July 2025 Central Oregon Real Estate Market Update
Advice for Buyers, Sellers, and Agents – Just Write It Up!
For Buyers
We’re continuing to see a downtick in market activity across Central Oregon. Current economic conditions are impacting buyers at most price points, but deals are still happening – they’re just trending downward in pricing as summer supply builds.
Remember, in this market you often have 2-3 chances to negotiate – when writing your initial offer, during inspections, and sometimes after appraisal (though low appraisals remain relatively rare). Use each stage thoughtfully to strengthen your position and keep deals moving forward.
For Sellers
As always, properties priced to sell are selling, but that does not mean they are priced super low with the only goal being a quick sale… not all Realtors are jerks… promise. In today’s market, homes priced purely to maximize seller proceeds are sitting longer and risking getting even less than if you just priced “right” from the beginning. That said, if you want to start “a little high” do it, just reduce quickly – there is not data telling us that reductions kill value, but days on market does…
Ask yourself:
- Is online traffic strong?
- Are showings happening?
- Are showings leading to offers?
If not, something is off. There are unique homes and situations where this does not apply, but for 90% of listings, it does. Listen to what the market is telling you and adjust accordingly, and do it quickly.
For Agents – Just Write It Up!
Here’s a quick word for my fellow agents: Just Write It Up.
Recently I’ve had sellers simply hoping for any written offer, even if it starts way lower than asking. At least with something on paper, they can negotiate and explore options to keep a buyer engaged. Too often, buyers and agents hesitate to write an offer they think is too low, so they don’t – and everyone misses an opportunity.
Additionally, I’ve had agents call with verbal offers – “Would your sellers take $400k cash?” I get the reasoning behind floating it verbally first, and there’s a time and place for that, but most sellers need to see the full written terms to make a real decision. Without a formal offer, you may be doing your clients a disservice.
In the past month, I had two situations:
- I asked an agent to write up an offer because it would help my seller evaluate the full picture. The agent replied that she “didn’t need the practice if it would just be rejected.” Needless to say, that deal went nowhere.
- Another agent was willing to write it up, but once she dug into the terms, it turned out her buyer didn’t actually have the funds they claimed and wasn’t ready to purchase.
At the end of the day, writing an offer takes an experienced agent about 15 minutes, and it gives the listing agent a chance to present an intelligent, actionable proposal to their seller. So my advice this month to agents: Just Write It Up.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re buying, selling, or representing clients this month, stay realistic, responsive, and proactive. If you ever need candid market advice, a pricing review, or strategy brainstorming for your listings, reach out anytime – we’re here to support you in navigating today’s market.
Let’s Get Moving!