This morning I stumbled up a Bend Blogger, Hack Bend that gave me some very discouraging news, The Trout House is Closing.  As I red what they wrote I had to say, I so agree with you.

Nothing against Hola, which is a great restaurant, but I liked the Trout House: it had an almost secretive, off-the-beaten-path feel to it.

I have not eaten at Hola, I have seen it when I have gone to the movies and it is appealing and all that.  Mexican food is already available in Sunriver, and this is a riverfront / marina restaurant.  I hope if this news is true that Hola will at least bring some of sea food dishes and not just another burrito, taco and so on.

Lunch at the Trout House was always fun, sitting on the deck enjoying a great salad or burger, or wonderful diner of salmon.  We will miss the Trout House and although I know nothing about Hola, I certainly hope they are not just another Mexican Restaurant.  I will be checking it out when it opens – if you do let me know what you think.

Related posts:

1. Abbot House Condos
2. Bank Owned Sunriver Homes April 2010
3. Second Homes Are More Affordable Than You Think

We have all heard the noises of the market being down, homes not selling and all that.  I will be the first to admit that the market is slower than any of would like, but things are moving up.  Over the last couple years, we have had an increase of sales each each.  Yes prices are lower, but homes are selling.

We have a lot of homes under the $300,000 range which a couple of years ago would have been impossible for a buyer to find.  Today, we have a lot to choose from in this range.

This weekend I have already shown 2 different buyers homes and tomorrow is the third buyer.  If you are thinking of selling your Sunriver home now might be the time.  If you purchased prior to 2004, you might be surprised to find you are not underwater like everyone keeps telling you.

Buyers, there are a lot of great homes in price ranges you would not believe.  If you were priced out during the peak, come back and see what Sunriver has to offer.  The prices, quality of homes and the rental possibilities are amazing.

Looking for something unique – check out this great home – under $300,000 with all the rustic touches this home will require a unique buyer.  The video above is of deer that frequent the back side of this lot.

Related posts:

1. Sunriver Homes Under $300,000
2. 10 Things To Consider When Buying Your Sunriver Home
3. Bank Owned Condos and Homes in Sunriver

Remember the days when you could not touch a home in Sunriver for less than $300,000?  Well times have changed – today we take a look at the homes available under $300,000 within the resort. 

I have toured many of these homes and find a few that are pretty nice for the price point.  A couple of them offer great unique features and great locations.  Nope not all of them are on the tracks .

There are currently 57 properties under $300,000 in Sunriver, unbelievable prices for the savvy buyer.  Check them out below! 

Related posts:

1. Second Homes Are More Affordable Than You Think
2. Sunriver Homes Under $300,000
3. Bank Owned Sunriver Homes April 2010

Many Sunriver Condo owners have heard that financing a condo in Sunriver has become difficult if not impossible.  This is only partially true, there are guidelines on condo financing that can lead to issues.  Most of these issues the seller has absolutely no control over.

Today, Home Loan Ninjas explain some of these guidelines.  Knowing what condominium projects are still eligible for financing could save a buyer a lot of time and emotion.  Because eligibility will change with ownership status it is best to call Home Loan Ninja and see if the project you have an interest in is eligible.

When purchasing a condo with a loan in Sunriver your lender, REALTOR® and you the buyer need to be aware that there is a difference between a second home ownership and a vacation rental ownership.  The percentage of owner occupied units in a complex is one of the issues that make a project financeable or not.  However, a second home is not the same as a rental. 

Making sure your REALTOR® and your lender have the most up to the minute information is extremely important in todays real estate environment. 

Additional Ask The Mortgage Professional Articles

Looking for a mortgage professional?

I would encourage you to contact;

Jason or James – your Home Loan Ninjas at 503.799.4112 or you can visit their website and see more info about mortgages and what you should expect.

Related posts:

1. Condos–Can They Be Financed?
2. How’s The Sunriver Condo Market?
3. Types of Ownership in Sunriver

With some of the changes in lending financing a condo in Sunriver can be an issue.  We are exploring different guidelines, some you as a  buyer have no control over.  In the near future I am going to ask Home Loan Ninjas to give us a list of the condos in Sunriver and how financing would be obtained.

Today we are going to speak in general.  Condo financing has gotten a little strange to some of us.  There are guidelines regarding how many of the units are owner occupied, and a few other obstacles.  These guidelines are just one more reason why using a knowledgeable REALTOR® and Loan Officer.

There are currently 2 bank owned Sunriver condos on the market – one is in the Fairway Village Complex and the other is in the Meadow Houses – if you are considering purchasing one of these condos having a heart to heart with a lender is a very good idea.

Additional Ask The Mortgage Professional Articles

Looking for a mortgage professional? I would encourage you to contact;

Jason or James – your Home Loan Ninjas at 503.799.4112 or you can visit their website and see more info about mortgages and what you should expect.

Related posts:

1. Bank Owned Condos and Homes in Sunriver
2. Bank Owned Sunriver Homes April 2010
3. Sunriver Oregon Bank Owned and Short Sale Homes

Sunriver has not been hit nearly as hard with the bank owned homes and short sales that other areas have but we do have a few.  Today, our list is very short. List of Bank Owned Homes for January 5, 2011.

2 of the bank owned homes in Sunriver are condos and one is a single family residence.  All 3 bank owned homes would make great second homes or vacation rentals.

19 Fairway Village is currently listed at $179,900 this condo is located near the Woodlands Golf Course.  The units in this complex do have a garage, which is a single car garage, hot tubs are allowed.  The units are what we refer to as reverse living, or what some would  call split level.  The master bedroom and bath, a powder room and great room featuring your living room, kitchen and dining area are on the upper level.  2 additional bedrooms and a bath are down stairs.  Generally one of the bedrooms will have small deck off of it where a hot tub can go.

The Fairway Village Condo complex does have a swimming pool in the complex, the drive is paved along with all of the driveways.  The North Pool is close to the complex and until the new Aquatics Center is open would be your closest pool.

4 Tamarack is currently listed at $189,900 this is a single family residence located near circle 11.  Circle 11 location gives you a closeness to The sledding hill, the site of the new Aquatics Center, and the Village at Sunriver.  This is a single story home with 2 bedrooms and 1.5 baths.  There is no garage, the lot is very large at almost a quarter of an acre with a nice deck for outdoor living which is so popular in Sunriver.  This home is close to the rail road tracks but is certainly priced to sell.

16 Meadow House is currently listed at $189,000.  The Meadow house condos have a couple different floor plans to choose from.  This floor plan is single level living, but this unit is an upstairs unit.  They are designed similar to apartments, but do only have 4 units typically per building.  This unit is close to the Village at Sunriver, where you can enjoy all the activities.

If any of these bank owned Sunriver Properties are of interest to you, give me a call, I would be happy to provide any additional information or go take our own photos of these properties.  You can also have me send you bank owned or any search criteria directly.

Related posts:

1. Bank Owned Condos and Homes in Sunriver
2. Sunriver Oregon Bank Owned and Short Sale Homes
3. Sunriver Bank Owned and Short Sale Homes

I am personally tired of hearing about how bad the real estate market is in Sunriver Oregon.  Ok, so prices have fallen and maybe we are only seeing about $200 a sq. ft. on many sales, but Sales are IMPROVING!  Yep that’s right they are improving.  Sunriver has had a few short sales and a few bank owned properties but very few in comparison to other Central Oregon Areas.

When you search for the number of sold, homes, condos and townhomes in Sunriver over the last three years the evidence is pretty clear, each year over the last three years the number of sales has increased.

In 2010 we saw 116 sales, now there could be a few stragglers since I am pulling this info just 5 days into the new year.  In 2009 we had 102 sales and in 2008 we only had 94 sales.  To me this shows that although prices may be lower sellers with equity can sell in the Current Sunriver market.

Don’t let the doom and gloom get you down – homes are selling in Sunriver, it is all about price and marketing.  Let me show you what I do differently – and what Prudential can do for you!

Related posts:

1. How’s The Sunriver Condo Market?
2. Bank Owned Sunriver Homes April 2010
3. Second Homes Are More Affordable Than You Think

Sunriver may not have the number of bank owned homes or short sales that other communities have but it has certainly seen prices drop, the number of sales decline and days on market increase.  Not that long ago we took a look at when and how many sales had closed in 2010 month per month, now we will take a look at what is selling and maybe together we can figure out what will make your Sunriver Home sell.

We are going to look at what has sold, active listings and what is currently under contract in Sunriver Resort from September 1, 2010 through today.

The Condo Scene – We have seen 7 new condo listings since September 1 – 2 of these condos are bank owned and giving the re-sales a run for their money – the good news is one of the bank owned condos is a Kitty Hawk Studio.

There has been 1 condo that received an offer since September 1 and that is an Abbot House Condo.

We have seen 5 condos transfer to new owners since September 1!  The lowest price was $93,000 and the highest was $235,000 –

Days on Market for the condos are pretty long unless you are priced extremely competitively. 

So as a condo seller what are you up against? 

• Many of the Sunriver Single Family homes are priced competitively to the condo.
• Condos have additional condo association dues
• Many of the Condos in Sunriver do not allow hot tubs and a hot tub can make or break a rental history.
• Many of the Condo Associations are currently under new assessments for roofs, windows and other upgrades and repairs.

All of these items make the buyer that previously could only afford a condo have the ability to also add homes to their search. 

What does a Condo Seller have going for them?

• Condo Associations generally do not require any exterior maintenance – because that is what your fees pay for.
• Condo Associations generally provide the structure insurance, meaning you only pay to insure the contents and liability of your unit.

When you are trying to sell your Sunriver Condo in this market there are a couple things that you can do to make yourself stand out from the rest.

1. Price – your condo competitively
2. Ease of Showing – if you are on a rental pool block out some time so that it can be shown.
3. Think about paying closing costs, dues or possibly assessments for the new buyer.
4. Make sure your agent has great web presence.

To list your Sunriver Condo – give me a call, or Email I would be happy to provide you with a full Comparative Market Analysis and help provide exceptional marketing for you.

Related posts:

1. Tennis Village Condo
2. Sunriver Condo For Sale
3. Bank Owned Sunriver Homes April 2010

When you consider buying a home in Sunriver you need to consider many things other than the number of bedrooms, bathrooms and price of the homes you choose from. The most important things you need in your Sunriver home can depend on many things such as; are you going to use it as a vacation rental; a second home; do you plan to buy an older home that may need upgrades? Below is a list of items you may want to consider and why they could be important to you.

1. Does the home have an established rental history? Rental history is only important if you plan to continue to use the property as a vacation rental.  If you have no desire to rent out the home then you can take this off your list of important facts.
2. Do you trust or are you willing to stay with the current rental company? If you are purchasing a home to use as a vacation rental, and you find the rental history to be acceptable, chances are you will want to remain with the property manager that already has the home.  This allows for the repeat business to continue.  However, if the rental company is not one you like, then you should keep in mind that moving the home to a new rental program will cause a small dip in rental activity generally.
3. Furnishings – are the furnishings included in the sale?  This is getting a little tricky in the current lending environment, so you will not see furnishings mentioned in a sales contract any longer.  They may still be included but they will not be in the contract – your contract is to buy the home not second hand furniture no matter how nice.  Lenders are actually asking appraisers to deduct furnishings – so the furnishings are no longer mentioned.  If the furnishings are tired, due to be replaced or you simply do not like them, you will have the expense of replacing it.  Not all homes in Sunriver are sold furnished, so if you are purchasing a home without furnishings you may actually be saving yourself from disposing of what you do not like.
4. Location – we all have our favorite locations in Sunriver.  Some people don’t want to be anywhere near the rail road tracks, others don’t mind the tracks.  Some buyers like the north end some the south and others have an exact street or area they want to be in.
5. Age of home – many of the homes in Sunriver were built in the 70′s and the building has continued throughout time.  Some buyers want a newer home, some like the old charm of Sunriver and others want a project.  All can be found and prices will be reflected by age of the home too.
6. Size of the lot - obviously the larger the lot the more privacy you will have.  However, in Sunriver there are a lot of great common spaces which can give a small lot the feel of a larger lot.  This comes back to the location.
7. What rents best – you will hear many of the rental companies state that the hardest rental to keep full is the 3 bedroom 2 bath.  The reason for this is that there are so many of these homes, they create a competition amongst themselves.  There are more 3 bedroom 2 bath homes on each program than other homes.  The 2 bedroom 2 bath (2 masters) rents exceptionally well, more nights per year anyway.  The larger home may bring in a higher dollar per night and be a busier rental in the summer months and over holiday weekends.
8. How Much Maintenance Will you have to do – homes in Sunriver are single family residences and you the owner will be responsible for all exterior maintenance.  Having a property manager can be helpful as you can often have them schedule any maintenance you may need done and pay to have it completed.  If you purchase a condo in Sunriver, most of the Condos have additional association fees, but these fees will most likely take care of the exterior maintenance.
9. Hot Tub – if you plan on renting out the property most rental companies will tell you that a hot tub is a must.  Renters enjoy sitting in the hot tub under the pines.
10. Price – the price of your Sunriver home can vary from home to home, location to location. Know the market and get the most bang for your buck.

When you are ready to search for your Sunriver home, let me know!  We can start your search long before your Sunriver arrival – sign up for auto listings or let me know what you

Related posts:

1. 5 Bedrooms with 2 Masters in Sunriver $571,000
2. Bank Owned Condos and Homes in Sunriver
3. Tennis Anyone?

I am sure you have heard it said that winter is not the time to sell your Central Oregon or Sunriver Home, it seems that the stats of this year say otherwise. Our strongest months this year were not summer!  February and September so far have been the most productive months in Sunriver Real Estate sales.  I often tell sellers of vacation homes in Sunriver that the fall and winter months are the best time to be on the market because the rental activity is lower and this makes the home easier to show or more available to show.

The average loan is currently taking 30 to 45 days to close escrow, so if you were to put your home on the market now, you very well may fall into the same success some of the September and February Sellers did.  November and December rentals will be fairly full for the week of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, but other than that we basically have one holiday weekend per month throughout the ski season.

Buyers come to Sunriver year around, they come for the lifestyle that Central Oregon and Sunriver has to offer so don’t let the snow scare you from putting your home on the market many of the buyers actually come for the snow – if it is not on the market you don’t stand any chance of selling.

This table breaks down the monthly sales for single family homes and condos in Sunriver so far this year.  For your FREE Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and a full marketing plan Email, call or complete the form to your right that says Touch Base with Thesa,  I would be happy to assist you with your Sunriver or any Central Oregon real estate needs.

Related posts:

1. Tennis Anyone?
2. 5 Bedrooms with 2 Masters in Sunriver $571,000
3. Bank Owned Condos and Homes in Sunriver