Bend’s Best-Kept Secret for All-Inclusive Outdoor Recreation
by Alex Clarkson
The secret to life is living well, but what exactly is a full life? For some it’s finding the ultimate work-life balance. For others, it is balancing risk and reward along the journey. It is the duality of exploring, putting down roots, and still having the freedom to spread your wings. For those in Bend, it is about having fun through world-class outdoor recreation.
“This distinctive community is all about taking advantage of the outdoors. It’s an incredible opportunity to live where you play.”
–Tab Howard, LUXE Christie’s International Real Estate
It’s no secret that Bend’s growth is nothing short of explosive, but the town’s growth has made finding one’s own piece of the pie more challenging. Tanager is an outdoor recreation-focused development located off Johnson Road six miles from downtown on Bend’s west side. It is Central Oregon’s only boutique, waterfront residential community and includes 21 homesites that range in size from 1.32 acres to 10 acres. Each lot boasts frontage along one of the development’s three water features—a 2,100-foot-long regulation-size wake/water ski lake with two turn islands, a nine-acre recreational lake, and nearly three-quarters of a mile of frontage on Tumalo Creek. A tributary to the Deschutes River, the creek is a natural beauty with waterfalls, rapids, and picturesque rimrock cliffs.
Tanager offers an all-inclusive recreation experience in Bend. All outdoor activities are possible here—paddleboarding, hiking, fishing, cycling, water skiing, wakeboarding, and wake surfing can all be done on-site. Additionally, homeowners can build shops and garages on their properties to fully pursue their hobbies. Tanager is a legacy destination for families who like to have fun.
“This distinctive community is all about taking advantage of the outdoors. It’s an incredible opportunity to live where you play,” says Tab Howard, LUXE Christie’s International Real Estate’s Luxury Estate Specialist in Bend, Oregon. “Tanager’s developers have designed an extraordinary, private sanctuary for those looking for luxury living in a secluded setting. From the moment you pass through the soaring entrance gates, you know you’ve arrived at a very special place.”
“Though nature plays a huge part of the appeal of this exclusive development, it’s also just minutes from Bend’s outstanding shopping, schools, and amenities.”
–Tab Howard, LUXE Christie’s International Real Estate
Tanager’s features beyond the private gated entrance include a 2,100-foot wake and ski lake with two turn islands, a sand beach and harbor, a nine-acre non-motorized lake that is perfect for fishing and stand-up paddleboarding, and nearly ¾ of a mile of Tumalo Creek frontage. It is set against the beautiful high desert landscape with mountain views, is adjacent to Bend city limits on the desirable west side, and offers 117 acres of common space including recreational facilities, amenities, walking and bike trails, and open space.
Those familiar with Bend know that Johnson Road is huge for cycling, and Tanager is situated right off of that cycler’s thoroughfare. In terms of location, Tanager gets an A+. It is just south of Tumalo State Park where you can put in and float the river, right by Phil’s Trail for world-class mountain biking, and also just north of Shevlin Park’s endless trails.
Bend was the second-fastest growing city in America last year according to a WalletHub study, and it doesn’t take much research to understand why people have fallen in love with the town. Bend is a recreational paradise, with top-notch trails, lakes, and mountains. It has a small-town feel with good schools and a great art scene. The high desert offers a diverse assortment of activities to explore in a striking landscape. Inherent in the American Dream is the aspiration to seek a better life, no matter what the starting point, and continue to have the freedom to redefine and refine it. Bend offers the promise of the best life.
In addition to plentiful hiking and biking trails, Tab adds, “Tanager residents will truly enjoy Central Oregon’s changing landscape year-round. Though nature plays a huge part of the appeal of this exclusive development, it’s also just minutes from Bend’s outstanding shopping, schools, and amenities. We’re in close proximity to NorthWest Crossing for great shopping and dining, and living here means families can still send their children to Summit High School. With Bend’s new regulations for high-density building, it’s next to impossible to find acreage to build on. There will never be another property like this.”
Acreage abounds at Tanager. The development has two private lakes, one for motorized activity and one for non-motorized recreation. The ski lake includes features like a push-button sunken slalom course that pops up for water skiers, and lowers back down for wakeboarding and wake surfing. Strict rules on the types and features of boats ensures that the boats are not intrusive and are nearly inaudible from any property. The non-motorized lake is perfect for activities like kayaking, swimming, fishing, and stand-up paddleboarding.
The developers wanted to create a place that offered homeowners easy access to all the outdoor activities in Bend while still being able to have their children attend school in town. They wanted to create a space to live year-round and have pristine adventures, and have it be accessible right out the front door. Tanager was created to preserve the best of Bend and enjoy the land and water.
In addition to offering convenient recreation in Bend, the infrastructure of Tanager has been carefully designed to ensure both enjoyment and durability through the seasons and the years. Both lakes are fully lined to prevent water loss and fully underground irrigation is built for efficiency. Homeowners will find three miles of private asphalt-paved roads, built to county road specifications, that connect the homesites. Paved roads also connect common areas, trails, and lakes for increased accessibility during all seasons. Acres of irrigation rights offer pressurized water and irrigation capabilities to every homesite, and green space and wildlife habitat surrounds both lakes and ensures both access for all residents and privacy for waterfront homesites.
Tanager feels like a world away, but has all of the amenities of living in Deschutes County. In terms of utilities, water is accessible through a private community well water system. Pressurized domestic water lines and meters have been installed on each lot, and pressurized irrigation is provided to each lot. All lots currently listed have been approved by the county for standard septic sewer systems. Power is supplied through Central Electric Cooperative. Homeowners can install underground propane tanks if they desire. Fiber-optic cable is installed at each site, with the potential for increased connectivity stemming from a CenturyLink fiber-optic line that was installed on Johnson Road in 2019.
Homeowners will find three miles of private asphalt-paved roads, built to county road specifications, that connect the homesites. Paved roads also connect common areas, trails, and Lakes for increased accessibility during all seasons.
People seeking the balance of adventure and serenity will find their place at Tanager. Seven lots offer creek frontage on Tumalo Creek. Buyers include families with young kids who don’t want to drive an hour to get to the lake to go wakeboarding, as well as retirees looking to enjoy the peace of a waterfront home that feels secluded but is just a few minutes outside of town.
In addition to incredible recreational opportunities, Tanager has a unique relationship with Bend. Wildfires are increasingly part of life in the high desert, and Tanager has formed a partnership with the Oregon Department of Forestry to source water from its lakes for fire protection. Tanager is the only source of water for heavy helicopters and fire tenders to protect the urban/forest interface on the west side of Bend, and was used as the primary source of water to fight the Two Bulls fire in 2014 and the Shevlin Park fire in 2015 that threatened Bend. Native plants and xeriscaping help rejuvenate the land after fire damage and also mitigate future fires that threaten the town.
“Bend is where all lovers of the outdoors should live—it’s an absolute paradise.”
–Lonely Planet
Moving to Bend centers around the choice to connect with nature. Tanager’s 182 acres is a beautiful collection of distinctive, natural landscapes. Many features of Central Oregon’s high desert—forests, meadows, canyons, cliffs and rivers—converge here, creating a property that is unlike any other. A significant portion of Tanager is also preserved as open space and is year-round habitat for wildlife including deer, elk, bald eagles, and raptors.
As life transitions to the cooler months, Tanager offers the promise of easy access to winter sports. The community’s 182 acres and lakes are ripe for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Additionally, Mt. Bachelor is only a short drive away.
Living well means learning from your mistakes and seizing opportunities for growth. It means celebrating life’s goodness every day. That celebration happens at home. As the seasons change, there is no better time than now to create your dream life in Tanager.
Tanager is an exclusive community that is the town’s best-kept secret. Outdoor recreation and a healthy connection to the place is embedded in the Bend lifestyle, and the Tanager community offers the pinnacle Bend lifestyle.
Lonely Planet says, “Bend is where all lovers of the outdoors should live—it’s an absolute paradise.” The Oregonian opines that, “Bend is a sheer paradise when it comes to outdoor recreation and the activities that naturally follow: eating and drinking.” And Money magazine lauded Bend’s economy and noted that job growth was evident in Bend in its 2019 Best Places to Live report. The area registered a 30.5% job growth between 2010 and 2018, with an additional projected growth of 7.9% by 2023.
“It is truly a unique haven for those who not only seek privacy and seclusion but also want to enjoy the region’s best year-round outdoor recreation while staying close to one of Oregon’s top cities.”
–Tab Howard, LUXE Christie’s International Real Estate
At Tanager, you can work with their builder or bring your own builder and architect to create the life you wish to lead with incredibly private access to recreation in exclusive spots. Per the CC&Rs and architectural guidelines, the covered area of a home, including indoor living space and covered patio outdoor living space, must be at least 3,000 square feet, not including garages. The indoor living space must be at least 2,500 square feet.
“It is truly a unique haven for those who not only seek privacy and seclusion but also want to enjoy the region’s best year-round outdoor recreation while staying close to one of Oregon’s top cities,” says Howard. “The number of homesites are limited so it’s an incredible opportunity that won’t last long.”
Phase One is now available and offering 2+ acre lots starting at $1.4M. For more information about Tanager, please visit TanagerBend.com or contact Tab Howard at 310-346-3500 or tab@luxecir.com.
