The phone calls started coming in last week. Buyers who'd been sitting on the sidelines since rates climbed above 7% suddenly wanted to talk numbers again. The reason? Mortgage rates have fallen to their lowest point in over a year, hovering just above 6% for qualified borrowers.
For Bend's real estate market, this shift changes the equation in ways that go beyond simple monthly payment calculations. The question isn't whether lower rates matter—they do. The question is what smart buyers should do about it right now.
A half-point drop in interest rates might not sound dramatic until you run the numbers on Bend's median home price. On a $650,000 purchase with 20% down, the difference between a 6.5% rate and a...
Wondering what to expect from the housing market in 2026? You're not alone. For the past few years, affordability has been the biggest obstacle between buyers, sellers, and their next move. High mortgage rates, limited inventory, and rapid price growth forced many households across Central Oregon to sit on the sidelines.
The good news is this: conditions are finally shifting. In 2025, affordability improved to its best level in three years, and most economists agree that progress should continue into 2026. That outlook is based on three fundamentals that matter everywhere—including Bend, Redmond,
Hearing talk about home prices falling? That may leave you worried about whether your house is losing value. But here's what you need to know. While some local markets have seen small price dips this year, home prices are not falling nationally. So, don't let the headlines scare you.
The vast majority of the country is actually seeing prices rise.
While that may feel surprising after the headlines you've seen, the map below uses year-over-year data from the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) to make that clear:
November brought a shift in the Bend real estate market: strong buyer interest paired with a significant drop in new listings. Pending sales saw a sizable jump from one year ago, even though closed sales held flat and overall pricing trended slightly lower. With fewer homes hitting the market, buyers had to act quickly on the most desirable properties, while sellers benefited from motivated purchasers—even if final sale prices continued to come in below original asking.