Home Affordability on Mt. Hood
Friday, April 24, 2026
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Rent or Buy on Mt. Hood
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Rent or Buy? The Real Tradeoff Most People Don’t Talk About
You’ve probably asked yourself lately: Is it even worth trying to buy a home right now? It’s a question a lot of people are asking.
With today’s home prices and mortgage rates, renting can feel like the easier path. In some cases, it might even seem like the only realistic option right now. And if that’s where you are, there’s nothing wrong with that.
But if you’re weighing the decision, there’s one part of the conversation that doesn’t get talked about enough.
It’s what each choice does for your future.
What Renting Really Gets You (And What It Doesn’t)
Depending on your situation, renting does have some advantages:
- Lower upfront costs.
- Less responsibility.
- More flexibility to move when you want.
But even with those benefits, a Bank of America survey found 70% of aspiring homeowners worry about what long-term renting means for their future. And that concern comes down to one thing: you’re not building anything for your future. As Yahoo Finance explains:
“Paying rent doesn't build equity. You get a place to live, but no ownership stake, no price appreciation, and no asset to leverage for future borrowing or investment.”
So, while renting may feel easier, the flexibility you get comes at a cost.
How Homeownership Builds Your Wealth Over Time
On the other hand, owning a home is one of the most consistent ways people build wealth over time. Why? When you’re a homeowner, you gain something called equity. That’s the difference between what your home is worth and what you owe.
That equity grows with every monthly payment you make. It also gets a boost as home values go up through the years – and it adds up quicker than you may think.
Today, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) says the average homeowner’s net worth is 43X greater than that of a renter:
The dollars in the visual don’t lie. On average, here’s how net worth compares:
- Homeowners: $430k
- Renters: $10k
And it’s not because homeowners make wildly different decisions day to day. It’s because over time, one path builds something, and the other doesn’t.
So sure, buying comes with some upfront costs and more responsibility. But it’s basically a savings account you can live in.
The Gap Is Growing Over Time
And here’s something else interesting. That net worth gap between renters and homeowners has been widening over time, not shrinking.
If you look back at the reports on net worth through the years, you can see the gap is growing as homeowners gain wealth and renters stay stuck in the rental trap (see graph below):
Even in 2025, when home prices were moderating, homeowners still gained even more ground. And that tells you something important:
When you can afford it and you’re ready for the responsibility, history shows buying is usually worth it in the long run. Because either way, you’re paying for someone’s mortgage and building someone’s net worth.
When you rent, it’s your landlord’s mortgage – not yours. But when you buy? Your monthly payments help build equity.
The question is: whose do you want to pay? Yours or theirs?
So, Should You Buy a Home Now?
The short answer is, it depends on your situation.
While the long-term benefits of buying are clear, that doesn’t mean the timing is right for everyone right now. And that’s okay. You should only buy a home once you’re ready and the numbers work for you.
But whether you’re looking to buy now or planning for the future, the first step is the same. You should have a quick conversation with a local real estate agent about your goals, timeline, and budget.
They can help you run the numbers and see what’s realistic. You may find buying is closer than you thought. And if not, you’ll at least know exactly what it will take to get there.
Because the sooner you have a plan, the sooner you can decide when it makes sense, instead of wondering if it ever will.
Bottom Line
Renting may feel more do-able today. But over time, it could cost you.
If you want to ditch renting and start building something for your future, it starts with a simple conversation. Let’s connect, talk about your specific goals, and explore your options – so you’re ready when the time is right for you.
Investors In Today's Housing Market
Monday, March 30, 2026
This’ll Change What You Think About Investors in Today’s Housing Market
There’s a lot of noise out there right now about investors in the housing market.
Some headlines make it sound like big Wall Street firms are buying up everything in sight. And if you’re trying to purchase a home yourself, that can make it feel like the odds are stacked against you.
But when you take a closer look at the data, a very different picture starts to come into focus.
Most Investors Are Just Everyday Owners
For starters, when you hear the word investor, you probably picture big corporations. And that misconception is a large part of what’s feeding into the myth that they’re buying up all the homes.
Most investors aren’t big companies, at all.
They’re everyday people just like you.
They’re someone who owns a second home (like a vacation house at the river), a neighbor who has 1 or 2 rentals, or even a homeowner who tried to sell their home, didn’t get the price they wanted, and decided to rent it instead.
And when all of these groups are lumped together in the headlines, the number of investors sounds high – especially if you’re operating under the assumption all investors are big investors.
But here’s what the numbers really show when you drill down.
Institutional Investors Are a Small Slice of the Housing Market
Large institutional investors, those big companies buying homes, actually make up a very small share of the overall housing market.
According to BatchData, the largest investors (those with 1,000+ homes) own just 0.4% of the 86 million single-family homes in the country. And their share of the market is actually shrinking.
Data from Parcl Labs shows big investors are selling 4 homes for every 1 they’re buying right now (see visual below):
That means they’ve actually added almost 1.7k homes back into the market lately.
What This Means for You
The story is clear. Instead of aggressively buying up homes, most of these companies are stepping back, which means less competition from them than you might expect. If you were someone who thought they were dominating the market, let that give you some peace of mind.
Most of the competition you’ll face is from other everyday buyers – people just like you. And with most large investors stepping back, there may be more opportunity in the market than you think.
Bottom Line
It’s easy to assume big investors are taking over the housing market, but the data tells a different story. If you want an expert's opinion on what investor activity looks like in our area, let's talk.
Because odds are, it’s not as big a factor as you may think.
The Number One Reason Buyers Back Out of Transactions on Mt. Hood
Friday, March 20, 2026
The #1 Reason Buyers Walk Away (And How To Get Ahead of It)
You may have seen headlines on social saying the number of buyers backing out of their contracts is on the rise – and has recently reached a high not seen since 2017. That can sound intimidating. But it varies a lot by market.
And here’s the key thing to understand if you want to sell. A lot of the time, there’s one common cause. And it’s something you can actually control.
Here’s what you can do to get ahead of the biggest dealbreaker before it ever becomes a problem.
The Top Dealbreaker: Issues That Pop Up During the Inspection
A Redfin survey shows over 70% of recently cancelled contracts happened because of issues during the home inspection (see graph below):
And that makes sense. Because today’s buyers have something they didn’t have a couple of years ago: options.
Why Fixing Things Before You List Matters More Today
A few years back, when buyers felt rushed or boxed in due to the limited number of homes for sale, they were more willing to overlook issues.
But in today’s market, skipping essential repairs is one of the fastest ways to lose a deal.
Now that there are more homes to choose from, buyers can be more selective. If a house feels risky, outdated, or like it’s hiding expensive surprises, they’re a lot more likely to walk away. So, what do you have to fix? Just ask an agent.
How Your Agent Can Help Give You the Edge
A local agent will be able to walk through your house and offer advice on what to tackle based on your specific home, your market, and what buyers are prioritizing in your area. They'll also have first-hand knowledge about some of the biggest turnoffs for buyers today. And you can use that expertise to prevent future headaches.
For example, according to Zillow, these are some of the issues buyers will care the most about:
- Roof leaks or damage: sagging, leaking, etc.
- Plumbing problems: standing water, leaks, water damage, etc.
- Electrical concerns: outdated or exposed wiring, missing GFCI outlets, etc.
- HVAC issues: non-functioning units
- Pest or insect damage: termite colonies, etc.
- Hazardous materials: lead, mold, asbestos, etc.
- Safety/code violations: missing smoke detectors, windows stuck closed, etc.
- Structural problems: cracks in the foundation, sagging floors, etc.
Odds are not all of this even applies to your house. Maybe only 1-2 things do. Or maybe none of them do. It just depends. But an agent will have the tools and resources to help you figure it out and stay one step ahead.
The Benefits of a Pre-Listing Inspection
To buyers, these aren’t cosmetic issues. They’re trust issues. And that’s what you need to watch out for today. Once buyers start wondering “what else might be wrong,” it’s hard to recover momentum.
That’s why some agents are even recommending a pre-listing inspection as a sneak peek into what buyers will see on their own inspection. With that insight, you can:
- Fix concerns before you list, or disclose issues upfront
- Avoid having to respond or negotiate under pressure
- Stop scrambling to find contractors with availability before your closing date
But remember, you don't have to fix everything. You just have to be strategic about what you do tackle, so you and your buyer aren’t caught off guard.
And that’s why you need an agent who can:
- Decide if a pre-listing inspection is worth it where you live
- Recommend a trusted inspector (if you decide to get one)
- Look at the results with you to identify true dealbreakers in your market
- Help you decide what to fix or what to credit
- Make sure you avoid over-spending or under-preparing
Bottom Line
One of the biggest dealbreakers for buyers today is inspection issues – and that’s something you can control. You just need to be proactive about high-impact repairs before you list.
If you want help figuring out where to focus, let's connect so we can keep your sale on track from day one.
Selling Your Mt. Hood House Isn’t About Luck. It’s About Strategy
Tuesday, March 17, 2026
Spring Sellers on Mt. Hood Have an Edge
Thursday, March 5, 2026
Spring Sellers Have an Edge. Here’s Why.
Homeowners looking to sell usually want three things: plenty of interested buyers, strong offers, and a short timeline. Spring is the season that most often delivers all three.
So, if a move has been on your mind this year, this is the window where momentum tends to work in your favor. Here’s what makes this season so powerful for sellers.
1. More Buyers Will Be Looking
Typically speaking, in the housing market, there’s no more popular time to move than the Spring. Historically, data coming out of ShowingTime proves that’s when buyer activity peaks each year. Take a look for yourself (see graph below):
And this year, there’s more than just the seasonal trend working in your favor. Mortgage rates are also sitting near 3-year lows – and that combination matters.
More buyers + improving affordability = more eyes on your house.
That doesn’t mean the market will return to the frenzy of the pandemic – far from it. But it does mean more buyers will be ready to re-enter the market. And that’s good for you. As Redfin says:
“Homebuying demand is improving . . . and mortgage-purchase applications are sitting near their highest level in three years. . ."
You should make sure your house is listed so you can take advantage of the uptick in demand. Because more activity means one thing: more opportunity to get a deal done.
2. You May Get More Offers
With more buyer demand, it makes sense that you may get more offers on your house. And history shows that’s usually true.
If we look at the data for the last three years from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), and take the averages for each month, it’s clear sellers in the Spring get more offers (see graph below):
Now, don’t expect the excessive bidding wars that were so famous in 2020 and 2021. But it does mean, seasonality could help you out this Spring. As Realtor.com explains:
“Spring typically brings out more buyers who are ready to make a move before summer. Listings see more views, showings, and offers during this season.”
And that could be really good for your bottom line.
3. Homes Usually Sell Faster
There’s one more predictable pattern that happens pretty much every Spring based on research from Realtor.com. Homes sell faster (see graph below):
On average, homes sell 20 days faster in the Spring compared to the Winter. That’s almost 3 weeks shaved off your timeline. And that's a difference you can feel.
Since homes have been taking longer to sell lately, listing your house during what’s usually the most active time of the year means you’re setting yourself up to move as quickly as possible. And isn’t that what sellers really want?
The faster your home sells, the earlier you can move on to what’s next for you.
If you’re eager to go on to your next chapter, need to downsize, or you’ve run out of space, Spring may be your best time to sell.
Bottom Line
Spring doesn’t guarantee a sale. Strategy still matters. But this season gives you something valuable: momentum.
More buyers. More activity. More opportunity.
The real question is: if you’re going to sell this year, why not do it when the odds are in your favor?
Let’s talk about what selling this season could mean for your house and your timeline.
Are Home Prices Dropping?
Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Are Home Prices Dropping? Here’s the Real Story.
You’ve probably seen posts on social media talking about how “home prices are falling.” And when you see something like that, it’s normal to wonder:
Is this the start of a crash?
What does this mean for my house?
Let’s clear this up right away. This is not a crash. And your home is not suddenly losing a lot of value.
The National Story – Prices Are Still Going Up
Here’s what often gets left out of what you’re seeing online. While some markets are experiencing slight declines, they’re the minority. Most places are still seeing prices rise or at the very least, hold steady.
That’s why, at the national level, home prices are still rising, just at a slower pace. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR):
“Home prices continued to rise in the fourth quarter of 2025. National median prices rose 1.2% year over year to $414,900.”
That’s not the rapid growth of a few years ago, but it’s not a downturn either. And just to really drive this home, here’s a look at the data from NAR at a regional level, so you can see that the negative narrative spun up online isn’t the whole truth (see graph below):
Home prices are up (or at least holding steady) in the Northeast, Midwest, and South. The West has seen some small declines in certain markets, but “small” is the key word.
There is no wave of falling prices across the country. Instead, there are just a few pockets adjusting after several years of what’s typically considered unsustainable or exponential growth.
Yes, Some Markets Have Come Down, But Look at the Bigger Picture.
Okay, but what about the places where prices have declined? According to ResiClub and Zillow, that’s not a cause for major concern. When you zoom out and look at those same markets over the past five years, the story changes (see graph below):
In the areas with recent declines, home values are still significantly higher than they were just five years ago. That’s a direct reflection of how much home values have gone up.
Online chatter tends to shine a spotlight on the few areas that are down. But the bigger picture shows most homeowners are still in a very strong position.
Of course, every market, and every home, is different. But broadly speaking, home values are holding steady. And this isn’t a sign of widespread trouble in the market.
Bottom Line
Despite what you may be seeing online, home prices are rising or holding steady in most parts of the country.
If you’re curious what your home is worth today, let’s take a look at the numbers together. Because context, and local expertise, matter more than what you’re seeing online.
Pitfalls for Online Home Value Tools for Mt. Hood Properties
Thursday, February 19, 2026
There’s one number that decides how your sale goes before buyers ever step inside your home – and that’s your asking price.
Set it too high, and your house sits while buyers scroll past it.
But set it too low and you’ll leave real money on the table.
Here’s the problem. A lot of homeowners are basing their number on an online home value tool. And that’s where things can go sideways.
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