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 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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note
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.
Read the note