Larissa Mayfield, Oregon Real Estate Broker

Larissa Mayfield, Oregon Real Estate Broker Oregon Real Estate Broker
ΓEA⅃ Broker, LLC - The Operative Group
License # 201231874 YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTfFQIvonbTD94MaejvTvTw

09/25/2026

If you’re selling in Lane County, your competition isn’t just other resale homes.

Buyers are also comparing your home to new construction, builder incentives and rate buydowns.

But builders aren’t building at the same steady pace.

Locally, new housing permits in the Eugene-Springfield area have been bouncing around significantly.

Nationally, builders are also showing more caution, with permits signaling softer construction ahead.

Why does that matter?

The new construction competing with your home today won’t necessarily be replaced at the same pace tomorrow.

But that does NOT mean sellers should wait.

Builders are still competing aggressively for today’s buyers. In September, 38% of builders nationally reported cutting prices, with incentives also becoming more common.

If you’re selling in Lane County, your home needs to compete with what buyers can get TODAY.

That means accurate pricing, strong marketing and highlighting what new construction often can’t offer: established neighborhoods, larger lots, mature landscaping, acreage, shops, RV parking, privacy and room for animals.

The sellers getting attention right now are the ones who understand their competition and price accordingly.

Comment PRICE and I’ll show you where your home stacks up against what’s currently for sale in your area.

09/24/2026

While you're touching up paint and getting your home ready for listing photos, the builder across town may be adjusting their price or offering an incentive.

And that matters more than most Lane County sellers realize.

Right now, there are roughly 128 new construction homes for sale in Lane County.

Their median list price? About $459,000.

Compare that with the recent median sale price for ALL homes in Lane County of about $473,000.

That means buyers looking at your resale home may also be looking at a brand new home at a very similar price.

And builders have another tool in their pocket: incentives.

Nationally, builders are increasingly using price reductions and incentives like mortgage rate buydowns to get buyers through the door.

So how does a resale seller compete?

1. Price it right from the beginning.�Lane County buyers have choices right now. Starting too high and chasing the market with price reductions can cost you valuable time.
2. Sell what new construction can't offer.�Acreage. Mature landscaping. Shops and outbuildings. Established trees. RV parking. Fencing. Larger lots. Privacy. Wells, septic systems and room for animals. These things matter, especially in our rural Lane County market.
3. Compete with the payment, not just the price.�If a builder is offering a rate buydown, a resale seller may be able to offer closing-cost assistance or a seller-paid rate buydown instead of simply reducing the price.
4. Reduce the buyer's uncertainty.�Consider a pre-listing inspection and have information about your well, septic, roof, HVAC and major systems ready. The easier you make it for a buyer to understand the property, the easier it is for them to feel comfortable moving forward.
5. Know what the builders are offering.�Your competition isn't just the house down the street anymore. We need to know what new construction buyers are seeing too.

The Lane County market isn't necessarily a bad market for sellers. But it IS a market where pricing, preparation and strategy matter.

Comment PRICE and I'll run your home's real number against what's actually selling nearby, new construction included.

09/23/2026

The base price got you in the door. The design center is where the builder makes it back. I've watched a $410,000 contract turn into $475,000 in one afternoon with a sweet design consultant and a wall of tile samples. Here's what I tell every buyer before that appointment.

Buy it from the builder, because you can't easily do it later:

1. Structural options. An extra bedroom, extended garage, covered patio, bigger island. One time decisions. You will never add a foot to the garage after drywall.

2. Electrical and plumbing rough-ins. Outlets in the island, a gas line to the patio, a 240 volt line in the garage, a stub for a future bathroom. Cheap now, thousands later.

3. Insulation and windows. Anything inside the walls. Better insulation and better glass lower your bills for the life of the house.

4. Cabinets to the ceiling. It looks custom and you can't do it later without redoing the whole kitchen.

5. Flooring, but only where it's hard to replace. Tile in wet areas is worth it. Builder carpet in bedrooms is not.

Skip it at the design center and do it after closing:

1. Light fixtures and fans. Builder markup runs 2 to 3 times retail.

2. Backsplash. A tile installer charges a fraction of the builder's price for the same tile.
3. Closet systems and shelving.

4. Landscaping, fence and window coverings. Some builders price blinds at $6,000. You can do them for $1,500.

5. Appliance packages. Buy them on a holiday sale and have them delivered the week you close.

Rule of thumb: if it's inside the walls or changes the footprint, buy it from the builder. If it hangs on the wall or plugs in, wait.

And remember every dollar you add at the design center gets financed at your mortgage rate for 30 years. That $6,000 in blinds is really about $14,000 by the time you've paid it off.

Comment BUILD and I'll send you the new-build communities near you along with each builder's base inclusions, so you know what's really included before you ever sit down.

09/22/2026

A while back, I told you the number on your mortgage approval isn't what you'll actually pay each month. New construction takes that and adds a few surprises resale buyers never see. Here's the full monthly picture on a $393,800 new build, which is the current national median.

The mortgage. With 10% down and a rate near 7%, principal and interest is about $2,330. If the builder buys your rate down to the high 5s, closer to $2,070. That's the number on the flyer. Now keep going.

Property taxes. This is the one that bites. Your first year is often taxed on the empty lot, not the finished house. Your escrow gets set on that low number. Then the county reassesses, the bill doubles or triples, and your payment jumps a year in. Plan on $330 to $650 a month depending on your state, and expect the adjustment.

HOA dues. New communities almost always have one. $50 to $250 a month, more with a pool and a gate.

Insurance. Roughly $150 to $250 a month, though new builds usually get a break for the new roof, wiring and plumbing.

The stuff the builder doesn't include. Blinds, a fridge, a washer and dryer, backyard landscaping, a fence, sometimes gutters. Budget $10,000 to $25,000 in the first year. That's real money that ends up on a credit card if nobody warns you.

All in, that $2,070 flyer payment is realistically $2,700 to $3,500 a month once the house is done and the county catches up. Not bad. Just not what the sign said.

I run this exact breakdown for every buyer before we tour a single model. Comment BUILD and I'll send you a list of every new construction home in our area.

09/21/2026

Right now 63% of builders are offering incentives and 35% have cut prices outright. That flyer promising $20,000 toward closing costs or a rate in the 4s is real. But it's not free. Here are the strings I see attached to almost every builder incentive, and how to make each one work for you instead of against you.

String 1: You have to use the builder's lender. The incentive lives with their in-house or preferred lender. Sometimes their rate and fees are competitive. Sometimes the "incentive" quietly comes back through a higher rate or a bigger origination fee. Get a loan estimate from an outside lender the same day and put them side by side. If the builder's deal still wins, take it. If it doesn't, the incentive was never real.

String 2: It only applies to quick move-in homes. The big money sits on inventory the builder already finished and is paying interest on every month. If you want to pick your lot and your finishes, the offer usually shrinks. Ask the exact question: does this apply to a to-be-built home, or only the ready list?

String 3: You have to close by a certain date. Builders report to shareholders. The quarter ends September 30. A home that closes by then counts. One that closes October 5 doesn't. That deadline is your leverage, not theirs. If you can close fast, ask for more.
And the one nobody prints on the flyer: the sales rep in the model home works for the builder. Kind, helpful, and paid to get the builder's number. That's their job. Mine is to get yours.

One more thing. In most communities, if you walk into the model without your agent the first time, the builder won't let you add one later. Bring me to the first visit. It costs you nothing. The builder pays my fee, and your incentive doesn't change.

Comment BUILD and I'll send you a list of every new construction home in our area.

09/19/2026

How long is it REALLY taking homes to sell in Lane County? 🏡

The answer depends a lot on where you live.

Based on the August 2026 RMLS Market Action Report:

• Eugene — 41 days*�• Springfield — 65 days�• Florence — 55 days�• Junction City — 73 days�• Pleasant Hill/Oakridge Area — 88 days�• South Lane Area — 76 days�• West Lane Area — 80 days

Lane County overall: 51 days.

What does this mean? Real estate is local. Pricing, competition and how you negotiate can look very different from one community to the next.

Thinking about buying or selling in Lane County? Send me a message and let’s talk about what the market looks like in your neighborhood.
Eugene is a calculated weighted average using the individual Eugene areas reported by RMLS. RMLS defines Total Market Time as the number of days from listing until an offer is accepted.

Want me to build you a private home search for anywhere in Lane County?

Comment SEARCH and I’ll send it your way.

09/18/2026

Having a well and having a good well are two very different things.

When I’m helping someone buy rural property, I want to know things like:

How deep is the well?

What’s the flow rate?

When was it last tested?

What’s the water quality?

Is there a holding tank or filtration system?

And one of my favorites: Can we find the original well log?

These are the kinds of details that can make a huge difference when you’re buying in the country.

Looking at acreage in Western Oregon? Send me the listing before you make an offer. I’ll help you know what questions to ask.

09/17/2026

A beautiful piece of acreage can look like a great deal until you figure out what it will actually take to build on it.

Before buying, I want to know:

Is it actually buildable?

What does the zoning allow?

Is there an approved septic site?

Is there a well, or what are neighboring wells producing?

What will it cost to get power to the building site?

A cheaper purchase price can get expensive FAST when you’re starting from raw land.

Thinking about buying land in Lane County or surrounding areas? Send me the word LAND and I’ll help you figure out what to look for before you make an offer.

09/16/2026

This surprises a LOT of rural buyers.

Before you start dreaming about a second home, shop, Airbnb, RV hookup, horses, livestock, or splitting the property someday, you need to understand the zoning.

Two properties that look almost identical can have completely different rules.

When I’m helping a buyer look at acreage, one of the first things I’m researching is not the house.

It’s the land.

Because your plans for the property matter just as much as the property itself.

If you’re looking for acreage around Eugene, Veneta, Elmira or anywhere in Lane County, DM me ACREAGE. Tell me what you want to do with the property, and I’ll help you know what to look for.

09/15/2026

"New" does not mean "done right." I've walked through brand new homes with problems that would make a 1990s resale blush. Builders are moving fast right now. Sixteen straight months of at least 30% of them cutting prices means crews are being pushed to finish faster than they should. Here's what I check in every new build before my buyer signs anything.

1. Open the attic. Not the closet. The attic. Missing insulation, ductwork lying on the drywall, a bathroom fan venting into the attic instead of outside. This is where the shortcuts hide because nobody looks up there.

2. Run every faucet and flush every toilet at the same time. If the pressure drops to a trickle, there's a plumbing issue that gets a lot harder to fix once you're living there.

3. Look at the dirt outside. It should slope away from the foundation on every side. If it slopes toward the house, water will too, and that's a foundation problem waiting on the first big storm.

4. Turn off the lights and run your phone flashlight along the walls. Nail pops, unfinished seams, sloppy corners. Drywall tells me how much the crew cared about everything you can't see.

5. Open and close every window and door twice. Sticking, rubbing, a lock that needs a shove. That usually means the framing moved or the install was rushed.

6. Look under every sink. Loose fittings, missing caulk, a drain that already drips. Thirty seconds, and I know whether anyone checked the finish crew's work.

7. Hire an inspector anyway. A new build gets a city inspection, but that checks code minimums, not quality. I bring in an independent inspector at pre-drywall and again before closing. It costs a few hundred dollars. It has saved my buyers tens of thousands.
Warranties are great. Not needing to use one is better.

Comment BUILD and I'll send you a list of every new construction home in our area.

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Elmira, OR
97437

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Friday 7am - 7pm
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+15417847745

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