Springfield’s new construction pipeline is the most active it has been in decades — and the urgency behind it is documented. The city’s 2025 housing snapshot revealed a 0.4% vacancy rate (a healthy market needs 2%), with only 4.2% of existing housing built since 2010. Fewer homes were constructed in Springfield in the past decade than in any decade since 1940. The Oregon Housing Needs Analysis calculated that Springfield must permit 470 new housing units per year through 2032 to meet state housing production targets — nearly 35% above recent historical annual permitting rates. This documented shortage is the market context that makes new construction financing in Springfield not just an option for homebuyers but the strategic path for anyone who wants a specific combination of location, specifications, and price that doesn’t exist in the current resale inventory.
The builders responding to this shortage are Hayden Homes and D.R. Horton — the two primary national production builders active in the Eugene-Springfield market — along with custom builders serving the Mountaingate development in Thurston and private lot builders throughout Lane County. Hayden Homes’ Woodland Ridge in the Thurston area — a 350-home community of single and two-story homes ranging from 1,148 to 2,968 square feet, starting from $389,990 — is the largest active production community in Springfield. As of August 2025, Woodland Ridge was nearing its halfway mark with approximately 170 homes built and about 180 sites remaining, all in the Thurston neighborhood between Squirrel Street and Holly Street near South 49th to South 53rd Place. D.R. Horton’s Marcola Meadows delivers 11 floor plans from 1,435 to 2,535 square feet with three to five bedrooms and 2 to 2.75 bathrooms at competitive price points. The Mountaingate development in Thurston offers custom new construction on large wooded lots adjacent to the Willamalane Thurston Hills Natural Area, with four-bedroom homes featuring 11-foot ceilings, Cascade mountain views, and buyer-customizable finishes — the most premium new construction option in Springfield.
For buyers in any of these scenarios — Woodland Ridge production homes, Marcola Meadows floor plans, Mountaingate custom builds, or private lot construction anywhere in Lane County — the One-Time Close Construction Mortgage Loan delivers a specific and valuable protection: the rate is locked before construction begins, and there is no re-qualification when construction completes. For a PeaceHealth physician building in Mountaingate who will see their student loan balances continuing to be repaid during a 12-month build period, or a California equity buyer commissioning a custom McKenzie River estate home whose income picture may evolve during the construction window, this protection is real and material. At Loans by Lehrman, we match the right One-Time Close program to each Springfield construction scenario.
A One-Time Close Construction Mortgage Loan combines construction financing and permanent end-loan financing into a single transaction. You qualify before construction begins, close once, and your loan converts automatically to a permanent mortgage when the certificate of occupancy is issued.
The three phases:
Construction Phase — After closing, funds are disbursed to your builder in draws as construction milestones are verified complete. You pay interest only on disbursed amounts during this period.
Conversion — When the certificate of occupancy is issued, the loan converts automatically to your permanent mortgage — no second application, no second appraisal, no re-qualification, no second closing costs.
Repayment Phase — You begin making standard principal and interest payments on your permanent mortgage.
Key Features:
Single closing — one set of closing costs, one qualification process
Rate locked at closing — protects through Springfield's 6 to 12 month production build timelines and longer custom build periods
No re-qualification at conversion — protects PeaceHealth physicians, California equity buyers, and PERS-income borrowers whose financial profile may shift during construction
Draw schedule coordinated with your builder's construction milestones
Available in conforming, jumbo, and physician program tiers
Applicable to Woodland Ridge, Marcola Meadows, Mountaingate, and fully custom private lot projects throughout Lane County
For buyers entering Hayden Homes’ Woodland Ridge (starting $389,990) and D.R. Horton’s Marcola Meadows at loan amounts within the 2026 Lane County conforming limit. Competitive terms, straightforward documentation, and proactive draw management.
For buyers commissioning custom builds in Mountaingate ($700,000-plus custom configurations on premium wooded lots), on McKenzie River parcels, and in the Jasper and Thurston Hills estate corridors where land plus construction exceeds the conforming limit. PeaceHealth physician and California equity buyer income documented correctly from the start.
For buyers working with custom builders throughout Lane County — Mountaingate, private Thurston Hills lots, McKenzie River acreage parcels, and Jasper rural estate sites. We establish Oregon CCB licensing, draw schedule, and milestone alignment from the first builder meeting.
For PeaceHealth Sacred Heart RiverBend physicians who want to build in Mountaingate, on a private Thurston Hills lot, or near the McKenzie River corridor rather than purchase from Springfield’s limited existing inventory. Combines no-PMI physician loan features with construction financing in a single transaction. Offer letter qualification available for RiverBend recruits who have signed an employment contract.
Hayden Homes — Woodland Ridge (Thurston, 97478)
Woodland Ridge is Springfield's most significant active housing development — a 350-home community in the Thurston area by Hayden Homes, the Redmond-based regional builder with over 30 years of Oregon homebuilding experience. The community stretches from Squirrel Street to Holly Street and South 49th to South 53rd Place, within walking distance of Thurston's historic Main Street, local retail, and minutes from the McKenzie River trailheads along Thurston Road. Floor plans range from compact single-story homes at 1,148 square feet to spacious two-story configurations at 2,968 square feet, with three to four bedrooms and two to three baths. Hayden Homes' Signature Series includes a garage door opener, blinds, air conditioning, fencing, and landscaping at no extra cost. Starting prices from $389,990, with an active model home and weekly open houses. As of late 2025,
approximately 170 homes had been built and about 150 had sold, leaving roughly 180 homesites still available. The community is expected to complete in 2026.
D.R. Horton — Marcola Meadows (Springfield)
D.R. Horton's Marcola Meadows brings the national builder's production platform to Springfield with 11 floor plans across three style collections ranging from 1,435 to 2,535 square feet, three to five bedrooms, and 2 to 2.75 bathrooms with attached two-car garages. Homes include smart home technology, solid surface countertops, and a 10-year limited home warranty — D.R. Horton's standard value-add package that makes Marcola Meadows directly competitive with Hayden Homes' Woodland Ridge for buyers choosing between the two communities. D.R. Horton is America's largest homebuilder and the top-volume builder in the Eugene-Springfield market.
Mountaingate (Thurston — Custom New Construction)
Mountaingate is the Thurston area's prestige new construction development — custom homes on large wooded lots adjacent to the Willamalane Thurston Hills Natural Area, surrounded by wildlife and expansive hiking trails. Current homes in Mountaingate feature four bedrooms, three baths, 11-foot ceilings on the main level, open floor plans, and mountain views, with buyer customization of finishes. Multiple lots are still available for buyers who want to design their Springfield home from the ground up. Homes are targeting spring 2026 completion for the current phase. Pricing for complete custom builds starts above $700,000 and reaches into the $900,000-plus range for premium lot positions.
Private Lot Custom Builds — Lane County
Throughout Lane County — Thurston Hills private parcels, McKenzie River acreage sites, Jasper rural properties, and Springfield infill lots — custom builders hold Oregon CCB licensing and work with buyers who want architect-directed residential design. We have established documentation experience with custom builds throughout the
Eugene-Springfield corridor and can match buyers with appropriate Oregon CCB-licensed builders for any custom project scope.
Woodland Ridge (Hayden Homes) draw timeline knowledge — typical completion timelines of 6 to 9 months from contract and Hayden's milestone-to-disbursement process
Marcola Meadows (D.R. Horton) production draw schedule familiarity
Mountaingate custom build expertise — large wooded lot custom builds require precise milestone alignment and an understanding of the buyer customization process
Physician One-Time Close for PeaceHealth physicians building in Thurston or on private Lane County lots
Rate lock protection through Springfield's construction timelines — important for all borrowers but especially for California equity buyers and PERS-income borrowers whose financial picture may be in transition
McKenzie River and Jasper estate custom build experience — rural property construction with private access and complex site requirements
Ryan Lehrman, NMLS #235295
Credit: Minimum 680 for conventional programs; 700–720 for jumbo construction tiers
Income: W-2, PeaceHealth physician employment agreements, California equity proceeds, PERS income, offer letters, and self-employment income all considered by program tier
Down Payment: Typically 5%–10% for conforming; higher for jumbo; physician programs may allow lower down payments
Builder Requirements: Typically 5%–10% for conforming; higher for jumbo; physician programs may allow lower down payments
Springfield's 0.4% vacancy rate and acute housing shortage mean that new construction is not just a preference — for many buyers, it is the only realistic path to a specific type of home (size, location, condition, school zone) in the Thurston or Gateway areas. In a market with this level of supply constraint, getting to a builder with financing secured — a completed pre-approval and a One-Time Close program identified — is a practical priority. Builders at Woodland Ridge and Mountaingate are releasing lots and floor plans to buyers who are ready to proceed; buyers who need to re-qualify at conversion are more exposed to the delays and uncertainty of a two-loan structure in a builder's time-constrained delivery environment. One-Time Close solves this by completing qualification at the outset.
Yes. Our physician One-Time Close programs allow qualification on a signed PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend employment contract, with closing within 90 days of the employment start date. A cardiovascular surgeon or neurosurgeon who has selected a Woodland Ridge floor plan or a Mountaingate custom lot can close on the construction loan concurrent with starting their RiverBend clinical position. Woodland Ridge's 6 to 9 month typical completion timeline and Mountaingate's spring 2026 delivery window both fit within the physician offer letter qualification structure.
Yes. For buyers who have not yet acquired a Mountaingate lot, we can structure the construction loan to cover both the lot acquisition and the custom build costs in a single transaction. This is a common configuration for buyers who identify a preferred Mountaingate lot position — particularly the premium hilltop and forest-edge lots with best mountain views — and commission the builder to customize the floor plan and finishes simultaneously. The combined lot-and-build loan closes once before construction begins.
Hayden Homes' production process at Woodland Ridge uses a standardized construction milestone system — foundation, framing, rough mechanicals, drywall, finish, and final — that aligns directly with production loan draw schedules. We coordinate with Hayden's construction and sales team at contract to establish the specific draw schedule for each homesite, ensuring disbursements align with verified milestone completion throughout the build process. Typical Woodland Ridge completion timelines of 6 to 9 months mean the rate lock period is efficient and the overall construction loan exposure is compressed compared to custom builds.
Building your new home in Springfield starts here. Let’s talk through your builder, your site, and your timeline.
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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