A candid guide to Portland’s best real estate agents and brokerages in 2026, including how Lovejoy Real Estate and Jenny Turner rank on production and results.

Bilt lets you earn points on a mortgage, but it is a bank draft, not a credit card charge. We ran a $3,000 payment against two Alaska cards and a plain cash back card. There is no single winner.

Buyers closing between September 1 and the October tax roll pay roughly 115% of last year’s property taxes into escrow, plus a holdback fee. The proration calendar by closing window, what it means from the seller’s side, and why winning an Oregon tax appeal often saves nothing at all.

Straight answers to nine questions Oregon buyers and sellers keep asking: written buyer agreements, who pays your agent, seller disclosures and the five-day clock, the repealed wildfire map, why your property tax bill differs from your neighbor’s, transfer taxes, the inspections that matter here, and whether to wait on rates.

Still writing from England. Last week was how the buying process differs. This week is what the money actually buys: London vs. Portland, and Salem vs. the English commuter belt an hour outside the capital.

Buying a home in England works fundamentally differently than in Oregon. Six contrasts, from gazumping to stamp duty, and what each one says about the buyer protections we take for granted in Portland and Salem.

Most of a home inspection report is the same short list of findings, house after house. Here’s what actually shows up across Portland and the Willamette Valley, what’s routine, and the handful that genuinely matter.

Buyers in Portland are feeding their inspection reports into ChatGPT and panicking themselves out of good deals. Here are four prompts that actually work — and where AI ends.

So you’ve found “the one” — that Portland home with the perfect blend of charm, location, and vibe. You’ve made an offer (and it’s been accepted!), but what happens next? If you’re wondering what it takes to get from “under contract” to keys in hand, you’re not alone. The closing timeline is one of the… Continue reading The Closing Timeline: From Offer to Keys

Whether you’re buying your first home or your third, the word “escrow” tends to pop up and cause some raised eyebrows. It sounds official—and it is—but it doesn’t have to be mysterious. In Oregon, escrow is a critical part of the home buying process, especially here in Portland where the local customs and timelines may… Continue reading Buyer FAQs: Escrow in Oregon