About Bend, Oregon
First, some helpful local links before my description of our area!
VIEW MY MONTHLY UPDATED BEND OREGON REAL ESTATE STATISTICS
VIEW MY EXTENSIVE “TOP 5” LISTS FOR THE BEST OF BEND OREGON
2018 Bend is the 4th fastest growing city in America! HERE
2015 BEND makes the New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2015 HERE
2013 Why BEND is the next big thing for entrepreneurs (Entrepreneur Magazine) HERE
2012 BEND makes National Geographic’s list of the WORLD’S 25 best ski towns, the largest town on the list! HERE
Watch Bend Broadband’s great TV commercial that displays why so many people move to Bend to pursue an “authentic” life.”
Central Oregon Visitor’s Guide
Central Oregon Economic Development Dept.
Nationally known, Bend is the crown jewel of Central Oregon, and Bend Oregon Real Estate is a perennial hot property. Most folks who move to Deschutes County from out of the area look at Bend homes first, as it gets a lot of press. Home to numerous parks, including the sprawling, riverside centerpiece of Mirror Pond and Drake Park, Bend is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Many professional athletes, including NFL players, Mountain bike and Snow sports World Champions, and Pro Golfers call the town home because it offers them unparalleled opportunities to train or recreate in all four seasons. And there is always something to do, as Bend hosts festivals year round, drawing tourists and residents from all over the area. Population is currently about 90,000 happy people.
Few towns can match the proximity to recreation we have here- The trail system for mountain bikers known as the “Phil’s Trail complex” has been nationally recognized numerous times, and is a big draw for people who dream of riding straight from their homes to singletrack trails, while Mount Bachelor, the largest ski area in the Northwest, is a twenty minute drive from the West side of town, and cross country, hiking, snowshoeing, and more mountain biking trails are even closer. The Three Sisters Wilderness area, featuring the Pacific Crest Trail and others, and the Cascade Lakes Highway are less than thirty minutes away. The High Lakes are renowned for fabulous fishing, and there are hundreds of them. Numerous golf courses dot the area, including Widgi Creek and River’s Edge. And of course, the Deschutes River cuts right through downtown for swimming and summer floating. My local favorites are mountain biking, dirt biking, kayaking, wake boarding, snowboarding, hiking, backpacking, and cross country skiing, ALL of which I can access within minutes, not hours, of my home.
The Tower theater downtown has been renovated into an upscale performing arts center, and the Les Schwab amphitheater, located on the Deschutes River, hosts larger outdoor concerts by acts such as Beck, Bob Dylan, Korn, Willie Nelson, and Fiona Apple. A pair of Realtors from Eugene, Oregon commented to me upon visiting, “Wow, so this is what a revitalized downtown looks like!” Downtown has numerous shops and restaurants, from low end to high end, including 900 Wall, Five Fusion, Barrio, Spork, Toomie’s, The Blacksmith, 10 Below, and many more. In fact, great restaurants, including ethnic choices like Japanese, Thai, and Indian, are scattered all about the city, second only to Portland in restaurants per capita in Oregon. That also includes the micro brewpubs, which have grown in number over the years from the original Deschutes Brewery, to Bend Brewing, Cascade Lakes Brewing, McMenamins’ Saint Francis School- where you can eat and drink while watching first run movies in the theater, 10 Barrel Brewing, Crux Fermentation, and more. We also have our own distillery, the Bend Distillery, makers of fine vodka and gin. And if you are like me, you will frequent one of our two playhouses in Bend, the 2nd Street Theater, and the Bend Community Theater.
The Old Mill has revitalized shopping here with stores like Chico’s, Banana Republic, Victoria’s Secret, The Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, and REI, to name just a few. Some of my favorite restaurants are here as well, including Level 2, Anthony’s, and Hola. There are also large shopping centers at The Forum (East), The Cascade View Mall (North), and The Bend River Mall (Center) with all of the usual big box stores, plus many other locally owned little guys. Central Oregon Community College sits at the edge of Awbrey Butte, and the Oregon State University Cascade Campus sits next door with full four year programs. A larger four year campus is coming to Bend’s west side in the next 5 years as well.
As far as Bend Oregon Real Estate values go, west Bend real estate is generally more expensive, due to proximity to dining, shopping, strolling, and the trails and mountain access mentioned earlier. West Bend real estate ranges from the mid 300’s to several million. West Bend is generally more treed, as it is close to the National Forest, and looks less like the High Desert than does the East. Therefore it gets less wind, but much more snow. You will find gorgeous Bend homes here in places like Broken Top, Awbrey Glen, Awbrey Butte, Three Pines, and many more, as well as a few golf upscale golf course communities. Larger lots can be found here at Sunrise Village and Saddleback. The old mill row houses in the alphabet streets tend to be very small and often rundown, but quaint and close to the action. And the homes of the Historical District harken back to a more leisurely time. Vacation homes, Investment properties, and Second homes are all very popular here. You can also find condos and townhomes for those on a budget, or retirees who desire less upkeep.
The East side of Bend Oregon Real Estate features many more family style Bend neighborhoods, and is more affordable, if not quite as Chic. It’s a great fit for people with kids who need affordability and quality Bend neighborhoods, and people who want space, as lots tend to be a little larger. First time buyers often buy an East Bend home. Costco and the Forum shops are close by, as are the Desert trails just outside of town. East Bend Real Estate runs as low as the mid 200’s here, to the multi millions for some of the large and beautiful properties on the edge of town. This side of town holds St Charles hospital, listed as one of the 100 best hospitals in the country and much of the medical community, so is a natural for seniors concerned about the proximity of health care. Bend Oregon is so lucky to have such a great hospital, because so many medical professionals want to live here. Small farm and ranch properties dot the outer rim of this side of town, and bare land is more available than on the West side. There are many retirement complexes here as well.
North and South of town you will find many more small acreage real estate properties, from Deschutes River Woods in the North, to unique Bend neighborhoods Starwood and Whispering Pines in the South. The South end is higher, and has more snow and trees, while the North is known as the “banana belt” of Central Oregon real estate, with warmer temperatures and less snow, though we challenge you to try to grow the yellow fruit there. Also, if you are not sure Bend Oregon is for you, check out our other Central Oregon areas- Sisters, Sunriver, and Redmond Oregon.
Folks tend to be more conservative on the East side, which tends to vote Republican, while more liberal on the West, which tends to vote Democrat. Unlike many towns in Oregon, however, polarization is rare, and the two sides generally find middle ground in a laid back fashion. The great thing about buying Bend Oregon Real Estate versus that in other towns in the area, is that there are Bend neighborhoods or Bend home type to fit any need or desire. It has become a bit of a melting pot, and you will find neighbors here from every state in the Union and many foreign countries as well, all gravitating here to live a recreational, laid back lifestyle, with many amenities not found in other towns of its size, anywhere.
