Daren Cullen Central Oregon Premier Realtor

Why Winter Is a Great Time to Buy a Home in Bend, Oregon

2/14/2020

Less Competition, Fewer Multiple-Offer Situations, and Being Settled by Spring Are Among the Many Benefits of Winter House Hunting in Central Oregon

Hello, readers!

In my last post, I detailed all the reasons that winter is a surprisingly good time to sell your home in Bend.

But it’s also true that winter is a good time to buy a home in Bend. And in this week’s post, I’ll explain why.

Reasons Why Winter Is a Great Time to Buy Home in Bend

As I mentioned in my last post, though you may be surprised to hear it, I find the time between January and May be the busiest month for home sales in Bend; in fact, I do about 65% of my business in the first five months of the year.

And it’s not just a good time for sellers. Winter is also a great time for home hunters to purchase in Bend. For one thing, during the winter there’s less competition, as most people don’t begin a home search in earnest until spring. In turn, less competition means home sellers are more willing to negotiate on price and terms.

Reduced competition between buyers also means that there will likely be less chance for buyers to find themselves in a multiple-offer situation. When multiple buyers put an offer on a house, the result is often a bidding war, which can drive up the price substantially. With fewer buyers in the market in winter, the odds of encountering this situation are reduced.

Winter is also a good time to see homes at the darkest and coldest time of year, a time that often reveals their faults. By touring homes in winter, prospective buyers can get a sense of whether a home receives a good amount of natural light, and whether it needs any maintenance or repairs to stay warm in cold weather. For example, if you’re concerned about the age or health of a home’s furnace, a cold day in winter is the perfect time to schedule a tour. In general, a house will look its worst in winter, so if you love it now, you’ll absolutely adore it come summer.

Image Courtesy of Flo Dahm

Contractors and Real Estate Professionals Are More Available in Winter

Image Courtesy of Victoria Borodinova

If a winter tour reveals issues with your dream home or work that needs to be done during the negotiation process, it’s probably the best time of year to have that work done. Most homeowners will choose to put off renovations or repair work until the warmer months, which means contractors and home maintenance professionals are more available and easier to schedule in winter.

Real estate professionals like mortgage brokers, escrow officers and home inspectors are also more likely to be available in winter, which means that scheduling inspections, appraisals and other essential steps in the home-buying process will be easier and faster than in spring or summer.

Buying a Home in Winter Lets You Be Settle in Bend by Spring

Buying a home can be a time-intensive process, leaving little opportunity for other activities until the sale closes. With that in mind, if you’re excited to take advantage of everything a Bend summer has to offer—including hiking in the Cascades, the Cascade Lakes, mountain biking, trail running and, of course, floating the Deschutes River—buying a home in winter is a great way to make sure you’re settled in plenty of time for warmer weather.

Image Courtesy of Mark McCammon

If You're Planning on Buying a Home in Bend, Winter Is a Great Time to Do It

Fewer multiple-offer situations, less competition, the opportunity to see a home in its least-attractive state and having plenty of time to be settled before summer all add up to the start of the year being a great time to buy a home in Bend.
If you’re interested in buying in Bend this year, or even if you’re just curious about the market or process, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to help you find a home in Central Oregon!

Click here to send me a message, or call me at (541) 410-2707

Why listing a Bend, Oregon home for sale in the winter is a good idea

1/14/2020

Depending on the region, state or even town in which you’re selling a home, you’ll hear all kinds of advice regarding when you should put your property on the market.

Here, in Bend, Oregon, you might be surprised to learn that one of the best times to list your home is right now, in January, just after the New Year. It might seem counterintuitive, but—year after year--I find the time between January and May to be the busiest for home sales in Bend. In fact, I generally do about 65% of my business in the first five months of the year.

Image courtesy of Victoria Borodinova

Reasons why serious buyers look for a Central Oregon home in the winter

As I write this post, the snow is falling. Some people might think snowy winter weather and difficult travel conditions would discourage house hunters from exploring the Bend residential market, but it’s actually the other way around. This winter, my phone started ringing on December 27!
Think about it: The buyers looking to close on a home at this time of year are serious about making a purchase; nobody roams around in knee-deep snow if they’re just kicking the tires.

Also, unless you have residential sales experience here in Bend, you’re likely unaware of the advantages of listing your home for sale at this time of year. That means there are fewer houses on the market between January and May. And while that means less choice for buyers, it means less competition for you.

In general, most buyers hunting for a home in the early part of the year have a goal of being moved in and settled in Bend by summer, when they can get out and enjoy all that Central Oregon has to offer: the Deschutes River and Cascade Lakes, the mountain biking, the trail running and hiking, the climbing, and outdoor life in general!

Image courtesy of Martin Lopez

Not to say that buyers will delay a move until summer; Many folks who move to Bend are year-round outdoorspeople. In winter, for skiers and snowboarders, Mt. Bachelor—the biggest ski resort in Central Oregon—offers 4318 acres of skiable terrain. The Cascade Lakes Scenic byway runs through the Deschutes National Forest below the towering peaks of the Three Sisters, Broken Top, Mt. Bachelor and others, and—though it closes in winter—the snow parks along the open section provide access to countless cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails. All of these activities appeal to would-be buyers.

More than that, come January 2, the holiday tourist season is largely over, meaning in-the-know buyers are here to experience Bend and the surrounding area without the holiday crowds; another good reason serious house hunters are here at the start of the year.

Real estate professionals are more available in winter

Because there are usually fewer properties on the market during the winter months, real estate professionals like mortgage brokers, escrow officers and home inspectors are likely to be more available at this time of year, too. This means that scheduling inspections and appraisals will be easier and faster than during other times of year, expediting the home-selling process.

Also, any prep work, repairs, painting or other jobs that require a contractor will likely happen more quickly in the winter, when contractors are more available. Any Bend local can testify to the difficulty of scheduling a contractor in the summer--when new construction, repairs to winter weather damage, and renovations are in full swing. But in winter, it’s a different story.

Image courtesy of James Wheeler

If you’re planning on selling your home in Bend, the start of the year is a great time to list

Less competition, less inventory, but serious buyers who want to be settled before summer all add up to the start of the year being a great time to list your home for sale in Bend. It’s because of these reasons that I see two-thirds of my business between January and May every year.
If you’re planning to list your home in Bend this year, or even if you’re just curious about the market or process, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to help you sell your home!

Click here to send me a message, or call me at (541) 410-2707

Come back to read my next blog post, which will be focused on why winter is a great time to buy a house in Bend and Central Oregon. I plan to post it soon!