Why Portland is the Best City to Buy Your First Property

Few things are scarier than buying your first home, whether it’s for those purchasing to own or as a way to start an investment portfolio. There are many things to know in the world of real estate, and some things are teachable in a classroom, some are not. The Catch-22 is that the more experience you have about the home buying process, the more successful you will be regarding purchasing your first property, but the very act of buying a first property means the vast majority of people lack vital information. To get that experience, you need to start doing as much due diligence as possible in advance.

Because of the COVID pandemic, single-family home buying is up and mortgage lender rates are at an all-time low. This is a great advantage for first-timers but it is not the only criteria when diving into the world of real estate. People also need a firm grasp of fair market prices, interest rates, and their personal mortgage eligibility. When deciding on a city, is critical, not just regarding the city and environs, but also the neighborhood.

The internet can be a great resource when it comes to narrowing down choices. Websites like StreetAdvisor can provide information about walkability and crime statistics down to the very block you are interested in. is a personal finance website that also performs studies. After comparing 300 cities across America, they rank them based on multiple indicators, such as affordability, attractiveness, and quality of life. Portland, Oregon, was recognized as one of the top 50 cities in America based on this criteria.

In today’s world, many people are also looking forward to a bright, healthy future. That goes hand in hand with an equally beneficial city. Portland ranks at of the list of healthiest cities in America. The people who live in Portland rave about the fresh, clean air, and the population, in general, maintains an above-average healthy lifestyle. Portland promotes wellness in various ways across all metrics, such as offering access to healthy food, keeping healthcare and fitness facility costs low, maintaining public parks and running trails, and employing a higher average number of mental health professionals per capita. Portland residents enjoy a more active lifestyle in general and more healthy restaurants per capita than many other cities.

Originally published at https://lanelowry.org.