Home Sales in Bend Oregon
After three consecutive months of pretty stellar home sales figures (178, 176, 159) to close out 2009 in Bend Oregon, January reared its ugly head to let us know that our housing difficulties are far from resolved. 98 homes sold in Bend in the first month of the new decade . . . down almost 49% from December. Further, the median price skidded to $189,500 . . . also off about 8% since December. A bit of a bummer when we consider the high of $396,000 in May of 2007.
Range of Sale Prices in Bend
The high end wasn’t what we have seen in recent months, with the grand prize winner for the January being a 3356 square foot home located on the eighth tee box of the wonderful Weiskopf/Morrish track at Broken Top.
The home, with 3 bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and two offices sold for $865,000 ($257 per square foot). It featured a custom kitchen
with stainless appliances, granite slab, and a full service bar.
At the other end of the spectrum, I cheated a little bit . . . I didn’t use the least expensive home (because I think it was actually a townhome); I also didn’t really appreciate the less-than-eloquent description of the property . . . “Seller has buyer incentive of up to 3.5% to buyers closing costs and 2-year Home Warranty. promotional dates on initial offers received 7/17/09-12/31/09 with escrow closed by 02//26/2010 Some restrictions apply’ . . . that tells absolutely nothing about the home. To me, that made it non post worthy.
So instead, I opted for the second least expensive; a home with some character. I maybe also picked it because of its superb photography . . . I loved the juxtaposition (unintended irony?) of the broker’s Mercedes convertible parked alongside the overgrown entry way.
The home, 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, and 1788 square feet sold for $98,000 . . . a bargain $55 per square foot. It needed more than a little TLC
as well as extensive plumbing and electrical work.
For the median price of $189,900, one could have bought a cute little yellow home in Village Wiestoria.
This one was 1862 square feet, three bedrooms, 2.5 baths . . . a foreclosure at “$151,000 below county market value.”
Notices of Default
Notices of Default (to many the first step in the foreclosure process) took an unexpectedly (to some) heavy jump in January. The 402 defaults were up 26% from December, and over 95% from January of 2009. For all of 2009, there were 3507 notices filed. We’ve still got a bit of rough sledding ahead.
On happier note, to find that dream home of yours, simply click here.
