Style Through the Years - Where To Find What

It’s 2016 and you’re contemplating buying a home in Portland. Or maybe you already own one and are considering selling and buying a different one. Whether you’ve lived in Portland for 2 months or 20 years, there’s a lot to consider!

Portland’s inner neighborhoods were largely built out around the turn of the 20^th century up until the mid century. The red, orange, and yellow areas were annexed in to the city prior to 1930 allowing for development, infrastructure, utilities, and ultimately a mass of homes built in those first few decades. Later, the purple and blue areas were annexed and developed. Sidenote, some of the yellow areas weren’t immediately built out at the time of annexation, largely because of the depression and war effort during the late 1930s and early 1940s. This led to much of Rose city, Tabor, Brentwood-Darlington, and Eastmoreland Heights being built out in the 1950s as opposed to earlier.

So, geography and annexing history has a lot to do with what era and styles homebuyers will find where. Portland’s oldest homes are concentrated in the earliest annexed regions and an expected urban sprawl can be traced out from there. The core is largely comprised of Victorian, Craftsman, and scatterings of Tudor, Queen Anne, and Colonial style homes. The mid century brought a new generation of builders, styles, and permitting standard with the city, most notably recognized by the modern ranch. In these areas you’ll find a large supply of Cape Code, English, and Cottage styles.

Whether you daydream of a historic Queen Anne in Irvington, charming Craftsman Bungalow in Laurelhurst, a modern new construction in Boise-Elliot, a Mt Tabor ranch, or a sweet cottage in Brentwood-Darlington, there is always a an intersection of style and price for every Portland homebuyer.