Relocating to Bend (Redmond, North Bend: for sale, rent, hazard insurance)

[hollybear59]

Hi......recently retired and single on a moderate income, leaving the hectic, expensive, and rudeness of what Western Washington State has become.

From my research, it looks like NW, SW, and historic central Bend is probably outside of my purchase (comfort) range. I want some input on if SE or NE Bend are viable options, or if the disparity is huge between west and the rest. Not interested in other local cities. Thanks in advance.

[oregonwoodsmoke]

There are some really nice areas in the SE and NE of Bend. They can be (not always) less expensive, but they are still Bend and you still have access to all of the desirable things about Bend.

However, you are going to find that Bend is expensive and the traffic is quite heavy. I don't know that you are escaping much. I don't run into a lot of "rude" in Bend, but it isn't as friendly as it used to be and it gets less friendly the bigger it gets. And Bend is getting bigger fast.

[Thom52]

My wife and I recently jumped ship from the hellhole that Western WA has become. (Seattle area specifically). 31 years ago the Seattle area was a different place. Similar in a vague way to what Bend is now, with some traffic issues and easy access to the great outdoors. I am guessing in another 31 years, Bend will be about the same as the Seattle area is now. I likely won't care by then.

You are doing it correctly, bringing in your own income, and being realistic about prices.
We visited for a couple years before making the decision (relatives live in town) and did some intensive driving around before confirming it was a place for us and deciding where in town to live.

There are some pleasant spots east side. In fact, since it is newer over there, some of the infrastructure is actually in better condition than "old Bend". Be careful about good deals that are within a couple blocks of the very active train tracks. You will hear the train anywhere in Bend. If you are a not right next to tracks, especially a road crossing, the sound just adds to the atmosphere. Otherwise it can be a nightmare.

You really need to drive around and check out neighborhoods. Canvas the entire area. We found good deals that backed onto heavy traffic roads and you had to raise your voice to be heard in the back yard.
There are pockets of good deals and niceness scattered all over.

Sometimes I get impatient with traffic in Bend. Then I remember the worst case in Bend is about like it took me to get to where the really bad traffic began in Seattle area. Do get road hazard insurance for your tires. Pothole dodging is the city sport, but the plus side there is less tailgating because people need to be able to see the potholes to dodge them.

People seem a lot friendlier overall than Seattle area. Maybe because 80% of the population has been here less than 10 or 15 years and are also looking for friends. Exception I have noticed is the few people that have been here forever tend to be very resentful, apparently wishing their town had died in obscurity instead. I tend to shop where the old-time locals shop, out of economic necessity, and have gotten a swastika scratched into the dust on my car (still can't figure that one out), and some jacked up pickup punched in my rear view mirror and kicked their door into my car creasing it. (and yes I left lots of room in the parking spot on their side), so you are going to run into random weirdness like you might anywhere, unless you stay in the high rent district shopping, which I don't.

And you will have to get used to CA equity refugees that have moved up with a large pile of money from selling a cottage in CA for a few million and have money to burn, buying their ubiquitous Audi or Range Rover. Definitely not everyone from CA, but people getting all snobbish and wanting to turn Bend into Southern CA North does happen.

LOTS of really good people in between the extremes. When I am out mtn biking and hiking etc, I carry along the Old School Northwest style and probably look more Old Bend than a lot of people out there, which is a good way to get past the prejudice. Chatting with people you meet outdoors hiking or biking is the norm.

Gray winter here is also a claim. hahahhahaha.....coming from PNW. They have no idea.

Its not paradise, but we are overjoyed to be here.

[timberledge]

As the lyrics go in a song by The Eagles called The Last Resort: "You call some place paradise, kiss it goodbye."

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by Thom52

Gray winter here is also a claim. hahahhahaha.....coming from PNW. They have no idea.

How many winters have you spent in Bend?

[hollybear59]

Thanks everyone. I currently live in North Bend, Wa, which is like Bend, the gateway to recreation. It's simply beautiful out here, however, so many $$$$ new developments popping up and unfortunately, the folks it is bringing out to our tranquil Valley, are also increasing traffic, road rage, unfriendly, and the I'm entitled mentality. It's sad, and after 20 years of going from a laid back friendly small town, it's grown into a very $$$$ snooty rude town. I'm so ready for friendly people, beautiful scenery, alot less traffic than the Seattle suburbs, and most importantly, a healthy lifestyle with less stress from the aforementioned.

[Thom52]

Originally Posted by hollybear59

Thanks everyone. I currently live in North Bend, Wa, which is like Bend, the gateway to recreation. It's simply beautiful out here, however, so many $$$$ new developments popping up and unfortunately, the folks it is bringing out to our tranquil Valley, are also increasing traffic, road rage, unfriendly, and the I'm entitled mentality. It's sad, and after 20 years of going from a laid back friendly small town, it's grown into a very $$$$ snooty rude town. I'm so ready for friendly people, beautiful scenery, alot less traffic than the Seattle suburbs, and most importantly, a healthy lifestyle with less stress from the aforementioned.

I know North Bend WA quite well. It would be where I would recommend people to move to in WA if they are outdoors oriented and want to stay on the fringe of crowds.

It is VERY similar to Bend OR, just with more rain and less cold winter temps. You might want to ponder that for more than a few moments, if you have a nice place in North Bend, and its a one level for long term aging (if you are concerned about such things).

Bend OR is experiencing growing pains very similar to North Bend. I am not sure you will find housing prices much cheaper in Bend vs North Bend.

Driving habits are not that different, with an influx of new people, and resentful Old Timers. I was almost T-boned a couple days ago by a very typical jacked-up, big-tired, dirty-diesel large truck blasting through a red light at 50mph, after I waited for green, checked to make sure the intersection was clear, checked for anyone hitting the line as it turned red for cross traffic, and then only saved myself from disaster by slamming the brakes with deer dodging skills, as the blacked-out window truck THEN blew through accelerating instead of braking.

i.e. Bend is not a panacea. Much less traffic than overall Greater Seattle, but probably not much less than North Bend, and its own share of really bad drivers.

Lots of high $$$ developments in Bend too with way too many Audi's and Land Rovers and Teslas running around.

I would strongly suggest a couple of long visits, which is what we did.(We have family in Bend) We moved from Kirkland with our old house having enough equity the we could carefully shop for a trade down in price in Bend. And we needed to find a single level house, and Kirkland changed from being on the edge of rural to inner urban since we first moved there 32 years ago.

[hollybear59]

Thank you. What makes Bend so desirable is the number of days of sunshine, temps, outdoor recreation amenities so close, and the supposed laid back lifestyle. I worked for Boeing for 24 years, commuted between North Bend and Tukwila 80 miles a day round trip, and while I still need to work for about 5-6 more years, I don't want to have to be strategic in when I leave to go into Issaquah or even Maple Valley, as its become a nightmare for traffic with high stress for me. I've got a great 1500 Sq ft rambler with a drop dead view of Mt Si, however, I'm being boxed in by dense and overpriced developments that the current infrastructure cannot handle. King Co us the worst for property taxes, traffic, and now the housing boom where multiple offers over and above are commonplace. I've got about 325k equity in my current home and wouldn't mind carrying a small mortgage up to 100k for tax purposes. I see all kinds of new homes going in down there, however, the affordable ones appear to be in NE and SE Bend, which I'm not sure would be ideal for walking to the river trails on foot?

[Thom52]

i hear you on the traffic! Seattle area is certainly not the same place we moved to back in 1985.
In fact most of the Old Timers are moving out and leaving it to the newbies that seem to love what it has become.

Do you need to find a job for those remaining few years? As a highly experienced mechanical engineer, working high tech electronic packaging in the Seattle area, I tried for a couple years to get a job in Bend, and finally opted for a more frugal early retirement, after having no luck getting a job. Most of the "tech" around Bend is very small software companies with just a couple of people making up the company.

Age discrimination might even be worse in Bend than in the Seattle area, because jobs are very sparse and the labor pool of young people is really plentiful. Make sure you take that into account in your planning.

There is currently a small cottage for sale for $300k a couple blocks from my house in NW Bend. Same place would be much cheaper in Redmond or NE or south Bend, or it would go for about $650k in NW crossing, for reasons that escape my comprehension. So location is everything. There are a couple of other houses for sale in the same fringe area of Bend, which has within a very short distance, Sawyer park(including access to Deschutes River trail), Tumalo State park, designated scenic bikeway going through it, Pilot Butte about 12 minutes away, 13 minute scenic drive can get you to Shevlin park for walking, also a tiny neighborhood park. The playground park and Sawyer are maybe walking distance.
But really, just about any part of Bend is only a few minutes drive from some sort of walkable park.
I notice at least 3 houses in the $300k-$400k range in NW Bend at the moment. (Check out Boyd acres area, both east and west) Nothing wrong with the "east side" though, and infrastructure tends to be newer in general, with notable exceptions.

you soon get spoiled and consider a 15 minute drive to somewhere as being a "long drive".

Traffic has some bad spots. Locals tend to know alternate routes. "Bad" is a relative term. Rush hour is a very short window and has a few bad choke points, otherwise I sometimes forget its rush hour when driving in it....compared to Seattle.

Be careful of good deals on the RR tracks.

Some nice neighborhoods near Pilot Butte, in the SE, which is a good walking location.

[hollybear59]

Thank you. I worked in HR for the Company, and retired early to work in public education as a para educator, which I'm currently employed now at 31 hrs per week. I've got retiree medical from Boeing at 10.00 per month and free dental from the state job. Honestly, like to be involved in public education again if I move south? The Deschutes River trail would be comparable to the Snoqualmie River trail I live by up here. Not too much into lots of concrete or asphalt walking so important to have softer trails for me.

Appreciate the feedback I'm getting back on here. I've got a great agent lined up for my visit during early April.