Eagle Crest is a Long Established Destination Golf Resort Community

Begun in 1985, Eagle Crest is recognized by Oregon's Department of Land Conservation and Development as one of eight destination resorts in the state. There are three golf courses, spa facilities, two sports and fitness centers, three outdoor pools and one indoor pool, 13 miles of paved paths, hiking trails, and a conference center all within 1700 acres. A variety of housing is available at Eagle Crest with everything from large, luxury homes to condominiums with fractional ownership. There is even a 55 plus development within the subdivision.

Eagle Crest Home Prices Have Stabilized

Eagle Crest home prices for single family residences increased dramatically during Covid and into 2022. However, during the past twelve months the median sales price for...

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The Hike to Broken Top is Among Central Oregon's Favorites

People exploring the Three Sisters Wilderness can hike to Broken Top from multiple trailheads. Three Creeks to Tam McArthur Rim provides for a social trail past Broken Hand to Broken Top and No Name Lake. Hikers looking for more distance can start at the Green Lakes Trailhead and hike Soda Creek to join with the Broken Top trail. Most people will drive past Todd Lake on the poorly maintained road to the Broken Top trailhead (high clearance vehicles are recommended) and cut the distance to 5.5 miles and under 1500 feet of elevation gain. And there is a well defined trail starting at Todd Lake which creates a much longer hike through old growth forest to join with the Soda Creek Trail and then the Broken Top trail. Total distance to the Broken Top summit exceeds 14 miles and pushes 2700 feet of elevation gain, but the experience is well worth it. Stunning views of Broken Top's eastern flank and Mt Bachelor become visible after hikers join with the Broken Top trail; bushwhacking in this open area can lead to new areas to explore and other beautiful views. 

The hike taken October 21, 2023 was on a sunny, warm day after snow had fallen the week before.  Remnants of melting snow were obvious, but created no real obstacles for hikers. This was also the first weekend in 2023 that did not require trailhead passes, so the trail was busy with many Broken Top hikers and off leash dogs; at times it seemed as if there were more dogs than people, but all encountered were well behaved and the people very friendly and happy to be out enjoying the beauty of the Central Oregon Cascades. No Name Lake was beautiful and cold with snow and glacial runoff, and the views from the summit toward Middle and North Sister were outstanding, although the ridge was very windy and not the best place to enjoy lunch.

Deschutes Riverwoods Home Prices Trending Down

Deschutes Riverwoods has long been a Bend subdivision desired by those enjoying its proximity to the city (it abuts Bend's southern boundary), but the freedom of large lots without Homeowner's Associations or CC&Rs. Homes there range from single wide manufactured to luxury homes overlooking the Deschutes River. It is also a neighborhood in transition with more and more of the older mobile homes being replaced over time with stick-built single family. 

Home prices have dropped in Deschutes Riverwoods over the past twelve months in comparison to the previous year. This could be due to the type of home being sold, or a general overall reduction in home prices as home sellers adjust their asking dollar to accommodate higher mortgage interest rates. Deschutes Riv...

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We have hiked to Green Lakes multiple times. However, fewer hike this popular trail when the weather turns cold and cloudy. Our experience hiking to Green Lakes on 10-14-23 was the first we had this year. The trail passes to Green Lakes are so hard to get that if you are 30 seconds past 7 am on the US Forest Service website, you will be too late. Despite trying weekly all year, last Saturday, the last weekend of the year where passes are required, we finally obtained two. 

The weather was cloudy and cool, and during our hike the expected "ring of fire" eclipse occurred, resulting in a drop in temperature and a darker sky. However, after that event, the rest of our hike up to Green Lakes was uneventful, outside of hitting more and more snow the higher we climbed. At the second log bridge we put on our microspikes for safety against slippery conditions and the rest of the hike was fine. We had to do some postholing once we reached the first lake, but it was well worth the effort to travel to the far side which fewer people travel to, but is among our favorite spots due to the beautiful views of South Sister which can be mirrored in the lake. We also trekked a bit up the east side of the largest Green Lake, but decided against going further and returned back after enjoying lunch and the views.

On our hike back to the trailhead, we met a good number of hikers coming up in the later afternoon.  Our morning experience was solitary with no one visible during our hour at the lake.

There are More Bend Luxury Homes on the Market

The Bend real estate market has been in transition since Covid ended, with the demand for homes remaining strong, but rising mortgage interest rates greatly impacting the buying power of would-be homebuyers.  It has been three months since we last looked at the Bend luxury homes. During this time, there have been changes with fewer new listings, more homes on the market, and fewer sales. All four categories we look at with high end home sales are up significanty with available inventory.

We are pushing closer to a neutral market with the highest prices where there is 5 to 6 months of inventory. We are not there yet, but there has been significant change over the past twelve months where higher priced homes are slower to sell.

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