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I am 20 years old and my boyfriend will be 23 in August, so we are fairly young and new to this whole game. we need to be out of our current place by mid-August at the latest, so we are hoping to find a place to settle into for the month of August.
I have been interested in Oregon for a long time. first, I was interested in Portland, but much research and conversation with friends currently living there has deterred me from that area for the time being. it's still a possibility, but with the amount that we'll have saved (which will collectively be around $8,000, give or take a little), I highly doubt that Portland would be a good fit for us right away. I just don't believe that we'd ever be able to have jobs lined up soon enough.
I am someone that has lived in Massachusetts near the water, and then in a very small town in Nebraska, to come all the way over to Spokane, Washington, where I currently am. I miss the "small town" feel but I like knowing that there are places within reach if I need them.
I am completely open to any areas whatsoever - I just really need to narrow it down and I am looking for people that are experienced with this state. I am looking for something closer to the coast, but not necessarily right on it, because I have checked out most of those cities already and the job outlook seems dim.
we will be moving with savings, but we will be seeking jobs within the first few months. I have a lot of customer service experience, but mainly my experience is within a Parks & Recreation department - so any cities that have a lot of parks or entertainment facilities that may be hiring is a plus, even if it's seasonal. I'd just like to get my foot in the door somewhere. some other tidbits are that I also do freelance art commissions, and he has experience working for USPS. I know that there is a plant in Portland, but I'm not sure if there'd be potential for him to get a job with USPS elsewhere in the state.
we are both highly into being outdoors or at least going places, and we do not mind rain, fog, mist, etc. we do enjoy our sunny days, but they are not necessary. I honestly prefer dim weather.
he will have his car, and I will be using a bike or public transportation if at all possible because I do not intend to buy a car instantly. I'd like to settle in first. bike-friendly areas would be great, or at least areas that have ample public transportation.
we also really enjoy contributing to local businesses and purchasing fresh foods, so any places with public markets and things like that are a huge plus.
I'm not sure what other information to really give you guys - we're both at a loss here and I personally have been researching cities for a few months on my own. now, I'm coming to you guys to hear opinions from people who have more experience with different areas within Oregon. if it helps at all, please don't think that we're looking for city life or a big party scene just because of our ages. we're extremely laidback and we'd prefer to settle into a comfortable place in a good community, with the potential to get involved eventually.
we'd be looking to rent for a while, also, so there'd need to be places available. we're not picky about space.. our living area can be small if it needs to be. I am very frugal.
thanks, guys. any suggestions help, really. I would appreciate any information, I am very new to this entire thing but I have wanted to get out of Spokane for a very long time, so I'm anxious to find something better.
A big city might feel kind of scary, but your best chance of finding a job is in a large job market, which means the Portland area. You might look at the surrounding suburbs, where rent might be a little cheaper and give you the small town vibe you are looking for. If you pick a spot fairly close to mass transit, you could work anywhere in the Metro area and not spend a fortune on commuting costs. You could also look at communities near Salem or Eugene, though your transit options are not going to be as good there.
Definitely look up the bus schedules on the internet to see if they will fit your needs. For instance, outlying communities around Salem have pretty limited transit options.
Your best bet is to stick in Spokane and job hunt in Oregon. Don't move until one of you has an anchor job. Once you know where the job is, you can select a town in commuting distance. Just about anywhere in the Willamette Valley is convenient to both the coast and the mountains.
Personally I think Portland is your best bet for jobs. Salem is your best bet for affordability to stretch your savings the longest. Because of the coastal range you are either on the coast or in the valley. McMinnville might be a small city you like but public transportation will be an issue. If you don't want to have a car, you'll have to stick to one of the larger metros, or Corvallis, but Corvallis is expensive.
You need to decide what you want. Salem-Keizer and Eugene-Springfield are about the same size as Spokane so you won't gain that "small town feel" here. If you go to the small towns around the cities, which are ample, you have to have a car to get to work in one of the larger metros. Living in a small town in Oregon without a car isn't realistic when you don't have a job in that small city.
We have the Fed-Ex warehouse here in Salem and Wells Fargo and T-mobile have their call centers here, but Salem does not feel small town. It is sleepy, but not small.
well, it's looking like Portland might be it. he's been in touch with someone at the main building in Portland and they're going to help him into a new position there. the hardest part for me now is just determining an area because I know that wherever we go, we are most likely going to be there for a good few years, and I am very blind to Portland neighbourhoods. I don't want to end up somewhere that might be obviously "bad" to locals but seem fine to me. I know that intermittent issues happen with any area but I'd like to be as cautious as possible beforehand, I guess. I'm great with all different people and I'm not picky about the appearance of places, it's more that I just don't want to end up in some known drug area or something. I'm coming out of a neighbourhood where our car gets broken into on a weekly basis and people get found dead every few months, I'd like to improve at least a little bit if it's at all possible. the crime and lack of community here is a gigantic reason why I am unhappy and part of me is still wary about moving to any other big city, because obviously that can be anywhere.
in the meantime, I'll still be seeking out jobs in advance, but it's looking like he might be traveling there first if this works out and I might just follow suit a few weeks afterward. either that, or we'll have to find a leasing agent that is fine with only one of us having a set job there for the time being. we've definitely been hitting snags applying for places because we have a lack of credit/rental history and a lot of places won't budge without a co-signer, which we just can't do.
thanks for the advice so far, guys. I'm hoping things start to slowly work out more as I continue trying. right now it has just been an uphill battle.
well, it's looking like Portland might be it. he's been in touch with someone at the main building in Portland and they're going to help him into a new position there. the hardest part for me now is just determining an area because I know that wherever we go, we are most likely going to be there for a good few years, and I am very blind to Portland neighbourhoods. I don't want to end up somewhere that might be obviously "bad" to locals but seem fine to me. I know that intermittent issues happen with any area but I'd like to be as cautious as possible beforehand, I guess. I'm great with all different people and I'm not picky about the appearance of places, it's more that I just don't want to end up in some known drug area or something. I'm coming out of a neighbourhood where our car gets broken into on a weekly basis and people get found dead every few months, I'd like to improve at least a little bit if it's at all possible. the crime and lack of community here is a gigantic reason why I am unhappy and part of me is still wary about moving to any other big city, because obviously that can be anywhere.
in the meantime, I'll still be seeking out jobs in advance, but it's looking like he might be traveling there first if this works out and I might just follow suit a few weeks afterward. either that, or we'll have to find a leasing agent that is fine with only one of us having a set job there for the time being. we've definitely been hitting snags applying for places because we have a lack of credit/rental history and a lot of places won't budge without a co-signer, which we just can't do.
thanks for the advice so far, guys. I'm hoping things start to slowly work out more as I continue trying. right now it has just been an uphill battle.
What is your price range for a rental apartment? That will greatly determine on which neighborhoods you should be focusing. There is a 3% vacancy rate for apartments in Portland so landlords are going to be picky as to whom they rent because they can. That is probably why you have been running into problems finding a place to live.
Since we are shopping around for studios and 1-bedrooms, our maximum goal honestly started out at $650 for rent (not including utilities, but with the hope that W/S/G would be covered). It has since raised to $750, because I was caught way off-guard by Portland prices - but you can understand that I've also yet to experience a real job that would allow me to safely cover decent housing costs, so it's all kind of a bummer. I'll at least be moving with a realistic outlook about how the first year might go.
A friend from the area recommended that we might like SE Portland, but as I said, I'm blind to the whole thing. I'd really like to not go over $750 for a studio or 1-bedroom. However, I'm definitely willing to suck it up if it means getting a better area and a better place overall out of the deal. I understand that people are most likely going to be picky, too, so that has been on my mind a lot. We have began to discuss that we will probably need a co-signer, but that should be able to work out. It's having a job secured for both of us first that I worry about, but if everything goes well, he will have an interview with USPS soon.
I, on the other hand, have been contacting various entertainment centers/parks/etc. out of desperation, since I'm guessing my best bet would be to continue in an industry that I have experience in.
$750 won't get you anything in the more convenient or "better" SE neighborhoods. Rents for studios to one bedrooms can start at around $1000. For example, I live in a very desirable SE neighborhood where the least amount and I should also say rarest amount of rental for a small one-bedroom goes for $830 and does not include heating costs. Now having said that, you can sometimes find something a little bit farther out say past 60th Av or so for around your price. The neighborhood might not be exactly what you want though.
Have you looked at padmapper or Craig's List? If you can come to Portland before you move and scout around neighborhoods, that is the best way to find a good deal. Landlords have only to put out a "For Rent" sign and within hours will have potential tenants knocking on their doors. You never know, you just might be able to find a landlord willing to rent a little below the going rate if you do your search that way.
I've been looking at Craigslist almost exclusively aside from a few other apartment sites, though I hadn't heard of padmapper yet - thanks.
It seems like our housing search has stretched out to places like Beaverton and Tigard. I'm still reading about these places on the forum and elsewhere to get a better feel for them. I'm not sure yet on what Tigard is like, but so far my impression of Beaverton from the forum is that it's "eh", but decent to live in.
I've been looking at Craigslist almost exclusively aside from a few other apartment sites, though I hadn't heard of padmapper yet - thanks.
It seems like our housing search has stretched out to places like Beaverton and Tigard. I'm still reading about these places on the forum and elsewhere to get a better feel for them. I'm not sure yet on what Tigard is like, but so far my impression of Beaverton from the forum is that it's "eh", but decent to live in.
They're both suburbs. Nothing wrong with them, but they're not exactly hotbeds of excitement.
Moderator cut: snip Corvallis is amazing town. It is smaller but the people are progressive and super smart. It has low crime and is just a great place to live. Only problem is the cost. The link is in your budget so helps this helps
It is only a 42 min drive to Eugene where you can hook a job
Last edited by Kimballette; 08-01-2012 at 06:26 PM..
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