Catherine's Blog

For those looking for an easy summer hike in the Cascades, it is hard to beat Clear Lake. Better known as a great hike for fall color, it can be enjoyable to spend a few hours hiking the five plus mile loop around Clear Lake in the summer. It is during the warm summer months that many families drive to Clear Lake to enjoy the beautiful water with their rowboat, kayak, paddle board or other floating device; motorized vehicles are not permitted on the lake. While hiking the easy path, it can be fun to watch the young families fishing or paddling around the lake and enjoying the food at the resort. There are year-round cabin rentals available as well as camping. Run by the Linn County Parks & Recreation, the resort is located in the Willamette National Forest and the lake contains the headwaters of the McKenzie River via a percolating spring at the far end of the lake. The lake was formed 3000 years ago when lava from Sand Mountain backed up the river forming the lake. The remnants of the flooded forest are still visible 120 feet underwater and have not fully rotted in all the centuries due to the extreme chill of the lake. 

Over the past few years, affordability has been the biggest challenge for homebuyers. Between rapidly rising home prices and higher mortgage rates, many have felt stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But, something pretty encouraging is happening. While affordability is still tight, mortgage rates have shown signs of stabilizing in recent months. And that may finally make it a bit easier to plan your move.

Mortgage Rates Have Stabilized – For Now

Over the past year, mortgage rates have had their share of ups and downs, making it tough for buyers to know what to expect. But recently, rates have started to level out and have settled...

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Maxwell Butte is a Little Known Central Oregon Hike

While the higher Cascade Mountain hikes were still snow covered in mid July 2025, Maxwell Butte was snow free and offered spectacular mountain views. On July 12, only one other hiker was seen the entire day and while mosquitoes were a problem in the morning, they were gone once the sun rose. The hike from the trail head to the top of Maxwell Butte is a moderate, forested trek with 2453 feet of elevation gain over 5.10 miles one way; the last steep mile up the butte can be more challenging with switchbacks on pumice on parts of the path. However, the higher hikers get, the more the views of Mt. Washington, North and Middle Sister, The Husband and the Wife become visible until near the top, the full view of Tam McArthur Rim and Broken Top can also be seen. Hoodoo Ski Bowl and Hayrick Butte really stand out as well in the topography in a way that is not visible from lower elevations. Looking east, Three Fingered Jack dominates the skyline and north, fabulous views of Mt. Jefferson, Mt. Hood and the eight lakes basin are seen.

For those wanting a good, challenging 10+ mile hike that is rarely crowded and does not require anything other than a self-issued day pass at the trail head, Maxwell Butte may be a good option, especially when the passes for the most popular high Cascade hikes are not available.

There are plenty of headlines these days calling for a housing market crash. But the truth is, they're not telling the full story. Here's what's actually happening, and what the experts project for home prices over the next 5 years. And spoiler alert – it's not a crash.

Yes, in some local markets, prices are flattening or even dipping slightly this year as more homes hit the market. That's normal with rising inventory. But the bigger picture is what really matters, and it's far less dramatic than what the doom-and-gloom headlines suggest. Here's why.

Over 100 leading housing market experts were surveyed in the latest Home Price Expectations Survey (HPES) from Fannie Mae. Their collective forecast shows prices are projected to keep rising over the next 5 years, just at a slower, hea...

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Click Here to see the Q2 Market Trends for Bend Real Estate and Redmond Real Estate, as well as the Q2 real estate trends in Sunriver, La Pine, Sisters, Prineville, Madras, Powell Butte, and Black Butte Ranch. In Q2 2025, the Bend Oregon Real Estate market and surrounding communities experienced a change, typically seeing a significant increase in inventory year over year with more homes, more new listings, and consistently more days on market. Buyers had more choices with the increased number of homes for sale and sellers were more inclined to consider offers under asking price. The number of listings grew, days on market increased in many markets, and prices decreased slightly in the larger markets of Bend and Redmond. However, despite the increased number of homes for sale, Bend, Redmond, Sisters, Prineville and Madras reflected a seller's market, although much less strong than in earlier quarters; Black Butte Ranch, La Pine and Sunriver were in a balanced market with Powell Butte in a very strong buyer's market with 32 months of supply.

A Bend Premier real estate broker understands the local market trends, which is crucial to properly representing buyers and sellers. We can provide insights into which areas are popular, price trends, and the average time properties stay on the market. We can also provide you with access to listings that match your criteria, some of which may not be widely advertised. We also have the first word on properties about to hit the market, giving you an edge in a competitive market.

To learn more about buying or selling Bend real estate, contact one of our Premier Agents at (541) 323-2779 any day of the week.