Hillsboro Has Everything --There's even a Giant in the Silicon forest

I went to Brown Junior High back when it was still a junior high -- and back then 185th was just two lanes. If you know, you know. Hillsboro is the largest city in Washington County, the county seat, and honestly one of the most underrated places to plant roots in the entire Portland metro. I've helped a lot of clients find their home here and I love telling people what they're going to find when they start looking.

The commute situation -- and yes, Intel is literally here.

If you work at Intel, the commute conversation is pretty short. Intel's campus is in Hillsboro. You're already there. For everyone else, here's how the numbers look:

And if you'd rather skip the drive altogether, Orenco Station sits right on the MAX line with a stop at your doorstep. Hop on, get to downtown Portland, skip the parking headache entirely. That's a lifestyle choice a lot of people don't realize is available out here.

What Hillsboro actually looks like to live in.

Hillsboro has range. That's the best word for it. You've got the Tanasbourne area with great restaurants and shopping at the Streets of Tanasbourne. Sunset Esplanade. Everything you need without driving into Portland to find it. It's a city that has done a good job of building out the kind of life people actually want.

Orenco Station is one of my favorites to point people toward -- a walkable, charming community built around the MAX stop with its own personality. Every winter they put up an outdoor ice rink that turns into a real neighborhood gathering spot. It has that rare feel of a place where people actually know their neighbors.

And then there's Tuesday Market for fresh local finds, and First Tuesday Art Walk if you want a little culture with your evening out. Hillsboro knows how to have a good time without making it complicated.

Don't leave without visiting the Rice Museum of Rocks -- one of those only-in-Oregon gems that surprises everyone who walks through the door. And if you find yourself near Hidden Creek Park, keep an eye out for Oro the giant troll. Wave hello. He's good people.

For the outdoors crowd -- Jackson Bottom Wetlands has trails worth exploring, and the Brookwood Parkway loop gives you 5.1 miles of mostly paved jogging and walking path winding past ponds. It's the kind of thing you use every single week once you know it's there.

And baseball fans -- the Hillsboro Hops just opened a brand new stadium. Minor league ball, family friendly, affordable tickets. One of the best ways to spend a summer evening in Washington County.

South Hillsboro -- a brand new community worth knowing about.

If you want new construction, South Hillsboro is one of the biggest stories in the Portland metro right now. This is a massive planned community adding around 8,000 homes, with shops and restaurants already open and more coming. It's being built from the ground up as a real neighborhood -- not just a housing tract -- and the buyers getting in now are getting in early.

New construction comes with its own loan considerations -- builder incentives, rate buydowns, timing contingencies. This is an area where having someone in your corner who knows the process makes a real difference. I've worked with buyers in new construction communities and I know what to watch for.

A little local knowledge goes a long way.

I grew up coming through Hillsboro, went to school here, and have helped a lot of clients find their home in this city over the years. I know the neighborhoods, I know the price differences between areas, and I know what questions to ask when you're trying to figure out which part of Hillsboro fits your life.

One local must -- if you haven't been to the Helvetia Tavern for a burger on the patio overlooking farms in a rural setting, put it on the list. It's the kind of place that becomes a regular stop once you discover it. Very Hillsboro area in the best possible way.

And one more thing. If you're driving through and you pass Harvey the rabbit -- wave. It's good luck. I still do it every time.

Hillsboro has been good to a lot of my clients. I love helping people find their way into this community -- it tends to stick.

Home loans in Hillsboro -- every situation, every loan type.

Whether you're a first time home buyer in Hillsboro, an Intel or Nike employee looking to stop commuting from somewhere else, a family eyeing South Hillsboro new construction, or a buyer who wants the walkable Orenco lifestyle -- I work with buyers across all of Hillsboro and Washington County. FHA loans, VA loans, conventional loans, new construction financing, and Oregon down payment assistance programs that can make more of this possible than you might think.

Hillsboro is a big city with a lot of moving parts. Having a local mortgage lender who knows the market, knows the neighborhoods, and will run the real numbers with you makes the whole thing a lot less overwhelming.

Ready to look at Hillsboro? Let's run the numbers.

Tell me what you're looking for -- neighborhood, price range, new construction or existing -- and I'll show you what your budget actually gets you here. We can pull up real listings, run real scenarios, and figure out which part of Hillsboro fits your life. No pressure, just a clear picture.