Employment in trade, transportation, and utilities accounts for one in five jobs in Oregon, but you may also want to consider that the hot housing market between 2005 and 2007 made construction start booming as well. With all of the investment in the housing market and public highways construction experienced a twenty five percent growth giving it the ninth fastest construction growth rate in the United States. This growth has also provided a lot of other opportunities for people in other job fields.

The top ten employment industries include: Food services and drinking places, Administrative and Support services, Specialty Trade Contractors, Construction, Ambulatory health care services, Hospitals, Computer and electronic product manufacturing, Food and beverage stores, nursing and residential care facilities, General merchandise stores, and Merchant wholesalers, durable goods. With all of these excellent opportunities a person should not have a problem gaining employment that is sure to last.
If you have given thought to purchasing some real estate in Oregon so that you could take advantage of all of the natural resources and enjoy all of the wonderful attractions of this magnificent state, now is the perfect time to do it. There is a lot of information available to help you know about some other things that you can look forward to when you decide to make the move.

While nice agates may be found on any Oregon beach there are a few select beaches that deliver a bounty virtually every year. The main beach near the city of Bandon is a perennial favorite and can be accessed by taking the road to the Coquile Lighthouse off of Highway 101. There you will find several miles of smooth beach dotted with rocks. The downside to Bandon’s beach is that it is a very well known and fairly busy rockhounding spot so you may have to hunt a while to find some prize specimens. The outgoing tide always leaves a new assortment so you will have your best luck by going then.

Another excellent location for finding agates, especially rarer agates like pink, blue, sagenite and black agates, as well as some really nice jasper (“Oregon jade”) samples, are the beaches around the town of Newport. These beaches are also known for fossilized whale and dolphin bones and even more common samples of fossilized clams and snails. The most well known of these beach locations is the aptly named Agate Beach, but this is also one of the busiest rockounding beaches. On a day with nice weather, you will see many fellow rockhounds scouring Agate Beach. If you want a less crowded field try Beverly Beach or any of the other beaches you can access off of Hwy 101 in Newport.

Winter tends to be the best time for hunting rocks on the Oregon coast. The rougher ocean water during the winter tend to churn up more rocks that find their way to the beach surface. If you plan a trip at this time of year, come prepared for cold and wet weather. Dress in warm and waterproof gear, wear gloves, and, as always, be careful and keep one eye on the water at all times. “Sneaker waves” are not uncommon especially with an incoming tide. Never turn you back on the water when you are near the breaking surf and watch any children closely. And once you have collected your bounty of agates and jasper, you can crash in one of the fine hotels in Bandon or Newport and enjoy a hot meal at one of the great local restaurants. It makes a creative romantic weekend or family getaway.

Oregon beach agates, jasper and petrified wood are some of the best found anywhere in the world. One of the reasons is that most have been rolled smooth in the surf over time and many look very good picked right off the beach and take only a short time in a polisher to look fabulous. By going at the right time of day, when the tide is receding, you are almost certain to find some great samples for your own collection. If you considering purchasing Central Oregon real estate, rockhounding is just one of the many fun activities you can participate in.

During a tough economy someone may have to move away to take a job opportunity that they need. They could have a child that excels in sports and has been offered a scholarship to one of Oregon’s prestigious schools. It could be that a person just wants to take advantage of the many attractions in the great state or Oregon.

When someone is planning to relocate they usually try to find out some things about the place they are planning to move to so they will not become bored with it very easily. Nobody wants to move to a place where all they can do is work all day, so these attractions will give you a chance to get out of the house and take a break.

If you like hiking you will love the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. This great patch of woods covers two million acres of land that is sure to keep you busy with all sorts of things to do. One part of the forest is called Hell’s Canyon and has an elevation of 875 feet. You will not have to worry about any annoying automobiles coming through as you hike, ride horses, or raft through this region. This is a great way to escape after a long work week, and gives you a very great reason to move to Oregon or at least invest in a vacation home.

There are a ton of great reasons a person will enjoy the state of Oregon. If you are looking for a place that offers some great attractions, a decent economy, and a great real estate market this great state is perfect for you. Get all of the information you need and pack your bags today!

Located just a ninety-minute drive from the Portland area, and just four hours from Bend, the Oregon coast is a national treasure visited by thousands of people each year. Unlike other states, the beaches in Oregon cannot be privately owned and are all available to the public. This unique law allows for lower home prices along the coast, and the availability of a large number of parks with beach access. Another restriction which helps to keep the beaches of Oregon clean is the law that specifically does not allow large motorized vehicles such as cars or trucks on the beach. Unlike other states, including Washington and California, where you will find gasoline and oil leaks on the beach, Oregon’s coastal sand is very clean and free of pollution.

One of Oregon’s most popular coastal towns is Seaside, and hosts an annual sand castle competition that draws entries from around the country. Many tourists from the east coast have called the community of Seaside a “smaller version of Atlantic City” because of its carnival atmosphere and two mile long boardwalk. The city of Seaside offers several Oregon Coast hotels that range in price from affordable to highly luxurious, and most with views of the ocean.

Whether you decide to visit the town of Seaside, or one of the other smaller communities along the beaches of Oregon, make sure you spend a bit of time preparing for conditions. The Oregon Coast can be chilly even in the summer months, and packing an extra sweatshirt or wind jacket is recommended. However, in the months of July and August it is not terribly uncommon to have several days with temperatures in excess of eighty-degrees.

The coastal towns and parks of Oregon are some of the most unique beaches in the States, and provide lifelong memories for thousands of families each year. Whether you are considering just a quick trip to the beach, and are looking at buying a home along the coast, you will find relaxation, entertainment and natural beauty along the Oregon Coast.

The population of Oregon, 3,421,399 people, and No. 28 in terms of population in the United States. The five largest cities in terms of population are the city of Portland with 538,544 people, the capital city of Salem with 142,914 people, the city of Eugene with
142,185 people, the city of Gresham with 95,816 and the city of Beaverton with 80,520 people.

Oregon is famous for its production of fruits such as apples and potatoes, mint, grapes, and one of the four regions for the growth of nuts in the world, producing 95% of United States production. The state is also famous for the trade of timber from logging owned by the state, and state is one of the largest center-based industries salmon fishing in the world. Tourism plays a key role in the economy because of the places of natural beauty and scenic mountains and rivers, in addition to the Pacific coast, which represents the western border of the state.

Oregon is our country’s 33rd state to join the union. It is the 9th largest state with over 98,000 square miles with 3.7 million people (ranked 27th) living in the state. If you do the math on that you can see that there is an awful lot of space to move around. The open terrain of Oregon is vast and beautiful. The elevation of the state ranges from sea level (where the Oregon meets the Pacific Ocean to it highest point on the top of Mt. Hood at 11,239 feet.

Oregon Has some of the most beautiful views to offer with several mountains ranges. The Cascade Mtns. where Mt Hood is located has many lakes. Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the country, at a depth of 1,932 feet. The Klamath Mountains are covered by dense forests. The state has one tenth of the nation’s timber. The state provides more lumber than any other state.

The state has some of the best weather as well. It’s average temperature ranges from 32 degrees to 86 degrees. The average rainfall in the state is only 46 inches. Which is a great thing when you’re planning a trip to Oregon.
Oregon is gearing up with plans for their 150th anniversary celebration. Outside of all their year-round activities, the state is planning so much more in 2009.

Whatever reason you have for going to Oregon, you won’t be disappointed with your visit. There is so much to do and see that you will run out of vacation before you run out of things to do in Oregon.

In some areas of the country, this is the time to shop around and pick up some deals. Where do you go to find those deals? Just like any other type of bargain shopping you may do, you have to look around and see what’s available. Not just for the house itself, but also for the area that the home is located. What is the condition of employment in the area? How are the income of the jobs that are there? Is the crime rate below the national average? Are the foreclosure rate higher than the national average? There are other issue involved also when looking to invest in real estate.

One area that I look at is central Oregon. Deschutes county is the one that I’ve been seeing for sometime growing at a good pace. People are still flocking to the area for many different reasons. A recent report came out that Deschutes Country is on pace to out pace the state of Oregon. Jobs are stable in the area, the crime rate is below the national average and as for foreclosures, that too is below the average.

I find that central Oregon real estate is favorable when compared to the rest of the country. Their economy is growing at a rate that beats the most of the other states. The property values have come down, but not as much as others areas of the United States.  Once this national crisis is behind us, you will see that central Oregon will be a leader in real estate investments. Now might be a time to get in on it.

Here’s a list of some local Central Oregon employment agencies that might be able to help you find your next job.

Cardinal Employment Svc
505 SW Millview Way # 200
Bend, OR
541-389-4259

Certified Personnel Svc Inc
1707 N Highway 97
Redmond, OR
541-504-9675

Coic
16493 Bluewood Pl
La Pine, OR
541-536-5380

Employment Service
2158 Se College Loop # B
Redmond, OR
541-548-8196

Hampshire Group
1900 Ne Division St # 204
Bend, OR
541-382-6239

Opportunity Foundation
835 E Highway 126
Redmond, OR
541-548-2822

Staffing Services Inc
846 NW Colorado Ave
Bend, OR
541-318-5950

Maybe you’re looking for a place to update your resume for you, Here’s two places in Central Oregon that can help you with that.

Officist
Po Box 1946
Redmond, OR
541-923-8303

Type-Rite
506 Ne Franklin Ave
Bend, OR
541-388-4495

Furthermore you might want to apply to some of the larger employers of Central Oregon. They include St. Charles Medical Center, Les Schwab Tire Center, Bright Wood Corporation, Sunriver Resort, Mt. Bachelor, Columbia Aircraft, T-Mobile, Contact Lumber, ISKY, Qwest (US West), Safeway (Region Wide), Wal-Mart (Region Wide), Bend Memorial Clinic, The Parr Company (Region Wide) , Fred Meyer (Region Wide) , JELD-WEN Windows & Doors, Kah-Nee-Ta Resort , Cessna (formerly Columbia Aircraft), Hooker Creek Companies (Region Wide), Athletic Club of Bend, Costco and Ray’s Grocery Stores (Region Wide).

One of the best tips for relocating that we can offer you is to throughly check out the job market before you move. Central Oregon has many wonderful opportunities, but like anywhere, jobs that you are qualified for may be hard to find.

In central Oregon the price have come down, but nowhere near of most areas of the country. The hardest hit area was in Bend Oregon, where the average price dropped 16%. In Prineville, the loss was only 1.4%. Take into consideration that with the correction in Bend, the average price is still 5% higher than it was in 2006 and nearly 50% from where it was in 2003. If you invested in a median priced home in bend Oregon with the price of 195,000 in 2003 and rented it out for that time you would have collected $58,000 in rent (clearly enough to cover the monthly mortgage payment with 20% down. On top of that, the value of your property would have increased almost 97,000. I’m not going to go through all the math here in this post, but you get the picture.

Central Oregon has become an ideal area to live for a lot of Californians who are wanting to re-locate away from the “too big of a city” life. Places like Florida are falling out of flavor with the baby boomers and Oregon is the place that offers a lot to do for the active retiree in an area that pretty much has a better climate all year long. Bend is in the heart of central Oregon, it’s only 3-1/2 hours east of Portland and the coast. It’s also only 16 miles outside of Redmond International Airport. Business’ are moving to Oregon too and with communities that are being built on a regular basis (even during this correction), right now just might be the time to think of investing in central Oregon real estate.

Depending on what type of improvements you want to make, when you go and sell your house there is only so much that you will get as a return on your investment (ROI). The price for the materials to do the project has gone up, the return on those projects have gone down In the last five years (2003-2007). The return on a core project in 2003 would be 82.5% (nationwide), but as of 2007 the estimate ROI is only 70%. A steady roll downward for the last 5 years except in 2005 where it spiked to 86.7%.

These statistics are based on nationwide reports and surveys. One project done in two different climates will yield different returns. Most commonly affected is pools. The pool will have a better return in States like Florida and California than it would in the northeast (New England) area.

A site that I found lists the projects as well as their return on investment. The site is Remodeling magazine.com. According to them the best ROI project is a (wood) deck addition with a return of 85.4%. Following behind that is siding replacement (83.2), minor kitchen remodeling (83%) and to finish out the top five would be window replacement (wood 81.3%) and (vinyl 79.3%).

The site also added some upscale projects estimates, as a deck built with new composite materials which have a long life than the wood decks.

If you’re someone who is looking for a good deal on a house (I know there’s a few), This list can help you in more ways than one. The list can give you a starting point in your negotiations. If you’re like me, you’ll know how to shop for better pricing than the list. Play your cards right and you can save a bundle.