Central Oregon Real Estate Info

Fishing season is the unofficial start of the tourist season in Central Oregon. Once the lakes, rivers and streams are open for the anglers you will see people, dogs and boats at almost every body of water.

I love to fish, I love where I live and know how difficult it is to find a place where everyone in the family can have a great time while the anglers in the family drown a worm or cast a fly.

One of our family favorites is just a short 15 minute drive from La Pine. North and South Twin Lakes both have camping facilities. North Twin is more primitive than South Twin.

North Twin has a nice camping area, a boat launch and a Forest Service outhouse - these are block buildings but no plumbing they are pumped regularly. Both lakes are stocked with pan size Rainbow Trout. Somewhere along the line Cat Fish have been introduced to North Twin. This is a great spot to spend an evening as you can fish after dark for Cats.

South Twin is just over the hill and the lake itself is slightly larger. South Twin is actually considered a "resort" you will find a great little store that sells a lot of those items we seem to forget on a trip. There are showers, a restaurant, boat rentals and cabin rentals, they too have a camp ground but they having flushing toilet a luxury many of us prefer. South Twin does offer a boat ramp also.

Both of these lakes have the same rule of NO BOAT MOTORS - and that means none, not even electric.

Central Oregon Real Estate is often thought of as a diverse area. As a property buyer you have a lot of different terrains and locations to choose from. Almost every kind of view is available in Central Oregon, along with different climates.

A quick breakdown to help you know where your property search may be the most successful is outlined below.

Redmond and Terrebonneare at a lower elevation and do not typically get as much snow as a lot of other areas of Central Oregon. The trees are generally Juniper and the terrain is more open. If you like to view mountains, rock formations or just like the open feeling this area may very well appeal to you.

Bend is our largest city in Central Oregon most of the larger employers are located here. There are some great mountain views, a downtown area that is very historic and wonderful parks that many neighborhoods border. Bend is one of the fastest growing cities in America. Bend offers a lot of options for the home buyer, from larger lots and even acreage to small almost zero lot line living. Some of the most popular areas of Bend are on the west side. Bend does get snow but for the most part it does not stay for very long.

Sunriver is a resort that does have several full time residences; the terrain is treed for the most part. The Big Deschutes River does border Sunriver giving a limited amount of river front properties; there are some properties with Mt. Bachelor views. Sunriver does have snow for most of the winter and is higher in elevation than Bend or Redmond.

Three Rivers Southis known for more rural living. Most of the parcels are at least half an acre with a lot of opportunities for an acre or more. Both the Big and Little Deschutes run through the area along with Fall River and Spring River - yeah I know that is 4 rivers not 3 but in Crosswater the Big and Little Deschutes merge into one (The Big Deschutes). This area does have snow most of the winter and is the gateway to winter recreation. The further south you go you can expect more snow as you are climbing in elevation. The terrain is treed but there are some great meadow views, river front properties and mountain views. Caldera Springs, Crosswater, Oregon Water Wonderland are all in this area. The mountains seen from this area in general are Bachelor, Paulina Peak(Newberry National Monument), Broken Top, Three Sisters.

La Pine follows pretty much the same as Three Rivers. There are 3 newer neighborhoods which allow for smaller lots and a lot less maintenance. The average home is on an acre lot. Many of the roads are gravel and maintained by a road district. La Pine is the newest city in Oregon. The City Limits are a small area in comparison to the area that is called La Pine. Most of the terrain is treed however, like Three Rivers South you will find riverfront property, Mountain View property and meadow property.

For all your Central Oregon Real Estate needs or visit my profile on ActiveRain.

I hope this is better news for all of us that live in Oregon. I know each of us that use a well for our water source are relieved to know that the State has come to a more suitable plan.

The below is what the Oregon Association of Realtors sent out today

April 26, 2007 - Domestic Wells Update

YOUR EMAILS ARE WORKING!!!

So far, you have sent nearly 1,200 emails to your state legislators expressing concern about HB 2566. HB 2566 is the bill that would eliminate the groundwater permitting exemption for domestic wells. Your grassroots pressure has caused the Chair of the Committee, Representative Jackie Dingfelder (D-Portland), to rethink the scope of the bill. She is drafting amendments that narrow the bill considerably. Most significantly, the amendments will preserve your right to dig a well for domestic use without a permit.

The Committee will be considering these amendments during the public hearing scheduled for 1 pm tomorrow (April 27) in Hearing Room C of the State Capitol. Thanks to your messages, the Committee will not be considering the original draft of the bill. The first draft of these amendments is attached to this email.

You are still welcome to come to Salem to testify on the amendments or to just witness the hearing. We are working on talking points and will provide them to you at 12:30 p.m. outside of Hearing Room C.

Thank you for stepping up to support your industry.

Below you will find a copy of an email that the Oregon Association of Realtors sent out to those who subscribe to their newletter.

I have several properties listed that would require a well if one wanted to build a home (well if they wanted water anyway) Most of the southern part of Deschutes County is on wells along with a largre percent of the rest of Oregon.

Most Oregonians that do not live in metropolitan areas could be affected by this bil.

If House Bill 2566 is passed, every time someone needed to drill a well they would have to go through even more paperwork and process then they currently do.

Only 1% of the ground water currently used is used by these wells - and most of that is returned to the aqua system. Please visit the links, do what you feel is right.

CALL TO ACTION - WE NEED YOUR HELP!

The House Energy and Environment Committee will be holding a public hearing on HB 2566 on Friday, April 27 at 1:00 p.m. in Hearing Room C of the State Capitol Building.

To review a copy of the bill, go to:

https://srowa.sunriver-resort.com/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.leg.state.or.us/07reg/measpdf/hb2500.dir/hb2566.intro.pdf

The Association adamantly opposes HB 2566 because of the severely negative impact it will have on rural landowners and rural property values. We need you to show up to demonstrate your opposition to this terribly unfair and restrictive legislation! If you are unable to attend in-person, you can watch the hearing online at: http://www.oregonchannel.org/rams.htm

We also need you to send an email to your State Representative informing him/her of your opposition to this legislation. Please follow the instructions at the bottom of this page to send your message.

HB 2566 would eliminate the groundwater permitting exemption for domestic wells. This permitting exemption has existed in Oregon's water law since groundwater permitting was required in the 1950s. It allows a landowner to dig a well for household use on the landowner's property without going through the same difficult and expensive permitting process that municipalities and large irrigators use to obtain groundwater rights.

The existing exemption makes sense because the amount of groundwater used for domestic use is negligible. According to the USGS, domestic wells account for less than 1% of the water used in Oregon. Additionally, most of the water withdrawn is returned to the aquifer.

Finally, the Water Resources Commission already has the authority to regulate these wells if there is a groundwater problem. HB 2566 expands this authority and goes too far.

HB 2566 is an anti-development bill that imposes new requirements on rural landowners in an attempt to prevent them from building a home. Please help fight this unfair legislation.

Click the link below to log in and send your message:
votervoice.net/target.aspx?id=orar:14475969

With all we do in our business to that creates stress for ourselves and others it is nice to take a moment "Stop and Smell the Roses."

I am a huge fan of Mac Davis - I find his lyrics to fit so many times of my life.

I love to watch children, they amaze me. Their minds are so busy, their thoughts often so simple and so right on.

When was the last time you took a moment to swing in the playground? On this day I had the wonderful opportunity to swing on the swings, play on the merry-go-round, and go down the slide.

Now keep in mind, I am not a small woman, I am a cancer survior that has struggled with weight ever since winning the battle with cancer. Given the choice I will take the weight any day just to have the opportunity to play in the playground with my grandkids again.

I am not a small woman, no matter how big you are you can stop and play. If you do not have children or grandchildren it is ok... the swings are still as much fun as they were when you were a child.

Mac Davis said it best below are they lyrics that are posted on my office wall, and have gone with me everywhere since tht dreadful day in 1989 when I was told I had a 3% chance of living out the year.

A commonly asked question of Sunriver home buyers what can I do to make this a better resort home? Sunriver was originally a World War II training camp. Camp Abbot as it was known back then eventually became the resort of Sunriver. Many of the homes were built in the early 1970's and show the era from the moment you walk in. These can be made into beautiful homes although they will require some major face lifts they still have great potential.

There are 3 things that are often over looked when purchasing a home in Sunriver that you plan on putting on a rental program or selling at some time down the line.

The first is Outdoor Living; Sunriver has a restriction on how large a home can be including the deck in comparison to the lot size. The entire footprint including the deck has to be approved by the Owners Association. If a home is already large and the lot is small you must consider how much Outdoor Living can this home offer. Is there enough space for everyone that the home sleeps to be outside comfortably?

The second is the living space in comparison to the number of bedrooms and people a home will sleep. If you plan to create a good rental history your living space must accommodate the group comfortably. What good is a home with 5 bedrooms and a tiny living room area? How much fun with the group have together?

Furnishings including linens are often included in the sale of a home. This can create issues with appraisal, as we know lenders do not lend on personal property they lend on real property. An inventory is important so that you the buyer know exactly what is included in the sale.

All of the rental agencies that manage homes in Sunriver have a minimum inventory list. Just because a home is currently with one of these companies does not mean that the home meets their minimum requirements. Many times there are items that have broken, worn out of simply moved into another home by a guest. Knowing what a company projects for future rentals can make or break a transaction.

In a nut shell it is vital that you use a Broker that is familiar with the area you are buying, the rules of the community and the standards expected for rentals. When you are ready to shop the Sunriver Real Estate market be sure you contact an agent that knows Sunriver.

Buying a vacation home in Sunriver, Oregon can be confusing and complicated. Often times a buyer will want to purchase a home in Sunriver after renting a home for a week or so. The buyer realizes that Sunriver offers a lot more than just a relaxing resort. The resort itself has 2 pools, over 35 miles of bike paths, shopping, a spa and first class dining.

Sunriver is a family focused resort that has over 4000 residential properties. Not all of the homes in Sunriver have or are used as vacation rentals. There area a couple of areas that actually do not allow nightly rentals. Buying a home that you intend to be a vacation rental takes more consideration than the price and location of the home.

The vacation rental market is well represented by different types of rental management. There are 6 major rental companies, and some owners manage their own rentals with web pages and a cleaning service.

When purchasing a vacation rental in Sunriver it is important to consider how you will manage your home. Rental companies have several different programs for you the owner, in general I tell my buyers to expect to loose at least 50% to management costs, maintenance, upkeep and other expenses.

Most homes do not pencil out to pay the mortgage on the rentals. You have to consider the fact that you are also gaining appreciation, the use of the property when not rented, and the tax incentives that an accountant could better inform you than I can.

As you consider Buying a vacation rental you will want to consider many things below are a few of them with a brief description of what is best and how they are important to your purchase.

1. Is the home furnished? Most homes that have been used as a vacation rental or second home are sold furnished. This causes a few issues such as the furniture although included in the sale often times is done so at no stated value. This is because lenders do not loan on personal property. The furnishings range from very tired and worn to brand new and ready for your guests.
2. What are the rental rates for a home such as the one you are considering? Rental rates are typically higher in the busy season and lower in the off season. Some rental companies run specials to bring in business during the slower times.
3. What is your competition? There are a lot of 3 bedroom 2 bath homes for rent in Sunriver, recently a lot of larger homes have been built and sold in Sunriver. They are almost mini hotels - it is not uncommon to find a 5 bedroom 5 baths home. The very best rental in Sunriver is a 2 bedroom 2 baths home, not what most would expect.
4. Has the home been on a rental program and if so, what is the rental history? Many times you will find that leaving a home on the current program is the most profitable. The home already has an established list of renters and often will have a lot of repeat business.

La Pine, Oregon home for sale. Quiet neighborhood located just off of 6th St. close to the City of La Pine. Convenient to Highway 97 and the amenities of La Pine. This home is clean and ready to for you to move into or use as a rental. Great room atmosphere is located to the front of the home. Half acre next door also available, as a package for $150,000 corner lot is the vacant lot that has septic approval to be sold separately or as a package (half acre with home is offered at $85,000 vacant lot is offered at $75,000 or both parcels for $150,000).

This La Pine home has Ramada style roof to keep the snow and sun off the roof keeping it cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. Wood stove is in place with lots of wood storage.

This 2 bedroom 1 bath home is located on the corner of Jackpine and Ash and is just a short drive to the lakes, Mt. Bachelor, Sunriver and Bend.

With world class skiing, hiking fishing and so many more outdoor activities this is the perfect place for the outdoor enthusiast.

To view more photos and schedule your own tour of this home or any other proprety in Central Oregon visit my website, call me or email me.

La Pine, Oregon is more than my home town it is where I choose to live.

Do we remember to remind our buyers of the following? As the market gets busier with nice weather it is time to remind ourselves to educate our buyers and remind them of

WHETHER YOU FIND A HOME BY...

SEEING AN AD IN THE PAPER

or

DRIVING BY A "FOR SALE" SIGN

or

VISITING AN OPEN HOUSE

or

HEARING ABOUT A HOME FOR SALE

I CAN SELL ANY OF THEM TO YOU

Thesa Chambers

Sunriver Realty

541-771-7064

www.CentralOregonBuzz.com

Sunriver has several condominium complexes, each one has it's own covenants, conditions and rules (CC&R's), each has a Home Owners Association (HOA) which assess a fee. Most HOA fees are paid on a quarterly basis, the amount of these fees can make a difference on deciding if you can or want to afford a condominium.

Each of the HOA's in Sunriver have their own management or have hired the management to a company. There are generally yearly meetings to review the business of the previous year and the future. It is very important when considering purchasing a condominium that you know as much as possible about the HOA.

Fees can be changed from time to time and often your Realtor will not know this. If a HOA has voted to major repairs throughout the complex it is often paid for by raising the HOA fee. When you write an offer on a condominium the period of time for the CC&R''s and preliminary title report are even more crucial than a home in Sunriver. This document should tell you who manages the HOA - you should be contacting that HOA and double checking the HOA amount, a copy of the last year's meeting minutes is often times very helpful. Neither of these are generally provided to you without asking for them.

Today in the Sunriver Market the following prices are common for condominiums

There are 20 active condominium listings

4 are under $300,000

12 are listed between $300,000 and $400,000

2 are listed between $400,000 and $500,000

2 are listed between $500,000 and $600,000

The higest priced condo is $675,000 and the lowest is $335,000