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Just Listed: Single Level Sanctuary in Chesnut Park

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This single level sanctuary awaits you. An ideal Bend location combined with a comfortable and versatile floorplan provide an incredible value for this extremely well-maintained and lightly lived in home.

Move-in ready with clean, sleek finishes throughout including durable vinyl plank flooring, granite counters, stainless appliances, and an ultraefficient Lopi gas stove that heats the entire home. Low-maintenance landscaping complete with a front and back yard sprinkler system. The super safe and friendly west side neighborhood is conveniently located near Bend’s newest elementary school North Star, Harvest Park, Sawyer Park, Riley Ranch Reserve and lots of shopping. Easily hop on the Deschutes River Trail to get to Downtown Bend and just two minutes to Target and Trader Joe’s, this hidden gem neighborhood and home is not one to miss.

Listed by Greg Pieraccini for West + Main Homes. Please contact Greg for current pricing + availability.

 
 
 

Have questions?
West + Main Homes
westandmain.co
hello@westandmainoregon.com

Presented by:
Greg Pieraccini
(541) 233-3422
gregp@westandmainoregon.com

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Happening in Bend this May

 
 

The fifth month of the year is half way over! Looking to take advantage of the rest of your May in beautiful Bend? Look no further.

Rumor has it, there’s always something happening in Bend. And you know what? The rumors are true. It’s safe to say there’s always an event going on in our bustling little mountain oasis.

Events in Bend are chock full of fun, culture, action, and even delicious food and beverages. From family-friendly festivals to art walks, beer-fests, outdoor concerts, marathons, or a bike race, there’s probably an event happening that you won’t want to miss.

Family-friendly events like Oregon WinterFest, Bend Summer Festival, and Balloons Over Bend will keep the youngins entertained with kid-friendly activities and plenty of welcoming entertainment for the whole family.

For the grownups, how about sampling some of the area’s best-tasting hoppy, hazy, dark, balanced, and all-out delicious locally crafted brews. Sample your favorite beers and ciders or discover a new favorite at The Bend Brewfest or the Central Oregon Winter Beer Festival.

Got a foodie or two in the group? Be sure to check out the Bite of Bend, a three-day food party where you can taste local flavors from chefs, bartenders, brewers, and food enthusiasts from the area. Or head over to Munch and Music for a perfect blend of live music in the park paired with a few treats from some of Bend’s best food trucks.

If you’ve got a hankering for art and live music, then be sure to add Art in the High Desert, First Friday Art Walk, and a live outdoor concert at the Hayden Homes Amphitheater, where you’ll hear big names and get spectacular views of the Deschutes River and the Cascade Mountains.

Or, if you’re looking to hit the ground riding or running, there are plenty of local bike and running events. For bikers, gear up with Mudslinger events like the High Cascades 100, the Best of Both, or Ring of Fire. Runners will have fun and make miles at the Bend Marathon, Bend Beer Run, or The Dirty Half.

Live Music At The Grove!

May 19
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Grove 921 NW Mt. Washington Dr, Bend, OR

Join us for live music at The Grove all summer long! Thursday & Saturday nights from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Check the event calendar for who is playing at www.waypointbbc.com

Suttle Lodge’s Fireside Series

May 19
5:30 pm - 8:00 pm

The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse 13300 Highway 20, Sisters, OR

Join us for live music most Thursdays! Check out our happenings page for more information and to purchase tickets. All ages welcome. Tickets are FREE for guests staying overnight at the Lodge with RSVP. Please email info@thesuttlelodge.com to RSVP within 72 hours of show. Proof of vaccination and picture ID required at the door with […]

Something Dirty at Walt Reilly’s

May 20
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Walt Reilly's 225 SW Century Dr, Bend, OR

Something Dirty is a collaboration of four musicians who each bring unique influences and musical experience to the band's sound. The combination results in unexpectedly catchy rock songs that get heads bopping and bodies moving. We are excited to welcome them to the Walt's stage for the first time!

Meet Me In the Ladies Room, An All Female Comedy Showcase presented by Tease Bang Boom

May 20
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

The Capitol 190 NW Oregon Ave, Bend, OR

Presented by Tease Bang Boom Productions, this all female comedy showcase is sure to be exactly what you need to bring your levels of estrogen to optimal! Featuring your host Tracee Tuesday with performers Grace Sophia, Katy Ipock, Jessica Taylor, and Deb Auchery. Tracee Tuesday is a Multimedia Journalist, Radio Personality, Blogger, Sports Reporter and, […]

$15

2022 Happy Girls Bend

May 21
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Riverbend Park 799 SW Columbia At, Bend

We’ve got an all-new course for 2022! Grab your bestie and take in the beauty of Central Oregon as you embark on a tour of majestic scenery. You’ll be well-supported with multiple aid stations, medics and helpful event staff to make your day all about you and achieving your personal goals.

$40 – $100

Baker’s Dozen: Coffee Beer & Doughnut Festival

May 21
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

Silver Moon Brewing 24 NW Greenwood Ave, Bend, OR

13 breweries. 13 coffee roasters. 13 doughnut bakers. Admission includes samples of all the above!

$39.00

Saving Grace Heroes Celebration

May 21
11:00 am - 1:00 pm

Riverbend Park 799 SW Columbia At, Bend

The Saving Grace Heroes Celebration is an outdoor party celebrating the Heroes that make our life-saving work possible. We will have live music from The Parnells, various food trucks, libations, awesome raffle prizes, and more. This event is FREE to attend and will take place from 11am – 1pm, directly following the Happy Girls Run. […]

Live Music At The Grove!

May 21
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

The Grove 921 NW Mt. Washington Dr, Bend, OR

Join us every Thursday & Saturday night at The Grove for some live music from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m! Check out Waypoint's website to see who is playing.

Free!

Nghtspot : Bend Festival – Third Seven – N8ture

May 21
9:00 pm

The Capitol 190 NW Oregon Ave, Bend, OR

Nghtspot : Bend is a 3 day festival of techno, house, and bass music located underground in Downtown Bend // - Third Seven - N8ture - Codi Carroll - Special Guest -

$21.50

Prep Presents: Market Day

May 22
11:00 am - 2:00 pm

Prep - A Chefs' Kitchen 212 NE Revere Avenue, BEND, OR

Prep - A Chefs' Kitchen is hosting a vendor event to support the clients we have in our kitchen. Come down with your family and friends to support locally made Bend products!

Free

Central Oregon Symphony Spring Concert Series 2022

May 22
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Bend High School Auditorium 230 NE 6th Street, Bend, OR

The Central Oregon Symphony season finale is fast approaching. On Sunday, May 22, 2022, two performances (2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.) will take place in the Bend High School Auditorium. The 2:00 p.m. performance will also be livestreamed. Approximately one hour in length and without intermission, the concerts will feature one of the Central Oregon […]

Free

Get the full list of events on VisitBend.com

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Homeowners are Seeking Roommates to Help Pay Their Mortgages

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More buyers in the U.S. are opening up to the idea of renting out a room as expenses surge.

Buying a home may seem like a distant dream for many in today’s cutthroat housing market. That is, unless they’re willing to share that dream with a roommate or two. 

With the average U.S. mortgage rate above 5% and home prices at record highs, homeownership feels increasingly out of reach, particularly for young, first-time buyers. To make it work, some are renting out rooms or basements and using the extra income to help offset their costs. 

The practice, which has long been accepted in the U.K. and other European countries, is spreading to the U.S., where the number of buyers who considered renting out a portion of their homes for rental income rose to 31% in 2021 from 24% two years earlier, according to real estate website Zillow’s consumer housing trends report. 

“That increase in homeowners becoming residential landlords is consistent with the trend we see of buyers coming from a younger generation of side-hustlers aging into the housing market,” said Zillow economist Manny Garcia.

A Lucrative Side Hustle

Here's why homeowners are renting spare rooms for extra cash (%)

 
 

For some, the extra rental income is the only way they can afford to keep up with their mortgage payments and bills that are going through the roof thanks to roaring inflation. That’s why 24-year-old Josh Bowser and his now-fiancé went into the housing market looking for a property with additional rooms to lease.

Bowser knew he had to be strategic with his finances after graduating from college during pandemic-driven economic turmoil and a tight housing market. By living frugally, the young couple saved enough to put a down payment on a three-bedroom townhouse in a North Atlanta suburb in June 2021.

Their $2,200 monthly mortgage cost would have been a “stretch” with their combined incomes, Bowser said. So they found a tenant on Facebook Marketplace who pays $1,000 in rent to live in the second bedroom, subsidizing 45% of their monthly housing bills.  

To cover even more of their monthly costs, the young couple plan to rent out another small guest room downstairs.

“My fiancé and I just split the remainder of our housing expenses, which is probably less than what we'd be paying if we were renting. Instead, it’s going to the principal on our mortgage,” Bowser said.

Sharing a Home

Thanks to apps like Uber and Airbnb, younger generations are accustomed to sharing everything with strangers, from car rides to short-term rentals. It’s not a stretch to extend that concept to their own homes, particularly for millennials, who have about 20% less wealth than their parents had at their age and are still struggling to enter the housing market.

A whopping 67% of millennials and 57% of Gen Z in the U.S. said they were willing to share their homes in exchange for cash, compared to just 34% of baby boomers, according to a 2021 Realtor.com survey. 

Younger generations are much more likely to rent out their homes

“Affordability was already squeezing people,” said George Ratiu, a senior economist at Realtor.com. “It’s natural to think of their biggest asset — their home — as a potential income stream.”

For Chiffon House-Williams, a homeowner in Teaneck, New Jersey, the extra income erased any doubts she had about having roommates. 

“I’d never considered renting out my basement to a stranger before. It’s my house; that’s my safe haven,” said House-Williams. “But after I had to quit my job,  I thought, ‘Wait, this can be my income.’”

After the 36-year-old mom stopped working to take care of her son while he attended school virtually during the pandemic, she and her husband hired contractors in March 2020 to transform their basement into a one-bedroom apartment, outfitting the space with a standing shower, a kitchenette and a separate entrance for about $22,000 total. 

The couple used the app SpareRoom to find 42-year-old tenant Laura Martin, who has been paying $1,100 in monthly rent since 2021. House-Williams says they will have earned their money back and turned a profit by the end of this year. 

They’ve decided to do more renovations to make even more space to rent out. With plans to let her attic as well as her basement, House-Williams expects she’ll be raking in $21,000 a year in rental income. 

“I’m always thinking about how I can make money without putting in too much effort, that’s just how my brain is wired,” House-Williams said. “By renting out rooms, I’m literally making money in my sleep.” 

Keep reading on Bloomberg.

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6 Swanky Condo or HOA Amenities Buyers Swoon for but Rarely (or Never) Use

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For people looking to buy a condo or a house that’s part of a homeowners association, the promise of swanky amenities they provide can seem like a total score.

Seriously, who wouldn’t want select access to a pool, spa, or private playroom for the kids? At least that’s the logic that tends to lure people when such “bonus” luxuries are offered.

But the irony is that, while these extras give the impression you’ll be living the good life if you move in, it’s useful to remember that you’re actually paying for them with your HOA dues. And the sad truth is that certain amenities end up sitting empty most of the time. Why squander money on that?

Real estate is expensive enough these days without wasting money on perks you won’t plunder, so make sure to take a step back when salivating over these common HOA conveniences. As nice as they might seem initially, experts say you might end up rarely (or never) using them.

1. Clubhouses

While the idea of a central gathering space might seem alluring, unless you’re planning a birthday party or family reunion, clubhouses are more often than not a wasted amenity.

“Clubhouses are notorious for not being used—most of the time they sit empty,” says Isaiah Henry, the CEO of Seabreeze, a company that manages over 90,000 commercial and residential properties. “There are some communities who host gatherings on a monthly or quarterly basis in their clubhouse, but they’re few and far between.”

Henry says that, in his experience, instead of a clubhouse residents prefer a community swimming pool or even a dog park.

2. Tennis courts

Do you even know how to play tennis? For a lot of people, the answer is no and as a result, this is an amenity that is rarely if ever frequented.

Professional tennis player and property manager Mario Musa says many people get excited when they find out about tennis courts being included in the condo he manages. Some even see it as an opportunity to try tennis for the first time. But in reality, he reports that only about 10% of residents ever use them.

“Even though there is access to all the essential equipment, people don’t frequent the courts,” says Musa, who admits that might be because tennis is not a beginner-friendly sport. “It sounds exciting at first, but I can tell from the footprints left on the clay courts that after a few minutes of trying to hit balls, most people end up taking photos for social media instead of playing a real game.”

Unless you’re a serious tennis player, chances are this won’t score as an amenity love match for you.

3. Screening rooms

Access to a private movie theater may seem Hollywood glamorous, but it’s rarely worth the price of admission (or your HOA fees).

“The idea may fascinate individuals when they are making a buying decision, but once you start living in the condo, trust me, I can tell you from personal experience this amenity has little or no use for residents,” says Kamyar K.S., CEO of World Consulting Group. “Sure, they are good for streaming the Super Bowl or watching the Academy Awards once a year, but because residents rarely hold screenings, most of the time the room is dark and gloomy and looks more like a haunted house.”

And really, Netflix and chill works better when you’re on your own couch, right?

4. Roof decks

While most people find roof decks to be a very visually appealing amenity, they don’t spend as much time up there as they imagine they will.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic might have changed this trend a bit because people were desperate for outdoor space wherever they could find it, in general, property managers report that almost always roof lounges are underused.

“In my last condo that I lived in, I found that the roof deck was rarely used,” says Mathias Ahlgren, CEO and founder of Website Rating. “In fact, after working long hours at the office, I, myself, would often prefer to go out to spend time with friends rather than go home to the roof deck.”

The good news with this one is that if you are a roof deck kind of person, you probably won’t be fighting your neighbors for a chaise lounge.

5. Recreation centers

n addition to on-site gyms (which are actually one of the most used amenities), some HOAs include admittance to nearby recreation centers as part of the package. And unless they’re convenient or you have kids to entertain, it’s likely an added luxury that will languish.

“As part of my HOA for my condo, I am required to pay a fee for admittance to four recreation centers that actually offer some pretty great amenities like a rock-climbing wall and an outdoor pool, but I find that since I work full time, I just don’t use them at all,” says Colorado high school teacher and condo owner Doreen Smith. “If my own kids were still at home, maybe I would use them more, but at this point, I actually pay for a separate gym precisely because I don’t want to be around a bunch of screaming children now.”

In other words, being honest about where you are in your life will help you determine your amenity priorities.

6. All of them—if they have limited hours

If you’re thinking of moving into an HOA community where you’ll be paying fees to use the amenities, make sure to check when they’re open.

“Being a condo owner in a building that offers a multitude of amenities such as a pool, gym, and theater, it gets very frustrating that, due to the amenity hours of operation, I can’t use the amenities as much as I’d like because I’m working,” says Krisztian Riez, a digital consultant for the property management software company Condo Control Central.

“Because I am unable to use the amenities during the week, I try to take full advantage of the amenities on the weekend. However, using amenities I pay for only two days a week doesn’t really suffice for the extra monthly cost.”

For more info like this, go to Realtor.com

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Landlords Can Now Screen Your Pet’s ‘Credit Score’

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Did you know that pets are “one of the largest sources of ancillary revenue in the rental-housing industry” and yet “some operators are leaving potential revenue on the table” by charging their future tenants a flat-fee pet deposit?

PetScreening, a North Carolina startup that invented a credit score for pets (a “FIDO” score), wants you to know this. Its risk-assessment algorithm evaluates pets based on data entered by their owners — “name, breed, weight, sex, age, pictures, vaccination information, micro-chip data, and behavioral information” — which it claims is more accurate than unsophisticated landlord assessments. Those judgments often include stereotypes about sizes and breeds. This is unfair to both pitbulls and, possibly, the bichon frise.

Pretending to be an operator who is leaving potential revenue on the table, I entered myself into the site’s revenue “fetcher” worksheet as a 20-unit building owner who charges a $200 flat pet fee. My personalized estimate showed I was only making $1,590 in pet revenue when I could be making a potential $6,201 with PetScreening’s services. The automated company email signed off with “woof regards.”

A FIDO score can range from one paw (very bad) to five paws (very good). Landlords can then set a sliding scale; the more “risky” the pet is (inclined to bark or walk with a patter-patter-patter rhythm detectable to downstairs neighbors, among other sins), the more a building owner can justify charging their tenant pet rent and fees. (The incentive for prospective tenants to be honest about their pet, we assume, is that they will likely get caught trying to minimize Frank Jr.’s tendency toward loud whimpering.)

For the honor of entering their pet into a database that will probably prompt their landlords to charge them more money, owners pay PetScreening a $20 fee for their first pet profile and $15 for each additional pet. (Landlords pay nothing to utilize the service.)

Among PetScreening’s current users, one property management’s pet policy states that “Paw Scores of 2 or less will require an additional security deposit of $500 per approved pet.” (Fish tanks under ten gallons were assigned a Five Paw Score; over ten gallons, Four Paws.) Another charges a $150 pet deposit plus an option of paying a one-time $200 fee or a $20 monthly fee for the duration of the tenancy — but only if you’re a Five Paw pet. A One Paw pet has to pay a whopping $500 pet deposit plus a $400 one-time or $40 monthly fee. (New York’s 2019 rent reforms prohibit landlords from charging more than a month’s rent for a security deposit whether or not a tenant has a pet, but many landlords still charge fees.)

PetScreening believes that its scores could encourage more building owners to allow pets, as opposed to enacting blanket bans — at a cost for tenants, of course. But isn’t behavior in the eye of the beholder? Doesn’t love cloud all judgment? What is it to be a “good boy”? PetScreening has nothing to say about these things.

Read more like this on Curbed.

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