If you bought or refinanced your home in 2023 when rates were pushing 7.5% or even 8%, you’ve probably been watching the rate headlines with more than casual interest. And you should be. As of late February 2026, the 30-year fixed rate in Oregon sits around 6.17%, with the 15-year coming in near 5.46%. That’s… Continue reading When Should I Consider Refinancing?

Housing conversations tend to get oversimplified. Prices are either “about to crash” or “guaranteed to keep rising.” The reality, as long-term data shows, is much more nuanced. Nationally, home prices have only declined year over year seven times since the early 1950s. That doesn’t mean prices never fall. It does mean homeownership has historically been… Continue reading Top Ten Financial Consideration of Homeownership

If you’ve seen headlines or social posts saying mortgage rates have dipped into the fives, you’re not imagining it—but it’s essential to understand what’s behind that number and who actually qualifies. The short version: some borrowers are indeed seeing rates in the fives, but not everyone, and not all the time.  When it comes to… Continue reading Are Mortgage Rates in the Fives? Will They Stay There?

As the year winds down, it’s worth taking a little time to check in on your biggest investment — your home. A few smart financial and maintenance steps before December 31 can make a real difference in your budget, taxes, and peace of mind heading into 2026.  Contractors are also in their slow season (especially… Continue reading Top 10 Smart Year-End Moves for Oregon Homeowners

If you put two recent headlines together, that’s what you’ve got. The National Association of Realtors says that the median age of a first-time buyer is now forty. The second headline is floating the idea of a fifty-year mortgage. As hard as math is, it doesn’t take much to prove this being the worst idea… Continue reading The Forty-Year-Old with a Fifty-Year Mortgage

If you own property in the Portland metro area, October brings one predictable piece of mail: your property tax statement. This quick guide explains what the colors mean (green vs. yellow), key dates and discounts, how Oregon’s tax year works, and where to find appeal information for Multnomah, Washington, and Clackamas Counties. Oregon’s Property Tax… Continue reading Your Oregon Property Tax Bill Is Here: What to Know in 2025

In a market like Portland’s—where home prices are already pushing many buyers’ limits—even a small shift in mortgage rates can significantly change what you can afford. Whether you’re already in the hunt or planning to buy this fall, it’s crucial to understand how interest rates impact your monthly payment, your buying power, and your long-term… Continue reading Rising Interest Rates: What It Means for Affordability

Since the middle of 2004, the Fed has raised short-term interest rates by 1.75% from historic lows yet during this time period mortgage interest rates have actually declined.  Likewise, in the past when the Fed has lowered interest rates, mortgage rates have actually risen.  This phenomenon is strange but true… But how does this work… Continue reading Fed hikes rates, yet mortgage rates decline?

Inevitably, I field this question during just about every loan application, backyard BBQ, and even in my dreams.    So what’s the buzz around “Interest-only” loans?  Are they good?  Bad?  Are they going to cause the “real estate bubble” to pop?   The answer is……it depends.  Let’s take a closer look at what interest-only loans… Continue reading What are interest-only loans all about?

The whole country has enjoyed years of historically low interest rates. That’s been great for real estate and even better for Portland real estate. Market factors have typically allowed Portlanders to get lower interest rates than the national average. For the first time in 18 meetings, the Federal Reserve held interest rates at their current… Continue reading Feds Hold Tight on Interest Rates