By Katie Bain
Thanks to a recent study
from United Van Lines we know that more people chose to relocate to Oregon last
year than any other state in the United States.
Out of 128,000 moves, United
Van Lines found that close to 70 percent of their moves were inbound to Oregon
and most movers came from cities like San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Relocating From California
With the vast majority of
moves coming from California, New York and Seattle many economists and Realtors
have wondered if the trend will continue in 2015 and the answer is YES.
Many Reasons to Choose Oregon
Thanks to the great quality
of life, affordable cost of living, and high job growth rate, Oregon has
continued to see more people relocate here than other states, and Portland has
been a top city of choice for relocation.
What to Do When You Relocate To Portland
Due to high rents and low
availability of rentals, one of the best things you can do when you first
relocate to Portland is get ready to buy a home here since it’s actually more
affordable to buy a home than it is to rent.
To get ready to buy a home
in Portland you should do the following:
#1 – Check your credit score
– Pull your 3-in-1 credit report to check your credit score and verify if there
are any negative items which may be reported about you by the credit bureaus.
#2 – Pay down old debts – If
you have old student loans or credit cards which you haven’t paid off yet it’s
best to pay down those debts since this will lower your debt-to-income ratio
and help you to get a better mortgage loan.
#3 – Get pre-approved for a
mortgage loan – This step is important since it will tell you the exact amount
of money you qualify to buy a home.
#4 – Know what you want in a
home – Before you start searching for a home it’s important to sit down with
your spouse or partner and decide on exactly what you are searching for in a
home including which neighborhoods you would like to live in Portland.
#5 –Contact a Realtor ® –
Last of all, but most important, the final step to buying a Portland Oregon
Home is to contact an experienced Real Estate Agent to help you find a home in
Portland that matches your home search criteria.
To get started with
searching for Portland Oregon Homes contact EquityPoint Real Estate today by
calling me at (503) 595-8800.