I've just added a new Bend MLS search to my site. Now you can search by area, subdivision, zip code, MLS number, school boundaries, map, and more. The new MLS search is super easy to use, and features a great layout. Best of all, clients who register will be able to save their favorite listings, save their searches, and have the option of receiving new listings as they come on the market matching their search criteria. Check out the new Bend MLS search.

Thanks to REW for building the custom IDX for the site. I'm still working on a few additional customizations. So keep coming back.

Our MLS has recently added a "bank owned" category to its system. What does this mean for my clients? It means that it is now easier to search for foreclosures in Central Oregon! Buyers can now sign up on my Bend Foreclosure page to receive foreclosure listings in their e-mail. After sign up they'll receive all of the listings matching their criteria and price range, plus get new listings e-mailed to them as they come on the market.

In the past, brokers in Central Oregon couldn't find foreclosures in one place. We had to search through owner names and marketing remarks to find them. It was nearly impossible to find them all. Now we can pull up all of the foreclosures with a click of the mouse. Unfortunately, I'm yet to find a website where consumers can search for Bend foreclosures for free.

When most people think of foreclosures, they think of dirty, run down homes. Which may be the case for some, but we're seeing more bank owned properties that are in great shape, (and newer). These foreclosures include Condos, Townhomes, Homes on Acreage, Older Homes, and Brand New Homes. There are deals to be had! If you're interested in receiving Central / Bend Oregon foreclosures, please visit my Foreclosure page.

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 Bachelor from Hosmer Lake

Broken Top Mountain from the HWY

Mt. Bachelor

I found this great guide to the Cascade Lakes HWY offering information about all of the scenic stops. Visit http://gorp.away.com/gorp/activity/byway/or_casca.htm for more.

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 $150,000-$300,000 price range. The median price doesn't necessarily mean that home values are up in Bend, but rather that more buyers are purchasing homes in the higher price range.

Have we hit bottom? I think we're getting close, but probably not there yet. Although most buyers that wait for the bottom will probably miss it. We usually don't know when the bottom has been reached until a couple of months later.

Bend Real Estate Inventory

According to the Bratton Report, there were1226 home sales from May 2007- May 2008 in Bend. With the Bend real estate market inventory sitting at 1519 listings, as of May 2008, we have a 15 month supply of homes. Depending on how many more sellers list their homes this summer, our inventory should be stable or drop slightly this summer. Our inventory going down will be a sign that our market is on the rebound.

There were only 23 building permits pulled from the city in May. With less spec homes going up, our inventory should start moving downward soon.

* The Bratton Report statistics are based on Single Family Residences, excluding Condos, Town homes, Manufactured Homes, and Acreage.

If you'd like to receive a copy of the Bratton Report for all of the Central Oregon real estate markets, please contact me.

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, and our Central Oregon real estate market can be linked to our economy. The better Mt. Bachelor's reputation, the better off the local Bend economy will be.

In recent years I've talked with many people that originally came to Bend for a ski vacation, fell in love with the community, and eventually made the move and now call Bend home. Where else can you go skiing in the morning for a few runs, work the rest of the day, and then go golfing in the afternoon? Not many places offer that. It's important that Mt. Bachelor rubs tourists the right way.

I'm glad to see Mt. Bachelor making changes. These changes will effect all of Central Oregon, not just Powder Corp's earnings. I hope to see less mechanical failures, better customer service, and maybe even lower pass prices this year. I'll see you on the mountain in November!

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 products
• Water Efficiency- Using less water by using appliances that waste less water and instant hot water heaters
• Air Quality- Homes should be built to block Radon and other toxins from entering
• Toxin Reduction- Using products that have less or no toxins
• Reduction in Waste- Recycling construction materials and using natural landscaping
  

For more information on Green Building practices visit http://epa.gov/greenbuilding/

Green Building in the Bend real estate market

While we have no way to search for "green built" real estate in Central Oregon, I can tell you that green homes in Bend OR are becoming more popular among builders and buyers. I recently listed the McKinley Greens Condominiums, a small, Eco friendly condo project in SW Bend. These condos are built using the latest green building technology and products.

The McKinley Green Condos feature:

• GE Energy Star Appliance
• Radiant Floor Heating on both levels
• Custom Stained Concrete Floors
• Rinnai Tankless Hot Water Heaters
• Whole House Ventilation Systems
• Low VOC Paints and Finishes
• Kiln Dried FSC Lumber
• Spider Blown-in Insulation
• Slab Granite Counter Tops
• Natural Wood Cabinets
• Cultured Marble
• Marmoleum Flooring
• P.E.T. Carpet
• Formaldehyde Free Sub-Flooring
• Energy Star Appliances

These Condos all feature 2 Master Suites, 2.5 Bathrooms, a Loft/Office, and a 2 Car Garage.
$299,000-$369,000

Visit my Central Oregon real estate website for more information on these Green Bend Homes.

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 section of the article. Read the full article about Bend Oregon.

Bend recreation opportunities

The article is short and leaves many recreation activities in Bend out. These include boating on the many lakes and rivers, running, rock climbing at Smith Rock State Park, ATV riding, horseback riding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, camping, and more.

Homes are selling in Bend?

Of course they are. There is always going to be a need for housing in Central Oregon. People love it here and are relocating to the area frequently. The real estate market is still slow going, but we're starting to see it pick up. Our real estate market depends on "Supply and Demand". As our inventory goes down, the market will start to settle. If our inventory keeps rising, prices are likely to remain at current levels and may drop more.

Is now the right time for you to buy Bend Oregon real estate? If I only had a magical crystal ball!

It could be the right time, as long as you're not looking to "flip" a property and make a quick buck. Each home buyer is in a different economic situation. Since I don't have a crystal ball, I can only give an opinion based on my activity and the Central Oregon Realtors Association statistics. There is a great inventory of homes out there. Buyer's who wait may miss the perfect property.

Investing in Bend

If the current economy hasn't gobbled up your hard earned savings, now is a great time to make a long-term investment in the Bend real estate market. There are great deals on Short Sales, REO Foreclosures, and Builder sales, and the rental market is doing well. I recently sold a foreclosure that had several offers on it. Smart investors buy when the majority aren't, and smart investors are buying up distressed homes in the Bend Oregon real estate market.

Below are the statistics of Stick-Built home sales in the Bend area. These statistics were compiled using COAR Sold data.

January 08- 84 Single Family Stick-Built Homes Sold

February 08- 59 Single Family Stick-Built Homes Sold

March 08- 98 Single Family Stick-Built Homes Sold

April 08- 101 Single Family Stick-Built Homes Sold

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&Rs 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 Store available. The store offers Gasoline, Groceries, Pizza, Mexican Food, and a Subway restaurant.

Current real estate market conditions in Deschutes River Woods

Currently there are 66 active residential listings, listed with the Central Oregon MLS. The most affordable home starts at $134,000, and the most expensive listing is priced at $539,900.

There are currently 5 homes pending sale in Deschutes River Woods, and 6 homes have sold since 3/1/2008.

Click for more information on Deschutes River Woods Real Estate.

JUST LISTED! 60461 Zuni Rd, $359,900

• 3 Bedrooms
• 2 Bathrooms
• 1452 Sq Ft
• .65 Acres
• Deluxe Shop/Studio (not included in Sq Ft)
• More information and pictures for this Deschutes River Woods listing