Relocating to Bend for a Lifestyle Change?

Our Guide to the 5 Most Desirable Neighborhoods

If you are considering relocating to Bend for a lifestyle change, consider yourself in good company. This town of 90,000 (and growing) currently has newcomers moving here in droves for the same reason. We love our craft beer, roundabouts and most especially — access to the outdoors. Like, right out your doorstep kind of access. In Bend, our idea of a triathlon is to hit the slopes of Mt. Bachelor in the morning, get in a round of golf in the afternoon, and then cast a fly rod into the Deschutes as the sun sinks.

Where’s the best place to put down roots?

Bend is home to numerous distinctive neighborhoods — each one with a different character.

Whether you love to run, ski, paddle or pedal, any of Bend’s westside neighborhoods are located within short walking or biking distance of a vast expanse of trails in the Deschutes National Forest. Below is our guide to five of Bend’s most desirable west-side neighborhoods.

Awbrey Butte

Why we love it: Mountain views, big lot sizes, mature ponderosas

The downside:  Riding home from the pub is an arduous task; there are few remaining buildable lots

Shevlin Commons

Why we love it: About as close as you can get to Shevlin Park, a soul-rejuvenating sanctuary featuring 600 acres of ponderosa pine forest with miles of hiking and biking trails; stunning mountain views.

The downside: High cost per square foot, and a rigorous architectural review process.

Tetherow

Why we love it: A 20-minute drive to Mt. Bachelor, even closer to groomed nordic skiing; world-class golf course, mountain views, spacious lots, a killer restaurant, literally a stone’s throw from hundreds of miles of singletrack in the Deschutes National Forest.

The downside: Scottish-highland-style landscape as a result of a decades-old forest fire means this area can be breezy. Also, homeowners association fees are a premium, particularly if you don’t play golf.

Broken Top

Why we love it:  Quiet and secluded gated resort community, private golf course, spacious lots up to 10 acres in the Highlands.

The downside: We can’t think of one.

Northwest Crossing

Why we love it: Centrally located between downtown and westside trails, a weekly farmer’s market and live music in the summer, walkable to four excellent public schools, parks, restaurants, no HOAs.

The downside: While the homes are lovely, it’s tight — really tight. But this may be an upside for those who want to spend more time playing and less time in the yard.

At Seven Bridge, our no-shortcuts approach to custom home-building and decades of experience means peace of mind for our clients. And because we take can on fewer custom projects, we can focus 100 percent on exceeding your expectations.

Want to know more about where to build a luxury custom home in Bend. Talk to us.

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Building a Custom Home in Bend? What to Know About Winter

4 Winter-Proofing Strategies that Save Time and Money

This winter of 2016-2017 was one of the most severe on record in Bend, Oregon. In January, we set a new single-day record for snowfall (20 inches), which was part of a months-long “snowpocalypse,” as it came to be known, that wreaked havoc on homes and commercial buildings.

Aside from the hassle of school closures and challenging travel, many homeowners — even those in new and high-end custom homes — faced serious flooding or water damage caused by ice dams that formed on the edge of roofs.

And while we’re not likely to get a repeat of last year’s record-setting snowfall, it’s not uncommon for Old Man Winter to have a heavy hand east of the Cascades from December through March. We’re not talking Nome, Alaska, but our temperature swings and winter snows even in an average year are far more extreme than what you’d experience on the western slopes of Oregon, Washington or California.

That’s why it is critical to insist on preventive winter-proofing strategies when building your custom home in Bend.

During the construction phase, incorporate the following four tips and you’ll save time, money and hassle when the snows fly.

  1. During site prep, be sure to grade the site away from the house to prevent flooding in the crawl space.
  2. Use a top-quality building wrap and vapor barrier system. While we prefer felt here at Seven Bridge, Tyvek is a good product when used with the complete Tyvek system. Insist that your builder install it to the manufacturer’s specifications.
  3. Prevent moisture from ice dams from entering the home by using Ice & Water Shield for the first six feet of roofing barrier under the roofing material.
  4. Don’t skimp on insulation. It’s cheap insurance and no other purchase has better return on investment. It can also help reduce the severity of ice dams.

At Seven Bridge, our no-shortcuts approach to custom home-building and decades of experience means peace of mind, even in the winter, for our clients. Long after the home-building process is complete, we stand by our commitment to quality.

Have questions about building a luxury custom home in Bend? Get answers here.

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