About Deschutes County, OR

We are getting closer to the end of 2009 and with it brings some interesting statistics on Short Sales. The common myth is that Short Sales don't work but our latest statistics prove otherwise.

First, a Short Sale is where a Seller attempts to sell his house for less than he/she owes the bank on their home. The bank reviews the file and if approved, will allow the homeowner to go ahead and sell their home to a prospective buyer for less than what the Seller owes them.

If you have a real estate agent who knows what they're doing, you can also be released from any further obligation of the 'shorted' difference between the sales price and what is actually owed on the home or at the very least, be left with a much smaller debt in the form of an unsecured loan at little or no interest. This can vary from Bank to Bank so there are no hard and fast rules which again is why you want a real estate agent who knows what they're doing. The advantages with a Short Sale are numerous when you consider the alterntive, Foreclosure.

Many people have found themselves in tough financial times and if you are upside down on your home, a Short Sale may just be the answer.

As of November 19th, 2009 approximately 282 homes in Bend have successfully closed in Short Sale. An additional 306 Bend Homes that are Short Sale offerings have accepted contracts from buyers and are currently going through the Short Sale review process.

As a Certified Short Sale Specialist I offer a free, 100% confidential consultation to help Sellers determine whether a Short Sale is right for them. If so, you as the Seller are not charged for my services to bring your home through to a successful closing.

If you'd like to learn more about this service, please give me a call at 541.390.7878. I serve the Central Oregon region.

Tarris Rogers, Realtor

Bend Oregon Real Estate

Broken Top is unquestionably one of Bend's premiere Golf Living communities and was initially developed in the early 90's. It is comprised of approximately 870 homes with a few individual lots left to build on. The Community of Broken Top can be divided into what amounts to 8 neighborhoods as follows:


Custom Homes Area - CUSTOM SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

Fall Creek - PLANNED SINGLE FAMILY HOMES

Arrowood Trail - TOWNHOMES

Whisper Ridge - TOWNHOMES

Bridge Creek - TOWNHOMES

Painted Ridge - TOWNHOMES

Tyrian Sky - TOWNHOMES

Courtyard - TOWNHOMES


Each neighborhood has its own homeowners association and respective HOA dues. Broken Top is considered by many to be an exclusive area due to multiple factors which involve its location, its private 18 hole, 7161 Yard, par 72 Golf Course, designed by Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish, the Award winning Clubhouse which features a Private Restaurant & Lounge, Golf Shop, Workout Room, Locker Rooms with Steam Room & Hot Tub, Grand Entertainment Room and exterior Pools, Hot Tubs and Tennis Courts. In addition, most of the community is gated and features a 24 hour, manned Gatehouse that regulates all traffic coming into Broken Top.

The Broken Top Club (optional enrollment) features planned member activities that include, Skiing, Snowshoeing, Fly Fishing, Bridge, Kids Golf Camp, Guest Speakers Program, Wine Tasting & Pairings, Fund Raisers, Specialty Dinners, organized Day Hikes, Book Club and other activities. Note that access to the Clubhouse, Restaurant, and Golf Course require enrollment into the Broken Top Club.

Broken Top also has miles of Bike Trails, a Driving Range, Putting Course, Practice Facilities, Children's Playground and Fly Fishing on Broken Top Lake. Gorgeous Cascade Mountain Views can be seen looking out to the West.

As a courtesy to prospective clients I offer a specialized ‘Broken Top Market Trends Report' which will provide you with an insider's perspective on Broken Top Real Estate. This report features up to the minute real estate activity, market trends and tips for all of Broken Top. You may also call me at (541) 390-7878 to request your personalized report.

Have you checked out Fred Real Estate Group in Central Oregon Yet?

Something different in real estate providing you with outstanding service for all of your home buying and selling needs in Bend, Redmond and surrounding areas. Contact us for more information on foreclosures, short sales and property values in the High Desert. It's a great time to buy in Central Oregon with low mortgage rates, low home prices and the repeat / move-up and first time home buyer tax credit.

Are Your Skis and Snowboards Ready? It's Official - Mount Bachelor Opens Friday, November 20th 2009 at 9am!!!

The ski season has officially begins this Friday as Mount Bachelor opens in Central Oregon. Opening day operating lifts are expected to be the Pine Marten Express and Sunshine Express. Additional areas of the Mountain are expected to begin opening Saturday through the Thanksgiving weekend. The Nordic Lodge and trails will also open for the season first thing Friday morning.

All open services will be operating out of the West Village Base Area including food, rentals, retail shop and Snowsports school.

Skiers and Snowboarders should remember that early season terrain still exists and to watch out for unmarked obstacles. The staff at Mount Bachelor recommends skiing and riding groomed terrain. For beginners there are a few runs open via the Sunshine express.

If you don't already have a season pass - visit the Tickets/Passes page of the Mount Bachelor website for more information.

As of Tuesday, November 17, 2009, there has been 70" of snowfall and more is on the way!

***UPDATE***

Mount Bachelor will open at noon on Friday instead of 9am due to 70 mph wind gusts expected Friday morning. Half day rates for opening day will be $39.

Like Sisters, Tumalo's real estate market saw only minimal changes from September to October. Once again, the number of Active Residential with Acreage listings shrank (if only slightly, from 86 to 85). That continued Tumalo's downward trend in inventory, from a high of 99 RW listings in January. Similarly, the supply again decreased slightly, from a 26-month supply in September to a 25-month supply in October.

Meanwhile, the median price for Active RW listings in Tumalo also decreased slightly (from $722,000 in September to $719,000 in October), as did the number of Active million-dollar listings (down from 29 to 28).

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 October highlights of the Tumalo market:

LISTING ACTIVITY
Active Residential With Acreage Listings in Tumalo: 85
Contingent Residential With Acreage Sales in Tumalo: 2
Pending Residential With Acreage Sales in Tumalo: 4
Residential With Acreage Closed Sales in Tumalo: 2
Average Days on Market: 245 days for Active RW listings
117 days for RW listings sold in October

Median Sales Price: $719,000 for Active RW listings
$468,500 for RW listings sold in October

INVENTORY:
Residential with Acreage: 25-month supply (41 sales in the previous 12 months)

SALES PRICE:
Least-Expensive Residential with Acreage Active Listing: $106,000
Most-Expensive Residential with Acreage Active Listing: $3,750,000
Price Point with the Most Active Listings: $1,500,000-$1,749,999 (9 listings)
Listings at $1,000,000 or more: 28

If you're interested in studying the market in more depth, below are a number of charts that capture various aspects of the Tumalo real estate market in detail.

If you'd like to learn more about the Tumalo real estate market, don't hesitate to email me at lisabroadwater@remax.net or call me toll-free at 866-963-2760.

About the Author:
Lisa Broadwater is a Central Oregon-based real estate professional who specializes in listing and selling homes, especially in Sisters, Tumalo, Redmond and Bend. If you'd like to learn more about Central Oregon, please visit www.CentralOregonHome4You.com.