Judging by the numbers of homes closing each week in Trulia, and the 6% annual growth rate in Eugene homes prices reported by Zillow, housing prices and demand for homes in Eugene remains strong.

What’s most interesting to those who follow the local real estate market and home listings, is how Eugene is both resilient to the national housing slump and changing almost monthly:

• Sub-prime lending in Eugene does not compare with the level of sub-prime lending that took place in larger, more exposed and inflationary markets. The vast majority of Eugene homeowners have been conservative about their borrowing, and local lenders conservative about who gets the money.
• The City is finally doing something about downtown - a complete renovation of West Broadway.
• The City is getting serious about the need for another large hospital to handle population growth.
• Phil Knight just donated $100 Million for a new basketball stadium.
• The airport is getting another runway.
• Eugene will host the summer Olympic Trials next year.
• Pottery Barn is opening in the North. There will soon be a new REI in the South. PF Changs opened this year as well.

When you live here it’s easy to take these changes for granted, but the way all of these developments have arrived at once says something about where Eugene is headed. Opportunity and change are happening right in front of us. Both elements are needed to ensure a vital real estate market, and a strong local economy.

Popularity: 29% [?]

This home appears to have arrived on the market yesterday. $259,900 is ALMOST starter home range in Eugene.

The house looks clean inside and out. Yard seems to be a good size. They sell the backyard a bit short by only showing one angle, but it’s possible that the reasoning is that there’s something undesirable behind the house? I don’t think the freeway is directly behind the house, although freeway noise could be one reason for the lower price per sq. foot price for this listing. The water feature picture is sort of funny. It’s a $200 fountain from Jerry’s right?

Overall this is a great price for a starter home. The important thing with a starter home is that you find a neighborhood that will appreciate well over a 5-7 year period. Eugene has some strong micro-neighborhoods within larger neighborhood like “Harlow” or “Cal Young” - these micro neighborhoods include homeowners who care for their yards and homes, and usually include families with a real stake in the friendliness and security of the neighborhood.

3.7/4.0.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Agents and sellers that are new to online resources…this is a helpful video. Skip to the 20 min mark, the rest is conference fluff.

Popularity: 23% [?]