The Nugget Newspaper's Partners in Real Estate 2021 // 2021-05-19 by Nugget Newspaper

2021

Partners in Real Estate

PHOTO BY JERRY BALDOCK

The Knowledgeable Professionals Ready to Help You Fulfill Your Real Estate Dreams

As life in America changes, more and more people are seeking a new place to put down roots — a place where they feel connected to the land and to a community. A place like Sisters. Sisters’ real estate community is made up of people who pursued that same vision themselves — some of them relatively recently; some decades ago. They know what it takes to bring a dream to fulﬁllment in Sisters Country. Real estate brokers have to be knowledgeable, diligent, and above all they have to know how to listen to their clients to determine what property best ﬁts their vision

of the Sisters way of life. The men and women you will meet in these pages know Sisters intimately, in all of its surprising diversity. They have the knowledge and resources to help you find the property of your dreams, or to sell the one you’re in and start somewhere new. These are people who love their community — and they love helping new people integrate into the vibrant, four-season life of the town, finding just the right fit, from a townhome to a ranch, from downtown to way out in the sagebrush and trees. It’s more important than ever to have someone in your corner to

navigate the incredibly fast-paced demands of a seller’s market that is redefining the term “unprecedented.” The brokers who work in the Sisters area are well-equipped to help sellers break down multiple offers — and to help buyers construct strong offers in a hyper-competitive market. It takes some doing to fulfill your Sisters dreams these days. Let Sisters’ real estate professionals be your guide.

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief The Nugget Newspaper

A special section presented by The Nugget Newspaper

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Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

Title business is seeing ‘huge’ volume

Khiva Beckwith: A downto-earth professional

Western Title & Escrow in Sisters provides title insurance for buyers and sellers, for resale and refinance. Like everyone associated with the real estate industry, they is experiencing an extraordinarily high tempo of business. “The volume is huge,” said Shelley Marsh, who has worked at the Sisters branch of the company for many years, in all kinds of markets. She told The Nugget it’s important for people to realize the impact on all phases of a transaction. “When escrow is opened there is a timeframe everyone involved strives to meet, but considering the volume in the industry as a whole, lenders, realtors, appraisers, and folks behind the scenes are all trying to meet deadlines which can result in occasional delays,” she said. Central Oregon Sales Manager Curtis Stafford said that low supply and very high demand continue to drive a fast-paced seller’s market — a trend he sees continuing, even as a hot refinance market begins to taper off. Stafford noted that in the second week of May, there were

Khiva Beckwith describes herself as “very professional,” yet “down to earth” — and those who have worked with her would endorse that assessment. A Central Oregon native, Beckwith has a knack for putting people at ease and working comfortably with them — while making sure that the work gets done in a very competitive market. Those qualities helped her earn the 2020 President’s Circle Award with Coldwell Banker. A Bend native, born and raised, her father was a builder, so she feels like she’s always been immersed in the world in which she works. “I feel like I know every nook and cranny in Central Oregon,” she said. A wild seller’s market puts a premium on good communication. Beckwith says buyers must be “ready to jump on something when it comes up,” and conditions require “structuring offers so we can make it work and get the deal.” As a self-described “hard-working go-getter,” Khiva is the kind of

33 homes available in the Sisters market; last year at the same time there were 80. That poses a quandary, even for sellers. You can sell high — but where will you go? “You’re not going to have a lot to choose from, and you’re going to pay top dollar for it,” he said. He noted that Sisters and Central Oregon are a popular destination and that “Southern California money will buy a lot in Sisters.” Marsh notes that a pandemicaccelerated trend toward remote work has created a boom in Sisters Country. “So many young families hopped on that wagon to get to Black Butte Ranch,” she said. “They want their kiddos in our school district. They’ve sure kept us busy.” Western Title & Escrow will continue to serve that busy market. Established in 1987 in Newport, they opened in Central Oregon in 1993. Now part of the Fidelity national Financial family, as of 2018, there are nine locations, including Sisters.

A partnership beyond expectations, grounded in your community

• Superior closing experiences • Services and online resources that are second to none • Strong relationships that last As a member of the Fidelity National Financial family of companies, the nation’s largest group of title companies and title insurance underwriters, we offer financial strength and broad resources to support real estate and lending professionals.

Stop by and visit with Shelley Marsh & Tiana Van Landuyt.

agent both buyers and sellers want in their corner. That’s why many of her clients become friends. Beckwith is so deeply rooted in the Sisters and Central Oregon community that being “networked” is just a natural outgrowth of her life. She’s been in Sisters since 2004, where she worked at Sisters Athletic Club as a certified personal trainer for 13 years. Her husband, Eric, is a lieutenant with the City of Redmond Police Department, and they have three children. Khiva is immersed in the adventurous Central Oregon way of life, she loves to run, hike, camp, and travel when time allows. Current conditions put a premium on responsiveness, good communication — and trust. “Everybody just kind of needs to be patient and trust each other,” she says. With her background and down-to-earth personal touch, Khiva Beckwith engenders that trust and smooths out the challenges buying or selling a home — even in the current whirlwind.

“There’s no place like home!”

“We found working with Khiva Beckwith extremely rewarding and extraordinarily successful. Several skills made Khiva shine from our perspective: She always made herself available for home showings, as well as every pre-sale preparation and transaction appointment; her strong communication abilities kept us well-informed on showing feedback and escrow status; she was able to answer or research any question we presented; PLUS, Khiva’s pricing strategy was extremely accurate, resulting in securing a qualified buyer quickly and achieving full asking price with a less than 30-day escrow. Khiva was always very pleasant, cheerful, and available and was even complimented by the buyer’s realtor. There’s no place like home with Khiva on your team!” — Beverly R. & Mary F.

Khiva Beckwith - Broker

541-420-2165

khivarealestate@gmail.com

www.khivasellscentraloregon.com

220 S. Pine St., Ste. 102, Sisters | 541-548-9180

809 SW Canyon Dr., Redmond

The Nugget Newspaper

• May 19, 2021 • Partners in Real Estate

Black Butte Realty Group serves a designed the Big Meadow Golf Course on the Ranch, and Robert’s Pub is named in his honor. Gary’s wife, Katy, published a book last year commemorating Black Butte Ranch’s 50th Anniversary. Lake, who has a year at Black Butte Realty Group, concurs. “You can’t compare Black Butte Ranch to anywhere else,” she said. Despite the challenges of the pandemic and a wild market, Lake says the experience has been wonderful. “It’s been great,” she said. “Don and I just kind of fell into a partnership.” Don is Don Bowler, president and co-owner of the company. Like many of his clients, Bowler dreamed of living at the Ranch when he retired from a successful corporate career — and he fulfilled that dream. After “flunking retirement,” he decided to go into real estate and facilitate the dream for others. He says that Lake has been invaluable in making sure that Black Butte Realty Group keeps up with what has been an extremely busy market. “If I didn’t have help last year, it would have killed me,” he said with a grin.

With Your Black Butte Ranch

Real Estate Experts!

— Exclusive On-Site Realtor for the Ranch —

Don Bowler, President & Broker 971-244-3012

Carol Dye, Broker 541-480-0923 Joe Dye, Broker 541-419-1215

special place

photo by jim cornelius

During the first quarter of 2021, there were 11 sales on the Ranch, with an average price of $865,700 and $370 per square foot. That square foot price jumped $100 over the past 18 months. Bowler and Lake thrive on engaging with people on the Ranch. Yoder brings the locked-down detail orientation he developed in his military service to bear. And they pride themselves on providing top-quality and highly ethical service to each client — buyer or seller, the client comes first.

Gary Yoder, Managing Principal Broker 541-420-6708

Ross Kennedy, Principal Broker 541-408-1343

Black Butte Realty Group also features the services of Joe and Carol Dye, who have been homeowners since 1993 and agents since 1996; Ross Kennedy; Tiffany Hubbard; and Emerald Whitlatch, who also works in the property-management side of the realty group’s business. The brokers at Black Butte Realty Group feel the same emotional connection that countless clients feel toward a very special place, and it informs every aspect of their work. “We feel a responsibility to the Ranch,” Yoder says.

Corrie Lake, Principal Broker 541-521-2392

Emerald Whitlatch, Broker 541-777-4184

541-595-3838 ~ Black Butte Ranch 541-549-5555 ~ Sisters

See all our listings at www.blackbutterealtygroup.com

Tiffany Hubbard, Broker 541-620-2072

PHOTO BY CURTISS ABBOTT

Black Butte Ranch is a beloved place for thousands of people who have vacationed there since childhood. For many, it is a lifelong dream to live on the Ranch. Never has the desire for a Black Butte Ranch home been stronger. Broker Corrie Lake notes that in the red-hot seller’s market affecting all of Central Oregon, Black Butte Realty Group has seen multiple cash offers for homes over $1 million at the Ranch. “Timing is everything,” said Managing Broker Gary Yoder, “you’ve got to be one of the first to see a new listing, and you’ve got to be prepared to pay top dollar.” Inventory is very tight. “Just about everybody who wanted to sell did so last year,” Yoder said. Yoder reported that Black Butte Realty Group had two listings on May 1. By May 4, one was in escrow, and one had multiple offers as of May 6. “Black Butte Ranch is a very special place,” Yoder notes. “I traveled for 20 years all around the planet, and have visited some special places — Black Butte Ranch is definitely one of them.” Yoder has a particular connection to the place: his fatherin-law, Robert Muir Graves,

Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty offers

strong support & global reach

When you’re buying or selling a home, your interaction with your real estate broker is personal. They’re the one you call with questions, the one who guides you through the twists and turns of a transaction, and smooths out or helps you navigate any bumps in the road. That’s the way it should be — but it obscures the fact that a successful real estate broker is inevitably part of a team. Like the tip of the iceberg, you see your broker, but you may not even be aware of everything that is moving below the surface. The agents and brokers who work for Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty universally cite the importance of the support they receive from the brokerage as a critical key to their personal success. And, most importantly, that backing contributes to the ultimate satisfaction of their clients. Cascade Sotheby’s prides itself on brokers who have deep local expertise — and global reach and connections. Brokers like Phil and Thomas Arends, and Patty Cordoni and Suzanne Carvlin, who acknowledge the importance of the support of the brokerage and its network. “We are more of a full-service brokerage,” said Marta Boelens, managing principal broker for Cascade Sotheby’s in Central Oregon. That means bringing to bear a full, in-house marketing department that takes pride in showcasing properties with rich photography, ultra high-definition video, and virtual reality tours. Cascade

Sotheby’s is at the forefront in the industry in terms of use of social media and technology to provide virtual access to properties and useful and engaging content. Full service also means mobilizing a team for transaction management, which is critical when attention to detail is a must. The goal is to free brokers to do their most important work — being fully present to walk beside their client through each step of a transaction. “We offer white-glove service,” Boelens said. Boelens oversees approximately 150 agents and brokers in Central Oregon, conducting weekly sales meetings, keeping up on stringent requirements for legal compliance, and, perhaps most importantly, coaching staff on how best to serve their clients in a fast-paced and competitive market. A market with high demand and low inventory puts a premium on good communication. Brokers owe their clients clear communication on what they can expect in the current climate — which is expected to persist for the foreseeable future. “The research is showing that the market should remain strong for the next couple years,” Boelens said. “It’s not just here. It’s booming everywhere.” From a buyer’s perspective, “you just have to go in with guns blazing,” Boelens said. Cascade Sotheby’s is making sure brokers have all the tools they need to make strong offers in a highly competitive arena. They

have to be able to clearly communicate to clients all the implications of waiving contingencies such as home appraisals. Brokers work with lenders to make sure their clients are in a position to make strong offers. “We just try to give them as much information as possible so they can go in strong,” Boelens said. “They just really have to be in the forefront.” Being connected to a network as wide and deep as Cascade Sotheby’s can be an advantage for buyers. Brokers may be aware of potential properties before or just as they hit the market, and keeping their fellow brokers informed can give a buyer a lead they might otherwise miss. “Having a big network like ours really helps in this market,” Boelens said. It’s a seller’s market, but sellers, too, need good advice. Cascade Sotheby’s brokers are trained to help coach sellers on how to break down multiple offers in a high-tempo environment. Boelens recognizes that that high-tempo environment poses unique challenges. “It’s just very fast-paced right now,” she said. Buyers are in a position where they must be prepared to make multiple offers, and be patient and persistent because there’s nothing automatic in the current competitive climate, where cash offers reign supreme, and some buyers are going well above asking price. “There’s buyer fatigue and broker fatigue,” Boelens said. Most of Cascade Sotheby’s

brokers are very experienced — they’ve been through the ups and downs of past markets and understand what they need to do to stay at the top of their game. “People know that’s what the current market looks like right now,” Boelens said. Nevertheless, Boelens recognizes that current conditions are in many ways unprecedented — and brokers need back-up and support in keeping up the pace. “We help our brokers with time-management (and) help with business planning,” she said. Boelens notes that she is not a competing broker — she’s not out selling while also working with her brokers. Her sole focus is on supporting the brokers and helping them perform at their best in service to their clients — no matter what the challenges. That has always been Cascade Sotheby’s approach, and the current market has shown its value.

Cascade Sotheby’s Managing Principal Broker Marta Boelens.

The Nugget Newspaper

• May 19, 2021 • Partners in Real Estate

Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

Carrying on a powerful RE/MAX legacy in Sisters Ryan and Tim Buccola understand the importance of legacy. They’re a third-generation Oregon real estate family — and they have assumed the mantle of the RE/ MAX brand in Sisters through their Bend-based RE/MAX Key Properties. “RE/MAX has been an established brand in Sisters for a long time,” Ryan Buccola said, noting that the agency has been a longtime supporter of community organizations such as the Sisters Folk Festival. “The whole vision really started with Peter Storton, who built the brand in Sisters,” Buccola said. Buccola sees his business very much as the torch-bearer for a valued tradition of service delivered with diligence and integrity. “They’re just great people,” he said of Peter and his wife, Janet, who now live in Arizona. “He created a real legacy in Sisters and we’re just proud to be part of that.” Integrity and service are always the keystones. “The only thing we have is our integrity and our name,” Buccola said. That puts a premium on a simple mission: “Doing what we say we’re going to do.” That, for RE/MAX Key

Properties, means supporting its brokers. Buccola says that RE/MAX Key Properties is “a broker’s brokerage… Our clients are our brokers and buyers and sellers are the clients of the brokers.” That means engaging a fulltime, in-house marketing staff and a board of directors that is looking not at next quarter’s trends, but 24 to 36 months down the road. That means providing technical support that allows brokers to operate in a tight market and a pandemic-constrained environment. RE/MAX Key Properties brokers use 3-D imaging tools like Matterport to virtually show properties to prospective buyers. That technology was in wide use before COVID-19 hit, but it’s become an even more vital tool as people try to minimize unnecessary in-person contacts. The days of lookieloos and tire-kickers are past. “We don’t want to parade people through houses that are not already up to speed,” Buccola said. “The benefits to the seller are that you have qualified buyers … that are educated and ready to go. The benefit to the buyers is that all of the information is available and ready to go.

Buccola foresees a significant and ongoing influx of people from the Willamette Valley, Seattle, and San Francisco who are looking to get out of metropolitan areas and work remotely. Pandemic restrictions have encouraged work-from-home capabilities, and turbulence has made getting away from the big city ever more attractive. “It’s really a very exciting time in real estate,” he said. “Internet is going to be paramount for people to be able to work remotely. If you have an occupation in which you are able to work remotely, you’re going to take advantage of that now… If I don’t have to go to the office every day, where do I want to be?” The answer for many is Sisters Country. RE/MAX Key Properties has a Ranch & Land Division to serve those who are looking for larger acreage and a ranch lifestyle. “We’re doing the groundwork on that and we’re really excited

photo provided

about that,” Buccola said. With a strong foundation built up since the 1990s in Sisters, and an eye on the future, RE/MAX Key Properties is positioned to serve the local community — a prospect that pleases Ryan and Tim Buccola. “We look forward to growing with Sisters.”

The Nugget Newspaper

• May 19, 2021 • Partners in Real Estate

Building a team at Black Butte Realty Group Tiffany Hubbard lived in Sisters back in 2001, and when she left the area, she always said she’d be back. And she is — having moved here three years ago with her partner Gabrial Kerber and her two children. And she’s launched into a new career in real estate, working with Ross Kennedy at Black Butte Realty Group in Sisters. Hubbard had been working as a dental lab technician — but she had always had an interest in real estate. “I’ve had friends saying I should do it; I’ve thought about it; it’s been the voice in the back of my head,” she said. Kennedy saw qualities in her that lend themselves to success in the field and he encouraged her to pursue it. The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the clinical field gave her some space to go into school to pursue her license — and now she’s hit the ground running. “Her fifth day with her license, she put her first transaction in escrow,” Kennedy said. “She came out of the gate strong.” Kennedy said that his reaction to Hubbard’s interest in real estate was, “Oh, my gosh — you’re perfect for this business.”

photo provided

Two factors stand out: “She listens extremely well,” Kennedy said. “That’s a huge component in real estate.” Discerning what a client needs and desires — even when they can’t fully articulate it – is an innate talent that can be developed but can’t be implanted. Hubbard says she’s always had an innate interest in and curiosity about people. She loves to strike up a conversation and learn more about them — even strangers. Kennedy says that that quality is a key to success in the field. Hubbard’s previous work experience might not, at first glance seem to be especially relevant to real estate. But Kennedy notes

that her work as a lab technician required extraordinary attention to detail. And that, he says, “is an extremely important factor in real estate.” Transactions can be complicated, and things are often moving very fast, especially in the current market — so being detail-oriented is more than a plus; it’s vital. Kennedy spotted a certain drive in Hubbard, lying underneath a friendly and outgoing personality. “Tiffany is very driven — which is the same way I am,” Kennedy said. Hubbard’s qualities made her a natural choice for Kennedy when he realized that he needed a partner in a very hot market.

In 2020, “I did four times the business I do in a single year,” he said. “I feel I missed out on opportunities by not having a partner, a teammate.” With two sets of hands available for any transaction, “clients will always be taken care of,” Hubbard said. The team will be able to take on all opportunities — while giving each other space to meet their individual family obligations and their interests outside of work. So far, the field has more than lived up to Hubbard’s expectations. “You get to meet amazing people,” she said. “Every day is new. You learn something every day — and there’s so much to learn.” It’s no secret that the market is wild right now — an exceptional seller’s market that is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Kennedy and Hubbard are looking for listings, but they are always available to represent buyers, too. They know they have to work especially hard, an ethic that has built Kennedy’s reputation for years. Hubbard is not intimidated by heavy work, either. With a ranch background, she notes, “I’ve been working since I could hold a pitchfork.”

In This Fast-Paced Real Estate Market, Trust in Experience and Proven Results

Proudly representing buyers and sellers in the Sisters area, specializing in Black Butte Ranch properties.

Ross Kennedy Principal Broker

Loan Originator NMLS #1612019

541-408-1343

Tiffany Hubbard Broker

541-620-2072

Licensed in the State of Oregon

Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

The Nugget Newspaper

A business built on values and relationships Jeff Larkin’s life and business are built around values: hard work, integrity, and putting people and relationships above all other considerations. Larkin is a genuinely self-made man, starting off with nothing but the values, grit — and problemsolving creativity — imparted by a ranch raising, right here in Central Oregon. “I was here when Redmond was 3,000 people, and Bend was 10,000 and we had to drive to Bend to go to the pizza parlor,” he recalled. Larkin holds tight to those values, and they guide his work: “From a real estate perspective, these values play a direct role in preserving what is great about our Central Oregon community while giving life to new and exciting possibilities for generations to come.” Creativity was a critical ingredient in his remarkable success story. “I had to look outside the box to get there,” Larkin said. Larkin made a conscious decision to earn his real estate license during the 2008 housing crash. A longtime local rancher and owner of Larkin Valley Ranch, Jeff saw the crisis as an opportunity to make a difference, helping people find and afford homes in tough times. “I was getting into real estate when everybody else was leaving,” Larkin said. He figured, “if I can establish myself in this market, I can do well in any market.” That belief and faith proved out, as Jeff Larkin Realty has become one of the most respected names in Central Oregon real estate. The challenges of today’s market are very different from those of 2008 — but they still put a premium on the integrity, creativity, and people-oriented approach that defines Jeff Larkin. “The challenge now — and being creative — is finding a

“My niche is my clients, and I just follow where my clients take me.” — Jeff Larkin property for people,” he said. “Anybody can sell a house in this market. We have been very successful, but I’m not batting a thousand on it. It’s a moving target.” The market is so competitive for buyers that Larkin sees dangers — dangers that demand a buyer be represented by someone who will truly represent their best interests in a transaction. “I look at every investment as if it was my own,” Larkin said. That means being willing to question whether what someone convinces themselves they want is actually a good deal. “There’ve been several times when I’ve said, ‘we need to keep looking,’” he said. Larkin notes that buyers are being put in a position where they feel they have to be willing to forego normal contingencies — like a home inspection or an appraisal. If you lay earnest money down while waiving contingencies, things can start moving very fast. “You moving forward on that house,” he said, “you’re not going to get your earnest money back in most cases.”

He also notes that showings on homes are happening at a blistering pace, with half-hour time slots scheduled and decisions made within 24 hours. “We’re spending $500,000 on a house and we’ve had a 30-minute look at it, at best,” Larkin said. Forging a connection between buyer and seller is key. Larkin cited a recent transaction in which the seller’s sense of connection with the buyer was the foundation of the deal. “They were a seller that connected with my buyers — they wanted a clean, sure thing,” he said. Larkin’s focus on relationships above all else makes a real difference. “For me, relationships are it, he said. “With me, I’ve never put profits before people.” That people focus is reflected in the nature of Jeff Larkin Realty. The office is comprised of Larkin and three other agents. “We didn’t want to become a big system house,” he said. “We’re a team. “Everybody we have on the team has been hand-selected.” Larkin continues to uphold his family legacy and ranching tradition. “I’ve done it my whole life — which gives me my work ethic,” he said.

Larkin Valley Ranch has also become known for its small-scale, high-impact herds of Dorset Romney Cross Lamb and both Angus and Angus Cross Cattle, breeds known for their marbling, tender texture and robust, richtasting flavor. Larkin Valley Ranch meats are highly-regarded and available for delivery (see https:// www.larkinvalleyranch.com). That ranching background makes Jeff Larkin Realty an obvious go-to choice for farm and ranch transactions — but Larkin emphasizes that he’s not working a single niche. “My niche is my clients, and I just follow where my clients take me,” he said. Again — relationships come first. Whether buying or selling a first home, seeking land upon which to build a dream, investing for the future, or scouting commercial space to bring business ideas to life, Jeff Larkin Realty brings creativity, flexibility, perseverance and integrity to bear, and a work ethic that lets clients know that they will roll up the sleeves to work for on their behalf. It’s those values that have made a small real estate practice, built when it seemed like a bad idea to go into the field at all, into a respected and significant contributor to the Central Oregon community.

• Passion for Client Solutions • Buyer and Seller Focused • Successful Results Delivered • Local Hometown Professionals • Competitive Commission Programs • Providing the Edge that Buyers Need • Seller Solutions Made Easy • Investing in the Community • Serving Central Oregon and Beyond with Integrity

Jeff Larkin

541-480-5606 jeff@jefflarkinrealty.com

“We’re a small office, but we pack a lot of punch around here.” — Jeff Larkin

Lana Wittmer

541-390-4819 lana@jefflarkinrealty.com

811 SW 13th St.

Redmond, Oregon 97756

• May 19, 2021 • Partners in Real Estate

Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

The Nugget Newspaper

Jeff Larkin

541-480-5606 jeff@jefflarkinrealty.com

“We’re a small office, but we pack a lot of punch around here.” — Jeff Larkin

Lana Wittmer

541-390-4819 lana@jefflarkinrealty.com

811 SW 13th St.

Redmond, Oregon 97756

• May 19, 2021 • Partners in Real Estate

Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

Clients’ interest comes first for Jen McCrystal With deep connections and commitment to the Sisters community, Jennifer McCrystal’s top priority is working in her clients’ best interests. “What I really pride myself on is helping my clients make ... good economic decisions,” said the agent with Coldwell Banker Reed Bros. Realty. That’s a challenge in a seller’s market, where buyers are forced into intense competition. McCrystal constantly educates herself on the market — where it is and where it’s heading — so that she can position both buyers and sellers as effectively as possible to make those sound decisions. She is well-versed in residential, farm-and-ranch, and commercial properties. She also recognizes that changing modes of living and work, accelerated by the coronavirus pandemic, affect people’s needs and desires. People who have spent large amounts of time at home in the past year have new desires and expectations from their home space, and people who are working from home more need to

integrate living and work. “If we’re working from home, does our home space change?” she says. “It’s emotional, it’s financial, it’s personal.” Knowledge and expertise has to be tied to a strong ethical — and empathetic — core, and that is an arena in which McCrystal shines. “I’m not a commission hunter,” she said. “This industry is about the long-term relationships with our clients.” Jen was building relationships in Sisters long before moving into real estate. She was the co-creator of Jen’s Garden restaurant and The Cottonwood Café, and has long been a leading supporter of Sisters’ family-based business community. She has been involved in community organizations from the Deschutes Land Trust to Sisters Trails Alliance to the Sisters Folk Festival, and she is a long-time supporter of Sisters schools. With a deep, long-term personal investment in Sisters, Jen McCrystal has helped many people find a home here, and a way into a community she has served and continues to help to thrive.

Welcome Home

Honoring Central Oregon heroes Jenalee Piercey of Northwest Mortgage Advisors saw a need in her community — and set about filling it. She believes strongly that in troubled and turbulent times, we need good things to focus on, so she decided to honor local heroes — people who are giving back to the community in which she has built a thriving practice. “It’s called Hero of the Month,” she said. “I basically ask people to send me nominations for somebody who is giving back to the community in a cool way.” Piercey reviews those nominations, then picks a hero and makes a $500 donation to the cause that hero serves. She launched the program in January. “The first one I did was at the American Legion in Redmond,” she said. The donation honored volunteer Walter Winter. She’s also honored Brandon Grindle, who operates the 1031 Project supplying firewood and food for those in need, and Alison Perry, who founded Central Oregon Veterans Ranch.

Piercey’s criteria are good work and the need for a boost. “I have that in mind, too,” she said. “Who in Central Oregon is in need of a little extra support.” Thus far, nominations have come from real estate professionals with whom she works — but Piercey is looking to expand that base. “I’d love the community — especially the Sisters community — to become more involved,” she said. Nominations can be emailed to jpiercey@gemcorp.com. The Hero of the Month program is a natural outgrowth of the way Jenalee conducts her business. Piercey has a vast array of experience in finance, business management and many years as an educator — but what is most important to her is relationships. She couples her abilities to communicate with her complete understanding of the finance world — resulting in a high level of customer satisfaction. She is now also licensed in Arizona as well as here in Oregon.

FINANCE WITH CONFIDENCE “As a mortgage loan originator with Northwest Mortgage Advisors, our relationship is my top priority. I look forward to helping you find the best loan product and rates.” — Jenalee

Mortgage Calculators at www.nwmortgageadvisors.com Apply Online SAME-DAY PRE-APPROVAL...

“I love real estate! But more importantly, I love the buyers and sellers I am privileged to work with. Whether we are hunting for a new home, or preparing a property to go on the market, I treasure the interest and excitement I see in my clients when we sit down to discuss a plan for making their real estate dreams reality. There is no one-size-fits-all in real estate and every client has a unique set of wants and needs. I thrive on the challenge of exceeding my clients’ expectations. But that’s rarely the end of our story, many new long-term friendships are being built in Sisters, and for that I am grateful!” — Jen

Northwest Mortgage Advisors is an affiliate of Golden Empire Mortgage, one of the most respected lenders in the industry for 30 years. We offer competitive loan programs and interest rates.

FHA • Conventional Fixed • Refinance • Adjustable Rate Jumbo • VA • USDA • Manufactured Homes Construction • Home Equity • Reverse

Thank you for choosing me as your realtor! Jen McCrystal, Broker 541-420-4347

jen@reedbros.com Licensed Broker in Oregon

411 SW 9th St., Ste. 204, Redmond

Jenalee Piercey

Mortgage Loan Officer | NMLS#1778674 291 W. Cascade Ave., Sisters 541-549-6000 | www.reedbros.com Each office independently owned and operated.

541-591-5405

jpiercey@gemcorp.com

NW Mortgage Advisors is a direct lender with their own underwriting authority and a broad investor pool. NMLS# OR ML-#2891

The Nugget Newspaper

• May 19, 2021 • Partners in Real Estate

Service & innovation mark Fathom Realty

Mark Ossinger says that he has to “kind of pinch myself to think I’m even here.” The real estate veteran recently moved to Sisters with his wife Pam (formerly Simundson). “My wife lived here for over 15 years, so for her it’s coming home,” he said. Ossinger has brought decades of experience and an innovative company with him. Ossinger is managing broker with Fathom Realty, which is described as “a cloud-based, technology-driven, full-service real estate brokerage … dedicated to providing … agents with the industry’s best commission splits, technology, training, and the highest level of support.” Ossinger, who was a high-producing broker with well-established firms like John L. Scott, RE/MAX, and Keller Williams in the Seattle area, notes that it used to be that real estate agents once had to work out of a brick and mortar building, where all the supervision and support was located. Their commission

splits reflected the expense of such arrangements. “Our business model takes all of that away,” Ossinger said. “We are 100 percent virtual, and have been since inception 11 years ago.” Such an arrangement, Ossinger says, allows agents to invest more in their individual, personal brand. After all, it is ultimately the individual who matters most to the client. “It doesn’t really matter what company you’re with — people want to do business with you because of you,” he said. Ossinger’s 33-year journey in real estate affirmed that. He has developed deep expertise and dedicated himself to passing it on. He’s taught first-time homebuyer classes, and has grown and mentored young agents. He finds Fathom Realty’s ethic of service aligns with his own outlook, which

he developed in his teenage job working for an old-school Texaco service station — when the name meant what it said. “It was service back in the day when that was expected,” he said. That ethic is defined in Fathom’s motto: “At Fathom Realty, we believe that whoever aspires to be great must lead by serving others.” Ossinger continues to serve in a market he describes as “very, very strange.” “It’s being driven by people who realize they no longer need to drive somewhere to go to work,” he said. “When those restraints were removed, people said, ‘I can be anywhere.’” That has put significant pressure on markets in desirable communities like Sisters, with shrinking availability of homes and soaring prices.

“I don’t know how long this is going to go,” Ossinger said. “I have to believe at some point that we’re going to reach saturation. “I just feel bad for the first-time home buyers,” he said. “I think family compounds are going to be the way to go for a while, because it’s just so bloody expensive.” Ossinger opened Fathom’s practices in Washington and Oregon, and they are approaching 120 agents across both states. He firmly believes in the value the company brings to both agents and clients. For him, it always comes down to education and service. “I’m not a sales guy; I never have been,” he said. “If I had to cold call, I’d die.” He believes in educating buyers or sellers, providing them the best possible information and advice so that they can make the most informed decision possible. That, for him, is the nature of service. “At the end of the day,’ he said, “I can go home and say, ‘It was a good day. I served well.’”

FATHOM REALTY...

New to Central Oregon, not to Real Estate! Everyone has a story, and mine in real estate began 32 years ago. Currently, I hold the Managing Broker designation, which is achieved from extensive contract-law study and following market trends. My keen negotiation skills and sales process come from years of service to clients, in all conceivable circumstances. Selling your property in today’s market requires critical-process skill, a clear marketing plan, and accurate timing. All of these talents and skills are what we extend to you when you choose to have us represent you in the real estate transaction. If the time is right for you to buy or sell your place, let’s discuss this further. — Mark Ossinger

Mark Ossinger Pam Ossinger 541-316-9643 541-410-7765

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Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

Building for A new development at the west end of town is poised to bring new light-industrial jobs to Sisters. The Three Peaks Industrial Park, developed by Empire Construction and Development, will feature 12 shovel-ready light-industrial lots ranging from 0.69 acre to 5.5 acres. The 15.59-acre property is the northern section of the former Forest Service property, located on the north side of West Barclay Drive and bordered by North Pine Street on the east and the Ponderosa Best Western property on the west side. To the north is USFS land and across Barclay to the south is the site of the proposed residential development of The Woodlands on the center portion of the former USFS property. The Forest Service sold the land to fund the construction of a new headquarters facility. Owner Kevin Spencer said the project “came out of some energy we put into helping facilitate building their new facility… we didn’t even know at the time how it was going to come out.” Spencer noted that the City of Sisters and Economic Development for Central Oregon (EDCO) and its Sisters

industry & jobs representative Caprielle Lewis have been on a mission to bring family-wage jobs to Sisters. This project is designed to do that by providing opportunities for businesses in the arenas of specialty foods, high-tech, biotech, green energy, the arts, and more. “The whole idea is to create jobs in the Sisters community,” Spencer said. That fits the niche that Empire Construction and Development has carved for itself to a tee. “We build IL-zone properties with a goal of creating jobs,” Spencer said. Empire Construction and Development evolved in the classic manner: Spencer saw a need and a way to fill it. “I started out as a masonry con-tractor,” he said. Indeed, Spencer is one of the most highly respected contractors in the region. Empire was the general contractor for the Cowboy Court Apartments completed in Sisters in 2019. Spencer built light-industrial buildings, but discovered that there was not sufficient inventory of IL-zoned and developed land — so he became a developer. “That model worked for me,” he said. “It kept job security for

photo provided

my employees and my family.” Empire typically builds 50 percent of the buildings in a development. Spencer was full of praise for the work of the City of Sisters and EDCO in facilitating the project. He noted that the City had specific requirements for the preservation of trees in an area whose face will change significantly in the next couple of years. In developing the property, Empire worked to protect trees, especially large ponderosas, around the perimeter. “The City is really conservative with the trees,” he said.

Spencer was happy to comply in order to fit the character of the community. “Even though it’s not perfect for a developer, for Sisters it fits their model and we are happy to do it,” he said. One client — a local storage provider who is expanding — has already secured a lot. Spencer expects the rest of the lots to be reserved by late July, which is when the subdivision is expected to be finished. “I predict that we will have all of them, or most of them, sold by the time we’ve finished our project,” Spencer said.

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The Nugget Newspaper

• May 19, 2021 • Partners in Real Estate

Real estate becomes a family business for Phil Arends knows what change means. In 2009, at the age of 48, Arends had to reinvent himself. He’d built a highly successful travel agency in Sisters, Desert Wings Travel, but profound industry changes and a severe economic downturn put the writing on the wall: He wasn’t going to be able to retire in the field he’d worked in all his life. Arends moved into real estate, under the mentorship of R.A. (Dick) Howells — and he swiftly made himself into one of the region’s most successful real estate agents. “It turned out to be one of the best moves I ever made in my business life and my personal life,” he said. Now, he’s playing the role of mentor for someone making an equally profound change, albeit at a younger age: his son, Thomas Arends. The younger Arends had found himself in a dream job, as director of player personnel for the Oregon Ducks. He’d started working for the Ducks as an unpaid intern in 2008, and his talent and work ethic won him a permanent slot in a winning program. But it turns out that Arends inherited his father’s

entrepreneurial drive. He’d been thinking about real estate from the time he graduated at University of Oregon, observing Phil’s passion for and success in the field. And last year, he decided he wanted to make a move. “I kind of hit a ceiling at Oregon,” he said. “I was just excited about a new challenge. I was just ready to take matters into my own hands.” “Initially, I was a little shocked,” Phil confessed. “I always felt that he would stay in sports.” But he could hardly argue with his son’s desire to bet on himself and to grow. “Certainly, this is a place where he can grow as far as he can grow,” he said. The career jump isn’t as big of a stretch as it might seem at first.

“There are so many parallels with my old job, where it’s all about relationships,” — Thomas Arends Phil sees the relationshipbuilding and listening skills Thomas developed in the collegefootball recruiting arena playing out already in Thomas’s real estate

Phil & Thomas Arends

photo by jim cornelius

work. Knowing how to really listen is one of the key qualities of a successful agent — and Thomas has honed that ability for years. He also brings the innate techsavvy of a younger man to the table, along with an ability to quickly learn and adapt. “I feel like I’ve come so far in four months,” Thomas said. Both men are accustomed to hard work, and working till the job is done. The football season gives no breaks. As for Phil, for the first two years of his real estate career, he worked seven days a week. Phil is upfront about one of the

benefits of working with a partner — a second generation that he can someday turn over the reins to: “Having a partner allows things to go on when you want to go somewhere else,” he said. “It gives us some freedom.” Clients like the father-son dynamic the pair brings to bear on transactions everywhere in Sisters Country — and Thomas is happy to have returned to the town of his raising after venturing out into the wider world. “Now this is the cool place,” he said. “Everybody wants to be in Central Oregon.”

Discover the Difference… …with The Arends Realty Group The Arends Realty Group successfully completed 76 transactions and over $52 million in sales in 2020, with the majority being at Black Butte Ranch and Sisters country. Thomas Arends has joined his father, Phil Arends, as a partner in The Arends Realty Group. Phil & Thomas look forward to working together to serve our community. The market remains incredibly active throughout Central Oregon, and there’s never been a better time to get the most value for your home. Call our team to get started today!

Phil Arends Thomas Arends Principal Broker

Broker

541.420.9997 541.285.1535

phil.arends@cascadesir.com

thomas.arends@cascadesir.com

www.arendsrealtygroup.com | 290 E. Cascade Ave. PO Box 609 | Sisters, OR 97759 EACH OFFICE IS INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND OPERATED. LICENSED IN THE STATE OF OREGON.

Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

Sisters market: Low inventory and increasing prices Like other desirable communities across the United States — and across Central Oregon — Sisters has seen a sharp rise in prices and a sharp decline in the inventory of homes available for purchase. This has created an intense seller’s market — which local analysts expect to persist for a while. “Sisters is definitely seeing the increase in prices and decrease in inventory that we’ve seen (regionally and nationally),” said Kim Gammond, Communications Director for the Central Oregon Association of Realtors (COAR). “The trends we see in Sisters are aligned with the trends we see across the region.” COAR serves as the voice of the real estate industry in Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, and Harney Counties, tasked with maintaining ethical standards, providing continuing education, and advocating on behalf of the real estate industry. COAR also provides extensive market statistics for the region and its component communities. Gammond noted that the median home price in Sisters shot up 40 percent year-to-year in April, to hit $642,500. More extraordinary is the sharp decline in inventory.

“Sisters is one of our more consistent markets,” Gammond noted, with 60 to 100 homes on the market on a consistent basis. “Starting in November 2020, that started to dive,” she said. Inventory hit 26 at the end of April, representing a 65 percent decrease. “That’s what’s crazy,” Gammond said. “You have a good investment in your property, if you’re a homeowner,” Gammond said. However, there’s a quandary facing those who want to sell their current home and buy in the area — or build a new home. You can sell for a tidy sum — but you’ll be paying a tidy sum to buy again. In addition to the tight inventory, a tremendous spike in the cost of building materials, particularly lumber, has pushed new construction costs very high, and scarcity of materials has also slowed the building process. Asked to forecast conditions, Gammond said, “I think we’re going to see tight inventory, a lot of interest — and maybe some relief next winter when lumber prices come down a little,” she said. “Mortgage rates are good, and it looks like they’ll be good at least through the year. Some

people may be able to afford a little more than they think they can.” Gammond said that a number of factors are driving high demand. COVID-19 lockdowns seem to have spurred people to take a more profound interest in “home.” People from big cities are looking for a sense of “community.” And far more people and businesses have discovered that employees can work effectively from anywhere they have a good internet connection. Gammond noted that most of the interest in Central Oregon is still coming from the Willamette Valley. Fifty percent of online views of property are coming from people in Portland, she said. In Sisters’ case, a long-anticipated growth in light industry and traded-sector employment has

arrived. Sisters has jobs coming online, outside of traditional tourist economy employment. And, of course, Central Oregon is simply a desirable place to live. “It does mean that people will move there to take them,” Gammond said. “We have a lot of factors besides just that remote work that are coming at us.” However, she noted, the socalled Zoomtown effect is “definitely a permanent part of our market now,” Gammond believes. COAR works on policy to allow for growth and development in this high-demand region, which will only increase in desirability. “We can’t do anything about the increase in demand,” Gammond noted. “But we do everything we can to increase inventory and keep up with it.”

The Nugget Newspaper

• May 19, 2021 • Partners in Real Estate

Teaming up in the real estate race Success in a highly competitive market demands teamwork. Suzanne Carvlin and Patty Cordoni have built a dynamic team at Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty in Sisters. “We give high-touch, personal service,” Carvlin said. “We don’t just list it, set it, and forget it. We’re very present — and that requires two people.” With two principal brokers involved in a transaction, backed by their own team of assistants, and the resources of Cascade Sotheby’s International Realty, Cordoni and Carvlin are in a position to help sellers get the most from their property, and buyers to have a shot at making their dreams of living in Sisters a reality. The team creates a website page for each listing, and digital home books. They can offer expert assistance with staging, checklists, and items of due diligence. With the marketing and technological resources of Cascade Sotheby’s readily at hand, listings have high visibility on the market. Behindthe-scenes support means that Cordoni and Carvlin can devote their time and effort to working directly with their clients to ensure smooth transactions.

“It’s a great seller’s market,” Cordoni said. “We keep them linked in to the real estate market on a regular basis.” “It takes a lot to stay on top of it,” Carvlin said. Buyers have to know that they are entering a highlycompetitive market. “You have to be preapproved and prepared to compete,” Carvlin said. “You really need an experienced, full-time realtor.” Carvlin notes that Sisters is experiencing a boom in both retirees and working people who have the opportunity to work remotely. And she recognizes the impact on her community. “The challenge is displacement of renters,” she said. Carvlin and Cordoni bring a high degree of professionalism and experience to bear on behalf of clients. “We both come from corporate backgrounds, so we approach this from a business standpoint,” Cordoni said. “This is not a hobby.” Some of the team’s qualities are

Patty Cordoni and her partner, Curt Kallberg, have a love for racing.

intangibles — it’s hard to quantify the value of being deeply rooted in and committed to your community. “Suzanne is so embedded in Sisters — Kiwanis, the whole community feel of it,” Cordoni said. For her part, a ranch background gives Cordoni special insight and passion for rural properties — from a hobby ranch to a major commercial operation. The team is a member of the Cascade Sotheby’s Farm, Ranch, Vineyard division. “It’s just a great collaborative group that keeps us apprised of and on top of everything in the farm-and-ranch market,” Cordoni said. While they take the work very seriously, Cordoni and Carvlin truly enjoy it — and each other. They work well together — and

know how to have fun. A part of the fun is sponsoring a racing team. Cordoni’s partner, Curt Kallberg, is an ace driver. “Patty and Curt have a real love for racing,” Carvlin said. “The next big race is July 24, in Portland,” Cordoni said. Cordoni will be out cooking for the crew. “That’s my team — I’ve got to take care of them!” she said. The racing team and the real estate team are never far apart. The racing has led them to a listing and a buyer. “That’s what real estate is,” Carvlin said. “Relationships. Relationships and service.” She might have added teamwork. The kind of teamwork required to race to the front of the pack, whether it’s on the track or in the wild ride of the Central Oregon real estate market.

Partners in Real Estate • The Nugget Newspaper • May 19, 2021

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