Location, Location, Location!
When you start the “looking” process, most people in Central Oregon want to live in Bend. Over the last 3 years unfortunately, Bend has become extremely hard to purchase in when looking for a first-time home or vacation home. Here are my top 3 tips for figuring out exactly where you should purchase.
- The worker – And why you should commute.
It is without a doubt that over the last few years it has been extremely difficult for those who work in Bend to find housing. From finding an affordable Rental, to purchasing a home it has been very difficult inside of Bend city limits. This is why I think every person who is working in Bend and has a great job should consider biting the bullet and do the commute. If you are looking for warmer weather and friendly people I would look north of Bend in the Redmond / Prineville areas. If you are a snow bunny who likes more elbow room, I would say check out south of Bend in the O.W.W and La Pine areas. Both north and South are VERY close as far as drive time goes (I would know, I do it every day!) so it’s more about your preference in driving conditions and what you are comfortable doing.
- The Retiree – And why you should look for a condo.
Now if you are retired and want to relocate to Central Oregon, I would suggest you see what kind of climate you want to be in. Similar to the worker, you might just want to make that commute if you are looking for more elbow room. If you’re not opposed to being in a condo, Bend would be a great location for you. You can still find affordable homes within the condo community. If you are on a budget and thinking you won’t be here full time, I would suggest a location south of Bend in the O.W.W area and La Pine locations.
- The vacationer – And why you should look outside of Bend
As everyone knows, Air B&B, VRBO, Turnkey, etc. have taken this little ski town by storm! So much so, they have implemented a map and permitting system that you now have to go by when looking to purchase a home and turn it into a vacation rental. I would highly suggest looking into areas surrounding Bend. Eagle Crest in Redmond is a beautiful location for a vacation home. You have nicer weather, approx. 20 minutes to Bend, and approx. a one-hour drive to Mount Bachelor. You are also close to Sisters and Mount Hood. Another great location to think about is Sunriver, OWW, and La Pine. The draws for OWW and La Pine is they are generally a lot easier about turning into a vacation Rental and are similar drive times as Redmond.
If you have any questions or would like more information about any of these locations feel free to reach out to myself or Elle. We look forward to helping you!
Sincerely,
Jo Ann Gould, Principal Broker & Owner of Gould Realty
541.480.3115
&
Elle Frias, Broker with Gould Realty
541.588.0449