If you're asking whether now is a good time to buy or sell in Bend, you're asking the right question. But you need a direct answer—not a generic one. The Bend market in 2026 is not "hot," and it's not "down." Rather, it's selective.
Homes are selling every week. Buyers are still purchasing. But the days of automatic outcomes are behind us. Today, results depend on decisions.
The shift is straightforward:
January opened the year with continued price softening and a clear slowdown in closed sales across the Bend single-family market. While overall activity remains lower than a year ago, buyer interest is beginning to reappear, particularly in pending sales. Inventory tightened noticeably as fewer new listings entered the market, setting the stage for a more competitive spring—provided sellers price realistically.
When comparing January 2026 with January 2025 for Bend single-family home sales on less than an acre, the fo...
Who Hit the Pause Button?
Winter has arrived in Bend, and with it, the market slowdown we expect every year. The difference this December is subtle but important: the pace has eased, yet the underlying fundamentals remain surprisingly resilient. Whether you're gearing up to buy in early 2026 or preparing your home for a spring listing, here's what you need to know about the latest market trends.
New Listings: A Seasonal Retreat
New listings slid again this month — roughly 20% fewer year-over-year. Not surprising for December.
Bend homeowners tend to wait out the holiday season, choosing to list once we hit clearer skies, longer days, and stronger buyer activity. Sellers are preparing for the traditional early-year surge, and many are waiting for the right moment to re-enter the market.
How long will they wait?
Typically just a few more weeks. January and February bring a substantial inventory rebound.
August is usually a month where home buyers with young children close their purchases and get settled before school starts. It is also a month in which sellers who didn't sell their properties during the peak summer selling season consider their next options. Often, for those who really need to sell, lowering the asking price can be the answer. For others, taking their property off the market may make more sense. However, in 2025, the August Bend home sales reflected a mixed market with prices up, closings up, inventory up and days on market up.
When August 2025 is compared with August 2024, th...
Summer is traditionally the peak selling season for Central Oregon homes. For home buyers looking to buy a Bend home before school starts, July is usually the month when many purchases happen, with August the month for closing these sales and new owners moving into their new homes. While July 2025 has followed these trends to a certain extent, the change in the market with high mortgage interest rates limiting buying power, it has become a price driven market with sellers recognizing that if they really need to sell, the asking price has to match today's market and not that of previous years. July 2025 also saw a mar...