Bend Oregon Real Estate Firm Wins Harcourts USA Sales Awards

Earlier this month, several of our agents (and our firm as a whole!) received awards from Harcourts USA for superior performance during the third quarter of 2014. As the very first location for the international real estate group in the Pacific Northwest, we were very proud to have been able to hit the ground running in our local community.

Several of our team members attended the awards ceremony recently at the Harcourts USA fall conference in Carlsbad, CA. We received the following recognition: 

• Harcourts The Garner Group real estate agency won a Platinum Award for outstanding performance as a company
• Shelley Griffin, broker, received awards as No. 4 sales consultant and No. 2 listing agent among all Harcourts USA offices, plus a Platinum Award for sales performance. 
• Broker Carol Donohoe won a Gold Award and a Top 20 award for placing 19th in sales.
• Other quarterly award recipients were: Rob Davis, Gold; Janis Grout, Silver; and Alison Garner-Mata, Sean Haidet, Suzanne Iselin, Lauri Miller and Angela Tweedie, Bronze.

This was the first full quarter for measurement of sales performance since Harcourts The Garner Group became affiliated with the global Harcourts organization in June. More than 780 offices worldwide display the Harcourts brand, including 21 offices in California, Nevada and Oregon.

“We were competing against Southern California agencies with listing portfolios of multi-million dollar homes,” observed Sandy Garner, president and CEO of Harcourts The Garner Group. “I’m really proud of the way our Bend agents compare with those in other markets.”

Go team! 

Bend, Oregon: Win a Standup Paddleboard from Stand On Liquid!

It's so easy! Just visit our open houses (check our Facebook page for details) over the next two weekends and enter your name to win. We'll draw a winner at the August 30th NorthWest Crossing Farmers Market. Check out the flier below for details and we'll see you on the water! 

Net Hope Project Benefits St Charles Foundation

A few months ago, we announced a fantastic project made possible by several local companies and individuals dubbed "Net Hope." This one-of-a-kind fundraiser is a  zero energy home being built to benefit St. Charles Foundation and the St. Charles Cancer Center. Net Hopereceived a big financial boost recently when Sunlight Solar Energy Inc. presented a $9,000 donation to the fund.

Home builder David Hesla of Seven Bridge Signature Homes, and property owners Joe Emerson and Ann Brayfield of zerohomes.org are building the three-bedroom contemporary-style home at 61076 Ruby Peak Lane in Bend’s Hidden Hills neighborhood. The builder and seller will donate proceeds from its sale to St. Charles Foundation for cancer support services and nurse navigation to help patients and their families who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis. The partners hope to make this an annual project.

The home is designed to produce as much electrical energy as it consumes over the course of a year. Sunlight Solar Energy Inc. is supplying and installing SolarWorld photovoltaic panels made in Hillsboro, Ore. Proceeds from the sale, including direct donations of materials, services and funds, will go to St. Charles Foundation to help underwrite outpatient support services for patients and families who are dealing with cancer. 

The home will be on display during the 2014 COBA Tour of Homes™ July 18-20 and July 25-27. We are excited to be marketing the home, visit our new Harcourts The Garner Group Real Estate of Bend website for more information.

Joe Mazzarella, right, system designer with Sunlight Solar Energy Inc., presents replica check for $9,000 to Corinne Martinez, right, and Lisa Dobey, center, representing St. Charles Foundation. Dobey is Executive Director of the foundation and Martinez is a member of the foundation’s board of directors.

The Garner Group Real Estate Is First Oregon Location for Harcourts

We're excited to announce that we have entered a franchise relationship with Harcourts USA, a division of Harcourts International LTD! We're still locally owned and operated by the Garners, but we'll have fantastic new real estate resources available to us through this new relationship. 

The main body of our news release is below, and will give some background information on this exciting new development: 

Harcourts, which was founded in New Zealand in 1888, is an international real estate company with offices all around the world. The Garner Group is the first location for the company in the Pacific Northwest and will be instrumental in bringing Harcourts to Oregon as the company pursues its expansion strategy.

Sandy Garner, owner of The Garner Group Real Estate who has 35 years of experience in the Central Oregon real estate industry, said, “When Harcourts approached us about entering into an agreement, we quickly found that our company cultures and values fit together well. While fitting in with our goals of putting people first, Harcourts also provides the industry-leading technological expertise and training programs we needed. I’ve known the people at Harcourts for 20 years and putting our trust in them was a logical step as we continue to grow our office.”

As a franchisee, The Garner Group Real Estate will have access to the company’s vast resources, including: state-of-the-art business management systems; an array of in-person and online training resources; industry-leading software and tools; and the largest real estate network in the world. Garner said that this platform of comprehensive services will allow her agents and staff to concentrate more on their core business of giving clients top service and attention.

Founded and owned by local real estate experts Sandy and Jay Garner in 2008, The Garner Group Real Estate will continue in its core mission of providing unparalleled expertise, service and value to clients. The company’s Bend, Oregon office represents three generations of the Garner family, and currently is home to more than 25 employees and agents.

The Garner Group Real Estate plans to co-brand with Harcourts and will be changing its name to “Harcourts The Garner Group Real Estate.” An unveiling of the new brand will be held in a few weeks at the company’s headquarters at 2762 NW Crossing Dr., Suite 100, in Bend, Oregon’s NorthWest Crossing neighborhood. http://www.thegarnergroup.com.

About Harcourts

Founded in 1888 in New Zealand by John B. Harcourt, Harcourts has been identified as one of the top five real estate brands in the world by Stefen Swanepoel, author of the Swanepoel Trends Report. The company introduced its current franchise model in 1988, expanded to Australia in 1997 and quickly grew to 170 offices between the two countries. Currently, Harcourts has 800 company and franchise offices in eight countries: New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Fiji, China, Hong Kong, South Africa and the United States. www.harcourtsusa.com

Net Hope: Bend, Oregon Team Comes Together To Support Cancer Patients

We had a beautiful morning to celebrate the ceremonial ground-breaking of a "ground breaking" new project: "Net Hope--A Community Collaboration Supporting St. Charles Cancer Center and Zero Net Energy Homes.” We're so proud of this fantastic project! Below is the press release that went out today explaining the new project and its partners. 

Seven Bridge Signature Homes, ZeroHomes.org, St. Charles Foundation and The Garner Group Real Estate came together to create this unique collaboration in Bend’s new Hidden Hills neighborhood. The new project, dubbed “Net Hope--A Community Collaboration Supporting St. Charles Cancer Center and Zero Net Energy Homes” will start with the construction and sale of a zero-energy home, which will benefit cancer services in Central Oregon through St. Charles Foundation.  

David Hesla, owner of Seven Bridge Signature Homes, came up with the concept when his own neighbor found limited resources during her husband’s fight with cancer. He said, “I have been involved in charitable endeavors in the past, so I started talking with others in the industry about my idea to help cancer patients and their families.” And the “Net Hope” project was born.

Hesla began working with David Sailors, a licensed broker at The Garner Group, who introduced him to the founders of ZeroHomes.org, Joe Emerson and Ann Brayfield. The three-bedroom contemporary style home he is building for this charitable project will demonstrate how the zero-energy concept can be affordable to the average buyer.

Zero energy homes produce more energy than they consume in the summer, creating an energy credit the owner can use in the winter. “The home produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year,” Emerson said. “It will have solar photovoltaic panels and thick walls filled with insulation. It will be airtight and have energy-efficient appliances and lighting. It is healthier for the environment, healthier for its occupants and healthier for the owner’s pocketbook than standard construction.”

Sailors and The Garner Group will be marketing the home. “This is an exciting opportunity to show the community the benefits of a zero energy home and help local people in need,” Sailors said.

The new home will be located at 61076 Ruby Peak Lane, and will be completed by mid-summer in time for the Central Oregon Builders Association Tour of Homes. The builder and seller will donate proceeds from its sale to St. Charles Foundation for cancer support services and nurse navigation to help patients and their families who are dealing with a cancer diagnosis. The partners hope to make this an annual project.

Top 5 Things You Need to Do When Selling Your Home

Cleaning up your act may seem like common sense when putting your home on the market, but many real estate agents will attest to the fact that numerous homes on the market miss the mark. In a brief (and decidedly unscientific) survey of a cross-section of our agents at The Garner Group, some common themes quickly emerged when it came to advice for home sellers. So, if you are selling your home, remember this practical advice for the top five things you can do to have good showings and, ultimately, sell your home!

Number Five:  Do the Repairs
If you know what home repairs need to be completed, do them before you list your home for sale.  If not, take the initiative and have a home inspection done on your dime. The inspector may find things you weren’t even aware of, and fixing them could help you close a sale when it comes right down to it.

Number Four: Curb Appeal
Clean up the outside. Curb appeal and first impressions are literally enough to make or break a sale. If buyers don’t like what they see when they first pull up, it is unlikely that they will even come inside, or – if they do make it inside – their minds will already be made up on the property.  And it won’t be in your favor.

Number Three: Price It Right
Listen to your agent – he or she is an expert in market values in your area. Do some research and market analysis on your own and you’ll have a good chance at landing on a fair price that will move your home quickly. Markets are always shifting and changing so having someone whose scrutinizes the real estate industry daily on your side is a big plus.

Number Two: Make it Smell Nice
Get a thorough cleaning by a professional before you list your home. This will give you a good starting point as you keep your home at “showable” quality throughout the sales process. If someone walks in a house that isn’t clean, or smells bad, it is an instant turnoff. Make sure there are no pet odors and that garbage has been taken out regularly. Our sense of smell affects every other sense in the body – including the desire to buy (or not buy) a home.

Number One: Clear the Clutter
Far and away, the number one piece of advice from experienced agents to home sellers: clean up your act. De-clutter, organize, get rid of your personal belongings – even if you have to rent a storage unit. Buyers want to envision the home with their own things inside of it, and that’s hard to do if a seller’s items are strewn all about. 

For more tips on Bend, Oregon real estate, visit us at The Garner Group Real Estate! 

MUSE Conference in Bend, Oregon: Proud Sponsor

We're always looking for meaningful ways to be involved in our community of Bend, Oregon, and that's why we're so excited about our second year of sponsorship for the MUSE Conference. This annual women's conference was designed to support and celebrate girls and women - inspiring them to create positive change in their lives and in the world. The Garner Group - and the whole community - is welcoming the conference back to Bend this March 7-9. 

Track the MUSE Conference on social media for all the latest updates - they are bringing in some amazing activists, artists, educators and visionaries. Just a few of the presenters on the three-day docket include: Zainab Salbi, the founder of Women for Women International; Amy Richards, co-founder of the Third Wave Foundation, a national organization for young feminist activists; and Lynne Twist, a recognized global visionary and author who once worked with Mother Teresa in Calcutta. 

So gather up your sisters, mothers, girlfriends, daughters and muses and make sure to attend this fantastic conference - a key example of the wonderful things we can bring into our community if we all work together. 

Congratulations to One Of Our Own! Bend, Oregon Girl Heads to the Big Apple

The Garner Group salutes Katie Wise, daughter of one of our own brokers Christina Wise, for a singular accomplishment. Katie, a proud Bend High School Lava Bear, was the only girl in Oregon chosen to perform with the Honors Choir in the 2014 High School Performance Series at Carnegie Hall.

The talented young soprano spent five days in New York City. She joined students from North America and abroad who rehearsed and performed with master conductors and performed before invited representatives of collegiate and professional music programs. High point of the week will be a concert by the Honors Choir at Carnegie Hall Feb. 9. New York sightseeing and Broadway musicals were also on the agenda.

Katie auditioned last fall for the Honors Performance Series and was accepted after a review by the Honors Selection Board. “Being selected to the Honors Performance Series is something each finalist should be extremely proud of accomplishing,”said Morgan Smith, program director. “We process thousands of applications annually, selecting only the most talented performers applying on an international level.”

Katie studies music with Angelina Anello-Dennee of Bend and is a member of the Vocal Ensemble and Bend Freshman Choir. She also is active in track, honors scholastics and Musical Impressions.

Congratulations Katie! 

Realtor of the Year Award in Bend, Oregon

We are so humbled and honored that the Central Oregon Builders Association (COBA) has awarded The Garner Group Real Estate LLC with the "2013 Realtor of the Year" award. 

The 2013 COBA Excellence Awards were presented Jan. 23 at the association’s annual awards night gala. COBA presented Excellence Awards in 28 categories.

Our president Sandy Garner, said, “We are grateful for this recognition. New construction has been a major part of our business through the years and our agents have been privileged to work with many of Central Oregon’s finest home builders.”

She noted that the revival of the real estate market over the past year has given builders the opportunity to help ease low inventories. “New construction represented 21 percent of total residential sales in Bend last year, versus 14 percent in 2012,” she said.

The Garner Group is a proud member of COBA and has been a sponsor of the annual COBA Tour of Homes in recent years.

(We're sorry our blog has had a bad case of the "crickets" in the past few months, but we now have some exciting news to share with our Bend, Oregon community! We're BACK! Look here for regular updates in the coming weeks.)

The Garner Group Real Estate in Bend, Oregon Welcomes Two New Agents

We're excited to welcome Lauri Miller and Christina Wise to our Bend, Oregon real estate team!  They each bring lengthy experience in different segments of the real estate industry.

A Central Oregon resident since 1987, Lauri Miller has a lengthy background as a Certified Public Accountant. She served for 19 years as Chief Financial Officer of Eagle Crest Resort, accumulating experience on the financial side of real estate development. Later, as a consultant, she was interim Financial Director for the city of Redmond. Lauri has been active in several community organizations and is currently a member of the St. Charles Health System Board of Directors. Lauri lives in Bend with her husband, Charley Miller, and a canine family member, Porter. They have two grown daughters: Campbell, a recent Dartmouth College graduate, lives in New York City. Shelby is attending Lewis & Clark College in Portland. 

With over 20 years of experience in fields related to real estate, Christina Wise has gained extensive knowledge of the industry. She has title and mortgage company experience and held a real estate license in Washington state before moving to Bend in 2000. She earned her Oregon broker’s license in 2001 and returned to real estate sales in 2010 after holding marketing and sales positions in the title industry. She is a native of Portland, Oregon and studied in Eugene before starting her career. Christina has two grown sons, David and Joseph, and a teenage daughter, Katie. While she participates in numerous Central Oregon outdoor recreation, fitness and community activities, Christina’s passion is softball. She has played for 30 years and currently plays league softball with Bend Parks and Recreation. She is an avid supporter of local high school sports and music programs.

Gains, Rises, Up! That's How We Describe the Bend, Oregon Real Estate Market

When we sat down and analyzed recent numbers and statistics, we saw increases across several key categories compared to a year ago. New construction sales were up 75% and represent 21% of total home sales for the year so far, measured early this month. 
During the same period a year ago, new construction sales accounted for 13% of the total. The average sale price for the period increased by 23%.

In NorthWest Crossing, building activity is influencing the numbers and causing sharper percentage changes. Overall, prices are rising and total sales are up.  

More on the positive front, for all properties throughout the Central Oregon MLS area, sales totaled 3,142, 8.3% above the first half of 2012. Dollar volume and volume of sales were also up - 11.3% and 39.2%, respectively, above comparable 2012 figures.

July marked a high spot in a 12-month snapshot of the market. Keeping up with demand, permits for new construction are rising sharply, with a gain of 79.7% over last year. New home construction has increased every year since bottoming out in 2009, when 68 permits were issued. Charts containing more information may be viewed by clicking here.

 Want to know more? Our monthly Central Oregon News Digest has a wealth of fantastic information on the market, locally and nationally. You can sign up on our website. 

One More Weekend for COBA Tour of Homes in Bend, Oregon

You have one more weekend to visit us at the Central Oregon Builders Association Tour of Homes! We are proud to be the presenting sponsor of this event! You can come see us at any of the following homes on the tour, and we'll be happy to show you around some of the best examples of Bend, Oregon real estate. Many of the homes we represented won awards for the tour. We are so proud of all our builders! Congratulations! 

• 2341 NW Floyd Lane, NorthWest Crossing. Tyee Development Inc.
• 2155 NW Lemhi Pass Drive, NorthWest Crossing. Leader Builders LLC
• Best Architectural Design
• Best Feature (Interior Architecture)
• 2355 NW Floyd Lane, NorthWest Crossing. Stone Bridge Homes NW
• 2487 NW Drouillard Avenue, NorthWest Crossing. Makena Custom Homes
• Best Landscaping
• 20528 Avro Place, Woodhill Park. Woodhill Homes Inc
• Best Interior Finish
• Best Master Suite
• Best Value
• Best of Show
• 1352 NW Elgin Avenue, Northwest Bend. Woodhill Homes Inc.
• Best Landscaping

Check here for a complete list of winners. 

Prices Rise, Inventories Low in Bend, Oregon Real Estate

At the risk of sounding repetitive, we have more fairly good news to report for the Bend, Oregon real estate market. As we recently reported in our monthly eNewsletter, Bend home prices continue to rise as inventories stay low. You'll notice some trends in the chart below.

Prices continue to chart an upward trajectory. The average sale price for a home and the average price per square foot in the Bend area YTD are over 20% above the same period a year ago. The gain in NorthWest Crossing is slightly less but still comfortably within double digits. The average price in NorthWest Crossing YTD is 49.1% above the average for the Bend area as a whole.

New construction sales have increased by nearly 90% and represent 22.4% of all home sales in the Bend area. Rising land and material costs are applying upward pressure to new home prices. 

On a national level, data reveals a growth gap between new and existing homes, a byproduct of low inventory levels that are plaguing the industry from coast to coast. Single-family resales were up 9% over April 2012 while new single-family home sales charted a 29% increase. Single-family housing starts, building permits and new home sales also were up sharply over the rates recorded 12 months before.

This is all good news, but buyers may have a harder time finding completed homes with the low inventories as our builders try to keep up. Now's the time to start looking! 

More Good News! Bend, Oregon Real Estate Rocks

Bend, Oregon real estate is hot right now. We're excited to see the market shifting, which is creating some unique "problems" like low inventory. The classic laws of economics can be seen at work, as this low supply is driving up prices on residential real estate listings. New home construction is continuing to rise, helping to alleviate some of the inventory demands (new construction sales have increased by 65% over last year), but constraints remain.

Active residential listings at the beginning of May were 18% below the same point a year ago. Last month the gap was 8.5%. This is pushing the number of sales down in comparison with last year at this time. The current inventory calculation is three months.Average year-to-date sale prices in Bend are 27% above last year at this time, with the price per square foot up a similar amount. This calculation is similar to CoreLogic index figures for the Bend Metropolitan Statistical Area, released May 7, that show March prices up 3.3% from the previous month and 19.8% over March 2012.

The inventory pinch is not the only factor supporting higher prices. Building material costs are rising across the country. National Assn. of Home Builders chief economist David Crowe said prices of gypsum, softwood lumber and concrete are running above 90% of housing boom levels. This is causing home construction costs to rise faster than appraised values.

Don't get our eNewsletter yet? It's packed with awesome statistics and news that affects you! Sign up here: http://www.thegarnergroup.com/newsletterrequest

Green Real Estate in Bend, Oregon: The Garner Group

It's not a secret that we pride ourselves on a real focus on sustainability here at The Garner Group Real Estate. Our brokers put in the time it takes to educate themselves (and their clients) about the benefits to buying "green" to make sure everyone can make informed decisions when it comes to purchasing a new home. Last month, nine of our brokers have earned the Earth Advantage STAR designation from the Earth Advantage Institute - bringing our total number of STAR agents on staff to a whopping ELEVEN!  

The certification was granted following a course of training that included classroom lectures, visits to green building sites and a final examination. “STAR” stands for Sustainability Training for Accredited Real Estate Professionals.

The training enables the brokers to identify home features and building products that provide greater energy, water and resource efficiency and create a healthier living environment for their clients. The newly-minted EA STAR agents at The Garner Group are:

·         John Anderson

·         Erin Campbell

·         Victoria Davis

·         Shelley Griffin

·         Sean Haidet

·         Suzanne Iselin

·         Melody Lessar

·         Alison Mata

·         Angela Tweedie

( Jody Tuttle and Phyllis Mageau earned the designation at an earlier date.) 

As we said, green real estate is a priority at the firm, with several other agents demonstrating their commitment to serving the green building market by completing an advanced training program conducted by the National Association of Realtors. Lessar, Griffin, Mata and Tuttle have earned the association’s GREEN broker designation, along with Carol Donohoe, Matt Garner, Patsy Roome, Rob Davis and managing principal broker Sara LaFaver. All individuals are licensed Oregon brokers with The Garner Group Real Estate LLC in Bend, Oregon. 

Congratulations everyone!

Shelley Griffin

John Anderson

Suzanne Iselin

Erin Campbell

Alison Mata

Melody Lessar

Sean Haidet

Victoria Davis

Angela Tweedie

Brokers Receive New Certifications

Three of our fantastic brokers have earned new certifications to help serve you even better! 

Sandy Garner, owner of the Bend, Oregon real estate firm, said, “Continuing education has always been a big part of our culture as a company. We believe that staying abreast of all the latest trends and information in the real estate industry is vital in providing the very best service to our clients.”

Alison Mata and Melody Lessar, who are both National Association of Realtors (NAR) certified GREEN brokers, have recently earned NAR’s Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR) certification. This designation is awarded upon completion of an advanced course of study that focuses on the objectives of home buyers. Specifically, the program:

- Elevates the overall understanding and knowledge of the home buyer;

- Provides ongoing specialized information, programs, trends and updates regarding home buyers and their needs;

- Allows certified agents to access members-only online marketing tools and resources.

In addition, broker Carol Donohoe, who is also GREEN certified, has earned membership in the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing. To earn this status, she completed special training designed to build skills in the marketing of luxury homes and estate properties. The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing is the premier independent authority in training and certification for real estate agents working in the luxury residential market. 

Congratulations! 

Low Inventories & Strong Prices for Bend, Oregon Real Estate

Continuing on it's upward swing - along with the rest of the nation - the Bend, Oregon housing
market report is still positive. The only "negative"? Low inventories are making it hard for some buyers to find what they're looking for, thus affecting total number of transactions recorded. Yet, with the laws of supply and demand, this phenomenon is keeping prices strong.

Low inventories might not last, as builders are taking up the slack: new construction represented 27% of homes sold so far this year, nearly double last year at this time. According to a recent article in realtormag.com, construction job growth is marking recovery. "While commercial construction job growth is most impressive—a 3.1 percent seasonally-adjusted gain over year-ago figures and an addition of 15,500 jobs in the past 3 months—residential construction employment isn't lagging too far behind. The sector was up 0.6 percent over the last 3 months, reflecting the 3,300 jobs added over that time."


In the Bend, Oregon real estate market, sale prices remain strong. The average sale price in Bend year-to-date in 2013 was 18.7% above the same period in 2012. The average sale price in NorthWest Crossing was 5.7% above YTD 2012 and 39.5% higher than the Bend area. Active residential listings in a March 5 snapshot were 17.3% behind last year and represent 2.5 months of inventory. The national absorption rate is tracking downward at 4.2 months.

Calculations above and figures in the accompanying table are based on Central Oregon Multiple Listing Service data. They represent single-family detached homes on less than one acre in the greater Bend area extending from Tumalo to Alfalfa.

Want to learn more? Visit our website at thegarnergroup.com or follow all the latest news on our Facebook page.

Housing Economics Improve on a National Level...

And Bend, Oregon real estate is on the same curve!

We've been reviewing news from around the country, and are happy to report that the sentiment for housing and real estate is trending optimistic and positive. In fact, the top headlines today on realtor.com are putting smiles on our faces - check it out:

If you don't follow us on Facebook, you should. We often post news that catches our eye and can help you make educated decisions when it comes to your real estate future. Recently, in the Los Angeles Times, an article reported that median prices are showing biggest gains since 2005 and USA Today said that housing is the key to future job growth.

Want to know more? Contact us today at info@thegarnergroup.com or call 541-383-4360.

Bend, Oregon Real Estate Continues to Strengthen

We never get tired of reporting good news! And the Bend, Oregon housing market has definitely had a lot of good news lately. Firmer prices and more home sales are just a couple of the trends we're seeing here locally: home sales and prices continue to outpace the previous year while the inventory of homes listed for sale grows smaller. This a pattern we all like to see!

The chart below outlines specific comparisons from 2011 to 2012. Active Bend, Oregon residential listings are showing a downward trend for inventory, which means good things for sellers - there are fewer homes on the market to choose from. For buyers, this begins to present limited choices and reminds us that the market is capable of extreme cycling in a relatively short amount of time. 



The trend represented in the table above began to take shape last spring, after which the percentage gap between year-to-date home sales (up) and inventory levels (down) compared with the previous year increased month by month before plateauing late in the year. This contrasts with a basically flat market in 2011 versus 2010. We break out NorthWest Crossing is a separate sub-market that can be considered an object lesson on the positive relationship between neighborhood planning and home values.

Help Out Those in Need This Season in Bend, Oregon

Not only is it the season for celebration, but it's also the season for giving. If you are looking for some ways to give back this holiday time, we have two easy things that you can do! 

1. "Like" Our Facebook page: Until the end of the year, we will be making a cash donation of $1 for every new like to The Garner Group Real Estate Facebook page to Relay for Life. As some of you might know, our team was very involved with the 2012 Relay for Life annual fundraiser in Central Oregon. We were able to raise more money to fight cancer through this event that ever before! So it is a cause that is near and dear to our hearts. Please share our page far and wide to help raise money for this worthy cause.
   
2. Come by our office with your non-perishable food item! We are a donation station for NeighborImpact which will be helping to provide food for Central Oregon families in need this season. NeighborImpact is a private nonprofit organization established to serve and speak out for economically disadvantaged people in Central Oregon. Our mission is to break the cycle of poverty by helping remove the barriers that prevent people from achieving economic self-sufficiency. 

So we hope to see you soon - either on our Facebook page or in our office. Happy Holidays!