If you’ve been scrolling through your favorite home search app or driving through Cooper Mountain lately, you’ve seen the signs. The Beaverton / Aloha area is officially "the place to be," but with that popularity comes a tough pill to swallow: the price of entry is higher than ever.

As someone who lives, works, and drinks far too much coffee at local coffee shops right here in town, I see the frustration firsthand. We’re seeing a gap where the "starter home" used to be. But before you throw in the towel and look elsewhere, I want to share some perspective. While the market is tight, there are still pathways to homeownership right here in our backyard.

The Current Landscape: By the Numbers

Let's look at what we're actually dealing with in the Beaverton / Aloha area as we kick off 2026:

*MARKET ACTION REPORT A Publication of RMLS, the Source for Real Estate Statistics in Your Community Portland Metro December 2025 Reporting Period
**Altos Research, Inc. Beaverton Area Report dated 01/06/2026

The days of the $300,000 standalone ranch in Aloha, Vose or Central Beaverton might be in the rearview mirror, but that doesn't mean the door is closed. It just means we must change the strategy.

How to Get Your Foot in the Door (Seriously!)

I’m telling my clients every day: Don’t let the "sticker price" of a detached house stop your search. Here is how savvy locals are actually making it work right now:

• Look for "Missing Middle" Housing: Beaverton is a leader in Oregon for allowing duplexes, triplexes, and cottage clusters. These smaller footprints are often $100k+ cheaper than a standard house but offer the same equity-building power.
• The Down Payment Assistance Secret: Many buyers don't realize that the Oregon Bond Residential Loan Program and local grants are still active. If you’re a first-time buyer, you might be able to get in with way less cash than you think.
• The "Sweat Equity" Pivot: I’m seeing great opportunities in neighborhoods like Five Oaks or West Slope for homes that need a little cosmetic love. If you can handle a paintbrush and some new flooring, you can bypass the bidding wars on the "Pinterest-perfect" flips.
• Consider the "Condo Ladder": Buying a condo or townhome in the Tualatin Valley Highway corridor or near Nike isn't just about a place to live, it's about locking in your housing cost and building the equity you’ll need for that "forever home" in five years.

Why I’m Fighting for More Affordable Options

As your neighbor and realtor, I’m an advocate for more density and affordable developments like the new Elmonica Station project and the Meadowlark senior housing. Why? Because a healthy real estate market needs everyone, from the baristas at the Farmers Market to the engineers at Intel. When we have more options, it stabilizes prices for everyone.

The Bottom Line

Yes, it’s a "need" in our community for more affordable inventory, and the city and the county is working on it. But on an individual level? You have options. You just need a local expert who knows the pockets of the Westside where deals still happen.

The Beaverton / Aloah area is worth the effort. Between the world-class library services, the new dining scene in the downtown corridor, and our incredible parks all across Washington County, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, and I want to help you move here or stay here, too.

Are you curious about which Beaverton / Aloha area neighborhoods currently have the most inventory under $450k? I can pull a quick report for you!

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