Welcome fans to an exciting make-believe game show — Bend Real Estate Roundup, where buyers navigate Bend’s housing market in hopes of the ultimate prize: somewhere to live! Time and time again, you’ve seen people win a three-bedroom golf community home — paid with cash in hand! You’ve also seen people buy their first starter home — say, a cute Craftsman two-bedroom — in a region where the median home selling price costs about $276,100 more than the national average. And what’s a rarer prize than a bungalow? A middle home purchased with the help of an affordable housing program!
According to the most recent Beacon Report, the median home selling price in Bend was $693,000 in June. That’s $276,100 more than what the national median home went for in the first quarter of this year, according to a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. In June, 58 single-family homes were sold in Bend.
Let’s meet our (fictional) Bend Real Estate Roundup contestants as they confront very real circumstances in Bend’s present housing market. They are: Trish and Travis; Quinn and Jayden; and Muffy and Ken — all representing different income brackets in Bend.
Given the high cost of living in the high desert, we’re playing this game to give locals a real picture of what it’s like out there.
Also, the very real, not-made-up Brook Gardner, a principal broker at Stellar Realty NW, and Katy Wooderson, vice president of marketing at Hayden Homes, will guide our avatars through their house hunt on this episode of Bend Real Estate Roundup.
Shoppers A
Trish and Travis are a couple who earned a place in each other’s heart while earning degrees at Oregon State University-Cascades. Now in their early 30s, Trish and Travis work in relatively stable industries; Trish is a nursing assistant at a local clinic, and Travis handles sales and social media for a local bicycle component company. He loves rock climbing. The couple is shopping for a starter home with at least two bedrooms — whether that be a townhouse, a condo or — wish upon a star — a standalone home with some semblance of a yard. (They hope to adopt a dog.) Their pre-tax household income is $95,000 — close to the median annual household income in Bend, according to Census Reporter. Hoping to not pay more than 30% of that income in monthly mortgage payments, lest they become “housing cost burdened,” they hope to pay about $2,100 each month. Oh, and they have FICO credit scores hovering just above 700, which most lenders consider “good.” They have $60,000 to put down on a home less than $500,000.
Shoppers B
Meet Quinn and Jayden, another long-term couple and first-time buyers. They met on a guided rafting trip during graduate school. The two are alums from somewhere prestigious yet in-state, settling in Bend last year. Also in their early 30s, Quinn works as a social media manager for a well-known wellness company; Jayden is a (remote) creative director for a Portland sneaker company. (Not that one; the other one.) Their combined, pre-tax household income is $300,000. Neither carry student loan debt; their parents covered it. Credit card debt, now, is nominal. They both love spending time outdoors, placing a premium on easy access to both the Deschutes River and Phil’s Trail Complex. The pair have a nest egg of $80,000, cobbled together through combined savings and cash their parents gifted them after their elopement in Todos Santos last June. They’d love to find a craftsman bungalow with a price tag of no more than $700,000. That amount is less tied to what they can afford — they’re not sure what that is — than the lower range of the for-sale signs they see while strolling through their River West neighborhood, where they presently rent. Quinn’ and Jayden’s credit scores are immaculate, aside from that one time Jayden forgot about the credit card he maxed out while studying abroad. (So, slightly less than immaculate.)
Shoppers C
Here’s Muffy and Ken. You’ve seen these silver foxes around. They spend half an hour in the Newport Avenue Market wine section yet leave with empty baskets. (They relocated from Napa Valley; “So sue us,” they joke with each other.) They’re regulars at a country club, where they love socializing, although they prefer hiking to golf. They live in a home they bought on Awbrey Butte, but staircases — oh, the staircases! — are too much since the nasty fall Ken took while hiking Paulina Falls. Plus, their home’s value has quintupled since they bought it in 2000. Why settle now? Ken is retired; he doesn’t like to talk about his past career. He’s presently a stockholder in a bank that issues cards made of ceramic. Muffy stays active with philanthropy. They’re looking to downsize to a three-bedroom house with zero stairs. Is that possible? To help their search, they’ve begun taking the Beacon Report with their eggs benedict each morning. Muffy and Ken are looking for a residence with heightened accessibility that will let them age in place through their golden years.
For this purchase, they have $1.7 million. They noticed in the Beacon Report that homes in their price range had an 11-month supply. (They’ll sell their Awbrey Butte home once the market rebounds to the sellers’ court in a couple years, per the advice of their son-in-law — he’s great for these things.) And their credit scores? Practically irrelevant because they’re offering cold. Hard. Cash.
The Conversation: Shoppers A
Since Trish and Travis decided to make the leap into homeownership a couple years ago, they highlight and jot notes on their monthly Beacon Reports, which live on their small dining table. While they’re heartened by the past year’s median price dip for single family homes (from $775,000 in June 2024 to $693,000 in June 2025), they worry they’ll be priced out. And they also worry about whether $60,000 will be enough for a down payment. Miraculously, one of the clinicians at Trish’s work mentioned Parkside Place, a new planned community on Bend’s east side developed by Hayden Homes. There, single-family residences begin at $474,990 — affordable to buyers earning up to 100% of Bend’s average median household income of $95,527.
Life has taught them to not get their hopes up. Yet, receiving pre-approval on a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.7%, they were heartened enough to schedule a meet-and-greet with a Hayden Homes sales team member.
(For the purpose of this story, that person is Katy Wooderson, vice president of marketing at Hayden Homes. )
Some homes are pre-sale, which means the home site is established and buyers pick from a variety of design plans and then build from there, Wooderson explained. Trish and Travis didn’t know if they were up for so much decision-making. But Wooderson pointed out that Parkside presently has eight inventory townhome units available. Following two different townhome plans, the units are under construction in anticipation of move-ins this winter. If the couple went that route, they would get to pick the interior design selection, choosing the finishes and features, for example. In following weeks, Trish and Travis checked out some digital renderings online — the more-affordable Darrington townhome plan spoke to their needs and budget. With no present waitlist, Trish and Travis would be first in line.
Would they soon enjoy evening hikes up nearby Pilot Butte? They knew better than to get their hopes up.
The Conversation: Shoppers B
Quinn and Jayden have made a leisure activity of scanning dream homes on Zillow. Now, it’s become a part-time job on top of already demanding work weeks. On a recent evening, the two reviewed listings until Quinn found a property well within their budget. “Look! It’s on the base of Awbrey Butte facing the mountains — it’s only $375,000,” she said. They swiped through numerous photos of ponderosa-dotted views. “Oh,” Jayden said. “The .29-acre lot is $375,000; you’d still have to build the house.”
They zoomed out to the Zillow map, spending the rest of the evening noting listings and stress-sipping Pub Beers. The next week, they received pre-approval for a 30-year fixed mortgage rate of 6.7% — approximately the current national average. Yet, they felt a new worry. They’d never attempted to buy something so permanent before. On a recent group run in Shevlin Park, Jayden, who, to be clear, is fictional, vented his house-hunting frustrations to a new acquaintance. “Bro, I need a broker — pronto,” he said. In a stroke of convenience, the runner introduced himself as Brook Gardner — licensed real estate agent. Jayden stutter stepped. After the run, they traded numbers and soon met up with Quinn. Over coffee, Gardner got them talking about the circumstances that will help shape their ideal home. The couple doesn’t intend to have children, although they hope to entertain visiting family. While Jayden works from home, he doesn’t need a dedicated office, just a well-lit setting for Zoom meetings. They spoke about hobbies and storage, and Jayden floated the idea of a yard big enough for a shed to stash those paddleboards the couple had eyes on.
“That’s smart. In these homes, storage is at a premium. But think bigger. Consider enough space to build an ADU,” said Gardner, mentioning that Bend City Council is considering permitting a second ADU on a property. That could help with storage, accommodate family and provide a passive income.
Gardner ran them through additional considerations: While many 1940s-era Craftsmans, for example, may look great with those new exterior doors and an on-trend paint job, how’s the roof? What’s the foundation like? What work has been done and when? The couple tapped notes on their iPads. And what’s the situation with trees? Is the home fire hardened? That’ll factor into homeowner’s insurance premiums. But the couple worried — will they be able to afford all this with their current budget of $700,000? Gardner said that they might be able to punch slightly above their weight by negotiating a seller concession. Quinn and Jayden blinked. Gardner explained that sometimes a seller, wanting to speed up the selling process, offers to cover the buyers’ upfront expenses by covering things like fees associated with the home’s appraisal, title search and a homeowner’s association.
“That sounds great,” Jayden said. “But why would any seller make these concessions, especially in this market?” Presently, Gardner told them, it’s as close to a buyer’s market as it’s been in recent years.
The Conversation: Shoppers C
Muffy and Ken reached out through their social network for broker recommendations, landing with the aforementioned Brook Gardner, principal broker at Stellar Realty NW. In a conversation over lunch, Gardner guided Muffy and Ken through topics ranging from lifestyle, family situation and plans for aging in place. The couple told him about their diminishing mobility. A home with three well-distanced bedrooms would be ideal, Gardner said, for a live-in caregiver. Muffy and Ken steamed ahead: they have a separate budget for accessibility modifications — any already in place, such as curbless showers, grab bars and ramps up and down patio stairs — a would-be icing on top. But for the time being any major renovations would have to wait; Muffy and Ken wished to focus on more immediate adventures with friends and family they’ll stage from their new home. After their meeting with Gardner, Muffy and Ken felt optimistic. Visions of grandkids scurried through their minds.
While paying in cash does shorten the time it takes to close on a house, Gardner told them, it’s important to appreciate how jarring the sale can be for the seller. Many folks selling homes in this market have lived there for decades, accumulating as much stuff as they have memories. Estate sales need to be arranged. And these sellers may be moving to assisted-living facilities — an emotionally taxing transition for all involved.
The Results
Budding fans of Bend Real Estate Roundup know that two teams can win at the same time. And on really special occasions, so can all three. Let’s check in with our shoppers to see what’s in their carts.
The Results: Shoppers A
Things for Trish and Travis moved along pretty smoothly following the initial meet-and-greet with Parkside Place representatives. After moving forward with the construction of a Darrington townhome, the couple received weekly check-ins on the building process, even attending walk-throughs to chart the progress. And their application for the Spend it Your Way program was approved; they’ll receive $25,000, which they can put to knocking down the house’s price, building a fence or perhaps springing for granite counter tops. Trish and Travis opted to put the extra cash toward the fence. They’re going to adopt a doggo after all.
When the dust settled, Trish and Travis will pay a combined $2,647 in monthly principal and interest payments toward a 30-year fixed mortgage, according to an online mortgage calculator. That’s about 33% of their household income, which makes them slightly housing cost burdened. But spendthrifts they are, Trish and Travis have already found ways to slim their monthly budgets by several hundred dollars to accommodate the uptick in financial responsibility. After the Hayden Homes closing party where they received their keys, Trish and Travis rode bikes to their new digs, which they’ll move into this winter. Was it real? There, the golden-hour effect cast the construction of their new home in a cinematic light. Trish and Travis even met some soon-to-be neighbors, taking out their trash: two friendly Bay-Area couples who between them worked in health care and as paralegals.
The Results: Shoppers B
Gardner showed Quinn and Jayden almost a dozen homes, mostly in River West, of which 51 were listed on Zillow. Just like Gardner said, some would need foundational repairs; others, the roof. When they visited the bungalow at 820 NW 12th Street, however, they knew — here’s their home. (As of press time, the home is listed on Zillow; its details are included for purely illustrative purposes.) Built in 1977, the 1,308 square-foot two-bedroom features 1.5 bathrooms. The home sits on a 4,791 square-foot, fenced-in lot. New upgrades include windows and doors, both interior and exterior. There’s a cozy fireplace and an attached garage that faces an alley. And the trees and landscaping are such that their homeowner’s insurance would reflect the home-hardening already in place.
The rub? The asking price is $795,000; nearly $100,000 beyond their budget. Plus, there were the closing costs the couple had only until recently begun to appreciate. Gardner got to work behind the scenes, arranging a call with the seller’s agent.
Still concerned about the higher-than-ideal price tag, Jayden availed himself to a lifeline option only available to select Bend Real Estate Roundup contestants — Dial-a-Parent. He’d kept his mother, Joan, abreast of their house hunt. Lucky for the couple, Joan, anticipating the request, was beatific. She read a recent Barclays article about gifting an “early inheritance” — a means of transferring transgenerational wealth that saves money in taxes in the long run. When reached, his mother interrupted Jayden’s blubbering: “Golden child, your father and I are so supportive of this leap. You made creative director before you were 30. We’ve already discussed it — we placed $100,000 in a gift funds account. Ask your agent what that is. We wanted to further secure your future with Quinn in your new home.”
On top of that, Gardner penciled out a seller’s contribution with the seller’s agent that comes to $15,000 off the selling price. This would let Quinn and Jayden buy down their interest rate. According to an online mortgage calculator, Quinn and Jayden will pay approximately $5,200 each month in principal and interest payments. That’s about 25% of their annual household income of $300,000 — below the 30% threshold of what’s considered housing-cost burdened, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
“We won the lottery,” Jayden said, enveloping Quinn in his arms.
“No,” Quinn replied, stooping to lock eyes. “We’re blessed.”
The Results: Shoppers C
Muffy & Ken, spoiled by golf community options in Central Oregon, took Gardner’s recommendation to consider Awbrey Glen. There, tucked past the gated entrance and a stone’s throw from the 18th Fairway, sat a tantalizing home: 3265 NW Kidd Place. A 2,513 square-foot three-bedroom, built in 2018, sat smartly on a slight grassy knoll. (Listed on Zillow, this home’s details are included for purely illustrative purposes.) A large front door seemed inviting, if slightly fortified. A garage large enough to fit two SUVS — replete with a smaller door for a golf cart — flanked the home. Touring the staged interior, Muffy and Ken marveled at the ease of access — nary a step to navigate between the grand room, through the chef’s kitchen and into the stone bathroom which features a curbless shower, replete with a corner bench. Installing grab bars would be a breeze. Importantly, the two guest bedrooms are on the far side of the house from the primary bedroom — ideal for grandkids and, down the road, a live-in caregiver.
While the asking price of $1,579,000 — below their budget — seemed like a steal, it had a predictable effect. The home had been listed for little more than a week; Muffy and Ken weren’t the only buyers who’d whiffed the bargain. Two prospectives were in front of them: a doctor-doctor power couple and a lawyer-lawyer power couple. The seller, an out-of-towner in charge of executing his late father’s estate, found himself overwhelmed, not least with grief. He’d told his agent that a quick cash sale would be a godsend. Appreciating the delicacy of the moment, Ken and Muffy asked Gardner to send over an offer of $1.7 million.
A week passed — no word. Then, while hiking near Tumalo Falls, Ken’s phone vibrated in his pocket. Gardner’s name flashed on the screen. Ken struggled to hear him past the crush of the falls. “The seller accepted the offer,” he relayed to Muffy, adding that closing costs were estimated at $91,000. “Brook’s drawing up the paperwork.”
Around Ken and Muffy, tourists snapped selfies before the falls. Others marched past with off-leash dogs. Those passing were unbothered by the embracing couple’s momentous occasion.
“We’re blessed,” Ken said.
“No,” Ken replied, brushing Muffy’s bangs from her eyes. “We’re just. Damn. Lucky.”
Well, that’s a wrap on our imaginary episode of Bend Real Estate Roundup. The scenarios and people above — aside from Brook Gardner and Katy Wooderson, who both agreed to play along — are fictious. But the realities these characters face are rooted in the current status of Bend’s housing market. Statistics from the Beacon Report show a cooler market than June 2022 — that’s the month when Bend homes sold within an average of six days. While homes in June 2025 stayed on the market an average of 24 days, marking a slight swing toward buyers, that favorability is still out of reach of many would-be homebuyers making the median household income in Bend.
—This story is powered by the Lay It Out Foundation, the nonprofit with a mission of promoting deep reporting and investigative journalism in Central Oregon. Learn more and be part of this important work by visiting layitoutfoundation.org. If you’re interested in syndicating Lay It Out Foundation content or purchasing an article for use, you can do so through the website.
This article appears in Source Weekly July 24, 2025.
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