The phone calls started coming in last week. Buyers who'd been sitting on the sidelines since rates climbed above 7% suddenly wanted to talk numbers again. The reason? Mortgage rates have fallen to their lowest point in over a year, hovering just above 6% for qualified borrowers.
For Bend's real estate market, this shift changes the equation in ways that go beyond simple monthly payment calculations. The question isn't whether lower rates matter—they do. The question is what smart buyers should do about it right now.
A half-point drop in interest rates might not sound dramatic until you run the numbers on Bend's median home price. On a $650,000 purchase with 20% down, the difference between a 6.5% rate and a...
As the holidays approach, many Bend homeowners find themselves asking the same question: Should I list my home now or wait until after the New Year?
The truth is, there's no one-size-fits-all answer—but there are compelling reasons to consider making your move before the year ends.
A few years ago, inventory hit a record low. Just about anything sold – and fast. But now, there are far more homes on the market. Listings are up almost 20% from this time last year. And in some areas, supply is even back to levels we last saw in 2017–2019. For sellers, that means one thing:
Your house needs to stand out and grab attention from day one.
That's especially true when you consider why the number of homes for sale is up. Here's how it works. Available inventory is a mix of:
Data from Realtor.com shows most of the inventory growth lately is actually from active listings that are staying on the marke...
For many Bend real estate brokers, the first half of 2025 had mixed sales results. Home prices moderated, and inventory levels increased. With more homes on the market, buyers had more choices. However, high mortgage interest rates kept many would-be home buyers off the market. Home sales proceeded through the summer at a relatively lower pace than was typical for Central Oregon.
However, the market changed in September. In the beginning of September, mortgage rates dropped below 6.5%. This coupled with more motivation from