Powell Butte, Oregon
Have you ever daydreamed about living on 20 acres where you could keep
some horses or maybe a few head
of cattle, or maybe just grow some alfalfa? A lot of people have
had such dreams and some of them have found a place to live them
out: Powell Butte.
Because it’s an unincorporated
area, everyone seems to have a slightly different idea of what is
and what isn’t part of the community of Powell Butte, but one
thing isn’t in any doubt: Powell Butte is growing fast. Land values in Powell Butte have increased steadily for the
last five years, and they took a big jump last year.
There are
some very good reasons for Powell Butte’s growth. The
Cascade views are a big draw.
Indeed, from many places in Powell Butte the panoramic
views of the Cascade Crest are breathtaking.
People from all over the country are buying property in
Powell Butte.
The area of Powell Butte, at the base of the Powell Butte
Range between Redmond and Prineville, has traditionally been a
ranching and farming community. Many of the people moving to
Powell Butte now are doing so in order to have their own small
piece of that ranching or farming life. The
land north of Highway 126 in Powell Butte is irrigated while the
land south of the highway does not have irrigation rights. But
whether north or south of the highway, the lure of open land in a
dry, sunny climate with stunning views is drawing more and more
people.
People
who are buying land in Powell Butte fall into four general
categories. The first just want to buy the land and lease it out
to others for their animals. The second category are people who
want to keep horses on their land. The third are people who want
to keep cattle. And the fourth group are people who want to grow
alfalfa for hay. Some of the people in -each category are retirees
who are drawn to the area for its beauty and, despite the recent
spike in land values, its relative affordability.
With that in mind, some people are buying land now on which
they plan to build their retirement home when the time comes. Many
new subdivisions are starting to be built, and there is still
plenty of room for growth in the area.
About 2,000 people live in the Powell Butte area now, and
there’s a great sense of community and friendliness. Powell
Butte Elementary School is considered to be excellent.
Other than the school,
Powell
Butte has a general store, a church and a new feed store. That
might seem a bit limited, but another great thing about Powell
Butte is that it’s centrally located, only a short drive from
Redmond, Prineville or Bend, yet remote enough to have the charm
of rural living. Anything that can’t be found in Powell Butte is
probably available within a half hour’s drive.
Some people moving to Powell Butte aren’t going there to
do any kind of ranching or farming. They just like the beautiful
scenery and the fact that it’s so close to so many types of
recreation. Whether it’s hunting, fishing, skiing (either snow
or water), climbing, hiking, or biking, Powell Butte has great
access to all of them.
One sure sign of Powell Butte’s desirability is the plan
that Eagle Crest has for building an 1,800 acre destination resort
with approximately 900 living units on what was previously the
Shumway Ranch. Proposed lot prices in the resort, which would be
built around a golf course, would be generally more expensive than
the existing Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond, but not as upscale as
nearby Pronghorn, according to Linda Swearingen, a former
Deschutes County Commissioner who is doing consulting work for
Eagle Crest on the proposed resort.
With dramatic views of the Cascades and Smith Rock, great
access to all of the area’s recreational activities, a friendly
community steeped in the traditions of ranching and farming, and
land prices that, while rising steeply, are still within reach.
Powell Butte is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a small
ranch or farm, or just someone who wants to enjoy the best that
Central Oregon has to offer.
Article by:
The Bulletin
Powell
Butte Oregon real estate
If you are looking to join the growing population of
Powell Butte, just let
us know what type of Powell Butte Oregon real estate is of interest to you, and
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