By Jessica LeDoux, June 17, 2025
By Jessica LeDoux, June 17, 2025
Is the Portland real estate market showing signs of cooling after a hot streak?
Portland’s real estate headlines often focus on the broader Portland Metro area, which provides a useful overview, but the city’s housing market is a patchwork of micro-markets, each with its own distinct trends. Partnering with an agent who understands the nuances of these localized markets is always valuable, but it’s critical in today’s climate. Neighborhoods are behaving differently and different price points are showing even more dramatic market variations.
After a period of tight supply, inventory is finally ticking up, particularly for larger inner-city homes. These properties slowed significantly when interest rates climbed, as sellers with low-rate mortgages opted to stay put, waiting out the market. However, after two years of hoping for a significant rate drop that hasn’t materialized, many of these sellers are now ready to list. This shift highlights how specific property types can perform distinctly from the broader market.
You might have heard the term "MLS" thrown around when talking about real estate. Maybe you’ve seen abbreviations like RMLS or NWMLS. Maybe you’ve wondered how sites like Zillow actually get their data. So let’s talk about what the MLS actually is, why it exists, and why it matters to you.