Pip: Summer in Portland: where the strawberries are local, the mortgage math is humbling, and Shawn Yu is apparently covering both in the same week.
Mara: That's the territory today — financial planning for the sell-and-buy decision, co-buying as an affordability workaround, and a practical guide to Portland-area strawberry farms worth visiting this season.
Pip: Let's start with the numbers side of moving — what it actually costs to sell, buy, and land somewhere new.
Selling, Buying, and Running the Real Numbers
Mara: The central question here is whether your move actually pencils out — not emotionally, but financially, before you ever list.
Pip: The post on key financial questions to ask before selling puts it plainly: "Understanding what you can realistically net, what your next home will actually cost, and whether your dream property even exists in today's market can save you months of stress (and potentially tens of thousands of dollars)."
Mara: What this means in practice is that online estimators like Zillow can be off by plus or minus fifteen percent. Getting a Broker Price Opinion or Comparative Market Analysis from two or three local agents gets you closer to plus or minus five percent — and doubles as a low-pressure way to interview potential listing agents.
Pip: There's also a 2026 reality check buried in there that deserves attention: mortgage rates have roughly doubled since 2021, meaning a comparable home could run fifteen hundred dollars more per month than it would have five years ago.
Mara: And location-based costs compound that. Moving from Washington County to Multnomah County alone can mean thirty to forty percent higher property taxes. The post recommends researching those numbers before falling in love with a neighborhood.
Pip: The co-buying post takes a different angle — what if the solo path just isn't viable? About sixty percent of renters say they'd consider co-buying with friends, particularly in expensive markets.
Mara: The honest take there is that co-buying platforms like Pacaso can charge ten to fifteen percent of estimated market value upfront — fifty to seventy-five thousand dollars on a five-hundred-thousand-dollar home — plus ongoing monthly fees. The post argues most buyers could arrange the same thing themselves with a good attorney and a clear co-ownership agreement.
Pip: So whether you're going solo or splitting the deed, the advice lands in the same place: run the numbers early, or the numbers will surprise you later.
Mara: From financial decisions to something a little more seasonal — the Portland-area strawberry farms worth a visit right now.
Portland Metro Strawberry Farms Worth the Drive
Mara: The strawberry farms post is a practical local resource — a curated map of u-pick and farm-stand options spread across the Portland metro, organized by area so you can find what's close.
Pip: And the opening line sets the tone directly: "Call the farmers before making the trip."
Mara: That's the whole practical spine of the guide. Conditions change, seasons are short, and a quick call saves a wasted drive.
Pip: For a city that talks a lot about supporting local, having the actual list in one place is more useful than it sounds.
Mara: The farms are grouped geographically. In Portland proper, Sauvie Island carries most of the options — Bella Organic Farm, Columbia Farms U-Pick, Sauvie Island Farms, and Topaz Farm are all listed there. Moving southeast, Albeke Farms in Oregon City, Hartnell Farms in Clackamas, and Olson Farms in Damascus cover the Damascus and Clackamas corridor.
Pip: The Hubbard, Canby, and Sherwood cluster adds Boones Ferry Farms, South Barlow Berries, and Red Berry Barn. And the Hillsboro area rounds it out with Smith Berry Barn in North Plains, Heikes Berry Farm, and The Zurita Farm.
Mara: There's also a linked Google Map that pulls all the locations together, which makes it easy to plan a route or find the nearest option from wherever you're starting.
Pip: Eleven farms, one map, and the reminder to call ahead. That's a genuinely useful summer Saturday resource.
Mara: Financial clarity before a move, co-ownership as a real affordability tool, and knowing where to find a good strawberry — the range this week reflects what a local real estate practice actually looks like in practice.
Pip: Next time, presumably more of the sell-and-buy series. The mortgage lender episode is apparently already in the queue.