Mortgage brokers say news coverage doesn't reflect reality
If you believed the cable news crawl, you might think Oregon was burning — its streets consumed by “radical unrest,” its downtown a war zone. But that narrative, says Andy W. Harris, president of Vantage Mortgage Brokers in Lake Oswego, couldn’t be further from reality.
“Let me start by saying that I am an Oregon native, born and raised in the Portland area and its surrounding regions,” Harris said. “Most of our issues are not from natives, but implants in this city. In addition, Oregon is not just Portland. Portland is a tiny part of one of the most beautiful and great states in the nation, and Oregon is a wonderful place to live and visit.”
In recent weeks, federal troops and protestors near Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility have once again drawn national cameras — and national conclusions. Yet Harris argues what outsiders see is a distorted fragment of a much larger story: an economically vibrant state, misunderstood and misrepresented.
“Many of the videos President Trump, I assume, was watching were from the COVID era, when we had more significant riots in downtown Portland,” Harris said. “Portland certainly has pockets that fuel these riots, but if anything, we’ve seen issues rise around the ICE facility as a result of his recent announcements to bring in troops. If you have a fire, it’s essential to find ways to extinguish it rather than pouring gas on it.”
The White House insists its federal intervention is about law and order. But the ripple effect of that rhetoric is now being felt not on picket lines — but in housing markets.
“Those considering a relocation to Oregon may pause their plans if the media or the president misinforms them,” Harris said. “People who are here see what is going on. For those who are not, they rely on external sources that, unfortunately, are not credible.”
Local mortgage professionals say these national narratives — of chaos, conflict, and decline — have made some out-of-state buyers flinch. But for those who actually live and work in Oregon, the economic fundamentals remain strong. The real obstacle to homeownership isn’t political volatility — it’s interest rates.
“The city’s reputation might make national news,” Harris said, “but what I see are families focused on finding a home they can afford, not on politics.”
Mortgage demand across the greater Portland region has cooled, but not collapsed. Harris describes a market adapting to higher borrowing costs, where “affordability, not fear,” determines borrower behavior.
“Housing demand and home purchase activity are not significantly impacted locally by buyers, except in areas directly affected by riots or this activity,” Harris said. “Downtown and close-in Portland have been impacted, but residential areas have not experienced the same level of commercial impact, leaving office vacancy rates at an all-time high downtown, as many companies have left or relocated.”
Industry data supports that divide. While downtown commercial vacancies remain stubbornly high, suburban and exurban residential demand has stabilized. Lake Oswego, Bend, and the Willamette Valley continue to draw steady buyer interest, thanks to lower density, strong schools, and proximity to nature.
“Let’s be honest — the media loves a Portland story,” one housing analyst quipped. “But for lenders, buyers, and sellers, Oregon is not defined by its headlines.”
Indeed, Harris’s message is a reminder that perception doesn’t always match reality. Out-of-state investors may hesitate, but locals — and those who take the time to see beyond the soundbites — find opportunity in what remains one of the Pacific Northwest’s most desirable housing markets.
