Nestled among the many mountains within the coronary heart of Central Oregon, Bend is a picturesque metropolis identified for its gorgeous pure landscapes, out of doors leisure actions, and well-liked meals scene. The town has turn into a preferred vacation spot for these looking for a top quality of life in an attractive pure setting. With a thriving arts and tradition scene and a gentle, sunny local weather, dwelling in Bend provides many advantages for residents. Nevertheless, like all metropolis, there are additionally drawbacks. So, is Bend place to dwell?
In case you’re pondering of shopping for a home in Bend or renting an condo within the metropolis, learn on for 10 execs and cons of dwelling on this out of doors haven. Relaxation assured, there’s one thing for everybody.
5 execs of dwelling in Bend
Bend is legendary for its surroundings and climate, however there’s much more to the town than that. Listed here are 5 the reason why Bend is usually a good place to dwell.
1. Lovely surroundings
Bend is situated within the attractive excessive desert of central Oregon, offering residents with entry to gorgeous pure surroundings, together with snow-capped mountains, crystal clear rivers, and verdant forests. It’s an ideal place for out of doors lovers and nature lovers.
Each season additionally provides one thing new. Summers are heat and dry, whereas winters are cool and sometimes snowy. Dwelling in Bend permits you to expertise all 4 seasons to their fullest.
2. Countless out of doors recreation
Bend provides an array of out of doors leisure actions in each season, similar to cross-country snowboarding, snowboarding, climbing, mountaineering, fishing, and tenting, and extra.
Think about exploring the close by Newberry Nationwide Volcanic Monument, which options distinctive geological options similar to lava tubes and volcanic craters. In case you’re into golf, tee off at one of many metropolis’s many championship programs. Thrill-seekers may even strive their hand at zip-lining or bungee leaping. There’s one thing for everybody in Bend.
3. Gentle, sunny climate
Bend boasts over 300 days of sunshine per 12 months, and customarily has a gentle and dry local weather. Summers common within the 70s, with heat days and chilly nights. Winter days are sometimes within the 30s and could also be snowy, though the world receives much less snowfall than different elements of Oregon.
4. Thriving arts and tradition
Bend has a vibrant arts and tradition scene, with quite a few galleries, museums, and music venues, showcasing native and nationwide artists, musicians, and performers.
The Bend Artwork Middle provides workshops and lessons in numerous mediums, whereas the Excessive Desert Museum showcases the pure and cultural historical past of the area. The Tower Theatre hosts quite a lot of performances, from music and theater to movie and comedy. The Outdated Mill District options out of doors live shows and occasions all through the summer season, and the Bend Movie Competition attracts filmmakers and cinema lovers from everywhere in the world. There is no such thing as a scarcity of issues to do in Bend throughout each season of the 12 months.
5. Vigorous meals scene
Bend has turn into a vacation spot for meals and beer lovers, with over 20 breweries and taprooms serving quite a lot of craft beers. Moreover, the town’s farm-to-table eating places and meals carts supply a various and scrumptious culinary expertise. Within the fall, the town’s well-known ale path attracts beer lovers from everywhere in the world.
5 cons of dwelling in Bend
Like with any metropolis, there are cons of dwelling in Bend. Listed here are the 5 most vital so that you can know.
1. Excessive value of dwelling
Bend’s reputation has pushed up the price of dwelling, significantly by way of housing, healthcare, and transportation. In actual fact, home costs in Bend are greater than in Portland, which is already an costly metropolis. The median sale worth for a home in Bend is $679,450, which is over $200,000 greater than Portland and almost double the nationwide median. This has made it troublesome for some residents to afford a house within the metropolis.
In case you’re on the lookout for inexpensive housing in Bend, renting could be your best choice, as lease costs in Bend are much like Portland and beneath the nationwide common. The typical lease for a 1-bedroom condo in Bend is $1,550, whereas the common in Portland is $1,587. As well as, Bend has fewer housing choices than giant coastal cities, permitting for fewer choices for various budgets.
In case you’re pondering of relocating to Bend, maintain home costs in thoughts and ensure you know the steps to purchasing a home.
2. Site visitors congestion
With a rising inhabitants and a restricted street system, Bend is experiencing elevated visitors congestion, significantly throughout peak vacationer seasons, which might result in longer commute occasions.
To alleviate a few of the visitors congestion, the town has taken steps to enhance public transportation choices, together with rising the variety of bus routes and introducing a bike-sharing program. Moreover, the town has carried out measures to encourage different modes of transportation, similar to strolling and biking, together with increasing bike lanes and constructing extra pedestrian-friendly intersections.
3. Wildfire danger
There’s a danger of wildfire in Bend. The town is situated in a wildfire-prone area, and they’re a priority through the summer season and early fall. Lately, a number of wildfires have brought about vital harm to the world, leading to evacuations and destruction of houses and companies.
The town is working to mitigate the difficulty by forest thinning and clearing to cut back gas for fires, creating defensible house round houses and buildings, and establishing emergency evacuation plans.
4. Harsh winters
Whereas Bend provides quite a few winter actions, the local weather may be harsh for these unaccustomed to chilly temperatures and heavy snowfall. Winter storms could cause street closures, energy outages, and different inconveniences.
To arrange for Bend’s harsh winters, it’s vital to put money into correct winter gear, together with heat clothes, boots, and a heavy coat. Moreover, in the event you purchased a brand new dwelling, be sure that to winterize it to forestall warmth loss and defend in opposition to potential harm from snow and ice accumulation. Residents may additionally wish to put money into a generator or different backup energy supply in case of energy outages.
5. Distance from bigger cities
Bend is situated a number of hours away from bigger cities like Portland and Eugene, which might make it difficult for residents to entry sure facilities and providers. Job alternatives may additionally be tougher to return by, as commuting to a close-by metropolis isn’t an possibility.
