely a lending bank from approving your offer. It is good to always include an inspection and a bank will understand this, but try to avoid asking for extra things. In most cases, a short sale home is sold “as is” with the understanding that no repairs will be made on the home before closing the sale.

For more information on finding short sale homes for sale in Portland,  please contact us any time. We would love to help you find your next home.

More Tips on Short Sales and Home Buying:

Simple Steps to Buying a Home

5 Red Flags to Look for on a Seller's Disclosure Form

The 4 best ways to find a short sale

Here are some of the basic steps to buying a home in Portland Oregon

Get Pre-approved

If you are planning to apply for a mortgage the very first thing you will need to do is to find out how much home you can actually afford. This is very easy to do by sitting down with the lender and discussing your financial situation and determining a price range in which to look. A good lender will also offer you a letter of preapproval to present the sellers when you're submitting an offer. This shows you are a serious buyer ready to purchase the property.

Submit an offer

As your dedicated Portland buyer’s agent is my job to write up a solid offer with minimal contingencies and your best interest at heart. You are the ultimate decision-maker and as your buyer’s agent, I can offer you tips and advice along the way.

Once accepted your offer move to pending and your earnest money is deposited

Only after mutual acceptance is your earnest money actually deposited typically with the brokerage bank or with your title and escrow company. From here the transaction moves on to status “pending” in which the listing is removed from the market and we move on to inspection.

Conduct a professional inspection

Because this is one of the biggest investments you probably ever make, it's vital to have a professional inspector look over the home and write a report of any repairs or hazardous issues that need attention. At this point, you can either terminate the transaction or negotiate for money off the purchase price or repairs from the seller.

Proceed to close

Once the inspection has been passed the transaction moves on to closing. During this time title and escrow will do their job collecting the right documents and doing research to be sure that the seller has the right to sell the property. Also during this time, you'll find it's a little quiet for the buyer. But don't worry, dozens of people are working together to make sure this transaction closes on time.

Signing and closing

Your escrow or buyer’s agent will call you in for a signing. This is where the buyer and seller both sign all the final documents to close on the property. Only after this time are you allowed to have the keys from your agent to your new Portland home.

Have you gotten tired of living in the same area for years upon years? Are you itching to relocate to a new place and maybe even plant your own roots? Making a journey like that is both exciting and intimidating. There’s a lot of planning that goes into moving and starting a new life wherever you live. Here are a few things to consider when making the big leap into a new life.

Be informed

Probably the easiest and most important place to begin is being familiar with the area to which you are moving. If you have friends or family that currently live in the new area, ask them about the neighborhood, the schools, restaurants, and other areas that interest you. If not, you can easily find this information online and compare and contrast that with where you currently live.

Plan a vacation

Not everything can be explained on paper. Once you’ve gained some knowledge into the area, plan on taking a trip there to experience what they have to offer. If there’s a local event taking place that interests you or a job opportunity that you could interview for, that could be the perfect way to get a good idea of the vibe in the community, interact with the locals, and see how well you might do there yourself.

Budget, budget, budget

Before you even start looking for a house, take into account the amount of money to be saved in order to relocate. It’s not just the cost of a new house you’ll need to consider; also think about the cost of living in whatever city or suburb in which you’re wanting to live. Not all cities are the same. Some have different taxes than others and different laws that people have to follow. If you’re moving into a different state, this is especially true. Some states have property taxes and state income taxes, and some do not. Once you get a good idea of what to expect in a new area, you’ll be more easily able to save up accordingly.

Consider how you’re going to move

One of the biggest expenses to moving involves specifically how you move. Sure, you could simply pack up all your belongings and rent a truck yourself, but that’s a lot of work when you have other things to do as well. If your budget can afford it, you might consider hiring professionals to load up and transport your possessions for you. It’ll save you time and potentially back-breaking labor.

Once you’ve come to a decision on where you’d like to move and what home you’d like to purchase, make the most of every opportunity in your new community. Making new friends and getting involved in local events or a church can truly make the move a special moment in not only your lives but the lives of your kids and spouse.

More on Moving:

Should you sell now or wait?

10 Things all new homeowners should know

Tips for singles, parents and students moving to Portland

How to Pack for a move across town

30 Tips to make moving easier

What to know about moving to Portland

Tips for moving with pets

Relocating to Portland from out of town

Where in Beaverton Should I Live?

A lot of people are moving out of the city and Beaverton is one of the most popular destinations right now. Beaverton is a great city located just west of downtown Portland along Sunset Highway. It’s easily accessible from the Beaverton Tigard Highway which runs North and South, the Sunset Highway or Highway 26 which runs East and West from downtown Portland out to the ocean, or from I5 up the Beaverton Tigard Highway from the south. It’s home to several different neighborhoods and communities and is a popular choice for those moving to the Portland Metro area.

The farther you get from the Beaverton Tigard Highway or Highway 217, the longer the commute will be so if you’re looking to have a shorter commute round into downtown Portland you may want to choose some of the neighborhoods closest to the highway such as Cedar Hills, Vose, and Five Oaks. These three neighborhoods are specifically close to Highway 26 and Highway 27 but the Cedar Hills area is located at the intersection of 217 and 26 making it ideal for those that commute to downtown Portland.

Cedar Hills

Cedar Hills also has plenty of great schools including two middle schools and several elementary schools. On the corner of Murray and Jenkins Road are several shopping malls, Costco, restaurants, and parks making it ideal for folks that live in the Cedar Hills neighborhood. This is probably one of the most popular neighborhoods considering the residential neighborhoods are close to parks and schools yet you’re just seconds away from most shops, markets, and daily necessities.

Sexton Mountain

Other neighborhoods that are set a little way from the major freeways are Sexton Mountain and Aloha. These communities are primarily residential with several neighborhood parks and community recreational facilities. Sexton Mountain has over seven parks in its vicinity and makes a great location for those that are looking for single-family homes, duplexes, and a quiet more peaceful setting.

Aloha

Aloha is located along the Tualatin Valley Highway just off the Tualatin Hills Nature Park. Along this major highway are several general necessities such as shops, markets, and restaurants and the Aloha High School is also in this neighborhood. This is a collection of residential communities and industrial and commercial neighborhoods as well making it a good walking neighborhood.

On the East side of the Beaverton-Tigard Highway, you’ll find several more homes surrounding the Portland Golf Club and the Redtail Golf Course. This is also a collection of residential neighborhoods interspersed with parks and commercial or retail neighborhoods.

14 Things to Look for When Buying a House

For more information on finding the exact neighborhood that fits your lifestyle and your budget in the Beaverton area please call me anytime or start your online search here for free.

Think you know your neighbors? Think again. Talking to neighbors is a great way to learn more about a community but neighbors are not going to tell you everything. Here are seven things your neighbors probably will never tell you.

#1. When they steal your Wi-Fi.

If your neighbor is close enough that they can piggyback on your Wi-Fi they probably are. Make sure you create a strong password protected and never use your name or your address or phone number.

#2. When they have bedbugs or fleas.

Did you know that fleas and bedbugs can attach themselves to people's clothes and the bottoms of their shoes tracking them into your house when they come visiting? A good way to prevent this is by making sure people leave their shoes outside the front door but other than that, there's not much you can do to prevent it.

#3. They see everything you do.

Unless your neighbors are gone most of the time, they are watching you. Not every neighbor is a nosy neighbor, but if you have a habit of keeping your blinds or drapes open, it's safe to assume that there watching everything you do, where, or don't wear. Make a habit to close the blinds as soon as the sun goes down.

#4. That pond is a den of mosquitoes.

Ever wonder why you can't have an outdoor barbecue without getting eaten alive? It could be because your neighbor has a pond, pool, or found that has gone stagnant and is now a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

#5. When they have drama.

Some people just grew up yelling at each other and now it's a common occurrence. But if you're tired of the yelling and screaming, consider soundproofing your walls or getting a fountain to drown out the noise.

#6. When they leave Christmas decorations up month afterward.

Are they late in taking them down or early and putting them up? If you can't tell, that can be frustrating. In a kind way you can ask if they need help putting decorations away. You never know when it could be something that's out of their control such as a medical emergency.

#7. When their treasure is your junk.

They may love all of those flamingos in the front yard but there more of an eyesore to anyone else. If possible, close the blinds that overlook this area or put up a privacy screen.

Living in a neighborhood can be very interesting at times but the closer you are with your neighbors the more you can have real conversations about life and things that might be irritating to both parties. I'm sure there's some things that you're doing that could be irritating to them.

More Advice for Sellers

Should We Sell Now or Wait?

Winter is Set to Bring a Flurry of Home Buyers to the Portland Area

Portland Listing Agent

Record-Shattering Home Sales Continue Through the Fall

5 Ways to Sell a House That Just Won't Sell

10 Crazy Things that can Ruin Your Home's Value

5 Major Tips to Selling Your Portland Home

An antidote to the winter blues and blahs can be embracing the Danish concept of hygge—finding joy and contentment in life’s simple pleasures “in the moment.”.

Living the hygge (pronounced “hue guh”) lifestyle evokes feelings of wellbeing. Creating a hygge atmosphere can be as simple as lighting a candle, sipping on a hot drink, throwing a log on the crackling fire and cozying up by yourself or with friends and family while the wind whistles outside your door. And, inside your door, have slippers nearby—may be lined with fleece--so you can take the chill off your feet as soon as you arrive home..

No purchases are necessary to enjoy the hygge life. Just an attitude that puts the kibosh on stressing or multi-tasking or leaving work late on a regular basis..

Inside your home, you can create a hygge atmosphere of warmth and coziness by decorating with neutral tones, soft furnishings, poufy pillows and area rugs scattered around rooms. Toss throws on chairs, sofas and beds so you can cuddle up for warmth wherever you are in a room. Bring the outside in with plants and flowers. Keep meaningful photos and objects within view to up the ante of good feelings when they catch your eye..

Make sure there is no harsh lighting in the hygge home. To add softness to rooms, light candles. They can cast a glow that provides instant comfort and serenity to any room. To add hygge ambience to a home, you can carve out a hygge “nook,” a peaceful area free of clutter where you can flop down on a comfortable chair or sofa to lounge, read, write, listen to music, be creative or watch the world go by outside your window..

Like decorating your surroundings, dressing in the hygge style is relaxed, focused on warmth and uncomplicated. That means including in your wardrobe wide scarves you can wind around your neck, sweaters that give a “top bulky” look and woolen socks. Tie all these laying elements together with an underpinning of black long skirts, pants and tops.

Coordinating your look with your interiors will mean you can be comfy and cozy while you’re “hibernating” during the cold winter months.

This is a perfect time of year to implement this into your home, especially if you're selling right now!

More Advice for Sellers

Should We Sell Now or Wait?

Winter is Set to Bring a Flurry of Home Buyers to the Portland Area

Portland Listing Agent

Record-Shattering Home Sales Continue Through the Fall

5 Ways to Sell a House That Just Won't Sell

10 Crazy Things that can Ruin Your Home's Value

5 Major Tips to Selling Your Portland Home

If you’ve decided to sell your home this year, then congratulations are in order! This is not only an exciting time for you to move into a new home, but this year has also provided many opportunities for those willing to sell due to high demand of buyers. If you’re new to the process of selling a home, you may be wondering about the best practices to sell it for the most money. Below is a list of tips and tricks to selling your home for the most value, thereby achieving long-term success.

Tip #1: Choose a reasonable list price

It’s easy to assume that listing a selling price for your home is simple, yet it’s important to realize choosing a fair price often makes or breaks for an actual sale. Do some research to determine market value for your neighborhood to get a good idea what a reasonable price for your home would look like. If you choose a price that seems too steep, buyers will likely steer clear of putting forth an offer, forcing you to bring the price down after being on the market for too long. Price the home too low, and buyers may fear something is fundamentally wrong with the home itself.

Tip #2: Upgrade your home

Updating your home to appeal to the widest audience possible is critically important. You don’t have to upgrade every aspect of your home necessarily, but focusing on areas like the kitchen, painting walls, updating wallpaper, and upgrading an appliance or two can go a long way to winning over a potential buyer.

Tip #3: Light the way home

Offering more light throughout your home often appeals to potential buyers because they see it as more inviting and cheerful. Whether it’s increasing the wattage on certain lightbulbs, taking down the curtains, or cleaning windows, there are multiple ways to make the home seem like a dream home!

Tip #4: Clean up the lawn

Not only does the interior of the home matter in a sale but also the exterior. Think about it: would you like to see a home that has an overgrown lawn or a number of sticks and rocks to pick up? Trim any hedges you may have, mow the lawn, and perform other acts of landscaping to ensure the most beautiful area possible to showcase!

Tip #5: Pick the right agent

It’s easier to sell a home when you have the right real estate agent on your side. That’s why you want to find not only the most affordable but the most experienced seller in your neighborhood. Find an agent that not only has a good reputation but also a track record of selling homes like yours. That person will help you secure the best deal for your home!

More Advice for Sellers

Should We Sell Now or Wait?

Winter is Set to Bring a Flurry of Home Buyers to the Portland Area

Portland Listing Agent

Record-Shattering Home Sales Continue Through the Fall

5 Ways to Sell a House That Just Won't Sell

10 Crazy Things that can Ruin Your Home's Value

5 Major Tips to Selling Your Portland Home