Tour of Homes demonstrates high-end properties are in demand
By Jason Boone What can the annual Central Oregon Tour of Homes tell us about the real estate market of Bend, Oregon? In addition to offering home-buyers a chance to see what local builders provide, the profile of the homes on display might furnish insight about the state of the market -- and...
What can millennials expect when in the market for a home?
By Jason Boone For many millennials, the only experience they have with buying a home is what they remember of the process their parents might have gone through: Hush-hush conferences with a Realtor. Reams of paperwork documenting the financial means to purchase a house. Phone call after phone...
Median sales price continues rise, but is a ceiling near?
By Jason Boone The median price of homes sold in Bend, Oregon, in May was the second-highest in the last 10 years, but there are signs that prices might be nearing or at a peak. At $374,000, the median sales price in May 2016 trailed only that of May 2007 ($396,250) in the time span covered by the...
6 ways a Realtor can help you
By Jason Boone Every piece of data seems to scream that the Bend, Oregon, real estate environment is a seller’s market. The inventory of homes for sale is at a historic low. The median sales price is steadily increasing. Pending home sales numbers indicate there’s no end to the turnover in sight....
2 ways Bend is trying to increase residential density
By Jason Boone Bend residents probably didn’t need the U.S. Census Bureau to tell them that the population of their town has increased in the last couple of years. There are signs, perhaps more anecdotal than data-driven, that would tell them the same thing: grocery stores that are more crowded,...
Builders say regulations make up $84,000 of new home’s price
By Jason Boone Many businessmen and businesswomen are certain that government rules and regulations result in higher prices for consumers, even if they can’t put a finger on precisely how much those regulations cost. Now, a study by the National Association of Home Builders has put a dollar sign...
Inventory down, median price up in April
By Jason Boone An already tight housing market in Bend, Oregon, got tighter in April. Through the end of April, the inventory of houses for sale in the Bend market was 2.1 months, according to data compiled by the Skjersaa Group. The inventory of 2.1 months is the lowest in the time period covered...
East-side developments: One subdivision complete, another receives green light
By Jason Boone West-side real estate news and developments in Bend, Oregon, attract considerable attention, so much so that it can be easy to overlook what’s going on elsewhere in town. But prospective homeowners who want to enjoy so much of what makes Bend desirable -- its lively downtown, easy...
Fed rate stays steady, which should keep mortgage rates low
By Jason Boone Not that it was altogether unexpected, but the Federal Reserve voted on Wednesday to stand pat with its key federal funds rate. Still, such a move (or lack thereof) probably will be cause for relief for anyone worried that they might have missed their chance of grabbing a mortgage...
Chamber Forecast offers optimism about Bend’s future
By Jason Boone Some folks around town have recently expressed some worry about the fate of the Bend real estate market. For some, the rise in single-family home prices seems a little closer to the days leading up to the Great Recession than feels comfortable. That makes some sense. Nobody wants to...