Orange County, Ca to OR? (Portland, Eugene: middle-class, real estate, apartments)

[Aly Kat]

I moved from OC over 6 years ago and wouldn't go back for love nor money. In fact, my one true love for almost 40 years was living with me and decided that she wanted to go back to OC to be near her daughter and she wanted me to go with her or else. I am now living alone in Grants Pass. So be it. However I am moving further north next year as soon as I get my home built in the Bend area, LaPine to be exact. Very rural but has all the amenities that I need and only about 25 miles from Bend with it's WalMart, Lowe's and Home Depot. What can I say. Only one negative to Oregon, no Weinersnitzels. If you like outdoor sports, Oregon is one of the best. Home prices have doubled in the last 6 years but the market has started to level off and drop somewhat. Still values in any area. Grants Pass is also very nice. No snow. Medium rain fall. Cool winters and hot summers. Oregon has it all over anyplace in So. California unless you like plastic credit cards and surgery. Enuff of that. You get the idea. Good Luck.

[Russel]

Orange county is not cheap because it is the best place in the USA.

[tiffela74]

Well...Russell....Im glad you are so happy with where you live. Very terrific for you. Always nice to see someone speak postive and content about their home.

Aly Kat,
How wonderful to hear that you are so happy here in Oregon. Sure sounds like youve found your nitch here. Good luck on the new homestead out of Bend, another beautiful area. And hey, maybe someday, we'll getcha a Weinersnitzels. (btw, I thought that was a kind of small dog. guess not? lol)
Tiff

[freedom]

Originally Posted by Russel

Orange county is not cheap because it is the best place in the USA.

For me, it use to be. Just got tired of the congestion, cost of living, materialism and lack of nature. It was really great when there were orange groves. Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, especially when everyone else wants it too.

enjoy

[skipper11]

I am from So. Cal. (Anaheim area) 57-99. Moved here to Grants Pass/Merlin, Oregon area. My husband and I Love it here. I admit I was a little afraid in moving to Oregon, due to all the rumors of Oregonians not wanting California transplants moving here. And, I have to tell you, that is so far from the truth. I guess that is why they call it rumors/gossip. What we want as an Oregonian, yep, I am now can be called an Oregonian and Very Proud of it, is friendly down to earth respect of friendship. We don't judge a book by its cover for it is character that counts. Oh, yes we are hosts at a campground in Oregon and what a variety of friends we have. It is like we have our own little forum..LOL..

[Clear2land]

Originally Posted by skipper11

I am from So. Cal. (Anaheim area) 57-99. Moved here to Grants Pass/Merlin, Oregon area. My husband and I Love it here. I admit I was a little afraid in moving to Oregon, due to all the rumors of Oregonians not wanting California transplants moving here. And, I have to tell you, that is so far from the truth. I guess that is why they call it rumors/gossip. What we want as an Oregonian, yep, I am now can be called an Oregonian and Very Proud of it, is friendly down to earth respect of friendship. We don't judge a book by its cover for it is character that counts. Oh, yes we are hosts at a campground in Oregon and what a variety of friends we have. It is like we have our own little forum..LOL..

We are headed to Grants Pass and Merlin. Do you live in Merlin, may I ask? There are some real nice homes with acres around Merlin. I intend to spend most of my time hanging out at the airport.

I think Californians are misunderstood by Oregonians but they hold no resentment. They are not going to single you out in a supermarket or ask you to leave. I met a lady coming out of the supermarket while waiting for my wife in the car. She could clearly read our California license plates. Not one word was said about that even when I told her we would be moving in 2007. We had a delightful chat. She told me what her and her husband do for a living and that she just took a job in lab at a nearby hospital. You will find Oregonians extra nice, patient, and polite. Far too much hoopla is made over nothing. I would expect any good neighbor to extend their hand and welcome it’s new citizens. I loved your post Skipper11!!

Dan

[skipper11]

Oh yes Clear2land, we live in Merlin/Galice area. We do hosting at Indian Mary Park. When you and your wife get here, please come see our beautiful park and say "Howdy to the Hosts".. We are extending our hand, with a Big Smile and Welcoming Our New Found Friends. From Escondido? My hubby graduated in 60 from Clairemont High.

Skipper, you can count on my stopping by to see you with my hand extended in friendship. We fell in love with Merlin and will be looking for a few acres nestled among the Pines.

Dan

[Educatorspeakingtruth]

Originally Posted by snb3

Any OC transplants to Or? I grew up in OC and now live in metro LA. It is my opinion that OC is not what it used to be in the late 70s & 80s. Much more crowded and even more expensive. Only place I'd consider would be south OC but would need @ least $700k for a decent house.
I would appreciate any feedback from transplants from here who ended up there. Specifically, does anyone have any thoughts of returning?

thanks

What I remember from growing up and being raised in Oregon was that people are people. For the most part most people could care less what brand of clothes you wear, the kind of car you drive or even the house you live in. In Oregon ones Character was what mattered. How you treated the people around you, mattered. How you contributed to your community mattered. Being friendly mattered. How you raised a family mattered. Were you a good father/mother, a good husband/wife? Many places have a "blue collar" hardwork approach. People are fairly practical. You could drive a mercedes or a bmw (or any kind of luxary auto maker), live in a large house, be rich, and if you were an inconsiderate, arrogant jerk? You were still a jerk even if you had money! Here it seems like you can treat people anyway (as poorly) you want, and as long as you have money or are in a position of power, or look really attractive. People will want to kiss up, get as close as they can and be your best friend based on what you can do for them! In Oregon, that won't get you very far. Now, just like most places if you want to find that lifestyle and or those kinds of people,you can find them. I'm speaking about the norm, the way the majority think. Oregon is a liberal state in terms of government, but many of its values are conservative and traditional. In terms of having a childhood and growing up: It was SAFE to play and there was a lot of room in my yard or neighbors yards to play in. We didn't have to drive to a park to play ball, we just went to each others back yards, they were actual yards to play in. Also there were so many opprotunities to be in the outdoors. We were just minutes away from camping, fishing, boating, hunting, hiking, bird watching etc. Instead of being hours away. It was easy to get away from it all and relax with nature and be with your family. I never rememberd crowds anywhere, except, airports, state fairs, malls, easter egg hunts, competitions, sporting events (Beaver Games!) or concerts. Never at the beach, lakes, rivers, mountains etc. Unlike So Cal, where you go to get away from it all to go the mountains, beaches, lakes, and rivers only to be met by 1,000's of people all with the same idea and you have to wait in traffic to and from! Oregon seems more relaxing, even when you try to relax in So Cal it is a challenge. I never really saw pollution until I moved to California. The air is so clean in Oregon because of all of the trees! I never thought of buying bottled water (a big waste of money in Oreogn!)? The tap water was clean enough! Not in So Cal! I only drink bottled water here, the tap water in So Cal is disgusting! Also recycling is occuring in most homes in Oregon and many grow their own produce, and have compost piles. Oregon is fairly tolerant just like California on many issues; and that is both good and bad depending on how you look at it. Sometimes traditions get taken away, and also sometimes change slowly occurs. Shopping is not huge in Oregon like it is here, which surprises me because of no sales tax in Oregon! I'm sure with teens in every city, shopping is a must! I'm talking about the norm here, the majority of people are not going in droves to the malls everyday. Also, I've never heard or seen any of the rich people hiring nannys to raise their children so the Dads can work (or play golf) and so the Moms can go shopping with all of her girlfriends for new jimmy choos, or dooney and burkes! In the OC that is a rare occasion I'm sure. (I hope) But it does happen, I have witnessed it with my own eyes. Plastic surgery is also more hidden and occuring less frequently in Oregon compared to So Cal. Hollywood and "the other Hollywood" (Adult Entertainment Industry or PORN) doesn't have such a large grip on the culture of Oregon (or even the rest of the U.S.) like it does in So Cal. Here it seems like those industries have such a strong grip on the culture, especially with the youth, that people can't even recognize it! Almost like they have blinders on their eyes. The Red Hot Chili Peppers even wrote a song about this called "Californication". Anyways, I'm not bitter towards my experiences here or the people I've encountered here. I feel so blessed to have the experiences from living in California, it helped me grow into the person and into the man that I am! I feel now is the time for me to be a MAN and to make a grown, wise decision. That means moving to a place where I can be a successful future husband, future father and a successful professional teacher. A place that is affordable, and safe to start a family even though I don't have a family of my own yet. This is how I see some of the differences between living in Oregon and living in California.

I don't plan on returning unless I have a higher calling from my creator opening the doors for me to return.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by Des_Demona

I was in Fullerton (and general Orange County) the other day and it was a horrible experience. I used to live there and then I moved north (not quite to Oregon yet but soon!) and I couldn't believe how horrible it was. I wouldn't even DREAM about even going back to Orange County just to visit relatives. It's so sad how a place can get ruined in such a small space of time. Hope that doesn't happen to Oregon.

I had a great uncle who farmed 160 acres of citrus right across the road from Knott's Berry Farm. That was before Disney built Disneyland on a bunch of bare farm ground down the road. I only visited it once, when I was a small child. I remember picking ripe oranges off of the tree, and there was a spring house that was cold even on the hottest days.

I just ran it up on Google Earth, and couldn't even spot where the house was. Most of the land is parking lot, and they seem to have built a freeway through the place.

Oregon's land use laws are under attack by people who stand to make a lot of money turning farm land into developments. If you move to Oregon, register to vote, and don't forget what you saw in Fullerton.

[freedom]

I respect your position, but in my opinion we have too strict of building codes, and this makes housing costs inflated beyond the ability of young families to afford. So they end up moving away.

Oregon has thee toughest zoning laws in the nation. Thanks to Gov. McCall. and the dense city concepts.