Ryan Starr: The Ins and Outs of ADUs

Navigating Real Estate Episode 14

ADUs, or Accessory Dwelling Units, are a hot topic in Bend real estate. A broker at RE/MAX Key Properties did some research and found that as of January of 2022, 702 ADU permits had been approved in the City of Bend since 2001. Some 516 of those permits had been approved in just the past five years. Shout out to A’Leah Knight for pulling these numbers, they really tell a story of recent increases in demand as property owners look for ways to generate income and offset costs.

As this interest has increased, we as real estate brokers are hearing from more and more buyers who are curious about the process. But there’s a lot of confusion and unknowns, from permitting to the construction process to legal liabilities.

Today we’re joined by a local architect and expert on ADUs, Ryan Starr.

In this episode Ryan Buccola and Ryan Starr discuss:

• Recent increases in demand for ADUs in Bend and some of the roadblocks owners may hit during the permitting, design and construction process.
• Some of the specific regulations on building ADUs in Bend, which can be complicated, lengthy and costly.
• Costs associated with permitting, designing and building ADUs is complicated to quote because the variable can be so wide and diverse depending on the project.

Key takeaways:

• ADUs can be a solution to housing demand and cost of living issues bening felt in Bend. By increasing density in current residential single family lots, ADUs present an easy way to increase inventory especially for more affordable rental options.
• Bend has some work to do in approving ADUs more widely, as demand increases.
• The City of Bend has simplified several aspects of the ADU approval process, including the definition of an ADU per square footage, which is now 800 square feet across the board.