Portland, Oregon to NOVA. To move or not (Reston, Vienna: transplants, house)

[g3org3]

Originally Posted by stacylee926

Honestly, even Old Town Alexandria wouldn't classify as a walkable city in terms of living. Old Town is a great place to park and enjoy cute little shops on a Saturday afternoon. There are several of those areas around - Fairfax City, CLifton, Occoquan but not the best for groceries, gas etc.

I beg to differ. There is a Safeway (small, but hey, it is a city) in the heart of the "good" quadrant of Old Town, and it's chock full of gas stations; if you're not crazy about Safeway, there's also Balducci's, Giant, and Whole Foods. Unlike Clifton, Occoquan, and even Fairfax, there are also a wide range of employers there, too. But, an Alexandria to Reston commute wouldn't be great.

After spending a week in N. California recently, I'd have to say folks are definitely more, um, relaxed on the west coast. The number of people here that need to relax would be the greater culture shock than the number of different peoples, IMO.

[Movingwesttoeast]

Thanks all for your thoughts.

The diversity issue for me is a plus. I grew up in Toronto, Canada, one of the most diverse cities in the world. I missed the diversity when I moved in Oregon...but I loved everything else...access to the outdoors...skiing and beaches an hour away, great restaurants...a lot of big city variety, without the the complexities of big cities. Plus, I am environmentally aware -- and like so many in Portland, I love to run. I just fit here. I have lived on the east coast, the midwest and in Portland twice (we came back) --- and now we are faced with another decision.

From the boards, people who love it in NoVa either grew up there (so they are home), or came from a place with a worse quality of life (even higher cost of living, poor schools, whatever). While I do not want to compare NoVa to Michigan...I did find that some people loved Michigan...if they were from Michigan. Most of the rest of us counted the days until we could get somewhere else.

I meet many people in Oregon who came here because they wanted to be HERE. They chose this lifestyle, and found jobs to make it work. I do not sense that many people in NoVa chose to live there because they love the life...unless it is home. Thoughts?

[stacylee926]

Originally Posted by Movingwesttoeast

Thanks all for your thoughts.

The diversity issue for me is a plus. I grew up in Toronto, Canada, one of the most diverse cities in the world. I missed the diversity when I moved in Oregon...but I loved everything else...access to the outdoors...skiing and beaches an hour away, great restaurants...a lot of big city variety, without the the complexities of big cities. Plus, I am environmentally aware -- and like so many in Portland, I love to run. I just fit here. I have lived on the east coast, the midwest and in Portland twice (we came back) --- and now we are faced with another decision.

From the boards, people who love it in NoVa either grew up there (so they are home), or came from a place with a worse quality of life (even higher cost of living, poor schools, whatever). While I do not want to compare NoVa to Michigan...I did find that some people loved Michigan...if they were from Michigan. Most of the rest of us counted the days until we could get somewhere else.

I meet many people in Oregon who came here because they wanted to be HERE. They chose this lifestyle, and found jobs to make it work. I do not sense that many people in NoVa chose to live there because they love the life...unless it is home. Thoughts?

One of the fantastic things about living in NoVa - is that anything you could ever want is all close by. Any kind of store, outdoor activities, type of food, cultural activities - you name it. It is also an area that has an incredible amount of resources - electives in school and activities, public service help, adult education opportunities - just anything you can desire is nearby.

There are mountains 30 min from Fairfax County, FREE museums and theatres, beaches, wineries, historical sites and battlefields, parks of all sizes. Families with children have vast options for educational fun .

I was born in NoVa and lived there for 41 years. Traffic and cost of living drove me away. I had a daughter that had just graduated high school, my mom passed away and I was recently divorced. So really - it was major life changes that sent me to a quieter more laid back area.

[barryhussein]

Compare any zipocode in Portland to any one in NoVa and you will see much higher wages in NoVa. Portland is one of the most over rated cities on the Planet. Recently it was in the top five worst job markets in the US. The city of the future, but nothing ever solidified. Lots of people in Birkenstocks with anemia from lack of sunshine. Do a little research; you can find just what your looking for, close to work. Most peoples hellish commutes are the result of poor planning.

Look in the Lawyer's Rd area of Reston. Maybe give Oakton a try. I hope your kids are up for the challenge.
Moderator cut: linking to competitors sites is not allowed

[hml1976]

movingwesttoeast - apparently we are the same person I'm just kidding but I also live near Portland Oregon (LOVE IT HERE), grew up in Toronto and am considering moving to VA. Weird huh?

However, my sister lived in NVA for years and I went to college in VA so I know what we're getting into. In my opinion, there's just no comparison between Portland and NVA. Portland is walkable, the climate is mild (while yes rainy) and the culture is so laid back. NVA is more like NYC without the neighborhoods and walkability. Its vast and spread out, Vienna is just a big suburb with some high rises, old town Alexandria is probably your best bet but 800K won't go far there. I think you'll miss the lifestyle in the PNW, I know I will but I don't think we have a choice, my husband's company is doing poorly so we have to find something quickly.

If its a great job maybe go for a few years but really I don't think most people think of NVA as home forever.

[Movingwesttoeast]

Thank you all for the replies. I think if I hated Portland the move would be an easier consideration. But, I love Portland. Our family has an excellent life here.

No Va seems to offer a lot, but life seems more complicated and hectic. If we do go, we will make the most of being there.

[smaug20000]

Yeah, we recently considered a move out of NVA, and we looked at Boise, ID, Greeneville, SC and Portland, OR to name a few. But it just came back to jobs, and we have decided to stay in NVA because I have a good job that is going well. It's hard to argue with a steady paycheck even though some of those other areas seemed really great.

[guyincognito]

It sounds like the Ballston - Rosslyn corridor would best match what you're looking for in terms of a walkable lifestyle. Arlington is a very progressive area that is a leader in "smart growth". Living in this area would allow you to walk to parks, stores, and schools. The Metro runs right down the corridor for easy access to downtown DC. Running/biking trails criss-cross the county. It doesn't come cheap, and your (reverse) commute to Reston would probably be in the neighborhood of 30-40 minute.

Reston itself has a very nice walkable town center and lots of trails. Most of the housing within walking distance of the town center is condos and townhouses. Single family homes are a short drive away. Your money would go further here.

NoVA is one of the richest regions in the country and we have our fair share of snobs and people who feel they may be more important than you. The lifestyle can be fast paced, especially compared to the west coast. But outside of traffic, the quality of life is very high - excellent schools, shopping, and museums.

[popalnet]

Originally Posted by Movingwesttoeast

My spouse has a job offer in Northern VA. We live in Portland Oregon and love it here. We are not originally from the northwest, but it is now our adopted home. My spouse has a big job opportunity in the NoVa area. I know our quality of life in NoVA will be different. I hear about the horrible traffic, and less than organized suburbs (in OR we live in a small city, 9 miles from dt Portland, but that also has it own downtown, parks and rec, police and the best school in Oregon). We should be able to spend up to 800,000ish on a house.

So...some questions:

Any Oregonians in No Va? How do you like it?

We do not want to long commute (the job is near Reston). Is Vienna the only "real" town with a walkable lifestyle?

I hear mixed on how friendly the neighbors are...anyone have a west coast perspective on it?

Help!

Comparing to where you're coming from, you will have many downtowns to choose from within the DC metro area. Alexandria, Arlington, Reston, Herndon, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville, Crystal City, and blah blah blah.

From the way you're intro sounds, you're going to be happier in Oregon. Unless you like a lot of diversity and culture and closeness to so many other things to see - Baltimore, Philly, NYC, Atlantic City, VA Beach, and so on..

Worst part - the mentality in the DC area is work work work and make money make money and more money.

[ACWhite]

I'm just offering a personal opinion, rather than facts for you to consider, so here goes....

I believe most people do not love where they live, or feel as if they "fit" there, as much as you do. If I were in your position, I would be extremely reluctant to give that up. No matter what the new community has to offer (in addition to the job offer) it will be very hard for any new community to top that feeling of happiness. So I would look very hard at the job offer and ask whether it is so much better of an opportunity than what your husband has now, and what else you might be giving up (your own career opportunities) in considering the move. Also, with any job move there is always the risk that the job may vanish or be very different in negative ways from what is expected.

I don't mean to imply that this area does not have a lot to offer. I personally am very happy here (except for the cost of housing and traffic forcing people to make decisions and compromises that they don't have to make in many other cities), but I chose this area (from areas associated with other job offers) because I have always liked it. It is sometimes hard to make friends here, but easier I think if you have kids in school because a lot of people meet other parents that way. And I think you would like the greater amount of sunshine than Portland and warmer weather than Toronto!

Good luck with your decision!