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This seams to have become an issue of me not being able to manage my money more than what portland has to offer me! 180K is not much in san diego and I will break that for you. When you consider 35% federal tax, 10.3% state tax (and yes it is that high for incomes over 100K), $600/month for health care for two (not including the copay and cost of medications), $4000 for mortgage/ month (if your loan is a jumbo loan your rates are high and you need to rely on two separate loans with high interest rates and you need a jumbo loan in san diego unless you have over 150K cash to invest in your 3br/2b average location house), $1200/yr for home insurance and yes it is that high because of fire hazards in san diego and this does not include earthquake insurance witch can be an issue, $1000 dollars in car insurance and yes you do need a car per person in san diego since there is absolutely no public transportation system here. you can see were the money goes. Just to add a few other things such as higher gas prices over $3 dollars/gallon, sales tax of 8.5%, school loans (I have to pay back for my education), water bills of over $150 (water is expensive and even though there are sanctions on water but still the average cost of water for a house hold of two with a yard runs around $150/month in the summer and will increase next year) car registrations, housing taxes (1.1% may seam not much but for a house worth 600K you will be paying over $7000 for property tax not including the extra tax we pay for the schools in the area) and the 100K reduction in our house price......And yes I will have a better salary in portland than in san diego and I wish I could explain that!
How can you be making almost 200 grand and not make it in SD? I'm from La Mesa and we were fine on less than 50 grand-with a baby! Do you eat in La Jolla every nite? Is your condo in RSF on an adjustable rate-loan? How many pair of shoes do you own? I don't get it at all.
If you are acclimated to spoiling yourself regularly you will find almost any area too expensive.
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Originally Posted by Wilshire81182
I would not leave SD for PDX. I think it is kind of dull and the weather would be a hard adjustment. Like someone else mentioned though, Seattle is a great city and has more to do that may divert you from the dreary wet weather.
I wish I had an offer from Seattle but for now My options are lower income/higher cost of living in san diego or Higher income/Lower cost of living in portland. If you were in my shoes and had lived in both cities would you still pick SD over PDX? Is the weather in portland so bad and city so unpleasent that more money wold not be worth it? I also would like to add that I am not a native SD and know a few things about rain as long as it is not as cold as boston or saint paul. I am also interested about the caracter of the city and the people!! is portland cultured? are schools okay? is housing afortable? are summers nice and dry? does it rain all the time all year round or does it rain mainly in the winter? how cold does it get compared to east cost? are the rainy days cold and wet like boston in spring?
Jakedog, thank you so much for the usefull information. I have looked into the online real estate prices. You are right there are houses around 600K but it seams that they are nicer and larger than what you might get in san diego. I have a 3br/2b about 2000sft house here in san diego (carmel mountain). I have paid over 600K and the house is 30 years old with no upgrades and no views. What would you think a house with the same descriptions would be worth in portland. Considering that carmel mountain is an avrage community in san diego. What community would lake oswego and Broklin compare to in san diego? thank you for the feedback
Lake Oswego is a big area- all of it is decent, but some parts are definitely far more desirable than others. Lake Oswego is probably comparable to Encinitas- but not on the ocean and it doesn't really have anything going on. In portland heights or close in NE Portland you would be lucky to get 1000 square feet for $600K in a home you would want to live. Just be careful. Remember- you need a LOT more house because you will be spending A LOT more time inside.
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as long as it is not as cold as boston or saint paul. I am also interested about the caracter of the city and the people!! is portland cultured? are schools okay? is housing afortable? are summers nice and dry? does it rain all the time all year round or does it rain mainly in the winter? how cold does it get compared to east cost? are the rainy days cold and wet like boston in spring?
