Renting Homes

Whether you’re searching for a short term rental home, vacation home or vacation rental, Central Oregon is the place to be. The Oregon Community is full of outdoor recreation and easy access attractions. If you enjoy nature, Bend is home to the High Desert, Cascade Mountains, Deschutes River Trail, Mount Bachelor, Pilot Butte and the Deschutes River. Whether you’ve found your next home or are just on a bend vacation, at these various locations you can go grab a rental boat or whitewater rafting with the family, compete on the golf course, roam the trails mountain biking, or participate in skiing the slopes for an outdoor adventure.

If you’d rather relax, walk around our urban playground and shop at our Old Mill District or head Downtown Bend where Drake park and the Hayden Homes Amphitheater are within walking distance.

In old bend, we always seize our days of sunshine renting in Bend

In order to be successful in finding and securing a rental house in Bend, there are several things to keep in mind. Here is a quick breakdown of how the rental market works and ways to help increase your chances of successfully securing a rental. Please keep in mind that each property management company and homeowner have their own application process and rental requirements. The information below should be used as a general guideline. Therefore, contact the property management company or homeowner for “property-specific” information.

Although private homeowners are supposed to choose a tenant based on “first-come, first-served” generally, they choose the most compatible applicant for their property regardless of order. Property Management companies however, must adhere to the “first-come, first-served” process. So legally, the first prospective tenant to submit a completed application will be the first applicant processed.

Therefore, with property management companies, if you are first to submit your application, you are first on the waitlist. Please keep in mind that anyone living on the property 18 years or older will need to fill out their own application and pay a separate application fee. Application fees also vary so expect to pay anywhere from $25-$100 per person per application.

Filling out rental applications is time consuming and the application fees add up fast. So, make sure you check the current property availability and length of the waitlist before you apply.

• As of now, is there a waitlist on the property? If so, how many are on it?
• Do I have to be in Bend to physically view the property?
• How much is the application fee and is it refundable?
• How much are security deposits and pet deposits?
• Do you charge pet rent?
• Are any of the utilities included?
• Once my application has been submitted, how long will it take to get a response?
• At what point in the process do you pull my credit, request a background check and call references?
• What information will I need to provide to complete the application? (e.g. proof of income, new hire letter, savings account statements, rental references, tax returns, pet information)?

Many property management companies and homeowners will not rent “sight-unseen”. Before submitting an application, find out the following for a easier rental experience:

• Is the prospective tenant required to physically view the property?
• Can the prospective tenant send a representative such as a friend, family member or Bend Relocation Services representative to view the rental for them?
• If the prospective tenant leases the property sight unseen, are there any addendums to the lease or waivers that need to be signed?

There are several ways to search for available rentals in Bend, Oregon. To minimize search time and maximize your chances of securing a rental, here are the best places to search.

• Trulia and Zillow
• Craigslist
• Local Property Management Companies
• Facebook Marketplace

Central Oregon has a limited number of pet-friendly rentals and friendly homes so make sure you give yourself ample time to find one who will make pet-friendly accommodations, especially if you have multiple animals. Dogs are definitely easier to house than cats but regardless, make sure you have pet rental references and that all vaccines are up to date. Pet deposits are generally refundable and range anywhere from $150-$500 per pet so factor this expense into your budget. Some homeowners charge an additional monthly pet rent per animal so make sure you confirm if there is a pet deposit, pet rent, or both.

Unfortunately, like all popular living destinations, you have to be aware of scams. Before applying for any rental or giving out any personal information, make sure you diligently verify the ad is legitimate by doing the following:

• Ask to speak to the owner or property representative on the phone rather than corresponding solely via email.
• Look the address of the property up on Zillow or Trulia to see if the property is for sale.
• If you have been corresponding with the owner, look up the property on Deschutes County Dial to make sure the name of the owner matches.
• Request additional photos of the home.
• Never give out your credit card information, banking information or pay a deposit for a property unless you have verified everything is legitimate. If you feel rushed or something feels off, go with your gut. Find someone locally who can do some investigating or contact Bend Relocation Services to help you do the due diligence.

No one likes to feel helpless and misinformed. Since rental laws vary by state, please familiarize yourself with the Oregon State Landlord and Tenant Rental Laws.