Where You Live

Owning your own home is part of the American dream, yet this has become increasingly difficult in today’s real estate market, especially if you want to purchase an existing home in the Portland area. With limited inventory and prices that have been on an upward trend for more than a decade, the opportunities for purchasing a home are few and far between, especially if you’re working with a limited budget.

However, buying an existing home is not the only way to achieve your dream of homeownership. Building a new custom home is not only possible, but it’s also a way for you to build equity, get more of the features you want, and finally get your dream home. 

If you are weighing your options between building versus buying, or if you haven’t even thought about new construction, consider these reasons to explore building a new home.

Portland home designers have firmly staked a claim on the modern aesthetic, both inside and out. For homeowners looking to refresh a few rooms, interior decor options abound in the Pearl District’s Room & Board shop. Here, you can find anything from sleep sofas to playful place settings. However, if you’re starting from scratch and building a new home in the Portland area, it’s an opportunity to make a statement with a modern design of your own.

When planning to build a custom home, you have a lot of decisions to make. The layout, exterior style, materials, finishes, and furnishings must all work together to create the cohesive look you are envisioning. Consider these modern possibilities when discussing your options with Portland home designers.

If you are considering moving to the North Willamette Valley and building a new home, one of the most important steps is finding the right piece of land. Whether you want to be in or near a larger city such as Portland or Salem, or have vineyard views from the porch, Northwest Oregon has it all. If you’re actively looking for land, or even just browsing, consider these seven available lots in the North Willamette Valley.

You’ll find lots with easy access to coastal activities, private hiking trails, and mountain views. From small lots that require little maintenance to large expanses of land for you to work and play on, there are plenty of options for building a new home in Northwest Oregon.

With Portland in the north and Salem in the south, North Willamette Valley is known for its lush landscape, scenic mountain views, and a strong sense of community connection. The region is home to the majority of the population of the state of Oregon and some of its largest cities. However, there are also plenty of new custom home opportunities for those who want to be surrounded by open spaces, vineyards, and the many other agriculture ventures that benefit from the life-giving Willamette River and countless waterways.

The climate has been compared to that of the Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and cool, rainy winters. Mild winters in which the daytime temperature rarely drops below freezing make this region attractive to families and retirees who enjoy predictable weather year-round.

The real estate market in Oregon is healthy and growing, according to research by Zillow. The top areas for buyers are Portland, Bend, Beaverton, and Hillsboro, however, due to the popularity of these cities, inventory of existing homes can be low. No wonder custom homes are becoming more popular than ever in Oregon.

If you’re in the market for a new home, this year may be the perfect time for you to build custom. Not only will you get to build where you want—without being constrained by availability of pre-built homes—but you’ll also have a chance to incorporate all of the custom home features you’ve always wanted.

Let’s take a look at some of the top trends throughout Oregon for custom home features:

You have dozens, maybe even hundreds, of options when choosing a custom homebuilder in Portland, so how do you know which one will be the best fit for your project? It’s always a good idea to interview multiple builders before making such an important decision. As you talk to potential partners, make sure you cover all five of these key elements before you sign a contract: