Finding the Right Mortgage Company in Oregon

Published:
July 1, 2019
Last updated:
June 9, 2025
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Finding the right mortgage company for an Oregon home purchase is not easy. This article provides a few concrete tips on how to make the proper selection when it comes to partnering with a mortgage company for this type of purchase. The article also provides information on market trends at the statewide level and for several specific Oregon cities.

If you’re serious about becoming an Oregon homeowner, we recommend checking out our Oregon first time home buyers’ guide for 2025. This contains a lot of very usable information for first time Oregon home buyers. Also view our Oregon Mortgage programs and Loan Options.

In this article, we’ll provide you with key information needed to navigate the Oregon housing market and what you can realistically expect when it comes to home prices and mortgages. We’ll provide you with tips to find the best mortgage company in Oregon and direct you to the right firm in the state to help fund your future home.

Why Buy a Home in Oregon?

There are plenty of reasons to buy a home in Oregon:

  • Natural Beauty: Oregon offers a unique blend of natural beauty, including coastal beaches, lush forests, mountain ranges, and high desert plains. The outdoorsy type will certainly appreciate these features.
  • Vibrant Culture: cities like Portland, Eugene, and Bend provide vibrant communities and a distinguished lifestyle that makes it an attractive place to call home. Here you’ll find thriving arts and music scenes, and a vibrant culinary landscape. 
  • Healthy Economy: With strong job growth in industries such as tech, manufacturing, and healthcare, there are plenty of opportunities for employment. 
  • Affordable Housing: Compared to neighboring states like California and Washington, Oregon offers relatively affordable housing options. Although the housing market has seen price increases over recent years, healthy price gains provide homeowners with growing equity.

Finding the right home in Oregon may take a little legwork on your part, but it will be well worth it once you find it. To do that, you’ll want to work with a local real estate agent and seasoned Oregon mortgage company to guide you through the home buying and mortgage approval process.

Overview of the Oregon Real Estate Market

The State of Oregon as a whole has been on an upward trajectory when it comes to home values. According to Zillow, median home values have risen 0.9% over the past 12 months. Right now, the average price for a home in the state of Oregon is $508,312.

Several markets within the state merit individual attention. Although Portland has not seen much of an increase in median home values during the last 12-month period, the city still boasts median home values which are substantially above the statewide median. Currently, Portland’s citywide median home value is $547,362, as of June 2025.

With its easy access to the coast, educational opportunities and other perks, Portland is undoubtedly an attractive market. Along with Portland, the cities of Bend and Eugene have both shown very healthy gains recently. Bend currently has a median home value of $751,026, unchanged during the previous 12-month period.

Eugene has a median home value of $484,283, up 1.0% from last year. These markets should be given due consideration if you’re thinking about Oregon as your new home.

Mortgage rates in Oregon depend on the type of home loan you apply for. Currently, the rates are as follows:

  • 30-Year Fixed Rate: 6.98%
  • 15-Year Fixed Rate: 6.10%
  • 30-Year Fixed Rate FHA: 7.69%
  • 15-Year Fixed Rate FHA: 5.88%
  • 30-Year Fixed Rate Jumbo: 8.38%
  • 15-Year Fixed Rate Jumbo: 7.74%

Why Work With a Mortgage Company?

When you’re looking to secure a mortgage, working directly with a mortgage company offers distinct advantages:

Direct Relationship

When you work directly with a mortgage company in Oregon, you have an open line of communication with the experts handling your case, including the mortgage specialist, underwriter, and loan officer. This can result in quicker answers to questions you may have and a more streamlined process, since all departments are under one roof.

Faster Closing Times

Mortgage companies often have more streamlined processes and 

Since many mortgage companies come equipped with a full in-house team of all experts, they can process loans faster, which means less time wasted and an ability for you to close on a home sale quickly.

Personalized Guidance

Mortgage companies specialize in home financing, which enables them to provide personalized guidance in helping you understand all loan options available, closing costs, and what to expect at each phase of the process. 

Access to Various Loan Products

Many mortgage companies offer a variety of mortgage products, such as the following:

Depending on your situation, your mortgage company will direct to you to loan option that works best for you.

Local Market Expertise

Local mortgage companies typically have insights into specific market conditions in cities across Oregon, including home prices, property types, property taxes, and zoning. They also tend to have business relationships with other related experts in the industry, like real estate agents and title companies that are familiar with local markets.

Tips on Finding and Choosing the Best Mortgage Company in Oregon

With so many mortgage companies out there, how do you go abut choosing the right one? Before applying for a mortgage, consider the following tips to find the right mortgage company to work with.

1. Research the Company’s Online Reputation 

Knowing what others have to say about a mortgage company can provide invaluable insight into a service provider. Fortunately, the internet makes this easy. 

Conduct a quick search online to check the mortgage company’s client testimonials. Sites like Zillow, Redfin, Bankrate, and Google My Business (GMB) tend to offer a growing body of online reviews from previous customers. 

2. Compare Rates 

One of the main keys to finding the right mortgage company in Oregon is shopping around for the best possible rate. When you search for the right company, there’s plenty of variables to be aware of, but a good interest rate is among the most critical. Different lenders will be able to offer different rates. Before you lock yourself in with one particular company, be sure to see and consider what other companies may be able to offer.

Many factors determine the type of interest rate you’ll be able to receive. Your interest rate reflects the totality of your present financial condition, past behavior and projected future behavior. For instance, your current credit score will undoubtedly impact your interest rate, as will your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio, cash reserves, and other factors.

Different lenders may place differing levels of emphasis on certain factors, and so you may obtain a better rate with one lender over another. This is why you need to do copious research and shop around before making a commitment. You don’t want to accept a rate from one mortgage company and then later discover that you could’ve received a far better rate if you had simply searched a bit more diligently.

3. Understand Fees and Costs 

Several additional costs may be involved in the mortgage application and approval process. Ask your mortgage company about costs such as:

  • Origination fees
  • Closing costs
  • Early prepayment penalties
  • Appraisal costs

Understanding these fees, along with your interest charges, will help you gain a better understanding of what your mortgage will ultimately cost you.

4. Look For a Company With Broad Expertise

The home buying process is quite involved. To those who are new to the process, the whole thing may seem overwhelming. There are lots of unfamiliar concepts, strange terminology and unusual language throughout the home buying process. This is just as true for Oregon home buyers as it is for others.

This is precisely why you need to partner with a mortgage company which has vast expertise with which it can counsel and guide you through the entire process. This expertise can help you in so many different ways including with market trends, product types, financial planning, and so forth.

The more expertise your chosen company has, the better your company will be able to assist you through the whole process. 

Clearly, searching for the right mortgage company in Oregon is far from an easy task. You’ll need to do your homework if you want to place yourself in the best possible position. There’s a lot of work involved, but when it’s your future home on the line you should be willing to put in the extra effort.

5. Evaluate Loan Options 

Find out what type of mortgage programs the mortgage company offers. Examples of home loan options include fixed-rate mortgages, adjustable-rate mortgages, and government-backed loans. The right company will have a plethora of loan options to choose from. They’ll also take the time to find out about your financial situation and guide you to the right program.

Live Oregon Mortgage Rates

What About Loan Limits in Oregon?

It’s important to understand loan limits before taking out a mortgage.

Loan limits refer to the maximum amount you can finance under certain mortgage programs. These limits vary based on mortgage type, state/county/city, and government regulations. 

There are benefits to loan limits. Notably, higher loan limits allow buyers to take out bigger loan amounts to cover more expensive homes. This can make homeownership more achievable. Loan limits tend to increase with rising home prices. So, when home prices increase, so do loan limits, in most cases. This ensures that you can still qualify for financing.

  • Oregon Conforming Loan Limits: Conforming loan limits in Oregon are set by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. For 2025, the conforming loan limit in Oregon is $806,500 in all counties.
  • Oregon FHA Loan Limits: FHA loan limits in Oregon are set by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and vary by county. They are generally lower than conforming loan limits, though not always. For 2025, the FHA loan limit for most counties in Oregon is $524,225, though they can be as high as $762,450 in Hood River. 

What Makes Sammamish Mortgage Stand Out?

Sammamish Mortgage makes finding a suitable mortgage company in Oregon easy. With so many stand out features, Sammamish Mortgage brings so many perks to the mortgage application and approval process for buyers. Here are just a few key features unique to Sammamish Mortgage:

In particular, Sammamish Mortgage’s Diamond Homebuyer Program is filled with benefits for home buyers to hep them gain a competitive edge in the home buying and mortgage process. Here are just a few key features unique to the program to note:

  • Underwritten Pre-Approvals: Sammamish Mortgage helps borrowers compete against all-cash offers through underwritten pre-approvals. This allows for more control and faster closings. 
  • Cash Buyer Program: The Cash Buyer Program enables home buyers to make strong, all-cash offers without typical financing delays.

In-House Underwriting: Sammamish Mortgage provides in-house underwriting, which helps ensure a streamlined and efficient mortgages process with few unexpected and potentially unpleasant surprises.

Get an Instant Mortgage Rate Quote Today

Ready to Apply For a Mortgage in OR?

Sammamish Mortgage has been in the mortgage loan industry since 1992, and we proudly serve the entire Pacific Northwest: WA, OR, CO and ID. The fact that we cover so much territory gives us a special advantage. We are able to see trends on a greater, macro level, and deliver exceptional guidance to our customers. We offer several mortgage programs in Oregon with flexible qualification criteria since 1992. Please contact us if you have any questions, or visit our website to get an instant rate quote and track rates using our rate tracker tool.

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