From Southern California to Beaverton (Portland, Bend: house, neighborhoods, best schools)

[NikkiandGrant]

Hi, My Fiance and I are thinking about relocating to Beaverton middle next year from down here in Orange County. The only place in Oregon we have been to is Grant's Pass/Rogue River. We absolutley love it there. But what things from the ones who live in Beaverton would suggest I consider before making my mind up completely? Please let me know as much info as I can possibly get. This is a huge change for us. Crime, People, Jobs, Weather...ect.

[freedom]

What draws you to Beaverton?
What type of Jobs?

Being from Orange county the weather will be a big change for you anywhere in the state. The further North you venture, the more weather changes.

BTW, you have been to the best part of state for weather.

best wishes

Free(from Fullerton)dom

[ammonwaters]

I lived in Santa Monica for a while. Have lived in the PacNW for too long. The only thing is you guys get way too many fires. If you don't mind never seeing the sun,then make the move. If you don't need to see sunlight much ,you'll be okay. It doesn't rain as much as it is just grey and overcast and it looks like it's late evening all day long because the sun can't peep through the clouds. Occasionally,I stress occasionally there will be a sunny day. This last summer was dreary and we got robbed from the supposed sunlight we were supposed to get. I'm looking at Flagstaff,AZ. It gets the same temperatures as here but has a ton more sunlight. It all depends on what you're looking for but it is always wet and soggy here. Think about that before you spend the money. Research other higher elevation cities in the west with similar dry conditions you have but cooler temperatures. The cold bites to the bone here.

[ldm883]

I have lived in Oregon most of my life...grew up in Beaverton. Beaverton has become a burb of Portland...hard to describe where one ends and the other begins. Malls, traffic, crowds, etc. You can head just a few miles farther west or east and get away from the feeling of "city" life. The winters are stormy, rainy with some snow showers. Lots of overcast days, but it actually doesn't rain ALL THE TIME! Sunny summers with easy access to the Oregon coast (rocky and beautiful). If you relocate around the Bend area in central Oregon you'll get about 265 days a year sun, snow...but inches, not feet...cold, but not unbearable and high energy from a "playground" part of the state of Oregon...skiing, snowboarding, golf, fishing, scenic drives, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking, ATV heaven. I've lived on the coast, in southern oregon, along the Columbia Gorge and now in central Oregon....each place has it's perks. I like Bend and it's surrounding towns because it seems to be on the cutting edge of new technology, new jobs, and neighborhoods where they still have "block parties!" Best schools around and the communities support their schools. The small towns have a "safe" feel for kids and the scenery is breathtaking.

[jm21]

I've lived in both areas...Oregon has dreary winters but lots less pollution and lots more nature. Also has a lot less diversity, a lot less people, and a lot less city things to do. Beaverton's pretty close to downtown PDX though where there are more city things if that's what you like. Costs a lot less to live up here, but the price is going up more and more because of the high median wage and crappy zoning laws. A lot less jobs here and professionals don't get paid nearly as much, though blue collar jobs probably pay more.

I would choose Beaverton over OC in a second...but I'm sure others would differ.

[schadenfreude]

I grew up in Beaverton and now live in Orange County, so I know both areas pretty well. I might get kicked out of the Oregon Club for saying this, but the traffic is a little bit worse in Beaverton than Orange County. Forget ever seeing a road with four or five lanes in each direction. Beaverton never really built the road infrastructure necessary to handle its recent growth.

But the real deal breaker for me is the weather. Spend some time in Beaverton in December and January. It's not the cold or the rain or the occasional freezing rain, it's the lack of sunshine. The days are like four hours long and even at that it never really gets light outside if there is cloud cover.

[bakabear]

I took a year off, sold my house in the SF bay area, and wanted to get out of cal, so I moved up to Portland for the year. I was born and raised in Cal, and it is just not any place for me to be anymore. I won't even get into why. I had lived in Oregon for a year in '86, and couldn't get a job, until a woman from Boston hired me. Oregonians didn't want Californians there. I thought it would be better this time around, but it was worse in many ways. There is a lot of hate from Oregonians towards Californians. Of course not all of them were like this, but even the ones that weren't hateful weren't sure how they felt. They didn't like us coming in and changing things. I get that, but the hate factor I didn't want to deal with. It is exactly what I am running from to begin with. Maybe I am looking for something that doesn't exist anymore, I don't know. The other downside was that the jobs paid very little, and costs were quite high. I actually, believe it or not, lived better in Cali for the money, and that was with owning a home. Environmentally, Oregon is the bomb. I can't think of anywhere I would rather live. It gets enough sun for me, but stays green, unlike California. But, alas, the energy vibe from the locals makes a huge difference for me, I am finding.

I am still on the hunt for other places to live. I am temporarily back in California.

[freedom]

Originally Posted by bakabear

I took a year off, sold my house in the SF bay area, and wanted to get out of cal, so I moved up to Portland for the year. I was born and raised in Cal, and it is just not any place for me to be anymore. I won't even get into why. I had lived in Oregon for a year in '86, and couldn't get a job, until a woman from Boston hired me. Oregonians didn't want Californians there. I thought it would be better this time around, but it was worse in many ways. There is a lot of hate from Oregonians towards Californians. Of course not all of them were like this, but even the ones that weren't hateful weren't sure how they felt. They didn't like us coming in and changing things. I get that, but the hate factor I didn't want to deal with. It is exactly what I am running from to begin with. Maybe I am looking for something that doesn't exist anymore, I don't know. The other downside was that the jobs paid very little, and costs were quite high. I actually, believe it or not, lived better in Cali for the money, and that was with owning a home. Environmentally, Oregon is the bomb. I can't think of anywhere I would rather live. It gets enough sun for me, but stays green, unlike California. But, alas, the energy vibe from the locals makes a huge difference for me, I am finding.

I am still on the hunt for other places to live. I am temporarily back in California.

Where in Oregon did you move from (or live)?
I have been here for 15 yrs. and never. "NEVER" had someone dislike or abuse me for being from California. Most people that live in Oregon are from California. Please explain further, if you will. What were the circumstances of this abuse that you experienced?

freedom

[jm21]

schadenfreude: not sure what part of OC you live in, but it can be a lot worse than Beaverton, depending on what road you take. Both have their bad traffic spots, but I'd reckon OC has a lot more of them...

freedom: there are still quite a few Oregonians holding out, but not really in Portland...and they do hate californians...they won't say it to your face though. Maybe if they had been your friend for 3+ years they would. We're very reserved, private people for the most part and slow to trust people. I've never told a Californian I wish they were gone, but whenever I hear someone say like "oh, I'm glad I moved from CA, it's great to raise kids here, the property values were so low, blah blah blah" I just cringe. The big government, revolving-door prisons, and now-high property values produce a lot of resentment.

[freedom]

Originally Posted by jm21

schadenfreude: not sure what part of OC you live in, but it can be a lot worse than Beaverton, depending on what road you take. Both have their bad traffic spots, but I'd reckon OC has a lot more of them...

freedom: there are still quite a few Oregonians holding out, but not really in Portland...and they do hate californians...they won't say it to your face though. Maybe if they had been your friend for 3+ years they would. We're very reserved, private people for the most part and slow to trust people. I've never told a Californian I wish they were gone, but whenever I hear someone say like "oh, I'm glad I moved from CA, it's great to raise kids here, the property values were so low, blah blah blah" I just cringe. The big government, revolving-door prisons, and now-high property values produce a lot of resentment.

What do mean if they were my friends for 3+ yrs.? I dont understand what you are saying.