For buyers coming from Seattle or California, the price of a luxury home in Beaverton, Oregon often comes as a surprise. According to Carey Hughes of Carey Hughes Homes, a Beaverton real estate team, the same budget goes much further here. “I would say we’re about half the price,” she says. “Maybe even a third.”
That gap is real, but it is not the whole picture. Here is what $1.65 million can buy in Beaverton, why prices differ so much from other West Coast markets, and which costs buyers should plan for beyond the purchase price.
Why Beaverton Costs Less Than Seattle Or The Bay Area
“Portland, in general, is the most affordable city on the West Coast,” Carey says. It is a smaller metropolitan area, and its market trends tend to follow Seattle, the Bay Area, and Northern California with a lag of six months to a year.
Prices vary within the metro. High-demand neighborhoods closer to the city cost more, so the gap narrows there. But Seattle and Bay Area prices climb from that point, too. For a home like the ones in Beaverton’s luxury neighborhoods, Carey estimates a buyer in Seattle would pay about double.
California shows an even wider spread. Carey has described buyers trading a small single-family ranch that cost more than $1 million there for a home of more than 3,000 square feet in Beaverton.
A Closer Look At What $1.65 Million Buys
One of Carey’s current listings shows what this price range can look like. The single-level home sits on about 1.3 acres in Corinne Heights, a planned neighborhood of acre-plus lots on the edge of Beaverton, close to Oregon wine country. It has roughly 4,500 square feet, three bedrooms, two and a half baths, two offices, and a library.
The great room has high peaked ceilings and windows that reach the ceiling. “It has a little bit of a lodge feel, which is very Northwest, but it’s timeless,” Carey says. The home was built in 2000, and she credits the open layout and natural light for how well it has held up. Interior details include solid cherry built-ins and 10-foot doors throughout.
Outside, there is a covered deck, a tile patio, an extra-deep three-car garage, and a separate heated shop with 220-volt power. Carey notes the shop works for woodworking or other hobbies and could potentially be finished as guest quarters. Single-level homes on large lots are rare in the Portland area, where density rules and hills mean most homes are built on multiple floors.
Who Is Relocating To Beaverton?
Oregon has a long history of buyers arriving from California, and Carey says some longtime residents still joke about it. Right now, though, she is not seeing a large wave from California. Most people who relocate come for a specific reason, usually family or a job. Grandparents moving to be near children and grandchildren who have settled in the area are a common example.
Those buyers are coming from many places. Recent visitors to her luxury listing have included buyers from Florida and the Midwest, and Carey says the space feels familiar to them, since large, open lots are common where they live now. Moves from Seattle are less common, she adds, because the two cities share so much.
Costs To Budget For Beyond The Purchase Price
A lower purchase price does not mean lower carrying costs across the board. Property taxes on larger luxury properties are still significant and are not far from what owners pay in Lake Oswego or Portland. Carey’s current listing carries annual property taxes of almost $24,000, which she says is about normal for this type of home.
Buyers also ask about landscape maintenance, since most owners of large lots hire out yard work. And in some outlying neighborhoods, including Corinne Heights, homes use septic systems rather than public sewer. That is rare in the Beaverton suburbs, and while the costs are minor, buyers new to septic should learn how to maintain it.
For buyers comparing West Coast markets, these details are worth weighing alongside the price. Carey shares more local market insight on the Carey Hughes Homes blog.
About Carey Hughes Homes
Carey Hughes Homes is a Beaverton, Oregon real estate team helping buyers and sellers with residential and luxury real estate across Beaverton, Portland, and the greater Portland metro. Led by Carey Hughes, the team brings more than two decades of local experience and more than $448 million in sales.
This article is based on information provided by the expert source cited above. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or real estate advice. Readers should conduct their own research and consult qualified professionals before making any real estate or financial decisions.
Disclosure: Individuals or companies mentioned may have a commercial relationship with KeyCrew.
