A modest gain in the level of home sales is possible over the next couple months, and an improvement is forecast for the second half of this year as more buyers are able to access affordable mortgages, according to the latest forecast by the National Association Of Realtors®.

It’s good to live in the Portland metropolitan area! Greenlight Greater Portland, a consortium of private sector leaders, has created a “2008 Greater Portland Prosperity Index” that notes the region’s potential in a range of business, demographic and quality of life metrics compared to nine other metro areas across the western United States.

The Portland metro housing market currently offers a strong opportunity for potential home buyers to take advantage of the area’s unique combination of continued price gains and high inventory and turn it into a solid long-term investment. Portland is one of only three markets in the nation to see continued growth in home prices