Bend does not live up to its propaganda (Portland, McMinnville: consignment, house prices)

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by Pfhtex

A "Rehab" Loan can be many things: Homepath, Homepath Renovation, Homestyle, FHA203k, and whatever name a lender wants to give their version of it.

Good point! Any idea which is the most common?

[Pfhtex]

Originally Posted by BendLocal

Good point! Any idea which is the most common?

Homes held by FNMA are listed on their site Fannie Mae REO Homes For Sale - HomePath.com - - some lenders participate in Homepath lending, some do not. Generally no appraisal, the mortgage insurance is "built into " a slightly higher rate, but this is one form of bank-owned property that can move rather quickly, post-bid.

Besides homepath, the FHA 203k rehab loan allows up to $28k in renovation, but if you involve a General Contractor and Supervisor, you can go higher. But the recent move to keep FHA Mortgage insurance inside the payment for the entire life of the loan has eroded the popularity of this one.

In-house Conventional loans (mine is called Homestyle) allow for up to half of the post-renovation value (up to $205k) to be rolled into the final loan. Other banks have similar versions.

[Steve Pickering]

203K goes to $35,000 with a General.

[Dry Side]

Yet Bend continues to grow..

Bend's growth paces state

Yesterday on my group road ride there were two guys who moved here recently. Both were very happy to be in Bend. One moved from Houston, TX and the other Orange County, CA.

[Pfhtex]

Originally Posted by redguard57

When I got a job in Central Oregon 2 years ago, I believed a lot of the hype about this place.

What I've found is that it was mostly propaganda.

1) Breweries - the craft brewery movement is spreading nationwide and Deschutes beer is getting to be a national brand, at least west of the Mississippi. So it's not all that special anymore, and most good pubs, especially in the PNW, have the good beer selections available.

They're fun the first time, but after that they blend together.

2) Festivals - it seems to be the same two festivals with a different name held at various times of the year. I will say that BendFilm is pretty cool for a town this size.

3) The Lifestyle - a lot of people are athletic poseurs or define "adventure" as hiking a well-worn trail.

4) The social life - there is none. This is a place for families and retired people. If you don't already have a family, dating is damn hard, mostly because there are very limited dating options. When there is someone with potential - they are going to move to find a better job... that leads me to:

5) Jobs - there are few. I got one here but it was a lucky break and sometimes I wish I hadn't, because now I feel trapped.

6) Cultural life - there is little of it.

7) Isolated - 3 hours to Portland. Most everything closes down early at night except the usual suspects.

8) Housing costs - they are insane. I don't know how a working person can afford a house here, but I sure can't, and I'm in a financially stable position. The best I can do is *bid* on a double wide, there's no guarantee I'll win the bidding on these foreclosures and short sales. Other than manufactured homes and places that need tens of thousands worth of work, I can't afford crap. One townhome that I was interested in had 18 offers in less than 2 weeks.

This is not a great place to live at all, unless you're already wealthy. The hype was all bull****.

Revisiting the OP, I find it fascinating how much I agree with it. Except for the implied profanity, of course! But I finally realized what it's like.

There is a Saturday Night Live Sketch called "The Californians," (example below), wherein a Daytime Soap Opera plays out with stereotypical Southern Californians. However, every conversation degenerates into driving directions.

My experience in Bend has been similar, except that EVERY SINGLE PERSON finds it of paramount importance to make sure that you know that they rode their bicycle today.

People MUST detail their bike ride, casual walk along a trail, how they paddle-boarded in a still, shallow river, or how they totally went skiing today. And they must constantly brandish new sportswear to drive the point home.

It's just...well, I suppose it's just not my glass of IPA.

Web Exclusive: The Californians - Dress Version | Video | Saturday Night Live | NBC

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by Pfhtex

Revisiting the OP, I find it fascinating how much I agree with it. Except for the implied profanity, of course! But I finally realized what it's like.

There is a Saturday Night Live Sketch called "The Californians," (example below), wherein a Daytime Soap Opera plays out with stereotypical Southern Californians. However, every conversation degenerates into driving directions.

My experience in Bend has been similar, except that EVERY SINGLE PERSON finds it of paramount importance to make sure that you know that they rode their bicycle today.

People MUST detail their bike ride, casual walk along a trail, how they paddle-boarded in a still, shallow river, or how they totally went skiing today. And they must constantly brandish new sportswear to drive the point home.

It's just...well, I suppose it's just not my glass of IPA.

Web Exclusive: The Californians - Dress Version | Video | Saturday Night Live | NBC

You should move to either Eugene or Portland like you're looking. Though, the smug biker (and outdoor-ist) is likely just as prevalent in those two towns, so maybe Texas is calling you back home.

I'm sorry it's hard for you that the culture in Bend is different than where you moved from. I hope you find what you're looking for.

Good luck.

Oh, and, that skit is funny!

[Nightdiver13]

Pfhtex, in order for your experiences to be true, and not hugely melodramatic, you'd have to make a real effort to only hang around the very people that annoy you so much. This town is full of all types of people, just like anywhere else.

Sure, there are lots of annoyingly over-hyped dude-bros and pretentious yuppies flaunting their uberness. But there are also loads of humble, down-to-earth outdoors enthusiasts who you'd never suspect are closest bad-asses in their respective hobbies. There's also tons of people who don't even ride bikes, nor understand what the whole appeal is, and then plenty of people in the gray areas between.

So yeah, I get that a certain group annoys you, but at least try to be somewhat even handed about your appraisal of Bend's residents, which btw, includes most of the posters on this subforum.

[BendLocal]

Originally Posted by Pfhtex

People MUST detail their bike ride, casual walk along a trail, how they paddle-boarded in a still, shallow river, or how they totally went skiing today.

Everything in Bend is Epic - even the rain!

[redguard57]

As the OP, I did a few things which made central Oregon better:

1) bought a 4x4 off-road capable vehicle (this made a much bigger difference than I thought it would)

2) bought a kayak

2) joined a few community groups - one geared toward hiking.

3) Started doing more backpacking, camping, once weather allowed

Have to admit I'm enjoying life more now. Part of this, though, is because I've had more money lately. As one person said, if you don't have money, nowhere is fun, particularly not C.O. where the activities are expensive.

Still agree with the winter sports. After a friend got a pretty bad ski injury when we went and I had a couple injury scares, I've concluded that the winter sports are not for me. Plus the gear + fees are insanely expensive. I always thought skiing was a rich person's sport and Bend has confirmed that view for me.

[Steve Pickering]

Originally Posted by redguard57

... ... As one person said, if you don't have money, nowhere is fun, particularly not C.O. where the activities are expensive. ... ...

And to think I started going to Central and Eastern Oregon because entertainment was so cheap. Of course my activities were prospecting, rock hounding, trail riding, exploring, camping, and nature.

Come to think of it, Central Oregon is still cheaper than the rest of the state.