Before you sign anything on a Clark County new construction home, drive the commute first. Don't do it on a Saturday or a quiet Sunday afternoon, when the roads are clear and the drive feels easy. Do it on a Tuesday morning, at the time you'd actually be leaving for work. That one test has saved buyers from decisions that would have cost them tens of thousands of dollars and years of grinding frustration.

The Home Was Perfect. The Commute Was Not.

The story that best illustrates this point ended well, but only because someone asked the hard question early.

A couple had spent six months on the waitlist for a home in the Glades at Green Mountain community. It checked every box on their wish list, and at the time, both buyers worked remotely for Intel.

Then Intel updated its policy, requiring employees to work in the office at least two days a week.

Fortunately, Marci Caputo had anticipated this scenario and stood her ground before the contract was finalized.

"I said, 'I will give you a contract after you make that commute. I want you to do that commute before you sign.' And they came in; they were absolutely heartbroken. They said, 'We can't do this.' We want to always give you the truth and the hard facts, even when they're not what you want to hear."

—  Marci Caputo, Managing Broker / Co-Founder, New Construction Market Experts

They didn't lose their earnest money or spend twelve months in a home that was slowly grinding them down. The couple made a hard call early, while they still had options.

Remote Work Changed the Math, and Then Changed It Again

For a while, the Clark County new construction commute question barely mattered. Remote work gave buyers the freedom to live almost anywhere. Clark County's newer homes, no state income tax, and strong sense of community made it an easy choice.

That reality has changed significantly.

Major employers in the Portland metro, Intel and Nike among them, have pulled workers back to the office. Two days a week sounds manageable until you run the actual numbers. Two days in, one hour and forty minutes each way from Camas to Hillsboro. That's roughly six hours of driving every week, compounded over years. 

That commute is like having a second part-time job with no pay and no flexibility.

"Where do they work? Because you're going to pay income tax if you're working in Oregon and living in Washington. And what is their life? Is it worth two hours in a car commuting to a job?"

—  Marci Caputo, Managing Broker / Co-Founder, New Construction Market Experts

According to the Oregon Department of Revenue, Washington residents who earn wages in Oregon owe Oregon state income tax on that income. The no-income-tax advantage of Washington residency only applies to income earned within Washington.

Buyers moving from California or other high-tax states sometimes assume they're getting a full tax break. The reality is more nuanced when your paycheck comes from an Oregon employer.

The Commute Test Can Shape Your Decision

The real test comes on a Tuesday morning, sitting in westbound I-84 traffic, knowing you'll make the same commute again Thursday.

No amount of square footage, upgraded kitchen, or green space view changes that feeling. New construction in Clark County comes with longer build timelines and non-refundable earnest money. Design center deposits can run $10,000 to $30,000 and come due at signing. These are not purchases you casually unwind when the reality of the drive sets in six months later.

The communities that work best for commuter buyers tend to sit along the I-205 corridor, within reasonable reach of Vancouver's downtown bridges. Camas comes up often among buyers from the Beaverton and Hillsboro tech corridor, and the reality is that the drive is a serious commitment. Buyers need to experience it on an actual workday, not a Sunday afternoon reconnaissance trip.

For buyers who are fully remote, or genuinely hybrid with flexibility on which days they travel, the picture changes considerably. Communities north of Vancouver, including Ridgefield and Battle Ground, become attractive options, offering more flexibility and excellent opportunities for today's buyers. The drive to Portland becomes far less relevant when you're only making it once a week or less.

Before committing to any community, it helps to understand how Clark County's new construction market is laid out geographically. A recent post about how Clark County new construction is moving outward touches on some of these points.

The Builder's Sales Team Won't Raise This Question

Most agents won't bring up the commute, and the builder's sales team isn't likely to either. A sales agent's job is to get buyers to commit to a home. Making sure the commute works for your lifestyle is up to you.

The NCME team was built around a different premise entirely. A buyer who is fully informed, even when that information is uncomfortable, makes better long-term decisions. Occasionally that means telling someone that the home they've fallen in love with, after months on a wait list, is not the right move.

"I've had to tell people, 'I know you love this area, but really you need to think about this. You have kids in soccer, they're in choir, you are going to have an hour-and-a-half commute. Is this really something you can do?' We're here for a solution, not to just sit and collect a commission."

—  Marci Caputo, Managing Broker / Co-Founder, New Construction Market Experts

The builder's sales agent represents the builder's interests. A buyer's agent with new construction experience represents your interests by reviewing the contract and explaining builder-friendly terms. They also ask the important questions the sales office may never raise. We have a recent post that goes deeper on the value of a new construction buyer's agent.

Not sure whether a specific Clark County community works for your commute and your life? Talk to the NCME team before you fall in love with a floor plan. We'll give you the honest picture before you commit to anything.

How to Run the Commute Test Before You Commit

If you're considering Clark County new construction and you work in the Portland metro, here's how to pressure-test the decision.

Drive the route on a real workday, like a Tuesday or a Wednesday. Leave at the time you'd actually head to work. By testing it on a workday at the time of your normal commute, you'll get a realistic picture of what the drive looks like.

Check your employer's current in-office policy, then ask whether it's likely to hold. Remote arrangements that felt permanent two years ago have shifted for a significant number of buyers in the Clark County market.

Map out your entire weekly schedule, including work, school pickups, and regular commitments. Your commute is just one part of the bigger picture and should fit your lifestyle.

A new construction home might check every box on your wish list. The location still has to work for the life you're actually living, not the one that looked great on a Sunday afternoon tour.

FAQs About How Commute Time Can Influence Clark County New Construction Buyers

Does living in Washington and working in Oregon mean paying Oregon income tax?

Yes. Washington has no state income tax, but that advantage only applies to income earned in Washington. Washington residents who work in Oregon owe Oregon state income tax on Oregon-sourced income. The savings calculation is more complicated than it first appears. A tax professional can run the actual numbers before you commit to a Clark County purchase while keeping an Oregon job.

Which Clark County communities make the most sense for Portland metro commuters?

Communities along the I-205 corridor and near Vancouver's downtown bridges tend to work best for buyers commuting regularly into Portland. Camas is popular but comes with a longer drive, particularly for buyers headed to the Beaverton or Hillsboro tech corridor. The right fit depends on where you're going, how often, and at what time of day.

What happens to earnest money if a new construction deal falls apart after signing?

In most new construction contracts, earnest money and design center deposits are non-refundable once certain milestones pass. If a buyer cancels outside an allowable contingency window, those funds are typically forfeited. This is one of the primary reasons lifestyle decisions, including the commute test, must happen before signing.

How should fully remote workers think about Clark County community selection?

Buyers with genuine remote flexibility enjoy the widest range of options. Communities north of Vancouver, including Ridgefield and Battle Ground, become excellent choices for occasional commuters. The key question is how stable that remote arrangement actually is, and whether employer policy could shift in the next two to three years. Building in a commute buffer, choosing a community that's practical if office requirements increase, is a reasonable hedge.

Can a builder's sales agent give me honest commute guidance?

They could, but that doesn't mean they will. The builder's sales team represents the builder, and their job is to put homes under contract. Questions about commute viability, work-from-home policy risk, or whether a specific community fits your lifestyle are not questions they're incentivized to raise. A buyer's agent who specializes in new construction has no financial reason to push you toward a community that doesn't work for your life.

Is it possible to renegotiate a new construction contract once signed?

The builder's legal team writes the contract, and they heavily favor the builder. Renegotiation after signing is rare and usually limited to specific documented circumstances. Understanding what you're agreeing to before you sign is far more effective than trying to modify terms afterward.

Get the Real Picture Before Signing

The buyers who find the right home are almost always the ones who ask thoughtful questions from the very beginning. If you're weighing a Clark County new construction community and you haven't done the commute test yet, that's where to start.

Schedule a buyer consultation with the NCME team before you get attached to a specific community. The honest picture is always more useful than the optimistic one.

Marci Caputo is the managing broker of New Construction Market Experts. She holds a Managing Broker License in Washington State and earned her Bachelor of Arts from Washington State University, bringing 25+ years of SW Washington real estate experience to every buyer she represents.