Winter Mailbag

Welcome to the winter season, took a while but we are here! Over the holidays I got a good number of questions so I figured now was as good as any time for a mailbag.

Q: What is up with the Jack Straw development getting a tax break? How do “luxury” apartments help affordability in Bend?

Got several questions in a similar vein, so I sort of morphed them into a couple of separate issues. The first is about the Jack Straw development getting tax breaks over the next 10 years, which I will refer readers to Julianna LaFollette’s Source Weekly article on Jackstraw from December.

The next issue is about how the soon to be “luxury” apartments will help with housing? My thought on the matter is that any housing that is created will help in the overall scheme of things. It seems people are against any type of development that is not at “entry” level prices, but the reality is, right now for every person trying to find an “entry” level or inexpensive place to live they are competing directly with folks who can outspend them for a place to live. By creating more housing, even if it is luxury apartments, there will be less competition across all price points. To those who oppose apartments because “they are encouraging growth,” the reality is people are moving to Bend; the cat is and has been out of the bag for a while.

Q: How have/are people continuing to purchase homes in Central Oregon in this rate environment?

Not to be obtuse, but the same way(s) they always have: either with cash or by taking on a mortgage. I get it, rates are high, and housing prices are high, too. I really don’t know how to answer this question other than saying that some people are spending years saving up, some sold property in other parts of the country, some people have high-paying jobs, some people have rich families. I understand the feeling that saving up and buying a home seems out of reach for so many people who live here currently, but I don’t have any “real” insight beyond typical advice about financial planning, speaking with a lender and building a valuable skill set as an employee.

Q: If I were looking to list my house this spring, what steps should I be taking now?

Depends on when exactly you want to list, and how much you are or aren’t willing to spend. Assuming you don’t want to invest very much in a home you are selling and would rather spend it on your next purchase, there are a couple of areas I would focus on. The first and often most important step is to de-clutter and open as much space in your home as possible. I don’t mean getting rid of furniture, but please remove as many kitchen appliances, toys, family heirlooms/pictures, memorabilia and decorations as you can. Less is way more! I recommend a pre-inspection so that you’re aware of and able to fix items that more than likely will come up in an inspection anyway. A thorough deep cleaning is always very helpful, along with cleaning up any minor landscaping issues, which can be relatively inexpensive.

Those three things can really go a long way in improving the feel (read: value) of your property. Most of them can be accomplished over a weekend, and although labor intensive, are easy on the wallet.

This article appears in Source Weekly January 25, 2024.