When buyers start looking at homes in Bend, the conversation usually begins with the purchase price, down payment, interest rate, and monthly mortgage payment.
Those numbers are important, but they don't tell the whole story.
After 20 years in Bend real estate, one thing I've learned is that being comfortable with your mortgage payment isn't necessarily the same as being comfortable with the total cost of owning a home.
That's especially true here in Central Oregon, where expenses can look very different depending on whether you're buying a newer home in town, an older property on a larger lot, or acreage outside Bend.
I've always believed buyers should understand the full picture before making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives.
Here are some of the expenses I encourage buyers to consider before purchasing a home in Bend.
When most buyers start looking at homes in Bend, they focus on one number:
The purchase price.
That makes sense—but it's rarely the full picture.
Over the years, I've seen buyers stretch financially for the "perfect" home, only to realize later that the monthly ownership costs were much higher than expected. And in Central Oregon, those costs can vary quite a bit depending on location, property type, and how the home is set up.
That's why I always encourage buyers to look beyond the mortgage payment and evaluate the full cost of ownership before making a decision.
Because two homes with the same price can feel very different financially once the real monthly costs kick in.
Every year I talk with buyers who are relocating to Bend, Oregon. Many of them have spent time visiting, fallen in love with the scenery, and are excited about making Central Oregon home.
But relocating to a new area is different from buying in a place you already know well.
After more than 20 years helping buyers move to Bend, I've noticed that the people who have the best experience usually ask a few key questions before they buy.
Here are three of the most important ones.
One of the biggest surprises...
Every year I talk with buyers who are relocating to Bend, Oregon. Many of them have spent time visiting, fallen in love with the scenery, and are excited about making Central Oregon home.
But relocating to a new area is different from buying in a place you already know well.
After more than 20 years helping buyers move to Bend, I've noticed that the people who have the best experience usually ask a few key questions before they buy.
Here are three of the most important ones.
One of the biggest surprises...
If you've been following housing market headlines, you've probably seen the same prediction again and again:
"The market is going to crash."
Because of this, many buyers considering a move to **Bend ask the same question:
Should I wait for the housing market to crash before buying?
It's a reasonable question — but the answer usually requires a clearer understanding of how real estate markets actually behave.