Brasada Ranch, Bend, Oregon

Brasada Ranch is a highly successful, new 1,800-acre high-end resort community in Central Oregon. The Brasada Ranch site is located on the western slopes of Powell Butte in Crook County, overlooking the towns of Bend and Redmond. This site is situated immediately east of Deschutes County. Over the past three decades, Deschutes County has emerged as the largest and most upscale second-home/resort area in the Pacific Northwest (excluding Idaho and Canada). Although the Brasada Ranch site is somewhat remote, it offers sweeping mountain views and interesting topography

View of the Three Sisters from the Brasada Ranch site.

In July 2002, prior to exercising an option to purchase the 1,800-acre site, Jeld-Wen Communities (a subsidiary of Jeld-Wen) retained Peterson Economics, Design Workshop, and several local developers to work together to jointly evaluate the site’s development potential as a new master-planned resort community. Peterson Economics’ role included participating in the initial brainstorming sessions, completing detailed market research (both locally and in relevant resort areas throughout the Northwest), working with the project team to formulate development recommendations, and completing a series of detailed pro forma financial analyses, providing the client with guidance concerning optimal development strategies and the project’s potential return on investment. Peterson Economics then participated in a series of design charettes with the various project team members aimed at refining the land plan and development program in order to maximize the project’s potential return on investment and marketability.

Jeld-Wen Communities is now developing Brasada Ranch, based on development and market positioning recommendations formulated by Peterson Economics and other team members. The project will include an 18-hole, regulation-length golf course, equestrian center, spa, condo-lodge facility, fractional cabins, whole-ownership cabins, and custom homesites. The project began formal sales in June 2005 and sold all 201 Phase 1 homesites during the initial selection event at prices similar to Peterson Economics’ recommendations. The initial sales event generated more than $60 million in gross sales revenues (an all-time record for Central Oregon by a wide margin). Peterson Economics continues to perform ongoing consulting work for the client during the development process.

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