Looking for information (allergies, live in, expense)

[Artful-Thang]

Originally Posted by norm

We will be retiring shortly. We now live in the metropolitan New York City area. We are looking for a place in southwest that has moderate temperatures in the summer with low humidity and no earthquakes. Also want no snow or at least a very minimal amount. Our other requirements are:

Houses for up to $275,000.
Good hospitals and doctors close by.
Good shopping.
A college near by for cultural events.
A good library.
A good area for allergy sufferer.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

There's not a place on earth that is completely immune from earthquakes. That said, avoid the coastal areas of Northern California, Oregon and Washington because they have the chance of subduction earthquakes as well as the other types. Plus, with earthquakes and ocean, there's the problem of Tsunamis and adding in all the rain they also have problems with landslides.

However, if you cross coastal Oregon off your list, you'll miss out on some gorgeous areas with lovely mild temperatures year round. I've done lots of research on the coastal hazards, both online and off, and I'm still keeping it as a possible destination to move to. You might check out Curry County, and particularly Brookings as a possiblity if I haven't scared you away from the coast.

Less earthquakes and allergy problems in the dry eastern portion of Oregon, but that portion gets dust storms.

Check out this site to see a "Natural Hazards Viewer" that rates each county in Oregon for hazards:
hazardsViewer (http://mtjune.uoregon.edu/website/hazardmaps/webapp/hazardsViewer_content.html - broken link)

(If the link doesn't work, google "The Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience" and then find their link to the Natural Hazards Viewer.)

Good luck with your search!

[norm]

Artful,

Thanks for the link. I want to stay away from the coast because of the dampness since we both are arthritic.

[little peg]

Originally Posted by norm

Artful,

Thanks for the link. I want to stay away from the coast because of the dampness since we both are arthritic.

Idaho or western montana?

[mdvaden]

Originally Posted by norm

Dave,

Thanks a lot for the information. I do have hay fever so the area that you mentioned would be a problem for me. What about Grants Pass would it be a good place for me to check out?

By the way I meant southwest Oregon not the southwest U.S.

Norm

Fairly decent medical in Medford. Grants Pass is barely a half hour away.

Earthquaking rare (see my recent post)

Not a lot of pollen.

House price will work. I saw a really nice two bedroom in a good but not upscale neighborhood for $159,000 last week - two bedroom. Real cute.

So toss in $10,000 chunks and there is a good selection.

A reasonable library.

Ashland with Southern Oregon University will be the main choice.

[norm]

mdvaden,

Thanks for the info.

[norm]

Originally Posted by little peg

Idaho or western montana?

Idaho no for personal reasons and Montana has hard winters.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by norm

Artful,

Thanks for the link. I want to stay away from the coast because of the dampness since we both are arthritic.

I just moved from southern Oregon last March, after living there for 3.5 years. I have allergies and had nothing but problems with them the entire time I lived there. There is a LOT of pollen that comes off the forest trees, there is also a lot of pollen due to molds that form due to the rain, as-well-as from people growing hay or alfalfa in the area. During the summer, the forestry does controlled burns to control the underbrush which is TERRIBLE for people with allergies.

If you have arthritis, Oregon - even southern is not the place for you. It gets very cold in the winter.

Your best bet would be Arizona or New Mexico.

[Artful-Thang]

Originally Posted by ladysrodgers

If you have arthritis, Oregon - even southern is not the place for you. It gets very cold in the winter.

Your best bet would be Arizona or New Mexico.

Come to think of it, my dad's current wife has bad arthritis and they live in Tucson because of it. Tucson is too hot for me, even when I visit for Christmas, but they love the heat.

[newlife7]

Originally Posted by ladysrodgers

I just moved from southern Oregon last March, after living there for 3.5 years. I have allergies and had nothing but problems with them the entire time I lived there. There is a LOT of pollen that comes off the forest trees, there is also a lot of pollen due to molds that form due to the rain, as-well-as from people growing hay or alfalfa in the area. During the summer, the forestry does controlled burns to control the underbrush which is TERRIBLE for people with allergies.

If you have arthritis, Oregon - even southern is not the place for you. It gets very cold in the winter.

Your best bet would be Arizona or New Mexico.

\

um.. southern oregon is not as cold as New York, nor is the rain fall going to be more... i have had allergies all my life, grew up in the midwest where the rain fall is as much as in southern oregon, and there is no mold problem, not like it is in the south where the rain amount is double that of southern oregon.

the winters in the midwest are cold.. and long.. and i'm fairly certain it's the same in new york... what southern oregon has for 'winter' is nothing.. really, once you've been in a midwestern or north eastern winter.

to speak of allergies for places to live, it depends very much on what kind of allergies you have. i know where i grew up there were farms all over with hay.. and it never bothered me because those farms were out in the country, while i lived in the city.. or do you mean that hay and alfalfa is grown right in the city section of the city?

i just find that your posts are filled with a certain grudge against this area.. and you seem to carry a passion or purpose of making sure people will not move there.

i mean, controlled burns are done all over.. when i lived in arizona we had controlled burns.. i live in SC now, and there are controlled burns.. i have allergies.. and no it isn't "TERRIBLE" as you like to state with all caps.. it's uncomfortable at best if you don't like the smell of smoke and the smokey air can be bothersome.. however, in a day it's over.. and if you love where you live.. well, you make do with what needs to be done to keep the forests from burning out of control with a natural fire..

[RockyMtnr]

Allow me to address your allergy concerns with what I haven't yet experienced ... and with what I have:
Up in the valley (the Willamette Valley - which consumes most of the northern I-5 corridor if not all, they grow sod-grass. Big ol' grass-farms. That's what they do - and if you have allergy to grass and grass seed then, it seems one would have a definite problem. I don't think I have an allergy to grass ... but I reacted to something heavily when I moved to Oregon at the Coast. I moved in late winter (from the East and from the High-Deserts (Wyo)).
There is moss that magically appears, takes about 3 days of fall weather with the sun dipping low. There is mold, fungus, mildew ... this is the most alive state in the country I think - and I've lived in Florida! No such thing as a dead tree here - It looks dead - but there will be two or three or ten trees growing right out of it so, if it is alive and can live outside of the tropics then, it's growing here.
There is also "Scotch-Broom" - a beautiful yellow-blooming bush/shrub that was introduced from overseas that thrives here - is taking over here - and it's so laden with allergen that it can kill infants. Supposedly, it creates some sort of pulse that actually intefers with the electrical current that moves across a heart-muscle. Anyhow, it, or something, sent me to the doc after a few months with chest-pains. I eradicated the plant from my property once it stopped blooming.
I'm not the allergic type, historically - with some minor changes the past few years - but something got me in Oregon. Oh man, is it beautiful here! It's beautiful here in a way no place else is beautiful - and it's got what everywhere else has although it's a little short on cacti and several varieties of palms. It's beautiful ... and it's coming to getcha! Google it up - get extensive if you're really concerned. I've seen a lot of info on this site somewhere so perhaps go back up to the top of the Oregon Forum (you're on it now) and use the "search" feature. Best of Luck.