Fishing season is the unofficial start of the tourist season in Central Oregon. Once the lakes, rivers and streams are open for the anglers you will see people, dogs and boats at almost every body of water. I love to fish, I love where I live and know how difficult it is to find a place where everyone in the family can have a great time while the anglers in the family drown a worm or cast a fly.One of our family favorites is just a short 15 minute drive from La Pine. North and South Twin Lakes both have camping facilities. North Twin is more primitive than South Twin. North Twin has a nice camping area, a boat launch and a Forest Service outhouse - these are block buildings but no plumbing they are pumped regularly. Both lakes are stocked with pan size Rainbow Trout. Somewhere along the... 04/28/2007

Today I had a call from a homeowner wanting to sell their property - not so unusual since I am a Realtor. This homeowner was upfront and told me that they were interviewing 3 other Realtors; they had called me last and wanted me to interview last. I was fine with that I like to be first or last. So, I pull the county records I gather the comparable properties which there are very few that match perfectly. The property is located in the newest city in Oregon, La Pine. It is in the city limits, on community sewer and water (not exactly what a big city would have but it works for us). As I am putting my listing presentation together, when the seller calls me back, they have a question. Realtor #3 just left and told them there was no way they could sell their home since they only have one b... 04/06/2007

Spring is here and we are seeing an increase of buyers. Statistics are showing that although the average days on market has increased along with the number of homes available for sales prices versus listing prices are holding strong.Since the first of the year the average frame built home is selling at 98% of the list price in La Pine. As of 9 a.m. on March 23, 2007 there are 2 properties that currently have an offer on them that show as contingent. Contingencies are often an offer subject to another property selling.There are 23 properties that are in escrow and moving towards closing. The average escrow period currently is about 38 days.There have been 27 properties close escrow since January 1, 2007 and the average sales price to list price is 98.86% - the average days on market does... 03/23/2007

Today I am out showing property to an out of town buyer. This is more the norm for me than not. As we are walking the back of an acre parcel of a really nice home I realize that the property owner has removed all the Jack-pine trees and only left the beautiful Ponderosa Pines. I mention this to the buyer and he wants an explanation of what the difference is, for those of you that do not know, Jack-pines have a shallow root system, they have shorter needles that are generally 2 to a pod, while Ponderosa Pines have a tap root and a deeper root system, longer needles and three to a pod. So, my buyer says how do you know that stuff, all day you have educated me about the geography of the area, the animals and now the trees? I think for a minute and I tell him I had a great science teacher I... 03/15/2007

While reading a very informational post by Lyle & Karen Hasen about expired building permits (read their blog here) it made me realize how lucky I am to work in a county that has found a way to solve most of the problems we had associated with this.In 1972 or so there was a mass delete of our county records and to this day you will find homes that have no permits on record. The process although frustrating is not that bad. You do have to pull a special permit and have an inspection, but in reality it is a very limited inspection. There are exceptions to this rule however, I ran across a listing on our MLS that made me cringe with worry. The public remarks state this; "Nice chalet style cottage, very private. Usable 10 acre site, nice site to build a dream home while you live in existing... 03/09/2007

I am revising this post because it was brought to my attention that this although given to me in the past was not an original writting but actually almost word for word an acticle written by By Teri Cettina, Bankrate.com thank you Rich for bringing this to my attention.So, we are in a buyer's market and you need to spruce up your home to get the excitement from buyers. there are several ways to do this without spending a lot of money. Even if you are not looking to sell may find these easy and affordable ideas a good project for your home.The actual cost and payback for each project can vary, depending on both your home's condition and overall real estate market values in your region of the country. 1. A Dream Kitchen. Kitchens are still the heart beat of most homes. Buyers typically sp... 03/04/2007

With neighbors like this - you can see why Central Oregon is where I choose to call home - Many days these beautiful creatures can be seen from the road - this photo was taken from the window of my truck on my way home from the office.  There is more to Central Oregon than just the lakes and mountains... ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thesa Chambers • Broker • RE/MAX Sunset Realty 541-771-7064 Cell • 541-536-0117 Office • 888-868-2050 Toll FreeMailing Address • PO Box 3510, La Pine, OR 97739 02/14/2007

This 1+ lot is already cleared for your home. Septic & well are in and power to storage shed and meter on property. Property is located on a cul-de-sac just off the pavement. There is also a storage building with boat storage. This is a very clean lot. Priced at $143,500. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Thesa Chambers • Broker • RE/MAX Sunset Realty 541-771-7064 Cell • 541-536-0117 Office • 888-868-2050 Toll FreeMailing Address • PO Box 3510, La Pine, OR 97739 02/06/2007