From Texas to Oregon (Portland, Eugene: apartments, rental, violent crime)

[Meagan89]

I am in my mid 20s with a younger child. We currently live in a small town in Southeast Texas with about 18,900 people in it. I am done and ready to leave this place behind and never look back. The company I may start working for has 2 locations in Bend. Im nervous because im from a tiny town and making the move to a 76,000 person city is a big step. However, the crime and corruption is too much to take. The richest and nice neighborhoods and school districts are starting to have abducted women dumped and drug busts in the school zone while the worse neighborhoods are seeing murders and aggravated assults from an entire high school. Even our police force admits how corrupted they are and arrest people just for the probation money. Im hoping Oregon will be the good start we need. Im looking for places off on their own like not crowded neighborhoods. I want to give my son space to play without worrying about the rampant speeding problem in our current neighborhood. Does anyone know of an area with homes that are more spread out? I still have some time before I can move but im researching now.

[mrwibble]

There's lots of areas. Where I live, Kings Forest in SE Bend, is homes on plots of around an acre but in the city. I posted some pics in the picture thread. Deschutes River Woods, to the SW of Bend has big lots and is spread out. It is un-incorporated though and not to everyone's taste. You'll also find lower density housing to the east of Bend and to the south, south of Knott Road.

[Meagan89]

As long as it is by a good school, I would be happy. I dont want to make a trip to the grocery store an all day thing but space is definitely good. I want to avoid the whole neighborhood association thing. It sounds like as long as I avoid the North I should be good. Are they safe areas?

[redguard57]

I moved from Texas to Bend, OR 2 years ago. I was living in Austin, so it was a shock to me to move to such a *small* town. Something I think you'll be shocked by are the housing prices and high rents. They're extremely high, especially rents. Expect to pay at least $1200 a month for a single family house. Any house.

As far as crime, I think you'll find central Oregon tame compared to TX. There are a few drug problems with meth but nothing like the kind of violent crime TX cities have. All the Bend schools are fairly decent in my opinion. The only part of town that I would consider sketchy is the area east of 3rd street/business 97 and west of SE Centennial by the railroad tracks -- there are some seedy motels right there and a trailer park behind them. It's kind of the meth capital of the area. Even with that, Bend does not have ghettos by Texas standards. North side of town is fine if you ask me.

What you're looking for depends how much you can spend. Deschutes River Woods offers what you're looking for at probably the best prices available around here.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by redguard57

I moved from Texas to Bend, OR 2 years ago. I was living in Austin, so it was a shock to me to move to such a *small* town. Something I think you'll be shocked by are the housing prices and high rents. They're extremely high, especially rents. Expect to pay at least $1200 a month for a single family house. Any house.

As far as crime, I think you'll find central Oregon tame compared to TX. There are a few drug problems with meth but nothing like the kind of violent crime TX cities have. All the Bend schools are fairly decent in my opinion. The only part of town that I would consider sketchy is the area east of 3rd street/business 97 and west of SE Centennial by the railroad tracks -- there are some seedy motels right there and a trailer park behind them. It's kind of the meth capital of the area. Even with that, Bend does not have ghettos by Texas standards. North side of town is fine if you ask me.

What you're looking for depends how much you can spend. Deschutes River Woods offers what you're looking for at probably the best prices available around here.

I would second the suggestion to look into Deschutes River Woods if you space, but still close to town. I have several friends who live there and they love it.

I happen to live on the NE side of town, technically more mid-town area, in an older neighborhood with no HOA's. We don't have "space" per se, but our neighbors are all great, we've never dealt with any crime in our neighborhood, and the rent in our area (we own, but we watch what the rents do) isn't nearly as expensive as other parts of Bend. However, as redguard57 stated, you might be surprised by the rental prices overall compared with Texas. Wages might not match up to rent in the area, so if you need a job, take that into consideration as well.

[k2rider]

redguard...it's funny to those of us in SoCal that you even think that $1200 a month for rent is alot. Doen here in San Diego, a 1 BR apartment might start at $1200. In the area where I live in North County, rent for a house starts at $2200. If you want to live in the best areas like Carmel Valley, you're probably looking at $3500 a month to start.

In my visits to Bend, we've done alot of driving around to check out the different areas and the sketchiest area in Bend wouldn't make the Top 1000 worst neighborhoods in San Diego County. The place is a virtual heaven as far as that goes.

[Jules25]

Have lived in pacific NW for 2 yrs now and I am moving back to TX. From Dallas but moving back to Austin
Just be prepared-the cost of living here is very high (Bend might be alittle cheaper than Seattle) but still higher than you have in TX. Just prepare yourself for that and whatever you think it will be, add to that.
Also, every place has pockets of crime and nothing is really safe anymore. Just be smart about your personal safety, keep your eyes open and don't be naive about any location. Drugs, gangs, crimes are everywhere.

[Jules25]

P.S. My wages didn't add up to the extra cost of living. I made less in Seattle than I did in Dallas! Never would have thought...

[redguard57]

Originally Posted by k2rider

redguard...it's funny to those of us in SoCal that you even think that $1200 a month for rent is alot. Doen here in San Diego, a 1 BR apartment might start at $1200. In the area where I live in North County, rent for a house starts at $2200. If you want to live in the best areas like Carmel Valley, you're probably looking at $3500 a month to start.

In my visits to Bend, we've done alot of driving around to check out the different areas and the sketchiest area in Bend wouldn't make the Top 1000 worst neighborhoods in San Diego County. The place is a virtual heaven as far as that goes.

No kidding. In Texas, at least when I left in 2012, pretty nice apartments could still be had for $625. They got nicer and bigger for the same price, the further out you were willing to drive. Decent houses could be rented for $1000.

In Bend, apartments run $800-1000, duplexes 900-1350, *decent* houses are more like $1500. Only manufactured and mobile homes can be rented in the $1000-1200 range.

I was even more surprised to learn that those prices are good (!) compared to Portland or Seattle. However, I notice that Eugene or Salem areas have similar housing costs as Bend, actually a little better bang for the buck.

What's sad is that compared to Texas, wages are about the same, but housing is a good 25% to 50% more.

[Pfhtex]

Having moved here from Dallas, and lived in Austin, I think you might find Bend to be a fantastic change, if you have the job in place. And, on that note, I rent a neat little house between Downtown and The Old Mill District, very near safe-seeming schools, and my rent is $800. I got lucky, but you can, too.
About drugs and gangs, that person was talking about Seattle, not Bend. Believe me, this place is paradise next to Seattle or Dallas or any large city. Visit if you can, then I bet you make your move. Best of luck!