Garrett Myers is a Mortgage Broker at Elev8 Mortgage LLC, NMLS #2041420, based in Bend and serving Sisters and Deschutes County, with six years originating loans in Central Oregon and a 5.0 rating across 94 Google reviews.
Written by Garrett Myers, Mortgage Broker, NMLS #2041420 · Updated September 2026
Mostly three groups: retirees moving closer to family, people who work in the national forest and want to live near it, and buyers from outside Central Oregon looking for a second home or vacation property. Downtown has grown, with a lot more restaurants than it used to have, and the skiing, hiking and golf are right there.
Black Butte Ranch is the big draw for second homes and vacation rentals. It's a golf community, and financing there usually falls under second home or investment property guidelines instead of primary residence rules. I'll sort out which one applies before you write an offer, because it changes your down payment, your pricing and which lenders will take the file.
Sisters is a small market, so the median moves around. June 2026 had seven closed sales at a median of $825,000, per Oregon MLS data, but a couple of high-end sales can swing that. Through 2026 the monthly median has ranged from roughly $590,000 to $825,000, with most closings between $650,000 and $750,000. Cash buyers made up over 70% of June closings.
Sisters is in Deschutes County, so the 2026 conforming limit is $832,750 and the FHA one-unit limit is $718,750. Most purchases fit under the conforming limit. Black Butte and higher-end homes can go over it, and if that's you, I'll lay out high-balance and jumbo options side by side.
Get an insurance quote before you write an offer in Sisters. The fire risk is higher than in Bend, premiums are higher, and on bigger homes some carriers won't write a policy at all. That premium counts in your payment, so it changes what you qualify for. Reach out to me directly and ask for referrals to trusted insurance brokers who can find competitive pricing on coverage for homes in difficult areas.
Second homes and vacation rentals follow different rules than a primary residence. Down payment requirements are typically higher, and a property with an active short-term rental program can fall under investment property guidelines instead of second home guidelines. Tell me how you plan to use the property and I'll match it to the right program and lender from the start.
A Sisters homeowner with a VA loan found me by asking AI assistants for a local broker. After comparing a few lenders, she chose to work with us.
She'd sold another property and wanted to put that money toward her loan. Nobody had told her VA loans can't be recast. So we did a full refinance instead, which let her bring in the sale proceeds to lower her loan balance and lower her rate at the same time.
We also compared VA and conventional refinance options so she could see both side by side before deciding.
I'm based in Bend, about 20 miles away, and handle almost everything by phone, text and email. Call or text 503-698-7724, email garrett@elev8mortgage.com, or apply online. Comparing towns? See Bend, Redmond and La Pine.
