(Submitted by Lisa Roberts, edited.)
Buying a vacation home in Eastern Oregon may sound like a strange idea. After all, there are so many places out there where you can find a purchase a vacation home to enjoy throughout the summer. So, why should you, out of all of those places, pick Eastern Oregon? Well, we are first to say that Eastern Oregon is not suited for everyone. But, for people that enjoy nature, good people, and a quiet vacation, having a vacation home in Eastern Oregon is just the right idea.
Before buying a vacation home in Eastern Oregon
Even though we love Eastern Oregon, we wholeheartedly agree that buying a vacation home here shouldn’t be an impulsive decision. A vacation home, just like any home, is a serious investment. So, in order for it to be worthwhile, you need to do your research and properly approach the whole situation. Luckily, we are here to help you out.
Research Eastern Oregon
We’ve already written a couple of articles on what living in Eastern Oregon is like. So, we would strongly recommend that you check them out, before buying a vacation home here. Apart from that, you only need to know that Eastern Oregon is all about being small and wholesome. The largest cities in Eastern Oregon are Pendleton and Hermiston that have around 15,000-18,000 residents. So, you can imagine how quiet and down to earth people here are.
The benefits of having a vacation home in Eastern Oregon
One thing we always like to point out is how beautiful nature is in Eastern Oregon. From Alvord Desert to Wallowa Lake, there are dozens of well-known gems of nature for you to explore here. So, if you are a nature lover, spending your vacations in Eastern Oregon can be just the thing. It is not uncommon for people to come to Eastern Oregon simply to escape from big cities.
Even people from smaller communities like Idaho’s Treasure Valley choose to either come here for vacation or even plan moving here with peasleyboisemovers.com. So, trust us when we tell you that Eastern Oregon is a safe haven for nature lovers, wherever they come from. Some of the natural sights that we would recommend are:
- Wallowa lake.
- Steens Mountain.
- Alvord Desert.
- Painted Hills.
- Eagle Cap Wilderness.
Eastern Oregon real estate
If you are worrying that buying a vacation home in Eastern Oregon is going to cost you much, don’t. The median home value in Pendleton (which is among the highest in Eastern Oregon) is $193,700. Compare that to the U.S. average of $231,200 or Oregon average of $344,200, and you’ll easily realize why getting a vacation home here is definitely a cost-effective option.
We would also like to point out that real estate cost in Eastern Oregon doesn’t change much. So, even though investing in Eastern Oregon real estate can be a good idea, don’t expect to turn a huge profit. People that do come here are here to stay, which is why there isn’t that much fluctuation with real estate costs.
How to go about getting a vacation home
Now that we know more about Eastern Oregon, let’s go through the process of getting a vacation home here. The procedure itself doesn’t differ much from any other state. But, it is still vital that you follow it properly and that you don’t make any dangerous shortcuts.
Finding a real estate agent
Buying a vacation home in Eastern Oregon without having a real estate agent helping you is a fool’s errand. Even though there aren’t a lot of people here, there is a decent amount of vacation homes to choose from. And, once a good one becomes available, you can be assured that Eastern Oregon realtors notify their clients far quicker then you could ever hope to track on your own. Keep in mind that there is a decent demand for vacation homes in Eastern Oregon. So, if you want to keep up, you need to find a good local realtor to help you out.
Visiting your home before you buy it
Once you find a vacation home that seems worthwhile, we suggest that you visit it in person. Every home can be made beautiful through photos. And, if you are crafty, you can even make a decent video. So, if you want to ensure that you get a decent vacation home, make sure that you visit it in person before you buy it. Also, try to meet your future neighbors, as they can be quite valuable for keeping your vacation home in order while you are away.
What to check
Once you do visit your vacation home, there are a couple of things that you need to check. Keep in mind that the current homeowner and their realtor are trying to sell the home to you. Therefore, while they point out all the good things, but may try to hide the bad ones, it is up to you to ensure that the house is worth purchasing. Among the most important things to check are:
- Home foundation.
- Insulation.
- Roof.
- The structural integrity of your floor.
- Plugin and wiring.
A professional will come and perform a proper home inspection before you finalize your purchase. But, it doesn’t hurt for you to check the most important features of your potential home, just in case.
The final thing to consider
The thought we would like to leave you with is something that we already touched upon. And that is: what is going to happen to your home while you are away? Having a vacation home means that you’ll be spending most of the year elsewhere. Therefore, your vacation home will be empty, which leaves it open for various issues. Our advice is to find one of the companies that can maintain your home while you are away. That way, you will have a terrific home to come back to for your vacation.
