Remodel or Move? Why Portland Homeowners Are Staying Put in 2026
Remodel or move? You’re not the only one asking If your house doesn’t fit your life anymore, you have two choices: sell and buy something that does, or change the…
Remodel or move? You’re not the only one asking
If your house doesn’t fit your life anymore, you have two choices: sell and buy something that does, or change the house you already have. In 2026, more homeowners are choosing the second option.
In a national survey by Redfin and Ipsos, about 65% of homeowners who renovated in the past year said they did it instead of moving. Among people planning a renovation this coming year, that number rises to 71%. The most common projects were painting, bathrooms and kitchens.
The reason is simple math. About 80% of homeowners with a mortgage have a rate below today’s market rate, according to Redfin. Selling means giving up that rate, paying to sell, and paying to buy again. For a lot of Portland families, putting that money into the house they already own goes further.
This guide walks through what moving really costs in the Portland area, when a remodel makes more sense, and when it doesn’t.
What moving really costs in Portland
Selling a typical Portland home and buying another can cost $35,000 to $55,000 before you pay a dime more for the new house. Here is where that money goes on a home that sells for about $540,000, close to Portland’s median sale price in early 2026.
| Cost | Typical amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Seller closing costs | 6% to 10% of sale price ($32,000 to $54,000) | Mostly agent commissions, plus title, escrow and recording |
| Washington County transfer tax | 0.1% of sale price (about $540) | Only Washington County charges one; Multnomah and Clackamas do not |
| Buying costs on the next home | Several thousand dollars | Lender fees, appraisal, inspection, escrow |
| Moving and setup | Varies | Movers, overlap months, new furniture, fixing up the new place |
Then there’s the mortgage. If you locked a 3% rate a few years ago, a new loan today will cost more every month. As an example, a $400,000 loan at 3% runs about $1,690 a month in principal and interest. The same loan at 6.5% runs about $2,530. That’s roughly $840 more every month for the same amount borrowed.
None of that money changes the house. It’s the cost of getting from one address to another.
When remodeling makes more sense
Remodeling usually wins when the problem is the house, not the neighborhood. You’re a good candidate if most of these are true:
- You love where you live. Your schools, commute, neighbors and street are right. Those are the things you can’t change.
- You have a low mortgage rate. Keeping a rate from 2020 or 2021 is worth real money every month.
- The house has good bones. The layout can be opened up, the lot has room, or the basement or garage is sitting unused.
- Your list is specific. A dated kitchen, a bathroom that doesn’t work, or one more bedroom are problems a remodel can solve.
- You plan to stay five years or more. That’s long enough to enjoy the work and spread out the cost.
The money you would have spent on commissions and closing costs can pay for a large part of a bathroom remodel or a kitchen refresh. The difference is you keep what you paid for.
When moving makes more sense
A remodel can’t fix everything. Moving is often the better call when:
- The location is the problem. A long commute, the wrong school boundary or a busy street won’t change with new cabinets.
- You need far more space than the lot allows. If you’d need two additions and the lot has no room, a different house may cost less.
- The house needs everything at once. A failing foundation, old wiring and a new roof on top of the remodel you actually want can push costs past what the home will be worth.
- You’re moving within a few years anyway. A job change or downsizing soon means you won’t get the full benefit of a big project.
We’d rather tell you this up front than sell you a project that doesn’t make sense. Part of our first visit is talking through whether a remodel is the right move at all.
The remodels Portland homeowners choose when they stay
These are the projects we see most often from families who decided to stay put, and the problem each one solves.
| Project | Solves | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Kitchen remodel | A dated or cramped kitchen, poor flow for family and guests | $60,000 to $80,000 for a typical project |
| Bathroom remodel | A primary bath that doesn’t work, an old tub nobody uses | $40,000 to $60,000 for a typical project |
| Garage conversion | Need for a bedroom, office or gym without adding on | Depends on plumbing, insulation and permits |
| Basement remodel | Unused square footage that could be a family room or guest suite | Depends on ceiling height, moisture and egress |
| ADU | Room for parents or adult kids, or rental income | $150,000 to $300,000+ for about 800 sq ft |
| Aging-in-place updates | Staying safely as needs change: curbless showers, grab bars, wider doorways | Often folded into a bathroom remodel |
If your home is older, budget for what’s behind the walls. Our guide to remodeling a 100-year-old Portland house covers wiring, foundations and the surprises older homes tend to hold.
Questions to ask before you decide
- What exactly isn’t working about this house? Write the list down.
- Could a remodel fix every item on that list, or only some of them?
- What would selling and buying cost you, including the higher monthly payment?
- How long do you plan to stay?
- What do you need now, and what would just be nice to have? Separating needs from wants keeps the budget honest.
If the answers point toward staying, we can help you figure out what it would take. PDX Remodeling & Design is a family-owned design-build team based in Beaverton, serving Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, Lake Oswego and the rest of the metro. Our designers and crew are in-house, so you have one team from the first walkthrough to the final walkthrough.
Schedule a free in-home consultation and we’ll walk through your home, your list and your budget, and give you a straight answer on whether remodeling makes sense.
Sources
- Homeowners remodel instead of move as costs keep them in place (Inman, Apr 17, 2026; Redfin/Ipsos survey, Nov 2025)
- Sellers’ guide to closing costs in Oregon (HomeLight, updated Jul 15, 2025)
- What’s happening with house prices in Portland, Oregon in 2026 (Stacker/Redfin, Apr 30, 2026; median sale price $539,265, Jan to Mar 2026)
- PDX Remodeling & Design published pricing: kitchen and bathroom service pages, ADU cost guide
- Mortgage payment example: standard 30-year amortization, principal and interest only
