Which part of Bend to live in? (Sisters: cheap house, apartment)

[lmacfa2]

I'm looking for someone from Bend or is familiar with the neighborhoods in Bend and could possibly tell me where the most growth is occuring in the area (I'd like to avoid it). I read on other posts that there are some "cookie cutter homes" in the east portion and some mansions of sorts in the west. Is this true?
I'll be staying in Bend for a year working for the Nature Conservancy.
Ideally I would like to bike or walk to work - Is Bend bike-friendly?
Is it realistic to find a small, affordable apartment or shared home?
Where are the older neighborhoods located and are they relatively safe?
Are there any unsafe places anyone can think of to avoid?
Thanks for your help!!!

[Bendite]

Originally Posted by lmacfa2

I'm looking for someone from Bend or is familiar with the neighborhoods in Bend and could possibly tell me where the most growth is occuring in the area (I'd like to avoid it). I read on other posts that there are some "cookie cutter homes" in the east portion and some mansions of sorts in the west. Is this true?
I'll be staying in Bend for a year working for the Nature Conservancy.
Ideally I would like to bike or walk to work - Is Bend bike-friendly?
Is it realistic to find a small, affordable apartment or shared home?
Where are the older neighborhoods located and are they relatively safe?
Are there any unsafe places anyone can think of to avoid?
Thanks for your help!!!

I've already answered some of you questions in your other posting, but here's some more that might help you out. Bend is very bike friendly - there are bike paths nearly everywhere but downtown. The older neighborhoods are just south of downtown (between downtown and the Old Mill District) and in NW Bend, just on the west side of the Deschutes River. You probably can find a good roommate situation since there are a number of college-age people here. Try The Source Weekly and Craigs List for roommate listings. Avoid SE Bend along the railroad tracks close to Wilson Avenue. The downtown area and NW Bend are quite safe. If you'll only be here for a year, you also might try to find a place you can house sit. There are a lot of people who have bought second homes here who might want that kind of arrangement.

[ck5]

westside is the place-stay away from the southside a lot of meth heads. eastside is ok if you like old country folks.

[PNWhike]

Sorry to break the news but Bend (Northern Orange County, Oregon) is the absolute worst city in the former state of Oregon. It's exponential growth is cancer to the entire state. Good luck with your move.

[NativeJodi]

Sounds like you'll be wanting to stay on the west side. The growth problem has pretty much ruined our entire city (it's even worse here than all the other areas of Oregon), but if you must come here for just a year, I'd say you'll likely be the happiest with the west side of town.

[sdepauw8]

Why do you say it's the worst city in the state?

[itsanewlife]

Not sure why the previous person called Bend the worst city in the state. But, here is my opinion. Bend was under 25,000 people just 5 years ago. That is a lot of growth for a town built with land use laws and a river in it. Meaning that the roads cannot accommodate the traffic anymore. It is a busy town. If you are moving from a really big city you will laugh at the "locals" complaining about traffic - at least at first. Then when you remember why you moved to a small town and wind up stuck in the messes and feeling as though the town is spread across the landscape like melting butter on toast, then you will also complain.

Bend was touted by realtors as the next "jackson hole" so that is the pricing for housing they all aimed for. They also aimed for people who had disposable income and retiries with lots of cash. Bend was rated also as a top retiry community. So, we have a lot of people with money here. Housing went through the roof. The town exploded. The small quaint stores in the downtown were replaced by fancy jewelry, expensive clothing, and spendy and trendy bars and restaurants. Only one out of what were about 10 art galleries has been able to afford to stay in the downtown.


Locals live out of town or on the east side. There is a shortage of these workers. Developers made a killing on their ticky tacky (but "craftsman" style, heh!) houses on the east and west sides, with rubber stamping by the city council and reduced lot sizes under the spin of "affordable" housing. Affordable housing is not that affordable, even with the market decline. If 350,000 is affordable to you or you do not mind absolute junk, then it works.

We lived in Bend for 5 years, gave it up and moved west of town to a small, mostly republican, church oriented community called Sisters. It doesn't really fit us but, we are backed to the national forest and town takes 2 minutes to cross by foot. But it is sad about Bend. Driving through the once quaint and bikable west side is now a challenge of patience and watching out for huge SUVs going way to fast and lost in talk on their cell phone. Bend had its soul sold to the devil (developers) and now it just feels empty.

Bend is not bikable except for those most courageous. But you might like it. Rentals are a dime a dozen right now as lots of realtors picked up cheap house after cheap house as they came into their offices as listings, and now they are all on the market unrented and not selling. So, drive a hard bargain. You will have your pick. Stay of the main streets - very noisy. East side, North east side, DRW, some areas of west side. SE, SC not so much. Good luck and thanks for coming to Bend and participating in ecological work. Good luck

[PNW-type-gal]

There is a teeth-grindingly-irritating travel article in this month's Sunset that mentions a few of Bend's growth woes and then just dismisses them as what it takes to have good restaurants and shops.

[Kiwi]

To Itsanewlife - We also concluded that Bend has grown too fast. We will be moving to Sisters this summer!
Kiwi