As urbanites across the U.S. relocate to smaller cities seeking more housing space, lower taxes and more accessible amenities, the City of Portland, population 650,000, beckons as an arts and foodie (and amazing craft beer) paradise nestled an hour east of the Pacific Ocean and an hour west of the Cascade mountain range.
Since 2004, Sean Becker and his three-person team have been selling homes in Portland. Sean Z Becker Real Estate specialized in condos and new developments at first, but the team soon broadened out to single family dwellings. These days the homes are often sold to incoming newcomers from Seattle, San Francisco and New York who can still find a nice detached house for USD$700,000 or $800,000 – a third or less of what they would pay in what have become less affordable US mega-cities.