U.S. News & World Report includes Bend in their list of 10 Affordable Mountain Towns for Retirees
The article says “Skiing, white water rafting, and hiking are just a few of the ways you can wile away your retirement in the Cascade Mountains.” .
http://money.usnews.com/money/retirement/articles/2010/07/12/10-best-affordable-mountain-towns-for-retirement
Central Oregon Visitors Association, along with Mt. Bachelor, have invited a dozen journalists from across the country to come and experience Central Oregon. The COVA and Mt. Bachelor hope that by impressing these guests, Central Oregon might be featured in some national articles as a great travel destination. There have already been write-ups in The Huffington Post’s travel blog, The Seattle Times and Portland Monthly.
Check out these links to see what was written!
“A guide to Central Oregon” by Meg Hemphill, The Huffington Post
www.huffingtonpost.com/meg-humphill/a-guide-to-central-oregon_b_1328215.html
“Thanks to thirsty poutdoors lovers, bustling Bend is awash in beer” by Brian Cantwell, The Seattle Times
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/travel/2017809710_trbend25.html
“Brand new in Bend” by Kasey Cordell, Portland Monthly
www.portlandmonthlymag.com/blogs/tripster/brand-new-in-bend-february-2012/
Central Oregon Builders Association and The ReStore of Bend are Hosting “Ramp-a-thon” Fundraiser!
Bend’s real estate might already be recovering according to Ron Ross, principal broker at Compass Commercial Real Estate Services and John Mitchell, a national economist with M&H Economic Consultants. Ross and Mitchell spoke at a conference in Bend last Friday. From 1986 to 2004 home prices increased an average of 6.1 percent per year then veered upwards to an average of 16 percent increase in value gains from 2004 to 2007 until they dropped significantly. If the price increase had stayed consistent in recent years at the 6.1 percent we would still have home prices where they are at today.
With 20,000 new jobs in Oregon last year, unemployment rates are beneath 9 percent for the first time in 3 years, interest rates are close to 4 percent and median families have more income to afford homes.
“I’m going to say that winter of 2011 and 2012 marked the beginning of the housing recovery in Bend,” Ross said. “There may not be a better time to buy a home in my lifetime than right now.”
In an effort to build their reserves and encourage private lenders to make their way back into the market, the FHA will raise two of their fees.
The Federal Housing Administration helps borrowers who might not qualify for conventional loans. FHA loans currently account for about 40% of new purchase mortgages, which is significantly higher than previous years.
The fees the FHA plans on raising are it’s annual insurance premium to 1.25 percent of the loan amount, up from 1.05, starting on April 1, and their upfront mortgage premium, which will also increase this year from 0.75 percent to 1.75 percent.
The program isn’t expected to decrease in popularity as it still is the only program with just 3.5 percent required for a down payment, although borrowers with higher credit scores might be more apt to go for a conventional loan where they can still get a much better deal.
First-time home buyers will be affected the most as they are often unable to come up with larger down payments necessary for standard mortgages and are then required to have mortgage insurance.
http://bendbulletin.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120228/NEWS0107/202280347
The analytics firm Capital Economics has predicted that the housing crisis will end this year. This expectation is based heavily on loosening credit requirements. Credit score requirements have remained consistent since this time last year, banks are lending more money based on borrower income and banks are loosening loan-to-value ratios, which could be the biggest indicator that the situation is improving. Even with all of these changes there are still potential homebuyers struggling to get a home loan.
National Geographic recognizes Bend as one of the 25 best!
Thanks to attributes like its proximity to Mt. Bachelor, excellent restaurants, multiple micro breweries and quaint ski town culture, Bend has caught the attention of National Geographic, who listed it as one of the “25 Best Ski Towns in the World”. What a compliment to be listed among these other incredible places. Those of us who live here already know what an amazing place Bend is and we’re proud to call it home.
Bend has even more to offer than the article mentions, why do you think Bend is the Best?
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1785312249?bclid=1740033302&bctid=1395384286001
Two NAR legislators talk about upcoming bills that will affect Fannie and Freddie, the secondary mortgage markets. This is an interesting video to see how current legislation will affect the housing market.
The stats for the year (Dec 2010 to Dec 2011) are in! Home sales are down by 2.5%. Average sales price is up by 19.4% Number of sales are up by .5% and average square foot is up by 6.4%. Why is this great information? It helps you become a better informed consumer! With a Coldwell Banker agent you can be assured you are receiving the most up-to-date and current statistics.
The lakes, rivers, trails and mountains of Bend shine brighter thanks to the usually clear, dry skies. — (c) Chase Jarvis
Again, Bend, Oregon is noted for its unusual number of days of sunshine and the numerous outdoor activities that are available for all skill levels and age ranges.
