Possible move to Oregon. Need to get out of California! (Portland: house, to buy)

[West Coast Republican]

Hi, I currently live in the Bay Area of California and I am running out of reasons to stay here. While I do enjoy the beautiful scenery and climate, I simply have become fed up with the Nanny State that dominates here. The taxes are always increasing, the cost of living keeps going up , and I feel that my freedoms are being jeopardized living her . For example I'm a firearm enthusiast and California treats us law abiding gun owners like criminals, always wanting us to pay fines or registration fees every year. It's no just guns, it's also my own property, you can't even put up a fence on your own land without The States approval, and to give you another example of the madness here every summer homes always catch on fireaand burn to the ground due to wild fires. This problem could easily be solved if they allowed people to clear brush on their land, but the Liberal Nanny State says '' NO IT MIGHT HURT THE ANIMALS ''!

The only thing keeping me here is family at the moment, but I know that I could be enjoying a much higher standard of living in a different state. Sure we make more money here than other places, but it only barely evens out with the cost of living for me, it's just getting more and more expensive to live here. The economy also isn't as good as people think, sure ours is the largest but that doesn't make it the best. It's terribly innefficent and most of the employers are small businesses who move out after a few years. There's always more small businesses starting up, but they'll move away later too due to the high tax burden and fines and restrictions that are imposed.

I have family in Oregon which is where I'm originally from but I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder and the winter months cab be depressing for me. I'm also worried about the economy there as I have heard it's not very strong. I am looking at Arizona for the sunny weather and the better economy and lower taxes. However I have no family there and have only vacationed to the state so I'm not very familiar with it. I'm trying to start my own business (which is one of the biggest reasons why I'm leaving) and it is next to impossible to get it going in California, with all the stupid regulations and fines I was told that I would have to wait 5-6 years to even get permission! In Oregon and Arizona I couldset up in a matter of months for far less money and hassle, plusjkeep more money after taxes. I would also like to buy a home which will never happen in California. Most homeowners here are either very wealthy or it was passed down through the family.

[Steve Pickering]

I doubt Oregon is the place for anyone with SAD

[FVWinters]

If it weren't for your SAD, I could recommend Oregon but given that, I would like to suggest you think long and hard before moving up here.
You used to live here so you know what a bloody awful mess our winter climate is anyway, Combine that with a much lower sun angle and you are asking for trouble. I also have the winter blues and while I am not prostrated by depression, I certainly feel it from about November to early-mid February. If yours is a mild case, the advantages of living here vs. the Bay Area may well offset whatever temporary misery you may experience here but if not, Arizona, for all its other disadvantages is your better bet.

[jlabsher]

I would say with your politics try AZ, TX, or MS.

[Silverfall]

Agree that Oregon and SAD is not a good combination. Was also going to suggest Texas. The Austin area is pretty and there are some rolling hills around it.

[Billy_J]

Sounds like you would like Idaho!

[kapetrich]

I'm going to have to agree with everyone else. AZ, NM, TX, MS etc.....even Idaho, but I really doubt Oregon is your best option given SAD and your political leanings.

[PukaFace]

I like that the (possibly) liberal contingent here may try to dissuade you from considering Oregon. Most of the state geographically is actually very conservative, much like California with the liberal bastions being the big cities and college towns (think Oakland, UC Berkley, UC Santa Barbara) which would include Corvalis and Eugene up here. With the big cities in California like L.A. and S.F. mirroring Portland here in Oregon, along with the statistics to prove it.
Just look at the demographics to see why. Most of the regular people outside these areas in both California and Oregon tend to be more conservative. Do a search here on City Data and you'll see this clearly.
Portland is proudly refered to as the "Peoples Republic of Portland". Sound Familiar ? Like the Peoples Republic of Berkley . It's because so many Californians have already moved up here to Oregon and immediately tried changing things to the way they were in the state they just left. Thus the saying "Don't Californicate Oregon". You can read about the same thing happening in Austin Texas.
Unlike the flames that are sure to follow, all of my comments are reflected by many others right here on City Data and didn't come from my imagination.
People that Liberally promote Political correctness are really all about putting restrictions on free speech- ironic isn't it ?

By the way- winter here in the Willamette Valley has been much nicer than I expected it to be after moving here from Hawaii.
I also lived in California (with the water shortage, high housing prices, and taxes) and have family in the bay area.
My 80 year old uncle's 1950's house is now worth over a million dollars and imagine trying to pay the property taxes on that with a fixed income ?!

Don't be dissuaded by some of the posters here- look for yourself and see what the majority have to say. Good luck in whatever you choose to do !

[hawaiian by heart]

@PukaFace

E'Aloha kaua O'pehea`oe? Pono hoahanau. Or Howzit? How long you been in town? Just in case you didn't know portland has alot of people from home. We also have a fair amount of Hawai'ian culture events. If your anything like me? My uhane is local and Hawai'ian even thou im not home and at times i miss da culture. Just incase your interested?

Any Portlanders From Hawai'i Out There? Aloha Spirit Guide And Thread For Portland.

Sorry to get off topic.

[Silverfall]

Originally Posted by PukaFace

By the way- winter here in the Willamette Valley has been much nicer than I expected it to be after moving here from Hawaii.
I also lived in California (with the water shortage, high housing prices, and taxes) and have family in the bay area.
My 80 year old uncle's 1950's house is now worth over a million dollars and imagine trying to pay the property taxes on that with a fixed income ?!

Don't be dissuaded by some of the posters here- look for yourself and see what the majority have to say. Good luck in whatever you choose to do !

SAD is a huge issue for some people. You totally gloss over that in here. Oregon and SAD is NOT a good combination regardless of politics. You obviously don't have SAD, but when you see some people start to struggle and have to go on anti-depressants during the winter months, you'll understand.