Oregon Property Records — All 36 Counties

Trust Deed, ORS 86 Trustee's Sale & Oregon's 120-Day Residential Notice

Oregon uses trust deeds (deeds of trust) — not mortgages — as the standard security instrument, creating a three-party structure: the grantor (borrower), the beneficiary (lender), and a trustee. Non-judicial foreclosure through trustee's sale is governed by ORS 86.705–86.795. The trustee records a Notice of Default and Election to Sell with the County Clerk. For owner-occupied residential properties (1–4 units), the borrower receives a 120-day notice period under ORS 86.752 — this extended notice was enacted to provide homeowners additional time to pursue loss mitigation. For non-residential properties, the notice period is 120 days as well under current law. The trustee conducts a public sale after the notice period. There is no statutory right of redemption after the trustee's sale — ownership transfers immediately via Trustee's Deed. Deficiency judgments are not available after non-judicial trustee's sale on residential properties under Oregon's anti-deficiency protections. Judicial foreclosure through circuit court is available but rarely used — it allows a right of redemption and deficiency judgment. A deed of reconveyance is recorded with the County Clerk when the loan is paid. A chain of title report traces the complete trust deed chain including Notices of Default, Trustee's Deeds, and reconveyances.

Oregon is an equitable distribution state — not a community property state. Property is divided equitably by the circuit court upon dissolution. However, Oregon enacted the Oregon Community Property Act (ORS 708A) effective January 1, 2024, allowing married couples and registered domestic partners to opt in to community property classification through a community property trust or agreement. This opt-in is primarily for federal income tax advantages (full stepped-up basis on both halves at first death). Oregon recognizes tenancy by the entirety — providing creditor protection for married couples. Bargain and sale deeds under ORS 93.850 are the standard conveyance — carrying an implied warranty that the grantor has not encumbered the property. Warranty deeds (full covenants) are available but less common. Transfer on death (TOD) deeds under ORS 93.948–93.979 allow property to pass without probate — recorded with the County Clerk during the grantor's lifetime, revocable, with a 180-day Affidavit of Claim requirement. Our deed types guide explains Oregon instruments.

Measure 50, Farm & Forest Special Assessment & Oregon's Urban Growth Boundary

Measure 50 (1997) fundamentally restructured Oregon property taxation — and its effects appear on every tax statement in the state. It froze assessed values at 1995–96 real market values × 0.90 (a 10% reduction) and capped annual increases at 3% — regardless of actual market appreciation. This created two values on every Oregon property: real market value (RMV) — the County Assessor's estimate of current market value — and maximum assessed value (MAV) — the Measure 50 value growing at 3% annually. The property is taxed on the lower of RMV or MAV. In hot markets like Portland, Bend, and Ashland, the MAV may be 50%–70% below real market value — creating a substantial tax benefit for long-held properties. When property is significantly improved, new construction is added at its real market value. On change of ownership, the assessed value does NOT reset to market value — unlike California's Proposition 13, the MAV continues from the prior owner. Measure 5 (1990) caps tax rates at $5 per $1,000 for education and $5 per $1,000 for general government — creating "compression" where levies are reduced to fit within the cap. Our title search cost guide explains Oregon transaction costs.

Farm use special assessment under ORS 308A.050–308A.128 applies to land zoned Exclusive Farm Use (EFU) or meeting farm income requirements. Farm land is assessed based on its income-producing capability for agricultural use rather than real market value — reducing assessed value by 50% to 90%+ in high-growth areas near UGB boundaries. Forest use special assessment under ORS 321.700–321.754 applies to designated forestland and small tract forestland — assessed at a special rate based on timber productivity. When land is disqualified from special assessment (rezoned, developed, or changed to non-qualifying use), rollback taxes apply — the difference between special assessment taxes and what would have been paid at full value for up to 5 years plus 5.5% interest. Rollback taxes can total tens of thousands of dollars and are a lien on the property.

Oregon's statewide land use planning system — established by Senate Bill 100 in 1973 and administered by the Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) — requires every city to establish an Urban Growth Boundary (UGB). The UGB separates urbanizable land from rural land. Development is concentrated inside the UGB, while land outside is preserved for farm, forest, and rural uses under Statewide Planning Goals. The UGB directly affects property values: land inside the UGB may be developed at urban densities and is worth dramatically more than comparable acreage outside. UGB expansions can increase land values overnight. The Land Use Board of Appeals (LUBA) adjudicates land use disputes. Oregon's homestead exemption under ORS 18.395 protects $40,000 of equity ($50,000 for lots in a city) from judgment creditors — automatic, no filing required — but does not protect against trust deeds, property taxes, or construction liens. Disabled veterans may qualify for property tax exemptions under ORS 307.250–307.283.

OR's 36 County Clerks — Portland Metro, Willamette Valley & Regional Directory

U.S. Title Records searches property records in every Oregon county — order your search here or browse our 50-state property records directory.

Portland Metro / I-5 Corridor

Multnomah County (Portland — largest recording volume in Oregon, highest property values, significant Measure 50 RMV-to-MAV gaps on older properties, active trustee's sale market, Portland UGB tightly constraining land supply), Washington County (Hillsboro, Beaverton, Tigard — second-largest market, Silicon Forest tech corridor, significant EFU farmland on the urban fringe with UGB expansion pressure), Clackamas County (Lake Oswego, West Linn, Oregon City — suburban Portland, mix of urban and rural, active farm use special assessment in eastern portions). The Portland metro tri-county area generates the majority of Oregon's real estate transaction volume and features the most active trustee's sale market.

Willamette Valley

Lane County (Eugene — University of Oregon, second-largest city, active market), Marion County (Salem — state capital, government employment), Benton County (Corvallis — Oregon State University, college town market), Linn County (Albany — mid-valley manufacturing), Polk County (Monmouth/Independence). The Willamette Valley is Oregon's agricultural heartland — extensive EFU-zoned farmland (nurseries, grass seed, wine grapes, hazelnuts) with significant farm use special assessment enrollment. The I-5 corridor connecting Portland to Eugene features strong demand pressing against UGBs.

Central Oregon / Southern Oregon

Deschutes County (Bend — fastest-growing region in Oregon, resort and recreation economy, significant new construction adding at RMV, active trustee's sale market), Jackson County (Medford, Ashland — Rogue Valley, wildfire risk zones, significant timber and farm use), Josephine County (Grants Pass), Klamath County (Klamath Falls — ranching, timber, irrigation water rights). Central and Southern Oregon feature forest use special assessment on extensive timber land, wildfire risk affecting insurance and valuation, and water rights issues in the Klamath Basin.

Oregon Coast & Eastern Oregon

Lincoln County (Newport — Oregon Coast, vacation/retirement, flood zones), Tillamook County (coastal dairy/timber), Umatilla County (Pendleton — agricultural, water rights), Union County (La Grande), Malheur County (Ontario — Idaho border agriculture). Coastal counties feature tsunami hazard zones, beach access easements under Oregon's public beach law, and seasonal vacation property. Eastern Oregon is dominated by ranch land, irrigation water rights, BLM grazing permits, and extensive forest use special assessment.

OR Construction Liens, Tax Foreclosure & the Circuit Court

Oregon construction liens under ORS 87.001–87.093 have distinctive requirements. A lien claimant must file a Claim of Lien with the County Clerk within 75 days of completing work or ceasing to provide materials. For owner-occupied residential properties, the claimant must serve a Notice of Right to Lien on the owner at the start of work — failure to serve eliminates lien rights on residential property. Commercial properties do not require this preliminary notice. The lien must be enforced by filing suit in circuit court within 120 days of the Claim of Lien. Oregon construction liens attach as of the date the claimant began furnishing labor or materials — giving them potential priority over later-recorded trust deeds.

Oregon does not sell tax lien certificates. Instead, the County Tax Collector initiates tax foreclosure through circuit court after property taxes are delinquent for 3 years. The county files a foreclosure complaint, and the circuit court enters a judgment of foreclosure. The property is sold at public auction. The former owner has no right of redemption after the judgment is entered. Tax foreclosure sales transfer ownership free of most prior liens. Judgment liens from circuit court attach to real property in the county where the judgment is docketed. Judgments are effective for 10 years and can be renewed. UCC liens and lis pendens (ORS 93.740) are recorded with the County Clerk. A property lien report searches the County Clerk and circuit court civil dockets.

OR Title Search Services — Trust Deed, Measure 50 & Farm/Forest Expertise

Finding OR Property Owners via County Assessor & County Clerk

The fastest free method is the County Assessor's website — all 36 provide online access showing current owner, real market value, Measure 50 MAV, assessed value, farm or forest special assessment status, and property characteristics. The County Clerk provides recorded deed images and grantor-grantee indexes. Multnomah County (Portland) has a comprehensive online portal. For professional ownership verification, a Property Detail Record ($29, same-day) from U.S. Title Records confirms the current owner with full Assessor data, Measure 50 values, and special assessment identification. A Chain of Title Report ($275) traces every conveyance with reconveyance verification, vesting analysis, and deed history. Our title search resources, real estate news, lien guide, title search guide, property auction guide, foreclosure auction guide, and title insurance guide provide additional context. Contact our support team.

OR Property Records FAQ — Trust Deeds, Measure 50 & Farm/Forest Assessment