Redmond Home Values Summer-Fall 2014 (Bend, Prineville: sale, to rent, mortgage)

[Coniferian]

As has been posted in this forum before, retirees coming from areas with a higher median house price are thrilled with what they can get here. Sellers love the cash sale and the buyer doesn't have to worry about a job to pay the mortgage. The county collects property tax, we spend money with local businesses and everyone is happy - except those who get priced out of the market.

[redguard57]

I wish the property taxes were lower,

I think the property taxes are reasonable. Have you lived in a state without income tax, like New Hampshire or Texas? Usually they kill you on the property tax.

[Coniferian]

I came from Colorado where they had the Homestead Act and finally could fund it. It exempts 50% of the first $200,000 of assessed value if you are over 65 and have lived in your home at least 10 years. My property tax in Deschutes County is more than triple what I was paying before, but as I posted, having no sales tax offsets that a bit.

[redguard57]

There's no ideal way to tax people, and the government is going to get their pound of flesh one way or the other. The income tax bill coming to Oregon from Texas, where there is no income tax, was quite a shock to me & I was pretty angry about it. However, when I actually compared numbers & total tax burden it was only marginally more, like $250 per year. If you make a big purchase in a given year, ie: a car, the sales tax savings is significant. Over time I bet that evens out the differences.

According to tax-rate.org, Deschutes county on average collects 0.72 of fair market value. Where I came from - Travis county Texas - collects an average of 1.98% of fair market value. Despite median home values being over 100K more in Deschutes county, on average Travis county collects about 45% more in property tax payment per person.

[Coniferian]

Ouch. I know we need to pay for infrastructure, but it can be painful. Jefferson County in Colorado kept appraising my 3/2 house as a 2/1 and I never corrected them. Caught up with the new owner, however. I've been pretty happy with the services here in Deschutes, although they don't seem to plow the side streets in Redmond, even after 18" of snow. I'm used to a county road grader on my road at 5:30am after a storm, which were frequent in Conifer.

[kapetrich]

Originally Posted by redguard57

There's no ideal way to tax people, and the government is going to get their pound of flesh one way or the other. The income tax bill coming to Oregon from Texas, where there is no income tax, was quite a shock to me & I was pretty angry about it. However, when I actually compared numbers & total tax burden it was only marginally more, like $250 per year. If you make a big purchase in a given year, ie: a car, the sales tax savings is significant. Over time I bet that evens out the differences

This should be a sticky. Really, really true in my experience and research. Love the none nonchalant Shakespeare quote thrown in there.

Originally Posted by Coniferian

I've been pretty happy with the services here in Deschutes, although they don't seem to plow the side streets in Redmond, even after 18" of snow. I'm used to a county road grader on my road at 5:30am after a storm, which were frequent in Conifer.

I've had a similar experience in Bend. I'm happy with the services, but am not use to the lack of plowing after storms. I wonder what, culturally, has made CO so lack luster with plowing? I use to blame it on it being a 'Mountain', but apparently many real deal Mountain towns plow their roads well (Conifer!). Also use to think it had to do with the downturn in the economy/cutback, but long time locals tell me its always been this way?

It's not too big of a deal I suppose, but it can be trouble for people who don't have AWD/4WD during those few winter storms we get especially since work is rarely canceled due to winter weather in my experience.

Interesting, but not surpassing, to hear you have the same experience in Redmond.

[Coniferian]

Since we have a Redmond cop living on the cul de sac, I thought we might get preferential treatment, but no. I was surprised the High Country Disposal trucks were able to get around, it was so deep. I can see the main drags and airport getting priority, but jeez, after a couple days! It's a small town - you could do most of it with a couple plows mounted on pickups. If you don't get it up soon, the rutted ice stays forever. We had snowmobiles running around the neighborhood.

[BendLocal]

How about when they don't plow and then it melts a bit and freezes hard as a rock overnight. Those ruts act as rails steering the cars back and forth. A couple years back there was one spot where the ruts tossed the car into a 180. Scary but humorous. And the round-a-bouts when they freeze??? I have no problem with my snow tires but some others I see are sliding all over! The one time we got hit in a round-a-bout was when it was icy. One of the reasons I'm a big fan of snowflake rated tires for this area.

The lack of plowing remains a mystery!

[redguard57]

People tell me the same thing - that the plowing situation has always been like that. I invested in a 4wd suv and winter tires and they were worth their weight in gold when that big snow came in.

I hate studded tires though. They cause as much trouble as they help.

[Coniferian]

Now that we're at a lower elevation, our old Blazer with all season tires seems to do OK, but we do get less snow up here in Redmond. But we're rather digressing from home values.