In 2025, SmartAsset ranked Bend, Oregon the #1 job market in the United States — out of 348 cities evaluated across the country. The analysis factored in unemployment rate (3.1%), income growth (median income rose 44% from 2020 to 2023, the fourth-highest rate nationally), median commute time (16 minutes), remote work participation (26.9% of the workforce), and employer-sponsored health insurance coverage. Bend earned first place not because it is a conventional employment powerhouse but because it has assembled a set of economic conditions — healthcare anchored by St. Charles Health System, a booming outdoor and tourism economy, a rapidly growing technology and professional services sector, and a massive remote work community — that combine to create the best overall employment environment in the country. For a mortgage lender, these conditions produce a specific and distinctive borrower profile: high-income remote workers who relocated to Bend from San Francisco, Seattle, or Portland with tech sector salaries far above local income averages; Central Oregon business owners who built equity during Bend’s decade of appreciation and are now purchasing at the premium tier; and physicians recruited to St. Charles — Oregon’s only Level II trauma center east of the Cascades — who are making long-term commitments to the high desert.
Bend’s median home price in early 2026 runs approximately $682,000 to $725,000 depending on the source and month — Redfin’s March 2026 median sale price was $682,000, while a local Premier Real Estate market report cited a February 2026 median of $725,000. The 2026 Deschutes County conforming loan limit is $832,750 — the Oregon baseline. That $100,000 to $150,000 gap between Bend’s median and the conforming limit is narrower than in any other Oregon city we serve, which means jumbo financing comes into play far more readily in Bend than elsewhere. At the upper end, Summit West and Awbrey Butte neighborhoods carry median single-family prices of $1,367,500 and $1,362,500 respectively. River West sits at $1,125,000. Old Bend reaches $925,000. Tetherow, Broken Top, and Pronghorn — the destination golf and resort communities that attract buyers relocating from high-cost coastal markets — regularly produce transactions from $1.5 million to well above $3 million. For Bend’s buyer pool, jumbo and super-jumbo financing are not edge cases. They are standard tools.
The Westside Premium is Bend’s defining real estate concept. Properties west of US-97 (the Parkway) — near the Galveston corridor, downtown, the Old Mill District, Drake Park, the Deschutes River, NorthWest Crossing, Discovery West, Awbrey Butte, and the Shevlin Park area — command significantly higher prices than eastside options at comparable size. Understanding which side of the Parkway a property sits on, and what that means for pricing, loan amount, and program structure, is a baseline for any lender operating in the Bend market.
Deep familiarity with Bend's neighborhood price tiers — the Westside Premium, Awbrey Butte, Broken Top, NorthWest Crossing, Discovery West, Tetherow, and the eastside value corridors
Remote worker income documentation — tech sector RSU, equity from California or Seattle real estate sales, W-2 from out-of-state employers, and self-employment income from professional services businesses
St. Charles Health System physician loan programs — serving the only Level II trauma center east of the Cascades and Central Oregon's largest employer with 4,900-plus caregivers
Jumbo and super-jumbo programs for Bend's premium Westside communities and resort neighborhoods
One-Time Close Construction loans for Pahlisch Homes' active Bend communities, Discovery West, and custom builds throughout Deschutes County
Rate-independent guidance through every market cycle
Understanding of Deschutes County's property tax structure and Oregon's no-sales-tax advantage for high-income relocators
Ryan Lehrman, NMLS #235295
With Bend’s median near $700,000 and the Westside premium neighborhoods regularly trading from $900,000 to $1.5 million, jumbo financing is the standard tool for a significant share of Bend purchases. Our jumbo programs serve remote tech professionals, Central Oregon business owners, and retirees relocating from coastal markets with sophisticated income documentation and flexible down payment structures.
For Tetherow estates, Broken Top custom homes, Pronghorn resort properties, and Awbrey Butte view estates above $2 million — properties that attract California and Pacific Northwest buyers choosing Bend as their permanent high-desert address — our super-jumbo programs address the full complexity of high-net-worth Bend buyer profiles.
St. Charles Bend is the only Level II trauma center east of the Cascades, anchoring a healthcare ecosystem that draws physicians from across the Pacific Northwest to practice in Central Oregon. Our physician programs eliminate PMI, accommodate student debt, and qualify borrowers on offer letters — serving every stage from newly recruited hospitalists to established subspecialists.
Pahlisch Homes — Bend’s most active builder, with communities including Easton, Petrosa, Collier, and Discovery West — along with Discovery West custom builds, D.R. Horton communities, and private custom builders throughout Deschutes County, make Bend one of Oregon’s most active new construction markets. Our One-Time Close program locks your rate before construction begins and converts automatically to a permanent mortgage at completion
Bend’s position as the remote work capital of Oregon — with 28% of its workforce telecommuting, higher than the state average of 18% — produces a borrower profile unlike any other Oregon city. A senior software engineer at a San Francisco tech company who relocated to Bend with a $250,000 base salary, RSU income from a publicly traded employer, and a California home sale providing $600,000 in down payment capital is not a conventional borrower. Their income is documented by W-2 from an out-of-state employer, their employer is headquartered thousands of miles away, and their wealth is
concentrated in stock and home equity rather than savings accounts. We work with this profile as a standard intake scenario — building the income file, identifying the program, and delivering a pre-approval that reflects the full capacity of what Bend’s most valuable buyer demographic actually brings to a transaction.
Bend’s Westside Premium is structural, not cyclical. Properties west of US-97 benefit from proximity to the Deschutes River trail system, Drake Park, the Old Mill District, downtown’s restaurant and brewery corridor, and the established westside neighborhoods of NorthWest Crossing, Awbrey Butte, and the Shevlin Park area. The “Westside vs. Eastside” distinction is the first question Bend buyers ask when evaluating a neighborhood — and it is the first question a lender should understand when evaluating the appropriateness of a loan program. A $750,000 Westside home and a $750,000 Eastside home represent different markets, different comparable pools, and different appraisal dynamics. We understand both sides of the Parkway and structure financing accordingly.
Oregon’s no-sales-tax environment is one of the most compelling financial incentives for high-income California and Washington relocators. For a Bend buyer purchasing a $200,000 car, $50,000 in furnishings, and significant outdoor recreation equipment in their first year — all without sales tax — the savings are immediate and substantial. The offsetting factor is Oregon’s progressive state income tax, which tops out near 9% and hits high earners meaningfully. Deschutes County’s property tax rate is approximately 0.62% on assessed value — lower than the national median on a percentage basis — though the county’s high home values mean the actual dollar amount paid is substantial. We discuss this tax landscape with every Bend buyer relocating from another state so there are no surprises after closing.
The 2026 conforming loan limit for Deschutes County — which includes all of Bend, Redmond, Sisters, La Pine, and the surrounding communities — is $832,750 for a single-family home. Oregon has no high-cost counties. With Bend's median around $682,000 to $725,000, a meaningful share of Bend transactions require jumbo financing, particularly in Westside neighborhoods and resort communities where prices regularly exceed $900,000. Any buyer putting less than 20% down on a Westside Bend property above approximately $1 million will need jumbo-level financing.
Remote worker income documentation follows the same W-2 and employment verification process as any other employee, regardless of where the employer is headquartered. The key factors are: Is the borrower employed full-time with documented income? Is the position remote-eligible long-term (not temporarily remote)? For borrowers who also have RSU income from a publicly traded employer, we build the two-year vesting history and bonus income documentation as we do for any Silicon Forest professional — the geography of the employer doesn't change the income analysis process.
Yes. Our physician programs apply to physicians employed at St. Charles Bend, St. Charles Redmond, and any St. Charles Health System facility, as well as independent practice physicians in Deschutes County. No-PMI financing, student debt accommodation, and offer letter qualification all apply. Physicians recruited to St. Charles — whether for the Level II trauma service, the cardiac program, oncology, orthopedics, or primary care — can qualify using a signed employment contract before their start date.
I’m here to support you every step of the way. If you’re ready to turn your home financing goals into your new reality, let’s work together.
Originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, I moved to Phoenix to attend Arizona State University and have proudly called Phoenix home ever since.
My journey into the mortgage industry began with a friend’s encouragement, who saw how my energy and people-first mindset could make a difference. He was right — I found my calling.
I’ve always embraced what makes me different. With ADHD as my secret weapon, I thrive in fast-paced, detail-heavy environments. I’ve built my career on clear communication, creative problem-solving, and putting clients first, always.
Outside of work, my greatest motivation is my wife and three amazing kids. I’d be honored to help guide you through your lending journey with care, clarity, and commitment.
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