Bend's Cascade Lake Highway

A Scenic Drive

Last weekend I took an afternoon drive to Elk Lake off of the Cascade Lakes Highway.  I recommend this drive to anyone visiting the Bend Oregon area in the summer months.  The road is closed at Mt. Bachelor in the winter months.

The highway lakes offer fishing, boating, water skiing, and swimming.  There are many lakes between Mt. bachelor and HWY 58 at the end of the Cascade Lakes HWY.    Todd lake is the first.  It's a small mountain lake a short hike from the parking area.  Other small lakes include Sparks Lake, Devils Lake, Lava Lake, and Hosmer Lake.  The bigger lakes include Elk Lake, Cultus Lake, Crane Prairie Reservoir and Wickiup Reservoir. 

Here are a few photos that I took from our drive.

Mt…

Bend Real Estate Market Update

More Sales & Higher Median Price for May

According to the Bratton Report, (a Central Oregon real estate market report published by Bratton Appraisal), home sales numbers were up in Bend for the month of May.  The report shows that 102 homes sold in Bend in May, compared to 91 sales in April.  The number of sales should continue to rise through summer, our busiest "buying season".

Along with the rise in sales, the median home price rose in Bend as well.  The median home price jumped from $270,000 in April to $303,000 in May.  In my opinion the median home sales price is up in Bend due to people relocating to the area and buying higher priced homes.  The report shows that 56% of the homes sold were still in the…

Bachelor fires 4 executives

On Tuesday May 20th, Mt. Bachelor fired the new GM and 3 other high ranking executives.  Powder Corp, the company that owns Mt. Bachelor, fired the 4 employees to "re-energize" the company.  The mountain has recently taken some heat for mechanical and customer service issues.  They're hoping that hiring new staff will allow them to rejuvenate the customers experience and satisfaction.

Mt. Bachelor had a great year for snow in 07-08

Mt. Bachelors website claims that the mountain received 566 inches of total annual snowfall. 

What does this mean for the Real Estate Market

The resort brings in people from all over the country to ski/snowboard.  These tourists usually stay in Bend or Sunriver.  Our economy relies on tourism,…

Portland is the king of "green building", but we're not far behind them in Bend. 

Going green is becoming more and more popular among home buyers in the Northwest.  Portland is home to more accredited LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) projects than most (if not all) other cities in the United States.  Here in Bend, Green building is a fast growing trend as well.

What is green building?

Green building is described as a building practice that uses healthier building practices that are more resource-efficient.  The main features of a green home are:

• Energy Efficiency-  Using Energy Star Appliances and Windows, Insulating properly, and using efficient heating and cooling methods
• Environmentally Healthy Products- Using recycled…

Is Bend the new Boulder?

In an article in USA Today on 5/22/08, Bend was named "the new Boulder".  The article talks about Bend's recreational opportunities like skiing, mountain biking, hiking, rafting, kayaking, fly fishing, and golf.  All of these activities can be done within a short drive from Bend. The article compares Bend's outdoor activities to that of Boulder. 

The article also states that Bend's vacation home owners are starting to move to Bend full-time.  It goes on to talk about the mild weather and natural beauty of bend.  Journalist Tim Neville describes Bend as "all the fun associated with the Pacific Northwest, but without the rain".

Broken Top, Northwest Crossing, and Pronghorn subdivisions are all featured in the Bend real estate…

Deschutes River Woods Real Estate Market

Deschutes River Woods is a unique subdivision in Bend, Oregon. The area sits between HWY 97 and the Deschutes River just north of a giant lava bed. Big Ponderosa pine trees blanket the subdivision. DRW offers rural living, yet is only a short drive to Downtown Bend. 

The subdivision mainly consists of ½ acre to 2 acre lots. There are no CC&R’s in Deschutes River Woods, which allows property owners to use their property in a variety of ways. Some home owners have horses on their property, while others have home based businesses.  Many buyers are finding that DRW is the best choice for them in the current Bend Real Estate market.

Residents of Deschutes River Woods have the luxury of having the Country…