Most investors don’t lose because they picked the wrong property.

Clarity when it counts

You'll get the full truth on trade-offs before you're on the hook.

Every deal gives back

A portion of every commission supports Proud Ground (affordable homeownership) and Outdoor School (science education).

The Grand Union Way

We treat Portland investment as a system: neighborhood, property type, timing, and capital flow all have to align. We map where money is actually moving, identify which property types win in which zones, and match your down payment, debt load, and time horizon to the right acquisition strategy—BRRRR, buy-and-hold, or 1031—grounded in local numbers, not message-board rules of thumb.

Story

Neighborhoods

Financing

Execution

The Grand Union Way

Our Process

We move in four clear phases:

Execution

Story

Financing

Neighborhoods

Step 1: Where the Money's Actually Going

Your target area should match your investment goal: Close-In Eastside favors long-term appreciation, Northeast pockets lean toward stronger cash flow, and Beaverton or Tigard offer long-hold stability tied to tech-corridor demand.

Step 2: Property Types That Work Here

Single-family, small multi-family, and SFH + ADU all work differently, with tradeoffs between appreciation, income stability, complexity, and management load, so Grand Union starts by matching the property type to the investor’s actual plan.

Step 3: The Honest Math

The 50% rule keeps the deal honest: at 2,400 in rent, roughly 1,200 goes to expenses before the mortgage, so Grand Union looks at cash flow, debt structure, and timing before calling anything a good investment.

Step 4: Strategy and Scaling

Grand Union starts by matching the play to your situation, whether that means BRRRR, buy-and-hold, or a 1031 exchange, because the edge is not chasing what is hot; it is choosing well and executing with discipline.

Our Process

We move in four clear phases:

Step 1: Where the Money's Actually Going

Close-In Eastside areas like Alberta, Division, and Hawthorne sit around 675K with roughly 2,400 per month in rent, 3.5–4% cash-on-cash returns, and 4–6% annual appreciation—best for long-term wealth, not short-term cash flow. Northeast pockets such as St. Johns and Kenton average about 475K with 1,900 rent and 6–8% cash-on-cash, while the suburban ring—Beaverton and Tigard—clusters near 550K with 2,600 rent and 4.5–5.5% cash-on-cash tied to tech-corridor tenants and institutional interest. Bottom line: your target area must match your investment goal—appreciation, cash flow, or long-hold stability.

Step 2: Property Types That Work Here

A typical single-family home around 550K renting for about 2,600 delivers 4–5% ROI—lower cash flow, higher appreciation. Small multi-family (2–4 units) near 950K with about 6,300 in rent can reach roughly 11% ROI with more resilient income and less volatility, while SFH + ADU at 650K all-in with around 4,000 in rent pushes 9%+ ROI by leveraging ADU zoning, faster permitting, and fee waivers. Strategy depends on your capital stack, complexity tolerance, and how many doors you're willing to manage.

Step 3: The Honest Math

We start with the 50% rule: half your gross rent goes to expenses like taxes, insurance, maintenance, and vacancy. At 2,400 in rent, 1,200 goes to expenses, leaving 1,200 before the mortgage—if your payment is 2,600, you're negative 1,400 per month unless something changes. Levers like moving from 20% down (needing roughly 3,900 rent to break even) to 25% down (about 3,600 rent) materially shift your risk and flexibility over time. Smart investing isn't about theory—it's about cash flow, debt structure, and timing.

Step 4: Strategy and Scaling

A BRRRR example: buy at roughly 450K distressed, invest about 80K in rehab, rent near 4,200, and refi at a 650K appraisal to recycle your capital. A buy-and-hold example: a 550K purchase growing at 4% annually can approach 1.2M in 20 years—roughly 950K in wealth from a single property—while 1031 exchanges let you defer capital gains and trade into better-positioned assets, compounding returns. Your edge is choosing the right play for your situation and then executing with discipline, not chasing what's hot.

The Numbers That Matter

Close-In Eastside investments around 675K with roughly 2,400 rent yield 3.5–4% cash-on-cash plus 4–6% appreciation, while Northeast Portland at about 475K and 1,900 rent can deliver 6–8% cash-on-cash. The suburban ring near 550K and 2,600 rent often lands in the 4.5–5.5% range. By property type, SFHs sit around 4–5% ROI, 2–4 unit buildings near 11%, and SFH + ADU at 9%+ in ADU-optimized zones, with a simple debt strategy lever—moving from 20% to 25% down—cutting break-even rent by about 300 and reducing overall risk.

Why Work With Grand Union

We help you navigate them with context, honesty, and a strategy built around your life, not just the market.

Why Work With Grand Union

We help you navigate them with context, honesty, and a strategy built around your life, not just the market.

Story-first. not transaction-first

Your goal, timing and risk tolerance drive the plan, not the listing cycle.

Region- and neighborhood-specific strategy

Clarity when it counts

You'll get the full truth on trade-offs before you're on the hook.

Every deal gives back

A portion of every commission supports Proud Ground (affordable homeownership) and Outdoor School (science education).