Portland Condo Buyers Guide – 2020 Edition

Condominiums in Portland, Oregon can be found throughout the city and region. Unlike stand-alone single-family residences, condos come with issues both good and bad. Management companies, homeowners associations, and monthly dues can vex residents of these communities. At the same time, the convenience of maintenance and amenities often offsets the frustrations.

What Is Pooled-Funds Investing?

September 4, 2020
Sammamish Mortgage
Investment Properties, Mortgage, Real Estate

Investing your money is a great way to make it work for you to build wealth over time, leaving you with a comfortable nest egg for the future. But what exactly is pooled-funds investing in WA, OR, ID, and CO? We'll discuss that in this article.

Can You Use a 401(k) to Buy a House?

When evaluating the capacity to buy a new house, some prospective purchasers consider using 401(k) funds to help with the down payment. This decision is informed by the income tax implications, the financial penalties for early withdrawal, and the confidence in continued employment.

New Homeowners Fee for Refinancing: Everything Owners Need to Know

As of September 1st, mortgage investors FannieMae and FreddieMac will impose a .50 percent fee on each refinance loan they purchase from lenders. This is to shore up their capital reserves. The cost will be passed to borrowers.

Bringing It to a Close: What Does a Settlement Agent Do in Washington?

September 1, 2020
Sammamish Mortgage
Real Estate, Settlement Agent, Washington State

The settlement agent presides over real estate closings by receiving and disbursing funds from the lender; supervising the signing of loan documents; making sure all conditions to close are cleared, and getting the mortgage document and appropriate deeds recorded with the county.

Google Rating

4.9

Sammamish Mortgage

4.9

Tyler Killam

20:50 07 Sep 20

Shane and Jana were fantastic to work with on our refi. We closed in 30 days. If you value clear communication, honesty and value them this is the team you want working for you.

Daniel Lewis

21:44 02 Sep 20

I contacted Sammamish Mortgage after reviewing their website and was referred to loan officer Sandra Harrison- Brown. I had already talked to two different companies about our re-fi and had proposals that seemed confusing with high closing costs. The rates were low but the costs to get the loan were very high. Their argument was to take the low rate and we’ll just finance the costs with my loan principle. Sandra had a different approach. She immediately provided a list of available rates with varying closing costs. She patiently explained the advantages and pitfalls of each loan. She responded to all my inquiries and emailed confirmation of all representations she made concerning the loan package. She was extremely professional and efficient and the loan closed ahead of schedule without any hitches. After the initial application was approved her team verified all information quickly and the loan was forwarded to escrow for completion. She continued to contact me to assure that escrow was being handled promptly. It was. I recommend Sammamish Mortgage without hesitation and hope you have the good fortune to have Sandra as your loan officer, although I suspect that all their loan officers have been trained to provide the same excellent service and attention to detail.

Robert Cox

23:22 29 Aug 20

Another great job by Steve and the group at Sammamish Mortgage on my recent re-fi. Used their services a few years ago and they continue to be excellent. Lots of re-fis going on at this time and Sammamish is the place to go as far as I'm concerned!!

Jonathan K

16:36 23 Aug 20

Sammamish is the best! The whole process was so easy and stress free. Ryan and Nick were fantastic, the website is easy to use and their rates are the best in the business. I’ve already recommended them to 2 of my other friends because they are so good. Thank you!!

Anonymous Profile

05:46 21 Aug 20

I started my pre-approval application on a Thursday. Their website requests banking information. I entered some of my banking information, but didn't complete the application at the time. On Friday morning I woke up and found that there had been five attempts to access my bank account. Fortunately, my account is protected by 2FA, so they were not able to access my account. I notified my "contact" at the organization about my privacy concerns and let them know that I would not be continuing to work with them. I have not heard back from them in over 24 hours. I would not recommend this organization, based on my experience. I'm now very concerned about the security of the data that I already entered into their system, a stressor that I did not need right now!Edit: The CEO followed up with me and handled the situation very professionally. I am no longer concerned about the security of my data, and am grateful for how this company handled the situation.

Rick Kaiser

02:23 14 Aug 20

Sammamish Mortgage is a very honest and reliable company. We relocated to Washington and were lucky to get a great real estate agent Rich Buchanan who referred us to Sammamish Mortgage. Ryan was true professional. Kept us informed of each step of the closing. Highly recommend!

Rebecca Cruikshank

17:22 10 Aug 20

It was a long experience for us, because there were some unexpected snags. But throughout, Sammamish Mortgage remained dedicated, helpful and persistent, and always respectful, and always were working towards the goal of a great mortgage for us.. It overall was a good experience, everything was dealt with straightforward.

Eric Decker

01:27 01 Aug 20

The people at Sammamish Mortgage I worked with were great and made the process of refinancing simple and stress-free. Would definitely go through them again!

Kim Watkins

17:59 30 Jul 20

Sammamish Mortgage supplies 5 Star service. We've worked with them several times and each time is efficient and painless. Very much enjoy working with the staff and owners of Sammamish Mortgage.

Laura LeClercq

14:40 30 Jul 20

It was so much better than what I have experienced in the past from other lenders. If I ever had questions, they were answered almost immediately (day or night). The entire process was easy! I would definitely use Sammamish again, and have already recommended them to a few of my friends. I will definitely use them again in the future.

Alison Behrens

18:54 28 Jul 20

Sammamish Mortgage was great to work with. They had great customer service and made the refinancing process as seamless as possible. I also found they had the most competitive rates in town. They are my go to mortgage company and will definitely work with them again.

jennifer

20:46 14 Jul 20

It was great! Friendly, fast and accurate service. My husband and I were happy about the service.

paulo escobar

23:06 30 Jun 20

I have refinanced my mortgage twice with Sammamish Mortgage and i cant say enough how great they are. They are great customer service, they are always willing to help and are very professional and knowledgeable about their business. Great people to work with and great company to work with as well.

Yi Hai

20:46 30 Jun 20

This is the fourth time that we apply or renew the mortgage at Sammamish Mortgage Group. It is just so easy to start and go through the whole process with them. Their website is neat, their responses are prompt, and documents uploading and signing take just a flash of the time. I think this is why they were still able to provide their service during the shutdown period due to the coronavirus. Although there was a little miss on receiving the Wetsign document(The only one needed to be faxed to them), they made it up quickly and have our application closed in time while our area is still in phase 2 reopening. I am very happy with their service, and again strong recommendations to you all who are seeking the same service as we were!!

Daniel Rife

16:07 24 Jun 20

I used Sammamish for my original loan and just recently for a refinance. Their online setup is quick and easy to use. The whole team was responsive anytime I had a question. Overall a great experience and I would use them again.

Carla Little

04:13 21 Jun 20

I am a realtor and have access to many lenders. When I bought my last two homes, I used Samammish Mortgage. Their service and communication are stellar. The process is seamless and easy to manage. Nick and Katrina handled my transactions and they were professional and helpful throughout the entire transaction. I would gladly use them again for myself and I will recommend them to my clients (already have).

Susan Klees

00:36 18 Jun 20

We just finished our second transaction with Sammamish Mortgage and once again we were very pleased with the service and responsiveness of this company. Trevor was awesome and helped us get the rate of a lifetime. Suzanne was excellent in helping us get through the extra steps and complexity of refinancing during a pandemic. I highly recommend Sammamish Mortgage!

Steve Banda

16:52 17 Jun 20

The experience was great. We especially appreciated Sandra's patience and understanding during our stressful transition. She was awesome. I typically prefer the total online/electronic interface, but when things get complicated...the personal touch by Sandra was very much appreciated.

Rohan Kapoor

03:07 25 May 20

My experience with Sammamish mortgage has been nothing but wonderful. Everyone in their staff is cordial and very responsive. I’ve worked with them for the last couple of years and I’ve refinanced through them multiple times and my experience has been very positive. I personally enjoy working with their owner Ryan who ensures that I get the best Interest rates and support. Highly recommend them!

Gretchen Dietrich-Wynne

01:12 15 May 20

Exceptionally smooth and easy. I have been getting financing for real estate for over 45 years. I've worked with banks, S & Ls, mortgage brokers and online lenders, (online lenders are the worst!), and I am so thankful to have found Sammamish, this is the second time in 7 months that my family has used Sammamish Mort. Ryan Shane and Stacy Roy were outstanding, such a pleasure to work with, I have no reservations about recommending them, they have my whole- hearted 100% endorsement. This is a family run company that knows what they are dong, are 100% professional, ethical, and efficient......completely trustworthy! I can't say enough good things about them. All this AND we got a great rate and terms! (And I do shop the rate and terms.) Thank you Sammamish Mortgage.

Brittany Tiana Ratcliff

19:05 12 May 20

We used Sammamish to purchase our home and to refinance. Trevor Shane and the rest of the team are always professional and a pleasure to speak with. They are available and respond quickly via email or phone. We had smooth and painless transactions both times. Refinance rates were better than other places too! It's also nice to be able to support smaller, family businesses.

Eric Eisenberg

22:42 07 May 20

Ryan and his team did a fantastic job with our latest refinance. It was the easiest one we've ever done, even in the middle of the pandemic! His rates were as good as or beat the competition and the closing cost were completely transparent and very fair. Everyone we worked with was very responsive and took time to answer any questions we had. The new rate we got is saving us significant money and really has a material impact on my family's finances. Thank you!

Shayla & Elaine

18:18 05 May 20

We did tons of research on our end to find a knowledgeable and straightforward mortgage company to help us finance our 2nd house back in August. We’re so happy we chose Sammamish Mortgage and are still sharing our experience with others who are looking to buy. Big thanks to Ryan S and Suzanne T who kept everything easy and smooth sailing since day 1. All questions were answered in detail, fees were transparent, and they went above and beyond to get us the best rates from the beginning through the time we closed and moved into our new home. They were nothing but exceptional throughout the entire process and were also accommodating with our off and on, quick-changing closing date from the selling agent. Thank you, Ryan and team!

Shayla Hufana

18:17 05 May 20

Masha Thomas

16:42 21 Apr 20

Okay, so, I realize I'm biased but I was really blown away by Lori's customer service skills! She was just so friendly, and patient, and knowledgeable! I really felt taken care of by her throughout this process, she was readily available to answer any questions, made sure I understand every step of the process, and was just there for me! Talking to her was the highlight of my day :) And I have absolutely no doubt that our relationship had no impact on how she treated me, I am confident that she treats all of her other customers with the same personable, outgoing, eager, and supportive attitude. I would recommend Lori and Sammamish Mortgage to anyone, very positive experience!!

Brandon Jenks

22:17 05 Mar 20

Committed to not only serving my best interests but also spending dedicated time with me to to make sure I understood the process every step of the way. I wholly appreciate the complete transparency in what has been one of the biggest financial decisions of my life. I look forward to recommending them to my friends and family as they were recommended to me.

Khoi Phung

05:40 27 Feb 20

All four of my experience with Sammamish Mortgage had been awesome. Super competitive pricing. And from the beginning to end your were clear and transparent, no surprises (fee nor process). I highly recommended.

Alice G

05:05 17 Feb 20

As a REALTOR, I deal with lenders almost daily, some good some not so good. Sammamish Mortgage gave me a great experience with my personal mortgage refinance, and an excellent rate package that our in-house lender could not match. The process was seamless and communication was excellent. I have already referred a client to check out this company and will do so again in the future.

Jason Koch

02:00 08 Feb 20

I felt confident the whole time working with the Sammammish Mortgage team. I had one or 2 struggles uploading some non-standard docs (multiple w2’s) to the website but they handled it great and were super responsive. They also helped to let me know my home owners insurance was going up and worked with me while I found a new company. All in all- great rates and great experience

O B

04:48 20 Jan 20

We bought our first house with mortgage from Sammamish Mortgage company. Also we did a refinance with them about 2 years later. Each time gave us best interest rates.On top of that they were very supportive, quick to respond, even to our longest lists of questions. They able to close deals very fast, usually less than 30 days.Very satisfied, thank you Ryan, Sandra, and the team!

Les O'neill

14:57 26 Dec 19

Ryan's team was wonderful to work with. Our refinance was fast and hassle free. Sammamish Mortgage locked us in on a GREAT rate. 5 stars!!!

Michael Jackson

02:20 21 Dec 19

Great experience with these folks, both for the original mortgage as first-time home buyers, and with a recent refinance once rates dropped enough to make that an attractive option. Bonus points for making accurate, detailed loan rate information available on their website without requiring a bunch of personal information first.

Seng Vue

05:50 05 Nov 19

I had a great experience with Sammamish Mortgage. Ryan and his team worked hard to make our refinance happen. Sammamish had one of the lower rates around and Ryan's team was very knowledgeable. They kept us in the loop at all times and closed very quickly on the loan.

Anne Caley

19:14 15 Oct 19

Wonderful customer service! Fast, efficient and very communicative. This was the second time I worked with Sammamish Mortgage and I definitely will do again. Highly recommend. :)

Leonard Santos

01:19 05 Oct 19

We own a fair amount of property and are familiar with bank lending practices. We were pleasantly surprised by Sammamish Mortgage. The offered us a great rate and handled the loan pretty well, though they were a little confused by the complexity of our information. Overall, they are a cut above other banks we have dealt with.

Michael Murphy

00:33 05 Oct 19

By far the best Mortgage company. They listen to what you need and deliver. I can honestly say they are unbeatable. We switched to them WHILE closing on our house because the last company did not listen to what I needed. They made the entire process as if nothing happened. Switching mortgage companies while in contact on a house is stressful and not easy, but could not have don't it without Ryan and his team. Their impression on me is a company I will stay with forever. New house and refinancing.

Tim Siegel

21:31 03 Oct 19

What I liked best is the responsiveness. Trevor always got back to me quickly with answers to my questions. I greatly appreciated that. Plus, Sammamish told me up front what I could get and they stuck to that. All in all, they made it as smooth and as easy as it could be.

Nasim Shahbazian

18:22 30 Sep 19

We recently worked with Sammamish Mortgage to refinance our home. It was the second time we worked with them, and for good reason. Sammamish provided us with an excellent service, they were super helpful in answering questions and finding the right product for us. The closing process can be daunting but they made it very simple and painless, I still can't believe how easy it was. Thanks again for the great work!

autumn RESTAINO

03:43 16 Sep 19

I just purchased and sold my home with Samamish, and I would recommend them to anyone that is looking for a reliable, easy to work with company that offers incredible interest rates. I live in port angeles, and even with them being hours away I didn’t once have to leave town to sign anything. I used them last year to refinance as well and it went just as smoothly. As much as you May think shopping for interest rates in your hometown is a good idea, I’ve done that. I spent hours searching, and this company hands down offers the lowest and best. You won’t be disappointed.

Liz Mills

13:36 08 Sep 19

Mark Smith and the Sammamish Mortgage team are highly experienced and knowledgeable, responsive, and nice. They made what is known to be a stressful process smooth. Their online application and secure server are easy to use. I can't imagine doing business with any other mortgage company.

Kathryn Sapienza

15:13 07 Sep 19

Fantastic experience with Sammamish Mortgage! I would very highly recommend their services to anyone. Extremely kind and professional! Thank you!

George Morales

13:52 30 Aug 19

The whole team was great to work with. The process was thorough and every step of the way was explained to us along with giving us updates when waiting for a given step to complete. Ryan was personable, very knowledgeable, and provided us with several options tailored to our situation. Great lender!

William Wardwell

17:14 26 Aug 19

Everyone there is terrific and professional (Ryan, Brenden, Sandra). They run a terrific operation. They helped me find the exact correct loan product for my needs. The company's flexibility and professionalism are outstanding. Anyone looking for a new mortgage or a refinance this company is a great place.

William Wardwell

17:14 26 Aug 19

Brett Forsyth

15:18 02 Aug 19

This is the second loan we have closed with Sammamish mortgage. They are fast, efficient, extremely competent, and accommodating.Everything was accomplished online, we were guided through the entire process. Never felt uninformed.Even final documents were signed at our home!

Carson C

20:24 12 Jul 19

The best experience I’ve had with a lender in the 3 purchases and two refinances I’ve done. Being able to see the price you pay and actually paying that price was refreshing. 100% recommend this company.

Logan Mead

20:45 28 Jun 19

I had an absolutely incredible experience with Sammamish Mortgage. Every staff member throughout this whole process has been wonderful, communicative, and very knowledgeable. My first contact was Trevor Shane and then Suzanne Thirtyacre. I bought a new house and sold our old house and they were fantastic making sure we closed in a very timely matter (we closed 26 days after they received my INITIAL application). to ensure a simultaneous closing date on both houses. I shopped rates before committing to Sammamish, who beat the numerous other banks out by .25% AND over half the price in closing costs. I literally saved my family and I over $20,000 by going with Sammamish and on top of that had an amazing customer service experience. It can seriously not get any better than this bank and I will forever recommend them to any of my buying friends and family. Thank you Sammamish Mortgage!!

marisol camacho

17:10 23 Jun 19

Ryan and his team were very supportive throughout the entire application process! Our Loan Processor Angel was very responsive when we had questions. The closing process went very smooth and we were able to close on time! We had a great first-time experience working with them as our lender. Ryan and his teams customer service is definitely A+, compared to other lender's on the market. Customer service and timely communication were really important to us, as this was our first home purchase. We will definitely work with Sammamish Mortgage in the future.

Wei-Chen Chen

20:30 03 May 19

Sammamish is very transparent about their rate offer. The process of quote is pretty non-intrusive not like other lenders that would try to take all personal information from you before you can do a simply quote. The whole loan application process is as stress-free as possible as they claimed.

Lance Whipple

15:27 26 Apr 19

Look no further, Sammamish Mortgage is the mortgage company for you! Extremely low rates and fees. Communication (Nick and Betty) was outstanding. Our no-cost refinance to a lower rate was nearly effortless. We're very satisfied with our experience and would highly recommend.

Rose Rapp

04:30 24 Apr 19

Nick, Ryan, Stacey and the whole team made this process easier than I ever could have imagined. Always able to answer questions even if it was 9pm at night(thanks Nick) and always in a timely matter. Not to mention that they were the best deal by far when it came to closing costs and interest rate. Highly recommended!

harsh sharma

20:55 17 Apr 19

Very good team of professionals to work with. I recently refinanced my home through them and I have nothing but praise for the team. All my questions were answered promptly either by email or phone to my satisfaction. The whole process was smooth and very transparent and it felt easier than car financing. I love their portal for uploading the docs and I knew exactly what documents are pending from my side and what I have submitted.

Isuru Suriarachchi

22:47 09 Apr 19

It's been great working with Sammamish. Ryan and his team was really helpful throughout the process. They made sure I got the best possible rate by first doing a rapid re-score of my credit score. And then few weeks after we locked the rate, interest rates further dropped and they gave me an even better rate. Overall, it was a great experience.

Kwaku Sefa-Dedeh

18:19 31 Mar 19

Ryan, Tiffany and Sandra did an amazing job; I couldn't be happier with the process and the results. They were very communicative at every step, went out of their way to accommodate an earlier close, and even managed to work in a lower interest rate than we had locked on. Not to mention they were already the lowest interest rate and lowest cost broker we looked at. Highly highly recommended.

sharath kumar HC

08:25 24 Mar 19

2016: Working with Sammamish Mortgage has been amazing experience. Ryan and Betty closely worked with us starting day one. They were on top of everything that needs get us closed on time. We closed on 5/26 and never felt that Sammamish would delay our closing dates. Loan process went really smooth. Closing cost almost matched with what was promised in the estimated cost.I would strongly recommand everyone and would get back to them for any future needs. Overall I am 100% satisfied.Special thanks for Ryan and Betty for being patient and answering all our questions since it was our first purchase.One feedback: If lender could release the final loan documents to ESCROW well in advance we would get enough time for reviewing documents just before closure sign. We received a day to go through bunch of final closure loan documents.2019: We returned to Sammamish Mortgage on our new property purchase and as expected closed it on time. Ryan and Sandra were on top of the things and made the process seamless. I would definitely recommend sammamish Mortgage.

Steve Eshom

15:55 20 Mar 19

Sammamish mortgage makes the mortgage process easy! Great people to work with who are focused on meeting my needs. Communication with them was smooth and their online tools are smooth and simple to work with.

Tyson Yeager

18:59 02 Mar 19

Super easy process. Fair pricing. Easy communication. Couldn’t have been better. I would highly recommend.

fred fred

20:35 17 Jan 19

We are from CA, we searched the internet to see which mortgage company had the highest grade and found Sammamish mortgage. We are very happy with our choice. Nice, Bernice, Suzanne, Sandra, and Candi (hope we did not miss anyone) are professional, efficient, patient, and friendly. If you have questions, they respond quickly. They also referred us to a wonderful realtor and within two months from the time we contacted Sammamish mortgage, the whole process was complete and we had our new house in WA area. We will definitely recommend Sammamish mortgage company to families, friends, and coworkers when it comes to real estate business in this area.

J Bear

06:35 02 Jan 19

From start to finish, Nick, Bernice and Sandra were professional as well as exceptional to work with while getting my loan processed. I can honestly say Sammamish Mortgage is the BEST Mortgage Company I have ever dealt with.They made sure I was kept up to date every step of the way and the entire process was low stress and a pleasant experience! If I could give more than 5 stars, I definitely would. My sincere thanks and gratitude to everyone at Sammamish Mortgage.

Rich Quigley

17:53 01 Jan 19

Being first time home buyers, the whole process felt very daunting. Once we took a class we learned to be patient and to find a good lender. Sammamish helped us understand the details of getting a loan and were quick to help. Their whole team was very helpful and the loan options they provided gave us a lot to think about, but really narrowed down the best financing options for us.

P G

18:31 15 Nov 18

Working with Sammamish Mortgage was a great experience. There are lots of lenders out there and they all offer similar rates, so what differentiates them? Service, knowledge, and professionalism. Every person we worked with on our loan understood our needs and went the extra mile to make the loan happen. Most of the paperwork was handled online making it easy and fast for us. They even sent a notary to the house for signing the closing documents, saving us a trip. Their daily rate tracking and 30 day rate lock was invaluable in getting the best rate and lowest costs. All in all a great experience. I highly recommend Sammamish Mortgage.

See all reviews Write a review

Portland Condo Buyers Guide – 2020 Edition

What Is Pooled-Funds Investing?

Can You Use a 401(k) to Buy a House?

New Homeowners Fee for Refinancing: Everything Owners Need to Know

Bringing It to a Close: What Does a Settlement Agent Do in Washington?

Compare Mortgage Rate Quotes Instantly

Start Your Application Today

Search Homes Now