Multnomah County

Portland, OR Real Estate Agent

Oregon's largest city, where the Willamette River divides east and west and addresses are organized into city sections, with MAX light rail running across town.

Search Homes in Portland Call (503) 502-7787

A City Divided by a River

Portland, the heart of the metro

Portland is the largest city in Oregon and the center of the Portland Metro. The Willamette River runs north to south through the city, splitting it into an east side and a west side, and that single geographic fact shapes how the whole city is laid out. West of the river, you find downtown, the West Hills, and neighborhoods that climb into wooded terrain. East of the river, the land opens up into long, flat blocks of neighborhoods that stretch out toward Gresham and Troutdale.

What sets Portland apart for a buyer is how the city organizes itself. Addresses here are not random. They fall into named sections that tell you the general part of the city you are in, and the river plus Burnside Street set the grid that defines them. Add MAX light rail running across town and a range of home styles from close-in bungalows to hillside houses, and Portland gives a buyer more to sort through than anywhere else in the metro. Jill helps you read it all.

How Portland Addresses Work

Six sections, one grid you can read

Portland divides its addresses into six sections, each named for a compass direction: Southwest, Northwest, North, Northeast, Southeast, and South Portland. The Willamette River sets the east to west divide, and Burnside Street sets much of the north to south divide, so the section in an address tells you roughly where a home sits. A Southwest address puts you near downtown and the West Hills, while a Northeast address sits on the flat east side.

Reading the section helps you narrow a search fast. The address section is a shorthand for the part of the city you would be living in, from transit access to the kind of streets around the home. Jill translates that into plain terms and matches it to what you want from a neighborhood.

The six address sections

Southwest: downtown, the West Hills, and wooded terrain
Northwest: close-in neighborhoods and the Pearl District
North: the close-in north side of the river
Northeast: flat east-side blocks and transit lines
Southeast: long stretches of east-side neighborhoods
South Portland: the southern reach of the west side

Buying Inside City Limits

What city limits mean for your move

City services

Inside Portland, city government, not the county, handles services, land use, and permitting.

MAX light rail

Lines run across the city to the east and west suburbs, out to Gresham and Hillsboro.

No county transfer tax

Portland is in Multnomah County, so the Washington County transfer tax does not apply.

Buying inside Portland city limits also shapes your closing costs. Because the city sits in Multnomah County, the Washington County real property transfer tax does not apply to a sale here. Jill walks you through what city limits mean for services and for your numbers before you write an offer or list a home.

Buying & Selling Here

Jill helps both sides in Portland

Buying in Portland

Jill reads the address sections for you, weighs MAX access, and finds the home that fits the part of the city you want to be in.

Start your search

Selling in Portland

A market analysis, a prep plan, and a steady hand through every offer, with the Multnomah County tax picture made clear.

Sell your home

On the Map

Portland and the surrounding area

What Clients Say

A Portland buyer, in their own words

“If I could give Jill 100 stars I would. She's an absolutely phenomenal relator, community member, and friend. To say she went above and beyond feels flat. It was our first time buying a home and she answered so many questions and made us feel so confident in the home-buying process. Another huge bonus is that she is so…”

Bought a home in Cully, Portland, OR (2022)

Zillow review

Common Questions

Portland, answered

Portland organizes addresses into sections, each named for its compass direction: Southwest, Northwest, North, Northeast, Southeast, and South Portland. The Willamette River runs north to south through the city and sets the east to west split, and Burnside Street sets much of the north to south split. The section appears in the address, which tells you the general part of the city a home is in. Jill helps you read that and match it to what you want from a neighborhood.

Let's Talk

Thinking about a move in Portland?

Tell Jill what you want from a home and a part of the city in Portland. She will get back to you quickly with honest advice and a plan. See more across SW Portland, Gresham and Troutdale.

Call (503) 502-7787

Let's Talk About Your Move.

Or call Jill directly: (503) 502-7787