Should we even consider Bend??? (Portland, Salem: real estate, condominiums, high crime)

[AnaheimDude07]

My wife and I just got back from a weekend up in Bend and we loved it. We both acquired good paying jobs in the area and will be renting a home in the area between Redmond and Bend. It's only five minutes from highway 97, the main highway in the area, yet it feels lilke we are out in the middle of nowhere. It's on a five acre lot and since we both are comming from southern CA we had no idea how big five acres really is because nobody out here lives on that kind of land.

We were kinda leery about moving because of all the Bend bashing and the californian bashing but after visiting for a couple of days we saw that this town still has a small town feel to it. It's warm during the day and cool at night. All the townsfolk we met were very friendly and we were very impressed with it all.

We will be moving in three weeks and we are very excited.

[Ramona Bryant]

Having moved to Bend for a job opportunity in the late '90s and living there for five years before returning to Idaho I have to agree with much of the discussion below. I was lucky enough to plug into a friendship network through a co-worker otherwise would have been hard pressed for relatable conpanionship. It is very expensive and now owned by wealthy out-of-state transplants who want to have every shopping experience available in any other western city. There are many dining spots; some of them have even been there for longer that 10 years but not many.

It is true that gardening is extremely hard as it is possible to reach freezing tempuratures any month of the year. The winters are VERY long - late September to June; it can be beautiful at times but usually just gets really old. I love to garden and this is the main reason I left Bend.

Also lived near Tri-Cities (WA) for 5 years in the early 80's and still have friends there; much more real, livable demographics. Of all the places I have lived that climate is still my favorite. Also only 4 hours away from both Portland and Seattle and sits on the most magnificent river in the US.

Good luck with your search.

[Thai]

Markbatz and kosmo65, where in SoCal do you live? Makes a difference, sometimes. Smaller towns everywhere seem to foster more comraderie, although if they're really small one can feel like an "outsider".

The extremely rapid growth in Bend has greatly increased the existing air quality problem that occurrs when stagnant air hangs over the valley for days at a time in the winter. There are still an awful lot of fireplaces and wood stoves that emit particulate matter. Particulate matter is a real lung-killer, and terrible for growing kids. And it sure puts a damper on the desire to go for evening walks, or even daytime walks, for that matter. Deisel (exhaust) is a big polluter in the Bend area, too, with its high PM from pick-ups, semis, and SUVs.

[mncamper]

Well, as it stands I really appreciate all the responce to my questions about Bend. But it looks like were heading to Salem, or at least around that area. It seems that is better for my husband's possible new job. So are there any comments or thoughts about that area??? Better parts of town than others??? Schools are very important also. Any help would be great. Hope you all who ended up in Bend enjoy it. So let's talk Salem!!!

[momvader]

I was born and raised in Bend but now I live in Erie, PA. I loved almost everything about Bend. There are a lot of outdoor activities to keep you occupied. The summer is full of festivals downtown and at the park. The winter is great if you like mountain sports. The air smells fresh and there are a lot of trees. It is beautiful.
There is not a lot of indoor recreational activity except bowling and the movies. In the winter, when you cannot get over the mountain passes, it can feel a bit claustrophobic. There are no real seasons, just Winter and August. People say it is very expensive but I survived on $9 an hour. It just depends on how you want to live, I guess.
We moved away from Bend in 2004. I can honestly say I think some of the schools in Bend are horrible. The high schools are alright, but the elementary school my daughter went to was awful. She ended 2nd grade with a middle of 1st grade education. If you have your heart set on central Oregon, I would consider Sisters or possibly Redmond. Better cost-of-living and better schools.

[N.W.Chick]

Originally Posted by mncamper

I've been reading many posts and comments about people either considering Bend or have already moved there. I'm looking for even more feedback. My husband is looking at a possible job, that way and we would be moving away from everything we know. Were coming from Duluth, Minnesota. We know no one, and the housing is more pricy in that part of the country. Any thoughts? How has it went for others. We also need great schools. We have a son & daughter. (1st grade & 6th grade) Schools are important, and social outlets for me. I'm really a social person and love to talk. So friendly neighbors are important. Please give me some feedback

Hello, if you are worried about price.....forget Bend! Go a 15 minute drive north and look into relocating to Redmond. No stuck up yuppies, housing is more reasonable than Bend, but not cheap. The schools score high here every year, and there are places to shop. Good luck on your move.

[chrisruns2far]

Hello,

I have a great friend who has lived in Bend and now in Duluth, MN where you live. I have lived in Oregon for 16 years and have visited Bend many times and witnessed its dramatic and un-sustainable growth and the over-inflation of its housing market. I personally would choose Duluth over Bend any day....I find Bend repulsive and Duluth very pleasant and yes I've been there in January. Bend has become the Aspen or Sun Valley of Oregon, in that over half of the new home construction is for massive and high-end second or third homes and are only occupied a few weeks or months out of the year and all the arrogance and smugness that comes with that dynamic. I'm sure that your salary will go much further in Duluth. I personally know 2 people who have moved away from Bend and are so happy they did.

[OchocoWesterner]

The Bend housing market is currently imploding. My advice would be to rent before you buy! There are so many brand new neighborhoods that are empty and are slowly being turned into rental properties. I would hate to pay $300g+ for a beautiful new home only to find that I was surrounded by renters that didn't take care of their homes (which is what's happening in my neighborhood).

[OchocoWesterner]

Here's a really good blog that tells it like it is with the Bend real estate market.

BendBubble2 Blog

[fuzzy1]

I wouldn't suggest it at this time, Bend is going through some pretty major changes, and has been for several years, it's in the process of becoming a large city and the local government will not (or can not) keep up with the growth. I'm sure that things will settle down in a few years but for now, it's pretty disorganized as far as the economy and the traffic and the real estate. It should be a nice place in a few years though.