Sometimes the House Chooses You: How a Birthday Trip Started Our Journey to The Cabin on the Canal
You’ll Know It When You See It: How We Found The Cabin on the Canal
For more than twenty years as a Realtor, I’ve told buyers the same thing:
“You’ll know the house when you see it.”
Sometimes it’s the moment you pull into the driveway.
Sometimes it’s when you walk through the front door.
Sometimes you can’t explain it.
It just speaks to you.
I’ve said those words hundreds of times.
Ironically, before buying The Cabin on the Canal, I’d only purchased two homes myself.
The first was a house we rented before eventually buying.
The second belonged to friends. We needed more space but wanted to stay in the neighborhood, so it was a natural fit.
Neither purchase involved much searching.
This one was different.
But looking back, I don’t think the story began when we started shopping for a property.
I think it began a year earlier.
Mason’s Birthday Changed Everything
Last June, Jesse, Hailey, Mason, Mom, Jim, and I rented a small Airbnb on Wood Duck Drive to celebrate Mason’s birthday.
It wasn’t luxurious.
It wasn’t extraordinary.
But it was comfortable.
It welcomed dogs.
And the dogs had the time of their lives.
We spent our days watching them splash in the river, slowing down, and simply enjoying being together.
Something about being on the water felt different.
None of us realized it then, but that weekend planted a seed.
What if we had a place like this?
What if we found something on the water?
What would that look like?
A simple birthday trip quietly became the beginning of a much bigger dream.
Why We Started Looking
The search didn’t begin because we wanted to own an Airbnb.
It began because we wanted a place where our family could gather and make memories.
Evelyn wanted water access, but after spending much of her life in Florida, she wasn’t interested in oceanfront property.
At one point, we even considered a home near Devil’s Lake in Lincoln City. But seasonal algae blooms and concerns for the dogs made us hesitate.
What we all loved was Central Oregon.
Floating the river.
Paddleboarding.
Kayaking.
Hiking.
Biking.
Concerts.
Skiing.
Exploring Bend and Sunriver.
It already felt like home.
So our search shifted east.
The Search
Over time, the dream became a plan.
And eventually, the plan became a serious house hunt.
We spent three days touring twelve homes throughout Sunriver, River Meadows Village, and Three Rivers.
There were beautiful homes.
Wonderful communities.
Several strong contenders.
One home in River Meadows nearly became the one.
Another in Sunriver stayed on our shortlist.
Then there was Blue Heron.
Actually, Blue Heron had shown up before.
We had looked at it online… then moved on.
But on the morning we were supposed to leave La Pine and head home, it appeared again.
I looked at Jesse and said,
“We’re already here. It’s vacant. Let’s just go see it.”
Honestly, we almost didn’t.
Funny How Life Works
As we pulled into the driveway, something felt familiar.
Then I realized why.
The previous summer, while staying on Wood Duck, we’d walked right past this very house.
I remembered seeing several trucks parked outside while a group of guys unloaded gear before taking off.
I never noticed a “For Sale” sign.
But I remembered the house.
Funny how life works sometimes.
The Moment
The instant I stepped through the front door, I saw the French doors perfectly framing the canal beyond.
And I felt it.
The same feeling I’d spent decades describing to buyers.
“This is it.”
The house wasn’t updated.
It wasn’t flashy.
It wasn’t even the nicest home we’d toured.
But none of that mattered.
I knew.
Still, I kept quiet.
I wanted Jesse to experience it for himself.
He wandered toward the back of the house.
Stepped outside.
And he knew too.
Without much discussion, we called Evelyn.
I’d FaceTimed her through every home we’d toured over those three days.
This one wasn’t any different.
Except somehow…
It was.
“This one came back on the market,” I told her. “We decided to take a look.”
As we walked her through the house over FaceTime, she felt it too.
Not because it was perfect.
Not because it had updated cabinets.
Not because it checked every box.
Because it simply felt right.
It Was Never About the House
Looking back, I don’t think we were ever really shopping for a vacation rental.
We were chasing a feeling.
The feeling we experienced one year earlier.
Watching the dogs play in the river.
Watching our family slow down.
Enjoying simple moments together.
Making memories.
That little Airbnb on Wood Duck planted the seed.
Over the next year, that seed quietly grew into a dream.
Eventually, that dream became reality.
Full Circle
The most incredible part?
This month marks exactly one year since Mason’s birthday trip.
One year ago, we were guests staying in someone else’s Airbnb.
Today, we’ve opened The Cabin on the Canal.
From guests to hosts.
From dream to reality.
And I don’t think this journey was ever really about owning a short-term rental.
It’s about creating a place where other families can make memories of their own.
Maybe they’ll celebrate a birthday.
Maybe they’ll bring their dogs.
Maybe they’ll spend evenings around the fire table watching deer wander by.
Maybe their kids will remember floating the river years from now.
And maybe…
Just maybe…
Their stay will inspire a dream they never expected.
Funny how life works sometimes.
One year ago, we were guests.
Today, we’re hosts.
And somehow, it feels like everything unfolded exactly the way it was meant to.
Lesson Learned
As a Realtor, I’ve spent decades helping people search for the perfect house.
This experience reminded me that most people aren’t really searching for a house at all.
They’re searching for a feeling.
Sometimes the house that changes your life isn’t the newest.
Or the biggest.
Or the most beautiful.
Sometimes it’s simply the one you almost didn’t go see.
And that’s the one that was waiting for you all along.
Next in the Series
Part 2: The Pressure of a 1031 Exchange: Why We Only Got Three Choices
Part 3: Evaluating Short-Term Rental Locations: What Actually Matters
Part 4: Why We Chose Three Rivers Instead of Sunriver and River Meadows Village
Ready to Experience The Cabin on the Canal?
Whether you’re planning a family getaway, bringing your dogs for an adventure, or simply looking for a peaceful place to slow down, we’d love to host you.
Check availability and bohttps://www.airbnb.co.in/rooms/1647273692365069417?source_impression_id=p3_1782932038_P3Wi6VkIC5u-p1q0ok your stay.
Thinking about buying a short-term rental in Central Oregon? Let’s talk.
Already dreaming about building your own STR? We’d be happy to compare notes and share what we’ve learned.
You’ll Know It When You See It: How We Found The Cabin on the Canal
For more than twenty years as a Realtor, I’ve told buyers the same thing:
“You’ll know the house when you see it.”
Sometimes it’s the moment you pull into the driveway.
Sometimes it’s when you walk through the front door.
Sometimes you can’t explain it.
It just speaks to you.
I’ve said those words hundreds of times.
Ironically, before buying The Cabin on the Canal, I’d only purchased two homes myself.
The first was a house we rented before eventually buying.
The second belonged to friends. We needed more space but wanted to stay in the neighborhood, so it was a natural fit.
Neither purchase involved much searching.
This one was different.
But looking back, I don’t think the story began when we started shopping for a property.
I think it began a year earlier.
Mason’s Birthday Changed Everything
Last June, Jesse, Hailey, Mason, Mom, Jim, and I rented a small Airbnb on Wood Duck Drive to celebrate Mason’s birthday.
It wasn’t luxurious.
It wasn’t extraordinary.
But it was comfortable.
It welcomed dogs.
And the dogs had the time of their lives.
We spent our days watching them splash in the river, slowing down, and simply enjoying being together.
Something about being on the water felt different.
None of us realized it then, but that weekend planted a seed.
What if we had a place like this?
What if we found something on the water?
What would that look like?
A simple birthday trip quietly became the beginning of a much bigger dream.
Why We Started Looking
The search didn’t begin because we wanted to own an Airbnb.
It began because we wanted a place where our family could gather and make memories.
Evelyn wanted water access, but after spending much of her life in Florida, she wasn’t interested in oceanfront property.
At one point, we even considered a home near Devil’s Lake in Lincoln City. But seasonal algae blooms and concerns for the dogs made us hesitate.
What we all loved was Central Oregon.
Floating the river.
Paddleboarding.
Kayaking.
Hiking.
Biking.
Concerts.
Skiing.
Exploring Bend and Sunriver.
It already felt like home.
So our search shifted east.
The Search
Over time, the dream became a plan.
And eventually, the plan became a serious house hunt.
We spent three days touring twelve homes throughout Sunriver, River Meadows Village, and Three Rivers.
There were beautiful homes.
Wonderful communities.
Several strong contenders.
One home in River Meadows nearly became the one.
Another in Sunriver stayed on our shortlist.
Then there was Blue Heron.
Actually, Blue Heron had shown up before.
We had looked at it online… then moved on.
But on the morning we were supposed to leave La Pine and head home, it appeared again.
I looked at Jesse and said,
“We’re already here. It’s vacant. Let’s just go see it.”
Honestly, we almost didn’t.
Funny How Life Works
As we pulled into the driveway, something felt familiar.
Then I realized why.
The previous summer, while staying on Wood Duck, we’d walked right past this very house.
I remembered seeing several trucks parked outside while a group of guys unloaded gear before taking off.
I never noticed a “For Sale” sign.
But I remembered the house.
Funny how life works sometimes.
The Moment
The instant I stepped through the front door, I saw the French doors perfectly framing the canal beyond.
And I felt it.
The same feeling I’d spent decades describing to buyers.
“This is it.”
The house wasn’t updated.
It wasn’t flashy.
It wasn’t even the nicest home we’d toured.
But none of that mattered.
I knew.
Still, I kept quiet.
I wanted Jesse to experience it for himself.
He wandered toward the back of the house.
Stepped outside.
And he knew too.
Without much discussion, we called Evelyn.
I’d FaceTimed her through every home we’d toured over those three days.
This one wasn’t any different.
Except somehow…
It was.
“This one came back on the market,” I told her. “We decided to take a look.”
As we walked her through the house over FaceTime, she felt it too.
Not because it was perfect.
Not because it had updated cabinets.
Not because it checked every box.
Because it simply felt right.
It Was Never About the House
Looking back, I don’t think we were ever really shopping for a vacation rental.
We were chasing a feeling.
The feeling we experienced one year earlier.
Watching the dogs play in the river.
Watching our family slow down.
Enjoying simple moments together.
Making memories.
That little Airbnb on Wood Duck planted the seed.
Over the next year, that seed quietly grew into a dream.
Eventually, that dream became reality.
Full Circle
The most incredible part?
This month marks exactly one year since Mason’s birthday trip.
One year ago, we were guests staying in someone else’s Airbnb.
Today, we’ve opened The Cabin on the Canal.
From guests to hosts.
From dream to reality.
And I don’t think this journey was ever really about owning a short-term rental.
It’s about creating a place where other families can make memories of their own.
Maybe they’ll celebrate a birthday.
Maybe they’ll bring their dogs.
Maybe they’ll spend evenings around the fire table watching deer wander by.
Maybe their kids will remember floating the river years from now.
And maybe…
Just maybe…
Their stay will inspire a dream they never expected.
Funny how life works sometimes.
One year ago, we were guests.
Today, we’re hosts.
And somehow, it feels like everything unfolded exactly the way it was meant to.
Lesson Learned
As a Realtor, I’ve spent decades helping people search for the perfect house.
This experience reminded me that most people aren’t really searching for a house at all.
They’re searching for a feeling.
Sometimes the house that changes your life isn’t the newest.
Or the biggest.
Or the most beautiful.
Sometimes it’s simply the one you almost didn’t go see.
And that’s the one that was waiting for you all along.
Next in the Series
Part 2: The Pressure of a 1031 Exchange: Why We Only Got Three Choices
Part 3: Evaluating Short-Term Rental Locations: What Actually Matters
Part 4: Why We Chose Three Rivers Instead of Sunriver and River Meadows Village
Ready to Experience The Cabin on the Canal?
Whether you’re planning a family getaway, bringing your dogs for an adventure, or simply looking for a peaceful place to slow down, we’d love to host you.
Check availability and book your stay.
Thinking about buying a short-term rental in Central Oregon? Let’s talk.
Already dreaming about building your own STR? We’d be happy to compare notes and share what we’ve learned.
Written by Tanya Peterson, Principal Real Estate Broker
Next Level Real Estate PNW | John L. Scott Market Center
Tanya Peterson, Principal Real Estate Broker
Next Level Real Estate PNW | John L. Scott Market Center
503-260-2164 OR Lic #200407018
ABR ~ CRS ~ GRI ~ e-Pro ~ SRES
#TanyaPetersonRealEstate #NextLevelRealEstatePNW
Connect With Me:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tanyapetersonrealtor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TanyaPetersonRealtor/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanyapetersonrealtor
Explore the Market - Zillow:https://www.zillow.com
- Homes.com:https://www.homes.com
- Realtor.com:https://www.realtor.com
2 Comments