A Home Energy Score is a quick, affordable and convenient way to get a full summary of a home’s energy performance. It can be obtained at any time, but most homeowners wait until it’s required: when selling the home.
Not every city in the Portland area requires a Home Energy Score. However, due to the overlapping nature of Portland suburbs, we recommend that anyone selling a home in the Metro Area make a Home Energy Score available to potential buyers. It’s just one piece of information that buyers have come to expect before making a commitment to purchase a home.
Cities That Require a Home Energy Score in Oregon:
Portland, OR – In 2018, Portland became the first US city to require a Home Energy Score for every home before it is advertised for sale.
Milwaukie, OR – In 2020, this SE Portland suburb became the second city to require the HES, adopting a policy pretty much identical to Portland’s.
Hillsboro, OR – In September 2021, Hillsboro City Council mandated a HES policy.
If you’re not sure which city has jurisdiction over your home, go to PortlandMaps, enter the property address and look for the name of the city next to “Jurisdiction.”
Enforcement of this policy in the above cities is not harsh, but it is consistent across these jurisdictions. Advertising a home for sale (whether you use an agent, or list it For Sale by Owner) without having a Home Energy Score results in a letter of non-compliance from the city. If the HES doesn’t appear on the listing within 15 days, you could be fined $500.
When Should I get a Home Energy Score?
The requirements are pretty clear that the Score must be obtained before the home is advertised for sale. That includes any way that you would let people know that it’s for sale – via social media, a yard sign, or through official real estate channels.
We encourage homeowner to get a Score pretty much as soon as they make the decision to sell the home. The Score is good for 8 years after the initial scoring, so most homeowner run little risk of it expiring.
There is a big caveat here though – don’t get the Score if you’re planning on making certain home improvements before listing the home for sale. Any changes that could impact the home’s energy performance will invalidate the Score and require you to get a new one. This includes expanding or removing heated areas of the home, replacing windows, changing insulation, updating or sealing HVAC systems, or remolding spaces such as the basement or attic.