Is the Jan Ree area in NE Salem a good place to live? (Portland: real estate)

[PNW]

I'm considering moving to the Jan Ree area in NE Salem--homes seem to be in my price range.

I am one of the new breed of conservatives--vegan trying to live green, interested in organic gardening.

I've also been a host mother to international college students here in the Seattle area, and would like to do the same after I retire--hence the reason for considering the area around CCC. Of course I'm concerned about safety and declining property values.

So, what can you tell me about the Jan Ree area?

[dachmom]

I live in NE Salem (renting an apartment) not too far from Chemeketa. I don't live in the Jan Rae area, but I am currently looking at buying a house but not in NE. It's O.K. if you are renting, but personally, I wouldn't buy in this area. I personally feel (I have no official numbers to back it up) that property values will not appreciate as well in NE.

[PNW]

Thanks for your insight, dachmom. I have only driven through the Jan Ree area one time, and I realize you can't tell much from online real estate listings, so I really appreciate the gut feeling of people living in the area.

I've also considered parts of Kaiser--somewhere near a busline to Chemeketa, but not in a flood zone. I suspect renting first like you're doing would be a very good idea. Have you decided on the area where you'd like to purchase a home?

[dachmom]

Keizer is a nice area, a little too spendy for me to buy a house there. If I could afford one, I would definitely consider Kezier. I love the new Keizer station shopping center, it is so much more convienent than driving across town to those stores. I am actually looking at smaller towns outside Salem like Dallas, Monmouth, Independence, Stayton, Aumsville, etc. You can go to wvmls.com (willamette valley multiple listing service) and select Marion County and it will cover not just Salem and Keizer, but other small towns. West Salem and Dallas, Monmouth and Indepence are in Polk county. Independence is the home of Western Oregon University but is still a small town. Might be a good place if you want to host international college students.

[bobmulk]

I live right near Jan Ree. Actually, just across Lancaster in a small subdivision called Mission Park. I have seen rapid appreciation here in the past three years. Jan Ree, in my opinion, is absolutely wonderful. There's thousands of homes out there on large lots--well-built homes constructed in the sixties and seventies. The newer areas were built within the last ten-fifteen years. You'd have plenty of room for a garden since you want to live green and vegan.

You are close to the freeway to get south or north or downtown. We've been seeing an influx of people who commute to Portland's southern suburbs because a similar house up there can easily cost $100K more. I personally think you'd like Jan Ree. To me, it looks like "My Three Sons" Americana! lol