PORTLAND OREGON 
REAL ESTATE

Celia Lyon
Principal Broker

503-260-6231

CeliaLyon@aol.com

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Search for Portland Homes Data / Tips for Buyers and Sellers

Portland Real Estate Cycles


During a slow economic time, fewer people are buying homes in the Portland market. Even so, some homeowners find themselves in a situation where they must sell. Families grow beyond the capacity of the home, employees get relocated, and some may even find themselves unable to make their mortgage payment - perhaps because of a layoff in the family.

During sellers' markets, Portland real estate sells quickly and sellers have a lot of pricing power. As a result, prices rise more rapidly than at other times. During buyers' markets, Portland real estate may sit on the market for a while before selling, so sellers become more flexible and may even drop their prices.


Portland: Art and Science


Buying a piece of Portland real estate is a science but buying your Portland home is an art. The science part involves getting the legal and financial parts down while the art is finding the Portland property that you’ll be happy with.

The total universe of possibilities within the universe of Portland real estate is quite diverse but narrowing your search ahead of time will help keep things in perspective.

In general there are two phases to any Portland real estate search. In the first phase, you get a feel for the different areas and an idea of what is being offered at what price. In the second phase, you search for the Portland real estate that meets all or most of your specifications.


Before You Buy Your Portland Home


Whether you are a first time buyer or someone who is moving up to a more expensive home it’s a good idea to start by cleaning up your credit report. Let’s say you apply for a loan to purchase an Portland condo, town home, single-family home or any type of Portland. The lender will check out your monthly income and outgo to determine if you can afford to repay the loan. Therefore, it is to your advantage to pay off as many high-interest consumer loans as possible. If you are planning on buying a car, a boat or other major purchase, put it off until after you have bought your selected Portland real estate. Lenders look for certain patterns they consider red flags. These are: late payments, overextension, liens, garnishments and, of course, bankruptcy. Remember, debts reduce the amount of cash you can spend on the Portland you want to buy, so clear the decks as much as possible before applying for a loan


Buying Portland Below Market


While the perfect Portland option at the right price might come on the market within a couple of weeks, don’t expect that kind of time frame. You must be prepared to wait months for right property, and the Portland is no exception. Remember, most sellers tend to ask MORE than their property is worth, not less so bargains don’t pop up every day. Often times, homes that are on the market for too long a period of time will come down in price as the homeowners get tired of having their house for sale but unless the seller is really pressed, home prices tend to come down is small increments unless there is an unfortunate circumstance that might cause the homeowner to price the Portland under market for the specific purpose of getting a fast sale.

Does Your Portland Have Curb Appeal?


From cottages to castles some Portland have so much curb appeal that passersby can’t help but stop and admire them. When visiting property with great curb appeal, prospective buyers often experience 'Love at First Sight' and this disposes them to love the entire home before they even walk through the front door.

Portland curb appeal is the result of a perfect blend of architectural style, landscaping, up-keep and color choices. Money alone does not guarantee outstanding curb appeal. I’ve seen very expensive Area homes with costly landscaping that fail to appeal and I’ve seen very modest priced Area homes with outstanding curb appeal. In part, the landscaping aspect of curb appeal is a matter of personal taste.

What Makes Portland Sell?


People often ask me when is the best time to sell my Portland? I usually reply that if you want to get the best price for your home, it is wise to give yourself as much time as possible to sell it. However peak selling seasons vary in different areas of the country, and Portland is no exception, and weather has a lot to do with an area’s peak season. For example, late spring and early fall are the prime listing seasons in many areas because houses tend to show better in those months than they do in the heat of summer. Having said that, houses sell in every season in areas where there is a demand. By demand, I mean a significant number of prospective buyers moving to the area for a variety of reasons.