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My wife and I bought our first house ever in February 2016. We moved to Central Oregon from California. During our decade in California, we only learned one thing about the housing market: That we couldn’t afford it.
We decided to make the move to Central Oregon, not only because buying a house here was a possibility, but because we had been searching for a place that had a strong local culture, sunlight, breweries, outdoor activities, and great schools at a price that we could still afford.
In our research of the market here, we learned a lot of things that I wanted to share with you. If you are anything like we were, buying a first house can seem overwhelming from afar, so finding some friendly advice is always welcome.
Without further ado, here are my top 5:
- In Central Oregon you might be able to afford “small acreage”
If you are moving from somewhere crowded and you would like a little more space, Central Oregon might be for you. That said, don’t jump at the first thing you see. My wife and I took our time and then we found a property on 2 acres, about 10 minutes outside of downtown Redmond.
We originally thought that getting land would be too expensive, but that is simply not the case here. People in these parts don’t feel crowded; locals here have grown up with land and space and a feeling of abundance, so the rush to own so much of the land isn’t as intense as it is in other areas of the country.
2. You can probably afford a mountain view — or a view of Smith Rock
Living in the crowded suburbs sometimes gets you feeling like only the wealthy can afford a home with a view. Well, here in Central Oregon, we live in the Cascades. In the Bend/Redmond/Terrebonne area, you have the three Sisters, Smith Rock, Mt. Bachelor, Mt. Washington, Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Jefferson and on a clear day Mt. Hood that all have a place on the horizon.
Some people here take it for granted because the mountains have always been a part of their life. You can’t drive around town without seeing them. That said, as long as you are buying here, you might as well get a house that has views of them to enjoy from your place (almost any 2 story house will work). You won’t be paying that much more of a premium for the value you get.
3. You can make money (or save money) in your own house here
Airbnb: My wife and I bought a house with an extra bedroom because we wanted to use it for Airbnb. Between 4–6 times a month one person or a couple comes to our place and rents out our extra room. This is a nice extra $200-$300 that goes toward our mortgage. If we don’t feel like hosting anyone, we simply block the dates out.
Do It Yourself Options: Let’s say you want goats for goat milk, cheese or soaps? How about growing hops that the local breweries buy from you? If you like fresh eggs in the morning you might raise some chickens. How about a greenhouse to plant some organic vegetables? And, for those who partake, everyone in Oregon can grow up to four cannabis plants at their own residence.
These are all great ways to have an extra hobby, possibly make some extra money and even have a healthier lifestyle (especially if you ignore the part about the beer and marijuana!).
4. As a buyer, you are in the driver’s seat and you don’t pay commission
Before I first started Real Estate I always thought that no matter what part of the transaction you were on, you had to pay a commission. THIS IS NOT THE CASE! Almost all of the major costs of buying a home are the burden of the seller. This puts you in a position to take your time, find the home of your dreams without stressing about extra costs.
5. Brokers for buyers are ONLY there to help you
Think of a broker as your personal agent that you don’t have to pay. As I just stated above, it costs NOTHING to work with a broker. So find a broker through Zillow or Trulia or word of mouth and get us house hunting for you. Most brokers will only work with you if you are not working with other agents, so find a good one and if you don’t like the results you are getting, break up with him/her and find another. (please don’t try to work with multiple agents, they do talk to each other).
Beyond house hunting and showing you places, the real value of the broker is that they help you put together an offer that is in your best interest and written without any gray areas. Find a broker who has closed a lot of deals, or works on a team that has closed a lot of deals (full disclosure: I am the latter).
In Summary:
There are really not too many places like Central Oregon left and word is getting out. People are moving here in droves, so if you are thinking of making the move, come now before everyone else does!
If you want me to help you out with some initial research on homes or if you have already narrowed things down to a few places please don’t hesitate to reach out. You get reach me at 541mattg@gmail.com I’d love to help you out!!
