The Sisters market saw only subtle changes from March to April, with a minimal increase in inventory --which remains high -- and a slight increase in sales activity. Days on Market changed little also, for both Single Family Residences and Homes on Acreage. Meanwhile, the Average price for listed SFR listings increased slightly (from $500,457 to $508,622), and the Average price for Homes on Acreage decreased from $981,523 to $949,320. Here are a few April highlights of the Sisters market:   LISTING ACTIVITYActive Residential Listings in Sisters:  180 (100 Single Family Residences; 80 Residential with Acreage)Contingent Residential Sales in Sisters:  3 SFRPending Residential Sales in Sisters:  4 (2 SFR; 2 RW)Residential Sales in Sisters:  2 (1 SFR; 1 RW)Average Days on Market:    17... 05/14/2009

In March, the spring-market listing surge continued in Sisters, with a significant increase in inventory in Single Family Residences (from 78 to 98), with the biggest jump in the $550,000-$599,999 range (from 8 to 14 listings). Luckily, there was only a minor increase in Homes with Acreage (homes on one acre or more), which is already flooded with inventory (there's a three-year supply!). Once again, sales in both categories remain sluggish, with all pending and completed sales below $420,000. Here are a few March highlights of the Sisters market:   LISTING ACTIVITYActive Residential Listings in Sisters:  171 (98 Single Family Residences; 73 Residential with Acreage)Contingent Residential Sales in Sisters:  1 RWPending Residential Sales in Sisters:  3 (2 SFR; 1 RW)Residential Sales in S... 04/08/2009

In February, it appeared that Sisters sellers were already anticipating the spring market surge; there was an increase in inventory in both Single Family Residences and Homes with Acreage (homes on one acre or more). Unfortunately, there wasn't a comparable increase in sales -- in fact, there was a slight decrease in sales, from a total of four pending sales and seven completed sales in January to one contingent sale, two pending sales and three completed sales in February. On the plus side: Average Days on Market for both categories of Active Listings were slightly down from January's numbers.   Below are a few February highlights of the Sisters market. LISTING ACTIVITYActive Residential Listings in Sisters:  150 (78 Single Family Residences; 72 Residential with Acreage)Contingent Resi... 03/14/2009

I'm guessing that when the folks who proposed building two destination resorts in Jefferson County's Metolius River Basin initially developed their master plans, they had no idea of the intensity with which the plans would be debated. But, in fact, the discussion about destination resorts and their place (or lack thereof) in Jefferson County just seems to be getting more complicated. It all started in January 2007, when the Jefferson County Commission signed off a new comprehensive plan that included two proposed destination resorts (a first for Jefferson County): The Metolian, a 627-acre project northeast of Suttle Lake by Dutch Pacific Resources LLC that would include 180 lodging units and 450 residences; and The Ponderosa, a 3,000-acre, 2,500-unit project along Green Ridge, owned by ... 03/02/2009

After two years of planning (and, at times, spirited debate), the new post office opened in Sisters this morning. It's been a long time coming: The move was first announced in 2007, after the USPS determined that the existing site on Fir Street couldn't meet the future needs of the community. The Postal Service broke ground on the site last summer. Many residents were initially put off with the idea of moving the post office from the south side of town (the hub of downtown activity) to the north side (the town's industrial hinterland). But after an unsuccessful pitch from then-mayor Brad Boyd for home delivery, the postal service agreed to install cluster mailboxes on the south side of town for those who preferred not to make that cross-town trek. Like all city buildings in Sisters, th... 03/02/2009

When it comes to the Sisters real estate market in January, it was a tale of two markets: Residential (Single Family Residences) vs. Residential with Acreage (homes on one acre or more). On the one hand, the number of SFR listings decreased, from 73 to 70, and the number of pending and closed sales increased, from seven to 11. That's good news for sellers and the market in general. On the other hand, the number of Acreage listings increased, from 59 to 66, and the number of its pending and closed sales decreased, from three to zero. Yikes! Let's hope that's not a trend that continues. Below are a few January highlights of the Sisters market. LISTING ACTIVITYActive Residential Listings in Sisters:  136 (70 Single Family Residences; 66 Residential with Acreage)Pending Residential Sales in... 02/18/2009

Folks who'd like to combine a good time with a good cause are encouraged to attend a benefit concert for Sisters residents Doug and Katie Cavanaugh on Feb 27 at Three Creeks Brewery. Last month, a devastating fire in the early hours of Jan. 22 destroyed the workshop that housed Doug's business, Cavanaugh Logging, along the couple's music venue, Harmony House (Katie, a former Realtor with Coldwell-Banker Reed Bros., in Sisters, is also a well-known folk singer-songwriter, who performs often with Doug). The fire, which was started by an electrical short-circuit, not only leveled the workshop but destroyed several vehicles, Doug's tools and much of his logging equipment. Insurance won't cover the cost of rebuilding the shop, which was deemed a total loss. Shortly after the fire, the Sister... 02/16/2009

    Central Oregon received its first big snow in December -- just in time for Christmas. Meanwhile, the Sisters real estate market continued to cool. It was nice to see yet another dip in the number of listings (down from a summer high of 243 in July to 132 in November). No one should be too surprised to find a slight decrease in the number of sales (from a high of 11 in June and July to seven in December). Below are a few December highlights of the Sisters market. LISTING ACTIVITYActive Residential Listings in Sisters:  132 (73 Single Family Residences; 59 Residential with Acreage)Pending Residential Sales in Sisters:  2 (0 SFR; 2 RW)Residential Sales in Sisters:  7 (4 SFR; 3 RW)Average Days on Market:   231 days for Active SFR listings;                                        257 day... 01/23/2009

    Well, we've weathered two snowstorms since last week, and it looks like the third is on its way tonight. Definitely a white Christmas here in Central Oregon! The photo for the card above was taken on Tuesday, just outside the boundary of one of my clients' horse properties in Sisters. I encountered a large herd just after showing the property to a couple who gamely  forged through a foot of snow to survey several outbuildings. A beautiful sight to behold. Merry Christmas to all,.. 12/25/2008

    With winter approaching, the Sisters real estate market again experienced only minor changes. In November, we continued to see a dip in the number of listings (down from a summer high of 243 in July to 170 in November), but the number of sales again decreased slightly (from a high of 11 in June and July to eight in November). Below are a few November highlights of the Sisters market: LISTING ACTIVITYActive Residential Listings in Sisters:  170 (100 Single Family Residences; 70 Residential with Acreage)Pending Residential Sales in Sisters:  5 (4 SFR; 1 RW)Residential Sales in Sisters:  8 (7 SFR; 1 RW)Average Days on Market:      213 days for Active SFR listings;                                            232 days for Active RW listings;                                            218... 12/23/2008

It's Soup Night at Sisters Coffee! On the third Friday of each winter month, Sisters Coffee Co., hosts an evening of free food and fellowship for the Sisters community. The idea was the brainchild of my fellow RE/MAX Town & Country agent, Carol Doyel, as her way of giving back to the community. So everyone in town is invited to meet at Sisters Coffee Co. -- which graciously offered to host the recurring event -- bring a loaf of bread, and share in a homemade bowl of soup (usually, there are three or four options) -- for free. The festivities begin at 6 p.m.; with Redmond-based Christian singer Rhonda Funk performing at 6:30. Usually, this event draws a good crowd, so plan to arrive on time, if you want to avoid a long line. For more information, call 549-0527. About the Author:Lisa Broa... 11/21/2008

As summer transitions into fall, the Sisters real estate market continues to experience only minor changes. We did see another slight dip in the number of listings (down from a summer high of 243 in July to 192 in October), but there was also a slight decrease in the number of sales (from a high of 11 in June and July to eight in October). The high volume of inventory -- an 18-month supply of Single Family Residences and a 36-month supply of homes on one acre or more -- continues to be a concern for sellers here, while the many options in a broad range of price points should appeal to potential buyers. Below are a few October highlights of the Sisters market. LISTING ACTIVITYActive Residential Listings in Sisters:  192 (115 Single Family Residences; 77 Residential with Acreage)Pending R... 11/14/2008

This morning at 7 a.m., under unusually threatening skies, the new Ray's Food Place opened in Sisters (just a block from the old Ray's). And what a scene it was! When I arrived at 9 a.m., the place was packed with folks checking out the new digs. As required by city code, the store boasts an 1880s frontier-type façade; however, Sisters has never before seen a Western scene quite on this grand a scale: 43,500 square feet, to be exact. That's almost twice the size of the former Ray's. In truth, the center's block-long sprawl is a bit daunting, although the store's series of mock rooflines (which probably spans more distance than most 1880s downtowns) does help keep the place from feeling like a generic big-box supercenter.   Inside, there's plenty to love about this Ray's: the massive pro... 11/12/2008

At last Thursday's monthly Realtor meeting with Sisters Planning Director Eric Porter, consulting planner Susanna Julber discussed some of the details of the new Sisters Housing Plan. The plan is part of the city's Comprehensive Plan Policy (which was adopted in 2005) and is designed to ensure that Sisters' long-range plan includes an adequate supply of affordable housing. The goal of the Housing Plan is "to explore and recommend how one in 10 of all new housing units built in the City by 2025 can be made affordable to families with low incomes." Here in Sisters, that's no mean feat. Nationally, "Affordable Housing" is defined as that in which residents spend no more than 30 percent of their gross household incomes on housing-related expenses. Since the Sisters Area Median Income (AMI) ... 10/28/2008

We've had a busy summer in Sisters, but it's still definitely a buyer's market, with expansive inventory in both single family residences and homes on acreage. However, we did experience another slight dip in the number of listings (down from 243 in July to 212 in September). And that decrease should continue into the winter months, when many buyers opt to hibernate, and sellers either pull their homes off the market or wait until spring to list. Here are a few September highlights: Active Residential Listings in Sisters:  212 (127 Single Family Residences; 85 Residential with Acreage) Pending Residential Sales in Sisters:  7 (4 SFR; 3 RW) Residential Sales in Sisters:  10 (7 SFR; 3 RW) Average Days on Market: 159 days for Active SFR listings                                            ... 10/15/2008

No, they haven't begun the reroute of Highway 20 so that it bypasses downtown Sisters, although her downtown streets are dotted with orange cones these days. In case you've recently traveled through town amid the maze, you've probably wondered what exactly is going on. Well, a couple of things: first, an ongoing sidewalk improvement project is in the works; and the confusing five-way intersection at Cascade, Cedar and Larch is being reconfigured into a simpler four-way set-up. But the discussion about exactly how to handle the ever-increasing traffic that funnels through town on its way to other Central Oregon locales is about to heat up (again). In the next few months, the City of Sisters will attempt to finalize its Transportation System Plan (TSP), which will address that problem. F... 10/01/2008

Yep, it's deer season. And here in Central Oregon, that doesn't just mean that hunters are on the lookout for our dear four-legged friends. Earlier this week I almost ran into a herd in my driveway -- literally (see photo, right). We have a fairly regular gang that enjoys meandering along the nearby irrigation canal and then plucking pears from our single fruit tree in the back yard. Yesterday, I passed a herd of at least a dozen clustered in a 10-acre field in Tumalo, munching on a neighbor's freshly cut hay; and today one leapt out in front of my car and zipped across the road as I was about to show property in a rural subdivision a few miles outside Sisters. All of which prompted me to remind everyone in the area to please take it slow when you're driving through Central Oregon this ... 09/19/2008

Most folks who are familiar with Sisters have at least heard of, if not attended, the famous Sisters Rodeo, which takes place each summer during the second weekend of June. Well, now a new fall rodeo tradition seems to be in the works. Hot on the heels of last weekend's venerable Pendleton Round-up in Eastern Oregon comes the new kid on the block: the Northwest Pro Rodeo Finals, which debuts its second season in Sisters this weekend (and for which my office, RE/MAX Town & Country Realty, serves as a main sponsor). Also located at the Sisters Rodeo Grounds, the event brings together the best of the regional cowboys for Northwest Professional Rodeo Association's annual finals in six main events. (The Northwest Professional Rodeo Association is the western United States' largest regional r... 09/18/2008

The August 2008 real estate statistics for Sisters, Oregon showed more of the same summer story here in Central Oregon: Buyers are in charge, with more than 230 residential listings to choose from and numerous options in just about every price point, from $200,000 to $2 million and up. However, a slight dip in the number of listings from July to August (from 243 to 232) may provide sellers a bit of a break. As we approach the winter months, that number should continue to level off. Here's a closer look at what's happening in the Sisters real estate market: InventoryIn August, the hefty inventory declined slightly in Sisters, primarily in Active Residential With Acreage listings: As of August 31, there were 144 Active Single Family Residence listings (down from 146 in July) and 88 Active... 09/17/2008

What can we learn from the July 2008 real estate statistics for Sisters, Oregon? The summer in Sisters is shaping up to be an extremely strong buyer's market and a real challenge for many sellers. Here's a closer look at what's happening in the Sisters real estate market: InventorySince June, an already hefty inventory continued to rise in Sisters: As of July 31, there were 146 Active Single Family Residence listings and 97 Active Residential With Acreage listings (homes on one acre or more). Taking into consideration the number of sales during the previous 12-month cycle (97 SFR sales and 26 RW sales), that equates to an 18-month supply of Single Family Residences and a 44-month supply of homes on one acre or more. (A balanced market is one that has about a six-month supply of listings... 08/18/2008