High Mortgage Rates - High Prices Affecting Bend Home Sales

For the 4th week in a row, the thirty year mortgage interest rate has risen which has impacted real estate sales across the country. With these rates now pushing 7%, the buying power of Bend homebuyers has diminished.

With this change, few sellers are putting their homes of the market. Why sell a home with a great interest rate when the replacement home will cost so much more to finance? Both Bend home buyers and Bend home sellers are making decisions based on the cost to finance and when mortgage rates rise, often the decision made is to do nothing.

Bend Real Estate Inventory Levels Remain Low

Although there is always a downward seasonal adjustment for Bend home sales in the winter, the number...

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Bend Home Sales Slow

There is a seasonal slow down experienced every fall for Bend real estate sales. When school starts, many would-be Bend home buyers focus on other things. While retirees and second home buyers may be active in early to mid fall, once Thanksgiving comes, the number of Bend real estate sales drop as both buyers and sellers tend to concentrate on holiday activities with home sales secondary to celebrating the season. In 2023, however, the annual slow down for Bend home sales typically seen in November was exceptional. When November of 2023 is compared with November of 2022, Bend single family home sales on less than an acre reflect the following:

• Average sales price up 3.5% to $859,650*
• Median sales price up 1% to $702,750
• New listings down 26.1% to 82
• Homes for sale down 29.9% to 281
• Pending sales down 18.7% to 87
• Sold homes down 24.1% to 104
• Average days on market up 22% to 50

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NorthWest Crossing is one of Bend's Most Popular Neighborhoods

Originally developed as the "affordable" option to most of Brooks Resources' subdivisions in Bend, NorthWest Crossing quickly became one of the the most popular neighborhoods within the city, attracting many California transplants as well as locals to the healthy lifestyle characterized by the community. The initial style of homes - mostly craftsman bungalows - has evolved over the years with later phases built in the more modern design now desired by many. However, the resale value of the original craftsman homes has increased dramatically and the appeal of the neighborhood has remained among Bend's most favored.

What are the Market Trends for NorthWest Crossing Homes?

NorthWest Crossing experienced the same market trends most of Bend had during the past three years with Covid creating a huge spike in demand for homes, leading to multiple offers and rising prices. Although home prices have le...

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Bend High End Home Sales Reflect a Changing Market

It has been awhile since we last reported on Bend luxury home sales. We pulled a report showing year to date activity over the past three years. While Bend home prices in general are back to a small upward trajectory year over year, the numbers of sales are significantly down, as they are in all price points in most of the markets in Central Oregon and across the country.  Higher interest rates have changed the buying power of would-be home purchasers, even in the high end, and have also kept many would-be sellers off market. Why sell when the mortgage interest rate many homeowners have is so good? A replacement home, while potentially being better for the current lifestyle of a home seller, may cost more on a monthly basis with the higher interest rate with which they may need to purchase.

When the first six months of high end Bend home sales are compared year over year between 2022 and 2023, the following change...

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Have you been on the hunt for a new great steakhouse to try in Central Oregon? We recently had the opportunity to try one of the newest locations in Northwest Crossing, Rancher Butcher Chef. Featuring dishes that served family style and intended to share, this was a wonderful experience for a date night out.

We began our meal with some delightfully light and fluffy hushpuppies with a jalapeno honey butter. This dish came out quickly, and was a wonderful first flavor to start with. The hushpuppies had a nice crunchy exterior with a light, delectable interior and the jalapeno honey butter was not spicy but featured the flavor of the jalapeno nicely. 

We continued our culinary experience with a small order of scallops. These scallops were very well cooked and the pairing of the hazelnut romesco and fennel salad made this dish a nice, refreshing bite to have after...

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