Who Writes This Site
Program and regulatory figures verified September 25, 2026. Details change; confirm your scenario with us.
A lender's site about one problem: how an Oregon homeowner buys the next house before the current one sells.
What this site is for
One question, worked properly. How does an Oregon homeowner fund the next purchase before the current home sells, and what does each structure cost when the sale may take a while.
Oregon is unusual in this build round for handing a mover two genuine advantages. ORS 306.815(1) prohibits local real estate transfer taxes, and buying does not reset your assessed value because a sale is not among the events that lift the 3 percent cap on maximum assessed value growth. Both remove costs that other states make you model carefully.
It hands back one difficulty. Five Oregon metros were declining as of August 2026, including Portland, so the reserve conversation is harder here than anywhere else we have built.
Two things we deliberately do not say
We do not name a county as having a grandfathered transfer tax. ORS 306.815(4) preserves any tax whose ordinance was in effect and operative on March 31, 1997. That is a date, not a list of places, and we have not verified which local charges survive. Your closing agent will tell you in a minute what applies where your property sits.
We do not claim your taxes will not rise. The assessed-value point is narrow: a sale does not lift the 3 percent MAV growth limit. Permanent rate limits, local option taxes, bond levies and compression all still apply, and Oregon taxes the lesser of MAV and real market value each year.
Where our work stops
We originate loans. We do not write, review or advise on purchase contracts. Property tax administration belongs to your county assessor, and tax treatment to your CPA. We handle the money.
How figures get on these pages
Every dollar amount and percentage traces to a primary source recorded with a verification date. ORS 306.815 was read in full on September 24, 2026. The maximum assessed value rules come from the Oregon Department of Revenue, read the same day. Loan limits come from the FHFA county file. Agency rules come from the Fannie Mae Selling Guide, cited by section and date. Market values come from Zillow's published research series with the data month attached.
Talking to us
Call (480) 296-6513 or use the contact page. Our team reaches out shortly, with no obligation.
Start with the Oregon guide or the three structures.
Frequently asked questions
Who runs this site?
Mike Certo, NMLS #260555, Branch Manager at Cornerstone First Mortgage, NMLS #173855. The site covers buy-before-you-sell financing for Oregon homeowners, statewide across all 36 counties.
Why does this site not name which Oregon counties have a transfer tax?
Because ORS 306.815(4) preserves any tax whose ordinance was in effect and operative on March 31, 1997. The statute names a date rather than a list of jurisdictions, and we have not verified which local charges survive. Your closing agent can confirm what applies where the property sits.
Does a stable assessed value mean stable Oregon property taxes?
No. The point is narrow: a sale does not lift the 3 percent cap on maximum assessed value growth. Permanent rate limits, local option taxes, bond levies and compression all still apply, and Oregon taxes the lesser of MAV and real market value each year.
Mike Certo · NMLS #260555 · Cornerstone First Mortgage NMLS #173855 · Equal Housing Lender. Educational content about financing, not a loan commitment and not legal, tax, or real estate advice. Oregon property tax is administered county by county under the Department of Revenue, and whether any local charge applies to your transfer depends on where the property sits; your closing agent, your CPA or an Oregon attorney, and your real estate agent each handle their own part. Loans are subject to borrower and property qualification.