There's a reason scenic Central Oregon is one of the fastest-growing communities in the country: More and more people have discovered its extraordinary charms and decided to make what was perhaps intended as a visit into something permanent. It's easy to understand why. With 300 days of sunshine, a temperate climate and some of the most spectacular scenery in the country, Central Oregon provides exactly the sort of environment the rest of the country can only envy. The first thing to know about Central Oregon (other than that it's an incredible place to live) is that it's anchored by three main cities: the golden triangle of Bend, Redmond and Sisters. Sisters, located at the foot of the Cascade Mountains, secures the northern tip of the triangle, with Redmond to the east and Bend to the south. Keep heading east of Redmond and you´ll find the towns of Powell Butte and Prineville; journey south of Bend, and you'll find first the popular destination resort Sunriver (along with its new cousin, Caldera Springs), then the recently incorporated city of La Pine. Last but definitely not least, there's Tumalo, the tiny little hamlet where I hang my hat. It's a truly unique community of mostly rural ranch properties located between Sisters and Bend (I like to describe it as not a location but a state of mind).
If you're new to Central Oregon, you may not know that each location has a very distinct personality, topography and climate, and most vary markedly. For example, there's sophisticated, culture-rich Bend; the close-knit Frontier-influenced Sisters; and rugged Redmond. When it comes to geography, you´ll find everything from snow-capped vistas to desert landscapes. On this website, you'll find useful info about everything involved in making an informed real estate decision in today's Central Oregon real estate market -- whether you're a home seller, first-time buyer or experienced investor. Just click on the menu buttons and begin your search. Once you're ready to work one-on-one with a dedicated Central Oregon property specialist, call or email me and I'll immediately get to work for you.
If you're interested in buying or selling a distressed property, I can help. I earned the Certified Distressed Property designation in April 2009.
Featured Listings
A Great Escape - Sisters
A private oasis amid the pines minutes from Sisters, this horse property has it all. The 2,500-square-foot log home features a large kitchen with stainless appliances, 2-story living room with wood fireplace & spiral staircase leading to the large master upstairs with attached loft bonus room. Expansive 2nd bedroom downstairs is easily convertible to two bedrooms. Other highlights: 1 bedroom log guest cabin, barn w/heated tack room, large workshop, 2-car garage, greenhouse, garden, treehouse, round pen, 2 working outhouses. 1 year home warranty included. $649,000 MLS#2904884
This beautiful 3100-sf home in a quiet setting adjacent to National Forest is filled with quality details. Two-story greatroom features soaring ceiling, large picture windows, surround-sound system, pellet stove & patio access. Kitchen features granite counters, knotty alder cabinets, oak floors, recessed lighting & Elite appliances. Master bedroom located on the main level. The 1.18 acre-property is landscaped & hot-tub ready; subdivision is zoned for horses.
You won´t ever want to leave this place: The spectacular hand-scribed log home is nestled in a beautiful, very private setting on 30 acres with outstanding CascadeMountain views. Four-stall barn with tack room & hay storage, plus attached 3-room bunkhouse. Also: 36X96´ RV storage/shop, 3-bay 36X24´ equipment shed, gazebo & koi pond. Property borders public lands for extensive trail riding.
May 2009 Real Estate Market Snapshot for Sisters, Oregon
In May, the Sisters real estate market began to pick up a little steam, with the number of sales (contingent, pending and closed) up in both the Single Family Residence and Homes on Acreage markets. Pending sales saw the biggest increase, from three SFR pending sales in April to six in May and from two pending Homes on Acreage sales in April to four in May. Another encouraging sign: For the first time this year, there has been an increase in the number of sales above $300,000. Previously, both SFR listings and Homes on Acreage had only one or two sales above $300,000 per month.
Meanwhile, there was also a sizable increase in inventory in SFR listings, from 180 in April to 198 in May. Homes on Acreage held steady at 80 listings.
Here are a few May highlights of the Sisters market:
LISTING ACTIVITY Active Residential Listings in Sisters:198 (118 Single Family Residences; 80 Residential with Acreage) Contingent Residential Sales in Sisters:5 (3 SFR, 2 RW) Pending Residential Sales in Sisters:10 (6 SFR; 4 RW) Residential Sales in Sisters:3 (2 SFR; 1 RW) Average Days on Market:181 days for Active SFR listings 237 days for Active RW listings 321 days for the SFR listings sold in May 122 days for the RW listing sold in May Median Sales Price:$54,500 for Active SFR listings $724,450 for Active RW listings $295,000 for the SFR listings sold in May $345,000 for the RW listing sold in May
INVENTORY Single Family Residence:24-month supply (58 sales in the previous 12 months) Residential with Acreage: 42-month supply (23 sales in the previous 12 months)
SALES PRICE: Least-Expensive Single Family Residence Active Listing: $169,990 Least-Expensive Residential with Acreage Active Listing: $199,900 Most-Expensive Single Family Residence Active Listing: $1,950,000 Most-Expensive Residential with Acreage Active Listing: $4,900,000 Price Point with the Most Active Listings:
May 2009 Real Estate Market Snapshot for Tumalo, Oregon
Like last month, the number of Active Residential with Acreage listings in Tumalo was down slightly and sales activity was up a bit ?- both positive indicators for an improving market. However, the inventory, currently at a 33-month supply, still has a long way to go before the market achieves any kind of balance.
Meanwhile, 33 of the 88 Active listings are still at or above $1 million, and the average days on market in that price bracket is a daunting 286. On a more positive note, there was increase in the number of sales (contingent, pending and closed) above $500,000, which have been scarce so far this year.
As a horse-property specialist, Tumalo has always been of particular interest to me because that´s where you´ll find many of the most desirable horse properties in Central Oregon. Because its boundaries are up to interpretation, please consider the following statistics a general barometer of the area´s real estate activity that includes most, but not necessarily all, of the listings in Tumalo.
Here are a few May highlights of the Tumalo market:
LISTING ACTIVITY Active Residential With Acreage Listings in Tumalo:88 Contingent Residential With Acreage Sales in Tumalo:2 Pending Residential With Acreage Sales in Tumalo:6 Residential With Acreage Closed Sales in Tumalo:3 Average Days on Market:255 days for Active RW listings 218 days for RW listings sold in May Median Sales Price:$898,500 for Active RW listings $275,000 for RW listings sold in May
INVENTORY: Residential with Acreage: 33-month supply (32 sales in the previous 12 months)
SALES PRICE: Least-Expensive Residential with Acreage Active Listing: $249,900 Most-Expensive Residential with Acreage Active Listing: $3,900,000 Price Points with the Most Active Listings:
