Speaking of which, there's a draft bill floating around in Salem right now, LC 222, this big housing omnibus package from early January 2026. Most of it focuses on funding tweaks and permitting shortcuts, but one section caught my eye: new rules around Oregon natural disaster tenancy termination when a rental unit gets severely damaged or destroyed by events like wildfires or major storms...

In this stabilizing market, losing a good tenant can hit your wallet hard—think one to two months' rent lost to vacancy, plus cleaning, minor repairs, marketing, and screening new applicants. That's easily $4,000 to $6,000 on a $2,000-a-month unit. Ouch, right? But retaining a quality tenant? That's pure gold. They know the property, pay on time (mostly), and treat the place like home. With inbound migration keeping demand steady, why risk the winter leasing slowdown? Smart l

it's January 7, 2026, and if you're like me, you're probably still recovering from the holidays while gearing up for tax season. But before you dive into those Schedule E deductions for your rental properties, there's one federal requirement that sneaks up on a lot of us every year: issuing 1099-NEC forms to contractors. Miss it, and the IRS can hit you with penalties that start small but add up fast. Trust me, I've seen too many good landlords get caught off-guard by this, s

But here's something that just landed on January 1st: House Bill 3521, bringing some fresh rules around holding deposits for rental applications. Don't worry, I'm not here to scare you—think of this as a friendly heads-up from one landlord to another. These changes are manageable, and getting them right actually helps you run a smoother, more professional operation. Who knows, it might even weed out the flaky applicants faster! Let's break it down conversationally, because no

I've been in this game long enough to know that proactive steps on your winter maintenance checklist for Oregon landlords can save you thousands in repairs, keep tenants happy (and renewing), and avoid those middle-of-the-night emergency calls. We're talking preventing burst pipes, mold from poor drainage, or roof issues from heavy rain. Plus, with Oregon's habitability laws, staying on top of this keeps you compliant and out of hot water legally. The good news is most of the

Oregon's Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is pretty tenant-friendly, but it lays out clear paths for us when things go south. We're talking long-term residential rentals here—no commercials or short-term vacation stuff. The big picture? Every eviction starts with a proper written notice. Mess that up, and you're starting over. As of late 2025, key rules hold from recent updates: nonpayment notices are 10 or 13 days depending on timing, no-cause is severely limited, and you

You've seen the headlines portraying us as heartless profiteers who only chase the bottom line. That hurts more than finding out your "quiet" tenant is secretly running a drum circle at 2 a.m. (True story from one of our members—don't ask). Truth is, that stereotype fits a tiny minority. I've met thousands of you through management, evictions, sales, and classes statewide, and I can count the truly cold ones on one hand.