Getting More in Redmond

When it comes to real estate, everyone has their own preferences about where exactly one chooses to live. For some, it’s living near some of the more popular amenities like the Galveston corridor, Old Mill District, or downtown Bend, while others prefer to live in more modern communities built in the last decade. Yet others want to have some “elbow room” and get out of town with some acreage. One of the more common requests among potential buyers in the area is a “small acreage,” “not too far from town,” with “some kind of view.”

Now, plenty of properties in Central Oregon exist, so it then becomes a matter of budget. For those who have accumulated or have access to large amounts of capital it strictly becomes about which part of our region you like and finding that perfect property. For everyone else, myself very much included, working within your own personal budget becomes paramount when trying to find a home, or more specifically, a small acreage, not too far from town, with some kind of view. For some who are stuck on living in or very close to Bend, they must make sacrifices in terms of size of the acreage, distance from town or perhaps without stunning views. Others who are unwilling to compromise on those factors can often find exactly or close to exactly what they want in or just outside of Redmond!

Over the last few years, I’ve worked with a number of clients that have wanted to purchase a small acreage of land with a home, or perhaps build their own home. We begin looking around Bend, and they are either turned off by the high prices of home/land near Bend, the distance from town or any number of other personal factors. This is about the time I try and show them some properties around Redmond; think just west of Helmholtz, Whispering Pines, Old Bend-Redmond Highway, north toward Crooked River Ranch and Terrebonne. These are great areas now, and in my opinion will be well positioned as the region continues to grow.

While these properties don’t get to boast a “Bend” address, as we look forward into the future it becomes pretty apparent that Redmond is poised for tremendous growth. The reason for feeling this way has to do with Redmond offering a streamlined and business-friendly approach to development, setting it apart from Bend. The city’s permitting process is often more efficient and less bureaucratic, facilitating quicker project approvals for those looking to build. Redmond’s planning and zoning regulations are known for being clear and accommodating, fostering a more developer-friendly environment. These factors collectively make Redmond an attractive choice for those seeking less hassle and a more expeditious development process compared to the sometimes (almost always) more complex procedures in Bend.

For some, living in or right outside Bend with a little land and a view is a pipe dream, but if you head north a few miles, that dream could become a reality.

Finally, I would like to wish the Fighting Oregon Ducks luck this Friday night in Las Vegas. Go, Ducks!

This article appears in Source Weekly November 30, 2023.