Notes From the Team
Practical notes on buying, selling, and living here
Short, practical essays from Geri and Tim Penner on the questions clients ask most, written for buyers and sellers in the Portland metro, the Willamette Valley, and Southwest Washington.
Rates & Market
October 20, 2026
The Fed announces its rate decision October 28 with mortgages near a three-year high at 7.40%. Markets expect a hold, but the Fed's own minutes point to a possible December hike. What it means for Portland-area buyers and sellers this week.
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For Buyers
October 16, 2026
Oregon's property tax system is unlike most states: Measure 5 caps rates, Measure 50 caps assessed-value growth at 3% a year, and buying a home does not reset your tax basis. What the rules mean for your payment, town by town, and the December 31 appeal deadline.
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Market Update
October 15, 2026
Rates near a three-year high at 7.40% and a market that reliably slows after Thanksgiving: what buyers and sellers can expect from Portland's winter market, from November's smaller, more serious pool to the January rebound in new listings.
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Rates & Market
October 13, 2026
Freddie Mac put the average 30-year mortgage at 7.40% for the week of October 8, 2026, the highest since November 2023, with the Fed meeting October 27-28 and markets now expecting a hold. What it adds to a Portland-area payment, what the September market data show, and how buyers and sellers can respond.
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Neighborhood Spotlight
October 9, 2026
One of the most affordable and fastest-growing towns in Washington County: small-town character on the Tualatin Valley, wine-country edges in the Chehalem Mountains, the commute to Hillsboro and Portland, and what homes actually sell for.
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Neighborhood Spotlight
October 8, 2026
The most affordable town on the Portland westside corridor: a true college town around Pacific University, the commute to Hillsboro and Portland, Forest Grove schools, and what homes actually sell for around Washington County.
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Rates & Market
October 6, 2026
Freddie Mac put the average 30-year mortgage at 7.28% for the week of October 1, 2026, the highest since November 2023. What it adds to a Portland-area payment and how buyers and sellers can respond this fall, with the Fed set to meet again October 27-28.
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For Sellers
October 2, 2026
A 10-decision pre-listing checklist from Geri and Tim Penner: readiness, agent selection, pricing, repairs, staging, marketing, disclosures, flexibility, next moves, and negotiation, before the sign goes in the ground.
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Neighborhood Spotlight
October 2, 2026
A 2026 neighborhood spotlight on Sherwood: Old Town's walkable core, the Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, a top-rated school district, the 99W commute, and what homes actually sell for around Washington County.
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Market Update
October 1, 2026
Median prices near $540K, 3.8 months of supply, and rates above 7% with the Fed meeting again October 27-28. What the fall numbers mean for buyers and sellers across the metro and the Willamette Valley.
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Neighborhood Spotlight
September 29, 2026
The most affordable entry point in our service area: what $380K to $450K buys, the I-5 commute to Portland and Salem, Woodburn schools, and what homes actually sell for around Marion County.
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Rates & Market
September 25, 2026
Freddie Mac put the average 30-year mortgage at 7.03% for the week of September 24, the first time above 7% since early 2025. What it adds to a monthly payment and how buyers and sellers can respond.
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Neighborhood Spotlight
September 24, 2026
Hillsboro in 2026: Orenco Station walkable transit living, the MAX commute to Portland and Beaverton, the Silicon Forest economy, and what homes actually cost around Washington County.
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Neighborhood Spotlight
September 22, 2026
What living in Newberg is actually like in 2026: wine-country neighborhoods from old town to Springbrook, the 99W commute to Tigard and Beaverton, Newberg schools, and what homes sell for around Yamhill County.
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Neighborhood Spotlight
September 18, 2026
Population, the West Linn-Wilsonville schools, walkable neighborhoods like Villebois, the commute, and what homes actually cost in Wilsonville in 2026, from condos to single-family.
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For Buyers
September 17, 2026
Oregon offers up to $60,000 in down payment help for eligible buyers. How OHCS Down Payment Assistance, Flex Lending, and the Oregon Bond program work across Beaverton, Hillsboro, and down to Woodburn.
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Rates & Market
September 15, 2026
The Fed raised rates a quarter point on September 16; 30-year mortgage rates have since climbed to 7.03%. What the hike means for your payment, and how to act now.
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For Buyers
September 11, 2026
A half-million dollars buys very different homes across our service areas: from a townhome in Wilsonville to a full-size single-family home in Woodburn, with the monthly math and a free printable guide.
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Market Update
September 10, 2026
Median prices near $570K, more inventory, 4.4 months of supply, and the mortgage-rate picture. What the September numbers mean for buyers and sellers across the metro and the Willamette Valley.
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For Buyers
September 8, 2026
What renting and owning each really cost in 2026, the costs buyers often forget, and the five-, seven-, and ten-year question. Includes the full downloadable guide.
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Press
September 4, 2026
Get to know a bit MORE about Geri and Tim from the feature article in the June 2023 edition of Portland Real Producers magazine.
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For Buyers
September 4, 2026
Median prices by neighborhood, what a monthly payment really means, what you need to qualify, and closing costs, all in plain numbers for Beaverton buyers.
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Relocation Guide
September 3, 2026
Thinking of moving to Portland? Get our complete Welcome to Portland relocation guide, built for prospective buyers relocating to the metro. Enter your details and we will hand over the download.
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Free Guide
September 3, 2026
Get our complete printable guide to buying a home in our area. Enter your details and we will hand over the download: the full buying process on paper.
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For Buyers
August 31, 2026
Pre-approval, budget, wishlist, commute, inspections: the order in which first-time buyers should actually do things, drawn from years of walking clients through it.
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For Sellers
August 31, 2026
Photography, pricing, marketing, and the quiet paperwork that protects you. A look at how a two-broker team sells a home the way a product team would.
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