First Time Home Buyer’s Agent in Portland

Helping first-time home buyers purchase their first home.

Buying Your First Home in Portland

Buying your first home is an exciting but also can feel overwhelming. That’s why it’s so important to have the right professional during your home-buying journey. At Fun House Realty, we are real estate agents in Portland. Our goal is to help guide you through buying your first home while making it fun along the way.

Many first-time home buyers are looking for a starter home, which often means in a competitive price range. We’ll help answer your questions, explain your options, and help you make the right decision for your first home, without any pressure.

Meet Our Team

Jenson Sarr

Licensed Real Estate Agent
#201239626

Agatha Olson

Licensed Real Estate Agent
#201246047

Ready to Buy Your First Home?

Take the first steps.

Contact Us Today

How We Support First-Time Home Buyers

From the first consultation, we take time to learn about you, your goals, and explain the steps in home buying. We have extensive experience helping first-time home buyers throughout Portland and the surrounding area.

Our team can help with:

Connecting You with Mortgage Lenders

Scheduling Home Tours

Finding Homes in Your Budget

Negotiating Offers and Terms

Guiding You Through Inspections

Knowledge of the Construction Industry

Home Buyers Assistance Programs

Our agents bring strong local market knowledge of Portland, responsive communication, support, and educate our clients on each step of the process, so you feel confident in your home purchase.

Step-by-Step Process to Buying Your First Home

Buying your first home should be fun! With the right buyer’s agent in Portland, you’ll feel supported through each step. We’ll prepare and guide you through from the consultation to when you receive your keys.

Contact Us for a Free Consultation

Not sure of your budget? 

Need a Lender? We can connect you with local lenders to get pre-approved financing.

Start Your Home Search

We'll help you search for homes that match your budget, location preferences, and desired home features.

Find a Home and Make an Offer

Once you find the right home, we’ll work with you to prepare and submit a competitive offer.

Inspection and Financing

After your offer is accepted, there will be a home inspection, and you’ll finalize your financing with your lender. If anything comes up on your inspection that needs to be addressed, we’ll help negotiate any resolutions on repairs.

You’re Officially a Homeowner!

On closing day, you’ll sign your closing documents with the title company and receive your keys!

Reviews from Our Happy Clients

  • “Jenson and Agatha helped us buy our first home and they were incredible to work with! They were honest and always available day or night, even on the weekends. They made the home buying process easy and got us a great deal on our house. Jenson comes from a construction background and really helped us to understand the quality of the homes we viewed. I would highly recommend them to anyone searching for a home whether it’s your first time or fourth time buying.” - Luca W.

  • “Working with Jenson was such a great experience for us.

    As first time homebuyers, my husband and I did not know much at all about the home buying process. Jenson is so knowledgeable and experienced, and they took the time to explain everything we needed to know. We had some fear and anxiety throughout this process, and Jenson was so patient with us, never pushed us to make decisions we weren’t comfortable with, and went above and beyond to make it fun!!

    We feel like they took the time to understand what we wanted and needed out of a house, and helped us know exactly what we needed to do to get that. In a competitive market, they worked with us to craft an offer that beat out multiple cash offers. Jenson also called out things about our house that could potentially come up in inspection, and connected us ahead of time with people who could do the work if need be. This made the closing process much less stressful for us, as we had all the resources we needed ready to go.

    We are so happy with our home and can’t wait to explore Rose City Park, our new neighborhood. I would recommend Jenson to everyone looking to buy in the Portland area, especially first time homebuyers. They are the best!!” - Steph K

  • “Jenson made our experience as first time homebuyers so easy! Their knowledge of homes and Portland neighborhoods was so helpful, and they were so fun to tour houses with. We landed in Rose City Park and absolutely love our new neighborhood and home, and we owe a lot if that to Jenson

    We felt well taken care of when placing offers, and they were realistic with us about what we would need to do to secure the home we wanted in a somewhat competitive market. They also have a great network of contractors and repair companies, and were quick to get us estimates as soon as the home closed.

    Buying our first home was overwhelming and scary at time, but Jenson was with us every step of the way and did everything they could to make us feel secure and comfortable. We really feel like they went above and beyond for us and are super grateful to have worked with them.” - Evan K.

  • “Buying our first house was such a wonderful experience mostly because my husband and I had Jenson as our realtor. We were passively in the Portland housing market for the past 2.5 years (more active in the past 6 months), working with Jenson the entire time, and they were never pushy or salesy. They were patient with us as we soul searched and changed our minds about what we were looking for over time in a house, and sent us listings that matched our ever-changing specs. When we were ready to put in an offer, Jenson helped us navigate the offer and house closing process with such grace and expertise. Whenever we had any questions or needed anything, Jenson had a solution. Besides being a knowledgeable, friendly, and supportive realtor, Jenson is an all-around incredible human being. I'd recommend them in a heartbeat.” - Jennifer D.

See Listings in Portland

Home Buyer Assistance Programs in Oregon

There are several home buyer assistance programs available in Oregon that can help make the upfront down payment more affordable. These programs are designed to support buyers purchasing their first home.

Some resources include:

Learn more about home buyer assistance programs available, where they are offered, how they work, and other options available in this video.

Frequently Asked Questions About First-Time Home Buying in Portland

  • You are generally considered a first-time home buyer if you have not owned a primary residence during the past three years. Even if you owned a home in the past, you may still qualify for certain loan programs or down payment assistance if enough time has passed. Eligibility requirements vary by lender and assistance program.

  • A local agent understands neighborhood trends, pricing, and market conditions. They can help you identify suitable homes, negotiate effectively, and guide you through each step of the buying process, making your first home purchase less stressful and more informed.

  • Yes. Oregon offers several programs designed to help first-time buyers with down payment assistance, lower interest rates, and educational resources. Some local programs may also be available depending on your income, occupation, or where you plan to purchase a home. 

    Learn more in this video from Fun House Realty Owner Jenson Sarr: https://youtu.be/FGqUcKftQsk.

  • Yes. Getting pre-approved helps you understand your budget and shows sellers that you are a serious buyer. It can also make the buying process move more smoothly once you find a home you want to purchase.

  • Every transaction is different, but many buyers complete the process within 30 to 60 days after their offer is accepted. Finding the right home may take longer depending on market conditions and your personal preferences.

  • Earnest money is a good-faith deposit you make after a seller accepts your offer to show that you are committed to buying the home. The amount varies depending on the home's price, market conditions, and the terms of your offer. Once submitted, the funds are typically held in an escrow account until closing and are usually applied toward your down payment or closing costs.

    In many cases, you can get your earnest money back if you cancel the purchase for a reason covered by your purchase agreement, such as financing, appraisal, or inspection contingencies. However, if you back out for a reason that is not protected by the contract or miss important deadlines, you could lose some or all of your deposit. We will help you understand how earnest money works and what steps you can take to protect it throughout the transaction.