This week’s strongest signal is not a new closed sales report, it is the widening gap between Bend’s seasonal inventory decline and the amount of older, price adjusted inventory still competing for buyers. The city of Bend also published a consequential long range housing estimate: approximately 34,000 additional homes over 20 years.
Market pulse
There is not a new November Beacon Report yet or newer public CEAR (Cascades East Association of Realtors) based monthly report was available as of this morning. September therefore remains the latest verified closed sales period:
Area | September median | Sales | Median DOM | Inventory |
Bend | $728,000 | 155 | 38 | 3 months |
Redmond | $499,000 | 41 | Not clearly reported | 4 months |
Sisters | $735,000 | 8 | 57 | 5 months |
Sunriver | $860,000 | 14 | 100 | 5 months |
La Pine | $350,000 | 9 | 115 | 9 months |
These Beacon Report figures are based on CEAR data and cover single family residences while excluding condominiums, townhomes, manufactured homes and properties over 1 acre.
A separate Altos Research asking market snapshot dated October 23 provides a useful but differently defined look at active single family listings. It reported price reductions on 56% of Bend listings, 60% in Redmond, 43% in Sisters, 40% in Sunriver and 60% in La Pine. Median listing exposure ranged from 77 days in Bend to 116 in La Pine. These are active listing indicators, not CEAR closed-sale statistics and the geographic boundaries are broader than the Beacon report’s. Bend Oregon Homes for Sale
The practical takeaway: inventory may be contracting seasonally but a large portion of what remains has already tested the market unsuccessfully. Buyers should focus on cumulative market time, prior price reductions and seller motivation. Sellers entering November need to compete with the current adjusted price, not a neighboring property’s original asking price.
Bend housing direction
Bend’s October 28 “Bend Made” session placed a preliminary number on the city’s long range housing challenge: the city says it must plan for approximately 34,000 new homes over the next 20 years. The city also reports that among the 15,263 homes built from mid 2014 through 2025, 50% were detached single unit homes, 11% middle housing and 39% multi-unit attached housing. Homes & Neighborhoods
This is planning information, not a rezoning or development approval. It does signal that future policy will likely continue favoring smaller lots, attached products, infill and greater housing variety. Bend is preparing a Contextualized Housing Needs Assessment, Housing Capacity Analysis and Housing Production Strategy; those documents will eventually guide Comprehensive Plan and land supply decisions.
Other community and policy developments
- La Pine: An application was deemed complete October 26 for a proposed 21 unit, single story senior housing development at 52721 Drafter Road. It is under site plan review and has not yet been approved. The project would add targeted rental supply but is too small to materially change La Pine’s nine month resale inventory. La Pine, OR
- Tumalo: Deschutes County reports final approval of a zone change affecting 17 properties near Tumalo Road, changing Flood Plain or split-zoned parcels to MUA 10. The hearings officer approved it October 7, no appeals were filed and the County Commission subsequently adopted the decision. This is an adopted zoning action but development potential remains parcel specific because floodplain constraints, septic feasibility, water and access still apply. Deschutes County, OR
- State Division 47 rules: DLCD’s current page still describes the October 22 action as possible adoption and continues to display draft Version 6 rather than a filed final rule or effective date. Until a final rule is posted with the Secretary of State, the defensible position is that Division 47’s Oregon Homes provisions remain unconfirmed as adopted. The separate Housing Choices rulemaking continues through 2027, with the next advisory meeting scheduled for December 9. oregon.gov
Bottom line
What changed: Bend formally identified a roughly 34,000 home, 20 year planning need; La Pine received a complete application for 21 senior units; and a Tumalo area MUA-10 zone change became final.
Why it matters: The active market is more buyer friendly than Bend’s three month inventory headline suggests. Longer term, Bend’s housing target points toward continued infill, attached housing and smaller lot development.
What to watch: The November Beacon/CEAR report for October closings; Bend’s forthcoming housing capacity assumptions and potential policy choices; final state filing of Division 47; and whether price adjusted listings convert to contracts before the holiday slowdown.
