West Coast Living

Paddling the Willamette and the Columbia: A Beginner's Guide

Portland sits at the meeting point of two very different rivers, and both are within reach of a beginner. The Willamette is the gentler, more forgiving one. The Columbia is bigger, colder, and far more serious. Knowing which river you are on makes the difference between a relaxed morning on the wate

Trails Close to Portland: Where Locals Go for a Morning Hike

One of the best parts of living in the Portland metro is how quickly you can be on a real trail. From most neighborhoods you can reach a trailhead in twenty to thirty minutes, which means a morning hike fits into an ordinary weekday, not just a planned weekend trip. Here is where locals actually go

Buying a Home in Portland: 5 Things to Know Before You Start

Portland rewards buyers who do a little homework first. Between the city's distinct neighborhoods, the surrounding suburbs, and the Southwest Washington communities across the river, the metro offers a wide range of choices — and a few local quirks worth understanding before you make an offer.1. Def

Portland Metro Market Update: What Buyers and Sellers Should Watch

Headlines about the housing market tend to swing from one extreme to the other. If you are planning a move in the Portland metro, it helps to ignore the noise and watch a short list of signals that genuinely affect your decision.Inventory: how many homes are actually for saleInventory tells you how